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EIGHTEEN
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA JUNE 25, 1949
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BOOK REVIEWS
EDITED BY EILEEN HALL
“THE PRESENCE OF MARY”,
by Francis Charmot, S. J., trans
lated by Sister Mary Agnese, Sis
ters of Divine Providence, (Fides),
$2 50.
(Reviewed by Sylvia Zsuffa)
The presence of Mary, Our Lady,
has charmed Catholics down the
centuries. Her presence in our
homes, in our schools, in our
spiritual lives is a very real one;
a tenet distinctly Catholic. Now
Mary appears in a new role—as
the leader of Catholic Action.
What is Catholic Action? Does
it imply a whirl of activity in the
societies of our own parishes?
Does it signify a brand of militant
Catholic thought that champions
progressive causes? Is Catholic
Action restricted to the few, the
intellectuals and radicals among
us? Not at ail. Catholic Action
as Father Charmot defines it may
mean no more than living the daily
round of our lives, divorced from
outside activity, but living that-life
in spiritual awareness and humil
ity. Catholic Action means bring
ing God and Mary into our kitchen.
It can mean too, working outside
our homes in parish, community,
national, and educational affairs,
but with the keen realization that
frenetic activity is pointless with
out the core of interior life.
The necessity for an interior life,
upon which the edifice of true
Catholic Action may be built, is
the theme of “The Presence of
Mary”. It was the theme of Christ’s
message; the illustrated theme in
the lives of our saints and great
contemplatives. The necessity for
au island of interior peace is the
theme of “Seven Storey Mountain”.
Recently more and more of our
Catholic writers and thinkers are
stressing this basic concept of
Catholic living—a rich, vital, in
terior life, as a bulwark against
the progessing paganism of a high
ly technicological society, We can
not emphasize this point too much.
How can Mary help us in Cath
olic Action? Since Catholic Ac
tion has two objects—“the sancifi-
cation of the laity and the Chris
tianization of one’s environment”,
her mediation is necessary. Mary,
being the best teacher, will guide
us in the type of interior life neces
sary to the true lay apostle. She
does this by bringing forth Jesus
Christ in our souls, for the effec
tiveness of Catholic Action comes
not from without, but from within.
“I don’t see that,” you may say.
“I go directly to God for spiritual
aid.” But you forget that man lives
supernaturally only when his
natural life is grafted onto Jesus,
Who was also man. It is more
natural and more fitting that we
approach Mary first, begging for
“the Man Who Is God, rather than
that.we appeal directly to God for
the God who was Man.” Mary,
thus, is the guide and educator of
the lay apostle.
How shall we prepare to be lay
apostles? Mary gives her orders:
we are not to hold aloof from
those around us; we are to live
with our neighbors; \ye are to be
models of civic and national life.
Our lives are to be hidden leaven,
which will raise the standards of
our society. She lays down another
principle for Catholic Action,
namely the necessity for TRAINED
apostles. Mary prepared even
Jesus for His mission, over a long
period of years. If we are to be
effective lay apostles, a novitiate
therefore, is necessary.
This novitiate may well start in
the home. Catholic Action must
oegin with the sanctification of the
family. The wife must be faithful
to her home; she must prepare
to fill the role of educator in ber
family. The child muse submit
to his parents, even as Jesus did.
Notions that the child must be in
dependent, as set forth in the psy
chologies of behavorism and prag
matism that even today playing
havoc with our schools, are con
tradictory to the lessons of Naz
areth. The Holy Family teaches
us that the education of children
must be founded upon the authori
ty of parents and children’s obedi
ence.
We have come a long way from
Uve ordered family life of Nazareth,
even from that of the Victorian.
Perhaps the neglect of those two
principles laid down in Nazareth,
authority and obedience, more than
any other cause, can account for
(he juvenile delinquency, the pre
cocity, the low moral standards of
our youth. As lay apostles, we
must start with the sanctification
of our own families.
Now how arc we to operate?
Should we look upon our work as
lay apostles as giving us an oppor
tunity to boss our neighbor? Is
Catholic Action merely an oppor
tunity for social leadership? Mary
has the answer. We, as apostles,
must ourselves decrease, that
Christ may increase in us. The lay
apostle must remember that he
himself does nothing. It is Christ
working in and through him 'who
accomplishes good. And Christ can
work in and through him, if the
apostle will unite himself with
Mary, consecrate himself to Mary,
and pray to Mary. These are basic
modi operandi of the lay apostle.
There are so many startling
thoughts, fresh thoughts on Our
Mother and her important role in
our lives that regretfully cannot
be included in a short review.
Treatment of the family life at
Nazareth, the excelleht chapter on
Mary’s role as educator, the one
on consecration to Mary contain
brilliant material, simply present
ed.
For theological writing, “The
Presence of Mary” is distinguished
by the rapid style, and colorful
imagery of good novel technique.
Most outstanding js the beautiful
logic, and flawless development of
idea that we have come to asso
ciate with the Jesuit mind, par
ticularly the French Jesuit.
If you need absorbing reading,
or fresh material for thought, or
a renewed awareness of Mary’s
help in your life, (and who
doesn’t?) don’t miss miss this book.
“FATHER JEROME AND THE
BRIDAL COUPLE,” by Honoratus
Bonzelet, O. F. M., (St. Anthony’s
Guild). $1.25.
(Reviewed by Wenonah Chambers)
We see tragic examples on every
hand of uncertainty and confusion
faced by young people, too often
because of ignorance of well-mean
ing parents. Father Bonzelet has
added valuable and helpful ad
vice, in this attractively bound
little book, to the much needed
literature which will dispel that
uncertainty and confusion. Catho
lics and non-Catholics alike could
profit by his timely words on the
subject of marriage, and you could
find no better gift for the young
couple who are contemplating mar
riage.
Written in dialogue form, the
conversation never lags. The read
er has a ring-side seat while Fath
er Jerome and the clever Madge
match wits. And it isn’t a book
for bridal couples only. There's
plenty of enlightenment in it for
parents as well. Mothers who wish
to advise their children as they
begin preparing for the Sacrament
of Matrimony will- also find it
just what they need.
Father Jerome gives excellent
advice on parental duties, and
quotes our beloved Pope on several
occasions. His explanation of a
parent’s duty of instructing, guid
ing and disciplining his children
is enlivened by the following
amusing (??) incident;
“How well,” he says, “do I re
member that when I was a lad of
12, I had contracted the bad habit
of loafing on the way from school
and coming home late. On one oc
casion my father waited for me; he
patiently explained to me that
punctuality is a sign of good
breeding and the soul of success
. . .A week later I had forgotten
this warning and came home late
again. Nothing was said. But when
I had retired to bed that evening
Father approached the problem by
applying the back of a hairbrush
to a more understandable seat of
my understanding. In retrospect,
I have always been sure that my
father’s course was wise and kind,
and in my contacts with modern
youth, I increasingly regret that
nowadays the paternal hairbrush
and the paternal heir are so rarely
turned bottom up.”
I can’t be too enthusiastic in
recommending this little book. It
should find a special place on your
bookshelf, where, like a trusted
friend, you’ll take advantage of its
presence often.
SIX LATIN RITE PRIESTS
ORDAINED IN CHICAGO BY
EASTERN RITE BISHOP
CHICAGO, 111.—By special in-
dult of His Holiness Pope Pius XII,
an Oriental Itite prelate, Bishop
Peter F. Bucys, M. I. C., Superior
General of the Marian Fathers
Congregation from Rome, ordained
six priests in the Latin Rite, at an
unusual and historic ceremony in
the Marian Hills Seminary Hins
dale.
Bearded Bishop Bucys wore Latin
Rite robes, which were loaned him
by Bishop William D. O’Brien,
Auxiliary of Chicago, for the im
pressive rites.
-Pictured above are some members of the
ART STUDENTS AT SACRED HEART, BELMONT
Art Class at Sacred Heart Junior College and Academy, Belmont, N. C., in the great out
doors, recording on canvas some well loved sp>t of the familiar landscape.
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Art Work of Students at Sacred Heart
Junior College and Academy, Belmont
Features Exhibit Held in Charlotte
BELMONT, N. C. — The art
work of students at Sacred Heart
Junior College and Academy won
much favorable comment from
those who saw the paintings on
exhibition recently at the Mint
Museum in Charlotte.
The collection revealed a wide
range of interest and ability in
varied mediums. Frances O’Donog-
hue, Dolores Couch, Ann Stewart
and Toni Kyrus displayed worthy
accomplishments in the tedious
category of still life. Edith Smith
King’s oil portrait of “Rocky” was
reproduced in The Charlotte Ob
server, and other portraits were
skillfully executed by Miss O’Don-
oghue and Miss Kyrus.
Two humorous painting in oil
by Miss Couch, similar to the in
volved animated covers of Collier’s
weekly, were a novel feature, and
Mary Ann Clegg’s “Ballerina
Girls” were highly praised.
Included in the collection of
twenty-nine paintings that were
placed on exhibition were two
provocative still lifes in oil and a
sensitive water color by Sister M.
Theophane, art instructor at
Sacred Heart Junior College.
Father John Barrett, Chicago, to
Head Catholic Hospital Association
ST. LOUIS — Reaffirmation of
the principle of voluntary Christ
ian health care as opposed to gov
ernment-sponsored health care was
the central theme of the 34th an
nual convention of the Catholic
Hospital Association, which has
concluded in Kiel Auditorium here.
More than 3,000 lay and religious
representatives of Catholic hos
pitals in the United States, Canada,
Mexico, and Denmark were re
minded time and again during the
four-day meeting of the spiritual
motivation of the Catholic hospital,
which must always continue to give
service to the sick and poor in
the spirit of Christ to be worthy
of the name Catholic.
This thought was emphasized by
Bishop Rosario Brodeur of Alex
andria Ontario, Episcopal Chair
man of the Catholic Hospital
Council of Canada, in his sermon
at the Solemn Pontifical Mass
'opening the convention. He de
clared that “leadership and ef
ficiency are possible only if our
hospitals maintain and increase
their Catholic spirit.” The Mass
was offered by Archbishop Joseph
E. Ritter of St. Louis, host to the
convention.
Dr. John S. Hirschboeck, dean
of Marquette University School of
medicine, Milwaukee, Wis., dis
cussing the important role the hos
pital plays in health education,
stated that it is the duty of the
Catholic hospital to encourage the
young physician to preserve his
medical ideals. In yet another area,
Dr. Edwin L. Crosby, director,
Johns Hopkins Hospital, Balti
more, cited the Baltimore approach
to community planning as an in
stance of hospital research aiding
a ,locality in caring for its sick.
The spiritual objectives of the
Catholic hospital were re-empha
sized in a general meeting by Bish
op Charles H. Helmsing, Auxiliary
of St. Louis, and by the Very Rev.
Francis J. Dodd, ‘ C. M., director,
Daughters of Charity of St. Vin
cent de Paul, Emmitsburg, Md.
Father Dodd said that one of the
great responsibilities of the Cath
olic • hospital today is to keep its
surgery and medicine within the
limits approved by the Church.
Principal speakers at the final
general meeting included Dr. E.
Bryan Quarles, director, hospital
ization service, Veterans’ Admin
istration; Joseph G. Norby, presi
dent, American Hospital Associa
tion, and the Rev. Joseph B.
Toomey, diocesan director of hos
pitals, Syracuse, N. Y.
Father John W. Barrett, arch
diocesan director of hospitals,
Chicago, was elected president of
the association and inducted into
office. Father Barrett succeeds
Monsignor George Lewis Smith of
Aiken, S. C.
Father Barrett has been active
in the Catholic Hospital Associ
ation for the past 19 years. In ad
dition to his new duties as presi
dent of the organization, he is a
trustee of the American Hospital
Association.
Others elected included; Msgr.
John R. Mulroy of Denver, former
vice-president of the American
Hospital Association, president
elect Msgr.; H. Joseph Jacobi of
New Orleans, first ice-president;
Msgr. Maurice F. Griffin, Cleve
land, past president of the organi
zation, second vice-president.
Elected to the association's ex
ecutive board were: Sister Fidelis
of St. Joseph’s Hospital, Houston,
Tex.; Sister Martha, O. S. F., St.
Elizabeth’s Hospital, Brighton,
Mass.; Sister Rita, R. S. M. Mercy
Hospital, Nampa, Idaho, Sister
Lydia, St. Vincent’s Hospital, In
dianapolis, Ind.; Sister Claire, Sis
ters of St. Ann, British Columbia,
and Sister Louise, S. S. J., St.
Joseph’s Hospital, Toronto, Canada.
Sister Helen Jarrell of Chicago,
will remain as secretary, and Sis
ter Seraphia of St. Louis, as
treasurer.
Training for Leadership
To Be Theme of Course
Sponsored by K. of C.
(Special To The Bulletin)
NEW HAVEN, Conn.— Training
for future leadership is to be the
general theme of the 26th annual
Summer School of Boy Leadership
to be held at the St. Joseph Abbey,
St. Benedict, La., on the week-end
of July 1-2-3 under the auspices
of the Knights of Columbus Su
preme Council Boy Life Bureau.
This intensive training session
in youth leadership will be open
to all Catholic men, eighteen years
of age or older, and will feature
a thorough indoctrination in all
phases of Catholic youth work in
cluding organization and operation
of a youth program, planning ac
tivities, maintaining necessary re
lationships, etc. In past years the
training received in the Boy Lead
ership courses have been particul
arly beneficial to those volunteer
workers in such programs as the
parish C. Y. O., Scouting, Colum
bian Squires, Etc.
The financing of the training
course is on ^n actual cost basis
of the lodging and meals and all
fees are payable to St. Joseph’s
Abbey. All lectures and demon
strations will be conducted by the
professionally trained staff of the
Knights of Columbus Boy Life
Bureau.
Advance registrations may be
made through the Rev. Guestmas-
ter, O. S. B., St. Joseph Abbey, St.
Benedict, Louisiana, or through
John J. Contway, Executive Direc
tor, Knights of Columbus Boy Life
Bureau, New Haven, Connecticut.
Charleston Kiwanians
Present Cup to Bishop
England High Key Club
CHARLESTON, S. C.—The Key
Club of Bishop England High
School was awarded the Kiwanis
Club achievement cup in a cere
mony held at the luncheon meeting
of the Charleston Kiwanis Club
held on June 2 at the Francis
Marion Hotel.
The cup, donated by J. Dougal
Bissell, who was instrumental in
organizing the first Key Club in
Charleston, in 1942, is awarded on
the basis of achievement during
the preceding school year. A com
mittee of judges from the-Kiwanis
Club selects the winning group of
the basis of reports submitted. Key
Clubs are high school leadership
fraternities sponsored by the
Kiwanians.
Presentation of the cup was
made by S. A. Cothran, and the
acceptance was by Thomas R. Duf
fy, president of the Bishop En*-
4and Key Club,
Graduation Exercises
Held at Sacred Heart
School in Augusta
AUGUSTA, Go. — Graduation
exercises for nine eighth grade
students at the Sacred Heart
School were held on June 3, fol
lowing a Mass celebrated by Fath
er F. D. Sullivan, S. J., pastor of
the Sacred Heart Church. Music
for the Mass was by the school
choir, under the direction of Sis
ter Mary Annette, R. S. M., with
Miss Alice Doyle at the organ.
The following pupils, presented
by Sister M. Martina, R. S. M.,
principal of the school, received
diplomas: Mclvis Bailey. Margaret
Brown, Shirley Daniel, Peggy
Dowling, Sybil Hickey, Josephine
Le Blanc, Barbara Varnum, Sara
Vermillion and Catherine White.
After the exercises, the graduat
ing class were guests of the Pa
rent-Teacher Association at a
breakfast in the school cafeteria,
with Mrs. A. R. La Montagne, Mrs.
B. B. Boeckman, Mrs. Sam Fen
nell. Mrs. Neil Callahan and Mrs.
E. G. Hickson serving as hostesses.
Shirley Daniel, first honor grad
uate, was awarded a cerificate of
honorable mention in the Irish
History essay contest sponsored na
tionally by the A. O. H. Auxiliary,
and won third prize in the state es
say contest sponsored by the auxil
iary. Peggy Dowling was second
honor graduate.
FATHER JOHN B. GRELLIN-
GER of the staff of St. Francis
Seminary, Milwaukee, has been
named by His Holiness Pope Pius
XII to be Titular Bishop of Syene
and Auxiliary to Bishop Stanislaus
Bona of Green Bay.