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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
MARCH 26, 1938
Diocese Marks Constitution Sesquicentennial
Georgia’s New Papal Knights
Invested at Pontifical Mas
on Ratification Anniversary
One Thousand Holy Name Men March in Savannah Cere
mony—Bishop O’Hara Pontificates and Father
Rettger, 0. S. B., Delivers Sermon
(Special to The Bulletin)
SAVANNAH, Ga.—The sesquicen-
Jennial of the ratification of the Con
stitution of the United States by the
State of Georgia was observec. by the
Catholics of the state at the Cathedral
of St. John the Baptist the last Sun
day in February at a Military Pontif
ical Mass which was the occasion also
of the conferring of the insignia of
Knighthood in the Order of St. Greg
ory the Great on three Georgia lay
men, Thomas F. Walsh and John
.Gleason, of Savannah, and Richard
Reid, of Augusta. The ceremony was
sponsored by the Holy Name Union
of Savannah.
The Most Rev. Gerald P. O’Hara,
D.D.. Bishop of SavannahAtlanta, of
ficiated at the Pontifical Mass, with
the Rev. Emmet M. Walsh, D.D., Bish
op of Charleston, a brother of Mr.
Walsh, and a personal friend of the
other two Georgians knighted, head
ing the notables present.
The ceremony started with a pro
cession of altar boys, the Benedictine
Cadets, clergy, Knights of St. Greg
ory. prelates, officers of the Mass and
Bishop O’Hara. The Papal Briefs con
ferring the honor of knighthood on
each of the three men were read by
the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph F. Croke,
chancellor of the Diocese of Savan-
nah-Atlanta, after which the insignia
were presented by Bishop O’Hara.
Bishop O’Hara then outlined the
meaning of the honor and he referred
briefly to the services to the Church
rendered by the new Knights of St.
Gregory. Mr. Walsh, a former presi
dent and now treasurer of the Cath
olic Laymen’s Association of Georgia
and a former state deputy of the
Knights of Columbus, has been attor-
ey and counsel for three Bishops,
Bishop Keiley, Bishop Keyes and
Bishop O'Hara. Mr. Gleason, for many
years president of the Female Benev
olent Orphan Asylum, conducting St.
Mary’s Home, and now vice president
and chairman of the building com
mittee, has been distinguished for his
work for the orphans. Mr. Reid, for
over 17 years editor of The Bulletin
and excrutive secretary of the Cath
olic’Laymen’s Association of Georgia,
was the Laetare Medalist of the Uni
versity of Notre Dame two years ago
and is a former president of the
Catholic Prgss Association of the Uni
ted States.
The sermon at the Mass was deliv
ered by the Rev. Benedict Rettger, O.
S. B., rector of Benedictine School,
who recalled the services of Catho
lics in the formation of the nation and
the adoption of the Constitution of
the United States, and the manner in
which they have upheld the Constitu
tion and the Bill of Rights since. No
man in this nation can be a good
Catholic without being a good Amer
ican citizen, he asserted, pointing to
the three Knights of St. Gregory,
splendid citizens and splendid Cath
olics, as proof of his assertion. He
declared that enemies of the Consti
tution have always been enemies of
the Church in the United States.
At the end of the Mass the Rev. Jo
seph G. Cassidy, diocesan director of
the Holy Name Society, led in the re
newal of the Holy Name pledge. The
two main aisles were reserved for the
Holy Name men, about one thousand
in number, who marched to the Ca
thedral from the Catholic Association.
The spacious cathedral was filled to
capacity long before the Mass started,
and many persons were unable to
gain admission. It was the second
Holy Name rally; the first was a great
outdoor demonstration at Park Exten
sion over a year ago.
The Benedictine Cadets, in their
a tractive uniforms, assisted at the
Mass in military formation. The Ca
thedral choir, under the direction of
James B. Copps, organist and choir
master, rendered a special program
of music. Army and navy officers,
commandants, city and county offi
cials. other notables and the families
of the new knights occupied a re
served section of the Cathedral.
Officers of the Mass were Monsig
nor Croke, assistant priest to Bishop
O'Hara, the Very Rev. Boniface
Bauer, O.S.B., and the Rev. G.
ANDREW A. BAUMSTARK
IS SAVANNAH SPEAKER
(Special to The Bulletin)
SAVANNAH, Ga. — Andrew A.
Baumstark, widely known Atlanta
attorney and formerly state deputy of
the Kinghts of Columbus, will be
the principal speaker at the Found
ers’ Day banquet of the Knights of
Columbus here March 29. Mr. Baum
stark is master of the Fourth Degree
for this province and has long been
active in Knights of Columbus affairs
in the South. A Communion break
fast is part of the program for the
Founders’ Day observance.
Obrecht, S.M.A., deacons of honor,
the Rev. Norbert McGowan, O.S.B.,
deacon of the Mass, the Rev. A. Gall,
S.M.A.. sub-deacon, and the Rev. Jo
seph W. Kavanagh, master of cere
monies. The clergy present included
the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph L. O’Brien,
D. D., rector of Bishop England High
School and pastor of St. Patrick’s
Church, Charleston, who came to Sa
vannah with Bishop Walsh, and the
Very Rev. Canon C. " I. Verheijen.
Bishop O’Hara entertained at din
ner at the De Soto Hotel for the
Knights of St. Gregory, their famil
ies and the pastors of the city, with
Bishop Walsh as a guest of honor.
In the afternoon the Knights of Co
lumbus. assisted by the Catholic Wo
man’s Club, sponsored a reception for
the Knights of St. Gregory at the
Catholic Association, several hundred
Savannahians as well as others from
other cities, attending with Bishop
O’Hara and Bishop Walsh. The re
ception was held in the quarters of
the Cathclic Woman’s Club, the mem
bers of the club serving.
J. W. Lang was grand marshal of
the Holy Name procession at the
Mass, sponsored by the Savannah
Union of Holy Name Societies, Wal
ter P. Powers, president. Members of
Holy Name Societies in all parishes
in tire city, white and colored, parti
cipated.
Georgia’s New Knights
Left to right, Richard Reid, Augusta, and John W. Gleason and Thomas
F. Walsh, Savannah, pictured at the ceremony at the Cathedral of St. John
the Baptist, Savannah, when they were invested as Knights of St. Gregory
by Bishop O’Hara. Courtesy of The Savannah Press; Press Photo developed
by Rich.
St. Patrick’s Day Observed
in Savannah With Pontifical
Mass, Parade and Banquets
Bishop Officiates at Mass, Father Henry Phillips
Preaches—Parade One of Finest in Savan
nah History
Young Savannahian
Accidentally Shot
Wonnd Fatal to Joseph J.
Mahaney, Former Bene
dictine Athlete
(Special to The Bulletin)
SAVANNAH, Ga. —Savannah paid
tribute to Ireland’s patron saint in its
usual comprehensive and dignified
way here on the Feast of St. Pat
rick, the program beginning with a
Pontifical Mass, with the Most Rev.
Gerald P. O’Hara, Bishop of Savan
nah-Atlanta, as celebrant, at St.
rick’s Church, the Rev. Henry Phil
lips, pastor of St. Peter’s Church,
LaGrange, delivering the sermon,
followed by the annual parade, an
nual meeting of the Hibernian So
ciety and other meetings, and closing
with the annual dinner of the Irish
Jasper Greens and other organiza
tions, and the 126th anniversary ban
quet of the Hibernian Soicety of Sa
vannah.
The Very Rev. Daniel J. McCar
thy, Vicar-General . of the Diocese,
was archpriest at the Mass, the Rev.
T. J. McNamara, Milledgeville, dea
con, the Rev. Thomas L. Finn, Atlan
ta, sub-deacon, the Rev. Thomas I.
Sheehan, Thomasville, and the Rev.
James J. Grady, Savannah, deacons
of honor, the Rev. Joseph W. Kava
nagh, Savannah, master of cere
mony.
FATHER PHILLIPS gave an elo
quent discourse on St. Patrick and
tiie faith of the Irish people, empha
sizing the point that the persecution
of the Irish people in Ireland had
served to scatter them throughout
the world and especialy to the United
States, to be a blessing to Church
and nation. St. Patrick’s Choir ren
dered a special program of music.
The Rev. H. A. Schonhardt, pastor of
St. Patrick’s, entertained the Bishop
and clergy at dinner following the
Mass and parade.
THE 1938 PARADE is believed by
observers to be perhaps the largest
as well as the most impressive of the
long series. The marchers gathered
at the Catholic Association before the
Mass, to march to St. Patrick’s
Church. The clouds which gave a
threatening aspect before the Mass,
had entirely disappeared when the
Mass was ended, affording a mild
spring day for the observance.
Thomas F. Walsh, K. S. G„ and
John W. Gleason, K. S. G., of Sa
vannah, were co-marshals of the pa
rade in honor of their recent knight
hood, with Richard Reid, K. S. G.. of
Augusta, and Thomas Fogarty, last
year’s marshal, as aides to the mar
shal. John C. McCarthy, chief of
detectives of the Savannah Po
lice Department, was adjutant, J. H.
Heagarty, chairman of the parade
committee, and Capt F. E. Ducey,
chief aide to the adjutant At City
Hall, Mayor Robert Hitch and the
Board of Aldermen reviewed the pa
rade, at the Catholic Association it
was reviewed by Bishop O’Hara, the
clergy and the Sisters, and at the De-
Soto Hotel by the County Commis
sioners, Brig. Gen. Douglas McDoug-
al, commandant of the Marine Base
at Parris Island; Col. W. A. Ganoe,
U. S. A., commandant at Fort Screv
en, army, navy and military officers,
and officers and members of the Hi-
berinan Society.
In the line of march were a de
tachment of Marines from Parris Isl
and, 118th Artillery, Battery E. their
bands, the R. O. T. C. and bands
from Benedictine School and Savan
nah High School, Marist School and
Sacred Heart student bodies, the Po
lice Band, American Legion Drum
and Bugle Corps, Ladies Auxiliary, A.
O. H., Boy Scouts, citizens of Savan
nah of Irish blood and extraction, and
many others. Particularly attractive
were the uniformed students, the
Marines and militia, the mounted
aides, and youngsters on ponies,
many of them very young. The pa
rade disbanded after firing a salute
before the Sergeant Jasper monu
ment
CHRISTOPHER MURPHY
HEADS HIBERIANS
Christopher P. H. Murphy, noted
Savannah artist, was elected presi
dent of the Hibernian Society at its
126th anniversary meeting at the De-
Soto Hotel immediately after the pa
rade. He succeeds Edward S. Bren
nan, Esq., who retires after the con-
stiutional limit of two terms. Dr.
Michael J. Egan succeeded Mr. Mur
phy as vice-president; Henry B.
Brennan, Esq., was elected secertary;
John J. Powers, treasurer, and Jer
ome F. Sullivan, assistant treasurer.
A luncheon followed the meeting.
ANNUAL BANQUET
OP JASPER GREENS
The annual banquet of the Irish
Jasper Greens was held at the De-
Soto Hotel at 6:30 St. Patrick’s eve
ning, the 96th annual dinner, with
Capt. F. E. Ducey presiding. The
Rev. Joseph G. Cassidy, pastor of
Sacred Heart Church, responded to
the toast: “The Day We Celebrate”.
Hugh H. Grady spoke on “Savannah”
and Capt. James F. Glass, ‘"The Na
tional Guard”.
CONGRESSMAN COX
HIBERNIAN SPEAKER
Hon. Eugene E. Cox. member of
Congress from Georgia, Hon. John J.
Kennedy, judge of the Court of Com
mon Pleas of Allegheny County,
Pittsburgh, and Julian Corish, Esq.,
of Savannah, were speakers at the
126th annual dinner of the Hibern
ian Society, a formal affair at the
DeSoto Hotel with 450 in attendance.
Mr. Brennan, president was toast
master, Father Cassidy delivered the
invocation, and Bishop O’Hara was
guest of honor.
CONGRESSMAN COX in his re
sponse to the toast: “The United
States,” paid a glowing tribute to the
Irish people and their contributions
to the United States and to Georgia.
The Irish people and the people of
Irish extraction do not want assist
ance, he asserted; they want only
the right to help themselve*. Amer
(Special to The Bulletin)
SAVANNAH, Ga. — Joseph James
Mahaney, a star on Benedictine School
athletic teams in 1936 and the years
before, and a member of a widely
known Savannah Catholic family, died
here late in February after he had ac
cidentally shot himself while clean
ing a gun at his home; death was prac
tically instantaneous. Born in Savan
nah October 4,1917, he starred in foot
ball at Benedictine School, and since
had been connected with the Union
Bag and Paper Co. Surviving are his
father, four brothers and a sister;
his mother was the late Mrs. Mary
O’Connor Mahaney. The funeral was
held from Sacred Heart Church with
a Requiem Mass. Interment was in
Cathedral Cemetery.
GEORGE P. WAY of Norwich,
Conn., where he was a meber of
Sacred Heart parish, died here late
in February when the automobile
which he was driving at the Fair
Grounds Race Track left the track
and catapulted him from his seat,
in full view of spectators. Mr. Way,
who was widely known as an auto
mobile racer, was bom at Norwich
November 11, 1911. His wife, one son,
his parents, three brothers and three
sisters, all of Norwich, survive him.
The funeral and interment were in
Norwich.
GEORGE R. MONAHAN, a native
of Saratoga, N. Y., where he was
bom 73 years ago, and a resident of
Savanah since his young manhood,
died here early in March. Mr. Mona
han was a graduate of Manhatan
College and was connected with the
Savanah Health Department. The
funeral was held from the Cath
edral with a Requiem Mass. Inter
ment was in Cathedral Cemetery.
icans of Irish blood will always di
rect their energies toward keeping
the liberty of the American people
alive, he asserted.
JUDGE KENNEDY, speaking on
“The Day We celebrate,” called the
roll of the names of Americans of
Irish extraction who have made ma
jor contributions to the history of the
nation, both the spiritual and mater
ial contributions. He reminded his
audience that Mrs. Kennedy was a
Savannahian. and that their eight
children might, therefore claim to be
half-Savannahian.
JULIAN CORISH, one of the ablest
of the younger members of the bar,
and a member of a family long prom
inent in Savannah, responded to the
third toast, “Savannah,” recalling
the glorious history of Savannah, the
part those of Irish blood have taken
in it, and outlining high hopes for
the future. Mr. Corish is one of the
youngest speakers ever to respond to
a toast at a Hibernian dinner, and his
address was one . of unusual excel
lence. Mrs. Andrew Aprea enter
tained with Irish vocal solos, scoring
her usual outstanding success in her
rendition of them.
CLERGY SUBPOENED
IN SAVANNAH TRIAL
“Jehovah’s Witnesses” Try
to Make Court Sounding
Board for Their Activities
(Special to The BuUetin)
SAVANNAH, Ga. — “Jehovah’s
Witnesses”, followers of “Judge”
Rutherford, attempted to turn a trial
of two of their members charged
with violation of a Savannah statute
forbidding the sale of books without
a license, into a sounding board for
publicity by having about twenty-
five members of the local clergy,
Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish,
subpoened as witnesses; the four
hour trial in Police Court ended with
the defendants being fined one hun
dred dollars each.
The books the members, acting as
salesmen, were peddling in the city
and anti - Catholic, anti - Protestant
and hostile to all established religion,
Counsel for the defendants subpoen
ed the local clergy in an effort to
prove that the Rutherford followers
were doing only what members of
other religious groups do.
Among those subpoened was the
Most Rev. Gerald P. O’Hara, D. D.,
Bishop of Savanah-Atlanta, who was
out of the state at the time. Joseph
C. Hester, representing the city, said
the summoning of Bishop O’Hara
and priests and ministers was part
of a plan of the defendants to get
publicity for their organization. Ti.e
clergy were summoned by the de
fense counsel as experts in the field
of religion. _
The Rev. Joseph G. Cassidy, pastor
of Blessed Sacrament Church, called
as an expert in the field of religion,
refused to qualify as an authorative
witness on any but the Catholic
Church. The Very Rev. Boniface
Bauer, O. S. B., pastor of Sacred
Heart Church, asserted that the in
clusion in a book of Biblical quota
tions did not make the book a religi
ous one. The Rev. Ernest Risley,
rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church,
termed the sale of the books and the
activities of the agents a “racket”
The ministers subpoened in the
trial of the case were in most cases
at least irritated at being drawn into
it, and the result of the scheme of
the “Jehovah Witnesses” in having
them summoned was undoubtedly
not what the defense hoped.
CAPT. MORRISSEY
DIES IN SAVANNAH
Heart Attack Fatal to Fire
Department Official There
(Special to The Bulletin)
SAVANNAH, Ga.—Capt. Edward
T. Morrissey of the Savannah Fire
Department died here late in Febru
ary at the age of 62. Captain Mor
rissey complained of not feeling well
the day before, and was walking
near his home when stricken with a
heart attack; he died within a few
minutes. A member of the fire de
partment since 1901, he was one of
the most popular of the department’s
officials. Surviving are his wife,
Mrfs. Ida Knox Morrissey, four sans,
Walter E. and George E. Morrissey,
Jersey City. N. J., Edw. T., Jr., and
Joseph N. Morrissey, Savannah; four
daughters, Mrs. Charles E. Butler,
Atlanta, Mrs. B. A. Brady and Miss
Mary Ellen Morrissey and Mrs. R. S.
Tucker, Berkeley Va., his brother,
Walter A. Morrissey, New York, and
seventeen grandchildren. The funer
al was held from the Cathedral with
a Requiem Mass; interment was in
Cathedral Cemtery.
GREGORY C. POMAR. a brother
of A. J. Pomar of Savannah, died in
St. Augustine late in February after
an extended illness. Mr. Pomar was
widely known in Catholic circles
there.
MRS. GEORGIANNA LYSAUGHT,
a native of Savannah and a resident
of this city until ten years ago. died
in New York last w-eek. Surviving
Mrs. Lysaught are her mother, Mrs.
O. S. Abrams of Savannah, a daugh
ter, Mrs. C. F. Cramer, New York,
a son, Capt. Orville D. Lysaught, two
brothers, Theodore Abrams, Detroit,
and Orville S. Abrams, Atlanta, and
three grandchildren. The funeral
was held from Blessed Sacrament
Church here, with interment in
Bonaventure Cemetery.
MRS. MARY SHANNON, widow of
J. E. Shannon, residents of Savanna it
before Mr. Shannon’s transfer to
Wilmington, N. C., by the Atlantic
Coast Line Railroad, died in Wilm-
ington recently. Mrs. Shannon was a
native of Savannah, and is survived
by two sons, J. E. Shannon, Wilming
ton, and H. M. Shannon of South
Port, N. C.; four daughters, the Misses
Frances and Elizabeth Shannon,
Wilmington, Mrs. C. D. White, Wil
mington, and Mrs. S. E. Smith, West
Palm Beach, Fla., and a sister, Mrs.
W. L. Thomas, Valdosta.