Newspaper Page Text
October 15, 1955.
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
THREE
Convention Program
(Continued from Page Two)
CCD WORKSHOPS FOR
LAY APOSTOLOTE
I. Discussion Clubs—Crystal
Room.
Presiding: Most Reverend
James J. -Navagh, D.D. Auxiliary
Bishop of Raleigh (N. C.)
Leader: Mr. L. R. Biven, Mem
ber, Lay Committee, National
CCD Center.
II. Lay Catechists—Main Din
ing Room.
Presiding: ’.lost' Reverend Jos
eph A. Durick, D.D., Auxiliary
Bishop of Mobile (Ala.),
Leader:. Sister 'Marietta, M.H.
S.H. Diocese of Charleston (S.C.)
(Note: 2nd Session, Sunday,
9:00 A.M. - Yacht Club.)
III. Parent-Educators — Whit-
marsh Room.
Presiding: Very Rev. Msgr.
Cornelius L. Maloney, Ph.D.,
Superintendent of Schools, Dio
cese of Savannah-Atlanta.
Leader: Reverend James J.
Sharpies, C. O. The Oratory,
Rock Hill, S. C.
.IV. Fishers & Helpers—Yacht
Club.
Presiding: Reverend Martin J.
Christopher CCD Director, Arch
diocese of Washington (D.C.)
Leader: Miss Barbara Ottinger,
National CCD Center, Washing
ton, D.C,
V. Apostolate of Good Will—
Wilmington Room.
Presiding: Most Reverend Jos
eph H. Hodges, D.D., Auxiliary
Bishop of Richmond (VA.)
Leader: Reverend'William Hig
gins, CCD Director, Diocese of
Mobile (Ala.)
CLA PROGRAM
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1955
4:00 to 10:00 P.M.—Registra
tion—Lobby, Hotel.
7:15 P.M.—Business Session—
Crystal Room.
Presiding: Most Rev. Gerald
P. O’Hara, D.D., Bishop of Sav-
annah-Atlanta.
Chairman: Mr. J. P. Meyer,
Columbus, Georgia, President,
CLA of Georgia.
National Anthem—Reading of
Communication—Assembly.
Appointment of. Committees.
Address: “The Formation of the
Catholic Mind,” Most Reverend
Joseph A. Durick, D.D., Auxilia
ry Bishop of Mobile (Ala.)
Concert—St. Vincent’s Acade
my Glee Club—Main Dining'
Room.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1955
10:30 A.M.—Mornng Session—
Crystal Room.
Presiding His Excellency,
Archbishop O’Hara. ,
Chairmen: Mr. Meyer.
National Anthem—Assembly.
REPORT OF OFFICERS
State Secretary — John M.
Brennan, Savanah.
State Treasurer — John T.
Buckley, Augusta.
Reports of Branch Presidents
President’s Report—J. P. Mey
er, Columbus.
Executive Secretary — John
Markwalter, Augusta.
Report of Endowment
Fund Committee
Address — His Excellency,
Archbishop O’Hara.
OPEN FORUM
Reports of Committees—Un
finished and New Business.
Election of Officers—Adjourn
ment.
4:00 P.M. Cathedral, Savannah.
Solemn Pontifical Mass.
Celebrant: His Excellency,
Archbishop O’Hara.
Assistant Priest; Monsignor
McNamara.
Deacons at the Throne: Father
Thomas A. Brennan, Father Rob
ert Brennan, O.S.B.
Deacon of the Mass: Father
Andrew J. McDonald.
Subdeacon of the Mass: Fath
er Norbert jMcGowan, O.S.B.
Master of Ceremonies: Father
Reagan.
Assistant Master of Ceremo
nies: Father LeFrois.
Preacher: His Excellency, the
Archbishop.
Music: St. Vincent’s Academy
Glee Club.
Present "Harvey" Oct. 15
Invisible Rabbit Featured In
Latest Theater Guild Production
(By Elia Cieciuch)
DECATUR, Ga.—Rehearsals are
well under way for the Theater
Guild of St. Thomas More Parish,
Decatur, Georgia, production of
Mary Chase’s hilarious comedy,
Harvey. This wistfully amusing
play concerning a man and his
friendly six-foot rabbit will be
presented at Presser Hall, Agnes
Scott College on Saturday eve
ning, October 15th.
The Theater Guild’s newly in
stalled Board cf Directors is busi
ly at work carrying out plans for
the 1955-56 season, which will in
clude, in addition to “Harvey,” a
second play to be presented in the
Spring. The new Board includes
Jerry Galligan, president; Esther
Hickok, vice-president; Kathleen
Worthy, recording secretary; Glo
ria Schier, corresponding secre
tary; Mike Q’Riordan, treasurer;
Jim Hoeffler, stage manager; Bob
Cieciuch, business manager; and
Ann McCullough, librarian.
The Theater Guild of St. Thom
as More Parish is, perhaps, the
only such Catholic dramatic group
in the diocese. The origin of this
society traces back to the winter
of 1953, when a group of indus
trious, enthusiastic members of
the Home and School Association
of St. Thomas More Parish joined
under the name of the Thespians
to produce a play for the benefit
of the school. The Thespians were
literally busy until curtain time
on the evening of April 24, 1953,
when they presented George M.
Cohan’s “Seven Keys to Baldpate”
in the Decatur High School Audi
torium. As the last nail went into
the set, the curtain rose on a
group of housewives, business
men and professional men who
found themselves transposed into
the make-believe world of actors.
One member of the cast had acted
in summer stock, another had
studied drama both in college and
under professional coaches, a few
had acted in college or high school
plays; but for many, “Seven Keys
to Baldpate” was the first oppor
tunity to wear grease paint, to
stand before the footlights, and
to have the joy of creating an ex
perience on stage.
With the success of their first
play, the Thespians began to talk
of producing another play; and as
they talked they realized the ne
cessity of banding together in a
group. So, from the Thespians, the
Theater Guild of St. Thomas More
Parish was formed to produce
plays, for religious, educational,
civic and benevolent purposes. A
constitution was drawn up, offi
cers were elected, and on Febru
ary : 27, 1954, “Room Service,” by
John Murray and Allen Goretz,
Was presented in. the Decatur
High School Auditorium.
With the knoweldge and skill
HIERARCHY ATTENDING CONGRESS
Most Rev. Vincent S. Waters
Raleigh
Most Rev. M. F. Brady
Manchester
Most Rev. John J. Russell
Charleston
Most Rev. Joseph A. Durick
Auxiliary, Mobile
Most Rev. Joseph H. Hodges
Auxiliary, Richmond
Most Rev. James J. Navagh
Auxiliary, Raleigh
CONGRESS PARTICIPANTS
Rev. N. W. Christopher Father James, C. O. Sister Marietta
that members had acquired from
producing the first play, they were
better able to approach the jobs
of building and painting scenery,
locating and assembling proper
ties, handling stage effects, con
tacting advertisers, promoting
publicity, and selling tickets—all
those necessary unglamorous jobs
that precede the production of ev
ery play. The actors, too,, had the
feel of working with each other
and grasped what the director
meant by stage left, stage right,
up stage, down stage, feeding the
cross, and “business.” The success
of “Room Service” meant the com
ing of age of the Theater Guild.
On October 2, 1954, in Presser
Hall, Agnes Scott College, Theater
Guild members delighted an audi
ence of five hundred with the
ever-enjoyable “You Can’t Take
It With You.” This Moss Hart-
George S. Kaufmann comedy re
quired a cast of seventeen, many
properties, and several important
stage and sound effects. All mem
bers of the Guild were involved
in some phase of the production
and some were busily working on
as many as three phases. This
brought forth the need for a larg
er membership.
After the play a membership
drive was ably conducted and cul
minated in the production of a
Christmas play featuring for the
first time children of Theater
Guild members. The response to
the idea of having the children act
and of producing a play based on
a' religious theme was so favor
able that it will likely be estab
lished as an annual tradition in
the Theater Guild.
The continued interest and en
thusiasm of the charter members,
plus the talent and experience of
new members in the Guild en
abled the organization to produce
Mai'y Roberts Rinehart’s melodra
matic mystery “The Bat.” This
play was a challenge and a test
to the Theater Guild in that it re
quired two complete sets, a va
riety of unusual properties, and a
great deal of technical skill in
handling sound and lighting ef
fects. The play was the Guild’s
fourth production and marked the
organization as being important
not only in the parish but also in
the community.
Membership in the Theater
Guild of St. Thomas More Parish
is open to any interested member
of the Parish, to the husbands or
wives of parishoners, and to the
parents of children attending St.
Thomas More School. The Guild
meets on the third Friday of each
L. R. Biven
month in the Rectory Meeting
Hall. Officers are elected annual
ly and begin serving for one year
at the July meeting.
All are invited to attend the.
Theater Guild’s presentation oi
“Harvey.” This whimsical tale of
Elwood P .Dowd and his invisible
six-foot rabbit is bound to delight
old and young alike. Tickets may
be purchased from members of
the St. Thomas More Home and
School Association at $1.Q0 for
adults and 50c for students.