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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
JULY 25. 1942
Notification Committee
of Macon US0-NGGS
Club Renders Service
New Church of the Blessed Sacrament
Built in Savannah
(Special to The Bulletin)
MACON, Ga., Probably the most
publicized individual associated
with the USO-NCCS Club of Ma
con is, in the opinion of W. H.
Mitchell, its director, Mrs. John J.
McCreary, chairman of the Noti
fication committee, over whose
signature have gone thousands of
letters and cards to the nearest
relatives and closest friends of the
soldiers visiting the club, and who
every week receives a volume of
acknowledgements from the folks
back home.
This personal touch, inspired by
thoughtfulness of the organizers
of the Catholic Club and later
followed by many USO clubs, was
authorized at the initial meeting
of a group from St. Joseph's par
ish called into session by the Rev.
Peter McDonnell, S. J., at that
time the pastor of the church. At
the beginning individual personal
letters were sent, being later
changed to a multigraphed letter
and for some time past being a
mimeographed card bearing the
name of the soldier in whose in
terest the message is sent. Offi
cials o fother recreation centers
promptly recognized the value of
the service in promoting the con
tentment of the families of the
soldiers and have adopted similar
programs.
An Indiana father recently
wrote Mrs. McCreary, “I never
realized before just how much it
meant to parents to receive such
pleasing reminders of the solidar
ity of our country and of the kind
ness of people to boys in the mili
tary service.”
Wrote a New York mother: “It
certainly makes parents’ hearts
feel lighter, knowing that some
one like you folks do for our sons
the things we cannot now do for
them so far away.”
From Pennsylvania came this
tribute: “Your worthy organization
deserves a great deal of credit for
the splendid work you are doing
to uphold the morale of our young
men. I wish to thank you from
the bottom of my heart.”
An uncle in Philadelphia wrote:
“Your very kind letter to my sis
ter in Washington, D. C., was re
ceived and she in turn made a copy
of it for all of her brothers and
sisters. This act alone will show
how deeply she appreciated your
great kindness.” The writer of
this leter later called, with others
of his family, to make himself
known to Mrs. McCreary and
others at the club.
Letters of thanks have come
from England, Ireland and Scot
land from relatives of RAF stu
dent fliers, and from well over
half of the United States.
Letters requesting personal at
tention to some little mission are
promptly answered and results re
ported. These vary in importance
and difficulty of accomplishment,
some requiring only a telephone
call and others some requiring the
contacting of local camp officials
or others by a diligent elimina
tion process.
Mr. Mitchell believes that the
activity promoted by the Macon
USO-NCCS Club is unique in its
field, and this opinion is confirm
ed by various of the letters receiv
ed in reply. The first letters were
received early in March, 19-11, fol
lowing the registration of visitors
on the opening of the Catholic
Club on February 16, 1941, the
Sunday next after the arrival of
soldiers at Camp Wheeler.
The architect’s drawing above reveals the beauty of the church building are Henry D. Dagit & Sons, of Philadelphia, and Joseph
snhonl huilriinn hpinp erected on Waters Avenue at Victory Drive Dioguardi, supervisor of buildings for the Diocese of Savannah-
Atlanta, is in charge of construction, with Henry Hastings assisting —
(Courtesy of Savannah Evening Press.)
and school building being erected on Waters Avenue at Victory Drive
for the parish of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Savannah, Georgia,
where the Rev. Daniel J. Bourke is administrator. Architects for the
Summer Session at
Our Lady of Mercy
School, Charleston
(Special to The Bulletin) v
CHARLESTON, S. C.—The sev
enth annual summer session of
Our Lady of Mercy Junior Col
lege opened on June 24, and will
continue for six weeks. The ses
sion opened with Mass, celebrated
by the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph L.
O'Brien, pastor of St. Patrick's
Church.
In cooperation with the war ser
vice, the college this year is offer
ing a program of study in mathe
matics and sciences for young men
who wish to apply for enlistment
in the army and navy air corps,
These courses were open to men
who have not finished high school
as well as regular students.
Regular courses are being offer
ed in education, teacher training
and secretarial subjects and arts
and sciences. Summer courses
for high school and grammar
school students are being conduct
ed to allow students to make up in
complete grades.
The school is under the direc
tion of Sister M. Genevieve, dean
and professor of mathematics.
Monsignor O’Brien is the professor
of religion and philosophy. Other
teachers include Maurice C. Mc
Laughlin, Spanish; Sister Mary
Charles, education; Sister M.
Aquilline, history; Sister Rose
Concepta, chemistry; Sister M.
Ignatia, typing; Sister M. Loretta,
music, and Sister Miriam, libra
rian.
Members of the high school
faculty are Sister Mary James,
English; Sister Loyola, mathema
tics; Sister Margaretta, Latin;
Sister Marcella, Latin. Graded
school teachers are Sister M. Se
bastian and Sister Joan Marie.
Bishop O y Hara Officiates at
Laying of Cornerstone of
New Church in Savannah
Retreat for Women
to Be Held Next
Month in Macon
TRIDUUM FOR VICTORY
AT SAVANNAH BEACH
SAVANNAH, Ga—A triduum,
three adys of prayer for victory
and a just and lasting peace was
conducted at St. Michael’s Church
on Savannah Beach by the Rev.
Francis P. Conlon. O. M. 1.. of
the Missionary Band of the
Oblates of Mary Immaculate! and
pastor of St. Paul's Church,
Douglas, Ga.
Plans for the. triduum were
made by the Very Rev. Msgr
James J. Grady, pastor of St.
Michael’s, and non-Catholics as
well as Catholics wfere invited to
participate in the three days of
prayer.
MACON, Ga. — The annual re
treat for lay women of the Diocese
of Savannah-Atlanta, will be held
at Mount de Sales Academy in
Macon from August 18 to August
21.
Miss Anna Rice, Diocesan Presi
dent of the National Council of
Catholic Women, has addressed a
letter to the Catholic women of
Georgia asking that as many as
possible register for the Retreat
this year. All lay women, home
makers as well as business and
professional women, may enroll
for the retreat.
Reservations should be made by
August 10, either through the
Catholic Laymen's Association of
Georgia, in Augusta, or directly
through the Sisters of Mercy at
Mount de Sales.
FATHER GEORGE E. LA-
BONTE, of Our Lady of Consola
tion Church, Pawtucket, Rhode
Island, has received assignment as
an Army chaplain at Fort Ogle
thorpe, Georgia.
SAVANNAH, Ga.—On Sunday,
July 19. the Most Rev. Gerald P.
O’Hara, D. D., J. U. D„ Bishop of
Savannah-Atlanta, officiated at
the laying of the cornerstone of
the new church and school build
ing of the Blessed Sacrament
parish, of which the Rev. Daniel
J. Bourke is administrator.
Bishop O’Hara celebrated a low
Mass on an improvised altar on a
platform that ha’d been erected on
the church lawn. Against a back
ground of white and gold, Ameri
can and Papal flags added a sig
nificant touch to the decorations.
His Excellency was assisted by
the Very Rev. Boniface Bauer, O.
S. B., pastor of the Sacred Heart
Church; the Rev. Adolph Gall, S.
M. A., pastor of the Immaculate
Heart of Mary Church, and the
Rev. Joseph Kavanagh, of the
Cathedral. Attending clergy in
cluded the Very Rev. Msgr. James
J. Grady, the Very Rev. Thomas I,
Sheehan, the Rev. George Daly
the Very Rev. A. Ramstein. S. M.
A., and the Rev. John Gunville, C.
S. V.
John Dowling and Felix Don
nelly were a colytes; Philip Pgil-
vie, cross-bearer; Andrew McDon
ald, mitre-bearer; Andrew Doyle,
book-bearer; Joseph Ware, crozier-
bearer. and Thomas Payne, candle-
bearer.
Music during the Mass was
rendered by a choir from the va
cation school at Camp Villa Ma
rie, under the direction of the
Rev. James C. Croke.
In the corner-stone were placed
copies of the Savannah Morning
News and Savannah Evening Press,
a history of the parish, several
American coins, pictures of Bishop
O’Hara, Father Conlin, Father
Bourke, and the names of the fol
lowing officials of parish organi
zations:
Parish Council. N. C. C. W. —
Mrs. Gordon Whalen, president;
Miss Nell Cleary, vice-president;
Mrs. C. V. Walsh, secretary; Mrs.
E. L. Edwards, treasurer.
Boy Scouts — Julius Drake,
scoutmaster; Gordon Whalen, cub-
master. Girl Scouts — Mrs. John
Brennan and Mrs. J. M. Burns.
Holy Name Society — Thomas
J. McGinn, president; Frank An
derson, vice-president; C. Harold
McCarthy, secretary, and James
J. McGrath, treasurer.
Ladies Auxiliary — Mrs. E. L.
Edwards, president; Mrs. Mamie
Robertson, vice-president; Mrs.
Maurine S. Jones, secretary, and
Mrs. William V. Hadsell. treasurer.
Parent - Teacher Association —
Mrs. Joseph D. Sheehan, presi
dent; Mrs. James M. Keating, vice-
president; Mrs. Harold McKenzie,
secretary, Mrs. Charles Kiene,
treasurer.
The ceremony marked the start
of construction of the building
which will be the first unit of- the
church plant ultimately to be
erected oa Waters Avenue at Yic-
Redemptorist Fathers
Establishing New
Parish in Dalton
tory Drive. Plans for the future
contemplate the erection of an
other church building on the
corner lot between the building
now being built to be used
temporarily as a church and Vic
tory Drive.
Architects of the new building
are Henry D. Dagit and Sons, of
Philadelphia, who were the archi
tects of the Cathedral of Christ
the King in Atlanta. Joseph Dio
guardi, supervisor of building for
the Diocese of Savannah-Atlanta,
is in charge of the construction,
with Harold Hastings assisting.
The building will be of two
stories, of Spanish Mission type of
architecture. The church will be
on the lower floor and will have a
seating capacity of 600. The paro
chial school will occupy the upper
floor. It will have eight modern
classrooms, each with a seating
capacity of forty students, arid
will be conducted by the Sisters
of Mercy.
The exterior and interior of tne
structure will be of brick Plans
for the church portion call for a
main altar and^ side altar of oak,
with the Stations of the Cross
in marble. There will be sixteen
cathedral glass windows with five
medalions to each window.
The main structure of the build
ing will be erected on a base of
reinforced concrete piles sunk to
a depth of 27 feet. Tops of the
piles are jointed together by a
longitudinal beams also of rein
forced concrete. Brick wall of
the building will be one loot, nine
inches thick. The interior will
be finished in faun color relieved
with a line of dark bricks. The
exterior will be of two shades of
brick with limestone band. Spanish
red tile will be used in construct
ing the roof.
The Blessed Sacrament parish
was established by the late Most
Rev. Benjamin J. Keiley. Bishop
of the Diocese of Savannah, about
21 years ago. The first pastor
was the Very Rev. Dan J. Me
Carthy, V. G., now pastor of Holy
Family Church, Columbus Other
pastors have been the Very Rev.
Timothy Foley, the Rev. Joseph
R. Smith, the Very Rev. Msgr.
Joseph G. Cassidy, and the present
pastor is the Rev. James II. Con
lin, who is now on a leave of
absence due to illness.
The Rev. Daniel J. Bourke is
now administrator of the Blessed
Sacrament Church, with the Rev.
James C. Croke and the Rev. Ed
ward Dodwell as assistant pastors.
During the 21 years since its
foundation, the parish has grown
from a small congregation of 100
persons to one of the most im
portant parishes in the DioeeNe,
with more than 1,000 parishioneis.
The present church building,
which has been moved to face
Forty-fourth street, will be used
as a parish hall when the new
, building is completed.
;::i :
as PWW
(Special to The Bulletin)
DALTON, Ga., — On Sunday,
June 28, the Rev. James McCann,
C. SS. R., arrived in Dalton to as
sume the task of organizing a par
ish for the Catholics of this city
Father McCann was accompanied
by the Rev. James H. Grady pas
tor of St. Mary's Church in Rome’
of which Dalton has been a mis
sion.
Father McCann, who will
first resident pastor in Daltoi
spent several years in For
Mission work in the West In
and for eighteen years was
gaged in Mission work in the
United States. For the past two
years he has been stationed at
Tobyhama, Pa., where he was en
gaged in building St. Alphon.su->
Retreat House, where week-end
retreats are conducted for the lay
men of hte Diocese of Scranton by
the Redemptorist Fathers.
Father McCann is being given a
hearty welcome by the Catholics
of Dalton who for many years have
been hoping and longing for a
resident priest. After a suitable
location has been secured, a
chapel, which will be dedicated to
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, will
be erected, and it will no longer
be necessary for Mass to be cele
brated here in private homes as
at present.
In addition to serving the
Catholic population of Dalton,
Father McCann will also have un
der his charge a mission territory
that will include the nine coun
ties in the Northwestern section
of Georgia.
Until a chapel is erected. Mass-
will be celebrated each Sunday
in the home of Miss Alice Wrench
on Chatsworth Road.
At the request of the Most Rev.
Gerald P. O’Hara, D. D., J. U. 1>„
Bishop of Savannah-Atlanta, the
Very Rev. William McCarty, C. SS.
R., Provincial of the Redemptor-
ists Fathers of Brooklyn, has con
sented to supply priests to serve
in North Georgia, and at the same
time that Father McCann was
named resident priest in Dalton,
the Rev. John Walsh, C. SS. R.,
formerly assistant pastor of Holy
Trinity Church, Orangeburg, S C.,
was named pastor of the Sacred
Heart Church in Griffin.
Recently the Redemptorist
Fathers established a Vice-Prov
ince of the South, with headquar
ters in Richmond, and the Re-
demptorists serving in Georgia
will be under that jurisdiction
FATHER GUNVILLE JOINS
FACULTY OF ST. THOMAS
VOCATIONAL SCHOOL
SAVANNAH, Ga—The Rev.
John Gunville, C. S. V., has ar
rived in Savannah to become a
member of the faculty of St.
Thomas Vocational School. Father
Gunville, who was ordained to the
priesthood in February of this
year, will teach classes in the
first year of high school.