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FOUR THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA NOVEMBER 27, 1948 ©l?p fBullptiii The Official Organ of the Catholic Laymen’s Association of Georgia. Incorporated. “ IfUGH KINCHLEY, Editor 216-217 Southern Finance Building, Augusta, Ga. ASSOCIATION OFFICER FOR 1948-1949 FRED WIGGINS, Albany President M. J. CALLAHAN, Macon. Honorary Vice-President HUGH GRADY, Savannah Vice-President J. B. McCALLUM, Atlanta Secretary MARSHALL WELLBORN, Rome Treasurer HUGH KINCHLEY, Augusta ..Executive Secretary MISS CECILE FERRY, Augusta Financial Secretary A. M. McAULIFFE, Augusta Auditor VOL. XXIX NOVEMBER 27, 1948 No. 11 Entered as second class matter June 15 1921 at the (Post Office at Augusta. Georgia, under the Act of March .3 1879 accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided in paragraph 4. section 538 Postal Laws and Roe'ulations as modified bv onraeranh f> , Member of N C W C News Service. Religious News Service the Catholic Press Association of the United States the Georgia Press Association. and the National Editorial Association Published monthly by the Catholic Laymen's Association of Georgia Inc., with the Approbation of the Most Rev erend Bishops of Charleston and Savannah-Atlanta, and of the Right Reverend Abbot -Ordinary of Belmont. „ That Libelous “K. of C. Oath” Again { T is astounding to learn that leaflets upon which had been printed that scurrilous and libelous matter which was purported to be the “oath” taken by Fourth Degree, Knights of Columbus, re cently appeared again in Savannah, after a lapse of twenty years. The same “bogus oath" was being circulated in Savannah in 1928, and resulted in the conviction, on charges of criminal libel, of the person who circulat ed it at that time, and the imposition of a fine and a jail sentence. The conviction and sentence were upheld after the case had been appealed to higher courts. Immediately upon the new appearance of the document, members of Savannah Council, No. 631, Knights of Columbus, and of the DeSoto Province, Fourth Degree K. of C., inserted advertisements in Savannah newspapers offering $25,000 reward to any one who could .prove that what was being cir culated, had any resemblance to any pledge taken by members of the Knights of Columbus. There is certainly no danger that any person of intelligence would be deceived by such a mani fest attempt to libel and discredit members of the Knights of Columbus, but that it should be made, is evidence that efforts are being made to arouse anti- Catholic prejudice in Georgia. “ In recent months there have been repealed evi dences of anti-Catholic prejudice in other parts of the United States, and it might be expected that in Georgia, too, there are some individuals and groups who are susceptible to infection with the virus of intolerance. ,, Along this line, there appeared a few weeks ago in The Sylvania Telephone, one of Georgia’s weekly newspapers, an editorial in which it was stated that: “A leading national magazine. Colliers, recently published an editorial in which it stated that Col liers believes the gate way to world peace is the Church door; “This statement is, or should be, generally true, but it can never be completely true until there is more tolerance among the various religious denomi nations. So long as there are religious organiza tions which refuse to recognize the right of another group to worship God in a slightly different manner, the Church can never perform the service to world peace it should perform. "Probably the one denomination more general ly disliked by all other denominations is the Catho lic Church. Recently we were asked “Why do the other churches hate the Catholics so?’ “To that question we can see but one answer, ‘jealousy’.” Observers of the national scene have directed attention to a situation which is causing concern throughout the country. The number of attacks jjpon things Catholic is growing larger. This is not too alarming for we have been subject to per secution before ant have come to expect outbreaks of bigotry at repeated intervals. What should cause concern today is the ap parent evidence that, out of hatred of the Church, , the foes of Catholicism are actually aiding the enemies of our country. / Archbishop Cushing of Boston declared open ly not long ago what many of us knew secretly. "The wave of anti-Catholicism, which is gaining momentum in the United States, can no longer be dismissed as being due to crackpots or irresponsible fanatics disavowed by their own non-Catholic churches or communities. Neither can it be dis missed as a superficial thing aimed only at certain Catholic practices, privileges or persons. Current anti-clericalism, inspired from abroad, has already won to its ranks a growing number of non-Catholic clergymen, who have served clear notice of their at titude toward us.” No longer are the attacks on a plane with the type of opposition to the Catholic Church which finds expression in the circulation of a bogus “K. of C. oath.” These days, those who are attacking the Church are not found in the under privileged or unenlightened portion of the nation’s popula tion. but rather among the important people in various fields of national life. Instead of ignorant persons, prompted by emotion and prejudice, some of the better minds in the country are now entering the combat against Catholicism. They do not hide their identity under hoods, but on the contrary seem ever ready to state their views in print or over the air and in the courts. None of us is foolish enough to believe, even with r.tl tint the Catholic Laymen’s Association of Georgia has accomplished, that it will be possible to prevent the spirit of antagonism toward the Catho lic Church which is being aroused throughout the country from infiltrating into Georgia. The Catholic laity of Georgia can, however, witii tlie approval of their Bishop, and the co operation of their priests, continue and expand their efforts to remove prejudice and misunderstanding and misinformation from the minds of their non- Catholic fellow-citizens, and in so doing, with t he blessing of God, promote the welfare of our Church, our State and our Nation. Our New Officers W HILE the members of the Catholic Laymen’s Association of Georgia are sincere in their" regret that it was not possible for Estes Doremus, of Atlanta, to accept nomination for an other term as their president, they are congratulat ing themselves in their selection of Fred Wiggins, of Albany, to succeed Mr. Doremus as president. The Laymen’s Association is fortunate, indeed, in its choice of a new president, for in choosing Mr. biggins they are no\y placing at the head of the Association one of the courageous group of Catholic laymen who met in Macon, in 1916, when the Catholic Laymen’s Association of Georgia was founded. Throughout all of the years since its organiza tion, Mr. Wiggins has been prominent in its work, as president of the local branch in Albany; as one of its local vice-presidents; as a member of its ex ecutive committee, and since 1943, as its vice-presi dent. By a coincidence, Mr. Wiggins was elected at the only convention which the Association has ever held in Southeast Georgia, and it was at Brunswick, scene of this year’s convention, that Mr. Wiggins was born, and it was there that he spent the earlier years of his life. For some years now a resident of Albany, he is one of that city’s outstanding civic leaders and a successful business man, being connected in a highly responsible capacity with the Hofmayer Dry Goods Company, one of Southwest Georgia’s lead ing wholesale concerns. Fred Wiggins has proven through the years that he is thoroughly capable to serve with distinction as president of the Catholic Laymen’s Association. In electing Hugh H. Grady, of Savannah, as vice-president, the Laymen’s Association is making another wise choice. Mr. Grady, who heads the trust department of the Liberty National Bank and Trust Company in Savannah, is one of that city’s best known and most highly regarded citizens. He has been active for years in the work of the Lay men’s Association, prominent in Knights of Colum bus circles and in every form of Catholic activity. He has served the Association well as its treasurer for the past seven years. . Marshall Wellborn, of Rome, who succeeds Mr. Grady as treasurer, has headed the local branch of the Laymen’s Association there for several years, and has shown himself to be most interested in its efforts. He is the representative of Courts and and Company, investment brokers of Atlanta, in Rome, and one of the most prominently known Catholic laymen in North Georgia. Holst C. Beall, of Macon, is one of that city’s civic leaders and the distributor in that area for Texaco Petroleum Products. He has been promi nently identified' with Knights of Columbus and other Catholic activity in Macon, and will be a worthy addition to the executive committee of the Laymen’s Association. The other newly-elected member of the execu tive committee of the Laymen’s Association, Joseph L. Owens, Of Brunswick, operates the Coastal Chev rolet Company there Though comparatively a newcomer in the work of the Laymen’s Association, he demonstrated his keen interest in it by his ef forts which had so much to do with making the convention in Brunswick a success in every way. A change in the By-Laws of the Association, by amendment at the convention in Brunswick, places Estes Doremus, the retiring president, on its executive committee, where his continued services will be most valuable to his successor in the presi dency and the Association. The members of the Association feel that they are entitled to be proud of their new officers and look forward to splendid progress under their lead ership, and that of the officers who were reelected to positions which they held last year. Through - thirty-two years of existence, the Catholic Laymen’s Association of Georgia has ex perienced prosperous times and times of depres sion, times of strive and times of peace. The loyal support of its members has made It possible for it to advance under good and adverse circumstances. The Association faces the coming year with confi dence, not because it believes that all will be se rene, but because its members know that its work will require sacrifices and effort, just as any worth while work demands them, and the Catholic men and women of Georgia are ready to make the sac rifices and give the effort, just as they have done in every year since the Association launched Its campaign against intolerance in this State. There are indications that there will be a real need for an organization like the Catholic Laymen’s Association of Georgia in the days that are ahead. It Is good for the church and good for Georgia, that the Laymen’s Association is flourishing and is facing the future with confidence. A New Abbot at Conyers M EMBERS of the Catholic laity in Georgia join gladly with His Excellency Bishop Gerald P. O’Hara and the clergy and Religious of the Diocese of Savannah-Atlanta in extending a cor dial welcome to the Right Reverend Dorn Mary Robert McGann, of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, whose election as Abbot of the Abbey of Our Lady of the Holy Ghost, in Conyers, has just been confirmed by the Abbot General of the Trappist Order in Rome. It is well to know that the good Father Robert when stationed at the Abbey of Gethscmani, had been the Novice Master of nearly all of the monks at the Abbey of Our Lady of the Holy Ghost, except of course, the novices who have joined this community- since its foundation in 1944. His own wealth of deep spiritual and ascetic life, therefore, was the source from which these monks imbibed their fervent religious training and principles of su pernatural living in the strict and austere Trappist mode of life. And now, after a lapse of time, these men have chosen their former Spiritual Father at the Abbey of .Gethsemani, Kentucky, whom they highly esteem, to be their Abbot, to govern and guide them further in the ways of God. Since its establishment four years ago, the Abbey at Conyers has made remarkable progress under the guidance of Abbot M. James Fox, O. C. S. O., who has left Georgia to return to the Abbey of Gethsemani as Abbot of that community. Assuredly, the sanctuary of prayer and sacri fice at Conyers will continue to prosper, spiritually and temporally, under the devoted leadership of Abbot James’ successor, Abbot Robert Dixie Musings Evidence of the cordial hos pitality which all Brunswick ex tended to the delegates to the Catholic Laymen’s Associalon of Georgia convention was found in expressions such as that which was contained in a letter address ed to Joseph L. Owens, president of the Brunswick Branch, by Juli us Tankersley, motor court owner in Brunswick who offered accom modations, gratis, to any of the visitors who might not be able to secure rooms at the hotel which was the convention headquarters. The recent visit to Rome of Secreatry of State George C. Marshall marks the first time that, during his term, of office, a U. S. Secretary of State was received in papal audience, according to ob servers in the National Capitol. It was recalled that President Lincoln’s Secretary of State, Wil liam H. Seward, was received by Pope Pius IX in 1859, two years before he became Secretary of State. Another former presiden tial cabinet member, and later President, William H. Taft, two years before he became Secretary of War, had two audiences with Pope Leo XIII, in 1902, while a member of the special U. S. com mission sent to the Vatican to set tle the Philippine friars’ land ques tion. Sumner Welles, while Un der-Secretary of State was sent to Europe as President Roosevelt’s special envoy and was received in private audience by Pope Pius XII in March, 1940. It was also pointed out that General U. S. Grant, in 1878, while on a world tour, shortly after his term in the White House, was received in audience by Pope Leo XIII. In January, 1919, Woodrow Wilson, on his famous trip to Eu rope, visited Pope Benedict XV, the only president of the United States received by a Supreme Pon tiff while in office. President Harry S. Truman and Governor Thomas E. Dewey, wind ing up their whirlwind campaigns for the Presidency with speeches In Boston, called on Archbishop Richard J. Cushing of Boston, who received the candidates of the major parties within twenty-four hours of each other in the days immediately preceding the elec tion. The first musical setting of the well-known Marian poem, “Lovely Lady Dressed in Blue,” recently published, has been dedicated to Monsignor Fulton J. Sheen, who popularized this prayer to the Blessed Virgin on his Catholic Hour broadcasts. The composer is Frederic J. Neslon, a convert- seminarian at St. Francis Major Seminary, Milwaukee. Philatelists among our readers may be interested in knowing that Dr. C. J. Reilly, a former Geor gian, now located in Eustis, Flor ida, has sent The Bulletin a list of postage stamps of Catholic inter est, which is a valuable addition to the reference files of the Cath olic Laymen’s Association of Geor gia. Monsignor Joseph D. Mitchell, of the Diocese of Savannah-At lanta, now serving as chaplain of the Alexian Brothers’ Rest Resort at Signal Mountain, Tennessee, was recently honored at a recep tion commemorating the eighth an niversary of his coming to Signal Mountain. Nearly a hundred friends of Monsignor Mitchell attended the gathering, which was sponsored by members of St. Augustine’s parish. Monsignor Mitchell, who was ordained in 1908, served for thirty years in Savannah, as pastor of old St. Patrick’s Church and as rector of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. In 1940, he went to the Rest Resort to recover from an illness. By 1943, he had re gained his health, but his failing eyesight prevented his returning to Georgia, so he was granted leave to remain at Signal Moun tain, where he serves the local parish and the Alexian Brothers’ Rest Resort. T. V. Williams, Jr., a member of St. Paul’s parish in Douglas, now attending the University of Notre Dame, has been selected as a member of the varsity debating team. The nationally-famous Notre Dame debate team opened a one hundred match season with par- icipation in the National Confer ence on Federal Aid to Educa tion at Purdue University, where the question to be discussed will be: “That There Should Be Fed eral Aid to Education.” Debating teams representing Oxford Uni versity, the United States Mili tary Academy, the United States Naval Academy, Southern Cali fornia, Florida, Columbia, Purdue and Notre Dame will compete in the discussions. A memorial service in honor of the twenty-four Navy chaplains who died during World War II was held at the naval base at Nor folk aboard the USS Schmitt, a destroyer transport named to hon or Father Aloysius H. Schmitt, who was the first Navy chaplain to give his life during the war. He lost his life on the USS Okla homa which capsized, while aid ing companions in a flooded com partment to escape through a port hole. A Catholic high school student, Edward J. S. Herr, of Philadel phia, won first prize in a contest on “What the Presidential Elec tion Means to the Teen-Ager” conducted in connection with the Mutual Broadcasting System’s cov erage of the national elections. Work on casting the 22-foot statue of “Christ, the Light of the World,” which is to be placed in front of the building of the Na tional Catholic Welfare Conference in Washington, D. C„ is expected to be completed in three months, according to Eugene Kormendi, the statue’s sculptor. The statue wilL be of light-green bronze, and will be veneered to prevent oxi dation. H. K. THE NEW MAGNETIC CATECHISM QUIZ GAME The "St. Thomas Aquinas Magnetic Catechism Quiz Game” has been acclaimed by Catholic Educators everywhere. Beautiful and color ful, it answers hundreds of Catechism questions magnetically. Fasci nating and instructive. Has full ec cleiastical approval. Size: 11x17 inches. Price $2.00. For sale at yo ur church goods dealer. If he can not supply you, order direct, money back guarantee, postpaid, or send post card for full color catalogue. Kroll Publishing Co., Dept. 13, Brooklyn 19, N. Y. Best Wishes HAYNIE’S, Inc. Exclusive Piece Goods Store 1207 BROADWAY COLUMBUS, GA. CIMCO FEEDS Cimco Enriched Self-Rising White Corn Meal Pearce’s White Corn Meal CITY MILLS COMPANY COLUMBUS, GEORGIA “Over 100 Years of Milling”