Newspaper Page Text
JANUARY 81, 1938
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC L ATMETTS ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
Georgia Had First Benedictine Community in South
FIRST BENEDICTINES
CAME TO SAVANNAH
ISLE 62 YEARS AGO
They Established Sacred
Heart Parish in 1880, and
Benedictine School in 1902
Msgr. Lamb Named
Philadelphia Bishop
The Savannah Community of the
Benedictines was the pioneer Bene
dictine community in the South, an
tedating Belmont by two years; six
ty-two years agu in 1874, Father John
Raphel Wissel. O. S. B., acquired for
the “Congregation of the Benedictine
Fathers within tha Roman Catholic
Diocese of Savannah” a lot at the Isle
of Hope, ten miles from Savannah.
On this lot was erected the first home
for a Benedictine Community in this
entire section of the nation. In May,
1876, Father Gabriel Bergier, O. S. B..
acquired by gift from the Dupon
estate a lot, 135 by 100, adjoining
the original one- Here a chapel was
dedicated to the Blessed Virgin was
erected, and the Benedictine Fathers
serve it as a mission to this day.
Father Bergier died and his little
community of Benedictines went to
the Middle West; the Isle of Hope
establishment was taken over by the
Benedictines of St- Vincent’s Arch
abbey, Beatty, Pa., and Archabbot
Wimmer appointed Father Oswald
prior.
SKIDAWAY ISLAND TRACT
ACQUIRED IN 1877
In 1877 the Benedictines were in
corporated in Georgia, and Bishop
Gross acquired a tract of 717 acres
of land on Skidaway Island with the
intention oi having the Benedictine
Fathers found an industrial school
for Negroes there. The isolated po
sition of the Island made the plan
impractical, however, and the Bene
dictines were transferred to Savan
nah.
8 ather Oswald in 1880 acquired
nearly an entire city block between
St. James and St. Paul Streets, now
known as 31st and 32nd Streets, on
Habersham, and here he erected a
small rectory, a commodious school
and a frame church dedicated to the
Sacred Heart the beginning of the
parish. In 1884 the present Bene
dictine Abbey at Belmont was found
ed, and the Savannah Community be
came associated with it, with Abbot
Leo as superior. In 1887 Father Os
wald left Savannah for Cluny, 111.,
where he founded a Benedictine
Community, serving as prior until his
death in 1901.
PARISH FOR COLORED
CATHOLICS ESTABLISHED
Father William Mayer, O- S. B-,
succeeded Father Oswald and carried
on the work in the same thorough
fashion; Father Melchior Reichert, O-
S. B„ whom death claimed only re
cently. came with him. A parish
for eolered people was established
at East Broad and Gaston Streets,
with Father Melchior as pastor; it was
dedicated to St. Benedict, and was
dedicated in 1889 by Bishop Becker.
An orphanage for colored girls under
the direction of the Missionary Fran
ciscan Sisters was founded also. The
parish remained under the direction
of the Benedictine Fathers until the
Fathers of the Society of African
Missions came to Georgia in 1907.
In 1894 Father William was called
to Belmont Abbey to serve as rector
of the college there, and Father Pat
rick succeeded him. Two years later
Father William again came to Sa
vannah. Father Patrick going to Bel
mont; Father William remained until
1901 when he was appointed prior
of the Benedictine Community at
Richmond, where he died in March,
1904.
FATHER ALOYSIUS SUCCEEDS
FATHER WILLIAM MAYER
Father Aloysius O’Hanlon, O. S. B.,
suc.ee 'ed Father Will’am, and the
erection of a new church and of a
high school for boys was prooosed
and endorsed. Father Bernard Haas,
O. S. B-. rector of the Abbey Col
lege. was sent to Savannah to assist
in the work, and made superior of
the community in June, 1902, consist
ing of himself. Father Aloysius, pas
tor. and Father Gregory, pastor of
St. Benedict’s Church. The old school
building erected by Father Oswald
was renovated and pressed into ser
vice; the first session was he'd Sep
tember 29, 1902. with a class of 21
boys and Father Bernard as the sole
instructor. This was the beginning of
Benedictine School.
In February of 1902 a tract of land
bounded by Bull, Whitaker, 33rd and
34th Streets was acquired and work
on the church and priory started. The
cornerstone of the church was laid in
the fall of that year by Bishop
Keiley, assisted by Bishop Haid of
North Carolina and Bishop Northrop
of Charleston. The church was com
pleted in 1905 and dedicated by
Bishop Ke ley on February 12.
NEW BENEDICTINE SCHOOL
DEDICATED IN 1904
The new Benedictine School was
erected in 1904 and dedicated by
Bishop Haid June 16, 1905, the day
of the third annual commencement.
At that time Father Jerome Finn
O. S. B., until recently pastor at
Winston-Salem, N. C-. and Father
Anthony Meyer, O- S- B , had been
added to the faculty, and later Father
Nathan Graz. Father Ambrose Gal
lagher, now of Charlotte, Father Cor
nelius Diehl, now of Richmond, and
Father Eugene Egan, now of Greens
boro. came to Savannah to become
members of the faculty of the school.
In 1908 Father Aloys’us, in -harre
of the parish work, left to take up
Georgia Leads All Dioceses
But One in Its Proportion
of Catholic School Children
Only Raleigh Has Better Record in That Direction,
Father Moylan Says in Speaking on “The Diocese of
Savannah” at Dinner Following the Installation
The Rt. Rev. Msgr. Hugh Lamb,
Prot. Ap., chancellor of the Arch
diocese of Philadelphia, who suc
ceeds Bishop O’Hara as Auxiliary
Bishop of the Archdiocese and as the
rector of the Church of the Nativity
ot the Blessed Virgin Mary.
work in Pennsylvania, and Father
Anthony Meyer succeeded him, re
maining until his transfer to Salis
bury, N. C.. in 1916, when Father Eu
gene was named to succeed him.
In 1916. Father Bernard, who was
still superior of the community, ac
quired for the parish a tract of half
a block on Abercorn, 38th and Dray
ton Streets. The two apartment
buildings on the lot were remodeled,
one as a school and one as a convent,
and the Sisters of St. Joseph from
Augusta were placed in charge.
FATHER BERNARD HEADED
SCHOOL SEVENTEEN YEARS
Father Bernard was in direct
charge of Benedictine School from its
opening until 1919, when the increas
ing pressure of other duties as su
perior of the community forced him
to relinquish the post; Father Am
brose succeeded him. The parish
school grew to such an extent that
in 1918 an annex was added; this
furnished only temporary relief, and
the need of a new school was evi
dent. Father Bernard started the
work, and it was dedicated in 1922. a
structure which is still an ornament
to Savannah. Over four hundred
pupils attend. The parish in recent
years has acquired a splendid resi
dence which has been remodeled as a
convent for the Sisters.
FATHER BONIFACE NOW
COMMUNITY SUPERIOR
Father Eugene Egan succeeded
Father Bernard, and during his years
as superior and pastor the parish
and schools continued to flourish.
On his transfer to Greensboro, N. C-,
as pastor, vnere still is and where
he will return to his duties soon after
an absence because of ill health,
Father Maurice McDonnell. O. S. B.,
succeeded him. When illness com
pelled Father Maurice to retire, Fath
er Boniface Bauer, .O. S. B., was ap
pointed superior and pastor. The
parish and its schools have never
been more flourishing than at the
present time.
After leaving Savannah Father Ber
nard went to Belmont to rebuild his
health, shattered by his long and ar
duous labors. He recovered suffici
ently to become priest and pastor
at Richmond, Va.. but in the course
of time he was compelled to retire to
Belmont again, where he served as
minister until his death in recent
years. He and the other pioneer
Benedictines in Savannah still live,
however in the grateful hearts of the
people there.
FATHER STANISLAUS
RECTOR OF SCHOOL
Father Stanislaus Bethel, O. S. B.,
formerly rector of Belmont Abbey
College, is rector of Benedictine
School, a post he has held for sev
eral years. Benedictine School, since
its foundation has been a most im
portant factor in the educational life
of Savannah, was never more influ
ential than at present: today in Geor
gia just as in countless nations and
principalities through the centuries
from Monte Cassino the Sons of St.
Benedict are giving the state and
community Christian. Catholic, cul
tured men whose influence for good
can never be adequately measured
Speaking on “The Diocese of
Savannah” at the dinner follow
ing the installation of Bishop
O’Hara, the Rev. Joseph E. Moy
lan, pastor of the Church of the
Immaculate Conception, Atlanta,
stated that the Dioeese had a
greater proportion of its child
ren in Catholic schools than any
other save the Diocese of Ral
eigh. Father Moylan discussed the
weakening of prejudice in Geor
gia and the factors contributing
to it, the splendid work done
among the Negroes, the prob-
Im of leakage and its connection
with mixed marriages and _ jack
of Catholic educational facilities
in places where Catholics are
least numerous- He referred to
the debt the Diocese owes ' to
B’shop Keyes for his magnificent
labors and Georgia’s indebted
ness to Philadelphia in the earl
iest days and today. “The host of
friends who have joumied far
tell us what manner of man
Bishop O’Hara is,” Father Moy
lan said; “the city’s reception
tell him what manner of people
we are.” Father Moylan’s address
follows:
North South*s Debtor
Msgr. Corrigan Says
Bishop O’Hara Payment on
That Debt, He Tells Clergy
at Installation Dinner
The Very Rev. Boniface Bauer, O.
S.B., is prior to the Benedictine com
munity at Savannah and pastor of
Sacred Heart Church; the Rev. Stan
islaus Bethel, O.S.B., is principal of
Benediet'ne School, of which the Rt.
Rev. Vincent Taylor, O.S.B.. Abbot-
Ordinary of Belmont is president and
Father Boniface vice - president.
Members of the community are
Father Cornelius Selhuber, O.S.B.,
chaplain at St. Marp’s Home, Father
Joseph Tobin, O.S.B., director of ath
letics and military property custod-
nia, Father Norbert McGowan. O.S.
B., frst assistant in the narish, Father
Aloysius Wachter, O.S.B., second as
sistant, Father Paul Milde, O.S.B.,
chaplain of Benedictine School and in
charge of the Isle of Hope Mission.
Father Stephen Dwod, O.S.B., now on
sick leave. Father Peter Trizzino, O.
S.B., of the faculty, and Father
Thomas Hoffman, O.S.B., of St. Leo
Abbey, Florida, who is serving dur
ing the absence of Father Stephen.
The State of Georgia was origi
nally served from Baltimore. In 1820
it was assigned to the newly cons.i-
tuted Diocese of Charleston. By re
commendations of the seventh Coun
cil of Baltimore, the Diocese of Sa
vannah was created, embracing the
S ate of Georgia and that part of
Florida which lies to the East of the
Appalachicola River. Seven years
later, the Vicariate of Florida was
established, thus confining our dio
cese to the Empire Sta.e of the
South. Francis X Gartland, Vicar
General of Philadelphia, was its first
Bishop. Twelve priests five thous
and people, a convent of the Sisters
of Mercy in Savannah, and Father
Barry’s orphan asylum at Augusta
might be said to have constituted his
inheritance.
Ther are now 19,300 Catholics
sixty-seven priests, of whom thiriy-
four belong to four religious orders.
There arc sixty - three churches,
twenty-six having resident priests,
and twenty-one chapels. Twenty-
seven schools, two hospitals, one
home for the aged and three orphan
asylums, cared for by 208 Sisters of
five religious communities, and nine
brothers of Mary grace the diocese.
Eight bishops have guided the des
tiny of this see, and today, the ninth
inaugurates his regime.
LARGEST DIOCESE EAST
OF THE MISSISSIPPI
The Diocese of Savannah extends
over 59,200 square miles. Only twelve
others exceeding it in acreage, none of
these east of the Mississippi River;
but numerically, ninety-five episcopal
jurisdictions in this country grows
larger.
If the growth of Catholics in the
State has not been so great as our
desires, there are many factors to be
considered. Originally, there were
laws denying Catholicity asylum.
The Acaaians seeking here a refuge
were turned away. The ports of en
try for immigrants were rather on
the Northern seaboard. Transporta
tion and communication were some
what difficult. Danger of death
from the pestilential yellow fever
and the toll of malaria extended no
invitation to homeseekers to take up
their resirence here. Later comers
would naturally se'tle close to the
establishments of their friends who
had earlier arrived I It is freely said
by prominent ecclesiastics that there
will be no wholesale conversions
among our Nationals.. Whether ’his
be true or not, the developments of
the resources of the South toward
which investors are more interes'ed-
ly turning may bring about a shift
in the population from which the
Church in our section must surely
benefit.
RECORD NUMBER IN
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
Though we have only 19,300 people
to Catholic population our 4,150 pu
pils enrolled in schools constitute a
greater proportion than any diocese
in the country, Raleigh, N. C„ ex
cepted. The regrettable feature is
that so many of these pupils, given
an excei.ent start, are graduated from
grammar or junior high grades into
secular institutions of secondary edu
cation at precisely the time when
they most require ecclesiastical sup
ervision,, when budding powers and
the new subjects sometimes conspire
to their injury. They begin to study
those phases of history which most
easily lend to distortion and damage
to faith and become subject to in
fluences too frequently deliberately
deleterious. The atmospheres are def
initely non-C .1 hoik'; it is impossible
to exclude all coercive ideas that are
constantly seeding through. The re
sult is leakage; in m3ny cases where
there is not positive loss, there is a
weakening of faith even to the point
of irdif'erence. That the early years
are v’tally important, the wisdom and
the verdict of h’story amply testify,
but the Holy Father is also insisting
upon secondary education under
Catholic tutelage.
Certainlv the educational problem
1 is not confined to the diocese of Sa
vannah; it exists with us, and be
cause of the predominantly non-
Catholic population becomes at time,
acute. There is not the massing of
numbers to constitute social ostracism
of those who wiil to be recalcitrant.
Likely though, the greatest cause of
ind fference or loss is the mixed mar
riage. If the non-Catholic party, by
episcopal legislation, were required,
as a condition for granting dispensa
tion, to appear before ’he parish
priest for at least three instructions
upon th duties of the Cat ! "o ir spouse
to self and Church, it might improve
the situation and lead to happier re
sults. This will present difficulties at
times and tax the tact of the persons
interested, but at least it will give the
non-Catholic party an opportunity to
contact the Church, to become ac
quainted with its priesthood, and to
set at -est some of the fantastic no
tions that he may have been enter
taining.
FORCE OF RELIGIOUS
P JJUDICE WEAKENED
Prejudice does not seem to be seri
ous.y at work today. It exists but its
motivation is igno.ance or fear—a
strange suspicion generated years ago
and still clinging. When one con
siders that in serious part the ideas
of the Catholic Church were instilled
by some circuit riding preacher with
out education, whose sole stock in
trade was an ability to read better
n his fellows, a Bible, “Thirty
Years in Hell’’, and the “Revelations
of Maria Monk”, one can understand
how the altitude took form. There are
yet many whose religious leaders lack
education. This particular.^ is true
of those who reside in mill settle
ments and some others. They are
too poor to support a high-salaried
r. ’.meter.
Of course, one of this class is wel
come to a Catholic Church, but he is
inhibited by his own inheritance. He
has not been reached, nor will he
be, until such time as large sums of
money are in the hands of the Bishops
of he Southern dioceses, whereby
they may bui'd missions for them on
the same scale of free church, free
school and largs alms as is the en
deavor on foreign missions. Nor even
with these adjuncts is the work going
to be accomplished in a day.
Such labor will, sooner or later, ele
vate the mentality of the people and
bring to them the true genius of
Christianity of which they have long
’■ n deprived. There wil’ be many
In sending Bishop Gartland and
Bishop O’Hara to Georgiaj Philadel
phia is but paying an installment
on the debt “we in the North owe
the generous Southland through
whose gates the first Catholic mis-
s’onaries entered the New World”,
th. Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph M. Cor
rigan, D. D., rector of St Charles
Seminary. Phi adelphia, said in his
response for the Archdiocese at the
installat’on dinner. Monsignor Cor
rigan in his concise, delightful talk,
said in part:
“When Philadelphia sent you your
first Bishop (Bishop Gartland) our
-bo-ese was but paying part of the
debt which we in the North owe your
"enerous Southland, through whose
gates the first Catholic missionaries
entered the new world to plant the
cross of Christ the King on its soil,
and to bring His gospel and His
Church to the American Aborigines
ard to the settlors who followed, and
who colonized this b’.esred and glori
ous land of ours.
“Today we are happy to be given
the opportunity to bring you. in fur
ther part set'lement of our debt, an
other Philadelphia priest, our Bishop
ai your Bishop. You will understand
me when I say that he is our own as
well as your own. Not that he is the
kind to divide himself. Bishop O’Hara
knows no half measures. It is his
way- as we well know, and as you
will come to know, to spend himself
and to give himself whole.
“Long livp the See of Phi’adelohia!
Lorg live the See of Savannah! We
of Philachlrhia join with you of Sa
vannah in wishing His Excellency,
Pi'hon O’Hara, of Savannah, length
f ft-.'s for service in the portion of
the Church committed to his care.
Ad multos annos!”
obstacles; it is not unreasonable to
doubt hat their mas ers v r ant them
raised in the social scale. Neverthe
less, this is perhaps the only way
not only to improve their condition,
but to solve problems that-so irritate
th. soul of justice.
WORK OF CHURCH IN
GEORGIA FOR COLORED
The general advancement of the
colored race is truly marvelous. It is
■''melim-s not realized that they have
advanced, precisely under the tute
lage of the better class of white prio
ri in the South. No other subject
race has been afforded the same
means "f improvement. They have
’iced in close proximity to the wh’te
man, f om whom they have imbibed
the white man’s mode of living and
he white man’s ways of business.
Schools provided by the white man
have educated him. In almost every
thing he has imitated the whites
erecting secret societies, churches and
other organizations social in charac
ter. Opulent foundations have estab
lished numerous schools of higher
’e-rning among the solored.
Howe -er, unfortunate to relate,
these have been viewed with dire
£ s-icion by -ersons infuriated at the
si'ht of opportunities denied to them
selves. Philanthropy can never sup-
riant Charity and charity cannot be
sown bv the Rockefeller Foundation,
r rces of un-est are now exploiting
the Negro. So much the more earn
est must be the efforts of the Church
in his behalf. The Diocese of Sa
vannah has not neglected this field,
but rather cultivated it to the fullest
extent of our resources. Bishop Eng
land set the example, for on Sundays
when he said Mass in his own Cathe
dral. he offered the holy sacrifice for
the colored people and invited them
the Church that they might attend
and pray with him. In the early
days, the Fathers *f the Benedictine
Order nobly gave themselves to this
task, and continued it until compara
tively recent times. The Society of
'.he African Missions of Georgia with
eleven priests, six churches and as
many schools with over 1,600 pupils,
tv/enty Sisters and several lay tea-h-
ers, with one orphan asylum, speak
highly the work of Bishop Keiley and
B’shop Keyes in supporting the cause
of the colored man; they resound
to the glory of the devoted priests
and Si: e-r whe have labored earn
estly in the negro’s interests. Never
theless, an increase in white com
municants and the spread of Catholic
teaching among the -oorer classes of
whites, w’th the accompanying educa
tion in the moral virtues, will prove
an invaluable ally
EFFECTS OS WORK OF
LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION
The Laymen’s League must be ac
credited with a large part in the pro
motion of better relations among Ml
Georgians. The Sage of McDuffie.
the old superstitions about the Cath
olic Church. Thte infamous convent
inspection bill was passed by the
legislature, where it was introduced
by Mr. Veasey, the author also of
.he “Dere Kumrad” letter in which
he voiced the old sophistry; “Where
there is smoke there is fire.” Both
the smoke and the fire were Wat
son’s. The Laymen’s League then
took the situation in hand. In 1928
this state, as every other, was del
uged with violent anti-Catholic pro
paganda provided by rich men liv-
far beyond the coniines of Geor
gia. The League had been working
for years in a spirit of charity, friend
liness and un'ailing courtesy, never
compromising, yet insisting so graee-
ful.y and so cogently that the state
g ve the Democratic candidates its
electoral vote, far and widely ad
vertised though his Catholicism was.
The official organ of the League, The
"ulletin, renders us articulate. The
yearly conventions of the Association
bring Catholics together from all
parts of the state; stirring addresses
by men qualified to discuss their sub
jects add to the interest and keep
alive the fire that is burning in the
hearts of our devoted laymen. Few
n numbers, they are not swept along
the crowd, but rather stand upon
their innate convictions and rugged
strength of character. There is an
organization that can be recommend
ed to any Diocese, and one that will
render to our Most Reverend Bishop
energetic action at his command.
His Excellency, the Most Reverend
Bishop Keyes, desires nothing in his
honor. The City of Savannah, in
which he lived these past thirteen
years, worshipped him; his priests
love him intensely; and the extent of
honor and glory of God and the
spread of rel’gion. To him the mis
sions oi the state are more indebted
'bar. they can realize. He leaves us.
I ut he will long be held in affection
ate memory.
DIOCESE HAILS COMING
OF BISHOP O’HARA
Today the Diocese hails the coming
of Bishop O’Hara. We gaze for a
minute into th- past, and see the he
roic figure of Francis X. Gartland, a
shepherd who laid down his life for
'.he flock; we see beside him another
veritably a martyr, who surrendered
his health to God’s work in Africa,
and yet, knowing the horrible rav
ages of fever, came at once to this
city when it was stricken in 1854 by
t .e horrible pestilence of , yellow
fever. We sea both these nobie prel
ates rushing from one sick person
to another, until at last they are laid
low ard unable to go any more.
And, as if to multiply their sorrows,
a tornado removes the room of the
Cathedral house in which they were
dying, or was God in the whirlwind,
sweeping them faster into heaven!
B’shop Barron died first; eight days
later Bishop Gartland fol’owed his
friedn. These two were Philadelphia's
gift to our diocese; we have reason
therefore to congratulate ourselves
upon the appointment of Bishop
O’Hara.
His Excellency has a wonderful
field, to exercise those great talents
wh’ch the Holy See discovered in
him; and h will find in his priests a
body of men * 1 who will be loyal, obedi
ent and devoted to whatever task
until the last breath. This host of
friends who have journey far tell us
wh t manner of man he is; the city’s
re:e~tion tell him what manner of
people we are.
CARDINAL MUNDELEIN outfit
ted 100 boys from poor families from
head to foot as his annual Christmas
gift; two boys were selected from
Thomas E. Watson, revived many of each of fifty families.