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TWO—A
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION* OF GEORGIA
SEPTEMBER 28, 1940
CARDINAL O’CONNELL
ADDRESSES LEGION
AT BOSTON SESSION
(By N. C. W. C. News Service)
BOSTON. — The most efficacious
way of evidencing sympathy for
those nations now submerged in war-
ware is to pray and work for the
peace of the world and for peace in
America first, His Eminence William
Cardinal O'Connell, Archbishop of
Boston, said in an address to mem
bers of the American Legion here to
day. i
The Cardinal spoke at the conclu
sion of a Solemn Mass, over which
he presided, in the Cathedral of the
Holy Cross on the occasion of the
opening of the national convention of
the Legion. The Rev. Patrick M.
McDermott, of Atlantic, la., national
chaplain of the Legion, was the cele
brant of the Mass. The sermon was
preached by the Rev. George P.
O Conor, of Dedham, Mass.
“The American Legion,” the Cardi
nal said, “is truly a distinctive Am
erican organization and it is thor
oughly representative of the whole
nation. It draws its membership from
all walks of life and from every state
in the Union. Moreover, it has a
very distinct right to be listened to
and to be heard, because it has shown
by personal sacrifice its true love of
America. That is the highest tribute
which any one can pay to any prin
cipality or any person, the sacrifice
of one’s life.
L1F SERVICE
St. Patrick’s Church, Augusta
“There is always plenty of lip ser
vice. There are plenty of beautiful
phrases which we hear so charming
ly from all sides, particularly at cer
tain times. There are plenty of Am
ericans who are happy to receive
everything they can get from Amer
ica, but you have been willing to pay
the price by your own sacrifice—noi
by words, for words mean so little—
but by deeds of valor and by cour
age. Therefore, America does well to
honor you now as well as in the fu
ture ”
“O yes, there are those who would
glorify war only for one reason, to
glorify themselves. War is the one
thing in the world that the Christian
can hate, because it means the de
struction of everything that is most
precious.
“Americans have a way of creating
tags. It is a habit that is to easily
created, and the tag is taken to mean
much more than it deserves. If one
prays for peace on earth, the angels
in heaven sing. If one desires and
works for peace in America, he is
tagged as a pacificist. The word it
self means very little. It is the ani
mus behind the word that is itnended
to close the mouths of those who
want peace on earth to men of good
will. It is the intent and purpose
of vicious propagandists to prevent
the teaching of the gospel of Christ,
the gospel of love, peace above all.
“‘Of course, we have the deepest
sympathy and pity for all nations
that are now submerged in this awful
warfare. We pity them from our
hearts. But the best and the most
efficacious way of showing that is to
pray and work for the peace of the
world and peace in America first.
PLENTY OF PROBLEMS
“Can anything be gained by more
war clouds upon these universal con
flicts? There are plenty of problems
to be solved in America without go
ing far abroad. We must, of course,
defend our shores, our country.
That, of course, goes withotu saying.
It is not only the right but the duty
of Americans to defend their country
against aggression. That is one thing.
It is far from throwing ourselves into
the fire with the possible result of
weakening our own strength. What
sense is there in that?
“My dear friends, men of the Le
gion. you showed your courage by
valor and self-sacrifice. You have a
right to be heard. In God’s name
speak without fear of anyone high
or low. The countrj' wants to hear
what you have to say. The country
will respect what you say with de
liberation. So. in Goa’s name, banish
war or any othar kind of evil from
your land.”
NEED OF SPIRITUAL FORCE
“Everyone who understands the
present \yorld situation realize that
either some great spiritual force will
prevail or that there will be univer
sal catastrophe.” Father O’Conor said.
“We know that there is such a spirit
ual force at work-in the world. The
Catholic Church stands today where
she always stood—the teacher of
truth and law, the protector of the
world's civilization. We Catholics are
proud of her. We are proud that we
are her children. Ha hope and pray
that, in our day as in the past, in the
future as well a? now, she may ful
fill her destiny—to make mankind
worthy of the love that brought
God’s Eternal Son into this fallen
world of ours that He might sanctify
and save it.
* There is undoubtedly a positive
and formidable movement abroad to
rob America of her most precious
heritage—her spiritual values. If a
man in this nation of ours has no
room in his heart for God and His
Holy Name; if he regards His will
as an unwarrantable instrusion on
national or private enterprises, then
that man is a traitor to American
traditions and ideals.”
St. Patrick’s Church, in Augusta, was consecrated in 1863, and its spire
still towers over the downtown district of the city. The Rev. Leo M. Keenan
is the present pastor, with the Rev. Michael Donna, assistant.
Religion “First Line of Defense”
Declares Archbishop of Dubuque
At Jesuit Celebration in Ohio
(By N. C. W. C. News Service)
CiNCNlNATl.—“The first line of
defense is religion,” said the Most
Rev. Francis J. L. Beckman, Arch
bishop of Dubuque, in an address at
the breakfast following the Pontifi
cal Mass in St. Francis Xavier Church
here w-hich formally opened the
week’s local religious celebration of
the Jesuit Quadncentennial and the
centenary of the Society in Cin
cinnati.
Archbishop Beckman recalled the
admonition of George Washington
that “religion and morality are in
dispensable supports’’ in suggesting
that the importance of religious prin
ciples and practices must motivate the
American w F ay of life.
“Religion must soak in,” he said.
“It is a matter of living and a man
ner of living that must govern and
animate all of our lives—family life,
business life, social life, political life
and our relationsships with one an
other.”
Faying tribute to the Society of
Jesus for its 100 years’ activity in
the fields of religion, education and
care for humankind in Cincinnati,
Archbishop Beckman observed that
“despite what he would do or would
like to do there is nothing that can
repay the members fo the Order for
their century of service in this com
munity.” He added that the ideals
of the illustrious Ignatius of Loyola
ore being continued in our modern
era by thousands who have taken up
and followed his rule in religion.
Archbishop Beckman termed the
current era in the world “one of
great moment” and quoted from a
private allocation of the Pope to the
effect that the world is undergoing
its third great change, the others hay
ing come at the time of Adam's sin
in the Garden of Eden and the sec
ond being the reshaping of the
world's destinies following the Del
uge.
* Our present crisis,” the prelate
said, “is one in which the spirit
and the principles of religion must
be recognized and practiced.”
The Rev. Celestin J. Steiner, S. J..
President of Xavier University and
General Chairman of the Jubilee
Committee, presented Archbishop
Beckman. Among the guests of the
breakfast were representatives of the
Franciscan, Passionist and Dominican
orders as well as of the diocesan
clergy.
Eugene A. OShanghnessy, Presi
dent of the Xavier University Alumni
Association, gave a greeting on be
half of the alumni.
MCNSIGNOR SIIEEN
FPEACHES AT MASS
St. Ignatius Loyala “met the errors
of his time by bringing people back
to God,” the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Fulton J.
Sheen, of the Catholic University
of America, said in the sermon at
the Pontifical Mass.
St. Ignatius, founder of the Society
cf Jesus, left two outstanding lessons
for all time, Pvlonsignor Shesn said:
“That we are to meet the errors of
cur* time not directly but indirectly,
and. secondly, that there is hope for
sinners.’ He said “instead of trying
to prove how wrong heresy was,”
St. Ignatius “set out to make Cath
olics a little more Catholic.”
“In other words,” he added “the
way that Ignatius met the errors of
his time was by bringing people back
to God. He attempted to establish
something and he did actually estab
lish something which Plato w r anted to
establish but could not because of
the circumstances of his time.
“The old Greek Philosopher was
one of the wisest men who ever lived.
He had envisaged a republic of great
and noble souls. It could never be
achieved as Plato envisaged it. It has
been achieved as Ignatius saw it for
he did establish throughout this
world what might be called an Ig
natius Republic. Philosophers are
not willing to die for their cause.
Saints are. That is why Ignatius
prospered where Plato failed and the
Ignatian Republic is made up of
souls who will first seek the King
dom of God and His justice and thus
become the leaven in the mass.
“That method of Ignatius is prob
ably more appropriate now' than it
was in his own time, for I think the
day has passed when we can, look
for any group conversions.”
American Consultor
Noted as Writer
Father Callan, of Papal Bib
lical Commission, Author
of Theological Works
(By N. C. W. C. News Service)
ROME. — In his article in Osserva-
tore Romano on the new consultors of
the Pontifical Biblical Commission,
the Rev. James M. Voste, O. P., the
cission’s secretary, lays particu
lar stress upon the notable spiritual
writings of the new American mem
bers, the Rev. Charles J. Callan, O.
P.. an editor of The Homiletic and
Pastoral Review.
Father Voste points out that since
1812 hardly a year has passed that
Father Callan has not published some
writings. Among his works listed by
Father Voste are:
“Blessed Be God,” a prayer book;
“The Man of God,” a prayer book for
boys and men; “Hail. Holy Queen,"
a prayer book for girls and women;
“Dominican Sisters’ Office oBok':
“Dominican Sisters’ Office Book.';
brie Book”; “The Catholic Missal”;
“Directorium for Retreat Masters”;
“Our Lady's Rosary”, instructions
and devotions; “The Casuist”; "Illus
trations for Sermons”; “Program for a
Parochial Course of Doctrinal In
structions”; "Moral Theology”. a
complete translation in English of the
Catechism of the Council of Trent.
Fathel Callan also has published
commentaries on almost all the books
of the New Ttestament and the
Psalms. ‘
He is now a member of the editor
ial board which is preparing a new
English version of the Bible, and last
year served as president of the Cath
olic Biblical Association of America.
SPRING HILL COLLEGE
FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
(Special To The Bulletin)
SPRING HILL, Ala.- Spring Hill
College is opening its 1940 football
season on September 2T, with a night
game in Mobile, with the University
of Alabama as opponents.
The complete schedule includes .he
following games: October 4, Troy
State Teachers, at Spring Hill; Octo
ber 11. Mississippi College, at Clin
ton. Miss.; October 18, Southwest
ern Louisiana, at Spring Hill; Octo
ber 26. Mississippi Teachers College
at Hatticburg, Miss.; November 1,
open; November 8, Misssaps College
at Spring Hill;; November 15, Chat
tanooga, at ‘Spring Hill; November LI,
Howard College at Birmingham.
St. Patrick’s Church, Augusta,
Consecrated During Civil War
In 1853. animated by their beloved
pastor, the Reverend John Barry,
afterwards raised to an Episcopal
See, the congregation of Augusta's
only Catholic Church resolved to
erect a new and more worthy struc-
I true than the church erected in 1811,
| which no longer could accommo
date the city’s growing' Catholic
population. Plans were made for
the erection of St. Patrick's Church,
which stands today.
However, pestilence and war were
to take their toll before this dream
could be realized. In 1854 the yel
low fever epidemic raged in the city
with fearful intensity, but after the
danger passed the work of securing
. funds for building the new church
was renewed. In 1857 the corner
stone was laid with appropriate cere
mony.
Although the War Between the
States was at its height on the com
pletion of the edifice, it was con
secrated free of debt in 1863, with
Bishop Quinian of Mobile preaching
to a congregation of J.OOCf which
thronged the streets about the
church, which was placed under the
patronage of St. Patrick.
Confederate soldiers mingled with
throngs which witnessed the conse
cration of the church by Bishop
Verot, of Savannah. and Bishop
Lynch, of Charleston.
Major J. R. Niernsee executed the
plans for the church and donated
them free of cost. The three beau
tiful altars, donated by Miss Mary
Frederick, were bought in Baltimore
and run through the blockade by
John P. Mullen, who erected them.
The church bell was the gift of Au
gust Dorr.
Delivery of an organ bought in <he
North was prevented by the block
ade, and an organ was loaned for the
consecration ceremony by Peter
Brenner, a piano-maker of Augusta.
It is interesting to note that at one
time Father Abram J. Ryan, the
“Poet-Priest of the Confederacy”,
was stationed at St. Patrick’s.
The Rev. Gregory Duggan was pas
tor at the time the church was on-
secrated and he was followed by a
line of beloved and devoted priests,
among whom were the Rev. William
Hamilton, the Rev. C C. Prendergast,
the Rev. H. J. McNally, the Rev.
James O'Brien, tjie Rev. P. H. Mc
Mahon. the Very Rev. L. Bazin, the
Rev. William Quinlan, Monsignor
James A. Kane.
The Rev. Henry A. Schonhardt, of
Atlanta, is the only living former
pastor of St. Patrick's. The present
pastor is the Rev Leo M. Keenan,
with the Rev. Michael Doona, assist
ant pastor.
The original American Legion Post
of Augusta was named in honor of
Captain Louis Le Garde Battey, one
of the founders of the Catholic Lay
men’s Association of Georgia, who
was a member of St. Patrick's parish
at the time he enlisted in the U. S.
Army during the World War. Cap
tain Battey was killed in action in
France, where he served with the
82nd Division.
Cardinal Urges People of Belgium to
Remain Firm and United Around King
By MSGR. ENRICO PUCCI
(Vatican City Correspondent, N. C.
W. C. News Service)
VATICAN CITY—Vigorously con
demning and seeking to dissipate
"the disastrous misunderstanding
which has inspired some inconsider
ate words and certain profoundly de
plorable attitudes” against King Leo
pold III. His Eminence Joseph Ernest
Cardinal Van Roey, Archbishop of
Malines, has made public a private
interview he has had with the King
of the Belgians.
Cardinal Van Roey says the sur
render of May 28 "was imposed by
the situation which had become ab
solutely indefensible for the Belgian
army.” He adds that "it is contrary
to truth to affirm that the Command
of the Allied Forces had not been
made aware of the necessity of ceas
ing hostilities.” and he points out "hat
King Leopold did not flee, as he was
urged to. "but preferred instead to
share the fate of his sold'ers and
the sufferings of his people.” His
Eminence declares that “on our part,
knowing that we are in agreement
with the sentiments of the almost
unanimous mass of the Belgian peo
ple. we preserve for our King our
respect, our devotion and our trust.”
"We ask the priests to continue to e-
cite the prescribed liturgical prayers
for the King.” he adds.
Painful Accusations
The text of Cardinal Van Roey's
letter follows:
“The tragic trial which we are go
ing through has been extremely ag
gravated by the painful accusations
formulated in Paris against His Maj
esty King Leopold 111. These have
painfully impressed the majority of
the Belgian people.
“To dissipate, if possible, the un
fortunate misunderstanding and ob
tain from a clear source the neces
sary explanations, we thought it
duty to interview the sovereign in
person. The king received us will
ingly and allowed us to publish the
following statements:
“1. The decision which he had to
take on the morning of May 28. that
is, to lay down arms, was imposed
by the situation which had become
absolutely indefensible for the Bel
gian army. Immediately surrounded,
without hope of efficacious help from
the Allies, if our troops had con
tinued to fight they would have been
purely and simply exterminated
without any military result, dragging
in their fate the hundreds of- thous
ands of civilians crowded in a small
area.
“2. This decision of an essential
military order was taken by the King
as Supreme Chief of the Army in full
accord with hi? chief of staff ~.hd
following his advice. He has not done
any political act nor has he conclud
ed any treaty or pact—even of a
military nature—with the enemy. He
has not. therefore, broken the Bel
gian Constitution in any way what
soever He acted because, corrobo
rated by the unanimous judgment of
three eminent Belgian jurists, he was
convinced that he had the right to
do so in virtue of the powers that
the Constitution confers on the king
in this matter.. He found himself
without recourse to his ministers,
the last four of whom had abandoned
Belgian territory on May 25.
"3. It is contrary to truth to af
firm that the command of the Allied
forces had not been made aware of
the necessity of ceasing hostilities.
The odious accusation of felony ; s,
therefore, false. At the last moment,
the king, as someone suggested he do,
could have left the country by air
to find refuge in a foreign country.
He preferred," instead, to share the
fate of his soldiers and the sufferings
of his people, which we judge is
more gallapt and all to his honor.
Deplores Misunderstanding
‘‘The facts, as they have been pre
sented in the royal statement, and
upon which it is easy to put com
plete .light by means of other au
thorized testimonies, should dissipate
the disastrous misunderstandig which
has inspired some inconsiderate
words and certain profoundly de
plorable attitudes.
"On our part, knowing that we
are in agreement with the sentiments
of the almost unanimous mass of the
Belgian people, we preserve for . ur
king our respect, our devotion and
our trust. We ask the priests to con
tinue to recite the prescribed litur
gical prayers for the king. We warm
ly invite the faithful to recommend
to God without pause, in their pray
ers and their Communions, the king's
cause and the salvation of the coun
try. We desire that all Belgians, con
scious of the seriousness of the pres
ent hour, remain united and firm
around the king, supreme personifi
cation of the fatherland in danger.
“Finally, we must be persua led
that at this moment we are assi*i : ng
at an exceptional action of Divine
Providence, which manifests its now-
er with enormous events and befo.e
which we consider ourselves very
small. More than ever, then, let us
trust in the infinite mercy of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus.”
CATHOLIC AND BAPTIST
DRIVE 1,500 MILES TO
ATTEND A RETREAT
(By N. C. W. C. NEWS SERVICE)
CONVENT, LA.—A Baptist and a
- Catholic motored 1,500 miles to at
tend a retreat at Manresa House
here.
The Baptist is Dwight W. Brown,
just renominated for a third term
as Secretary of State of Missouri.
For several years he and the Cath
olic, John L. Higgins, of the Mis
souri State Land Office, have made
retreats at White House, retreat
house conducted by the Jesuits near
St. Louis. However, this year, with
the convention at %vhich he was re
nominated only a short time over,
Mr. Brown thought there might be
some talk of politics even by the
retreatants in his home State. So
he and Mr. Higgins came to Louis
iana for their days of recollection,
despite 1.500 miles to be covered.
Mr. Brown, who is almost blind,
has been Secretary of State since
1932 and has served as president of
the National Association of Secre
taries of States. For 25 years h*
was a newspaper editor.
ANTI-JESUIT CANARDS
REFUTED IN NEW BOOK
(By N. C. W. C. News Service)
MILWAUKEE. — Slanders against
die Society of Jesus, which have per
sisted in biased and secular litera
ture and history since the Society’s
organization- are answered in the
latest book from the pen of the Rev.
James J. Daly. S. J.. “The Jesuit in
Focus.” published by Bruce Publish
ing Company here.
The book is a tribute to the Jesuits
on the occasion of their four hun
dredth anniversary.
The Rev. Joseph Husslein, S. J.,
in his introduction to Father Daly’s
book, states:
“There is no mystery about the
Jesuit. The mystery is in the blur
red and spurious images that mis
represent him. It is the blur - that
mystifies, not the Jesuit. The
remedy is to see him in focus.”
Father Daly treats of the underly
ing principles which determine the
spirit and activities of the Society,
presenting a historical study of the
Society from the time of its founda
tion in 1340 to 1940.