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OCTOBER 1, 1955. THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA FIVE YOU CAN WIN CONVERTS Mrs. Coleman Waits 100 Years! By REV. JOHN A. O'BRIEN -(University of Noire Dame)- You have probably heard of some churchless friend or neigh bor who had an interest in the Church but had to wait for years before any Catholic invited him to Mass or to a course of sys tematic instruc tion. But did you ever hear of a person who waited 100 years for such an invitation?' Probably not. Such was the experience, however, of Mrs. Anna Coleman of Youngs town, Ohio. The aged convert remembers vividly when Lincoln was shot. Living with her great-great- granddaughter Mrs. Gertrude Reid and the latter’s two daugh ters, Mrs. Coleman has buried her 14 children and all her grandchildren save one, James Jones. “As long as I can remember,” says Mrs. Coleman, “I’ve been interested in the Catholic re ligion. I’ve noticed the earnest ness with which my Catholic neighbors practice their religion and how faithfully they go to church every Sunday, rain or shine. I felt that a religion which meant so much to them would mean a lot to me also. But none of them ever invited me or any of my family to go to church with them. “I felt sort of scared to go alone to the priest’s house, knock at the door ancT tell him I’d like to know more about the Catholic religion. So I waited and waited. In .fact, I waited a hundred years! Then one day there was a knock at my door. When I opened it, there stood two Sis ters. I could scarcely believe my eyes. I began to wonder if the end of the world had come.” “How did they come to call on you, Mrs. Coleman?” I asked. “They said they were two Daughters of Charity who were taking up a census for St. Col- umba s parish. They were here and friendly, and we had a fine visit. When I told them that I wasn’t a member of any church but had long been interested in the Catholic religion, they ar ranged at once for my instruc tion. their religion to their church less friends and neighbors. If more of them would do that, we would win millions each year. When were you received into the fold?” “Father Kolp came and bap tized me on February 19, 1955 and brought me my First Holy Communion the following morn ing. That was the happiest day of my life, and it was worth waiting a century. I celebrated my hundredth birthday on March 25, 1955 and I thanked God for two great gifts.” “Might I ask, Mrs. Coleman, what they were?” “For letting me live a whole century, and for leading me at last into the Church which His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, founded for all men. This last is the greatest gift which*God can give any person, isn’t it, Father?” “Yes, indeed, it’s worth more than money can buy. The per son who has that treasure is richer than Rockefeller or Car negie ever were. Have you been able to share your faith with anyone yet?” “The two little Reid children here are now taking instructions and it won’t be long, I hope, be fore they too will be making their First Holy Communion,” Here then are the rungs in that golden ladder enabling this centenarian to climb from earth to heaven: two Sisters, Daugh ters of Charity, taking up a cen sus; Father Kolp; Mrs. Julia Lehnerd and Mrs. Francis Buck- ley, members of the Ladies of Charity — a great organization working under the direction of Father Joseph E. Koch, director of Catholic Charities. Each play ed a vital part in helping to lead into the fold of Jesus Christ the gracious little lady who waited a hundred years for an invitation to enter the Church founded for all mankind. BACKDROP- (Continued from Page Four) which has been costing both East and West so heavily. The Russians failed to smash the North Atlantic alliance begun under the Truman Administra tion and continued under the present Administration, and the greater ability of the west to de fend itself was obvious. HARDLY THE TIME Who is to say then that the present era of good feeling is not merely a Soviet turn away from threat and bluster to soft-talk and treacle to beguile us into letting down our guard? Who doubts that the . Communists could put us in fatal danger from nuclear attack if as a nation we neglected to stay massively strong until there is proof be yond possible doubt that Moscow is playing its peace role straight? Almost everyone would be glad to pay lighter taxes next year, of course. It’s a natural for politicians to try to win favor by cutting the slice the govern merit takes out of every pay en- v e 1 o p e. A balanced federal budget is long overdue after two decades of deficits. But this hardly looks like the time to do it by pruning defense spending For a sawbuck apiece saved in taxes in 1956, it is not impossible that we get our brains knocked out in 1958. If the U.S. cuts back its arms program drastically, it is certain our Western European allies will do the same. The Ad ministration has been apprehen sive on this latter point ever since Geneva. JUSTIFIABLE DOUBT “Father James Kolp, a fine young priest from St. Columba Cathedral, came two nights a Week to instruct me. He brought a'movie film along and showed it right here in the parlor. That helped a lot to get the story across. Then' he started me on the catechism and soon I was saying the Rosary. “Then Father had two nice ladies, Mrs. Julia Lehnerd and Mrs. Francis Buckley, come and finish the instructions. They car ried on just like Father Kolp and after several months of further instruction, they had me ready for Baptism.” “That’s very interesting to me, Mrs. Coleman,” I remarked. “Do you mean to say that those two lay women made things just as clear to you as the priest?” “Yes,” she replied, “Father Kolp did a swell job, but the two ladies knew how to put it across just as well. They en joyed it, too, and we had many good visits together.” “That’s good to hear, Mrs. Coleman, and I’ll try to carry your words of appreciation to millions of. our laity. It will give more of them the confidence and courage they need to explain ‘Waiting World’ Is Series Title The fight for Christianity in the pagan world is the story that will be told in five parts on the National Council of Catholic Men’s Christian In Action series during the month of October over the radio network of the Ameri can Broadcasting Company. Each Sunday from 11:35 to 12:00 noon, EST, a missionary who has played a leading role in the cease less struggle for the souls of men, will bring his first-hand know! edge of the foreign missions to these programs. During this series, entitled “The Waiting World”, every phase of mission activities will be present ed; from the operation of these outposts of Christianity, to the work, accomplishments, and every-day tasks of the missionar ies themselves. The Foreign Ministers’ meeting in late October, where the diplo mats meet to try to bend the blithe spirit of the Geneva sum mit to actual deeds, will be the test. There the proof will lie in whether any progress can be made toward European security, a German settlement, and dis armament. The matter of world- w i d e Communist propaganda and infiltration apparently will not be discussed at all. It may be that the West’s strength has so impressed Mos cow it earnestly wishes a few years of less tension. But men may doubt justifiably any real change in motives. The Germans must have doubted the other day Every so often, it is a good ;thing to write a column about the necessity of more frequent Communion. Most of us are more than anxious to grasp any prac tice which will assist us on this rugged road to sanctity. Every day there seems to be some snag in the roadway which would throw us off balance. One needs every bit, of protection available against such opposition. I write about the need for frequent Communion not only to alert readers to its infinite value but also to steer myself back into the practice as well. For-many, walking the center aisle weekly would be enough but not for me. It would seem that no one in the world needed the abundance of graces found at the altar rail as much as this writer. There is an unending list of reasons on both the petition and thanksgiv ing score which should find me daily, walking that middle aisle. It is a tough battle remaining good while walking today’s road ways. Every avenue we walk seems to hold some sort of temp tation diabolically designed to fit our particular weakness. Not a day goes by that there is not :ome conflict. I met an Irishman newly arrived in this country re cently who asked seriously how in the world the American Cath olic went about the business of saving his soul? He said that since his arrival and being hurl ed into the business and social whirl of our society, he would have been lost in the race if it were not for daily Communion. It has, in short, kept him from losing his head while all around him others were losing theirs. It has made him a giant among his contemporaries. There are so very many rea sons, why it is essential for our spiritual welfare to walk that middle aisle more frequently. during the Adenauer visit to Moscow when they found their hotel rooms wired to record ev ery word they said. No one can fight the world and the flesh all by himself. We must get away and see the world, the people around us and most of ail ourselves as God sees us. At the altar rail, we see things in their right light not as the man at the next desk, the woman across the street or the fashionable psycn.t- atrist sees them. We see our selves then not as the owner of the new 1955 Cadillac, the new ranch, house or as the promising young doctor, the down and out er or the writer of a weekly column. We see ourselves with out the benefit of the flattering make up of a tinsel society. We. see faults, weakness, sin—galore but where there is humility there is hope. For this alone, a trip to the altar is suggested. Somehow or other, the days we have started on the knees are different from all others. I do not mean that troubles are turn ed off and bills are not delivered and bosses do not criticize on these days. On days started at an early parish Mass, one is apt to be even more tired and the, routine still bores and the temp tations still persist. Yet somehow the antidote has been found. Wo have been given something to counteract boredom, despair and conflict. There is a purpose to it all. The bawling out by the boss, the burned toast, the missed bus all fit into the picture, the shock does not take its full toll. A friend of mine has this as her daily rule. “No matter where I go or whom I might meet, no matter what I say, remember,. Lord, that the most necessary and most vital thing in my life is to receive You in daily Com munion. Let no one person, place or thing ever separate me from You.” ' l The mass arrests of Bishop Ignatius Kung of Shanghai, 23 priests, and almost 300 Catholic laymen is another drive to bring the Church there under Red con trol. Alexander Reynolds Services In Savannah SAVANNAH, Ga. — Funeral services for Alexander Reynolds were held Sept. 21st at the Sacred Heart Church. Survivors are his wife, Mrs. Ro berta Foster Reynolds; a son, Al exander Reynolds, Jr.; a brother, Reginald Reynolds, Miami, Fla.; a niece, Mrs. Jessica Warner, Mi ami, and two cousins, David Mul- linix and Maybelle Mullinix, Ma con. THE GENERAL OGLETHORPE HOTEL Is Proud to Welcome The Ninth Regional Congress, The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, And The Fortieth Annual Convention The Catholic Laymen’s Association of Georgia We pray that your discussions ac-dl deliberation will be fruitful and long lasting. Single from $6.00 • Doub!e from $10.00 LLOYD BUMPAS General Manager WM. W. WALLACE President