Newspaper Page Text
JUNE 20, 19SS
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
SEVEN
Education Withoul
Religion 'Absurd
And Incomplete'
ST. BON A VENTURE, N. Y.—
(NC)—Archbishop Richard J. Cush
ing of Boston declared at the 93rd
commencement exercises of St.
Bonaventure University that educa
tion without religion “is absurd
and incomplete—and dangerous to
the common good.”
The Boston prelate presided at
the exercises and also received one
of the five honorary degrees con
ferred by the university. “Few
men in these or other times,” his
citation read, “have chosen so
wisely, served sor faithfully and
realized so fruitfully the stated
goal of their life.”
In the principal speech of the
day, the Archbishop referred to
what he termed “a campaign to
discredit” Catholic educational in
stitutions as “divisive and alien."
Catholics maintain a separate
system of schools because they be
lieve “education must aim at the
harmonious development of the
whole man and all his faculties,
training him to use these noble
endowments for the highest pur
pose of life,” he said.
“Hence, education is and must
always be incomplete without re
ligion. If education be a prepara
tion for life, and the life of men
lasts beyond the grave, then one
must prepare not only for life
here, but for life hereafter.”
If religion is ignored, he said,
morality will not stand up under
the stress and storms of life. At
tempts to teach morality without
religion “are always futile,” Arch
bishop Cushing maintained.
“Republics live by virtue,” he
said, “and morality is the very
soul of good citizenship.” The pre
late recalled addresses by George
Washington and Calvin Coolidge
both stressing the need for a re
ligious foundation to national
morality.
“The Catholic educational sys
tem teaches the civic virtues upon
the basis of religion ... It incul
cates as a matter of religious duty
the habits of personal honor, self-
restraint, respect for one’s fellows,
the diginity and blessedness of
labor, all of which are of vital im
portance in a republic such as
ours,” he stated.
“It is difficult to imagine how
civic morality of an enduring kind
can be taught on any other basis
than that of religion . . .
“Education without religion is
absurd and incomplete. Our posi
tion is that it is also dangerous to
the common good as well as the
welfare of the individual person.”
Others who received doctorates
at the commencement were Am
bassador Jose Felix de Lequerica
of Spain; Major General Hugh M.
Milton, U. S. Army; Alwin F.
Franz, Colorado Fuel wand Iron
Corporation President; and Paul
Harvey, network newscaster.
The University awarded 204
bachelor degrees and 33 advanced
degrees. In addition, 21 medals
AT MACON K. OF C. PICNIC
K. OF C. HOLD
ANNUAL PICNIC
FOR CHILDREN
MACON—Wednesday, June 3d,
was the date of the annual picnic at
Ragan’s Park given by the Knights
of Columbus to St. Joseph’s Paro
chial School children and faculty,
the Sisters of Mercy at Mount de
Sales and the Sisters of the Blessed
Sacrament at St. Peter Claver
Church being invited guests.
Chairmen of the committees ap
pointed by Grand Knight John F.
McBrearty were; Julian F. Rooks,
Bathhouses; Thomas S. Union,
Swimming and Water Safety; John
P. Cassidy, Rides and Entertain
ment; Robert J. Hinson, Transpor
tation; Sam Vullo, Food Service;
Robert E. McCrary, Cold Drinks
Service; Nick J. Pascullis, Food
Preparation; and Pat B. O’Malley,
Skating.
The Knights of Columbus Auxil
iary headed by Mrs. Robert J. Hin
son, president, was in charge of
table arrangements and service.
THE ABOVE PICTURES were taken at the Annual Knights of Columbus picnic for the children
of St. Joseph School, Macon. In the upper photo part of the crowd is shown. To the left of the
picture the gentleman walking briskly is District Deputy Bob Hinson of the Second Georgia Dis
trict. In the lower picture two of the mothers, Mrs. Joseph F. Moran and Mrs. Cecile C. McKenna
are pictured with Grand Knight Elect John Cassidy.—(Photo Herman Huhn).
MRS. M. C. PENTON
DIES AT SAVANNAH
SAVANNAH, Ga.—Funeral ser
vices for Mrs. Margaret C. Penton
were held on June 3rd at the
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
Survivors include three broth
ers, F. J. Conneff, H. S. Conneff
and J. H. Conneff, and one sister,
Mrs. J. P. White, all of Savannah,
and several nieces and nephews.
and prizes were awarded to out
standing students, including the
naming of Francis J. Henderson,
Negro athlete of Washington D. C,
as the “ideal Bonaventure man” of
the graduating class, Henderson
was president of the senior class,
starred in football and track, and
was chosen for “Who’s Who in
American Colleges and Universi
ties.” He was one of 64 seniors
sworn in as second lieutenants in
the Army Field Artillery.
LET US TAKE YOU TO MASS ON SUNDAY MORNING
BUCKHEAD SUBURBAN CAB CO.
PHONE CHEROKEE 1152 — 4 W. PACES FERRY ROAD, N. W.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Aiken Missions Observe the
Centenial of Their Founding
Give Yourself a Raise
INVESTING YOUR SAVINGS WISELY!
HOURS" Mon, thru Fri. 8 am-3 pm
Closed on Saturday
DeKfdh County Federal
Savings and Loan Association
SHEPARD BRYAN, Chm. Bd.
BONNEAU ANSILEY. Pres. C- P. McMURRAY, Exec. V. Pres.
121 E. Pence die Leon Aye,. DE. 2556
1242 Glen wood Avenue. S. E. D< 1357
DECATUR, GA.
(N. C. W. C. News Service)
AIKEN, S. C. — A wealth of
Catholic history was brought to
light as a Pontificial Mass marked
the 100th anniversary of the
founding of the Aiken Missions
here, where Mass was first cele
brated in 1540, 80 years before the
Pilgrims landed in New England.
Celebrant of the anniversary
Mass was Bishop John Russell of
Charleston.
The Aiken area, now a fashion
able winter resort and site of the
new Savannah River atomic energy
plant, is rich in historical associa
tions for American Catholics.
In the spring of 1540 an expedi
tion led by Hernando De Soto,
Spanish explorer who discovered
Florida, came up the Savannah
River and camped at Silver Bluff
in what was to become the terri
tory of the Aiken Missions.
There were eight Spanish secu
lar priests, a Trinitarian, a Fran
ciscan and two Dominicans with
the expedition, which had as its
objective the conversion of the
Indians as well as the search for
precious metals. Finding no gold
or silver near Aiken, the expedi
tion turned westward towards the
Mississippi after a short stay here.
About five years after De Soto
and his Conquistadores left this
area Captain .Juan Pardo led an
other expedition of soldiers and
priests into it. He too camped near
Silver Bluff, where he erected a
Cross beside the flag of Spain.
Aiken’s present pastor, Msgr.
George L. Smith, hopes to mark
the site where the Cross was erect
ed with a monument, but has not
yet been able to obtain title to the
land.
In the early 18th century a num
ber of Irish Catholic families set
tled near Aiken and were occas
ionally visited by a missionary
priest. It was not until 1831, how
ever, that the first church was
built in this region. St. Andrew the
Apostle was erected that year In
Barnwell under the pastorate of
Father John Barry, who later be
came Bishop of Savannah. The
famous Bishop John England of
Charleston used to come to the
church to administer Confirmation
and to preach. St. Andrew’s is still
standing and in regular use.
In 1853 the Aiken Missions were
established by Bishop Ignatius
Reynolds of Charleston. This Mis
sions’ territory- comprised seven
counties at that time and covered
Colorado Townsmen
Fight Threat to
Their Nun Teachers
ANTONITO, Colo. — (RNS) —
Citizens of this south-central Colo
rado town held a mass-meeting \
and pledged a determined fight
for the right to have Roman Cath
olic nuns teach in their public
school.
Antonito is one of four small
communities in the San Luis val
ley whose state school aid pay
ments for June have been, with
held by Burtis Taylor, acting edu
cation commissioner.
The other towns are Conejos,
Capulin and San Luis. Mr. Taylor,
who said he was acting on the
basis of a recent district court de
cision stopping payments to a
school at Fleming, ordered funds
withheld as long as the nuns wore
religious garb while teaching
At the mass-meeting, residents
agreed to:
Try to convince the acting com
missioner to reverse his ruling.
Hire a battery of top-flight law
yers to carry the fight to the
courts if necessary.
Enlist the aid of regional state
legislators.
Head of the legal battery is
Joseph A. Craven, a Denver at-
an area of nearly 6,500 square
miles.
In 1867 the Aiken Missions were j torney. Mr. Craven said Antonito
placed under Bishop Ignatio ; residents felt that if state funds
Persico, an Italian Capuchin mis- j were withheld, there would be no
sionary who had earlier ijeen | school.
forced by ill health to leave his : He added that he and three oth-
post in India and return to Rome. I er attorneys would try to arrange
There he became friends with j a meeting with Atty. Gen. Duke
Bishop Patrick Lynch of Charles- j Dunbar as soon as possible to see
ton' who had been appointed Con- if the matter could be settled
federate envoy to the Holy See by j without going to court.
President Jefferson Davis. A^er i The four lawyers are expected
the Civil War’s end he came to ; to represent the three other towns
South Carolina with Bishop Lynch. ! a s soon as such representation is
Bishop Persico remained in j a uthorized by the local school
Aiken, where he became an Amer- boards,
ican citizen, until 1870 when he
was named Bishop of Savannah.
He later resigned his See there
and returned to Rome where he
was made a Cardinal by Pope Leo
XIII. the second American citizen
to be raised to the Sacred Col
lege. The first was Cardinal Mc-
Closky of New York.
The Missions began to prosper
Mayor Clarence Quinlan, a non-
Catholic, told residents at the
meeting that there was “no com
plaint against the school.”
Harold Wissmath, school super
intendent at near-by Manassa,
whose two daughters attend the
Antonito school, said, “There is
no religious instruction in Anto-
nito’s school and the present
when Aiken became a winter res- j teachers are as fine as can be
sort for many wealthy families, a I
number of them Catholic, who i
generously contributed to them. It
now includes the parish church of
St. Mary Help of Christians in
Aiken and five mission stations.
Most of the Missions’ original ter
ritory now consists of independent
parishes. The Missions support two
schools in Aiken and a large wel
fare center in nearby Horse Creek,
which is used mostly by non-Cath-
olics. It includes a medical dis
pensary and clinic, a swimming
pool, other recreational facilities
and residence quarters for the Sis
ters who run it.
found in the whole state.”
Antonito has employed Catholic
nuns for 23 years. The four
schools — located in an area
where the population is predom
inantly Spanish - American and
Catholic — have a combined en
rollment of 1,058.
mrs. McLaughlin
DIES AT SAVANNAH
SAVANNAH, Ga.—Funeral serv
ices for Mrs. Mary Bell McLaugh
lin, widow of John McLaughlin,
were held on May 28th from the
Chapel of Our Lady of Good Hope,
Isle of Hope.
A native of Savannah, Mrs. Mc
Laughlin is survived by a daughter,
Miss Mary McLaughlin of Savan
nah; five sons, John McLaughlin
and Julius B. McLaughlin, both of
Savannah, Dr. Charles K. Mc
Laughlin, Macon, Francis J. Mc
Laughlin, Savannah and Philip
MeD. McLaughlin, Macon; a sister,
Mrs. Annie B. Bell, Savannah; a
brother, Joseph W. Bell, Savannah;
11 grandchildren and two graati
I grandchildren.
Augustan Among
Spring Hill Graduates
MOBILE, Ala.—Louis Mulherin
of Augusta graduated May 26 from
Spring Hill College, Spring Hill,
Alabama, following a four year
course of studies at the College.
Mulherin received a Bachelor of
Science degree in Commerce, with
a major in General Business, at the
annual commencement exercises at
the Jesuit liberal arts college, to
gether with a graduating class of
eighty-two. Before attending Spring
Hill he was a student at Catholic
Boys High School in Augusta.
Mulherin is the son of Louis
Mulherin, Sr., 1211 Peachtree
Road, Augusta, Ga.
George Howard Hayes
Funeral at Atlanta
ATLANTA. Ga.—Funeral serv
ices for George Howard .Hayes were
held on June 6th from St. An
thony’s Church, Father James E.
King officiating. Mr. Hays is sur
vived by his wife and severaLniece#
and nephews.