Newspaper Page Text
SIXTEEN
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC L AYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
JUNE 20, 1030
Native of Columbus, Noted Lawyer, Became Famed Priest
PATRICK F. BRANNAN
WAS ONCE MAYOR OF
WEATHERFORD,TEXAS
Entered Seminary on Death
of His Wife and Became
Noted Missionary — He
Died in Texas in 1916
BY THE REV.
JOSEPH G. O'DONOHOE, LL.D.
Chairman of the Catholic Exhibit of
the Texas Centennial Exribit.
(From the Southern Messenger)
The life story of Rev. Patrick Fran
cis Brannan is an interesting and un
usual one.
Father Brannan was born Novem
ber 30, 1848, at Columbus, Ga. He
was a mere lad when the Civil War
broke out, but, imbued then with
characteristic love for the Southland,
he went into the service as a drum
mer boy at the age of 14. He entered
the 15th Alabama, Company K. Dur
ing a part of his service Colonel
Oates, late governor of Alabama, was
in charge of the regiment. Colonel
Oates took a great interest in young
Brannan because of his enthusiasm
and his diminutive size. The impul
sive drummer boy had a habit of get
ting into the firing line. The Colonel
reprimanded him several times for
thus exposing himself to danger, but
the young man would get back into
the thick of the fray each time an
opportunity presented itself. Finally
the Colonel threatened to have him
whipped unless he stayed away from
the firing lines. Father Brannan of
ten alluded to the tender solicitude of
his colonel during his boyish patriotic
outbursts. He often visited Governor
Oates in later years, and they were
always warm friends.
It was always interesting to listen
to Father Brannan narrate his expe
riences of the war. He said that one of
his favorite pastimes was to place his
cap on a stick or bayonet and hold it
over the breastworks for the Union
soldiers to shoot at. He was small
even for his tender years, and it has
often been said that he was probably
the smallest member of the Confed
erate Army.
When the war was over Patrick
Brannan took up the study of law in
Louisville, Ky. He was afterwards
admitted to the bar and practiced
there in the firm of Burnett, Bram-
lette and Brannan. Subsequently he
moved to Texas and took up his resi
dence at Weatherford in the early
days and practiced his profession. At
the trial of a case in Cleburne one
day he met Miss Mary Powers, to
whom he was later married. A son
and a daughter were born to them,
one of whom now resides in Kansas
City and the other in St. Louis.
At Weatherford he became a great
friend and protege of Governor Lan-
ham. They called each other famil
iarly Sam and Pat as long as they
lived. Patrick Brannan was a fre
quent and welcome visitor at the
Lanham household in Weatherford, in
Washington, and in Austin.
In 1882 he became mayor of Weath
erford. Old citizens state that he was
the first Democrat to hold the of
fice and that he filled it efficiently
and well.
Aftei the death of his wife he went
to Baltimore to study for the priest
hood. His wife died m the very ze
nith of his career as a lawyer, and he
determined to devote his life to the
Church. At the seminary he com
pleted an eight-year course in three
years. From the time of his ordina
tion until his death he continued his
service as a missionary priest. He
held missions all over the United
States.
Following are some appreciations
of Father Brannon's work and char
acter:
“Father Brannan has quite a tal
ent for writing verse. Many of his
poems have been widely circulated.
They deal largely with the sweet sen
timents of friendship and the happy
side of life.
“He was much loved and admired
by people of ail religious beliefs.’’—
From the Forth Worth Record's ac
count of his death.
“P F. Brannan came to Weather
ford in the early ’70’s, where he prac
ticed law with great success until he
decided to enter the priesthood. He
was identified with the early history
of the town and was one of its most
prominent citizens. He was elected
mayor in 1872. being the first Demo
cratic mayor Weatherford ever had.
With him the late Judge G. A. Mc
Call, Judge J. M. Richards and W. H.
Eddleman served as aldermen.
“During his 30-odd years of active
missionary work, he has endeared
himself to a legion of friends, all of
whom will learn with deep sorrow of
his demise. His entire life has evi
denced his nobility of character and
loving helpfulness for his fellowmen
as warrior, politician, and prelate, and
many sons and daughters of Texas
will cherish his memory as a man pre
eminently a Christian and one of na
ture’s noblemen, . . .
“His illustrious companion in arms,
Father Ryan, author of those famous
poems ‘The Sword of Lee’ and ‘The
Conquered Banner’, another great fig
ure o f the long ago has many times
eulogized his religious co-worker and
PASTOR AT COLUMBUS
LEADER IN DIOCESE
Father McCarthy, Dean of
District, One of State’s
Most Widely Known Clergy
The Very Rev. D. J. McCarthy, V.
F„ pastor of Holy Family Church,
Columbus, and dean of the Colum
bus. district, is one of the most
widely known members of the clergy
in Georgia not only in Catholic but
in general circles.
Born in Savannah of a family
which is among the pioneers of the
state, Father McCarthy was pastor of
the Middle Georgia Missions, with
headquarters ait Milledgeville, and
the first pastor of Blessed Sacra
ment parish, Savananh, before his
appointment to Clumbus.
A chaplain in the World War, Fa
ther McCarthy has won the respect,
confidence and affection of the vet
erans of the state: he has served as
chaplain of the Savannah and Co
lumbus pests and has also been
state ehaplain of the legion. Hii
position among the Legionnaires is
but an indication of the esteem in
which he is held in ail circles in
vrh’ch he moves.
friend for his manly bravery during
the heated conflicts of many battle
fields.
“Father Brannan was a self-educat
ed man, never having attended school
until after his wife’s death, when fie
attended St. Mary’s College in Bal
timore to prepare for the priesthood.
After the War, and even before, he
spent his evenings studying. He be
lieved in education for the rising gen
eration, for he knew how hard it was
to get an education without school
facilities.
“Soon after the close of the War
he migrated to Texas, where he read
law and was admitted to practice in
the early ’70’s. As a Democrat he
earned great distinction, fighting side
by side with such eminent exponents
of Jeffersonian democracy as Coke,
Lanham, Reagan and Maxey and oth
er of the Old Lion Heart organiza
tion, who laid the foundation after
years of the most bitter internecine
struggles for the Texas empire of the
present day.”— Weatherford paper’s
account, in part.
“Patrick Brannan came to Texas
from Kentucky.
“Having been a drummer boy in the
Confederate Army, and rather a hero
worshipper of the Confederate Gen
eral Pat Cleburne, he on learning of
a town in Texas by the name of Cle
burne decided on that town as his
future home. He practiced his pro
fession in that town for about two or
three years. It was while in the
County Judge’s office, whether on
business or otherwise, that he met the
young lady whom he later married.
“From Cleburne Mr. Brannan mov
ed to Weatherford, where he entered
his chosen profession, the practice of
law. He soon made quite a name for
himself and created quite a reputa
tion as an able attorney. He became
active in politics, serving at least one
term as mayor of the city.
“Sometime after his wife died, Mr.
Brannan gave up his law practice and
studied for the priesthood. After or
dination he was appointed pastor of
the church in Weatherford. Besides
his pastorate at Weatherford, Father
Brannan also did church work of
missionary character. In his sermons
and lectures he lived up to his repu
tation as a philosopher and logician.”
—The foregoing incidents were fur
nished by Judge R. B. Hood.
Father Brannan was 68 years of age
at the time of his death, which oc
curred on January 29, 1916, in St. Jo
seph’s Infirmary. Fort Worth.
Solemn Mass of Requiem was sung
in St. Stephen’s Church, February 1,
by Father Finney, of Dallas, president
of Dallas University, assisted by Fa
ther Harrington, of Oak Cliff, and
Father S. A. Samperi, of Fort Worth.
The funeral oration was delivered
by Bishop Lynch. Burial took place
in Greenwood City Cemetery.
Nazi Anti-Catholic Charges
Denounced by U.S. Ministers
Continued From Page One
ment, widespread efforts were made
to pin the label of ‘traitor’ on all
priests who opposed Nazi teaching at
any point. Now it is the good name
of the Catholic priesthood which is
to be defamed, in the hope that so
the ultimate suppression of all uni
versal Jewish and Christian beliefs
by the totalitarian state can be most
speedily effected.
“The reported trial of 276 Francis
cans in Cologne for alleged immoral
practices is not the first of its kind.
Efforts by the Propaganda Office to
gather evidence likely to support
such charges have been in progress
during nearly a year. Months ago,
sections of the English press carried
authenticated stories to the effect
that priests had been ‘framed’ and
protographs faked. The archives of
diocesan authorities and of religious
communities have been ransacked for
possible records of offenses by indi
viduals against the vows of poverty,
chastity and obedience.
“Such defections—rare but occas
ionally real—are always carefully in
vestigated by the ecclesiastical pow
ers and the evidence is carefully fil
ed. This German secret police have,
labored to secure. On May 21, Prince
Hubertus von Loewenstein, visiting
the United States, gave an interview
in which he predicted that many
clergy would be placed on trial for
violations of the moral code.
‘News concerning the Cologne
hearings is sparse and vague. It is
obvious that no foreign correspon
dent attended: and since every ves
tige of a free German Catholic press
has long since disappeared, no infor
mation can be obtained from any
source not identified with the Ger
man Propaganda Office. Our convic
tion is that if a tenth as much of
the pitiless glare of publicity were
turned on the present proceedings,
the results would be the same as
they were at the infamous Reichstag
fire trial.
‘The reputation of the ‘ German
Catholic clergy for uprightness of
living and loyalty to moral principle,
is so well established and unequivo
cal that the greatest caution should
be exercised before trusting even
one of the reports. On this subject
there is a great wealth of testimony
by the German Protestant clergy
over a long period of years.
‘Nazism is apparently seeking the
destruction of all spiritual freedom
and the uprooting of all religious
tradition. For our part, being as we
are men dedicated to the principle of
liberty of conscience, the present
protest against Hitlerite tyranny in
this area seems therefore an ines
capable and necessary action."
The statement protesting the anti-
Catholic charges of the Nazi govern
ment is signed by the following:
Dr. William S. Abernethy, Calvary
Baptist Church, Washington; Rabbi
Samuel A. Abrams, Ohabei Shalom
Temple, Boston; Dr. R. A. Ashworth,
Baptist Church, Yonkers, N. Y.; Dr.
Jesse M. Bader, Federal Council of
Churches, New York; Dr. David
Beach, Congregational Church, of
Springfield, Mass.; President Albert
W. Beaven, Colgate-Rochester Divini
ty School, Rochester, N. Y.; Rabbi
Philip Bernstein, Temple B’rith Ko-
desh, Rochester, N. Y.; Rabbi Philip
David Bookstaber, Congregation Ohev
Sholom, Harrisburg, Pa.; Rabbi E. N.
Calisch, Congregation Beth Ahabah,
Richmond, Va.; Dr. S. M. Cavert, Fed
eral Council of Churches, New York;
Dr. Everett R. Clinchy, Presbyterian
Church, Washington; Rabbi Abraham
Cronbach, Union College, Cincinnati;
the Rev. William Horace Day, Union
Church, Bridgeport, Conn.
Rabbi W. H. Fineshreiber, Congre
gation Kenesteh Israel, Philadelphia;
Dr. William Hiram Foulkes, Old First
Church, Newark, N. J.; Rabbi Solo
mon Freehof, Congregation Rodef
Shalom, Pittsburgh; Dean Charles W.
Gilkey, University of New York; Rab
bi C. Hillel. Kauyar, Beth Madrash
Hadagol Congregation, Denver, Col.;
Professor S. Ralph Harlow, Smith
College, Northampton, Mass.; the Rt.
Rev. Henry W. Hobson, Cincinnati;
Rabbi Edward I. Israel, Har Sinai
Temple, Baltimore; Dr. Ray Freeman
Jenney, Presbyterian Church, Syra
cuse, N. Y.; Dr. Frank Kingdon, Uni
versity of Newark, Newark, N. J.
Rabbi Morris S. Lazron, Baltimore
Hebrew Congregation, Baltimore; Dr.
Henry Smith Leiper, Federal Council
of Churches, New York; Rabbi David
Lefkowitz, Tempel Emau-El, Dallas,
Texas; Rabbi Harry Levi, Temple Is
rael, Boston; Bishop Charles L. Mead,
Kansas City, Mo.; Clifford Morehouse,
Milwaukee; Rabbi Morris Newfield,
Temple Emanu-El, Birmingham. Ala.;
Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr, Union Theolo
gical Seminary, New York; the Right
Rev Edward L. Parsons, San Francis
co; Dr. Norman V. Peale, Collegiate
Church, New York; Rabbi David
Philipson, Bene Israel Temple, Cin
cinnati; Dr. Harold C. Phillips, First
Baptist Church, Cleveland; Dr. Dan
iel Poling, The Christian Herald, New
York.
Rabbi David de Solo Pool, Shearith
Israel Congregation, New York; Rab
bi Irving Reichert. Temple Emanu-El,
San Francisco: Bishop William Scar
lett, St. Louis; the Rev. Guy E. Ship-
ler. The Churchman, New York; Rab
bi Abba Hillel Silver, The Temple,
Cleveland; Roger W. Straus, New
York; Professor James V. Thompson,
Drew University, Madison, N. J.; Rab
bi Stephen S. Wise, Free Synagogue,
New York; Rabbi Louis Wolsey, Con
gregation Rodeph Shalom, Philadel
phia; Dr. James M. Yard, Chicago.
In an editorial, the New York Times
here attacked the trials now being
held in Germany as the use of the
German courts ‘once more” “for Na
tional Socialist purposes—the time to
further the party’s persistent attacks
on the Catholic Church."
It noted that “without waiting for
the introduction of evidence in the
court, the presiding judge in his init
ial Statement pronounced the guilt of
the accused.” It noted also that the
prosecutor made much of an assertion
of clergy immorality in another coun-
MOUNT ST. JOSEPH'S
GRADUATES THIRTEEN
Bishop O’Hara Speaks at
Commencement at Augusta
AUGUSTA, Ga.— Diplomas were
awarded to thirteen members of the
graduating class of Mount Saint
Joseph Academy by the Most Rev.
Gerald P, O’Hara, D. D., Bishop of
Savannah, at the commencement
exercises held in the Academy audi
torium b.
Miss Jane Bush, valedictorian,
spoke on “A Century’s Harvest",
pointing out that the Sisters of St.
Joseph are celebrating their centen
nial this year. In 1836 the first six
Sisters came to this country from
France to open a school in St. Louis.
Today there are 10,000 Sisters of St.
Joseph in America.
Honor students were the Misses
Jane Bush, Ann Cotter, Mariana
Bush and Georgia Mulherin. Miss
Ann Cotter, salutatorian, spoke on
“What is This Day in Golden Letters
Set?”
In the class night exercises different
awards and prizes were given to the
contest and essay winners in the
school. Steve Mulherin a member of
the seventh grade, was given a cash
prize for submitting the best essay in
the A. of H. Auxiliary contest. Miss
Rosalyn Sylvester won a medal for
writing the best essay on Alexander
Stephens. The contest was sponsored
by the local chapter of the U. D.
C. Miss Fannie Baftey of the Senior
Class, was awarded a cash prize as
second place winner in the essay con
test.
A silver loving cup was awarded
to Miss Ann Stulb as winner of the
attendance tournament. Second place
prize was awarded to Miss Ann Mul
herin.
Following the annual class night
program, the Junior-Senior banquet
was held.
The graduates were the Misses Rosa
Axford, Fannie Battey, Jane Bush,
Mariana Bush, Ann Cotter, Frances
Gallagher, Mary Kearns, Georgia
Mulherin, Ann Stulb, Kathleen
Toomey, Marion Usry, Rebecca Wal
lace and Thelma Welmaker.
Father Brennan State
Chaplain of the Elks
(Special to The Bulletin)
ALBANY, Ga.—The Rev. Thomas
A. Brennan, pastor of St. Theresa’s
Church and the Albany missions, wai
named state chaplain of the Elks at
the recent state convention of the
fraternal order. Father Brennan is
a former Savannahian and since his
ordination served in Baltimore, Sa
vannah. Atlanta and Albany.
try, and declared that “other than as
a form of propaganda,” it is hard to
see what this has to do with the case.
Particularly, the paper says, “in
present-day Germany, the judges, as
well as all other public officials, must
express the will of the Fuehrer,” so
that persons need not be shocked
“when a German court permits itself
to be used for partisan ends.”
Best Wishes
From
THE COLUMBK LEDGER-ENQUIRER