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THF BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LA YMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
SEVEN
JULY 27, 1946
Father Jeffords at
Church in Florence
Atlanta Historical Bulletin Dedicates
Issue as Memorial to Father O'Reilly,
Builder of St. Theresas Church, Albany
ALBANY, Ga.—A sixty-page is
sue of The Atlanta Historical Bul
letin, published by the Atlanta
Historical Society, devoted a re
cent issue, in its entirety, to Fa
ther Thomas O'Reilly, who was
the priest in charge ot' the Catho
lic congregation in Albany when
St. Theresa's Church was built in
1859.
The organ of the Atlanta Histor
ical Society recalls in this special
issue the service which Father
O’Reilly rendered in saving
churches and other buildings from
destruction when the city was put
to the flames by Sherman's army
before the march through Georgia
was begun.
The issue al o contains a com
plete resume of the program of
I he exercises held last year when
a monument in memory of Father
O’Reilly was unveiled on the
grounds of the City Hall in At
lanta.
When St. Theresa’s Church was
erected, Albany was a mission of
Macon, where Father O’Reilly
was then stationed. In 1861, he
went to Atlanta to become pastor
of the Immaculate Conception
Church and a convent were built
and Atlanta's first Catholic school
established.
Through the troubled years
from 1861 to 1865, Father O’Reil
ly did heroic work, in the hos
pitals which filled Atlanta, and
upon battlefields around the
city. When the city was besieged
by the Union Army, he was untir
ing in his devotion to his people,
visiting them daily and encourag
ing them during those trying
days.
When General Sherman’s forces
captured Atlanta, Father O’Reil
ly refused to yield his rectory to
stand he had the sympathy ot the
tile invading troops, and in this
Catholics and many others in the
Northern army: they volunteered
to protect it, the church and ad
jacent buildings when the order
was given to burn the city. When
Atlanta was destroyed, one-tenth
of the community escaped the con
flagration because of Father
O’Reilly’s courageous protest, ac
cording to published reports at
the 'time. The Atlanta Intelligen
cer of November 20, 1864, The Ha-
con Telegraph, of about the same
date. Barnwell's City Directory
for 1867, and other contempora
neous publications slated specifi
cally that Father O’Reilly was re
sponsible for saving the Immacu
late Conception Church, the Sec
ond Baptist Church, the Second
Presbyterian Church, Trinity
Methodist Church, and St. Phil
ip’s Episcopal Church, together
with the City Halt and several
hundred other structures from
destruction.
The memorial volume of the
Atlanta Historical Society re
cords the ceremony attending the
unveiling of the monument to Fa
ther O’Reilly on the grounds of
Atlantas’ City Hall last October.
The marble shaft was erected by
funds provided by the City of At
lanta and the churches which lie
saved, lit contains in addition to
historical data in connection wtih
the incident the addresses on the
occasion by former Governor John
M. Slaton, of Trinity Methodist
Church; John Ashley Jones, of
Central Presbyterian Church; Col
onel Leroy W. Nichols, U. S. A.,
Public Relations Officer of the
Fourth Service Command j Miss
Ella Mae Thornton- State Libra
rian; Alex M. Hitz, of the parish
of the Episcopalian Cathedral of
St. Philip; Mrs. John S. Spalding,
of Second Baptist Church; grand
daughter of Georgia’s wartime
Governor Joseph M. Brown; If.
H. Alexander, president of the
Atlanta Historical Society; Mayor
Wiliam B. Hartsfield, of Atlanta,
Wilbur G. Kurtz, noted historian,
and others.
The invocation al the unveiling
exercises was by Father Joseph
R. Smith, present pastor of the
Immaculate Conception Church.
The volume also contains a let
ter from Bishop Gerald P. O’Hara,
of Savananh-Atlanta, expressing
his thanks to the Atlanta Histori
cal Society, for its gracious ac
tion and his regret that it was im
possible for him to attend.
R. R. Otis, of the Atlanta His
torical Society presided. Stephens
Mitchell, a brother of Margaret
Mitchell, author of “Gone With
the Wind,” is editor of the His
torical Society Bulletin. Both Mr.
Otis and Mr. Mitchell are active
in the work of the Catholic Lay
men’s Asociation of Georgia.
Father O’Reilly wsa a native of
Drumcora, County Cavan, Ireland.
He was ordained at All Hallows' j
College, in Dublin, Ireland, in !
1857, and shortly after came to ]
Savannah, where he contracted j
yellow fever, from which he never j
fully recovered, lie was stationed ]
first in Macon, and then in Allan- ‘
la. He died at Chalybeate Springs,
Pastor in Albany
FATHER BOl’RKE
The Very Rev. Daniel J. Bourke,
V. F.. pastor of St. Theresa’s
Church. Albany. Georgia, is a
native of Ireland, who came to
the Diocese of Savannah-Atlanta
shortly after h s ordination to the
priesthood in 1934. He has serv
ed as assistant pastor at the Cathe
dral of St. John the Baptist, in
Savannah: at the Immaculate Con
ception Church, Atlanta, and at
St. Theresa’s in Albany. Before
returning to St. Theresa’s as pas
tor. iu April, 1945, Father Bourke
had served as administrator of
St. Mary’s-on-The-Hill Church, in
Augusta, and as pastor of the
Church of the Most Blessed Sac
rament, iu Savannah.
near Staunton, Va., on September
6. 1872. The train, draped in
mourning. which brought his
body from Virginia, was met at
Dalton by a committee of promi
nent Atlanta citizens. The Atlanta
Daily Herald in its funeral notice
stated that the persons of all de
nominations were in the long pro
cession to the church and that “for
once sectarianism gave way to the
promptings of honest grief.” Bish
op Ignatius Persico, of Savannah,
delivered the sermon at the # fu
neral service.
An editorial in The Atlanta
Daily Herald declared: “Father
O’Reilly was by no means an or
dinary man. To us. who knew him
well, he was a scholar—not only
in theology but in all branches of
literature. But it was not his
learning that made him one of
the most popular men in Atlanta
He would often submit 1o
privation in order to relieve oth
ers Nor were his charities
limited to the sufferings of his
own faith No better inscrip
tion could be placed on his grave
than that he was beloved by all
Who knew him . . Among the
pood and cure clergymen of all
denominations in our midst we
find not his superior.”
(Special to The Bulletin)
FLORENCE, S. C.—-Father Al
lan Jeffords, who was ordained as
a priest of the Diocese of Charles
ton. on June 9, at St. Anthony
Church here, received as his first
alignment the charge of his home
parish. SI. Anthony's in Florence,
where in the absence of Father
William A. Tobin, the pastor, he
will serve until September.
Father Jeffords celebrated his
first Solemn High Mass at St. An
thony’s Church on the Sunday
following his ordination, with Fa
ther Tobin as asssitant nriest; Fa
ther Charles Shocdy. of Dillon, as
deacon; Rev. Mr. Fleming Mc
Manus. of Charleston, subdeacon,
and Rev. Mr. D. C. Hamburger, of
Columbia, as master of ceremo
nies. Father Louis R. Williamson,
of Ilnrtsville, delivered the ser
mon.
MASS TO BE OFFERED IN
ATLANTA FOR SAFE RETURN
OF BISHOP GERALD O’HARA
ATLANTA SITES SPARED IN 1861 AT PRIEST’S REQUEST—
This view of a section of Atlanta, as, it was in 1864. shows the five
churches, the old cjty ball, and (wo residences, all of which were among
(he structures saved from destruction by Father Thomas O'Ueilly when
I he Union Army, under General Sherman, burned Atlanta before starl
ing on its march through Georgia. The churches are numbered one
through 5, No. 1 being the Central Presbyterian: No. 2, Second Bap
tist; No. 3, Trinity Methodist; No. 4, St. Philip’s Episcopal, and No.
5, the Immaculate Conception Church. The old city hall is located
by No. 6, No. 7 identifies (he old John Neal home, which was located
on the site where the present city ball now stands, and No. 8, Colonel
Calhoun's home, which was also spared by Sherman’s army at F'athcr
Reilly’s request. Inset is Father O'Reilly, who founded St. Theresa's
parish in Albany. Georgia, before going to Atlanta.—(Photo, Courtesy
of The Atlanta Constitution). -
ATLANTA, Ga.—Father Paul
Risk of St. Joseph Lebanon
Church will offer a High Mass
at that church on the first Sunday
in August in petition for the safe
return of Bishop Gerald P. O’Hara
to the Diocese of Savannah-
Atlanta.
At the direction of Monsignor
Joseph E. Moylan, Vicar General
and Chancellor of the Diocese of
Savannah-Atlanta. the Oratio Pro
Episcopo as an Oratio Simpliciter
vel Ordinairie Imperata, for His
Excellency and I he success of his
mission, is to be said in all the
Masses offered in the Diocese
where the liturgy-permits.
Builder of Church in Albany and
Founder of Its Parochial School
Attended Same Seminary in Erin
(Special to The Bullein)-
ALBANY, Ga.—Members of St.
Theresa’s parish in Albany wit
nessed the closing of a very suc
cessful year for their new paro
chial school which was opened
last year, under the supervision
of the pastor, Father Daniel J.
Bourke, with Sisters Adorers of
the Most Precious Blood compos
ing the teaching staff. It is inter
esting to note a coincidence in
regard to the building of St. The
resa’s Church here and the open
ing of its parochial school.
St. Theresa’s Church was built
in the years 5859 and I860- when
the then mission parish was a
charge of Father Thomas O'Reil
ly, then stationed in Macon. In
1861, Father O’Reilly was sent to
Atlanta where he served as pastor
of the Immaculate Conception
Church during the stirring years
of tile War Between the States. It
was due to his influence and per
sonal efforts that the Catholic
church and several Protestant
churches in Atlanta were spared
when General Sherman's army
set the city aflame as the march
through Georgia was begun.
St. Theresa’s School was estab
lished by Father Bourke in 1945,
more than four score years after
Father O'Reilly built the church.
It is a coincidence that both Fa
ther O’Reilly and Father Bourke
were born in Ireland, and at
tended the same seminary, All
Hallows’ College.
All Hallows’ was founded in
1842 by Father John Hand, who
desired to establish a seminary
for the education of priests who
would be sent as missionaries to
all parts of the world.The zeal
ous Father Hand opened his semi
nary with but one student, but
the enrollment steadily increased
until today when we find at least
twenty-five priests sent out each
year from the seminary.
Many prominent clergymen are
numbered among its graduates,
one of them His Eminence the late
Cardinal Glennon- Archbishop of
St. Louis, whose funeral Mass was
offered at All Hallows’ with dig
nitaries of Church and state at
tending.
The parishioners of St. The
resa’s feel that they owe a debt
of gratitude to All Hallows' be
cause two of its alumni have made
outstanding contributions to the
development of the parish.
MARRIAGES
ROBERTSON-NICHOLS
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SAVANNAH, Ga.—Mr. and Mrs.
P. T. Nichols announce the mar
riage of their daughter, Miss Lil
lian Nichols, to Lieut. Raymond
C. Robertson, on July 19. in the
rectory of the Blessed Sacrament
Church, Father Nicholas Quinlan
officiating.
RICKETSON-O’BRIAN
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PEARSON, Ga. — Mrs. Mary
O’Brian has announced the mar
riage of her daughter, Miss The
resa O'Brian. to Mr. Lawrence
Ricketson, of Douglas, at St.
Paul’s Church, Douglas, Father
Bernard Brady. O. M. I., officiat
ing.
KOSKNTH M.-VAN
MANSFIELD ^
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ATLANTA, Ga. — Announce
ment has been made of the recent
marriage of Miss Leona Van
Mansfield and Mr. Samuel N. Ros
enthal. at which Father Joseph R.
Smith, pastor of the Immaculate
Conception Church, officiated.
nah, on July 9, at St. Joseph's
Church. Wichita, Father Alphon-
sus Zeller C.SS.R., officiatnig.
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DIXON-COLES
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SAVANNAH, Ga. — Of interest
here is the announcement of the
marriage of Miss Patricia Mary
Coles, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Norwood Edward Coles, of Brent
wood, Colo., to Dr. William Thom
as Dixon, son of Mrs. William T.
Dixon and the late Mr. Dixon, of
Green Point , Maryland, on July 6,
at the Church of St. Pant the
Apostle,. Los Angeles. Calif., Fa
ther Benjamin Bowling, C. S. P.,
officiating.
Dr. Dixon is the grandson of
Mrs. J. A. P. Crisfield. of Savan
nah.
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| SMITH-GLEATON
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I SEDA UK-SCAR BOROUGH |
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CHARLESTON, S. C. — Miss
Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, of
Charleston, and Mr. Anton John
Sedalik, of Chicago, were mar
ried ' on July 17, at St. John’s
Church, Father A. A. Plikunas of
ficiating.
SPRINGFIELD. S. C. — Miss
Eleanor Jo Gleaton. daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. II. Odell Gleaton, of
Springfield, and Mr. George A.
Smith, son of Mrs. Margaret T.
Smith and I he late Cleveland II.
Smith, of Charleston, were mar
ried recently in Charleston, Father
Myles Morris. Congr. Orat. assis
tant pastor of the Sacred Heart
Church, offiicating.
O
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MOORE-BEADY
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SAVANNAH, Ga. — Miss Nell
Marianna Brady, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Thomas J. Bradv, and
Mr. Bernard M. Moore were mar
ried on July 17, at the Sacred
Heart Church. Father Boniface
Bauer, O. S. B., officiating and
offering the Nuptial Mass.
LIVRERI-DWYER
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SAVANNAH, Ga.—Of interest
here is the announcement of the
marriage of Miss Rosemary
Dwyer, formerly or Savannah, and
Mr. Nicholas John Livreri. of
Bayshore, Long Island, on July
3. at St. Patrick’s Church, Gaines
ville, Fla.; Father atrick J. Doyle
officiating.
Mrs. Livreri is the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. John Lawrence
Dwyer.
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O’BRIEN-SMITH
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KUCZAJ-UAGAN
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FLORENCE, S. C.—Announce
ment has been made of the mar
riage of Miss Katherine Smith, of
San Francisco, Calif., and Mr.
Louis O'Brien, U. S. Navy, son of
Mrs. T. P. Ward, of Florence, on
June 25, at St. Vincent do Paul
Church. San Francisco. Father
James H. Long officiating.
'DURU-FLYNT
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ATLANTA. Ga. — Miss Kather
ine Martino Flvnt daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. George T. Flynt, and
Mr. Gerard Charles Durr, of
Ozone Park, N. Y., ware married
on July 13 al the Sacred Heart
Church, Father Edward P. Mc
Grath, S. M., officiating.
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STKPHENS-KESSLER
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SAVANNAH, Ga.—Mrs. Jerome
Kessler, of Wichita, Kan., an
nounces tlie marriage of her
daughter. Miss Dorothy Artemesc
Kessler, (o Mr. John William Ste
phens, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs:
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SAVANNAH. Ga.—Mr. and Mrs.
William B. Hagan, of Savannah,
announce the marriage of their
daughter. Miss Sarah Hpgan, to
Mr. Mihcael John Kuczaj, of Chi
cago, on July 17, at St. Roman
Church, Chicago. Father Joseph
Mytych offiicating.
BAI.DYGA-FOVVLER
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NEWBERRY, S. C.—Miss Edna
Mae Fowler, daughter of Mrs.
May Fowler, of Newberry, and
Mr. Walter Vincent Baldyga. of
Boston, Mass., were married at St.
Lawrence Church, Lawrenceburg,
Ind.. Monsignor William Kreis,
R. D., officiating and offering the
Nuptial Mass.
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ABDILLA-IIAVNES
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COLUMBUS. Ga—Miss Violet
Haynes, of Columbus, and Pvt.
George Abdilla of Detroit and
Fort Bonding, were married on
July 19 at the Church of the Holy
Family, Father Herman Deimel
offirintmir ^