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TWO—A
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
MARCH 31, 1944
Abbot Explains Trappist Rule of Life,
and Outlines Monastic Daily Schedule
for Staff Writer of Atlanta Newspaper
(Special to The Bulletin)
ATLANTA, Ga.—In simple
words, the Right Rev. Frederic
M. Dunne, O. C. S- O., once of
Atlanta, and now Abbot of the
Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani,
in Kentucky, explained the basic
principles and the rule of life
which are followed by the Trap-
pists monks and brothers who are
establishing a monastery in Geor
gia, to Harold Martin, staff writer
of The Atlanta Constitution.
“Prayer,” Abbot Frederic ex
plains, “is the essence of our exist
ence. Prayer for the whole world.
Without prayer there would be
no reason for our being.”
Day and night the Trappists
wear their habits, only their shoes
being removed for sleep. They
do perpetual penance, spending
long hours in prayer, and they
work side by side, day after day,
year after year, without speaking,
communicating with each other
only when necessary, by means of
simple signs.
“Silence,” explains the Abbot,
“prevents us from spending time
in idle talk. We have no reason
to discuss war, or politics, or the
weather, and since each man re
ceives the same spiritual instruc
tion there is no need for him
to discuss with others what he
has read in the books of theology,
or the truths his superior has told
him.”
They see no newspapers, hear
no radios, and read no books other
than their missals in their chapel,
their theological treatises and the
text books from which they otbain
their education in the liberal arts.
They learn of happenings in the
world outside through their su
periors, in chapter sessions.
Only three of their number may
speak. The Abbot, who may also
leave the monastic enclosure when
ecclesiastical matters require; the
guest master, who shows visitors
through the monastery, and the
procurator, who conducts the buy
ing and selling for the Order. All
others must observe the rules
of silence and must remain with
in the enclosure'
The day of a Trappist begins
at 2:00 a. m., and in the course
of the next seventeen hours they
spend their time as follows:
Four hours for the recitation
of the office, tw^ hours for Masses,
two hours for reading and instruc
tion, four hours for manual labor
in the fields, four hours for
private devotions, for reading and
for minor duties about the mon
astery, one hour for meals, and
seven hours for sleep.
Their main meal comes at eleven
in the morning and consists of
the simplest fare—a plate of vege
tables, a soup, an abundance of
bread, and “coffee” made of bar
ley or soybeans. In the late after
noon there is a collation, a very
light meal of bread and “coffee".
No Trappist eats meat or eggs
unless he is ill.
Though they have withdrawn
from the world, the Trappist wel
come the visits of people from
outside their cloisters. At the
Abbey near Conyers, as in their
three other Abbeys in the Uinted
States, they expect to be hosts
to clergy and laymen who wish to
make spiritual retreats.
To these retreat men of any
religious belief may come, for a
week-end of prayer and medita
tion.
They come to study themselves
and to seek to find the meaning
of things,” said Abbot Frederic.
“They come to learn if there are
not deeper and greater and more
worthwhile things in life than the
making of money. They come to
study the great subject of eternity,
of why we are in this world. We
do not sent out missionaries, but
we welcome those who seek the
peace of our monastery,”
In quiet tranquility the Trap
pists live out their lives—men
who came from all walks of life,
high and low, rich and poor, find
ing in the Order peace of soul
and great happiness. For despite
the austerity and restrain under
which they live they are a happy
colony- Lips that may not speak
may smile, and never a sign of
worry or frustration or regreat
ever shows in their faces.
Each monk and brother has the
letter “M” in his name, for Mary,
the Mother of Jesus, and when he
dies and is buried under the sim
ple iron cross in the cemetery of
the monastery, his name in reli-
. gion is all that will be inscribed
thereon. Who he was and what
he was in early life the Order
will forget, as he forgot those
things when he took his vows.
Trappist Abbot
ABBOT FREDERIC
The Right Rev. Frederic M. Dun
ne, O. C. S. O., Abbot of Our Lady
of Gethsemani, Trappist, Ky., who
since 1935 has headed the Trap
pist community which has opened
a new monastery, in Georgia. A
native of Ohio, Abbot Frederic
lived for some years in Atlanta.
Abbot Frederic wishes to ex
press through The Bulletin, his
deep appreciation of the welcome
which was extended to the Trap
pists by the people of Georgia,
which he describes as “indeed a
mark of friendship and courtesy
characteristically Southern”. Mr.
Morrison, he says, is deserving of
particular mention in this regard,
and that the non-Catholics who
were contacted around the new
foundation were in no wise be
hind in their tokens of friendli
ness.
“We thank God”, says Abbot
Frederic, for His evident blessings
on the undertaking from the very
outset.”
Gethsemani Abbey
The Abbey of Our Lady of
Gethsemani, Trappist, Kentucky,
from which members of the Order
of Cistericans of the Strict Obser
vance came to establish a Trappist
Monastery in Georgia.
CHARLOTTE OBSERVES
ST. PATRICK’S DAY
CHARLOTTE, N. C.—The
patronal feast of St. Patrick's
Church, this city, was celebrated
by a Pontifical Mass offered by
the pastor, the Rt. Rev. Msgr.
Arthur R. Freeman, P. A-, with
the Rev. Philip Tierney, O. S. B.
acting as deacon, the Rev. Dan
iel O’Leary, C. SS. R. sub deacon,
and the Rev. Frederick A‘. Koch,
master of ceremonies.
Chaplain Richard J. Langen,
Morris Field, delivered the ser
mon, stressing as prominent vir
tues in the life of St. Patrick, his
holiness and missionary zeal ex
pended in bringing to the people of
Ireland the faith of Our Divine
Lord. He made a fervent plea to
Catholics of the present genera
tion for personal sanctification and
active cooperation in spreading
Catholic faith-
The children’s choir under the
direction of Sister Mary Celine, of
the O’Donoghue School faculty,
rendered in delightful manner Car-
nevali’s Mass “Stella Matutina”.
“Adoramus Te Panem Coelitum”
was used for the offertory hymn
and “Hail Glorious St. Patrick”
served as the recessional. I
Present in the sanctuary were
the Rev. John A. Haak and the
Rev. Edward Chmely of the Rock
Hill Oratory and the Rev. Ed
ward L. Gross, of Wake Forest.
REGIME FASCISTA, a Fascist
publication, has indulged in severe
criticism of the Holy See ana
the Italian Espicopate for what it
terms a weak reaction to the All-
lied bombardments destroying
famous ecclesiastical monuments
in Italy.
William W. Rowe
Dies in Lakeland
LAKELAND, Ga. — W i 11 i a m
Washington Rowe, well known
resident of Alapaha, died recently
at the home of his granddaughter,
Mrs. Dan O’Brien, of Lakeland.
Funeral services were held from
St. Anne’s Church, Alapaha, with
the Rev. Frederick Gilbert, O. M.
I., officiating.
Mr. Rowe, who had reached the
age of 93 years, was born in Ber
rien County, anil had lived in the
neighborhood of Alapaha all of his
life. His wife, who before her mar
riage was Miss Jane Murray, and
their five children had all preced
ed him in death. He is survived by
twenty-one grandchildren; four
teen great-grandchildren, and one
great - great - grandchild, Margaret
Ellen Dickerson, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. W. C. Dickerson, of Lake
land.
BERNARD ALLARD
FUNERAL IN CHARLESTON
CHARLESTON, S. C.—Funeral
services for Bernard Allard, 14-
year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar
J. Allard, who died on March
15 as the result of an injury re
ceived when the bicycle which he
was involved in a collision with
an automobile, were held from
St. John’s Church, the Rev. M- J.
Reddin officiating.
He is survived by his parents
and two sisters, Leona Allard and
Shirley Ann Allard.
SAUL HICKS
DIES IN RALEIGH
RALEIGH, N. C.—The Very
Rev. Msgr. J. Lennox Federal,
rector of the Cathedral of the
Sacred Heart, officiated at funeral
services held on March 15, for
Saul Hicks.
Mr. Hicks, a native of Rhode
Island, was making his home with
a daughter, Mrs. Carl R. Williams,
at the time of his death. An
other daughter, Mrs. Lottie Bos
well, Pawpaw, W. Va-, and three
sons, Levi Hicks, Sam Hicks and
Leonard Hicks, all of Holyoke,
Mass., also survive.
MRS. LILLY NAUFUL
DIES IN COLUMBIA
COLUMBIA, S. C. — Funeral
services for Mrs. Lilly Nauful, who
died on March 13, were held from
St. Peter's Church.
Mrs. Nauful was a native of Mt.
Lebanon, Syria, but had lived in
Columbia nearly fifty years. She
is survived by a daughter, Miss
Rose Naufel, three sons, George
Nauful, Ernest Nauful, and Albert
Nauful, all of Columbia; a brother,
Joseph Mansaur, Dacar, Africa;
seven grandchildrcmand two great-
grand-children.
DAULTON RAY SMITH
DIES IN CHARLESTON
CHARLESTON, S. C., —Funeral
services for Daulton Ray Smith,
who died March 23, were held from
St. Mary’s Church.
Mr. Smith, a native of Tennessee,
was manager of the L. B. Price
Mercantile business here. He is
survived by his wife, the former
Miss Ruby Patterson; a son Daul
ton Ray Smith; Jr.; of Tyndalfield,
Fla.; a daughter, Mrs. James E-
Roddy, Atlantic City, N. J.; two
sisters, Mrs. J. W. Huguley,
Charleston, and Mrs. C. B. Powell,
Miami, and one grandson.
ANNIVERSARY MASS
FOR AUGUSTA PASTOR
AUGUSTA, Ga. — The Rev.
Joseph J. Malloy, administrator of
St. Patrick’s Church, offered a
Requiem Mass at that church on
March 16 in commemoration of
the first anniversary of the death
of the Very Rev. Leo M. Keenan,
V. F., who at the time of his
death was pastor of that parish.
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Editor Ralph McGill, in Atlanta Constitution,
Writes of Coming of Trappists to Georgia
On the morning after their ar
rival in Atlanta, Ralph McGill,
editor of The Atlanta Constitu
tion, devoted his column to the
Trappist Monks who have come
to Georgia to establish a mon
astery near Conyers, and what
Mr- McGill wrote, under the
heading “Trappist Monks Both
Work and Pray”, follows in its
entirety:
Georgia yesterday received its
first Trappist Monks.
Members of this ancient order
are farmers. They live off what
they produce. Their motto has
been, through the centuries since
the establishment of .their order,
“Work and Pray.” ’
They are a decided addition to
Georgia’s future, especially in the
field of agriculture.
They are located some six miles
from Conyers on a 1,465-acre tract
purchased from Mercer Harbin,
of Atlanta. (Georgians will
smile, recalling that Atlanta’s new
Catholic cathedral replaced the
old Klan headquarters).
And there will be other improve
ments.
There will be built, as soon as
conditions permit, a splendid mon
astery. On the land will be placed
one of the finest dairy herds in
the South. From the land will
come, once their farm is in produc
tion, magnificent cheese, rivaling
any made in Europe. Their
specialty is a cheese of the famous
“Port Salut” type, somewhat mild
er than the well-known “Oka” type
cheese produced by Monks in
Canada. Butter will also be an
other product of the farm. They
will raise some pigs and some
poultry. These will be, with the
exception of eggs, sold on the
market to aid operating expenses.
They will practice the best
agricultural methods. They will
add to the wealth of the state-
They will set high standards for
their own particular products.
They will add, for their own peo
ple, spiritual values to the com
munity and state.
Georgia welcomes them as a
valued addition to the life and
work of the state.
REAL WORKERS
This is an old, and interesting
order. They take a vow of sil
ence, of poverty and of chasity.
One entering the order must
spend two years on probation be
fore becoming a novice, and three
years as a novice before becoming
a priest in the order.
The vow of silence is a perpetual
one. One member of the order
is appointed to do the speaking
in matters of trade and a guest
master is appointed who speaks
with visitors.
Their day begins at 2:00 o’clock
each morning. There is then the
divine office, which consists of
the repeating of certain psalms and
prayers. Mass follows this rite.
Then comes breakfast and by sun
up the brothers are about their
tasks.
The meals all are meatless and
the year has periods of fast
ing. They live entirely off the
products of their fields.
It is not an easy life, consist
ing entirely of hard work, medi
tation and prayer.
This move to Georgia esablishes
the fourth such monastery in this
country. It is the only one south
of Kentucky, where there is a
monastery dating back to 1840-
Visitors are welcome. The pres
ent unit is not yet ready, of course,
to receive visitors. There are
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Phone Walnut 7909
ATLANTA, GA.
but 20 men there, 10 priests, three
clerics (the last step before be
coming priests) and seven lay
brothers. They now are living in
quarters in the barn, with a kitch
en set up in a grain house on the
farm. They hope to be received
quietly. ,
Work on the monastery will be
gin as soon as organization per
mits. Most of the work will be
done by the Monks. There will
be 40 of them there within a
few weeks.
A GROWING ORDER
Is is of more than passing in
terest to learn that one reason
for the move to Georgia was the
fact that the order is growing.
It always has attracted men
who tired of the hurry and bustle
of life and its records include
the names of many men who oc
cupied big positions in business
and professional life who gave
them up to enter the order and
live away from the world. Busi
ness men, physicians, lawyers and
others have left highly lucrative
practices and jobs to spend the
remainder of their lives in silence,
prayer and hard, manual labor.
It is not surprising that many
soldiers have written from many
theaters of war, applying for ad
mission when the war is done, or
asking how one may become a
member. The letters speak of dis
illusionment and of confusion; of
a desire to leave violence and
death behind and enter upon a
life which is hard, with no
worldly pleasure, but which as
sures one time for meditation,
prayer and productive work.
The established monasteries
have always had many curious
visitors who came to spend a day
or so, accepting the same fare
as the monks. The limit for a
visitor is two weeks. Many later
returned to become probationers.
Once the monastery is complet
ed, visitors will be welcome at
the hospice- Somehow, even now,
they would find a place in the
barn for any visitor, because hos
pitality is one of the rules of their
order.
They are an interesting and val
uable, addition to the economic
and spiritual life of Georgia.
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