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SIX
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
APRIL 30, 1937
West Palm Beach Host to Florida N. C. C. W.
BISHOP BARRY GUEST
OF HONOR AT ANNUAL
GOUNGIL CONVENTION
Abbot Francis, Fr. Mooney
and Other Notables Speak.
Mrs. George Coyle Re
elected President
(Special to The Bulletin)
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla—Graced
by the presence of His Excellency, the
Most Rev. Patrick Barry, D. D., Bish
op of St. Augustine, the Rt.Rev. Fran
cis Sadlier, O. S. B„ D. D., Abbot of
St. Leo's, and other distinguished
guests from Florida and other states,
the seventh annual convention of the
St. Augustine Diocesan Council of the
National Council of Catholic Women
held here March 31-April 1 was one
of the most successful lay gatherings
ever held in the Diocese. Every sec
tion of the state was represented, and
speakers from beyond the borders of
the state included the Rev. Vincent
Mooney, C. S. C.. of Washington, D. C.,
formerly of the faculty of Notre Dame
University and now director of the
Catholic Youth Movement sponsored
by the Bishops of the United States,
Richard Reid, editor of The JBulletin,
Augusta, Ga., and Mrs. A. 3. Lucas,
president of the Mobile Diocesan
Council of the National Council of
Catholic Women. Birmingham, Ala.
MRS. GEORGE P. COYLE of Jack
sonville, who presided at the sessions
of the convention, was re-elected
president by the board of directors
for the ensuing year. Miss Alice Byrne
of Jacksonville, Mrs. A. B. Beddow of
Miami and Mrs. Peter Weis of Tampa
were named vice presidents, Miss
Mary Louise Ferguson of Winter Ha
ven recording secretary, Miss Ger
trude Duffy of Jacksonville corre
sponding secretary, Mrs. R. M. Clew-
is of Tampa treasurer, Mrs. J. H.
Dunne of San Antonio auditor, and
Miss Mary Leddy of Jacksonville par
liamentarian. Members of the board of
directors are Mrs. George P. Coyle and
Mrs. F. P. Beddow. Jacksonville, Mrs.
R. S. Clark and Mrs. Rocco Marsi-
cano, Tampa. Mrs. Thomas E. Grady
and Mrs. H. J. Lynch, Miami, Mrs. A.
P. Sadler and Mrs. Leo Gleason, West
Palm Beach, and Mrs. Ted Shea,
Gainesville.
BISHOP BARRY officiated at the
Pontifical High Mass at St. Edward’s
Church, Palm Beach, at the opening
of the convention; the sermon was
delivered by the Rev. Andrew Doher
ty, S. J. The study clubs of West
Palm Beach were hostesses at the
breakfast which followed.
The business sessions of the con
vention opened at the George Wash
ington Hotel, and the addresses of
welcome were delivered by the Rev.
Robt. T. Bryant, S. J., pastor of St.
Ann’s Church, West Palm Beach,
Mayor Theodore F. Brown of West
Palm Beach, and Mrs. A. F. Sadler,
chairman of the local committee of
arrangements. Mrs. R. S. Clark, the
first president of the St. Augustine
Diocesan Council, responded.
His Excellency, Bishop Barry, then
addressed the convention, and he
commended its members particularly
on the large number who received
Holy Communion at the Pontifical
Mass. He thanked the Diocesan Coun
cil for its promotion of retreats and
its assistance to the religious vacation
schools, outlining the work for the
coming summer and urging a contin
uation of the Council’s splendid ef
forts in assisting it. Bishop Barry also
urged the formation of a Convert’s
League in conection with the Dioces
an Council.
Sketch of New St. Leo Abbey Church
REV. VINCENT MOONEY, C. S. C.,
director of the Youth program of the
National Catholic Welfare Confer
ence, extended the greetings of the
Welfare Conference and of the Na
tional Council of Catholic Women,
and particularly those of the Rt. Rev.
Msgr. Michael J. Ready, executive
secretary of the conference and Miss
Agnes C. Regan, LL.D., executive
secretary of the Council.
MISS ALICE BYRNE of Jackson
ville, vice-president, presided while
Mrs. Coyle made her presidential re
port, which stated among other things
that $1,100 had been allotted in Youth
Work. The report of the treasurer in
dicated that the Council was in good
financial condition, with over $200 in
the camp fund and nearly one hun
dred dollars in the general fund.
REV. tVM. CARROLL of Tallahas
see addressed the convention on
Catholic Action, pointing out the pos
sibilities of the N. C. C. W. in that
field, and particularly in the way of
spreading the truth about the Catho
lic Church. A fundamental require
ment is for the members themselves
to be informed, and he commended
the activities of the women especially
for their study club efforts.
MRS. J. W. McCOLLUM of Gaines
ville, past president of the Diocesan
Council and a member of the nation
al executive board of the N. C. C. W.,
presided at the luncheon at Hotel
Royal Worth, at which the Rev. Fran
cis S. Doyle of the Diocese of Erie,
Pa., asked the blessing. Activities of
Catholic Women constituted the
theme of the meeting, Mrs. McCollum
making the keynote address. Miss
Irene Scanlon spoke of the position
of women in industry in Florida, the
number doubling in the past few
years. Mrs. R. S. Clark spoke on the
organization of “War Mothers”, and
Mrs. Thomas E. Grady of Miami, like
Mrs. Clark a past president of the
Diocesan Council, on work among the
blind in her city.
It being the birthday of Mrs. Coyle,
president of the Diocesan Council, the
luncheon was turned into a birthday
party for her by Mrs. McCollum, who
was assisted by a birthday committee
which presented flowers to Mrs. Di-
neen, mother of Mrs. Coyle, and a
great birthday cake to Mrs. Coyle
helself. Mrs. Shea and Mrs. Schwalbe
led in the singing of appropriate
songs.
At the afternoon session, reports
were made on ways and means, by
Mrs. Beddow on the assistance to or
phanages, by Mrs. Coyle on the youth
program, and by Mrs. Grady on the
summer camp. Mrs. Grady reported
$331.79 in hand and $90 more pledged
for this year’s camp already.
SIGHTSEEING—One of the most
delightful features of the convention
was the sightseeing tour arranged by
the host clubs, including visits to
magnificent estates, including the
Stotesbury estate on the ocean shore,
ending with a tour of the McKinlock
Gardens and tea at the beautiful home
of Mrs. George L. Meeker.
MRS. A. S. LUCAS, president of the
Mobile Diocesan Council of the Na
tional Council of Catholic Women,
Birmingham, the Very Rev. D. A.
Lyons, pastor of St. Paul’s Church,
Jacksonville, and Richard Reid, edi
tor of The Bulletin, were the speak
ers at the Presidents’ Dinner at the
Royal Worth Hotel, honoring the
presidents of the organizations con
stituting the Diocesan Council, Mrs.
Coyle presiding. Father Lyons spoke
on the different phases of organiza
tion and the methods that had been
found most sucessful in St Paul’s
parish. Mrs. Lucas brought greetings
from the Mobile Diocesan Council.
Mr. Reid spoke on women in Catho
lic Action,their responsibilities and
their opportunities in that field.
ABBOT FRANCIS SADLIER of St.
Leo Abbey was celebrant of the Mass
offered up at St. Ann’s Church the
second day of the convention for the
deceased members of the Council.
The business session followed at the
George Washington Hotel. Mrs. R.
Stuyvesant Pierrepont spoke on the
St. Paul Guild Book Shop in New
York City, describing its work and
its importance as an aid to others.
Mrs. Clark spoke on the National
Catholic School 'of School Service, a
collection for which was taken up.
Mrs. Grady's subject was proper
publicity for Catholic activities, and
Mrs. Bentz reported for the histori
cal committee.
RETREATS — Father Bryant, for
merly in charge of retreats at Man-
resa House at New Orleans, spoke on
the retreat movement and its effect on
Catholic Action, and Mrs. R. M.
Clewis, chairman of the retreat com
mittee, reported that 51 had attended
the 1936 retreat at the Academy of
the Holy Names at Tampa. It was an
nounced that there would be four re
treats this year, one for the Tampa
deanery at the Academy of the Holy
Names there July 6-9. one at St.
Francis Hospital, Miami, May 11-14, a
third at St. Ann’s-On-the-Lake, West
Palm Beach May 5, and one at St.
Paul’s Church, Jacksonville, about
July 1.
MRS. THOMAS E. GRADY presid
ed at the luncheon at the George
Washington Hotel, assisted by Mrs. G.
B. Sawyers of Jacksonville, who
spoke on the theme of organization,
reporting that the Diocesan Council
had 32 active affiliations which had a
membership of over 1100. Plans for
new affiliations were discussed.
REV. WILLIAM BARRY, pastor of
St. Patrick’s Church, Miami Beach,
was the principal speaker at the
luncheon, and he spoke of the place
of the parish in the organization ot
the Church, the fundamental unit.
The Church has more to give than any
secular organization possibly could
have for activity in its behalf, yet
many Catholics labor solely for secu
lar organizations, he said. Father Bar
ry referred to the place of the Dio
cesan Council, asserting that it is
through such an organization that a
Cornerstone of St. Leo Abbey
Church Laid by Bishop Barry
St. Leo Benedictines Received Minor Orders at Florida
Ceremony—Father Aloysius Delivers Sermon at Cere
mony of Cornerstone Laying
(Special to Hie Bulletin)
ST. LEO, Fla. — The Most Rev.
Patrick Barry, D. D., Bishop of St.
Augustine, officiated at the laying of
the cornerstone of the Abbey Church
of St. Leo Abbey here Sunday, April
4, and conferred the deaconate on
two members of the Benedictine
community, the Rev. Bernard Wei-
gand, O. S. B., and the Rev. Edward
Martineau, O. S. B. Bishop Barry was
assisted by the Rt. Rev. Francis Sad
lier, O. S. B., D. D., Abbot of St.
Leo, and the Fathers of the Abbey.
The newly ordained deacons assist
ed Bishop Barry as deacons and the
Rev. Charles McGinley, O. S. B.,
was master of ceremonies. The ser
mon was delivered by the Rev. Al
oysius Dressman, O. S. B- About
800 attended, and the weather con
ditions were ideal.
Bishop Barry administered the
Sacrament of the Confirmation to the
children of the parish, assisted by the
Rev. Fathers Lewis, Benedict and Ed
ward, O. S. B.
The laying of the cornerstone of the
Abbey Church was the beginning of
the realization of hopes of the Bene
dictine Fathers for many years, a hope
which was close to the heart of the
beloved Abbot Charles Mohr. In his
eloquent sermon, Father Aloysius re
called the history of the Benedictine
Fathers in Florida, from the time they
came to St Leo from Belmont Abbey
in North Carolina in 1889, sent by
Bishop Leo Haid, O. S. B., at the
request of iBshop Moore, under the
leadership of Father Charles Mohr,
later the first Abbot.
Father Aloysius gave the back
ground of the Benedictine Fathers at
St. Leo, tracing them to Belmont, to
St. Vincent’s in Pennsylvania, to the
cradle of the order in Europe, and he
recalled the manner in which they
had remained faithful to the ideals
of their founder in their work in
South Florida, despite poverty and
disappointments, always praying and
always working until now a Catholic
Church starts to raise its spires to
heaven in ap lace where the work
of the aFthers had such an humble
beginning. Father Aloysius recalled
the unfaltering courage of Abbot
Charles and of Abbot Francis, and he
expressed the gratitude of the Fath
ers of the Abbey to His Excellency,
Bishop Barry, for gracing the occa
sion, and their congratulations “upon
the wonderful development achieved
in this portion of the Lord’s vineyard
which he has so successfully govern
ed with devoted zeal and self-sacri
fice for the past fifteen years. May
God’s blessing abide with him, and
may he spare him for many years to
come.”
Father Aloysius also felicitated Ab
bot Francis on the fruit of his self-
sacrifice labors, and he expressed the
prayerful hope that “with the con
tinued assistance from heaven and
the generosity of the faithful, here
in this consecrated stone, yea, here
on this very soil stained with the
blood of martyrs, blessed with the
labors of devoted priests, devoted re
ligious men and women, will arise
among the many others In this dio
cese our temple of God, which will
forever more show forth the proofs
of our devotion to tradition, our love
of God, our lve of the beauty f His
Sanctuary, in this, the first state upon
which the Cross of Christ was plant
ed, the Cradle of Catholicity in Am
erica.
There was only one thing that put
a note of sadness into the festivities
and that was that the late Abbot
Charles did not live to see this day.
For forty-one years he worked, but
his wish was not fulfilled. Just six
years ago almost to the day and hour
he was called to his eternal reward.
(He died April 3rd, 1931, at 4:10 p
m.).
Convention Cleanings
By The Gleaner
Richard Reid is steeped in histori
cal lore; he talked of the period in
Roman history when women were
mere chattels as of a fact of today;
talked of cooperation and shifted the
glory that belongs to himself to oth
ers present ... all showing the
fine modesty of a great Catholic. Fa
ther Mooney launching his youth
movement was surprised to know
that nine years ago, Bishop Barry
appointed a director of vocations and
that about 17 Florida boys are in
training for the diocesan priesthood
. . that two were sent from the
Universtiy of Florida to the Jesuits
and the Redemptorists about a year
ago . . . that we have several troops
of Boy Scouts in the diocese . . .
Father Lyons made one of the best
talks at the Convention . . . sur
prised everyone that even there are
shifting parishoners at his St. Paul’s
parish, about 40 families left within
the year, moved to other states . . .
Father Bryant, a veteran of the re
treat movement, kept his audience
Thursday forenoon spellbound re
hearsing successes without end of the
fruits of the retreats ... he was
a splendid host to the convention
... It is easily understood where
the sympathies of the Bishop are
these days . . . his stirring and sci
entific appeal on behalf of the C. O.
R. A., the Catholic Orphans Relief
Association, was a masterpiece for
clearness and surely was ad rem . . .
results are anticipated from this ex
position of a worthy cause . . . Mrs.
Stuyvesant Pierrepont proved an in
teresting master of ceremonies ....
and her lucid talk on the St. Paul
Guild and the Guild Book Shop was
one of the high lights of the ad
dresses . . . The setting, the talks,
the presentation of business and the
able chairmanship of Mrs. Coyle and
her cohorts elicited the admiration
and attention of everybody . . . Fa
ther Carroll insists that Father
O'Mahoney was given the Scroll in
order to keep him from talking pro
pagation and vocations . . . Mrs. Mc
Collum has already adjusted the
medal of St. Christopher to her auto
and is ready to descend upon the
Congress in Washington . . . Rich
ard Reid appreciated as did the oth
er two honored the thoughtful kind
ness in awarding him a scroll ....
there is going to be anxious moments
now at the future conventions ....
everybody will want a scroll ....
Father William Barry’s talk enliven
ed the luncheon Thursday and the
presenceof several of the priests dio
cesan and regular at the closing ban
quet Thursday evening was a tribute
to His Excellency, Bishop Barry and
the Diocesan Council of Catholic
Women.
St. Benedict's day this year was
celebrated on Tuesday. April 5. Ab
bot Francis sang Pontifical Mass and
preached. In the afternoon the Sol
emn Vespers were chanted.
Wednesday, April 6, at 8:30 a. m.,
there was a solemn Potnifical
Requiem Mass, Anniversary Mass for
the late Abbot Charles. The cele
brant of the Mass was the Rt. Rev.
Abbot Mayeul de Caigny, O. S. B.,
assisted by the Fathers of the Abbey.
Father Jerome’s mother passed
away in Pittsburgh, at the age of 79,
Tuesday, April 31. Father Jerome
was called to the bedside Easter Sun
day, but he did not arrive in time;
she passed away at 4 a. m. and he
reached there five hours later. The
funeral was in St. Cyprian Church,
Pittsburgh, Friday, April 2. Father
Jerome sang the Solemn Requiem
Mass. Father Thomas Hoffman, O. S.
B., was master of ceremonies, and
Father Francis Huber and Father
Schoppol, deacon and sub-deacon, re
spectively. At the same time there
were ttoo low Masses said on the side
altars. Before Mass the office of the
dead was chanted.
Catholic voice can be lifted against
such unfortunate measures as the so-
called ‘ Child Labor Amendment.’’
MRS. LEO GLEASON of West Palm
Beach at the afternoon session gave a
demonstration on the conducting of a
study club, and the resolutions fol
lowed, Mrs. Schwalbe presenting
them. After the election of officers,
the meeting adjourned for Holy Hour
at St Edward’s Church, West Palm
Beach, where Father Bryant deliver
ed the sermon.
MRS. PIERREPONT was toastmis-
tress at the closing banquet at the
George Washington Hotel, at which
Father Bryant delivered the invoca
tion. Judge Philip O’Connell spoke on
Catholic Motherhood, and the neces
sity of proper home training for chil
dren. Mr. Waldron of the St. Vincent
de Paul Society of West Palm Beach
and Mr. Jennings of the local parish
spoke informally, and Abbot Francis
also addressed the gathering briefly,
emphasizing the necessity of good
Catholic lives as a basis for Catholic
Action.
FATHER MOONEY'S subject was
the National Council of Catholic
Women and its interest in and assist
ance to work for the youth of ti e na
tion. A religious foundation is neces
sary for character-building, a fact that
the members of the N. C. C W. fully
realize, he said, and he pointed out
what the Council and its constituent
members are doing to aid on the
building of this foundation through
its Social Service School, local activi
ties and other means. It is only
through such activity that the men
ace of Communism can be overcome,
Father Mooney said. Various officials
of the organization were introduced,
and Mrs. Pierrepont in the name of
the Council presented scrolls to the
Rev. J. P. O’Mahoney, LL.B., dioces
an director of the Society for the Pro
pagation of the Faith and for the en
couragement of vocations, and direc
tor of Crane Hall at the University of
Florida, and to Richard Reid, editor,
of The Bulletin.
BISHOP BARRY'S closing address
was the climax of the evening and of
the conference, and it centered
around the Catholic Orphans Relief
Association, support of which is one
of the major projects of the Diocesan
Council. His Excellency described the
work for the orphans, the manner of
financing it, and the financial diffi
culties the work involves. He thank
ed the Council for its interest and as
sistance, and urged Its members to
Orlando Young Lady
St. Joseph Sister
Miss Mauvis Lussier Is Re
ceived at St. Augustine
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla.—Miss Mau
vis Lussier of Orlando was received
as a member of the Sisters of St.
Joseph at the motherhouse of the or
der in Florida here, and she will be
known in religion as Sister Mary Al
bert. The Very Rev. Dr. J. Nunan,
V. G., was celebrant of the Mass, as
sisted by the Very Rev. P. J. McGill,
the Rev. J. H. O’Keefe and the Rev.
E. J. Blasius of St. Augustine and
Father Kellighan, of Orlando. Sis
ter Mary Albert is the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Lussier of Or
lando who, with other members of
the family, attended the ceremony.
interest others in this and otner work,
particularly that of the religious vaca
tion schools and the fund for the edu
cation of priests for the Diocese.
There are now seventeen young
Floridians studying for the priest
hood for the Diocese, Bishop Barry
said, and he expressed the prayerful
hope that more sons and daughters
of the Diocese will give their lives
to the service of God in their native
state, and that the people of the state
will be increasingly generous to this
great work.
MRS. ALFRED P. SADLER was
general chairman of the local conven
tion committee of arrangements, as
sisted by Mrs. J. Leo Gleason, Mrs. R.
M. Nevins, Mrs. Frank Hannen. Mrs.
Alvin Good, Mrs. George W. Cleve
land, Mrs. Martin Brewer, Mrs. James
Rattigan, Mrs. J. Sheldon Tilney.
Mrs. John W. Waldron, Mrs. Joseph
Borman, Miss May Healy, Mrs. Daniel
Downey, Mrs. James Carlisle, Miss Y.
LeSaint, Mrs. Grover Johnston, Mrs.
H. A. Henry, Mrs. Thomas Craig. Mrs.
R. W. Beuttenmuller, Mrs. John A.
Kelly, Mrs. Claude Weaver, Mrs. Ce
cil Connelly, Miss Imelda Dillon, Miss
Doris Buttenmiller, Miss Katherine
Donnelly, Miss Kathleen Kelly and
Miss Betty Brewer, and last four of
whom are pages. These committee
members were assisted by others.
MRS. R. W. BEUTEN MILLER was
general chairman of the committee
on music, and the program was ar
ranged under the direction of Jack
Paul Smith, choir director and bari
tone soloist of St. Edward’s Church,
Palm Beach, one of the most noted
members of the San Carlos Opera
Company. Mrs. Eileen Littleton, Miss
Louise Wilmot and Wilbur Mason also
rendered splendid numbers on the
various programs.