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TWELVE
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
3ANUARY ST, W3S
Holy Father Issues Encyclical no Priesthood
William H. Dooner
Is Dead in Savannah
Was Widely Known in Bus
iness Circles There
(Special To The Bulletin)
SAVANNAH, Ga. — William H.
Dooner. widely known in Savannah,
where he was bom 64 years ago. died
here last week after a short illness.
Mr. Dooner had been connected with
Leopold Alder Co., for 38 years, and
had always lived in this city. He
was the father of the late Wm. H.
Dooner, Jr., leader of the local Bar
and president of the Chatham Coun
ty Area. Boy Scouts of America, who
was accidentally drowned over two
•years ago. Surviving are his widow,
Mrs. Helen Ransford Dooner, a son,
Ransford Dooner, Augusta, a daugh
ter. Mrs. Gladys Sineath. Miami, and
two sisters. Mrs. Patrick Lyons, of
Tampa, and Mrs. J. A. Gallaher, Den
ver. The funeral was held from the
Cathedral, with interment in Cathe
dral Cemetery. The Adler depart
ment store closed during the hours
of the funeral.
MRS. MARY T. FOLEY, widow of
John J. Foley, died here recently af
ter an illness of two weeks. Mrs.
Foley was born in Savannah 72 years
ago, and was a widely known mem
ber of Cathedral parish; the funeral
was held from the Cathedral with a
Requiem Mass with interment in
Cathedral Cemetery. Surviving are
her niece, three nephews, and a num
ber of other relatives.
MRS. LUCY HENNESSY. a mem
ber of Cathedral parish, died here
late in December after a short ill
ness. Mrs. Hennessy was the widow
of James W. Hennessy, and is sur
vived by two sons, James W. Hen
nessy. Jr., and John J. Hennessy, a
daughter, Mrs. Frank C. Mathews,
two brothers, John J. Downing and
Sylvester Downing, and her sister,
Mrs. Mary Bowler, of Cork, Ireland.
The funeral was held from the Cath
edral with a Requiem Mass. Inter
ment was in Cathedral Cemetery,
qp* EDWARD MASON, died at his
home in Savannah early in Decem
ber after a short illness. Mr. Mason
was a native of England and had re
sided in Savannah for the past twen
ty years.
Funeral services were held at the
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. In
terment was in the Bonaventure
Cemetery. Mr. Mason is survived by
two sisters, Misses Margaret and
Mary Mason, and a brother, Robert
Mason, all of Savannah.
JOSEPH J. McGOULDRICK, a
member of Cathedral parish died
here early ni Decembcafter a brief
illness. The funeral was held at the
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. In
terment was in the Cathedral Ceme
tery. Mr. McGouldrick is survived
by his parents; his wife, Mrs. Ann
McGouldrick; one son, James J. Mc
Gouldrick; one daughter. Miss Patri
cia McGouldrick, all of Savannah;
three sisters, Misses Mary and Julia
McGouldrick. Savannah, and Rev.
Sister Patricia of the House of the
Good Shepherd, Baltimore; five aunts
and two uncles.
THOMAS A. CLARKE, a member
of St. Patrick’s Church, died in De
cember at his home here. Surviving
him are his two sisters and several
nieces and nephews. The funeral was
held from St. Patrick’s Church with
s* Requiem Mass. Interment was in
Cathedral Cemetery.
MRS. ROSE MARY COLLINS, a
native of Savannah, died here recent
ly at the age of 52. The funeral was
held from St. Patrick’s Church, of
which she was a loyal member; inter
ment was in Cathedral Cemetery.
MISS MARY O’BRIEN, a member
of Sacred Heart Parish, died at the
home of her sister, Mrs. Kate C.
Greene; after a short illness. The fu
neral was held at the Sacred Heart
Church. Interment was in the Cath
olic Cemetery. Miss O’Brien was a
member of a well known Savannah
family and was a native of this city.
She was a sister of the Jos. F. O’Brien
. *
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OFFICE OF PRIEST IS
FOR THINGS DIVINE
His Mission Is One of Peace
and Blessing—His Love
Excludes No One
(By N. C. W. C. News Service)
VATICAN CITY—Following is a
summary in English of the Encycli
cal Letter on the Christian Priesthood
just issued by His Holiness Pope
Pius XI.
“The office of the priest is not for
the things human or for the things
that pass away, however important
and valuable these may seem, but for
the things divine and the enduring,
eternal things.”
This is the keynote of the Encyclical
published by Pope Pius XI at Christ
mas time. The Encyclical is serenely
detached alike from the agitation of
the day and from any suggestion of
religious controversy. Its weight falls
on the functions of the priesthood in
religion and in the social scheme, up
on the priests’s mission of peace and
blessing and his influence for good
in the world, and it is a moving ex
hortation to the clergy to strive after
the very highest ideals of holiness and
usefulness.
The Encyclcal is integrated with
previous great Encyclicals of Pius XI
on the Christian education of youth,
on the sanctity of marriage, on social
justice and charity, and upon the need
for atonement and repentance. Con
troversies on theology are avoided,
and the central truth is asserted with
luminous and affecting simplicity.
Erudition adds dignity without heavi
ness. Great emphasis is laid upon the
need of scholarship and learning
among the clergy.
“Faith must be accepted by both
the head and the heart” attacks of
unbelief must be met by “defense
vigorous indeed and active, yet solid,
and unruffled”, since the priest must
have a thorough and deep mass of
sacred learning and in addition must
be graced by not less knowledge and
culture than is usual among the well-
bred and well educated people of his
day.
He must be as heartily modem as
is the church, which is at home at all
times, and in all places and welcomes
all, which ^lesses and furthers
healthy initiative and have no fear
of progress, even the most daring
progress of science, so only it be true
science.
Opportunities for research must be
given the more promising among the
younger clergy, and all must attain
at least “a standard of learning and
culture which will correspond gen
erally with the higher level and wider
scope of modern education as com
pared with the past.”
The close cooperation, between the
clergy and laity involves in Catho
lic Action is strongly approved. The
priest obviously is not for the study
or the sacristy only.
The Encyclical is marked by a great
Pope Pius XI.
sense of reality and by fearless
honesty. It is candidly assumed that
distressing faults among the clergy
are possible; that avarice, sloth, ignor
ance and ambition can creep in.
The pretenders of unctuous piety
find themselves rebuked in ex
hortations to godliness, which En
cyclical says consists in solid
conviction and real well - doing
rather than “that shallow and super
ficial piety which attracts but does
not nourish, which is busy but does
not solid good.”
Admonitions to the clergy are
strong and penetrating, and a
penetrating and striking passage
warns them of the rebuke publicly
given by our Saviour to the Scribes
and pharisees.
The basic concept maintained in the
Encyclical cuts sharply across any
idea of limiting the priests’s function
to some vogue form of social “uplift”
or some satisfaction of religious emo
tion by psychological skill. The priest
is a “continuation of Christ”, and as
such must bring the people to God
and God to the people. He must offer
to God the corporate worship of so
ciety as society has the duty of pub
lic thanksgiving, praise, atonement
and prayer.
Toward humanity the priest “meets
the need of moral purification which
is rooted in the human heart.” At
every crisis, from birth to death, the
priest gives strength and comfort.
Birth, adolescence, marriage, sinful
ness, even illness and death, are met
by the hopeful signs of God’s gracious
purpose to man and by God’s grace.
The ‘ministry of the word” is de
clared to be both a duty and right
which no human power can forbid.
The reference here would seem to be
attempts of certain countries to cur-
mil the priests’s freedom of speech
in sermons. This ministry of the
word is conceived to be for the evi
dent good of nations.
“A true priest cannot but make for
moral education, for social concord
PRIEST AS HEARTILY
MODERN AS GHURGH
He Should Have No Less
Knowledge Than Cultured
Persons of His Time
and for peaceful development of peo
ples. In the (present) clash of selfish
interest and unleashed hate and dark
plans for revenge, nothing could be
more powerful to heal and loudly
proclaim the new commandment of
Christ. ’
That commandment enjoins love,
which extends to all, knows no bar
riers or national boundaries, excludes
no race and excepts not even one’s
own enemies. Ine Encyclical de
clares that there is much ignorance
of religious matters in our day, in
spite of the advance in science and
“Fertullius’ ‘Hoc unum gestit inter-
dum veritas ne ignorata damnetur’—
the truth only asks not to be con
demned unheard’.”
But the Encylclical is sanely opti
mistic: “Together with much corrup
tion and diabolical malice, there is
everywhere felt a powerful religious
and spiritual awakening, a sign of the
Holy Spirit sent forth to renew with
its creative force the face of the
earth.”
The question of clerical celibacy is
treated with sound sense. Freedom
in accepting the obligation is a nec
essary basis. The historical origin of
the obligation is declared to have
been a spontaneous growth sanction
ed by Canon Law after actual prac
tice had proved its desirability and
utility. It is justified and made sig
nificant only by spontaneous accept
ance and by an outlook definitely
transcendent of this world.
Nevertheless, the practice of Eastern
churches is declared legitimate, and
any intention to disapprove their cus
tom is disclaimed.
Great emphasis is laid upon the
training of the clergy. Bishops are
urged to consider no positions in the
diocese so important as those of su
perior professor or spiritual director
in a seminary; Unsuitable candidates
are to be promptly dismissed, and the
language here is stem.
The more cultivated classes of so
ciety are admonished to look on a
vocation to the priesthood among
their sons as an honor and a blessing.
Parents who oppose such vocations
are reproved, and the vocation is de
clared to appear rather in fitness and
will than in the devout subjective
feeling of “being called.”
Throughout, indeed, almost every
page there is insistence upon personal
holiness in the priest. Prayer, sacri
fice, attachment and disinterested
ness, compassion for the suffering and
poor, zeal, obedience, purity of heart
and charity are exhorted. The priest
must be “another Christ”.
Stress is laid upon the frequent
practice of “spiritual exercises” and
to giving one day each month to
prayer and recollections.
The encyclical ends with a moving
expression of thanks to Bishops and
priests and of trust in them.
and Charles A. O’Brien.
Surviving Miss O'Brien also are a
third brother,’ William H. O’Brien,
Tampa, and her sister, Mrs. Kate C.
Greene.
MRS. MARY H. FRIESE, wife of
Victor H. Friese, widely known Sa-
vannahan, died here in December af
ter a short illness. Funeral services
were held at the Church of the
Blessed Sacrament. Burial was held
in Bonaventure Cemetery.
Mrs. Friese is survived by her hus
band, Victor H. Friese; three daugh
ters, Mrs. C.' B. Tuten, Miami; Mrs.
W. L. Minturn, El Paso, Texas, and
Mrs. Christian L. Asendorf, Savan
nah; a brother, John McGuire, St.
Paul; a sister, Mrs. Agnes Hurley,
St. Paul and several grandchildren.
Dr. Mulherin Heads
Augusta Health Body
Elected Chairman of Board
of Health of Richmond
County
AUGUSTA, Ga—Dr. W. A. Mul
herin, a founder of the Catholic Lay
men’s Association of Georgia, and an
alumnus of Spring Hill College with
the degrees of Bachelor and Master
of Arts, was elected chairman of the
Board of Health of Richmond Coun
ty here at the organization meeting in
January. Dr. Mulherin, a native of
Augusta, made his medical studies at
Harvard, his interneship at St. Vin
cent’s Hospital, Worcester, Mass., is a
former president of the Georgia Med
ical Society and in recent years was
honored by a degree of Doctor of
Laws from the Universty of Geor
gia.
THE ST. MARY’S Dramatic Club
presented the drama-comedy, “Poor
Father” at Mt. St. Joseph’s audito
rium last week for the benefit of the
Sisters; the play, directed by Father
John J. Kennedy, was presented be
fore Christmas also by a splendid
SACRED HEART Benevolent As
sociation is sponsoring a minstrel Fri
day of this week at the Academy
Hall.
THE RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION
Classes being conducted by Father
Kennedy-at Mt. St. Joseph Academy
for the young men and women of
high school and college age and
others interested resumed sessions
after the Christmas holidays. The
classes sponsored by the St. Vincent
de Paul Society, meet Tuesday and
Wednesday nights, the former for the
young men and the latter for the
young ladies.
Miss Ruth Farrelly,
Georgetown, S.C.Dies
GEORGETOWN, S. C. — Funeral
services for Miss Ruth Farrelly were
held at St. Mary’s Church, with the
Rev. James A. McElroy, officiating.
Miss Farrelly, who was born here 23
years ago, was demonstration agent
for Georgetown county. Her death
followed an automobile accident
which occurred when she was return
ing from Columbia. Miss Farrelly
was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
A. M. Farrelly of Georgetown, and
one of the city's most widely-known
and popular young women.
REV, WM. V. LANGTOT
DIES IN TENNESSEE
Beloved Dominican Served as
Captain During World War
Before Becoming Priest
JOHNSON CITY, Term.—The Rev.
William Vincent Lanctot. O. P.> for
the past six years assistant pastor of
St. Mary’s Church here, died Sunday
morning in Knoville where he had
been assisting at the Church of the
Immaculate Conception for the pre
vious two weeks. He had been cele
brant of an early Mass at the church
and was stricken some time after he
was taken to the hospital and died
within a few hours.
Father Lanctot was a native of
Harbor Springs, Mich., was educated
by the Franciscan Fathers, entered
the banking business, and served in
the was as a captain, being attached
Spring Hill Students
in Tour of Mexico
Find Many Evidences of
Religious Persecution
(Special to The Bulletin)
MOBILE, Ala.—A new approach to
the Mexican question was recently
inaugurated by Spring Hill College,
when a small group of students ac
companied by a professor from the
college made a 15-day tour of the
country south of the Rio Grande dur
ing the Christmas holidays.
The party which included John
Henry, Columbus, Miss., editor of
The Springhillian; Charles McCon-
aghy, Mobile, Ala,, and William Kerr,
Chicago, 111., left Mobile on Decem
ber 20 and returned to the Gulf coast
city January 7. Their route carried
them through New Orleans to Hous
ton and San Antonio. From Laredo,
Texas, they journeyed over the re
cently-opened International Highway
that took them by Linares, Monterey,
Ciudad Victoria and on to the pre-
Cortesian and modern capital of the
Republic, the City of Mexico. Trav
eling by automobile, they covered
more than 4,000 miles.
The purpose of the expedition was
to allow the students to witness at
first hand actual anti-religious condi
tions in the country and to contact
Mexican University students and
other leaders of thought with the in
tention of encouraging an exchange
of ideas and opinions on current
problems.
Since the return of the students
to the United States, they have been
utilizing the knowledge gained by
their trip, in talks before various
groups and by writing articles on
their experiences in the nation below
our southern border.
Questioned about the religious and
political conditions of the country,
the students reported that they had
observed anti-religious prints and
notices publicly displayed in govern
ment buildings along with illustra
tions of a similar nature'champion
ing socialistic education. Commun
istic red flags were hoisted every
where.
According to the students, a limited
number of churches were allowed to
remain open in some states, while
in other states all churches remain
ed under governmental lock and key,
In Mexico City, itself, they said there
had recently been some slight re
laxation of the anti-religious policy
of the government brought about by
two main causes, propaganda in the
United States is behalf of religious
freedom in Mexico and the grave po
litical crisis through which the Car
denas regime is now passing.
Despite this temporary let-up, the
students learned that within the past
few weeks two Catholics had been
shot in Zamora, located in the state
of Michocan; and that in Pueblo 35
private homes had been confiscated
by the government on religious
grounds.
The Springhillians explained that
the political crisis now facing the,
country had been precipitated by the
return to Mexico in December of
Plutarco Calles, ex-president and
one-time supporter of Cardenas.
Calles had been living in exile in
the United States.
to the finance division of the in
spector general; his experience in
banking circles and his ability as an
accountant led to his being appointed
to a number of important assign
ments.
After the war, Father Lanctot felt
the call to the priesthood, and en
tered 'he Order of Preachers, the
Dominican Fathers, making his
studies at St. Rose’s Priory. Spring-
field, Ky., and at the Catholic Uni
versity of America, where he was
ordained. Shortly after his ordina
tion he was appointed to St. Mary’s
in this city and had remained here
since, assisting in the building of St.
Mary’s Church and serving on the
missions. Surviving Father Lanctot
are his mother, Mrs. Adele Lanctot,
and his brother, at Harbor Springs,
Mich.
The Rev. George Carpentier, O. P.,-
pastor of St. Mary’s, was the cele
brant of the Requiem Mass at the
funeral of Father Lanctot, and mem
bers of the parish and missions served
as pallbearers. The remains were
then taken to St. Rose’s Priory in
Kentuck”. where he studied for the
priesthood, for interment; members
of the Johnson _ City parish accom
panied the remains to Kentucky.
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