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EIGHT
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
SEPTEMBER 19, 1936
THE BULLETIN
The Official Organ of the Catholic Laymen’s
Association of Georgia
RICHARD REID. Editor
815-816 Lamar Building Augusta, Georgia
Subscription Price $2.00 Per Year
Published monthly by the Publicity Department
with the Approbation of the Most Rev. Bishops of
Raleigh. Charleston. Savannah. St Augustine and Nash-
ville and of the Rt Rev Abbot. Ordinary of Belmont
ASSOCIATION OFFICERS FOR 1935-1936
ALFRED M. BATTEY. Augusta President
J. J. HAVERTY, K. S. G„ Atlanta ...First Vice-President
J. B. McCALL UM, Atlanta Secretary
THOMAS S. GRAY, Augusta Treasurer
RICHARD REID, Augusta Publicity Director
MISS CECILE, FERRY Augusta. Asst. Publicity Director
Vol. XVII September 19, 1936 No. 9
Entered as second class matter June 15, 1921, at the Post
Office at Augusta, Ga„ under act of March, 1879. Ac
cepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided
for in Section 1103. Act. of October 3, 1917, authorized
September 1. 1921,
Member of N. C. W. C. News Service the Catholic Press
Association of the United States, the Georgia Press
Association and the National Editorial Association.
Why Do Radicals Hate the Church?
T HERE are good people who ask why in so many
revolutions church property is destroyed or seized,
priests and nuns are killed, and Catholics are the vic
tims of special attack, 'hey suspect that where there is
so much smoke there must be some fire.
No leader in Georgia has been more vigorous in his
denunciation of Communistic principles than the Bishop
of Savannah. There is not a priest in the Diocese who
has not exposed the fallacy of these atheistic teachings.
The Sisters in the Catholic schools constantly labor to
instill into the minds and hearts of the young a love
for the religious and patriotic institutions the Com
munists hate and attack. No publication in Georgia has
been more continuously laboring against any movement
than The Bulletin has been working against the basis
of Communism.
Imagine, then, a Communist regime getting control of
Georgia. Its first undertaking, if the past is any cri
terion, would be to punish those which had opposed it.
Its first vengeance, then, would be wreaked on the
Bishop of Savannah, on the priests, on the Sisters, on
the Catholic schools, on the Catholic newspaper, on the
Catholic laymen and women standing by their Bishop,
priests, Sisters, schools, institutions and newspaper.
The fact that Catholics through their sacrifices and
generosity have erected churches, schools, hospitals,
homes for the orphaned and the aged, and aided some of
ther'. with modest endowments would whet the appetite
for vengeance. There would be official statements of
the Church’s “wealth.” Church sites in the larger cities,
acquired in many cases generations ago, would be ex
cessively valued, sacred vessls and ornaments in the
churches would be labeled “jewels”, all property of the
Church, chapels, schools, hospitals, orphanages, homes,
convents, rectories, would become more valuable than
the highest assessed property in their respective com
munities, endowments would be marked up manyfold
and termed “cash”, and the government would attempt
to make people who never contributed a cent to the
Church believe that the possession by the Church of any
property is a direct theft from them, which could only
be remedied by the Communistic government taking over
the property. History demonstrates that once in Com
munistic hands, the bulk of everything negotiable would
go to enrich the “comrades.”
This is the sort of fire from which comes the smoke
which deceives even many good, honest people. The
Church works through human agencies, and human
agencies with the .best of intentions are liable to err.
Allowance must always be made for the human element.
But those who judge the amount of fire by the volume
of smoke overlook the vicious cunning of those who nate
religion and particularly Christianity and the Catholic
Church which stands in the way of their diabolic plans.
They also forget that He Who was without sin was
crucified on a Cross between two thieves.
Thomas Lomax Hunter, “The Cavalier” in The Rich
mond Post-Dispatch, denies that a man should be ac
counted a liberal “because he burns down a church, or
murders a priest, or waves a red flag, or is in favor of
immediate death of all aristocrats and people worth
more than four dollars. The fact that they call them
selves liberals is unconvincing.”
The Wealth of the Church
T HE “leftist” government in Spain, which stood idly
by while Communists burned one hundred and
sixty churches in the five months preceding the revolu
tion and which has been responsible, indirectly and di
rectly, for the barbarous murders of many hundreds of
religious, including Bishops, priests and nuns, announced
the seizing of millions of hoarded wealth in Catholic in
stitutions.
And an otherwise skeptical worid accepted the asser
tions on the authority of the “leftists” on the patent
theory that although they might kill Bishops, priests and
nuns, blow up and bum churches, desecrate the Blessed
Sacrament, “execute” a Statue of Christ and be guilty
of other outrages, they would not lie about the Church.
The twenty-six million dollars of wealth which the
Associated Press reports the government says it seized
in a convent of the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul
dwindles on analysis of the government’s own words to
$260,000 plus the government’s estimate of the value of
the Sisters’ property.
A Communist government in Georgia could build up a
plausible case against the church here. During the
thirteen years of the administration of Bishop Keyes, one
million dollars worth of construction was done in the
Diocese. An orphanage, nine churches, four schools and
three convents were erected or bought. These were paid
for by the voluntary contributions of the people. For
over one hundred and twenty-five years the Catholics
of Georgia, Bishops, priests and people, have been labor
ing to build up the Church in this state. That is how
the Church in Georgia has acquired its “wealth.” That
is how the Church in other states and other countries
secured its possessions which the radicals covet.
Even in Georgia, where Catholics are comparatively
few, the sacrifices of priests, nuns and people through
the years and generations have resulted in property
which could not be replaced for millions of dollars. This
property is devoted to the care of the homeless, the cure
of the sick, the education of the young, the religious
needs of all ages. The expenses of the charitable in
stitutions of the Diocese run into substantial sums an
nually, and modest endowments to care for some of these
expenses have been provided by generoushearted peo
ple. These buildings, devoted to charity and religion,
and these endowments are what the Communists mean
by the “wealth” of the Church, in Georgia or in Spain.
The Long Beach, N. J., Branch of “The American
League Against War and Fascism” at its September 2
meeting took up a collection for arms for the Leftists in
Spain. General Smedley Butler, a speaker, then follow
ed with a declaration of war against this way of pro
moting peace.
n
Stop Intervening!
T HE Communists in Russia, Mexico and elsewhere
whose most powerful ally in their movement
against God and religion is the division of the Christian
world, ought to be very much encouraged by the edi
torial, “Let the Knights Do It”, in the September 3
issue of The Christian Index, “owned and published by
the Baptist Convention of the State of Georgia.”
The Mexican government forbids Baptists or any other
lenomination to own property there. They can conduct
10 schools. They can educate no clergy, yet they are
permitted to have only Mexican-born clergy, and the
lumber allowed is limited. They have made it so un-
oossible for the Baptists to work there that the Baptists
some time ago announced the withdrawal of ministers
in the Southern Republic. All this is done by a govern
ment which is able to maintain itself in office only
through the assistance of the government of the United
States of America.
The Knights of Columbus by resolution adopted at the
recent convention of the order deplored the encourage
ment given by Washington to the tyrants below the Rio
Grande, especially by the Ambassador to Mexico who is
consorting with the radical officials in a way that is con
sidered bad form even in countries where the govern
ment is not tainted by anti-Christian radicalism. They
took the position that it is the duty of the government
to cease interfering in the internal affairs of Mexico in
this or any other fashion.
The Christian Index editorially suggests that “the
Knights of Columbus who are said to be well trained
and able men go into Mexico and pull Rome s chestnuts
out of the fire.”
If the Christian Index does not know that the Knights
of Columbus have repeatedly stated their opposition to
anyone from the United States going into Mexico to pull
anyone's “chestnuts” out of the fire, Catholic or Protest
ant, Jew or Gentile, official or private citizen, it is not
sufficiently informed to discuss Knights of Columbus and
Mexico.
The Communistic - minded individuals who have
murdered Bishops, priests and nuns by the hundred in
Mexico and made it impossible for any church to func
tion properly there are brothers in spirit of those who
paralyzed religion in Russia and who are directing their
fury against it in Spain; they are inspired by the same
Red Russian forces who influence those who stand in
Union Square and Columbus circle in New York and
demand the confiscation of the churches of the United
States, including the Baptist. Whatever the opinions of
the writer of the editorial in The Christian Index, we
are confident that the rank and file of the Baptist
ministry and laity do not subscribe to the theory that the
outrages inflicted by the atheistic, anti-religious Mexican
government on the Catholic Church are sufficient to
condone its anti-Christian treatment of other denomina-
Dixie Musings
The Los Angeles Tidings is skeptical about demands
for the cleanup of a city, state or nation around election
time: “When morality gets a shot in the arm from
politics, it runs around wild-eyed for a time, and then
yields to utter lassitude, waiting for the next shot. When
Catholics get serious on moral issues, they are apt to
remember it for quite a time.” ,
For a decade the secular press has
been sending out periodic and alarm
ing reports on the health of the Holy
Father. Some day—in the dim, dis
tant future, we hope and pray—the
Holy Father will be called to his re
ward, and the press will say: “We
told you so.” But a cablegram from
Rome to the Catholic press through
the N.C.W.C. News Service says
that “alarming reports circulated
concerning the health of His Holi
ness, Pope Pius XI, are unfounded.
The Holy Father’s health is un
changed and he continues to pursue
his ordinary occupations every day,
granting numerous private audi-
Alarming reports about the health
of His Holiness for months before we
were scheduled to visit Europe three
years ago made us all but despair of
ever seeing him in this world. When
we got to Rome it was apparent that
these and the then current rumors
were entirely unfounded.
Followers of Judge Rutherford are
pushing their campaign of hate
against the Church in apartment
blocks in solidly Catholic centers in
great cities and in rural Southern
districts where there are no Catho
des. There is nothing that can be
done about it except to build up
good will as an antidote to such ha
tred, as the Laymen’s Association is
doing.
Benedict Elder, Kentucky-born and
bred, reviews the public hanging at
Owensboro and says that Kentucky
must bow her head in shame. Ken
tucky is not ashamed of her feuds,
he says, for there was in the neces
sities of the times and in the fibre of
the people the makings of a better
civilization. “But in the recent hang
ing in Western Kentucky there is no
promise of a better day, but only ev
idence of a throwback.”
ther James A. Smith, pastor of
St. Joseph’s Church, Babylon, Long
Island, got nationwide pnblicity and
a Puritanical reputation when he
forced an improperly dressed woman
from his church. Said Father Smith:
“In taking this stand, I am not find
ing fault with the ordinary summer
dress of the ladies, God bless them.
But I don’t propose to allow half-
naked, unlady-like morons to enter
my church.” That’s not the position
of a Puritan. The woman in the case
was in the wrong Babylon.
nomic pressure. The only solution
many people can think of is to re
duce the birth rate among those who
are not college graduates or econo
mically independent.
Already the nation is beginning to
feel the effects of the birth control
trend. Fewer children are entering
school in many cities, thus reducing
teaching staffs. The milkman, the
grocer, the druggist, the children’s
clothing dealer and others are ex
periencing its results in the volume
of business from this source. In fif
teen years it will be having a direct
bearing on businesses serving adults.
No nation ever was prosperous with
a declining population. Birth control
is bad morals, and bad morals are
bad business. “The wages of sin is
death.”
Mr. Michael Dolan of Jersey City
writes to the Brooklyn Tablet to
correct its headline: “Father Baker.
‘Priest of the Poor’, is Dead at 95.”
The headline should read, Mr. Do
lan says: “Father Baker, ‘Priest of
the Poor’, Died at 95.”
Monsignor Foley, editor of the
Western Catholic, Quincy, 111., under
takes to tell his readers for whom
they should vote. Answering an in
quiry on the point, he says: “We have
an answer which has served us well
and truly through six campaigns and
here it is: You have your intelli
gence and you have a conscience.
Use both! What party will give the
country the best administration? Set
your intellect to work and scour your
conscience until it glistens—then sit
down and consider the question.
When you have found the answer,
go to the polls and vote in the pres
ence of God, Who will judge your
action.’’
Which reminds us of the mentally
disturbed man who was being giv
en a sanity test. “How many feet
has a centipede?” asked the alienist.
“My God!” exclaimed the patient, “is
that all you have to worry about?”
We felicitate Mr. Dolan on having
nothing else to worry about. And be
fore he writes us, we hasten to tell
him that we know it is not the best
of form to end a sentence with a
preposition.
C. J. Broome writing to the Ma
con Telegraph says that he thinks
Father Coughlin is considerably off-
center in his views, “but I am bound
as an American citizen to contend for
his right to engage in politics—as an
American citizen.” Any other view.
Mr. Broome says, is a violation of ar
ticle six, section three, of the United
States Constitution which provides
that “no religious test shall ever be
required as a qualification to any of
fice or public trust under the United
States.”
The reference to Father Coughlin
reminds us of a statement of the om
niscent Pierre Van Paassen who re
cently stated in the Atlanta Constitu
tion (issue of July 14) that “Father
Coughlin, not being able to put him
self up as a candidate (for president)
because of ms Canadian birth, has
thrown the hat of Representative
Lemke into the electoral ring.”
The Macon Telegraph is wondering what became of the
Soviet government’s promises, made in consideration of
United States recognition, that Russia would buy one
billion dollars worth of goods here and cease its pro
paganda in this country. Her answer to the first is
that we would not lend her the money, and to the second
that she has no control over the Russian Reds.
Monsignor Duggan in the Hartford
Transcript resurrects a story of Mau
rice Francis Egan dating back to an
influenza epidemic during which the
Holy Father had absolved all Catho
lics from the law of abstaining from
meat on Friday. Mr. Shickey, in
those pioneer days owner of hacks in
South Bend. Ind., gave his views of
the situation to Dr. Egan, then on the
faculty of Notre Dame. “I’m not say
ing anything against His Holiness,”
said Mr. Shickey, “but this is the
worst blow the Catholic Church has
had since the death of Charles Stew
art Parnell.”
Vincent DeP. Fitzpatrick, president
of the Catholic Press Association and
managing editor of the Catholic Re
view of Baltimore, makes a very
practical suggestion on the use of
the Catholic press in Catholic schools.
“We would suggest,” Mr. Fitzpatrick
says, “that a period be set aside at
least once a week for the reading of
Catholic magazines and newspapers,
with some attention at least to the
diocesan newspaper. . . . Make such
reading a part of the English course.”
Pupils thus trained will be the back
bone of the Catholic press and of
Catholic action when they go out into
the world.
.The “whispering campaign” is well
under way in the national election.
Governor Landon has been accused
of anti-Semiticism. Many of the
dominant figures in the administra
tion have been labeled Jewish, and
efforts have been made to create
fears of Jewish domination. The op
position to Roosevelt has been term
ed Jewish, and Governor Smith has
been given a Jewish father—the
Smith biography says that the elder
Smith was born on Oliver Street
New York, but gives no other infor
mation about him; that is all the
foundation such a rumor needs. A
minister is quoted as saying that the
Roosevelt program will logically lead
to the seizing of all church property
by the government. It is very diffi
cult to fool the American people by
misrepresentations unless the mis
representations are of the character
they want to believe.
The Class of 1921 of Princeton Uni
versity reported that 304 members
had 492 children, an average of 1.6
per couple. The average age of the
members of the class is thirty-seven
The average income is $8,052 a year.
(Much better than Harvard’s Silver
Jubilee Class.) Therefore the low
birth rate is not the result of eco-
Van Paassen is a bit more accurate
than usual in this statement. His as
sertion that Father Coughlin was
born in Canada is correct. His state
ment that Father Coughlin is not
able to put himself up as a candi
date for president is not correct.
Father Coughlin was born in Hamil
ton, Ontario, practically a suburb of
Buffalo. N. Y., the son of an Ameri
can citizen who was born at Lagro,
Indiana, and who never relinquished
his American citizenship. Father
Coughlin, therefore, was an Ameri
can citizen since birth, and eligible
to offer for the presidency. Person
ally we are delighted that Father
Coughlin did not so offer and we
regret that his League of Social Jus
tice did not continue to emphasize the
principles of social justice without
endorsing any particular candidate or
party. But Van Paassen is still
wrong-
The Church has certain require
ments for a valid marriage. Her law,
which may be found in millions of
volumes, and in practically every
city, town and hamlet in the land,
states specifically that she does not
recognize any marriage of a Catholic
except before a priest, this after the
other formalities have been fulfilled.
Yet even Catholics often profess to
be scandalized when a Catholic,
having attempted to contract a mar
riage the Church does not recognize,
subsequently, after complying with
the laws of the state, contracts with
another party a marriage the Church
does recognize.
Even repeated explanations do not
seem to make this clear to some peo
ple, but it is more practicable for the
Church to endure this, misunder
standing of the law on the administra
tion of a Sacrament instituted by
Christ than to have it try to con
form its law to the varying under
standing of these good people.
Other good people do not under
stand the Pauline privilege, or if they
do understand it. emulate the ex
ample of the Bible reader who said
that he did not agree with St. Paul
on a certain point. They can argue
the point with St. Paul when and if
they see him.
Oklahoma City’s temptrature has
hit the 110 mark this summer, with
neighboring towns going to 120 or bet
ter, thus giving Editor Joseph J.
Quinn another chance to boast about
beating our records.
J. B. Horton, general secretary of
the Y. M. C. A. at Columbia, S. C.,
told the Rotary Club there recently
that “Europe's greatest need is spirit
ual leadership. There is no dynamic
spiritual leader ” Mr. Horton, who
recently returned from Europe, does
not seem to have visited Rome or
heard of the Pope, whose dynamic
spiritual leadership has even made
the Hollywood prdoucers change their
appeal.
A funeral announcement from
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