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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.