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EIGHT—A
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
MARCH 26, 1638
MSGR, FINK WRITES
ON PIEDMONT PART
OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Pennsylvania Prelate Im
pressed by Splendid Parish
Property at Greenville
By Msgr. Leo Gregory Fink
(In the Philadelphia Catholic Stand
ard and Times)
As we emerged from the vast open
fields of Georgia and entered the
State of South Carolina, our first ob
jective was the city of Greenville,
where St. Mary's Church is located
in the extreme northwestern section
of the Palmetto State and is regarded
as a center of Catholicism. We found
not only a beautiful church but also a
modem school building with every
facility for educational and social act
ivities. The unique feature of St.
Mary’s Church is the fact that the pas
tor and the curate are deans, one
by virtue of his position as vicar for-
ane and the other by reason of his
family name. When we arrived at the
rectory the Right Rev. Monsignor A.
K. Gwynn. V. F.. was not present.
However, the affable and courteous
curate, the Rev. Sydney F Dean,
showed us the church, school and rec
tory, and in words of sincere admira
tion for his pastor he eulogized the
Right Rev. Monsignor’s missionary
labors in Greenville, Clinton, Laurens,
Liberty and Greenwood—places un
known to the writer but of much im
portance as strategic bases of mis
sionary work.
From Greenville we motored direct
ly northeast towards the city of Spar
tanburg, S. C., where the apostolic
traditions of the dynamic missionary
to the Gentiles were clearly manifest
in the Church of St. Paul the Apostle.
After dinner we set out upon the last
part of our trip of approximately 400
miles (from Atlanta to Raleigh). We
had already covered over 150 miles
with His Excellency, the Most Rev.
Bishop Gerald P. O'Hara, at the
wheel, and thus for the next 150 miles
Richard Reid, editor of the "Bulletin”
of Augusta, agreed to pilot us through
South and North Carolina.
In a short time we were riding
through the picturesque Piedmont
Plateau while here and there the jag
ged hill tops resembled ruined castles
upon the not-far distant mountains
We had seen only a portion of the
beautiful State of South Carolina and
some of its churches, but our mem
ories served us well in the recollection
of the spiritual achievements of the
eloquent Bishop of Charleston, the
Most Rev. Emmet Michael vvalsn. <_j.
D„ who as an exponent of Catholic
Action has shown his intense love and
zeal for souls in this important diocese
which at one time embraced within its
jurisdiction the Vicariate Apostolic cf
North Carolina and has unfurled up
on the escutcheon of his episcopal
arms these momentous words, “Chris-
tus—Rex Ncster."
GREENVILLE
DURING THE
MARRIAGES
PAST YEAR
Marriages in St. Mary's parish,
Greenville. S. C., during the past
year those of:
Miss Katherine Blair, of Green
ville, and Marion F. Query, of Char
lotte.
Miss Mary Moran, of Greenville,
and Joseph Sheridan, of Norwich,
Conn.
Miss Ruth Peigler and Thomas
Young, of Greenville.
Miss Mary E. Williams of Lau
rens, and John Damielson, of New
berry.
Miss Rose Grantt and Lloyd Black-
well, of Greenville.
Miss Ann Margaret Moorehead and
Richard Eassy, of Greenville.
Miss Ina Bramlett, of Laurens, and
John E. Touhey, of Shreveport.
Miss Lois Frances McGrath and
James C. Massey, of Greenville.
Miss Claire F. Balio. of Green
ville, and Karl Schmidt, of Nash
ville. Tenn.
Miss Beatrice Asselin and James
DeYoung, of Clinto. S. C.
Miss Miriam Dinkins, of Hephzi-
bah, Ga„ and William Sheridan, of
Augusta. Ga.
Miss Thelma Carpin, of Greenville,
and John B. Chapman, of Durham,
N. C.
Miss Mittie WFallace, of Laurens,
and Leon Patat. of Charleston.
Mrs. Ethel Wolfe and Joseph Fay,
of Greenville.
St. Patrick’s Play by
Greenville Pupils
(Special to The Bulletin)
GREENVILLE. S. C. — The pupils
of St. Mary’s School presented a
most entertaining St. Patrick’s Day
play here last week, the pflpils in the
various grades participating. Those
having leading parts included Annie
Eassy, Jo-Anne Dellinger. Hugh and
Mariam Goldsmith, Dick Byfcee.
Peter Bybee, Buddy Miller, Louise
Francis. Ruby Peel, Lumia Dumit,
and others. There were eighteen
numbers in the program, with Irish
numbers predominating.
KETTLEDRUM—The annual Ket
tledrum sponsored by the National
Council of Catholic Women as a
Mardi Gras observance was an out
standing success. Miss Rome Mc-
Devitt and Miss Louise Collins were
#hiiiir«)en of the splendid affair.
St. Francis Hospital, Greenville
Courtesy of Greenville News
ST. FRANCIS HOSPITAL, conducted by the Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis, is a dream of Monsignor
Gwynn and Bishop Walsh realized. The Sisters took ov er the hospital, unsuccessful in other hands, and by their
zeal, self-sacrifice and able direction have not only made it a success but increased its capacity through the as
sistance of tiie Duke Foundation. The hospital is considered one of the finest in the Carolinas, and the P’-st
of three erected in the Diocese of Charleston during the episcopate of Bishop Walsh. Rev. Mother M. Prax.'es
is superintendent ami the Rev. Timothy J. McGrath chaplain.
St. Mary s School, Greenville
ST. MARY’S SCHOOL, erected at a cost of over one hundred thousand dollars, is one of the outstanding re
sults of Monsignor Gwynn’s zeal and the cooperation of his people. The Ursuline Sisters served St Mary’s for
many years, under the leadership of Mother Patricia; the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, the Diocese’s own de
voted order, succeeded them. Bishop Walsh, Bishop Thomas C. O’Reilly of Scranton, and Monsignor Fulton Sheen
were among the notables at the dedication of the school.
Officers of Women’s
Groups in Greenville
The Council of Catholic Women of
Greenville has for its president Mrs.
Otto Schwiers, other officers are:
Vice-president, Mrs. J. B. Blandford;
secretary, Mrs. B. J. King; treasurer,
Mrs. 'J. C. Magarahan. Committees:
welfare, Mrs. N. E. Dowling; Mrs. L.
P. Slattery; Greenacre, Mrs. William
Healey; Mrs. Edward Cummings;
Bruner Home, Mrs. T. P. Cantwell,
Mrs. Wm. Lunib; hospital, Mrs. W.
A. Bindewald, Mrs. S. H. Williams;
Hopewell, Mrs. I. C. Sease; Travellers
Aide, Mrs. Lee Kivett; publicity, Mrs.
Henry Wells, Miss Roma McDevitt;
hostess, Mrs. J. H. Rascob; member
ship. Miss Mary Slattery, Mrs. W. A.
Bindewald, Mrs. Frank League; tele
phone, Mrs. J. L. Sowers, Mrs. B. J.
King, Mrs. A. J. Murphy, Mrs. David
Balentine; ways and measn, Mrs. W.
H. Bahan, Mrs. J. C. Magarahan, Miss
Mary Slattery; visitors, Mrs. Matthew
Ousley, Mrs. W. H. Bahan.
The Parent-Teachers Association is
headed by Miss Sue Brannigan; other
officers are: Vice-president, Mrs. Wm.
Lumb; secretary, Mrs. I. C. Sease;
treasurer, Mrs. Wm. Healey.
Tire Junior Council of Catholic Wo
men has as its officers: President
Miss Winifred Bahan; vice-president
Miss Louise Dolling; secretary. Miss
Jeanne Fraser; treasurer, Miss Butler
Harrison.
25 Study Discussion
Groups in Greenville
The Study Discussion Groups are
flourishing in Greenville in a man
ner which, considering the number
of Catholics in the city, will bear
comparison with the situation any
where. There are twenty-five such
groups now functioning successful
ly and splendidly; the current topic
of discussion is "The Moral Law,”
COLUMBIA N. C. C. W.
CONVENTION HOST
The annual convention of the Char
leston Diocesan Council of the Coun
cil of Catholic Women will be held in
Columbia April 23 and 24, and plans
to entertain the convention are already
being made by the Columbia Deanery
Council, which hopes to make the
meeting the finest of the splendid se
ries. The Most Rev. Emmet M. Walsh,
D.D., Bishop of Charleston, will hon
or the convention by offering up the
Pontifical Mass, which will open the
convention, and national leaders of the
N, C. C. W. will come to South Caro
lina for the conference. Further de
tails will be published in the next is
sue of The Bulletin.
Confirmation April 3
in Greenville Parish
(Special to The Bulletin)
GREENVILLE, S. C. — The Most
Rev. Emmet M. Walsh, D. D„ Bishop
of Charleston, will administer the
Sacrament of Confirmation at St.
Mary’s Church Sunday evening, April
3, confirming 40 children and ten
adults. In the afternoon Bishop
Walsh will confirm four colored con
verts.
THE FRANCISCAN FATHERS will
have charge of the new parish for
the colored in Greenville, plans for
which are well under way.
PARIRSH SCHOLARSHIPS in
Catholic colleges were advocated by
the Rev. William Dillon, dean of St.
Joseph’s College for Women, Brook
lyn, N. Y., at a meeting of Catholic
educators at Villanova College, as one
means of enabling worthy young men
and women to get an education.
GREENVILLE PARISH
STARTED IN 1850
But for Generation Mass
Was Said in Private Homes
The recent growth of the Church in
Greenville was the subject of a re
cent article in The Greenville Pied
mont by Miss Mary Wyche, which
said in part;
BY MARY WYCHE
One of the most philanthropic re
ligious organizations in the entire
community, St. Mary's Catholic
Church, is also among the oldest in
the county. It was started about
1850 by five or six families who met
in the old Keenan house, located
near the present Springwood Ceme
tery. A priest came up from Charles-
to to say Mass.
In October, 1876, however, Vardry
McBee gave Greenville Catholics a
lot on Hampton Avenue and Loyd
Street corner.
The sum of $3,000 to build a church
was collected by Mr. McBee and
other non-Catholics. Ten years later
the congregation moved to a small
wooden church built at the present
location on West Washington Street.
The first parish school was a two-
room house on Academy Street, of
which Mother Patricia was superin
tendent.
Silver Anniversary of
Greenville Couple
(Special to The Bulletin)
GREENVILLE, S. C. — Mr. and
Mrs. A. J. Schwiers, prominent
members of St. Mary’s parish, ob
served the silver jubilee of their
marriage recently, the Rev. Sydney
F. Dean, of St. Mary’s Church, giv
ing the couple a special anniversary
blessing. A reception at the family
home was attended by scores of
friends of the couple. Mrs. H. P.
Burbage entertained with vocal solos,
with Miss Jewel Alice Lee as accom
panist. Receiving were Miss Eliza
beth Schwiers and Mrs. W. P. Dow
ling; others assisting in various ca
pacities were the Misses Frances
Pinson, Elizabeth Dowling, Caroline
Miller, Miss Mary Bissinar, Mary
Barksdale, Mrs. N. E. Dowling and
others. Mrs. Schwiers was Miss
Margaret Elizabeth Poety before her
marriage.
GREENVILLE CONVERTS
AND DEATHS BALANCE
The number of deaths in St. Mary’s
parish during the past year, sixteen,
was equaled by the number of con
verts.
The parish census showed 190 men,
278 women, 345 children, 200 school
children. There were seventeen mar
riages and 34 baptisms.
Fr. Dean to Deliver
Good Friday Address
The Rev. Sydney F. Dean, of St.
Mary’s Church, Greenville, will
speak over the local radio station
on Good Friday, a Catholic program
being featured that day.
PROVIDENCE COLLEGE, conduct
ed by the Dominicans in the Rhode
Island capital, conducted a successful
can*a%j«l for §198,00® recent^,
In 1906 the Sacred Heart Academy,
aboarding school for girls, was built
on Hampton Avenue, and in 1910 the
present church was built, the old
one being used as a recreation hall.
It was a favorite play center for the
Knights of Columbus during the war.
St. Mary’s School was constructed
in 1930 at a cost of $116,000. It con
tains an auditorium and seven grades.
The St. Francis Hospital was opened
in 1932. It cost $100,000. Four years
later space for 50 more beds was add
ed at a cost of $110,000.
There have been nine priests serv
ing the Catholic community since its
founding. Their names reflect the
international character of the church:
Fathers John Barry, Patrick O’Con
nell, A- M. Folchi, F. A. Schmitz, J. J.
Woolahan, John Monahan, Joseph
Budds, A. K. Gwynn and S. F. Dean.
Father Gwynn has been with the
church here since January, 1900.
Father Dean came in 1931.
Sister M. Gerald is superintendent
of the school, assisted by Sisters Ur
sula, Frances, Celestine, Concepta and
Louise, teachers.
There are 10 classes in the Sun
day School. Robert Pinson is super
intendent. Miss Sue Branigan, Miss
Butler Harrison, Miss Lucy Schwiers
and Mrs. Nellie Downing are teach-
Miss Brannigan is president of the
St, Mary’s Parent-Teacher Associa
tion. ?drs- Otto Schwiers heads the
Council of Catholic Women and Miss
Winifred Bahan the Junior Council,
which sponsors annually, a Kettle
drum Dance.
Miss Rose Easson is president of
the St. Cecilia Glee Club; J. J. Mc
Devitt heads the Knights of Colum
bus Council. The finance board is
composed of: Byrd Miller, Joseph
Ryan, T. E. Eskew, J. J. McDevitt. B
S. Cummings, Richard Tassy, Elias
Howard, Charles Kloecker, - W. A.
Bindewald.
Sister Praxites is superintendent of
the hospital, which has 12 additional
Sisters.
There are about 800 members of
the parish.
Assistant Pastor
at Greenville
REV. SYDNEY F. DEAN-has been
assistant pastor at St. Mary’s for sev
eral years, an invaluable co-laborer
for Monsignor Gwynn. A native of
Charleston, and an alumnus of Bishop
England High School, St. Charles’ Col
lege, St. Mary’s Seminary and the
Catholic University of America, he
was one of the first two priests or
dained by Bishop Walsh. Coming to
Greenville from the Cathedral in
Charleston, his first assignment, he
has given every effort of Monstgnor
Gwynn wholehearted and able sup
port. He has done particularly dis-
guished work as director of the Re
ligious Vacation Camp for the Pie*.
im*s ^