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FOUR THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC L AYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA EFBRUARY 29, 1936 Bishop O’Hara Issues Lenten Pastoral Letter DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH REVEREND DEAR FATHER: By the command of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore, a collection is to be taken up in all the churches on the first Sunday of Lent, for the missions among the Indians and colored people. . We require all of our clergy to remind their flocks to give liberally to this good work, and to forward the amount to the Chancellor in Savan nah. They should also read the general regula tions for the observance of the Lenten period on Quinquagesima Sunday. Regulations for Lent I. All the week-days of Lent from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday are fast-days of precept, on one meal, with the al lowance of a moderate collation in the evening. Both fast and abstinence end at noon on Holy Saturday. I II. The following persons are exempt from the obligation of fasting: Those who are under 21 or over 65 years of age; l “ e sick and the convalescent; all those whose health or daily duties would be seriously compromised by fasting; nursing women; all'those whose occupations are of a very laborious and exhausting nature; all those who have been dispensed by ecclesiastical authority. III. The use of flesh-meat is allowed at every meal on the Sun days of Lent, and at the principal meal on^ Monday Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. (Ember Saturday excepted.) IV. The use of butter, cheese, milk and eggs is allowed every day at the principal meal, as also at the collation. Whenever flesh-meat is allowed, the taking of fish and meat at the same meal is no longer forbidden. V. A small piece of bread, with a cup of coffee, tea or choco- . late, may be taken in the morning. VI. Where it is not convenient to take the principal meal at noon, it is lawful to invert the order, and take a collation (lunch) about noon, and dinner in the evening. V. . Dripping and lard may be used in preparing food. VIII. On Sundays there is neither fast nor abstinence. IX. Those who are exempt in any way from the precept of Fasting may eat meat at the three meals on meat days. X. By a special Indult granted to the Bishops of the United States, working people, who cannot easily observe the com mon law of the Church, are dispensed from the obligation of abstinence on all days of the year, except Friday, Ash Wed nesday, the forenoon of Holy Saturday and Christmas eve. This dispensation does not exempt from the additional obli gation of fasting where such exists. It includes, however, not only the individual workmen in whose favor it is granted, but all the members of their families as well. In return it is ex pected that those who avail of this Indult will endeavor to enter into the spirit of the holy season of Lent by voluntary acts of mortification and penance. XI. By dispensation of the Holy See. men serving in the Army or Navy are allowed meat on all days of the year, except Ash Wednesday. Good Friday, the forenoon of Holy Satur day. and the eve of Christmas. The Paschal time extends frcm the first Sunday of Lent till Trinity Sunday, during which time all Catholics who have attained the proper age are bound to receive worth : ly the Holy Eucharist. BISHOP OF HARRISBURG -0 Mortification, Communion at Daily Mass, Special Devotion All Urged for Season of Lent ‘For Some of Us Doubtless This Will Be Our Last Lent on Earth’, His Excellency Says in Urging His People to Take Advantage of Opportunities for Penance B’shop o( Savannah. MOST REV. GEORGE L. LEECH BISHOP LEECH REGENT SAVANNAH VISITOR Guest of Bishop O’Hara After His Installation Bishop of Harrisburg as Enthusiastic Welcome Given Bishop O’Hara in Augusta (Special to The Bulletin) SAVANNAH, Ga.—The Most Rev. George L. Leech, D. D., who was in stalled as Bishop of Harrisburg Tues day, January 28, spent the following week-end in Savannah as the guest of Bishop O’Hara here, being cele brant of the nine o’clock Mass and delivering the sermon. Bishop Leech was installed as Bishop of Harrisburg by His Eminence Cardinal Dougherty, less than two weeks after he had nstalled Bishop O’Hara as Bishop of 'Javannah; Bishop Leech and Bishop O’Hara have bsen intimate friends for many years. His Excellency Bish op Lee eh is widely known in the South' he was secretary to Cardinal Fumasoni-Bio-tdi when His Eminence was Apostolic Delegate to the United States, and visited this section in that capacity. Bishop Leech resigned to become pastor at Pottsville. Pa.. the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and was consecrated Coadjutor Bishop of Harrisburg last year, succeeding to the See on the death of Bishop McDevitt. (Continued From Back Page) and said that surely Georgia's repu tation as the state outstanding for its hospitality was well deserved. "In the short time I have been here I have had the pleasure of traveling Georgia from the seashore to the hills and mountains,” His Excellency sai, “and already I have learned to love this state as I have learned to love its people. I sincerely hope that the Holy Father, who has been so kind to me will do me the additional kindness of allowing me to spend the rest of my days in this, the Empire States of the South.” Bishop O’Hara expressed his appre ciation of Mayor Alien’s cordial wel come and his comment on the labors of Catholics for the upbuilding of the community. He pointed out the teaching of the Catholic Church on authority as coming from God. and said Catholics if need be would lay down their lives in the future as they have in the past for the defense of their country. The chairman directed attention to the fact that the flag to which His Excellency referred to illustrate his remarks had been presented by Pat rick Walsh Council, Knights of Co lumbus, to the Louis LeGarde Battey Post of the American Legion in honor of Louis LeGarde Battey, deputy grand knight of the Council, who died on the battlefields of France, laying down his life for his country. The hall was artistically decorated with Papal and U. S. colors and the Bishop’s coat of arms. The Punaro Orchestra and Miss Agnes Gouley played during the reception. Refresh ments were served after the reception program and the receiving by Bishop O’Hara of the many hundreds of per sons present who were introduced to His Excellency. Assisting the Bishop in receiving were the pastors of the city. Among the clergy present were Monsignor Kane, Rev. J. B. O’Donohoe, S. J., Rev. Leo M. Keenan, Rev. George Laugel. S. M. A., Rev. A. Sittler, S. M. A., Rev. M. A. Cronin. S. J.. Rev. John J. Kennedy and Rev. P. J. O’Connor, of Augusta, Rev. H. A. Schonhardt of Sharon, and Rev. Thomas I. Sheehan, of Washington. P. H. Rice, Jr„ was general chair man of the committee; other com mittee members included the follow ing: Frogram, James B. Mulherin, Wil liam A. Lyons, Charles C. Chesser, T. P. Kearney, Harry Markwalter; reception, the pastors, Alfred M. Battey, Wlllipm A. Lyons, T. P. Kear ney, Richard Reid, Law.ence Ward, Mrs. M. B. Buford, Robert Arthur, Mrs. A. J. Wren, E. B. Sheahan, E. J. O'Connor, J. Coleman Dempsey, Mrs. W. W. Yaun, James L. Bartley, James B. Mulherin, C. Victor Mark- waiter. Mrs. Charles C. Stulb- Mrs. William Lenz; refreshments, Mrs. Leo Cotter, chairman. Mrs. William Lenz, Mrs. H. Bedingfield, Mrs. Joseph Her man. Mrs. Alfred M. Battey, Miss Catherine Callahan; decorations. Mrs. William A. Herman, chairman, Mrs. Charles C. Stulb, Mrs. Marion Stulb, Mrs. M. B. Buford, Mrs. James B. Mulherin, Miss Catherine Callahan, Mrs. W. W. Yaun; finance, Thomas P. Doris, general chairman, Mrs. J. A Wren, chairman for St. Patrick’s Parish, Robert B. Arthur, chairman for Sacred Heart Parish. Mrs. Marion Stulb, chairman for St. Mary’s Parish; publicity. Richard Reid. J. Coleman DemDsey. The Knights of Columbus Radio Program, on which the Rev. George J. Dietz, of Aiken, S. C., was the speaker on Sunday, was dedicated to Bishop O’Hara. Mrs. Margaret Davis, Florence, S. C., Dies (Special To The Bulletin) FLORENCE, S. C. — Mrs. Margaret Caroline Davis, one of the oldest members of St. Anthony’s Church, died here February 10. after an ex tended illness. Mrs. Davis was 70 years of age and well known and be loved in Florence. She is survived by her husband, J. G. Davis; seven daughters, Mrs. Lawrence Morris, of Valdosta, Ga., Mrs. F. W. Stackley, Sr., of Florence, Mrs. Carrie Byrd of Lake City, Fla., Mrs. W. P. Stegall of Florence, Mrs. Maxcy Richter of Columbia, Mrs. S. C. Moore of Ho boken, Ga., and Mrs. H. L. Lee of Lacooche, Fla.; two sons, W. A. Da vis of Waycross, Ga., and J. E. Da vis of Stockton, Ga.; and two broth ers, W. M. Mims of Florence and Al bert Mims of Lamar. The funeral was held from St. Anthony’s Church, the Rev. W. A. Tobin, pastor, offici ating at the Requiem Mass. Inter ment was in Darlington, S. C. BOYS COMMENDED Chicago American Publishes Extended Series on Work of Bishop Sheil (By N. C. W. C. News Service) Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Savannah, Georgia, February 17, 1936. Dearly Beloved in Christ: The near approach of Lent affords me an opportunity, not only to speak to you of the holy season now at hand, but also to convey to you the cordial greetings and the paternal blessing that I anxiously desire to give you in person when circumstances will per mit me to visit you. The 40 days of Lent, set apart each year by the Church as a special pe riod of penance, in memory of our Saviour’s Passion and Death and to prepare for a worthy celebration of His Glorious Resurrection from the dead, will begin on Ash Wednesday, February 26th, and will end at noon on Holy Saturday, April 11th. The Church has established regula tions for the proper observance of this holy season; these are found in a separate document read to you to day. Penance, as we know from the Sa cred Scriptures and the teaching of the Church, is an essential Chris tian duty Its value and necessity are stressed time and again in Holy Writ. Our Lord, insists upon it in no uncertain terms. “Unless you do penance, you shall all likewise per ish.” (Luke XIII, 3). He asserts that “There shall be joy in Heaven upon one sinner that doth penance, more than upon 99 just, who need not penance.” (Luke X, 32). To give us a divine example of mortification of the senses in His own person, He, the Sinless One, fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. The Apostles preached penance. “Do penance . . . for the remission of sins,” says St. Peter. (Acts II, 28); and St. Paul “preached first to them that are at Damascus, and at Jeru salem and throughout all the coun try of Judea and to all the Gen tiles, that they should do penance.” (Acts XXVI, 20). The Saints, even the most innocent of them, practiced the most severe of mortification and self-denial, many to an extent more to be admired than imitated. . After the example of the Saints, and in obedience to the Church, we too should spend this holy time of Lent in “doing works worthy of pen ance ” We have offended God by sin and merited His just indignation. We can atone tor our offense by a wor- ;hy penance The Church, knowing full well that the distractions of life and human frailty itself often cause us to lose sight of the need that we have of making amends for the sins that we have committed, reminds us of our obligations in this respect by her Lenten Regulations. It behooves us to hearken to her voice “before the time of a f fliction comes and the years draw nigh of which they shall say: they please me not. Before the sever cord is broken; and the golden fillet shrink back; and the pitcher is crushed at the fountain; and the wheel be broken upon the cistern; and the dust return into its earth from which it was, and the spirit re turn to God Who gave it.” (Eccl. XII, I; VI. 7). Life is fleeting and precious the time that God gives us to work out our salvation. Fatal, perhaps, it were, to neglect the opportunity that is given us for penance, for the years rush on and soon “the night cometh when no man can work.” John IX, 4). During Lent, unless legitimately ex cused, we are bound under pain of sin to observe the laws of fast and abstinence which the Church, our ever-solicitous Mother, imposes upon us for our own good. The law regulates the kinds and the amount of food that we may take during Lent. We should be slow in finding reasons for excusing ourselves from it. But even if age, infirmity, sickness, the nature of our occupa tions or other proper cause, excuse us from fulfilling the letter of the law. none should claim exemption from its spirit. This should prompt us to adopt some other form of self- denial and mortification that piety, generosity and good will may sug gest. Accordingly, pleasures, which at other times of the year may seem harmless, should be avoided during Lent, for example, the theatre; mov ing pictures; dances; parties and'the like. I urge you, dearly beloved in Christ, to attend Mass more often, even daily whenever possible during Lent; to go frequently to Confession and Holy Communion; to attend Lenten devo tions and to make the Stations of the Cross. Families should adopt the beautiful custom, prevailing in many places, of saying their evening pray ers together and of reciting the Ro sary in common before retiring each night mindful of those words of Our Lord: “Where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matt. XVIII, 20.) The givng of alms in more abund ant measure than usual to the poor and afflicted is another salutary prac tice that ought to be cultivated. “Prayer is good,” says Holy Writ, "with fasting and alms more than to lay up treasures of gold, for alms delivereth from death, and the same is that which purgeth away sins and maketh to find mercy and life ever lasting.” (Tob XII, 8.9.) For some of us doubtless this will be our last Lent on earth. What an irreparable loss it would be to de prive our souls of the opportunity that the Church gives us now of spending it in a holy manner by showing forth in our lives the fruits of penance. Penance Mortification, self-den al are not easy; they involve suffering, but unless we are wi.ling to suffer something for our soul's sake we will have no part in Our Lord’s Res urrection. “If you partake of the sufferings of Christ,” says Peter, “re joice that when His Glory shall be revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.” (I Peter IV, 13.) May the God of peace and of all consolation fill your lives with joy in His holy service; may He inspire you to great piety; may He increase in you love for our Holy Faith and for His Spouse, the Church; and may the riches of His mercy and the sweetness of His Spirit descend upon you. my beloved peop'.t, now and al ways. Affectionately yours in Christ, CHICAGO.—A compresensive sur vey of the wide field of activities of the Catholic Youth Organization of the Archdiocese of Chicago, pub lished in a series of daily articles, has appeared in The Chicago Amer ican. The author, Charles F. Blake, a non-Catholic, describes the CYO as ‘one of the world’s greatest organiza tions for youth.” The initial article told of the found ing of the organization. Subsequent articles also told of its development and the many fields in which it is active. "The words of Cardinal Munde lein,” Mr. Blake wrote, “might well express the object of the Catholic Youth Organization, when he said: “ ‘I would rather save the life of one boy than build the finest edi fice.’ “The organization has for its cor nerstone the dictum of Cardinal Mundelein: " ‘Adopt a program of recreation so adequate, interesting and attractive that youth will have a desire to par ticipate in none other. “ Direct the nervous physical and mental activities of youth into healthy channels and they will not have im pulse to turn to crime for excite ment. ” The object of the CYO, the writgr added; is: "To save the lives of the Youth of Chicago.” Its activities, he noted, are not only city-wide but nen-sectarian. The article paid glowing tribute to the Most Rev. Bernard J. Sheil, Aux iliary Bishop of Chicago and found er of the CYO. Bishop of Savannah. The Bishop’s Assignments Editorial in The Savannah Press MRS. FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT was a guest of honor at the Knights of Columbus Kermess in Washing ton early in February. We are quite sure the Catholics of assigned. the Diocese of Georgia are very much pleased with the tinal announcement of the appointments of the new Bishop. The Evening Press present ed the names of those chosen for unusual service in the diocese yes terday. As an outside observer we venture the assertion that the new head of the Catholic Church in Geor gia has shown rare judgment in as signing those under his direction to special duties throughout the diocese which covers the entire state. Bishop O’Hara, whose democracy of thought as shown in the public ut terances he has made, and whose charming personality has drawn him very close to those with whom he has come in contact, has given very prompt and deserved recognition to those he found busy in the vineyard when he came here to assume the duties of his high office. He has sought to promote those already in the service and familiar with the problems of the diocese rather than bring from other sources those who would be compelled to undergo a form of education themselves before becoming thoroughly fit to perform the service to which they might be Bishop O’Hara has shown very fine judgment—if a layman may venture to say so—in advancing to new posts of responsibility priests of the Dio cese of Savannah. He will no doubt find their long experience in Georgia of marked benefit to himself and to the church he so capably serves. To read the list of appointments given in The Evening Press yesterday one is struck with the fact that the rep resentative of the Church in Georgia has found within the confines of the diocese much excellent material to help him carry on his labors in the state. Veterans in the service of the Church in cities like Savannah, Ma con, Augusta, Columbus and Atlanta, have been paid the compliment of a call to higher duties and fields of responsibility by the recently cre ated head of the Church in Georgia. With Bishop O’Hara recognition of ability seems to be in order through out the diocese. Appreciation of ser vices rendered by faithful adherents appears to be expressed in every as signment given out by the new lead er. We would subscribe to this as a very sound policy indeed.