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FOURTEEN THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA SEPTEMBER 28. 1040 Protestant Writes Magazine Article on “Catholic Converts” (Bv N. C. W. C. News Service) NEW YORK. - The September Current History and Forum publish ed here, contains an article by Dr. Stanley High on current Catholic missionary work in the United States, occasioned by the fact that “in 1939 there were more converts to Cath olicism than ever before in America.” “As a Protestant, I am interested to learn, further, that Catholic con verts in the United States have in creased every year for the last ten,” Dr. High''writes in his article. “Cath olic Converts.” “Since 1930 the total has nearly doubled. "These facts—and the story back of them—are of significance for Catholic and Protestant alike.” Dr. High reports at some length on the Paulist Fathers’ “trailer missions” in the South, and the work of the Rev. Bertrand L. Conway, Paulist author of “The Question Box,” who, according to Dr. High, has in 44 years brought 7,000 converts into the Church. Dr. High refers to the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Fulton J. Sheen, of the Cath olic University of America, as "the best-known exponent of Catholicism to non-Catholic Americans” and de clares, in reference to the nation wide “Catholic Hour” broadcast that “no other strictly religious program has a comparable following.” The Protestant journalist also dis cusses law street-preaching in Co lumbus Circle, this city, and the Nar- beth Movement. “Influential Catholics who are di recting this missionary work do not anticipate that the United States will soon become predominantly Cath olic,” Dr. High concludes. “But there is conviction among them that all religion, Protestant, Jewish as well as Catholic, is due to benefit from the dislocation of the times. "The Catholic Church believes that its harvest will be more plenteous than others'. And in growing num bers its laborers are already afield.” Dr. High’s article was reprinted in condensed form in The Reader's Di gest for September. Street Speaking Among the participants in tht second National Catholic Institute of Street Preaching, held at Tonk- awa and Muskogee, Oklahoma was the Most Rev. Albert L Fletcher, Auxiliary Bishop of Lit tle Rock, pictured on that occa sion. Priests, seminarians anc laymen took part in the meeting (N.C.W.C.t ATLANTA COUNCIL K. OF C. NAMES DEPUTY GRAND KNIGHT ATLANTA, Ga. — Atlanta Council, No. 660, Knights of Columbus, has announced the election of Frank M. Coyne, as deputy grand knight, to fill the vacancy caused by the recent election of Brian F. O'Brian to office of grand knight of the council. Mr. Coyne has served for some time as chancellor of Atlanta Council. FRANCE REMOVES RESTRICTIONS ON RELIGIOUS ORDERS (Special Correspondent, N. C. W. C. News Service) VICHY. — Legal disabilities which actively oppressed or hung threaten ingly over members of religious Or ders and Congregations in France for nearly two score of years were lifted by an official decree of the govern ment here. Specifically restoring members of religious congregations to the privi leges they enjoyed prior to 1901, and repealing the law of July 7, 1904, which struck such a serious blow at religious education in France the de cree actually abrogates a whole se ries of enactments forced through the French parliament during the dark years for the Church just after the dawn of this century. On January 1, 1901. France counted within its confines 19„424 establish ments of religious congregations, with a total of 159,628 members. There had already been laws affecting religious congregations, such as that of Febru ary 13, 1790, which declared that mon astic vows were no longer recognized, and that the Orders and congrega tions in which such vows were made were forever suppressed. However, there was a measure of tolerance, especially for congregations of. wom en, until July. 1, 1901, when it was en acted that no congregation, whether of men or women, could be formed withotft a legislative authorization, and that the act of authorization should determine the functions of such congregations. Congregations previously authorized and those sub sequently authorized were given the status of “moral persons” and thus were kept under a constant threat As for unauthorized organizations, the law declared them dissolved. There were 17,000 “unauthorized con gregations,” and the government dis solved them all without exception. The law of July 7. 1904. struck the first, and a very serious, blow at the principle of freedom of teaching. It declared that “teaching of every grade and every kind is forbidden in France to the congregations.” Although there were still “author ized congregations,” this disability af fected its members equally with the rest. Every Brother, every religious woman who wished to continue the work of teaching was forthwith com pelled- to be secularized, and the courts became competent to contest the legal value of such seculariza tions. Although the law contained a clause allowing the schools of con gregations to continue for one or more years, depending upon the needs of the locality. M. Combes im mediately closed 14,404 out of the-16,- 904 such schools. Waves of violent anti-clericalism were responsible for these oppres sive measures, and this intolerant feeling had well subsided by the end of the World War, in which many Catholic priests fought in the French armies. There was a strong nation wide sentiment for the repegl of these laws but they were not lifted. Successive governments of France administered them with greater len iency. but the measures still hung over the heads of French religious. It is understood that Canon Poli- man, a French deputy, received from Premier Edouard Daladier a promise to put an end to thee? anti-clerical measures, but this promise was never fulfilled. It is explained that the present de cree grants members of religious con gregations the right to teach, under control of the Ministry of Public In struction. but without belonging to the official teaching body. BY GEORGE BARNARD (I»ndon Correspondent. N. C. W. C. News Service) LONDON. Sept. 9. — Marshal Pe- tain has ordered that all matter cal culated to undermine love of God and homeland and all matter offensive to conscience be stricken out of the text books of French schools, it is revealed in a Vatican City broadcast to Eng land. The Vatican City announcer quoted Marshal Petain as saying: “In French schools tomorrow there w'ill be no neutrality between falsehood and truth.” The destruction of the Grand Orient in France is described by Hilaire Belloc, writing in The Weekly Re view, as "by far the chief political event in the order of importance, since the victory of the German armies over the French this summer.” The Vatican Radio anouncer, speak ing m English to English, exclaimed ‘ At last!” when he announced that The Journal Official has published the Petain government's decree abol ishing the Grand Orient in France. Mr. Belloc says that upon the strength and organization of the Grand Orient “depended the driving force of that most powerful activity of the nineteenth century, the attack upon Christian tradition.” "It sketched out the laws, especial ly the educational laws, which aimed at the extinction of religion in France, and through France in all Europe,” Mr. Belloc said, adding that “indirectly it was the ally of Com munism.” He goes on: “It was at the summit of, and acted as director for, the Ma sonic organization in France and therefore of the French Parliament; for the French Parliament has, ever since 1876, been formed and inspired by the Grand Orient. “So strong is the network of secret Best Wishes INTERSTATE COFFEE CO. CURTIS E. SMITH & SONS- BRAZIL and COLUMBIAN COFFEES BOB WHITE SHOE CLEANER P. O. BOX 663 637-639-641 TWIGGS ST. TELEPHONE 2—7445 AUGUSTA, GEORGIA. - LflN<E - • DRUGS! • TOILETRIES! • SUNDRIES! BRIGHT, MODERN DRUG STORES THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH TO SERVE YOU! DRUG STORES “Always the Best” FRANCE LIFTS BAN ON RELIGIOUS Particular interest attaches to this picture of a recent religious- procession in Vichy, France, showing among the marchers. Canon! Umbricht. chaplain in the first World War. whose Croix de Guerrej bears seven palms and three stars A Government decree has now revoked The legal restrictions against members of religious Orders and Congregations, which have been in force for .nearly 40 years. (N C.W'C.) “Knute Rockne-All American” World Premiere at South Bend SOUTH BEND, Ind.—With the world premiere of the motion picture “Knute Rockne — All American” scheduled to climax events of Na tional Knute Rockne Week here on the evening of October 4, South-Bend is preparing to entertain 250,000 visi tors from all sections of the country. The greatest throng in South Bend's history will be treated to a show that will out-HoIlywood, Hollywood, ac cording to Mayor Jesse I. Pavey, who has appointed a citizens’ committee of prominent industrial and civic leaders to direct a full week of cele bration extending from September 29 through October 5. A large contingent of topflight Hol lywood stars, headed by Pat O’Brien, the Rockne of the film, will be on hand for the three-day climax of the big week. They will make per sonal appearances at the world pre miere showings to be held in three first run South Bend theatres Friday evening. October 4, and will attend other highlight events, which include a banquet held in the University of Notre Dame dining hall, a grand ball, and the opening football game be tween Notre Dame and Coach Alonzo Stagg’s College of the Pacific team. Kate Smith, the radio star, will also add to the glamour of the premiere celebration by bringing her entire troupe to South Bend to broadcast her regular Friday evening program from the scene of festivities. The detailed schedule for the pre miere calls for the Hollywood film stars and high ranking executives of Warner Bros. Pictures, producers of the Rockne drama, to arrive in South Bend Thursday afternoon. A mammoth welcome demonstration will be accorded the visitors at the exact spot where Rockne received his final South Bend greeting when he brought his national championship team home after vanquishing South ern California in 1930. After the public reception at the station, during which O'Brien, Gale Page, Ronald Reagan, Donald Crisp, societies, even in their old age and in their decay, that the wreck has been masked with silence. The Eng lish newspaper reader has hardly heard of the event at all” Of the future, Mr. Belloc says the chances are that our immediate pos terity will enjoy a Christendom changed, but still Christendom. all members of the “Knute Rockne— All American” cast, and the score of other visiting stars who will be in troduced, the banquet will be held in the Notre Dame dining hall. Prom inent allumni from all parts of the world will attend, and will be featur ed on the program with the Holly wood guests. Friday evening, the visitors will place a wreath on Knute Hockne’s grave. Pre-premiere events Friday evening will include the Kate Smith broad cast at her regular 7 to 7:55 hour, and an appearance by O'Brien at the foot ball pep rally on the Notre Dame campus. At the pep rally, O'Brien will give a typical Rockne fight talk. Governor M. Clifford Townsend has signed a proclamation officially designating September 26 to October 5 “IGiute Rockne Week” in Indiana. United States Postmaster General Frank C- Walker, a Notre Dame alumnus and friend of Rockne, has agreed to serve on the National Rockne Week honorary committee, and is expected to attend the pre miere. Seventeen surviving members of the 1913 Notre Dame football team, of which Rockne was captain, have been invited as honor guests. Father Wm. Doheny Assistant Superior Holy Cross Fathers (Special to The Bulletin) NOTRE DAME, Ind. —Rev. William J. Doheny, C. S. C., president and superior of Holy Cross College, Washington, D. C., has been named assistant superior general of the Congregation of the Holy Cross, ac cording to announcement made by the Very Rev. Albert Cousineau, C. S. C., superior general of the order which has its headquarters at the University of Notre Dame. Father Doheny succeeds the late Very Rev. James A. Burns, C. S. C. A canonist of note, Fataher Doheny is procurator and advocate of the Sacred Roman Rota and is authorized to plead in all ecclesiastical and di ocesan tribunals throughout the world. Best Wishes WOODWARD LUMBER Manufacturers of SASH, DOORS, BLINDS, INTERIOR TRIM Phone 2—46ll . Roberts and Dugas Sts. Augusta, Georgia