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FOUR THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION Oh GEORGIA JAW UAp * .17, 1948 3Ijp SuUetin fhe Official Organ of the Catholic Laymen'* Association of Georgia, Incorporated. HUGH K1NC11LEY. Editor 216-217 Southern finance Building, Augusta, Ga. ASSOCIATION OFFICERS FOR 1946-1947 ESTES DOREMUS. Atlanta President M J CALLAGHAN. Macon, . Honorary Vice-President FRED WIGGINS, Albany Vice-President J B McCALLUM, Atlanta Secretary HUGH GRADY. Savannah Treasurer HUGH K.1NCHLEY. Augusta Executive Secretary MISS CECILE FERRY. Augusta Financial Secretary A M McAUl.lFFE, Augusta;Auditor VOL. XXIX JANUARY 17 No. 1 Entered as second class mailer June 15 11121 ai tire Posi Office ai Augusta. Georgia, under the Act of March 3 1879 accepted foi mailing ai special rale of postage provided In paragraph 4. sec I ion 538 Postal Laws and thanlntion- ;is modified Ov o-non’ianh 11 uemoet nl N C W C News Service. Religious News Service tl-e Catholic Press Association of the United States tire Georgia Press Association. and the National Kditmiiil Association Published monthly by the Catholic Laymen's Association of Grorela Inc., with lire Approbation of the Most Kcv crcnH Bishops of Charleston and Savannah-Atlanta, and of the Bight Rcrercnd Abbot-Ordinary ot Belmont, Marlydom in Georgia W ITHIN recent weeks, the Freedom Train visit ed this section of the country, and while on tour through Georgia it was accompanied by the one-car Georgia Heritage exhibit, containing documents connected with the founding and early history of Georgia. Catholics in Georgia have reason to be proud, not onJy of the precious relics associated with the Iii story of our Nation and our State, and what they represent, but as Catholic Georgians they have another glorious heritage of which they can well be exceedingly proud. At Auriesville, in the State of New York, there is a shrine in honor oh Saint Isaac Jogues and his companions, the saintly Jesuit Martyrs of North America, who were put to death by the Iroquois Indians in 1646. The Catholics of the United States are descend ants in the Faith of the intrepid and courageous American martyrs, and the story of the Jesuit Martyrs, that of Kateri Tekakwitha, '“the Lily of tlie Mohawks,” and recently the sanctity of Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini, have been impressed into their consciousness, but comparatively few of us have much, if any, konwledge of other martyrs whose blood sprinkled the seed of Catholicity in our land. In our recitation of the litany of the Saints, when we implore the intercession of Patriarchs and Pro phets, Apostles and Martyrs, Confessors and Vir gins, we are, perhaps, inclined to think of martyrs in terms of those who suffered persecution under Hie pagan emperors of Rome or who died for the Faith in other far away times and places, Many of us fail to remember that North America had its own martyrs, and it is possible that a num ber of Catholics in Georgia do not even know that years before the Jesuit Martyrs were put to death in New York, Franciscan missionaries died like martyrs at the hands of the Indians within the ter ritory what is now the State of Georgia. In the fall of 1597, a young Indian chieftain, called Juanillo, who had become a convert to the Catholic Faith, later abandoned the Christian way of life taught by the missionaries. He was not satis fied with one wife, and relapsed into polygamy, the pagan mode of life. Being reprimanded by Father Pedro de Corpa, the Franciscan misisonary at Tolo- mato, located on the mainland, • opposite Zapala Island, which we now know as Sapelo Island, and filled with rag and resentment, Juanillo gathered a molt of pagan warriors about him, and breaking into Father Corpa's dwelling, they killed the priest with a tomahawk, as he knelt in prayer, and then severing his head, fixed it on top of a pole. The infuriated young savage was not content with Hie slaughter of the missionary who had cen sured him lor his immoral life, but with his angry mob, which gathered strength as it went along, rushed to neighboring missions to deal death to four other Franciscans. Going northward oil the mainland, to Tupique, near the mouth of the Altamaha River, the Indians’ thirst for blood claimed another victim, the ven erable Father Bias Rodriguez. Father Michael Kenny, the beloved Jesuit his torian and educator, once a member to the faculty of the Sacred Heart College, in Augusta, who died last year, said in his celebrated work, “I’he Ro mance of tli Florida*,” that the martyrdom of Father Rodriguez ‘‘matches the most sublime in Christian annals.” Bursting in to the chapel where Father Rodriguez was vesting for Mass, the Indians told him that they had come to kill him. Calmly facing those who had announced themselves as his executioners, the Franciscan friar asked that they grant him one favor in return for n any which he had done for them - that they would postpone this massacre until alter he had offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The Indians agreed, and with a congregation which included with the murderous mob some ol the devoted, did res ed Christian Indians, who were powerless to aitl him. Father Rodriguez ascend ed the Altar of God and offered the double sacri fice of Christ and of himself in atonement for the sins of his executioners, partaking of the Sacred Host which was his Viaticum. He was annointed with his own blood. Father Luis Geronbno de Ore. O. F. M., about 1617. wrote an authoritative account of the martyr dom of the Franciscans in Georgia, in which lie tells that at the end of the Mass, and alter'he lrid distributed his few possessions among the faithful members of his congregation, Father Rodriguez spoke to the murderous band in these words: ‘‘My children, for me it is not a difficult thing to die, for death of the body will come even though you may not be the instrument of my death. Every hour we must expect: at the end we shall have to die. What hurts me is your loss, and that the devil has been able to make you commit so great an offense against your God and Creator; it hurts me, likewise, .that you are so ungrateful for Hie work which 1 and the other fathers have undertak en for you in order to teach you the way to heaven. Look, children, now you have time, if you wish to depart from your evil intentions; God, our Master, Is merciful and He will forgive you.” The priest’s entreaty, however, did not turn Juanillo and his followers front their intent to murder him, and they crushed his head with a stone hatchet. Father Marion A. Harbig, O. F. M., in his book, “Heroes of the Cross,” an American Marlyrology, quotes further .from the story of the seventeenth century historian, Fra Luiz, to say that after Father Rodriguez had been slaughtered his body was thrown into a field, that it might suffer the in dignity of being devoured by birds, but that the birds of prey would not approach the body of the martyred priest, and that animals that came upon it, immediately turned away. Later, an old man, one of the Christian Indians, came in secret for the body ol Father Rodriguez, and buried it in the woods. His body was later removed to Florida and laid to rest at the shrine of Our Lady of la Leche which was erected some years after. At the Mission of Santa Catalina, near the mouth of the Savannah River, Juanillo and his savage Indians found Father Miguel Aunon and Brother Antonio Badajoz at prayer alter Mass. The lay brother was given a blow with a hatchet from which he soon died, but because of the respect which they had for Father Miguel the apostate Indians, hesitating to harm him, waited several days j before one of them struck the friar a vicious blow ' which crushed his head. It is related that this Indian, within a few days, gave way to despair, and hanged himself with the cord of his bow, causing great wonder among the tribesmen. Christian In dians buried (he body of Father Miguel at the foot of a cross which lie himself had erected. Juanillo then led his murderous mob to Asao, known to us as St. Simon’s Island, where Father Francisco de Veraseola was in charge of the Mis sion of Santo Domingo. 7’he priest was away at the lime, having gone to St. Augustine to obtain some things necessary for the mission and the Indians. Upon his return to liis mission, as he dis embarked. Hie Indians approached him with a dis- quised attitude of friendship, and then killed him with an ax. Next Hie Indians hastened to what we know as Jckyil Island to kill Father Francisco de Avila, who was in charge of San Bonaventura Mission there. Father de Avila escaped death, but he was wounded with arrows and then held in cruel captivity for nearly a year by the rebellious Indians. The only Franciscans who were serving on the missions in Georgia at the time who escaped the fury of the Indians were Father Pedro de Chozas and Father Francisco Pareja, of San Pedro Mission on Cumberland Island, where the chief, a good Christian, led his tribesmen against the assailants and put them to flight. Much of the story of these Martyrs of Georgia is still hidden in the archives of Spain and the Vatican, but it is by slow degrees being brought to light. About twelve years ago, Bishop John Mark Gan non of Erie, who had been designated by the Bishops of tlie United States to compile a catalog which examines the merits of “The Martyrs of America,” reported to the members of the Ameri can Hierarchy what the proper documents had been prepared for transmission -to the Holy See. The petition in the Cause was dispatched to His Eminence Carlo Cardinal Salotti, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Rites by His Eminence Dennis Cardinal Dougherty, Archbishop ot Phil adelphia. At that time, addressing himself to the laity of the United States, Bishop Gannon answered the question: "What can de do to justly honor these great missionaries who planted the Faith in our land?” “Briefly, a prayerful interest on the part of our devoted American Catholics must be enlisted. I urge, then, a crusade of prayer on behalf of this great Cause, that God may see fit to increase the glory of Holy Mother Church by blessing the en deavors of the Commission for the United States Martyrs. England has her martyrs, France and Italy theirs. Why not the United. States Martyrs? We have the testimony of their noble lives and heroic leaths. Why not, I say, God willing, the United States Martyrs? Assuredly, they are and should be America’s proudest boast.” x Bishop Gannon revealed that the documents pre pared for the Holy See contain “the names of one hundred and eleven martyrs of America who lives might merit canonical consideration.” This total, which does not include Saint Isaac Jogues and his companions—the Jesuit Martyrs of North America—is made up of seventy-six Fran ciscans, fifteen Jesuits, seven Dominicans, four Diocesan priests, one Sulpician, and eight Indian laymen. Among the Franciscans are the five who suffered martyrdom in Georgia. In a disturbed and distressed world today, our country stands forth prominently among the nations as the refuge and hope of the afflicted peoples of the earth, a land of liberty and of plenty. Yet is it not strange, as Bishop Gannon asked, ’’that Americans in general, Christians, even Catho lics, give so little thought to the Source of their national blessings and to those saintly pioneers, who conquered a wilderness, who overcame the savagery and the ignorance of aboriginal tribes, the dangers of navigation and exploration, to bring civilization and a Christian culture to America?” May we point out, as Bishop Gannon does, “that for every exploration and colonization by whatso ever nation or in whatever part of America, Catho lic missionaries, Tor the most part priests, worked side by side with our national explorers, spreading the light of a Christian faith Tnong pagan tribes, planting the Cross in every known land, dispelling ignorance by their Christian leaching; in truth, laying tlie very foundation stones of that Christian culture, which today-makes of America a free and prosperous land. In many instances, these holy missionaries watered the seed of faith whicl they planted with their own blood, thereby winning for themselves the title not only of missionaries and explorers, but of martyrs as well ... I would make America conscious of those unremembered heroes whose flag was Hie Cross, and whose greatest con tribution to their country was the Christian reli gion and culture.” In this reminder of the deaths oi the Franciscan missionaries in Georgia. The Bulletin in no way anticipates a decision of the supreme Ecclesiastical Authority, nor does it use the term martyrs in hie strict canonical sense. The story of (heir deaths >s repeated here in (lie hope that it might inspire in the Catholics of Georgia a greater appreciation of. and a more fervent devotion to, the Catholic Faith which was brought to our shores by intrepid Serv ants of God who met their deaths while nrca”h#ng Hie te:chi'ig% of Christ to the natives of a ne;vly d scovcred world. . i Dixie Musings Baxley, down in Appling Coun ty, Georgia, is within tlie terri tory which is being served by the Oblate Fathers in Douglas. 'Through the generosity of the Catholic and non-Catholic friends of tlie Oblatcs, a church has just been completed in Baxley. The new church will serve the few Catholics of Baxley and its vicinity, and should be a conven ient place lor visitors from the North to stop to hear Mass, while on their way to or from Florida during the winter tourist season. Among the lew Catholics in Baxley is Mrs. George Harper. A native of France, she was married to an American soldier, during tlie first World War. This gentleman located in Baxley after (he Armis tice, and opened a five and ten- cent store there. At infrequent intervals, priests from Douglas have offered Mass at the Harper home, so that Mrs. Harper could hear Mass without having to make a trip to Way- cross or some other nearby town where there was a Catholic church. A year or so agt* so tlie story goes, some Northern visitors, who were passing through Baxley, stopped to buy some pecans that a small Colored boy was offering for sale at a wayside stand. One of (he members of the party of tourists asked the boy if' there were a Catholic church in the town, and he said that there was, and that he would lead them to it. He got into the car with them and directed them to park in front of Mr. Harper’s five and ten- cent store, and then, to the con sternation of the visitors, pointed to Mrs. Harper, saying: “There’s the Catholic Church!” In an unprecedented action, the Abbot and ten of the choir monks and seminarian Brothers of tlie New Melleray Trappist Monas tery at Dubuque, Iowa, left their cloistered home to take part in an Arclidioeesan ceremony. Tlie monks were dispensed from their Trappist rule of silence while they attended the rites of the Archdiocesan Synod convoked by Archbishop Henry P. Rohlman of Dubuque. , * In a way, the young Colored boy that is quoted in the para graph above was not far wrong. There are sections of the South where Catholics are few and far between, and as far as their non- Calholic neighbors are concerned, the Catholic laymen living in these regions are Jhe Catholic Church. All that many non-Catholics in the rural areas of Georgia and other parts of the South know of the Catholic Church is whatever of its teachings or practices are exemplified in file lives of their Catholic friends. Whether their separated breth ren gain a good or bad opinion of the Church depends upon tlie lives Hie few Catholics they know are living. In Ms book. “The Glory of Thy People,” just published by Mac millan, M. Raphael ■Simon, O. C. S. O., of the Abbey of Our Lady of the Valley, in Rhode Island, tells the story of his conversion to the Catholic Church and of the steps which led him to become a Trap pist monk. / Monsignor Fulton J. Sheen, of Hie Catholic University of Amer ica, wrote the preface for the book, says of it: “Particularly interesting is this ' record of spiritual growth for two reasons. It comes from the pen of a scientist and a Jew, and ends with the scientist becoming more scientific than ever, and the Jew still more of a Jew. As a scientist, a doctor of medicine, and a psy chiatrist, the author saw that no science was complete which count ed the words in the book of Na ture but never inquired either who wrote the book or the moral obli gations of him who studied it . , . The same is true of his Jewish background which he sees as per fected in the faith.” Inadequacy of scientific re search in laying bare ultimate causes led Father Simon to seek ultimate truth in philosophy, which in turn led him to the study of the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas. Turning then to theology and re ligion, he was led to embrace the Catholic Faith. Brightly decorated trees in all of tlie wards, children singing carols for the patients, and Charles Gavan, in the role of San ta Claus, distributing gifts, brought a glad note of Christmas cheer at Our Lady of Perpetual Ilely Free Cancer Home, conducted by Hie Sisters of St. Dominic of the Con gregation of St. Rose of Lima, in Atlanta. A festive dinner served on trays adorned with favors further bright ened the day for the fifty-three pa tients at the Cancer Home, (lie oldest of whom is eighty-seven and the youngest, fifteen. Miss Josephine Louise Butler, daughter of Col. and Mrs. E. Cieorge Butler, of Savannah, will leave some time in February for the major European capitals to serve as a civilian employe of the Department of State, with a Navy security office. Miss Butler lias been in this field for more than five years, hav ing been first commissioned an ensign and then a lieutenant (j. g.) in the WAVES. Miss Butler was stationed in Washington from the date of her commission, resigning after the end of the war to go into government service as a civilian. In a poll conducted by die Cleveland Plain Dealer, the read ers of that newspaper voted “The Family Theatre” as tops in radio programs. This is the program which was founded by Father Patrick Pey ton, C. S. C., and which many Au- gustans delight in listening to each Thursday at 10 p. m., when it is broadcast by Station WBBQ in this city. Inaugurated by Father Peyton to promote family prayer, in par ticular the recitation of the Ros ary by families as a group, “The Family Hour” has presented a bril liant array of stage, screen and radio talent, and its well-directed, capably presented programs are deserving the popularity that they enjoyed with the readers of the newspaper in Cleveland. In a Methodist church at Am sterdam, Ohio, a charity collection lias been taken up each year at Thanksgiving for some worthy cause. The church does not have a I large congregation and the amount 'collected is not a very substantial ■ura, but it does bear the rich im print of real charity. Last Thanksgiving Day. some of Ihe Methodists in Amsterdam had heal'd of (he self-saarificing work of the Franciscan Sisters of the Sirs- Poor in neighboring Steuben ville. so the collection, with a good supply of clothing (o be distribu ted to (he poor, was sent by the Methodists to the Sislers of (he Sirk Poor who labor for the 1 needy of all races aru creeds. A miniature painting on ivory of the Madonna and Christ, which may be by Murillo, has been pre sented to the Fordham University art collection by novelist Lucille Borden. Framed in elaborately wrought silver ornamented with gold mon- ogrammed crests, the painting was sent originally by Pope Pius IX to tlie ill-starred Emperor Maximilian of Mexico in 1864. It was purchased in Mexico by Mrs. Borden's brother, an Ameri can diplomatic representative there more than fifty years ago. After receiving the painting from Mrs. Borden, Father Robert 1. Gannon, S. J., president of Ford- ham University, removed tlie rear plate inscribed "Pius IX Benedi- camus Dominum” and sealed with the Papal Arms, and discovered a piece of parchment affixed to the back of the miniature. Tlie parchment was dated 1049, and was an authentic 17th Century script. Translated from the Span ish it read: “This sacred image was painted by Murillo in the year of our Lord, 1629.” This daft* is evidently a mistake as Murillo, born in 1618, would have been only eleven years old at tlie time. Conclusive evidence is lack ing that the picture was actually painted by the Spanish master. Lucille Borden, who is Mrs, Gerald Borden in private life, was awarded the honorary degree of doctor of letters by Fordham last June in recognition of her work as an essayist, reviewer and fiction writer. Those who did not hear tlie ad dress delivered by Father Joseph Manton, C.SS.R., on Ihe Catholic Hour, December 28, missed this most delightful sentence: "Amid the clanging oi cowbells and the tooting of horns and.the bracket.y-braek of noise-makers, at the stroke of. twelve, the i'y “Hap py New Year!’ is broadcast over (he country on a national hiccup.” II. K.