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JANUARY 2G. 194G
_THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
THREE
Thousands of Americans
Attend Midnight Mass
at Church in Rome
VATICAN CITY, —(By Radio)—
From all parts of Europe thous
ands of American troops and civil
ians came to Rome to celebrate
Christmas.
Veterans of (ho European cam
paigns. "green” youngsters just ar
rived from the United States as
• replacements, many civilian mem
bers of U. S. embassy staffs in
various capitals—all took 'advant
age of special Christmas leaves to
celebrate the Birthday of the
Saviour in the Universal City. And
Rome was well prepared to re
ceive them and to make them feci
as much as possible at home.
Solemn Pontifical M i d n i gilt
Mass at Christmas was celebrated
in the American Church of St.
Susanna by Bishop Joseph P.
Hurley of St. Augustine, who is
here preparing for his duties as
Regent ad interim at the Aposto
lic Nunciature in Belgrade. Yugos
lavia. The world-famous Sistine
Choir sang the Mass and the Rev.
Joachim A. Daleiden, O. F. M., of
Chicago, a chaplain with the U.
S. forces, preached.
The historic church was filled
to overflowing with several thous
and American men and women,
many of them non-Catholics, who
will long remember this Christmas
Mass in the Eternal City. Bishop
Hurley was assisted by the Rev.
Thomas F. Nolan, M.M., an Army,
chaplain, and the dlevs. Raymond
Bosler of Indianapolis, and John
Jensen, M.M.. with the Rev. Fath
ers Martin T. Gilligan and Dono
van serving as masters of cere
monies. The Rev. Wilfrid G. Hur
ley, C.S.P., rector of St. Susanna's,
was in charge of arrangements.
Across the town from St. Sus
anna’s and just off St. Peter’s
Square, the American Catholic
Club, an affiliate of the National
Catholic Community Service, pro
vided the visiting Americans with
a home away from home during
the Christmas season. Free spa
ghetti and chicken dinners were
served during the holidays and
many other services rendered.
Several thousand needy Italian
orphans were guests of the Catho
lic Club at a series of Christmas
parties which began on December
23 and will continue to the Feast
of Epiphany. More than 100 Gl’s
played the part of American Santa
Claus at the parties. Each child
received a big Christmas package
containing candy, toys, clothes,
soap and other items particularly
valuable in war-torn Italy. The
youngsters are under the care of
various Catholic Sisterhoods,
among them the American Francis
cans, Sisters of Notre Dame and
others.
The Christmas parties wer-
sponsored by the American Catho
lic Club with the assistance of the
Rome Holy Name Society. The
children, about 5,000 of them, had
a most enjoyable time, thanks to
the generosity of the club and of
Catholic organizations and indivi
duals in the United States who
made large donations to help the
good cause,.
As usual, the grown-ups had at
least as good a time as (he chil
dren and many of them remarked
that the parties helped them great
ly toward getting into the spirit of
Christmas and lessening the pangs
of separation from their loved ones
back home.
The final parly at the club will
be otlcrcd for its personnel and
the members of their families, in
recognition of their loyal services
to American soldiers during the
past 20 months. The NCCS affiliat
ed clubs in Italy are serviced by
Italian Catholic civilians under
the direction of Corrado Raspanti,
who is gratefully remembered by
thousands of Americans who were
on duty in Italy and especially in
Rome.
THEY FIGURE IN HIERARCHY CHANGES
Rapid,. . „„v en feK 1 ,sr.; , s L .c irirsssr say 2 ss
City, la. (NC Photos)
New Diocese Erected in U. S.~-
T wo American Bishops Named
Most Rev. William P, O’Connor, Bishop of Superior,
Named First Ordinary on New Diocese of Madison,
Wisconsin-Monsignor Greco of New Orleans, to be
Bishop of Alexandria-Mon signor Noa, of Grand Rapids,
Designated Coadjutor Bishop of Sioux City
CHURCH UNITY OCTAVE
SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED
Three Former Japanese
Diplomats Are Converts
VATICAN CITY— (NC —Bap
tism, Confirmation and First Com
munion were given by Bishop Er-
silio Menzani of Piacenza in a
hotel at Salsomaggiore, Italy, to
three Japanese former diplomatics,
who are prisoners of war at the
Allies, according to a disoatch to
Osservatore Romano. A Japanese
priest, present at the ceremony,
delivered the sermon.
(By N. C. W. C. News Service)
WASHINGTON.—His Holiness
Pope Pius XII has erected a new
diocese in the United States,
translated a Bishop from an exist
ing See to the newly-created one,
and elevated two distinguished
priests to the Hierarchy, it is an
nounced in word from the Vatican
made public at the Apostolic Dele
gation here.
The new Diocese of Madison is
created in Wisconsin, with its See
City the Capital of that State.
The Most Rev. William Patrick
O’Connor, Bishop of Superior since
1942, lias been named first Bishop
of Madison.
Msgr. Charles P. G.eco, pastor
of Our Lady of Lourdes Church,
New Orleans and Vicar General of
the Archdiocese of New Orleans,
has been named Bishop of Alex
andria, La,
Msgr. Thomas L. Noa. an Offi-
cialis of the Diocese of Grand
Rapids, Mich,, has been appointed
Titular Bishop of Salomi, and
designated Coadjutor Bishop Ed
mond P. Heelan, of Sioux City. la.
The Church of St. Raphael in
the City of Madison is designated
as the Cathedral of the new dio
cese.
The area embraced by the new
Diocese of Madison has a total of
population of 442,000, including
81,000 Catholics, who are served
by 1-34 diocesan priests and 13
priests of religious Orders. There
are within the new diocese 100
parishes with resident pastors, and
29 chtfrchcs without resident
priests. Fifty-four Catholic pri
mary schools and six Catholic high
schools are attended by a total of
9,700 students. There are also
within the limits of the new dio
cese a Catholic college and eight
Catholic hospitals.
Bishop O’Connor, now named
the first Ordinary of the Diocese
of Madison, served as a chaplain
in World War I and received the
French Croix de Guerre for brav
ery in action. He was born in
Milwaukee, October 18, 1886, and
studied at St. Francis Seminary,
St. Francis, Wis.; Marquette Uni
versity. Milwaukee, and the Cath
olic University of America, Wash
ington, D. C., from which he re
ceived his Doctorate in Philosophy
in 1921. Ordained in 1912, Bishop
O’Connor joined the army as a
chaplain in the first World War,
and went overseas with the 32nd
Division. He served in the Alsace
Sector, the Aisne-Marne Offen
sive, the Oise-Aisne Offensive and
the Mcuse-Argonne Offensive.
Prior to his elevation to the Hier
archy in 1942, Bishop O’Conn, r
served in the Archdiocese of Mil
waukee as parish priest, seminary
professor, Pro-Syndoal Judge of
the Matrimonial Bureau, chairman
of the Board of Junior Clergy Ex
aminers, Archdiocesan Director of
the Holy Name Society, the Cath
olic Youth Organization and the
Confraternity of Christian Doc
trine.
Bishop-elect Greco was born in
Rodney, Miss., October 29, 1894
tile son of Frank Pascal and Car
mel (Testa) Greco, both of whom
are deceased. He studied at St.
Joseph’s Preparatory Seminary,
St. Benedict, La.; the American
College at Louvain. Belgium, and
at the Dominican University, Fri
bourg, Switzerland. He was or
dained to the priesthood by Arch
bishop John W. Shaw in New Or
leans, July 25, 1918. He has serv
ed as assistant pastor of St. Fran
cis de Sales Church, Houma, La.;
Administrator and pastor of St
Maurice Church, New Orleans, and
pastor of the Church of Our Lady
of Lourdes, New Orleans. He has
served as Vice-Chancellor of the
Archdiocese of New Orleans,
Chancellor, Consultor, Vicar Gen
eral, Secretary, Officialis of the
Matrimonial Court, a member of
the archdiocesan corporation and
a Pro-Synodal Examiner.
Bishop-elect Noa was born at
Iron Mountain, Mich., December
18, 1892. He attended St. Francis
Seminary, St. Francis, Wis„ and
the North American College in
Rome. He was ordained to the
priesthood in Rome by Cardinal
Pompilj in the Basilica of St. John
Lateran, December 23. 1916. Upon
his return to the United States,
Bishop-elect Noa was named to
the faculty of St. Joseph’s Semi
nary, Grand Rapids. He served
as a professor from 1917 to 1927
and was named rector in the latter
year. He also has served the Dio
cese of Grand Rapids as a Con-
eultor, Censor Librorum, Official
is Pro-Synodal Examiner, and a
member of the diocesan school
board.
WASHINGTON — (NO — The
Rev. James M. GillK C. S. P„ edi
tor of The Catholic World, will
discuss “Missionary Conquest of
the World for Christ” at the
Church Unity Octave ceremonies
here, it has been announced. Spon
sored for the thirteenth time by
the Clerical Conference of the
Catholic Students’ Mission Cru
sade of the Catholic University of
America, the observance is being
held January 18 to 25 at toe Na
tional Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception at the University.
Others on the list of speakers
include the Rey. Joseph L. Lilly.
C. M.. of the faculty of the Catho
lic University, discussing "The
Conversion of the Jews '; the Itew.
Robert If. Lord, noted historian
and convert, speaking on "Sub
mission of the Anglicans to the
Holy See”; the Rev. William II.
Russell, Catholic University educa
tor; the Rev. Wilfrid Parsons, S. J.,
of the Catholic University; and the
Rev. Daniel W. Egan, vice-presi
dent and dean of St. Francis Col
lege. Loretto. Pa.
Unity Octave
World
Jewish Refugees Build
| Synagogue in Basement
of Francisan Monastery
NEW YORK, —(NC)-^’ln the
very monastery founded by St.
Francis of Assisi, Jews worshiped
in their own synagogue, built in
the basement.
This was disclosed by Reuben
B. llesnik, Italian director of the
American Jewish Joint- Distribu
tion Committee, in describing to
American newspapermen here the
aid given by Italian Catholics to
Jews during the nazi occupation.
“W bile Catholics worshiped
overhead,” he said, “they knew
that beneath them their fellow hu
man beings, victims of^nazi op
pression, were also praying. The
Jew’s own religious items had been
kept safe in the monastery at
Assisi.
From Cardinals to parish priests,
•he, Italian clergy befriended the
persecuted Jews, the relief direc
tor stated, and thousands owe their
very lives to this help. Jewish men.
women and children were hidden
in convents, asylums for the men
tally ill, and homes for the poor
and the aged. Mr. Resnik said that
Italian Catholics gave Jews false
identity and ration cards, and
other papers, to enable them to
survive the occupation period.
THE HOLY GHOST FATHERS’
Missionary College, a seminary at
Cornwells Heights. Pa., has been
approved as a qualified school for
the education of veterans under
I he G1 Bill of Rights by the Penn-
sylvanfia Department of Public
Instruction. Acting upon this
approval, the Veterans Administ-
traion has placed the seminary
under the tetms of the GI meas
ure and veterans who are admitted
as candidates for the Holy Ghost
Fathers will have their tuition
and some other expenses paid by
tlie government.
IN THE NETHERLANDS, the
nomination to the Cardinalate of
Archbishop Jon de Jong, of
Utrecht, who is considered a na
tional hero, was received will)
greatest enthusiasm. Queen Wil-
helmina telegraphed her congratu
lations to the new Prince of the
Church, while the Prime Minister
made a special visit to felicitate
the Cardinal-elect. In many cities
in Holland national flags were
flown for some days following the
publication of the news.
NOTED DOMINICAN ON
CATHOLIC HOUR PROGRAM
WASHINGTON. D. C. — The
Rev. Robert Slavin. O. P„ well
know n author, lecturer a ri d
preacher, a professor of Philoso
phy at the Catholie University of
America, and a noted educator, i>
the current speaker on the Catho
lic Hour program, produced by
the National Council of Catholic
Men in cooperation with the Na
tional Broadcasting Company.
Titles and dates of Father
Slavin’s talks, under the general
subject, “Happiness and Order,”
included: December 30, ‘ The Root
of Order;” January 6, “Order in
Family Life;” January 13, “Order
in Social Life;” January 20, “Order
in Economic Life,” and January
27, “Order in Moral Life.”
RADIO PRESENTATION of a
Christmas play which gives a false
picture of the Holy Family was
cancelled at the last minute by the
Columbia Broadcasting System in
New York, after member stations
objected to the play’s theme.
Helen Hayes, star of the Textron
Theatre, played the leading role in
Stephen Vincent Benet’s “A Child
is Born,” which was substituted
for “Family Portrait” on account
t>f I he protest.
OF SOME 400 members of the
clergy of the Diocese of Berlin,
eleven were executed by the
Gestapo or died in concentration
camps, according to a statistical
survey made available for the first
time. Twenty-nine priests were
confined to concentration camps or
sentenced to prison and two were
expelled from the piocese. Many
more had their homes searched
or were deprived of their teaching
licenses and even prevented from
preaching.
TEN MARYKNOLI, MISSION-
ERS have been decorated -by Gen.
A. C. Wedemeyer, U. S. Far East
ern Commander, with the newly
established award to civilians, the
Meritorious Civilian Service Em
blem, for Assistance given United
States forces in China. They serv
ed as interpreters and guides,
rescued American fliers forced
down in the China interior and
filled in as chaplains.
Bishop Ambrose Senyshyn, O. S.
B. M., Auxiliary of the Ukrain
ian Catholic Diocese of the United
States who will pontificate an
Eastern Rite Mass celebrated ac
cording- to the Byzar.tine-Slavonic
Rite at the Church Unity Octave
ceremonies, to be observed at
Catholic University, January 18
to 25. The observance is spon
sored by the Clerical Conference
of the Catholic Students' Mission
Crusade of the University.
(NG Photos)
IN ACCORDANCE with the
Supreme Allied Command’s “pol
icy of fostering religious activity
in Japan,” General Douglak Mac-
Art!: ur has ordered the lifting of
the freeze on funds of the Je$uit
| missionaries of German nationality
| in Japan, thus facilitating the ex-
. tension of work in the Hiroshima
| Diocese and at (he Catholic Uni-
j versily of Tokyo.
| GENERAL DE GAULLE lias
awarded the “Croix de la Libera-
• lion" to the Mother Superior of
' the Sisters of St. yincent de Paul
in Paris for sheltering an Ameri
can. Frenchmen and Jews hunted
by the Nazis during the German
occupation.