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FOUR
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMENS ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
JANUARY 31. 1936
First Priests in Georgia Nearly 400 Years Ago
INDIAN BAPTIZED AT
MACON IN 1540;MANY
CONFIRMED IN 1606
Jesuits and Franciscans of
Spanish Period Were Suc
ceeded by Secular Clergy
After the Revolution
“At least fifteen priests lost their
lives in the Southeast with the ex
peditions of Navaez (1527-28) and De
Soto (1539-42),” according to the
Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 10, pg.
384, and Judge Orville Park in a
recent address before the Ministerial
Association of Macon stated that the
first Baptist on the present soil of
the United States was on the banks
of the Ocraulgee River at Macon,
when a priest with De Soto’s party
baptized an Indian baby about 1540.
Thus ancient is the part of priests
in the history of the Southeast and
Georgia-
The Jesuits came to Florida and
Georgia in 1566, and Father Martinez
the first Jesuit martyr in the West
ern Hemisphere shed his blood, a
victim of the Indians, at a place most
authorities identify as ' Cumberland
Island, which is Georgia soil. It was
St. Francis Borgia who sent the first
Jesuits to Georgia, St. Francis Borgia,
the associate of St. Ignatius and St.
Francis Xavier.
FRANCISCANS HERE
CENTURY AND HALF
The Dominicans succeeded the Jes
uits but they did not remain; in 1813
the Franciscans came, and for a long
er space of time than that which has
elapsed from the founding of the
republic to today they labored among
the Indians with such success, for
instance, that in 1606 Bishop Alta-
mirano of Cuba and Florida confirm
ed about 1200 Indians in Georgia-
It was not until after the coming
of the English in 1733 that the Fran
ciscans withdrew from what is now
Georgia.
As a result of the labors of these
missionaries in Georgia this state
has the most ancient sustained' his
tory of any of the thirteen original
colonies, and of any state in the union
except Florida.
Catholics were barred from the
colony of Georgia, but there is evi
dence that they were there from
the earliest days, when John Wesley
was tried in Savannah in 1737 on the
charge that he was not a Protestant
and requiring oricular confession as
a preparation for communion, he ob
jected to the jury panel on the
ground that it included “a French
man, a Panist, an infidel, three Bap
tists and sixteen Dissenters.”
MONSIGNOR MITCHELL’S
ARTICLES AUTHORITATIVE
Mcnsignor Mitchell in the splendid
series of articles on Catholics in the
early days of Georgia, the standard
source of information on the sub
ject, states that Peter Tondee. one
of the founders of the Union So
ciety in 1750, and Cornelius MacCar-
thy, who in 1764 received a grant «f
350 acres in what is now Chatham
County, were Catholics. French
Catholic soldiers constituted the bulk
of the Revolutionary Army in the
battle of Savannah, in which Count
Pulaski was killed.
There are traditions of visits of
priests to Georgia in the earliest days,
but the first definite visit of a priest
on record appears to be that of Father
O’Reilly, who visited Locust Grove
and probably Augusta and Savannah
in 1790, on his way from Baltimore
to the West Indies. Catholics had
eome to Locust Grove, in Wilkes
County, from Maryland about 1790-
The first record book in Savannah
extends from October 15, 1796, and
records the funeral of Father le
Moine, who died two years before
and it was evidently two years be
fore a priest Father le Merrier, ap
peared and m-d- the funeral possible.
Other names of priests of those
early davs are Father Sujet, in 1798,
Father Babc.de, a Sulpician, a vis
itor to the state in 1799 en route from
Havana to Baltimore, Father Felix
JW?C Carthy. pastor in Savannah in
1802, Father Anthony Charles, castor
at Savannah, in 1902, Father Robert
Browne, the Augustinian -astor at
Augusta in 1810 and in Savannah in
later years the famed Father Clori-
viere in Savannsh. and Father Eman
uel Coo-er, pastor at Aueusta, whose
gift of a farm and $10,000 to Mother
Seton gave the Emmitsburg Sisters
of Charity their start- This brings
us to the tin»e of the founding of the
Diocese of Charleston under Bishop
England.
ARCHBISHOP HUGHES
ONCE VISITED AUGUSTA
The number of priests increased
with the creation of the new See; all
of them were Diocesan priests. Those
serving in Georgia in the years be
tween 1820 and 1850, when the Dio
cese of Savannah was erected, in-
eluded Father Corkery, assigned to
Augusta in 1824, Father Stokes,,
Healy, McGinnis and Macenroe at
Savannah, Father John Barry, later
Bishop of Savannah, Father Jeremiah
Francis O’Neill, Father Quiriey,
Father Peter Whalen who refused
episcopal honors, Father M. D.
O’Reilly, Father Gregory Duggan,
whom Archbishop Hughes visited in
Augusta, Father Thomas Ma'oney.
••m*™ a* Columbus in 1840. where
Father James Graham and Father
Healey served previously. Father
Murphy of Columbus. Father Jere
miah O’Connell, who reports visiting
Macon in 1844, where Father Graham
had died two years before, at 34.
after founding the Marietta mission
and acquiring the first Macon church.
Fathers John and Andrew Boyle,
Father John Francis Kirby, Father
P. J. Coffey, Father P. J. Dunn, Fath
er Patrick Ryan, Father Birmingham.
Father Varella, aFther O’Neill the
younger. Father J. F. Kirby. Father
W. W- Hamilton, Father Michael Cul-
linane. Father Shanahan, Father Mas
son, Fathe: Charlton. Father Quigley
and others. Father Abram Ryan was
of the next generation.
Death came to many of those mis
sionaries at an early age, such were
the hardships of those times; others,
worn out by labors here, transferred
to more settled localities to regain
their strength- When the Diocese of
Savannah was created in 1850, there
were eight priests in Georgia, all sec
ular clergy, and an estimated Catholic
ponulation of 4,000.
The secular clergy have been in
the majority in the Diocese of Sa
vannah since the creation of the Dio
cese, their efforts being generously
and splendidly supplemented by the
labors of the religious orders, the
Jesuits Benedictines, Maris's and So
ciety of African Missions. The Bish
ops of Savannah have included a
Sulpician, Bishop Verot, a Capuchin,
Bishop Perisco, a Redcmptorist, B'sh-
op Gross, a Marist Bishop Keyes, and
four former secular clergy. Bishop
Gartland, Bishon Barry, Bishop Beck
er and Bishop Kei’ey.
PARISHES IN CHARGE
OF DIOCESAN CLERGY
Parishes in charge of the secular
or Diocesan clergy in the Diocese of
Savannah at this time follow (the
others will be found under articles
elevated to their orders in the Dio
cese):
□
-| SAVANNAH
□
CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN the
Baptist: Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph F.
Croke, rector. Rev. Harold J. Barr,
Rev- James H. Conlin, Rev. James H-
Grady, Bay Branch, Millen, Tybee,
Fort Screven are attended from the
Cathedral-
, .ST. PATRICK’S: Rt. Rev. Msgr.
Wentworth is a mission of the parish.
BLESSED SACRAMENT: Rev. Jo
seph R. Smith pastor, Rev. Thomas
L. Finn. Rev. John Bourke.
The Benedictine Fathers are in
charge of Sacred Heart Church and
the Society of African Missions of
St. Anthony’s, St. Benedict the Moor’s
and St- Mary’s.
| ALBANY |
-i a
ST. THERESA’S CHURCH and the
Southwest Georgia Missions: Rev.
Thomas A. Brennan, pastor; Rev.
Henry J. Honeck, Rev. John Mullins.
The missions include Americus, A:a-
paha, Bainbridge, Cordele. Douclas,
Fitzgerald. Moultrie, Thomasville,
Valdosta and Willicooche are missions
of Albanv: there are in addition about
twenty-five other cities and com
munities which are stations on the
missions.
ATHENS
-n
3— n
ST. JOSEPH’S CHURCH and the
Northwest Georgia Missions: Rev.
James E. King, pastor. Rev. George
Daly- The missions include Gaines
ville and Griffin, which have church
es, and sixteen other commuities
without churches.
Coat of Arms of
Bishop O’Hara
©item JJmpttt&n? <£l|rifto
“To Spend My Life For Christ”
is the motto on the coat of arms
of His Excellency, Bishop O’Hara.
The coat of arms is described by
The PhTadelphia Caiholic Stand
ard and Times as follows:
Two coats impaled. A: Silver, a
cross throughout cantoned by four
couped crosses, all gules (See of Sa
vannah). B: Vert, on a pale irradi
ated gold a Lion rampant sable charg
ed on the shoulder with a star of
five points silver (O’Hara).
A Bishop Ordinary, as the Spouse
of his Diocese, shows this in his
heraldry by dividing his shield ver
tically into two halves, placing in
the jurisdictional half the arms of
his See, and in the personal half his
farmi'y arms, or. in default of such,
his adopted heraldic bearings.
The arms of the Diocese of Savan
nah bear as their principal figure
the cross of St. George, which is al
ways of red on a silver “field.” thus
indicating that the diocese comprises
the State of Georgia. The four small
St. George crosses are placed in the
angles formed by the larger one, fol
lowing the pattern of the arms . of
the Kingdom of Jerusalem which
show five crosses similarly arranged
but slightly different in shape and
dif’erently colored, the Jerusalem
crosses being of gold on a silver field.
The five crosses cn the arms of Jeru
salem have been held to symbolize
he five Sacred Wounds of Christ.
They may be held to serve the same
function on the Savannah arms,
which, furthermore, suggest in her
aldic terms a new Jerusalem in the
State of Georgia.
The Bi hop’s personal insignia are
the ancient arms of the O’Hara fam
ily, with the addition of a silver star
on the black lion’s shoulder. The
arms of His Eminence. Cardinal
Dougherty, have on them three such
stars. By adding one of them to his
own coat, Bishop O’Hara heraldically
indicates his homage to the Car
dinal; and also, as the star is an her
aldic attribute of Our Lady, under
her title of “Stella Maris” the Bi hop
by displaying it, indicates his devo
tion to the glessed Virgin.
Bishop Keyes Is Bid
Touching Farewell
?
ATLANTA
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
CHURCH: Rev. Joseph E. Moylan,
pastor; Rev. Charles Rethans, Rev.
Henry Phillips. Rev. Herman Kernel
is chaplain at the Federal Peniten
tiary.
ST. ANTHONY’S CHURCH: Father
James H. Conlin, pastor; Father P. J.
O’Connor Rev. Nicholas Quinlan.
The Marist Fathers are in charge
of Sacred Heart Church and the So
ciety of African Missions of the
Church of Our Lady of Lourdes.
3 C
| AUGUSTA
u o
ST. PATRICK’S CHURCH: Rev-
Leo M. Keenan, pastor; Rev-Jere-
miah O’Hara.
ST. MARY’S-ON-THE-HILL: Rt.
Rev. Msgr. James A. Kane, pastor;
Rev. John J. Kennedy.
The Jesuit Fathers are in charge
of Sacred Heart Parish and the So
ciety of African Missions, of the
Church of the Immaculate Concep
tion.
~ BRUNSWICK 7
□ — 6
The Marist Fathers are in charge
of the Southeast Georgia Missions
with headquarters at Brunswick.
? COLUMBUS
□
S
(Continued From Page Three)
then return to the Marist College
in Washington, where he was presi
dent before becoming Bishop of Sa
vannah.
The day before the installation of
Bishop O’Hara, Bishop Keyes was
presented a substantial purse from
his friends in the Kocese, every city
in the Diocese and every parish be
ing presented by contributions, as
an indication of the appreciation of
and affection for Bishop Keyes on
the part of the people of the Dio
cese, The purse was oresented by a
committee which included Thomas
F. Walsh, Jr., Judge James P. Hou
lihan. Henry B. Brennan and John
W. Gleason. Savannah, and J. J.
Haverty, Atlanta.
seph’s Church and the Fathers of the
Society of African Missions at St.
Peter Claver’s Church, Macon.
Q-
I
Q-
MILLEDGEVILLE
□
h
SACRED HEART CHURCH: Rev-
T J. McNamara, pastor. Missions,
Dublin, Sandersville, Ivey. James,
Sparta and Eatonton.
O □
I ROME
□ □
ST. MARY’S CHURCH: Rev. Joseph
G. Cassidy, pastor. Missions: Adair-
ville. Budapest, Buchanan, Calhoun,
Cedartown, Dalton. Kingston, Menlo.
HOLY FAMILY CHURCH: Rev.
Dan J. McCarthy, pastor; Rev. John
Crean. Rev. John F. Monahan, Ma-
ior-Chaplain. U. S. A., is stationed at
Fort Benning.
□, □
\MACON ^
The Jesuit Fathers are at St. Jo-
| SHARON
Q U
CHURCH OF THE PURIFICA
TION: Rev. H. A. Schonhardt. pas
tor.
□ : □
WASHINGTON
□ fJ
ST. JOSEPH’S CHURCH; Rev.
Thomas A. Sheehan, pastor.
Savannah Diocese’s Clergy,
Religious and Institutions
The Diocese of Savannah, with a Catholic population of 19,360, accord
ing to the most recent Catholic Directory, has the following clergy, re
ligious, churches and institutions:
33 Diocesan clergy and 34 priests of religious orders. The religions
communities of men in the Diocese include the Benedictines, Jesuits, Marists,
Society of African Missions and the Brothers of Mary.
15 students for the Diocesan clergy. Many others are studying for
the priesthood in religious orders.
26 churches with resident priests, and 37 missions with churches, a
total of 63 churches, in a Diocese of less than 20,600. or a church for about
every 300 Catholics. There is a priest for every 280 Catholics. There are
21 chapels in the Diocese in addition to the churches.
208 Sisters, representing five religious communities, the Sisters of
Mercy, Sisters of St. Joseph, Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Im
maculate Conception, Little Sisters of the Poor and the Sisters of the Blessed
Sacrament, or one Sister for every ninety-two Catholics in the State and
Kocese.
Four high schools, five academies, one school for small boys, and 17
parishes with parochial schools, a total of 27 schools.
Two orphanages for white children and one for colored, caring for 14(1
children.
4,150 pupils are enrolled in the parochial schools for the Diocese.
Two hospitals, in Atlanta and Savannah, conducted by the Sisters of
Mercy, who treated 2,972 patients in 1934, the most recent statistics at hand.
A Home for the Aged, conducted by the Little Sisters of the Poor,
caring for 116 aged persons.
Cardinal,!6 Archbishops and
Bishops Attend Installation
(Continued from Page Three)
E ointed if we do not also get to love
im.
“You will have noticed the large
number of his first priests and of
the Philadelphia laity who have ac
companied him to your beautiful
and historic city of Savannah- This
tribute is a slight mark of the es
teem in which they hold him. We
assure you there is nothing that wc
should not gladly do for him.
“In Bishop Gartland Philadelphia
gave Georgia its first Bishop; now
it gives you Bishop O'Hara; but not
without a pang to our hearts as we
cart with him. We are sure you will
show him the manly chivalrous fair-
mindedness for which your State of
Georgia is- conspicuous in the an
nals of our land.”
MONSIGNOR MITCHELL
SPEAKS FOR DIOCESE
The Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph D.
Mitchell of Savannah, vicar-general
of the Diocese under Bishop Keyes
and the late Bishop Keiley, deliver
ed the iddres of welcome to Bishop
O’Hara, assuring him that Georgia
has already taken him to its heart
and that he would find in the state
a most kindly feeling due among
other things to the magnificent ex
ample of Bishops and priests, to the
natural normal disposition of the
people of the state, to the work of
the Catholic Laymen’s Association
of Georgia and to the loving, gentle-
Christ-like zeal of beloved Bishop
Keyes.
Bishop O'Hara expressed his pro
found and undying gratitude to His
Eminence for his gTeat kindness in
coming the long distance to Savan
nah for die installation ceremony,
the latest of an overwhelming series
of kindnesses bestowed by one lie
raid had been not only his superior
but a father and friend and his in
spiration. He expressed the prayer
ful hope that he would be able in
Some faint measure at least to be
worthy of them.
Bishop O’Hara paid a glowing
tribute to his predecessors, Bishop
Keyes, who he said “has governed
this Diocese with honor and fruit
fulness. Under nis leadership and
guidance the Kocese has grown and
religion has flourished. His labors
have been crowned with success and
have won for him the deep respect
and genuine affection of his priests
and people. The testimonial of filial
love and the expressions of keen re
gret that marked the announcement
of his resignation three months ago
bear witness to these facts. Bishop
Keyes leaves behind him a precious
heritage of Episcopal devotion, and I
know that he will never be forgot
ten by those to whom he minister
ed so unselfishly for more than
thirteen years. I say unto you, dear
ly beloved in Christ, in the words of
St. Paul: ‘Remember your Prelates
who have spoken the word of God
to you: whose faith follow, consid
ering the end of their conversation.’
(Heb. 13-7).”
BISHOP O’HARA PRAYS FOR
RICH BLESSINGS FOR STATE
Outlining the office ana duties of
a Bishop, and the great responsibil
ity of the Episcopacy, from which
even great men have recoiled, Bish
op O’Hara said he especially would
shrink from it were it not for the
consolation given him by his faith
“which teaches me that God who in
the designs of His mysterious ways
chooses ‘the weak things of this
world’ to perform tasks that involve
His honor and glory and the salva
tion of souls will .not abandon me in
my weakness.”
Expressing confidence in his
i priests and in his people, Bishop
O'Hara said: “God grant that Heav
en’s richest blessings may ever de
scend upon this diocese, and upon
all the people of the great State of
Georgia. May our labors for Christ,
our prayers and supplications be ac
ceptable in the sight of God to the
end that His Holy Name may be
come ever more widely known and
loved and that His Kingdom on
earth may receive increment. May
this land, irrigated by the sweat of
our brows, and watered too, per
haps at times, by our tears, show
eve rthe blossoms and the fruits of
virtue- so that all may possess in the
words of St. James, ‘the fruit of
righteousness that is sown in
peace’.”
MEMBERS OF HIERARCHY
ATTENDING INSTALLATION
Members of the hierarchy at the
ceremony in addition to His Emi
nence, Bishop O Hara and Bishop
Keyes included the Most Rev. John
T. McNicholas, O. P., S. T. D„ Arch
bishop of Cincinnati; the Most Rev.
Edward Mooney, D. D.. Archbi r hon of
Roohes'er; the Most Rev. Patrick Bar
ry. D. D„ Bishop of St. Augusiine, the
Most Rev. C. E Byr .3, D- D„ Bishop
of Galveston; the Most Rev. E. J- Fi'z-
maurice, D. D., Bishop of Wilming
ton, the Most Rev. John M. Gannon,
D. D„ Bishop of Erie; the Most Rev.
Richard O. Gerow, D. D.. Bishop of
Natchez, the Most Rev. William J.
Hafey, D. D„ Bishop of Raleigh- the
Most Rev. Peter Ireton, D. D., Coad-
iutor Bishop of Richmond; the Most
Rev. Moses Kiley, D. D„ Bishop of
Trenton; the Most Rev. John M. Mc
Namara, D. D., Auxiliary Bishop of
Baltimore; the Most Rev. John B.
Morris, D. D„ Bishop of Little Rock;
the Most Rev. John F. Noll, D D.,
Bishon of Fort Wayne; the Most
Rev. Emmet M. Walsh. D. D„ Bishop
of Charleston; and the Rt. Rev.
Vincent Taylor. O. S. B„ D. D. Ab
bot-Ordinary of Belmont. Present
also were the Rt. Rev. Frederic
Dunne, D. D.. Abbot of the Traopist
Monastery of Gethsemani in Ken
tucky, the Rt. Rev. Alcuin Deutsch,
O. S. B.. Abbot of St. John's Abbey,
Coilegcville, Minn., the Rt. Rev.
Martin Veth, O. S. B.. Abbot of At
kinson, Kansas, fifteen monsignori
and four Papal Knights, who were
an escort of honor to His Eminence.
Several religious orders, were repre
sented by their provincials.
BISHOP BARRY, FATHER
MOYLAN DINNER SPEAKERS
Monsignor Mitchell presided at the
dinner for the visiting prelates and
clergy at the DeSoto Hotel; the
speakers were His Eminence, whose
subject was “The Holy Father”,
Bishop Barry. “The Province of Bal
timore’’, the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph
M. Corrigan, D. D.. “The Archdio
cese of Philadelphia”, the Rev. Jos
eph E. Moylan, Atlanta, “The Dio
cese of Savannah”, and the response
by Bishop O’Hara.
Over two thousand persons met
the “Bishop O’Hara Special” from
Philadelphia when His Eminence the
Cardinal, Bishop O'Hara, and their
party arrived at Union Station. They
were greeted by Bishop Keyes, the
Rt. Rev. Msgr. Jos. F. Croke, chan
cellor of the Diocese of Savannah,
clergy of the Diocese, city officials
and lay leaders. Bishop Keyes, retir
ing Bishop of Savannah, and Bishop
O’Hara, his successor, walked arm in
arm from the station after His Emi
nence, Monsignor Croke. chancellor,
and Monsignor Mitchll, formerly
vicar-general, between solid masses
of people to the cars which escorted
them to the Bishop’s House, where
Bishop O’Hara adressed a few words
of appreciation to the people and es
pecially to the children who were
gathered there. En route, they were
saluted by the Benedictine Cadets,
and escorted by a motorcycle detail
of officers. Bishop O’Hara granted a
holiday to the children in honor of
His Eminence, and said that he hop
ed that the children would have the
same love in their hearts for nim as
they have for Bishop Keyes.
Among those who witnessed the
ceremony of installation were Bish
op O’Hara’s parents, Dr. and Mrs.
P J. O’Hara of Philadelphia, who
six years ago saw him consecrated at
Philadelphia, then the youngest
Bishop in tire world. A delegation of
one hundred priests and many
members of the laity accompanied
Bishop O’Hara to Savannah. The
Rev. Dr. Francis J. Furey, D. D.,
secretary to His Eminence., was mas
ter of ceremonies at the installation.