Funding for the digitization of this title was provided by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta.
About The bulletin of the Catholic Laymen's Association of Georgia. (Augusta, Ga.) 1920-1957 | View Entire Issue (June 30, 1938)
Published by the Catholic Lay men’s Association of Georgia Utiin “To Bring About a Friendlier Feeling Among Neighbors Irre spective of Creed” VOL. XIX. No. 6. AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, JUNE 30, 1938 ISSUED MONTHLY—$2.00 A YEAR Work on Athens Hospital Being Completed Missionary Sisters of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Come to Conduct Georgia Hospital Congregation Founded Less Than Forty Years Ago Has 3,000 Members—Mother M. Electra Superior-General The Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, which will conduct St. Mary's Hospital in Athens, was founded in 1899 at Hiltrup, Diocese of Muenster Westphalia, Germany, by the Very Reverend Hubert Linckens, M. S. C., Provincial of the Missionary Fathers of the Sacred Heart. The Missionary Fathers of the Sacred Heart had since 1881 been engaged in the task of civil izing and evangelizing the inhabi tants of the Islands of Oceania in the South Pacific, but they needed the help of Sisters, especially in the care of sick and orphans the education of children ,etc. Since it seemed impossible to enlist the aid of any existing Order for this work, Father Linckens, with the con sent of competent ecclesiastical au thorities, founded the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, for the pri mary purpose of aiding in the mis sionary work in pagan countries. The motherhouse was established at Hil trup, Germany, and the new Congre gation canonically sanctioned on Feb ruary 6, 1900. O —THE MISSION CALL ? O- Two years later, in the spring and summer of 1902, the first two groups of Sisters left for Oceania, their first field of labor being New Britain and the Marshall Islands, at that time under German control. Un doubtedly, great courage and the real missionary spirit were required, for the missions in the scattered South Sea Islands were then in a very pri mary stage and every comfort lacking for the missionaries. But in spite of all hardship enthusiasm ran high, and before long a third and fourth expe dition set out in 1903 and 1904 respec tively. o- BAFTISM OF BLOOD ■i Meanwhile the number of candi dates wishing to join the newly es tablished Order increased, and neith er their number nor the fervor of those enlisted was diminished when in August, 1904, a cablegram from New Britain brought the sad news that two Fathers, three Brothers and five Sisters had fallen victims to the murderous weapons of the Bainin- gers, a barbarous mountain tribe, who thus avenge themselves on the mis sionaries whose lofty ideas they hated. Not only did the account of this martyrdom fail to lessen the mission ary fervor, either within the congre gation or outside of it, but, on the contrary, many Catholic young ladies were inspired to give up the world for Christ and His missionary labors, and in the convent all the Sisters volun teered to take up the work in the same district where others had sac rificed their lives. A few months la ter. eight other Sisters left for Oceanica, and since that time new bands are leaving every year. O ——O HOME MISSIONS o o In giving this sketch of work of the Missionary Sisters of the Most Sa cred Heart of Jesus in the Foreign Missions, we must not lose sight of the development of the Congregation in its home country. While the moth er-house in Hiltrup remained the base of operations and the training school for young members, work in the home missions was not neglected. With the erection of a Retreat House in Devemrup in 1907, various forms of charitable work were taken up: Car ing for nospitals, nurseries, schools, orphanages, homes for children, for the aged and wayward, and related activities. As the years rolled on, the demand for Sisters, both for the home and foreign missions, was so great that the motherhouse could scarcely supply the desired number of teach ers. nurses, etc. O O ^ NEW FIELDS OF LABOR £ New fields of labor were opened in the United States of North America, in 1908; in 1927 in Southwest Africa; in 1928 in Melbourne, Australia; in 1932 in China, Province of Kwei chow, and at present—June 1938—the first group of Missionary Sisters are on their way to South America, in order to take over a new mission in Peru, the Congregation of Missionary Peru. At present less than 40 years af ter its humble beginning the Congre gation of Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, num bering almost 3,IflO Sisters, extends its activities over more than 100 houses in all parts of the globe. o- ! o- IN THE UNITED STATES -O k In 1908 the Missionary Sisters fol lowed a call to the United States of North America. In the beginning of that year the late Rt. Reverend Mon signor Heinen, Vicar Forane of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, had come to Hiltrup for the purpose of enlisting the services of the Mission ary Sisters for work in the schools of the archdiocese. Negotiations were successful, and on August 1, of the same year, eight Sisters left Hiltrup to set sail for North America. In September of the same year they began their work as teachers in St. Michael’s School, Lansford, and in the School of the Assumption Parish, Slatington, Pa. In the years following, the Sisters, on request from the dif ferent pastors, took charge of other parish schools, until with the opening of Holy Guardian Angel School, Hyde Park, in 1933, in the Archdioces of Philadelphia, 13 parish schools with a total of nearly .5,000 children were conducted by the Missionary Sisters. As the number of missions, and cor respondingly that of the Sisters in creased, the establishment of a Pro vincial House in America became a necessity. In Hyde Park, near Read ing, Pa., the late Monsignor Borne- mann had opened a Sanatorium for sick and invalid Religious of all Or ders, and he summoned the Mission ary Sisters to take care of this insti tution. After a reasonable trial the project had to be abandoned; the property was then purchased under acceptable terms and converted into the prooosed Central House—Provin cial Motherhouse and Novitiate — of the Missionary Sisters of the Most Sa cred Heart. Owing to an increase of members, in 1921 the building had to be enlarged, and in 1931 a House of Studies, primarily for the training of young ladies as future members of their Sisterhood, was erected. HOSPITAL WORK St. Joseph’s Church and Rectory, Athens Athens’ St. Joseph’s Church Now in Its Silver Jubilee Year ECCLESIASTICAL ART WELL EXEMPLIFIED IN ATHENS CHURCH Renovated St. Joseph’s One of Most Attractive Edifices in the Entire State Teaching was not to be the only ac tivity of the Missionary Sisters in the United States. As in their native country, so here the Congregation did not lose sight of its great object: To come to the assistance of suffering humanity, whenever its services might be required. Accordingly, when in 1912 the Right Reverend Monsignor Peter Masson, V. F., took steps to found the Sacred Heart Hospital in Allentown and requested the Mission ary Sisters to take over, the care of the sick, they gladly followed this invitation. Though begun on a very small and humble basis, the hospital soon outgrew its limits for the in creased care of patients. Additional property was acquired and a new hospital was built in 1915; in the course of years new additions had to be made, until now the Sacred Heart Hospital, with a capacity of 310 beds and every modem improvement, is approved as an A-l Hospital and one of the finest in the Archdiocese. With this hospital are conected two Homes for Old Ladies, and re cently in Coopersburg, near Allen town, an estate has been acquired, which is being converted into the “Sacred Heart Home and Trade School for Convalescent, Crippled, and Friendless Youth.” This latest en terprise, which is to be formally open ed in July or August of this year, is affiliated with the Sacred Heart Hos pital and will likewise be conducted by the Missionary Sisters. O o | INSTITUTIONAL WORK | o O As early as 1913 a group of Sisters went to Columbus, Ohio, to take charge of the domestic department In the Pontifical College Josephinum and at the same time of a little or phanage connected with the college. Since then the services of the Mis sionary Sisters have been requested for a number of other institutions of this kind for similar activities, but many more invitations in this line had to be met by refusal for want of a sufficient number of Sisters. St. Joseph’s Church. Athens, of which the Rev. Harold J. Barr is pastor, and which was rededicated early in the year at services at which the Most Rev. Gerald P. O'Hara, D. D., Bishop of Savannah-Atlanta. pre sided, as recorded in The Bulletin at the time, after the church had been completely renovated and redecorat ed, is now one of the most attractive churches in the state. O- KNIGHTS OF ST. GEORGE HOME 1 In 1922 a call came from the Knights of St. George,—a Catholic as sociation for laymen,—for the Mis sionary Sisters to come to Wellsburg, West Virginia, where the association had. purchased an es*»*e to serve as a (Continued on Page 10) St. Joseph’s Church and Rectory were erected a number of years ago and on the exterior presented a charming example of an English Gothic type of rural parish church. The interior of the building was not. however, in complete accord with the simple yet charming and dignified exterior aspects of the church. The problem presented was so to alter and re-design the interior that both the exterior and interior might pre sent a harmonious whole. To this end the suspended, vaulted ceiling in the nave was removed, and the entire Chancel wall, together with the arched ceiling over the Sanctuary was also removed. In order to ob tain more room for the choir and baptistry, and to remove the confes- ional from an inconspicuous nook, a cross wall forming an entrance vesti bule at the entrance of the church was also removed and the entire in terior left completely open. The heating system also came in for considerable modernization, as a series of huge wall radiators which left much to be desired in the way of appearance, were removed from the side walls and rear of the church. In place of these numerous wall ra diators, two unit heaters of the most advance design were installed over the side altars, and the outlet grilles on these heaters so cleverly concealed by the artistic mural decoration on the walls behind hie side altars that they are practically unnoticed. In addition to performing the duty of heating the church in the winter time, these heaters are also provided with a fan which will establish posi tive circulation of air in the church during the warm summer months. Upon the removal of the plaster ceiling over the nave, the trusses sup porting the roof structure were en closed with finishc woodwork and the entire underside of the roof covered with V-jointed yellow pine ceiling in random widths, the ex posing and decoration of the roof trusses and structural members of the roof bringing out and glorifying the inherent characteristic beauty of (Continued on Page Seven) Dedicated March 30, 1913. Father Barr Third Pastor of Unique Parish . (By John H. Mote) It seems fitting that the early his tory of St. Joseph’s parish be present ed as recorded by the first resident pastor, the late Rt. Rev. Ms'gr., H. F. Clark- The following is written in the handwriting of Father Clark and found in the Baptismal Record of St. Joseph’s Church: ‘The foregoing baptismal records were found by me in an old book and papers in the old building which had been used for a church. This antique building was used as the first Law School of the University of Georgia and what remains of it stands in the rear of the new church which was dedicated on Sunday, March 30, 1913. In this old building Robert Thomas Toombs, Alexander Stephens, Thom as R. R. Cobb met and decided Geor gia should secede from the Union. The first Supreme Courts of Georgia con vened in it. In it plans too Lucy Cobb, named for the deceased daugh ter of T. R. R. Cobb, were drawn. ‘Lucy Cobb’ was dedicated in 1858. Af ter ceasing to be the Law School of the University of Georgia it was used as a school for boys. “In 1873 Bishop Gross, Bishop of Sa- vananh, afterwards Archbishop of Oregon and Father O'Brien, Wash ington Georgia, came to Athens in or der to buy a location for a boys’ or phanage. Failing in their purpose, they were persuaded by ten Catholic men who resided here at that time, to buy the present site for a church. Dr. Bloomfield, an Episcopalian, donated the first hundred dollars- The build ing, as aforementioned, was used by the Catholics in which Mass was said by priests who came from Atlanta, Augusta, ’ Sharon, Macon, and Wash ington, until I was appointed July, 1910, as the first resident priest of Athens, and the North Georgia Mis sions, which consist of 23 counties or 11,500 square miles. After devoting of my time the first two years in raising funds in Pittsburg, Philarelphia. and New York, the new church was start ed on November 17. 1912, and dedicat ed on March 30, 1913. I started the rec tory on December 5. 1915; it was com pleted November 11, 1916. Griffin Church was finished as it stands in 1920. A lot in Gainesville has been purchased. On this day, January 2, 1926, I leave Athens’ Missions free of debt to my successor and assume the responsibility of St. Anthony's Parish, Atlanta.” SISTERS IN ATHENS TO OPEN HOSPITAL St. Maiy’s Originally Estab lished by Athens Physicians The Successor to Monsignor Clark was the Rev. James E. King who con tinued the work begun by Msgr. Clark. A church was built by Father King in Gainesville and one in LaGrange. Fa ther Quinlan and Father Daly served successively under Father King as as sistants, until the new parish was cre ated at LaGrange, at which time La- Grange. Newnan and Griffin were re moved from St. Joseph’s Parish. In 1936 Father King was sent to Val dosta as parish priest, and Father Har old Barr came to Saint Joseph’s Par ish as pastor. Although Father Barr has been in Athens for less than two years, he has demonstrated his ability By JOHN H. MOTE St. Mary’s Hospital was founded some thirty years ago by Doctors J. P. Procter and H. M. Fullilove, who were joint owners until the death of Dr. Procter several years ago. The hospital was originally housed in the old Stovall home on Milledge Avenue, but as demands upon it grew it became necessary to enlarge it. The old Stovall home was moved to the back of the lot, and the present modern brick structure was built. Under the competent direction of Doctors Procter and Fullilove, the hospital quickly became one of the best in this section of the state. Upon the death of Dr. Procter, Dr. Fullilove, became owner and operat ed the hospital until his death in No vember, 1935. After the death of Dr. Fullilove, Mrs. Procter, widow of Dr. J P. Procter, ran the hospital, with Dr. Whelchel as resident physician, until several months ago when it was closed. Late last fall Bishop O H3ra and Father Harold Barr began negotia tions with Mrs. H. M. Fullilove which resulted, finally, in the acquisition of St. Mary’s for the Catholic Church. Bishop O'Hara invited the Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus to come to Athens from Penn sylvania and take charge. The sisters responded to the invitation with their usual zeal, and four Sisters arrived in Athens, several weeks ago to begin the work of organization prenara’c 'y to the formal opening early in July. Several additiv'l Sisters are are expected to arrive in Athens in a few days to complete the staff of St. Mary's. The people of Athens and vicinity, Catholic and non-Catholic alike are very enthusiastic over the reopening of St. Mary’s under the Missionary Sisters, and the prospects are bright for its very successful operation in a section where Catholics are few. The presence of the Sisters , in Athens will doubtless do much to create good wilt for the Catholic Church in Georgia. REV. JOHN H. FINN, noted Fran ciscan educator, died at St. Francis' College, Loretto, Pa., at the age of 55. A Lieut.-Commander in the navy, he established a newspaper on the U. S. S. Colorado, said to be the first of its kind. He received his Doctor of Phi losophy degree from the University of Lima. and zeal for furthering the cause of the Catholic Church and has endeared himself to his parishoners. He suc ceeded in the face of seemingly un- surmountable difficulties in having the church completely remodeled and redecorated. St. Joseph’s Church is now one of the most beautiful in the diocese. Perhaps the crowning achievement of Father Barr, in a material way, was the acquisition of St. Mary’s Hospital last fall The hospital, which is under going extensive renovation, will be open to the public in the near future, f probably sometime in July.
