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MAY 31, 1945
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
ELEVEN
WITH OTHER EDITORS
PREJUDICE AGAINST A NAME
. . . One of the best arguments
to prove that the Catholic Church
is the one true Church of Christ
is based on reason. The principle
is that truth is one; a thing cannot
be true and not true at the same
time. For example, the Catholic
Church has always taught and
still teaches today that Christ is
divine. . . It is not my purpose here
to develop the argument except to'
point out that if the Catholic
Church is wrong Christianity did
n’t begin until 1600 years after the
death of its founder—which would
bo absurd. The point is the Cath
olic Church has ever taught the
same essential truths Since her es
tablishment by Christ; she there
fore possesses a historical unity of
truth that no other Church can
claim.
Ttis should be clear to anyone
who studies history with an open
mind. The trouble with many who
look at the Catholic Church from
the outside is that they do not
view her as a historical fact. They
are the unhappy and unfortunate
heirs of a prejudice against the
Catholic Church, and it is not a
prejudice against the thing, but
the name or names.
I venture to say, for example,
that I would be roundly cheered
if I were to appear before a rep
resentative Protestant group to
day with the following suggestion;
“It seems that a divided Christen
dom is not meeting the challenge
of the crisis today. What is needed
is a universal. Church, a Church
for all the people in all parts of
the- world, a Church for the poor
as well as for the rich, a Church
for all races and nationalities.
This Church would have not only
unity of purpose but also a unity
of doctrine.”
If, however, I would appear be
fore the same Protestant group
and say; “It seems that a divided
Christendom is not meeting the
challenge of the crisis in civiliza
tion; the Catholic Church is the
only answer,” I would meet with
strong opposition. Yet what I
would say the second time is the
same as what I would say the first
time, except that the first time
the suggestion did not mention
the Catholic Church by name.
Again, if I were to suggest to
Protestants a Church with a cen
tral authority to enforce laws and
interpret Christian teachings, I
would receive interested atten
tion. But if I Were to advocate a
Church with a Pope as its head, I
would be deluged with cries of
“no-popery.” Yet the word Pope is
just another name for the central
authority of the Church.
In some cases non-Catholics
actually believe the Catholic
Church is something evil; in other
cases it is something they have
been taught to avoid. In any ease,
they are opposed to the Catholic
Church or indifferent to her be
cause they do not understand her.
When asked to explain what they
dislike in the Church, in nine
cases out of ten they can’t ex
plain it or they give an erroneous
explanation.
The stories of the conversions
of scholars and thinkers seem to
follow the same pattern: a study
of the Catholic Church forced
them to become Catholics. The
truths of the true Church are so
magnetic that for many to under
stand them is to embrace them.
This is not meant in any way to
minimize the basic importance of
supernatural grace in conversion.
In fact, often it is not grace but
understanding that is lacking in
lie sincere s. xer ■ salvation;
the grace is already In him wait
ing as it were, for him to arrive at
an understanding. Then too the
understanding can be a' grace.
We cannot change the name of
the Catholic Church and we would
find it difficult to change Catho
lic terminology. The first step for
us in breaking down the preju
dices of the non-Catholic against
the Catholic name is to explain to
him its true meaning.—(By Ray
mond P. Etteldorf in The Witness,
Dubuque, Iowa.)
NO PRAYER AT
SAN FRANCISCO
When a unit of the French army
swung into a little village of the
Rhineland recently, it stooped its
advance of war as little children
their voices raised in song, march
ed from the parish church in all
the finery of their First Holy Com
munion procession. French poilus,
helmets of war in hand, knelt in
the'dusty streets and signed them
selves with the sign of the cross.
The war stood still for 10 minutes
while, fresh, pure little souls, at
peace with their God, dedicated
themselves to His service. *
Such was not the picture in San
Francisco, where men and women
from all over the world met, not
to plot war, but to plan future
peace and security. Assembled for
the work of peace, they did not
realize that, true and lasting peace
comes from God alone. They were
not willing to dedicate their deli
berations to Him, nor did they ask
His divine guidance in their work.
Religious-minded people were dis
mayed that their representatives
could not see ‘heir way to having
such all-important sessions as those
in SanFrancisco open with prayer.
It is true that Archbishop Mitty
was celebrant of a Solemn Ponti
fical Mass in the Civic auditorium
of the city, with thousands in at
tendance. But why was religion
ruled out of the conference?
The omission of prayer in open
ing the conference recalls that at
the international labor meeting
held in Philadelphia last year
there was no prayer. It was said
that delegates of one country rep
resented there would leave the
convention if there was any prayer.
Was it, perhaps,.for the same rea
son that the San Francisco confer
ence was not opened with prayer?
(Columbus Register).
OFFICERS OF NORTH CAROLINA STATE COUNCIL K. OF C.—
Officers of the North Carolina State Council, Knights of Columbus,
-were re-elected at the annual' meeting held at Winston-Salem on April
28. Left to right are John P. Cummings, Raleigh, State Deputy; the
Rev. John A. Brown, Pinehurst, State Chaplain; Paul J. Baschon,
Wilmington, State Treasurer. Standing, Justo Rios, Winston-Salem,
State Treasurer, *nd Peter H. Joseph, Greensboro, State Warden.—
Staff Photo—Courtesy Winston-Salem Journal and Sentinel).
“CATHOLIC DOMINATION”
Dr. Harold J. Ockenga, a Bos
ton Protestant minister, is quoted
by the Associated Press as hav
ing told the third annual conven
tion of the National Association
of Evangelicals that the Roman
Catholic Hierarchy” is now
reaching out for control of the
government” of the United States.
Dr. Ockenga’s assertions are
not new. They have been made by
anti-Catholics in every period of
the history of our natidn—the
Knownothings, A. P. A.’s, Ku
Kluxers, and Communists, who
were but echoing the accusations
made against the Christians in the
days of the Caesars.
It is a long time, however,
since such bigotry has been voic
ed under the auspices as respec
table as those of the Park Street
Congregational Church, Boston, of
which Dr. Ockenga, ordained a
Prsbyterian minister in 1931, is
pastor.
The organization before which
Dr. Ockenga made his address
represents, the Associated Press
was informed, 900,000 Evangeli
cals in sixty-three denominations.
In this, the third quarters of the
second century of the history of
our Republic, Catholics, consti
tuting one-sixth of our popula
tion, do not constitute anything
like that proportion of Congress
of tlie Supreme Court, of the Ex
ecutive Department of the Gov.
ernoi-s of our States, or of any
other unit of our Government. A
study , of the facts ought to re
assure him.
A ■ study of Catholic .culture in
MAY PROCESSION AT
ST. JOHN’S, VALDOSTA
VALDOSTA, Ga.—St. John the
Evangelist Church held its first
outdoor May procession on Moth
ers’ Day. An altar was erected on
the convent lawn and beautifully
decorated with candles and white
gladioli. The statue of the Bless
ed Mother was placed on a sep
arate shrine amid a profusion of
lilies, Children attending St.
John’s School, altar boys, aqd tiny
tots of pre-school age, joined with
Sodality members in the proces
sion which proceeded from the
school to the altar on the convent
grounds.
Miss Josephine Thomas, presi
dent of the Sodality, wore a white
evening gown with a long blue silk
cape, Don Nichols and Thomas
Thomas acting as her train-bear
ers. Other members of the Sodality
wore evening dresses in pastel
shades, and Romona Gair acted
as crown-bearer.
. , — —----- --- After the presentation of flowers
countries^ predominately Cathohc and the placing of the floral crown
on the statue of the Blessed Virgin,
the entire congregation joined in
a prayer of dedication to the Bless
ed Virginia and recited-the prayer
directed by His Excellency the
Most Reverend Bishop of Savan
nah in thanksgiving for the vic
tory in Europe. The services closed
with Benediction of the Blessed
Sacrament, given by the Rev Jo’
J. Kennedy, pastor of St. John
the Evangelist Church.
and of the culture of his Catholic
neighbors in Boston compared
with that of their Protestant fel
low-citizens in similar economic
circumstances ought to convince
him that even if “the philosophy
Of Monsignor Fulton J. Sheen”
were to become the culture of the
nation, it would be anything but a
calamity.
What ought to be worrying him
is the sixty-three sects into which
the members of the Protestant
group he was addressing are group
ed, and which render Protestant
ism almost powerless to cooperate
in the battle which the Cathodic
Church is waging almost single-
handed against the rising tide of
irreligion and atheistic totalita
rianism.—The Catholic News.)
Yorm war bond
,★
Congratulations
from
c
*
laussetis
GREENVILLE, S. C.
1
★
WEEK-END ACTIVITY AT
RALEIGH USO-NCCS
RALEIGH, N. C.—Visiting serv
ice men and women in Raleigh
over the week-end of May 13, were
entertained at a dance on Satur
day evening at the USO-NCCS.
On Sunday morning breakfast was
served by Mrs. P. B. Edelen, Miss
Anita Pace, Mrs. Frank K. Elling
ton, Corporal Bud Hoffman and
Walter Calder.
On Sunday afternoon John
Vaughn presented a musical pro
gram on the Mothers’ Day theme.
Those who took part were Mrs.
Thomas G. Ward, Misses Mary
Louise and Betty Hines and Le-
Grand Ellington. Community
singing followed the program and
supper was served by the
hostesses.
Mrs. Charles Roetschi was in
charge of week-end activity, with
Mrs. A. C. Lemon, Mrs. G. E.
Hines, Mrs. H. J. Cowden, Misses
Gertrude Weber, Elizabeth Full,
Nan Steele, Frances Stuart and
Dorothy Davis assisting.
K. of C. in North Carolina
Re-elect State Officers
(Special to The Bulletin)
WINSTON-SALEM, N. C.—The
North Carolina State Council,
Knights of Columbus, held its
annual meeting in a “strictly busi
ness” wartime session at the
Robert E. Lee Hotel here on April
28, and adopted resolutions of
greeting to the Most Rev. Vincent
S. .Waters, newly appointed Bishop
of Raleigh, resolutions on the
death of President Roosevelt, and
voted to continue aid to the Na
tional Catholic Community Ser
vice, member agency of the USO.
Attendance at the session was
limited to the elected delegates
representing the subordinate
councils in Charlotte, Greensboro,
Wilmington, Asheville, Raleigh,
Fayetteville and Winston-Salem,
and the officers of-the State Coun
cil, in order to comply with OPA
regulations.
State Deputy John P. Cum
mings, of Raleigh presided.
At the morning session, report's
of the state officers and of the
grand knights of the various
councils in the state were sub
mitted. There was also a discus-
ston of the Knights of Columbus
project to raise a fund of a mil
lion dollars to be used to pro
vide college educations for chil
dren of members of the K of C.
who were ^killed or permanently
disabled In the war. Plans were
made to ascertain whether any
children in North Carolina were
eligible to share in the benefits
from this fund.
A resolution extending a wel
come to the Most Rev. Vincent S.
Waters, newly consecrated Bishop
of Raleigh, was adopted.
The State Council recommend
ed that all councils continue their
support of the Catholic Orphan
age at Nazareth.
Another resolution which was
adopted expressed “profound
sorrow” at the death of President
Roosevelt.
In addition to State Deputy
Cummings, who was rc-elcted,
other officers of the State Coun
cil who remain in office for the
coming year are Justo Rios, Win
ston-Salem, state secretary; Paul
J. Baschon. Wilmington, state
treasurer; John V. Erskine, Ashe
ville, state advocate; Peter B.
Joseph, Greensboro, state war
den. The Rev. John A. Brown,
Pinehurst, is state chaplain.
Delegates representing Char
lotte Council, No.770; Charlotte;
Piedmont Council, No. 939,
Greensboro; Wilmington Council,
No. 1074, Wilmington; St. Law
rence Council, No. 1695, Ashe
ville; Father Price Council, No.
2546, Raleigh; Santa Maria
Council, No. 2829, Winston-Sa
lem, and Cardinal Gibbons Coun
cil, No. 2838, Fayetteville, at-
teded the meeting.
SERGEANT FROM SAVANNAH
DISCHARGED ON POINTS
SAVANNAH, Ga. — First Ser
geant Kenneth Helmly, who re
cently received his discharge from
the Army under the point system,
is reported to be the first Savan
nah soldier to be released under
that plan.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh
L. Helmly, Sergeant Helmly was
pi his discharge at Fort Mc-
Phtrson on May 12, the day the
point system became effective.
Sergeant Helmly participated in
fiVe campaigns in North Africa
and Italy and had been home on
a furlough. Connected with the
Southern States Iron Roofing
Company, before he enlisted in
September, 1941, Sergeant Helmly
was overseas for two and a half
years and is the holder of the
Good Conduct Medal.
MAY DEVOTIONS IN VALDOSTA—This year, for the first time, out
door services were held at St. John the Evangelist Church in Val
dosta. Following the May procession, prayers were offered and hymns
were sung before the shrine of the Blessed Virgin which had been
erected on the lawn of the convent, adjoining the church, and Bene
diction of the Blessed Sacrament was given by the Pastor, the Rev.