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TWENTY
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
MAY 31, 1945
a:
Sermon Delivered by Monsignor O’Brien at
Monsignor Gwynn’s Golden Jubilee Mass
(Special to The Bulletin)
GREENVILLE, S. C.—At the
Solemn Mass offered by the Right
Rev. Monsignor Andrew Keene
Gwynn, V. A., at St. Mary’s Church
here on the occasion of the fiftieth
anniversary of his ordination to
the priesthood, the sermon was
delivered by the Right Rev. Mon-
signor Joseph L. O’Brien, S. T. 1).,
LL D., of Charleston, who paid
tribute to the Golden J-uhilarian
in these words:
' We are gathered here today to
rejoice with Monsignor Gwynn on
cent,years in the raging whirl
pools of war swept ovei’ and dev
astated the once fair lands of Eu
rope, and now have carried our
own nation to the very edge of
a darkening abyss. The little
corner of the universal vineyard
committeed to his care* here in
this upper section of South Caro
lina, grows green and fair today.
For fifty golden years. Monsig
nor Gwynn has gone daily to the
altar of God. His works that stand
as monuments to his zeal show in
part that he found in abundance
this, his day of days. All of us. the graces he sought, at the foot
his Bishop, his brother priests, his
Sisters in Christ, his family and
friends, his congregation, young
and old, all share in the. blessed
joy that today sheds its glory
about us and makes us truly grate
ful to be here. Indeed, this is a.
bit :ssed day.
Fifty years—a priest according
to the order of Melchisedech!
Fifty years—a daily pilgrim to
the altar of God!
, * Fifty years—a preacher of the
word of God!
Fifty years—a breaker of the
Bread of Lite to the children of
the household!
Fifty years—an administrator of
the mysteries of God!
Fifty years—a laborer in the
Vineyard, plowing the soil, plant
ing the seed, watching the flower
and the fruit, and garnering the
harvest-
Fifty years a priest! Blessed
day! Blessed for him in whose
honor we are gathered Blessed for
us!
Yet while we celebrate the day
in joyful thanksgiving, we should
also draw fruitful lessons there
from. As reasonable men and
women we should not rest satisfied
merely with the joyful sentiments
the occasion provokes. To chil
dren of the light, a day like , this
gives an opportunity for deep soul-
^ttOrching. We rejoice. Why? We
.Ire thrilled. Why? Merely be
cause a man has passed fifty years
in his chosen vocation? The mere
living for fifty years in itself would
be no cause for rejoicing. It is
how the years were lived as evi
denced by the fruit they produced
that gives us pause and stimulates
our thoughts. It is not the fact
that Monsignor Gwynn has lived
for fifty years that interests us.
It is how he lived them and what
he did with them that inspire us.
And from that inspiration our hap
piness today stems.
The American Ecclesiastical Re
view for May, 1945, prints a
thought provoking article which,
in more ways than one, is a bugle-
note challenge to all those who
have at heart the spiritual life of
the people of the United States.
The article is an extended study
based upon these frank words of
Archbishop Cushing of Boston:
“A new order is in the making.
It would be. a plain neglect of
duty not to attempt lo read the
signs of the times and anticipate
an intelligently as we can the sit
uation that will confront us. The
principal problems already appear
ing on the horizon are intellectual
skepticism and moral indifference.
They do not attack Christianity,
they ignore it. How shall we meet
them? By going after souls, with
the selfless perseverance of the
Good Shepherd.”
The article is headed: “WHAT
ABOUT THE HUNDRED MIL
LION?” It is written by Father
James Keller of the Maryknoll
Fathers. It is thought provoking;
it is challenging; it marks a long
step forward in constructive criti
cism of the pathetic failure of the
church in th& United States to
carry the light of the Gospel to
our brethren in Christ who sit in
darkness; of our failure to preach
and teach Christ to a generation
that has gradually sunk into the
‘intellectual skepticism and moral
indifference” of which the Arch
bishop speaks.
Looking back over the fifty gol
den years that Monsignor Gwynn
has given to the service of a mis
sionary church here in the Diocese
of Charleston and in particular, to,
the forty-five years that he has
demoted to the cultivation of the
vineyard here in Greenville, we
read the story of his efforts to hold
in check of evils of which Arch
bishop Cushing speaks, for whith
ersoever we turn, we see evident
proofs and ample evidence of the
zeal with which throughout these
long years he laboured with the
“selfless perseverance of the Good
Shepherd” in extending the King-
don) of God.
Look about Grenville of today—
Greenville that fifty years ago Was
^^iesert wasteland as far as knowl
edge and influence of the Roman
Catholic church was concerned;
look about you and see lije con
tribution made by the tireless ef
forts of Monsignor Gwynn lo hold
of the altar of sacrifice
Daily he went to the altar of
God—the God of his youth and the
God of his old age—the one, true,
eternal and almighty God and
there he found all those, graces
that David long ago promised in
the name of God to selfless seek
ers. There he found that JDY
which renews and rejuvenates the
eternal spirit of youth inj.be soul
of man; that JOY which is the
secret force that animates priests
with the selfless perseverance of
the Good Shepherd.
In this inspiring JOY. calling
upon God as his Judge, he did not
fear the judgment of God on his
work because God u'as his strength
—the strength from which he drew
that manly courage that has been
so characteristic of him all the
years of his life as a priest of
God’s altar. For if there is arty
characteristic of a life marked
with the selfless perseverance of
the Good Shepherd, it is courage—
that courage that stems only from
the strength of the Almighty Eter
nal.
'rim material fabric of ’ Un
church property here in Green
ville is part proof of the courage
that Monsignor Gwynn found at
(lie foot of the altar of God. But
there are other things—the intan
gibles. the things not seen, not
he ai d of. not written about: the
patience and the perseverance that
are lost from sight in the silent
lengthening shadows of fifty by-
INTERIOR OF ST. MARY’S CHURCH, GREENVILLE—A source of great joy and satisfaction to Mon
signor A K. Gwynn, pastor of St. Mary’s Church, Greenville, S. C., is the beauty of the interior of that
edifice, which in recent years was remodeled and redecorated in accordance with liturgical designs.
der his care, one finds the least
detail carried out with the exijui
site harmony that marks the fea
tures more prominent to the eye
Limited as he always was with I lie
resources on hand, he never - lost
sight of the truth that all thing;
in a church, from an amice to a
cope; from the doorstep to the tab
ernacle; from the holy water font
lo the high altar; from a sacristy
' screen to an art glass window; all
in check those evils which in re- well as in the chapels erected un-
gone years: the things lost to time j things, hidden from sight or cx-
buT recorded for eternity. These
are the things that demand cour
age -in the face of difficulties;
courage in the face of disapooint-
ments; courage in the face of mis
understandings; courage in the
face of misjudgments: courage to
go on when it would have been
much easier to sit back and blame
his failures on opportunities that
did not come his way.
For many years as a missionary
prient to a widely scattered flock
in the upper regions of South Car
olina. Monsignor Gw'ynn evidenc
ed by his unremitting labors ‘lie
courageous perseverance that is
born only of the strength drawn
from daily journeys to the altar
of the Most High. In season and
out of season he made the mission
rounds doing his all to keep those
separated from parish life in touch
with the Fount of all life. Of a
truth, in much journeying lie
broke the Bread of Life to the
scattered of his flock and he nour
ished them with the word. Where-
cver it was possible he built a
chapel, be it ever so humble,
wherein he could gather them
around the altar of God. i
For their sake he became a beg
gar. Year in and year out he
went from place to place and beg
ged the means to further his work.
He begged, unashamed, because
his courage overcame his timidily
and his pride—begged for the
crumbs .that dropped from the
tables of those more blessed with
wordl.v means than the members
of his flock. Slowly, but surely,
lie plowed, he planted, lie watered,
he tended: slowly, but surely, he
saw the seed spring into life; con
fidently throughout the years, day
in and day out. he went to the
altar of God and he cried to God
and we know that God did hear
that prayer. Radiant in his light,
and alive in his truth the Church
here in Greenville is as a Mount
of Inspiration lo those who do not
stand in idle lamentation over the
failure of missionary efforts in the
Southland.
For fifty golden years at the
altar of God, Monsignor Gwynn
has daily called upon God for
judgment: at that altar he has
sought strength; he has pursued
light; lie has found truth. His fifty
years shed glory on us all. We are
his debtors.
Monsignor Gwynn’s exquisite
taste in things that pertain to the
decency of. divine worship is re
flected in every detail of church
building and church furnishing
that came under his immediate
supervision. To him was not given
to build a great cathedral with un
limited means at hand: nor even
one of the larger parish churches
that dot the wide expanse of these
United Slates. '
Here in his parish church as
posed to view, are dedicated to
tlie honor and glory of God and
hence, no detail is unworthy of
closest scrutiny.
Well known and full appreciated
as are the material and visible
works made manifest by his par
ish buildings and his share in the
establishment and up-building of
Saint Francis hospital, here in
Greenville, there is still another
field of activity in which Monsig
nor Gwynn excelled, the full fruit
of which will be recorded only in
the books of eternity. Tangibles
can easily be reduced to yard stick
standards and can readily be un
derstood by those who think in
terms of time and space. Intan
gibles defy the methods learned
from Babel's bricklayers.
I say with surety that never
once in the fifty years of mission
ary endeavor—never once in all
these long years did one unfair,
unjust, unfounded criticism of or
open attack on the Church in the
public press come to his notice
that he let go by unchallenged;
never once did he hesitate to
launch out boldly in the defense
of the Church to which he had
sworn his allegiance.
Since the days of John England
no priest of the diocese of Charles
ton has stood on the outposts and
watched with eagle eye, ready with
stout heart and indignant pen to
counter misrepresentations of or
calumnies on Catholic doctrine,
whether they stemmed from igno
rance or bigotry. The files of the
newspapers of Upper Carolina
bear witness to this constant
watch. God alone can measure the
value of that work for lie alone
knows what mountains of preju
dice were levelled, what heaps of
error removed, and what mists of
ignorance dispelled by these news
paper crusades.
Ever alert, ever prepared, never
too occupied to turn his attention
to help souls steeped in darkness
and ignorance of things spiritual,
on trains, in the marketplace, in
the drawing room, in the forum,
anywhere, everywhere, wherever
opportunity presented itself, in
courtly manner, with knightly
grace, and courageous constancy
Monsignor Gwynn.stood for the
cause of his Lady, Truth.
And even now in the gathering
shadows of the falling years he
seeks out by personal correspond
ence, souls whose only contact
with Catholic thought are his
kindly. considerate, persuasive
apostolic letters.
This zeal ol his has manifested
itself, ever and always, in rightous
jealously for the reputation, the
decency of worship, the atmos
phere of Christian culture that
are Well known characteristics of
Saint Mary's Parish.
Not lo many men is it given to
plant, to watch the growth
Postmaster General
Requiem Mass for
Capt. C. P. Lynch, Jr.,
Offered in Atlanta
Robert E. Hannegan, of St.
Louis, who lias been nominated
by President Truman as Post
master General, effective July 1,
succeeding Frank C. Walker. Mr.
Hannegan, a Catholic, educated at
Saint Louis University, is the first
cabinet appointment of the new
chief executive. He will be the
ninth Catholic to serve in a presi
dential cabinet since the founding
of the United States.—(NCWC).
AUGUST A, Ga. — Sergeant
Frank S. Toomey, son of Mr. and
Mrs. T„ J. Tpomey, is now in a
hospital somewhere in England,
recovering from wounds received
in action.
Private Anthony J. Maher, lias
been admitted to Moore General
Hospital, Swannanoa, N. C. He
wears the Southwest Pacific thea
ter ribbon with two battle stars
for service with a field artillery
“battalion of the 1st Infantry Divi
sion.
SOLDIERS FROM AUGUSTA
IN ARMY HOSPITALS
throughout the years and then
they see the full flowering of al
most a half century of pastoral
care among the people of one
parish. Monsignor Gwynn has
seen his childrens’ children unto
the third and fourth generations;
a blessing, indeed. A sign of God's
favor.
On this day we do rejoice here
at the altar of God with him.
Priests and people, all, of us unite
in prayer of thanksgiving and
prayer o( petition—thanksgiving
for all the blessings his ministry
has brought to us: petition that
his closing years will be filled to
over flowing with the Light and
the Truth, the Strength and the
Joy that have encouraged and sus
tained, guided and led him from
the days of his youth through fifty
golden years to this blessed day to
the altar the Tabernacle, the
Mountain ol God.
ATLANTA, Ga. —, A Mass of
Requiem was offered at the Sa
cred Heart Church on May 10 for
the repose of the soul of Captain
Charles Peter Lynch, Jr., infan
try officer, who was killed on
April 17, in Italy.
Captain Lynch had been award
ed the Purple Heart, the Bronze
Star, and the Combat Infantry
man's Badge.
He is survived by his wife, the
former Miss Martha Winkelman;
a daughter, Patricia Ann Lynch;
his parents, Colonel and Mrs. C.
P. Lynch, of San Antonio, Texas,
and three brothers, Lieut. Hugh
Lynch, stationed in Germany,
Robert Lynch and James Lynch.
MICHAEL NAHRA
DIES IN DOUGLAS
DOUGLAS, Ga. — Funeral ser
vices for Michael Nahra, aged -
Syrian merchant, who died on
May 5, were held from St. Paul’s
Church, the Rev. Frederick Gil
bert, O. M. I„ officiating.
Born in Syria, Mr. Nahra came
to this country many years ago,
locating in Douglas, where he
entered the mercantile business.
He is survoved by two sons,
James Nahra and John Nahra,
and four daughters, Mrs. Thomas
Burden, Mrs. Joseph Malham,
Mrs. George Deraney and Mrs. R.
B. White.
MRS. GEORGE IIEEG,
DIES IN CHARLESTON
CHARLESTON, S. C. — Mrs.
Florence Myrtle Heeg, wife of
George Heeg, died on April 30,
funeral services being held in Cin
cinnati.
Mrs. Heeg, a native of Cincinna
ti, was a daughter of William Mc
Hugh and Mrs. Aletia Larick Mc
Hugh. She had resided in Char
leston, where she was a member
of St. John’s parish, for about two
years.
She is survived by her hus
band, two children and her fa
ther.
THOMAS FARRELL
DIES IN CHARLESTON
CHARLESTON, S. C.—Funeral
services for Thomas Farrell, who
died in Charleston, were held from
the Sacred Heart Church, Lowell,
Mass., the Solemn High Mass of
Requiem being offered by the Rev.
William F. Mahan, O. M. I.
Mr. Farrell is survived by a son,
John Joseph Farrell, of Charles
ton; two daughters, four sisters
and a brother.
DANIEL O. TOWLES
DIES IN CHARLESTON
CHARLESTON, S. C.—-Funeral
services for Daniel Quigley
Towles, who died May 9, were
held from the Cathedral of St.
John the Baptist, the Rev. Charles
L. Sheedy officiating.
Mr. Towles is survived by his
wife, three daughters, four sons,
three sisters and two brothers.