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AUGUST 28, 1943
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC L AYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
THREE
News Review of the Catholic ^Vorld
BISHOP OF ROME VISITS THE SCENES OF BOMBINGS
SAN LORENZO BASILICA
RECONSTRUCTION BEGUN
These two pictures, received through neutral sources, are Scenes
taken in Rome following the first Allied boYnbing of the city on July
22. At left is the damaged Basilica of San Lorenzo Outside the Walls.
Right, His Holiness Pope Pius XII, Bishop of Rome, visits the
stricken city to comfort his flock, joining with them in prayer.
INP photos. (N.C.W.C.)
Francis P, Matthews
Re-Elected Supreme
Knight of K. of G.
(By N. C. W. C. News Service)
CLEVELAND—Francis P. Mat
thews of Omaha was re-elected
Supreme Knight of the Knights of
Columbus for the third consecu
tive two-year term at the 61st an-
naul convention of the order held
here.
Other officers re-elected ini
eluded Judge John E/ Swift of
-Boston, Deputy Supreme Knight;
Joseph F. Lamb of New Haven,
Supreme Secretary, and Luke E.
Hart of St. Louis, Supreme Ad
vocate.
Leo M. Flynn of Chicago was
elected Supreme Treasurer to
succeed Francis J. Heazel of New
York. Dr. William J. McMamara
of Fairhaven, Vt., was elected Su
preme Physician succeeding Dr.
Edward W. Fahey of St. Paul. Gus
J. Strauss of Austin, Tex., was
elected Supreme Warden succeed
ing Charles K. Walsh of Witchita
Falls, Tex.
Ray X. Miller of Cleveland,
Timothy P. Galvin of Hammond,
Ind.; Edward Molkenbuhr of San
Francisco, Philip Phelan of Ot
tawa, Ont., Canada; James H. De-
vaney of Cascade, la.; Michael J.
Howlett of Chicago; John F. Mar
tin of Oklahoma City, Bernard A.
Kennedy of Prairie du Chien, Wis.;
John A. Flanagan of Catonsville,
Md., William J. Guste of New Or
leans; Francis Fauteux of Mon
treal; Gervase T. Murphy of Calu
met, Mich.; and Michael F. Walsh
of Brooklyn were re-elected mem
bers of the Supreme Board of Di
rectors.
Newly-elected members of the
Board are James W. McCormick of
Westerly, R. I. and Stephen A.
Cain of Seattle.
“The order reaffirms its support
of the members of the American
Hierarchy in all their undertak
ings for Church and country,” Mr.
Matthews said in a statement made
following his re-election.
“The order will continue to give
its utmost support to the nation
in the prosecution of the war until
victory is attained. And on the
attainment of peace with victory,
the order will put forth its great
est effort toward a just and right
eous peace, the alleviation of dis
tress and the elimination of that
uncertainty which we all know will
be a natural consequence follow
ing the disturbed wartime world.”
Pope Sought ‘Open City’ Status
for Rome Prior to Its Bombing
Vatican Radio Speaker Directed Attention to Fact That
Holy Father’s Letter Deploring Damage Was
Addressed to All Belligerents
REV. W. A. MULHERIN. S. J.,
ACTING CHAPLAIN AT
CONVENT IN ASHEVILLE
ASHEVILLE,, N. C.—The Rev.
William Austin Mulherin., S. J., of
the faculty of Spring Hill College,
is acting as chaplain at St. Gene-
vioeve-of-the-Pines here in the
temporary absence of the Rev.
Thomas Roche, resident chaplain.
(Radio, N. C. W. C. News Service)
VATICAN CITY,—Prior to its
bombing, His Holiness Pope Pius
XII had made representations to
both belligerents seeking to have
Itome declared an “open city”, it
was revealed by a speaker over the
Vatican radio station, in a program
broadcast in German.
The speaker also affirmed that
the Pope was convinced that bombs
unintentionally struck the Basilica
of San Lorenzo during the raid.
It was also made known, in the
course of this broadcast, that His
Holiness had given impressive
emergency aid to the suffering
people of San Lorenzo parish in
Rome following the raid. Pointing
out that the Holy Father, in this
charitable undertaking, acted as
the Bishop of Rome in the service
of the stricken diocesans, the
speaker said the Pope first visited
the scene of damage in the parish
of San Lorenzo, and then, immedi
ately upon his return to his apart
ment, ordered all available auto
mobiles belonging to the Vatican
dispatched to the bombed area to
render assistance. It was announc
ed that the Holy Father also donat
ed a large sum of money and a
large quantity of bread and milk
for the relief of distress in the
parish of San Lorenzo.
REPORT OF PROTEST FALSE
This Vatican radio broadcast de
clared to be without foundation
the report circulated by the Ger
man DNB agency on July 19, that
Pope Pius XII immediately after
the bombardment had sent a per
sonal protest to President Roose
velt, and that on the evening of
the bombardment had summoned
Harold Tittmann, United States
Charge d’Affaires at the Vatican,
to the Papal Secretariate of State.
The Vatican radio speaker refer
red to the letter which, following
the bombardment of Rome, Pope
Pius sent to His Eminence Frances
co Cardinal Marchetti-Selvaggiani,
Vicar General of His Holiness for
the Eternal City. Regarding this
epistle, the speaker noted that the
allocutions of the Sovereign Pon
tiff have always insisted on the
same principles of humanity, cul
ture and Christian charity, citing
the Easter Message in 1941, when
the aerial bombardment of Eng
land was the central point of the
war.
The speaker said that, in his let
ter to Cardinal Marchetti-Selvag
giani, His Holiness gave the rea
sons why he had made representa
tions to both belligerents to have
Rome declared an “open city,” ana
stated why he had hoped his appeal
would be favorably received.
The Vatican radio declared that
the Pope was fully within his
rights to call attention to the de
struction at San Lorenzo, because
it is the property of neutral Vati
can City and every neutral State
makes it voice beard when foreign
planes pass over or attack its ter
ritory. Furthermore, the speaker
pointed out, San Lorenzo is one of
the seven chief churches in Rome
and, in a certain sense, of interest
to all Catholics throughout the
world.
Affirming that Pope Pius XII
was convinced the bombs unin
tentionally struck the Basilica of
San Lorenzo, the speaker said this
was evident from the Holy Father’s
letter to Cardinal Marchetti-Sel
vaggiani.
The Holy Father’s words, the
speaker also said, were not intend
ed as an incentive to hatred, but
to recall people to an appreciation
of Rome’s sacred destiny. Rome, in
fact, has a certain quality of the
eternal about it which must be
considered in the interest of cul
ture, humanity and Christian char
ity, the speaker added. All this,
he said, the Pope addressed not
to one hut to all belligerents, be
cause there existed in fact the
possibility of having Rome declar
ed an open city and it is deplorable
that up to the present moment this
has not been done.
Pope Pius XII is aware, the Vati
can radio continued, that other
cities also have suffered much and
that churches in other countries,
of both belligerents, have been des
troyed. The Holy Father knows al
so, the speaker continued, that the
destruction of a church made only
of brick and mortar is a lesser
evil than the persecution of the
Mystical Body of Christ, and that
further destruction of a monument
of culture is ever a lesser evil than
the condemnation of the laws of
humanity, morality, justice and
personality.
All this the Holy Father pointed
out in his allocutions and all these
evils he condemned, the speaker
said, but this does not exclude the
fact that, in the bombardment of
Rome, he has the right to make his
voice heard.
The speaker concluded by em
phasizing the fact that the Pope is
the Common Father of all, and
that during war everything he does
must be done in the interest of all.
Many Italian Churches
Destroyed by Bombs
A STORY OF SELFLESS de
votion to duty and high courage
has come to light following the
aerial bombardment of Turin,
when 28 parish churches and 20
religious houses suffered in the
serious damage caused.
Cottolengo Institute was one of
the structures hit, and reports
reaching Vatican City tell that the
chaplain of the institute support
ed the caved-in roof of a shelter
until a number of infirm persons
who had sought refuge there were
able to escape. Then the priest
himself perished in the fall of the
roof.
(By N.C.W.C. News Service)
VATICAN CITY.—Noted raonu
ments of the past have been des-!
troyed or suffered serious damage j
in the bombing of Italian cities,!
it is indicated by reports reach- (
ing here.
At Palermo, in addition to civil i
edifices of unquestioned value, 20
churches were destroyed during |
the bombing in late April, but es-l
pecially on May 19. The Cathe-!
dral, an outstanding example of j
the Oriental influence and the in-'
fusion of Arab architecture, was
struck hut. fortunately, escaped
serious damage. Back of the apse
is an enclosure several meters
high and perforated with small
rectangular openings covered
with iron grilles. The purpose of
this wall was to conceal humbler
buildings that would detract from
the appearance of the Cathedral.
On May 9, three bombs fell in the
vicinity, one damaging this wall
and shaking the nearest portion
of the Cathedral but without seri- ■
ous results. The damage was
limited to a wide crack within the
wall. A few meters more and the
apse would have been struck re
sulting in irreparable damage to
one of the most famous churches
in the world.
But elsewhere in Palermo the
destruction and damage are great. ]
In some instances an apparently i
unscatched facade hides a heap of'j
rubble, as in the case of the.
Church of Santa Maria della Ca
tena, near the port, a Renais-j
sance structure by Matteo Carne-,
livari. On the other side of the!
old port, the Church of the An- j
nunziata, built at the end of the
fifth century by Domenico Cagini
of Bissone, has been destroyed.
There is hope for the recovery of
some of the delicately wrought
capitals from the ruins. The fa
cade of the Oiivella is all that is
left intact. Of the third-century
Church of San Francesco, only the
portal and some of the lateral
chapels on the right remain. The
Norman Church of the Magione,
built under William II, is a mass
of stones.
The Messina Cathedral, rebuilt
after the earthquake of 1908, has
been destroyed as well as less im
portant churches. At Catania, the
Palazzo San Demetrio, the first
edifice rebuilt after the terrible
earthquake of 1693, also was des
troyed. At Cagliari, the seventh-
century Cathedral received a di
rect hit, as did the Churches of
San Giuseppe. San Francesco, San
Domenico and San Mauro. The
Churches of Sant’Anna and the
Annunziata are tw o heaps of ruins.
At Reggio Calabria, the Cathedral
was struck and the Sacramento
Chapel, which escaped the earth
quake of 1908, has been destroyed.
At Alghero, Sardinia, the an
cient Aragonese Cathedral audi
(Radio, N. C. W. C. News Service)
VATICAN CITY. — Numerous
emergency kitchens established
through the generosity of His Hol
iness Pope Pius XII are serving
the victims of the aerial bombard
ment of Rome.
Religious institutions and col
leges are providing lodgings for
those who have been rendered
homeless, particularly- for the
children.
Clearance of the debris at the
Basilica of San Lorenzo has been
begun, the baldachino has been
reinforced, and the work of re
construction is progressing under
the direction of Professor Josi, the
archeolog^t who lately has been
directing the excavations in the
grotto of St. Peter’s Basilica-
The civil authorities have en
trusted to the care of the Sisters
of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul
all those who have been rendered
homeless by the aerial bombard
ment of Rome. Prior to the resig
nation of Premier Mussolini on
July 25, this wohk was entrusted
to the Fascist Party.
THE NEW YORK TIMES in
welcoming the Most Rev. Francis
J. Spellman, Archbishop of New
York and Military Vicar, upon his
return from his extended trip to
the European and African fighting
fronts, said editorially:
“For six months Archbishop
Spellman has been away minister
ing to a more spacious diocese. As
military vicar to the armed forces
he has been a messenger of
patriotism and pietv to hundreds
of thousands. An old navigator of
the air, he has seen many
countries, enriching his already
wide experience. He has talked
with soldiers and sailors, gen
erals and statesmen. His journey
has been memorable. We hope
he has enjoyed it in spite of the
sadness a nearer view of the war
must bring to a man of goodwill,
a searcher for peace in the long
tragedy of history. He has won
general regard here not only as a
churchman but as a man and a
citizen by his large humanity, his
friendliness and his gift of at
tracting friends.”
TRIBUTE to another Catholic
who is regarded as one of the
outstanding heroes of the war
was paid in Los Angeles when
the destroyer “U. S. S. Callaghan”
was christened and launched at
the San Pedro plant of the Beth
lehem Steel Corporation. The de--
stroyer honors the name of Rear
Admiral Daniel Judson Callaghan,
who was Idled in action in the
Solomon Islands. November 15.
1942. while on the bridge of the
U. S. S. San Francisco, a cruiser
credited with having sunk ten
times her tonnage of Japanese
shipping. Rear-Admiral C.-.ilag-
han was. from 1938 to the out
break of the war. naval aide to
President' Roosevelt.
AT A NUPTIAL MASS cele
brated by the Most Rev. Paul Yu
Pin. Vicar Apostolic of Nanking,
two members of prominent Chi
nese families were united in
matrimony at the Sacred Heart
Church in Washington. D. C.,
when Miss -Tane Frances Tsiang
became the bride of I,. Frederick
Won". The bride is the daughter
of Mrs. P. L. Tsiang and the late
General Tsiang. of Chungking, the
founder of China’s West Point.
Mr. Wong is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. F. H Wong, of Shanghai,
and is a civil engineer in a war
plant at Bristol, Va.
the Bishop's residence were hit.
At Civitavecchia, the port ot
Rome, the Cathedral is complete
ly in mins. At Naples, the facade
of the Church of the Girolamini
by Ferdinando Fuga. is intact bit!
hides irreparable ruins. The cu
pola is cracked but. almost mira
culously. the Luca Giordano fresco
is intact. Damage to the Cathe
dral. fortunately, is not very seri
ous. but tire Churches pf Sail
Pietro Mart ire. the Carmine Mag-
giore and Santa Croce al Mereato
were not so lucky. Historv re
peats itself for on October 17.
1439. the Carmine Church was
struck by two cannon balls shot
by the arm;,- of Alfonso of Aragon.
Even the parish church in the
Vasto quarter, dedicated to the
Madonna del Boon Cammino. has
been destroyed. In all, at least
21 churches at Naples have been
more or less seriously damaged.