Newspaper Page Text
SEPTEMBER 17, 1955.
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAWMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
FIVE
I
YOU CAN WIN CONVERTS
90 Minutes Work
By REV. JOHN A. O'BRIEN
■ (University of Noire Dame)
Did you ever hear of 90 min
utes’ work bringing 20 converts
into the fold? Probably not. Yet
that’s exactly what happened
when Father J. F. Hyatt, M.M.,
started the Good Shepherd Plan
in his parish in Kyoto, Japan.
While v
the Mar;
Fathers in
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from thi
them deta
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yielding :
remarkabk
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Nipponese,
plan also indicates how our laity
can participate effectively in the
convert apostolate. .
“Father Hyatt, a Maryknoll
missioner from Seattle,” said
Father Albert J. Nevin, assist
ant editor of The Field Afir,
“believes . that it’s not so much
lack of zeal as of know-how
which keeps the ordinary Cath
olic from winning converts. So
he put his belief.into practice by
formulating and launching the
Good Shepherd Plan.
“Father arranged for a show
ing of the film ‘Bells of Nagasa
ki. and, in order to insure a good
attendance, he called together 26
of his, parishioners. Showing
them a map of the parish, he as
signed each of the 13 couples a
section in which they were to
call at each home, invite the
family to see the movie and
leave with them some Catholic
literature.
“Father read to them the Gos
pel story telling how Christ sent
the 72 disciples on their mission,
saying to them, ‘Behold, I send
you as lambs among wolves.
’The reading was followed by a
brief exhortation in which the
lay apostles were asked to show
their patience, courage and zeal.
They were to report back in an
hour and a half.
“While the Good Shepherds
were calling at the homes, Fath
er, the women and the children
prayed before the Blessed Sac
rament for the success of their
work. Thus the parish as a
whole unit was enlisted in the
convert apostolate.”
“What were the results?” I
asked.
“The Shepherds,” said Father
W. A. Kaschmiter, “reported
that the families with few ex
ceptions accepted he printed
invitations to the showing, as
well as the Catholic literature,
and Were pleased to see Cath
olics showing such interest in
them. Five hundred of them
turned out that night ;to see the
film. Father Hyatt invited them
to the Inquiry Class which he
was soon to start, and he an
nounced this at the Masses for
several consecutive Sundays. At
the first class 55 showed up as
compared with the previous high
of 35. The 90 minutes’ work of
Shepherds was thus responsible
for the increase of 20 converts.
Father folowed up this initial
venture by having each Sheph
erd pray and offer some sacrifice
that his clients would persevere
and would receive the gift of
faith.”
“Yes,” said Father David J.
Gaffny, “that part is very im
portant. Father told his people
to make out lists of the indivi
duals whom they would like to
see enter the Church.” Then,
Father Gaffny added, each Good
Shepherd was asked to do the
following things for the persons
on the list assigned to him:
1. Say at least one prayer
each day for their conversion.
2. Offer up some little sacri
fice each day for this intention.
3. Mention each person by
name at Mass and any other de
votion.
4. Receive Holy Communion
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BACKDROP-
(Continued from Page Four)
religious convictions of his par
ents. Some sought to show that
through his wartime association
with Soviet Marshal Zhukov he
would be a soft touch for the
Russians.
LITTLE 'HATE' GROUPS
Jottings ..
(By BARBARA C. JENCKS)
Mostly, national party . organi
zations have no part in this
scurrility. It is turned out large
ly by privately financed little
hate” groups which seem able to
turn up considerable resources
every four years. Yet it is often
true that when such groups at
tack a man seeking office, the
victim’s opponent hasn’t the
moral courage to tell off the
calumny hucksters as they
should be told off.
After nearly every national
election, a Congressional com
mittee takes evidence on the
outrageous detraction of men
who are in public life or who
seek to be. Bills are introduced.
Statements atesting to the need
for curbing action ahe inserted
in the Congressional Record. Yet
anything affecting election re
form seems the most difficult
kind of legislation to pass-—there
hasn’t been an important change
in the laws governing elections
now since the Hatch “clean poli
tics” law of 15 years ago.
You don’t banish prejudice or
hate by passing a law. But you
can make a start by making it
more expensive.
AUGUSTA KNIGHTS
CONFER DEGREES
AUGUSTA, Ga.—Forty-six can
didates received the First, Second
and Third degrees at an exemplifi
cation conducted Sept. 11 by Pat
rick Walsh Council Knights of
Columbus.
Degree work was under the di
rection of Patrick Mulherin, Dis
trict Deputy, and Frank C. Hes-
len, Grand Knight of Council 677.
Dan T. Regan, Lecturer, was in
charge of the supper, which was
served by members of the Ladies’
Auxiliary.
each month for their conversion.
5. Visit them each month and
tell them a little about the
Church and invite them to all
the activities of the parish.
6. Invite each prospect to
Mass and the other services.
7. Put a pamphlet in the
hands of each prospect.
“These specific duties kept the
minds of the whole parish and
enlisted every man, woman and
child in the work, Father Nevin
commented. “The plan, started
in 1952, has already spread
throughout the dipcese of Kyoto
and to 40 parishes in other parts
of Japan. In its first year alone,
the Good Shepherds brought 800
people to Father Hyatt’s classes
and have been instrumental in
increasing the number of con
verts in every parish where it
has been tried.”,
“Would it be suitable for use
in America?” I asked.
“Yes,” replied Father Nevin,
“it is just what the laity here
and in every other country need
—detailed guidance -and know
how. If this plan were adopted
in every parish, it would make
the convert apostolate not the
work of a few zealous souls but
of every Catholic man, woman
and child. Then we would double
and even triple the present an
nual total of converts.”
“I hope that the Good Sheph
erd Plan will speedily be adopt
ed in every parish,” I said. “It
will help to spread the Crusade
for Souls in every diocese and
bring Christ, His love and His
truth to ever-increhsing millions.
May God bless the Maryknoll
missioners who have done so
mucn to kindle the missionary
spirit among the American peo
ple!”
ARE YOU SUCCESSFUL?
What is your personal idea
of success? What are the things
you desire to become or have?
Whom do you consider as ex
amples of success? What event
in your particular life has or will
spell success? Stop and find
yourself a pad and pencil and
list your prerequisites for suc
cess. See how they measure up.
what insight into a person’s
very being such a listing would
bring. Psychiatrists would have
a field day. So destroy your list
after you have had time to meas
ure and study and judge It and
the person who wrote it.
I suppose most lists will in
clude the attainment of things
in superlative measure namely
wealth, health and position.
Hal Boyle, the Pavement
Plato, recently wrote a column,
on the subject of success and its
achievement. He wrote that
nothing is more changing in
changing America than the idea
of success. He also wrote that he
believes that only old people
come to a full realization of
what success is all about. Many
spend life trying to acheive the
outward trappings that pass as
success without fully realizing
that they have missed the real
thing.
Boyle’s idea of success is pret
ty solid. It is the ability to meet
fortune and misfortune with
fortitude. All people do not pass
so high on the list.
The idea of success changes
with ) age especially. A young
fellow will consider “success” as
his first pair of long trousers.
In time, success will be synony
mous with a tailor-made suit, a
bank presidency, membership in
an exclusive golf club, the house
in the right section of town and
a new car every year. To every
girl, success at one time means
a date with the football captain.
The first evening gown, fur coat,
first trip to New York City, all
are stations along the way in
her picture of success. Later suc
cess will mean initiation into the
best sorority, the junior league
or marrying an ivy-leaguer and
being president of the woman’s
club. All these mean success to
the modern secular woman.
These are the false trappings
that pass as success.
As for myself a by-line and a
press card at one period sym
bolized success. Free press tick
ets to events around town, be
ing recognized by a head waiter
at the local hotel and an all ex
pense trip to a convention came
to me erroneously under the
success label at various stages in
my life.
Therefore, we were most
amused at Hal Boyle’s success
listing for moderns as follows:
$25,000 a year job, an expense
account, somebody to answer
the telephone (for some obscure
reason corporation employees
always regard themselves as
failures. unless a secretary, filters
their phone calls), the right to
conduct business on a golf
course, or durtng a. martini-
haunted three-hour luncheon,
the ability to get tickets to the
right shows and sporting events.
‘There are a few who struggle
for the right thing. Their gauge
is well centered. There are those
who consider success as bringing
up their families in peace and
decency and in the fear of God.
They, dream small little big
dreams: a house of their Own,
(which will have all specifica
tions of a mansion, Jr. grade in
their eyes), a car and Catholic
College educations for their chil
dren. These people are the back
bone of society.
Which reminds that the lives
of the saints would make no ap
peal as success stories to most.
St. Therese dying of tuberculosis
would hardly be considered a
success. Yet she was one of the
greatest successes of all times.
St. Francis in rags would repel
today’s “successful” man of dis
tinction.
Our Lord at the age of thirty-
three was nailed to a cross in a
seemingly disgraceful death. His
Life Story is the model success
story of all times. Think about
it. Read your flighty list of
dreams and ambitions. Pretty
empty, aren’t they?
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