Newspaper Page Text
AUGUST 30. 1947
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
SEVENTEEN
Cross of Legion of Honor Awarded
French Nun, Once 11. S. Tennis Star
By M. MASSJANI
(Baris Correspondent, N. C. W. C.
News Service)
PARIS — Sister Elizabeth, who
was awarded the Cross of the Le
gion of Honor by a grateful
France on the anniversary of the
Allied Victory in World War II,
was known to the world as .lane
Craven, tennis star, World War I
heroine, and convert to the Cath
olic Church, before she joined
the Daughters of Charity of St.
Vincent de- Paul and became Su
perior of their home for incurables
at Neuilly.
The Military Medal was award
ed to Winston Churchill. Britain’s
wartime leader, at the time Sister
Elizabeth received her award, and
in the audience were Mr. Church
ill’s daughters, who particularly
had asked to be present to see the
nun honored.
Sister Elizabeth was born at
Lucknow, India, the daughter of
a British father and an American
mother of Dutch ancestry. As Jane
Craven she came to live in the
Dnited States and in her youth
she became a tennis champion in
Chicago, Pittsburgh and Philadel
phia. She was educated at North
western University at Evanston,
111., and after her graduation
again journeyed to India, later go
ing to Egypt and Turkey.
When World War I broke, she
went to France where for a long
time she assisted in caring for the
incurables at the Asylum of Neu
illy, directed by the St. Vincent de
Paul Sisters. But not all of her
time was spent at the asylum. She
moved into the front lines, in the
trench zones and even in the ad
vanced battle zones, serving as a
nurse. On more than one occasion
she narrowly escaped being, cap
tured by the Germans and her
courage gained the admiration of
the Commanding General of the
Army at yerdun.
She had studied medicine and
she called upon the knowledge
which she had amassed in fighting
against the contagious diseases
and plagues in India and Egypt as
she ministered to the soldiers of
France.
She came of a Protestant family,
but after the war she was con
verted to the Catholic faith. Gen
eral Hirschauer was her godfather
at baptism. Shortly after her con
version, Miss Craven joined the
Daughters of Charity of St. Vin
cent de Paul. She devoted herself
to helping the sick and infirm,
who were definitely incurables,
hospitalized at the Asile des Sept
Douleurs of Neuilly,
The Neuilly home had a branch
at Arromanches, a port town
where the U. S. forces landed on
D-Day, June 6, 1944. Fortunately,
the home survived the terrific
bombardments which preceded
and followed the landings. At the
height of the invasion, Sister Eliz
abeth with another nun set out by
automobile, rescued a quantity of
precious material threatened with
destruction at Arromanches and
brought it back to Neuilly.
Before the Allies arrived, Sis
ter Elizabeth had become an old-
hand at brushes with the German
invaders. She was arrested three
times. On one occasion, after be
ing released from an arrest at
Bayeux, she set out with a nun
companion in an automobile for
Paris and cruised alongside of
seemingly unending lines of Ger
man mechanized equipment. Upon
her arrival in Paris, she was ar
rested again, suspected of espion
age and asked what she had seen
on the roads. Sister Elizabeth sup
plied such vague answers that her
exasperated nazi questioners re
leased her and her companion.
Upon her return to Neuilly, Sis
ter Elizabeth was arrested for the
third time. The German governor
of the zone had ordered all Brit
ish and Canadian Religious round
ed up to be sent to Besaneon.
Sister Elizabeth feigned a serious
jjlnegs and once again her captors
released her. She returned to her
incurables nt Neuilly.
All during the occupation, Sis
ter Elizabeth was- in constant
difficulties with the Germans. She
expressed heVself openly and free
ly and often was called to the of
fice of the Mayor, who repeatedly
cautioned restraint in expressing
her sentiments.
This year she was again sum
moned to the office of the Mayor.
When she was ushered in, she ask
ed: "What have I done now to be
called again to the Town Hall?”
It was then that the Mayor broke
the news that she was to be award
ed the Cross of the Legion of
Honor.
TIME OUT FOR HOLY NAME CONVENTION
THE PONTIFICAL UNIVER
SITY of Sarito Tomas, which until
the' Philippines became indepen
dent last year was (he oldest uni
versity under the American flag,
has been given the title of “Catho
lic University of the Philippine
Islands” by his Holiness Pope
Pius XII. An internment camp
for Americans in the Philippines
during the Japanese occupation,
it \yas the first area in Manila to
be liberated by American soldiers.
BALLARD & BALLARD COMPANY
Incorporated
BALLARD’S FLOURS AND INSURANCE FEEDS
Daily Capacity 3000 Barrels Flour 275 Tons Feed
MILLS AT LOUISVILLE. KENTUCKY
BRANCH AT
CENTRAL OF GEORGIA WAREHOUSE NO. 5
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
In Boston, six of the nine Catholic members of the Red Sox, American League baseball champions of,
1946, pause long enough in their battle with the N. Y. Yankees for this year’s flag to discuss their
plans to attend the Fourth National Holy Name Convention to be held in the Massachusetts capital, 1
October 1-5. Left to right: Johnny Pesky, Sam Mele, Birdie Tebbetts, Eddie Pellagrini, Paul Schrei-
ber (fcoach), and Mickey Harris. (NC Photos.)
Warns Congregationalist
Pastors Against Joining
Anti-Catholic Movements
NEW Y O R K— (RNS) —Con
gregationalist ministers through
out the nation have received a
warning from the denomination’s
headquarters here against join
ing “anti-Catholic” movements.
In a circular letter to clergy
men, Dr. Douglas Horton, execu
tive secretary of -the General
Council o Congregational Chris
tian Churches, said:
"There is some evidence that a
new anti-Catholic campaign is be
ing formed by a few Protestants,
some of whom wield power in the
religious press, and that Protes
tant leaders will soon be sought
to enroll in their ‘crusade’.
"Since it is better Christianity
to be ‘pro’ Protestant than ‘anti’
anything, I urge you to use cau
tion in affiliating yourselves with
such movements.”
Dr. Horton indicated that the
“anti-Catholic campaign” comes
as a result, of the recent Supreme
Court decision in the New Jersey
bus case, and the issues raised
by Federal aid-to-education legis
lation.
He said his denomination has
appointed a study commission on
church, state and education to give
“adequate study and positive
direction to this problem.”
The commission will recommend
plans and programs “looking to
ward the formulation of a positive
Protestant doctrine of public
education,” Dr. Horton added.
Augusta Deanery Council of
Catholic Women Sustains
Activity During Summer
AUGUSTA, Ga.—While the Au
gusta Deanery Council of Catho
lic Women has been holding no
regular meetings during the sum
mer months, the members of the
council have maintained, never
theless, a busy summer schedule.
In June, a delegation from the
Augusta Deanery attended a meet
ing of the board of directors of
the Savannah-Atlanta Diocesan
Council of Catholic Women held
! in Macon.
j During July, Mrs. William J,
j Mulherin, president of the Dean-
I ery Council, called a meeting of
, the executive board, which in-
■ eludes all Deanery Council offi-
, cers.
At this meeting, Mrs. Mulherin
| made a report on the proceedings
of the Diocesan Council directors’
J meeting, stressing the need of
continuing relief work for the peo
ple of war-devastated lands.
Mrs. Lawrence J. Ward, chair
man of the committee on relief,
outlined a program of activity for
the next few months, and said
that the response to the appeal
made in June for soap and towels
had been most gratifying. She
urged the formation of more small
groups to sew for the children
in war-ridden lands, and asked
contributions of materials that
could be made in clothing to be
sent overseas.
Another activity of the Deanery
Council which has been continued
through the warm weather season
is the "Coffee House,” every third
Friday, in the Red Cross recrea
tion room at the Oliver General
Hospital, a service which seems
to be appreciated by the patients.
Miss Johnnie Ililburn, chairman
of the Woman’s Advisory Council
of the Augusta Chamber of Com
merce, spoke at the executive
board meeting, explaining how the
women of the city could cooperate
with the Chamber of Commerce
in its work for the community.
ON CHAPLAIN CORPS ANNIVERSARY
Savannah Lumber & Supply Co.
Retail Lumber and Building Supplies
2819 Bull Street
(One Block South of Victory Drive)
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
Air Cohditioning
Refrigeration
Heating
Electrical Appliances
Carrier
Augusta, Ga. Branch
735 Broad Street
10 Whitaker Street - Savannah, Ga.
Chaplain (Major) Robert J: Sherry, U. S. A. (right), of Cincinnati
Assistant Commandant of the Chaplain School, Carlisle Barracks
Pa., points out the name of pre-Revolutionary Colonial Chaplair
(Captain) John Steel, born in Ireland In 1716, commissioned a Chap
lain in 1757, on the memorial marker in the old National Graveyarc
at Carlisle to Chaplain (Major) John M. Walsh, O R, C. (left), oi
Scranton, dean of men at the Catholic University, Washington, D. C.
immediately preceding the special retreat ceremony at Chaplair
Steel’s grave July 29, to celebrate the 172nd anniversary of the
U. S. Army Chaplain Corps. Chaplain Walsfi, who served with the
Army Air Forces in the China-Burma-India Theater, is the only
Catholic chaplain attending the 62nd class of the Army Chaplain
School. Thia Is typical of the shortage of Catholic Chaplains in to-
day’s Army._ (NC_Photos)