The bulletin (Augusta, Ga.) 1920-1957, December 21, 1957, Image 1

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J6 { . * ■'-“a Official Newspaper For The Diocese Of Savannah ttQefitt PUBLISHED BY THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA Official Newspaper For The Diocese Of Atlanta Vol. 38, No. 15. MONROE, GEORGIA, SATURDAY, DECEMBER, 21, 1957 10c Per Copy —$3 a Year Bishop Hyland Extends Greetings At Christmastide ATLANTA—His Excellency The Most Rev. Francis E. Hy land, D.D., J.C.D., Bishop of Atlanta, extends greetings and best wishes to all Catholics in the Diocese. His Excellency extends his blessings to all on the happy Feast of Christmas. Bishop Entrusted With “Secret Of Fatima” Dead LEIRIA, Portugal. (NC) - Speculation concerning the third part of the “Secret of Fatima” was raised in the local news paper here after the recent death of Bishop Jose Alves Correia da Silva of Leiria. Bishop Correia da Silva, who died at the age of 85, was given an envelope containing the secret by Lucia dos Santos, the eldest and only living one of the three children to whom Our Lady ap peared in 1917 at Fatima. Lucia, now a Carmelite nun, told the Bishop that she and the other children had been given the se cret by the Blessed Virgin and that it was not to be divulged until 1960. It was generally stated that the Bishop kept the envelope locked in his desk. A Leiria newspaper has reported, however, that short ly before his death, the aged pre late sent an envelope to Lucia, (Continued on Page 3) Archbishop Writes From London “Never Closer Than At Holy Time Of Our Lord’s Coming” SAT ANN AH — The Bulletin| is pleased to carry this text of t Archbishop O’Hara’s Christmas Pastoral to the Clergy. Religiousj and Laity of the Diocese of Sav annah. The letter was read in all churches December 15th. ABBOT MOORE KNEELS TO RECEIVE BLESSING (Hugh Stovall, Atlanta Constitution) Bishop Hyland Blesses Abbot Augustine Moore It is always so great a joy and satisfaction to write to you that I regret that circumstances rob me of the chance of addressing you more frequently. However rarely I may see you or write to you, you are never far away from my thoughts and you are always in my heart and my prayers. I write this letter on the first Sunday in Advent. Soon we shall St. Joseph’s, Augusta Receives $5,000 Grant AUGUSTA — St. Joseph’s Hos pital of Augusta has received a $5,000 grant from the Henry Nias Foundation, Inc., officials have announced. Sister Mary Louise, hospital ad ministrator, said the check was received from Walter Bergman, chairman of the board of trus tees of the foundation and presi dent and chairman of the board of Lily Tulip Corp. The late Mr. Nias was for many years vice president of the Lily Tulip firm. He was among company officials who came to Augusta for the opening of its plant here 10 years ago. Sister Mary Louise said the $5,000, which was given without restriction as to its use, will be used to furnish another operat ing room in the hospital. Equip ment already has been ordered and will be installed in the near future, she said. “Of course we are very grate ful for this gift.” the hospital ad ministrator said. “It will make our fifth anniversary, which we celebrate Dec. 29. a much hap pier one.” ATLANTA, (NC) — Trappist Abbot Augustine Moore, head of Our Lady of the Holy Ghost Ab bey in Conyers, Ga., was blessed here by Bishop Francis E. Hy land of Atlanta in the Cathedral of Christ the King. Preacher for the occasion was Archbishop John A., Floersh of Louisville, Ky. Among those present at the ceremony was the Abbot General of the Cistercians of the Strict Observance, Abbot Gabriel Sortais, of Rome. Assist ing at the service were Cistercian Abbots James Fox of Gethsemani, Ky.. and Anthony Chassagne of Moncks Corners, S. C. The Mass for the blessing was sung by the choir of 87 monks and Brothers of the abbey. Attending the ceremony were the superiors of 12 Cistercian communities in the United States and Canada, and eight Benedic tine abbots from this country. Abbot Moore was elected on October 22 to succeed the late Abbot Robert McGann, who died the past October in Paris. He is the son of Charles and the late Mary Moore of Louis ville, Ky. He entered the Cistercians of the Strict Observance at Geth semani. Ky., studied for the priesthood at St. Meinard’s Sem inary in Indiana and was or dained a priest in Louisville in May. 1937. He brings to his new post a wide background of experience, both from his work as a diocesan priest and his experience as pro fessor of theology at Conyers. He was director of scholastics at the abbey prior to going to Rome in 1955 as the first American Defi- nitor of the Cistercian Order. To Telecast Midnight Mass NEW YORK — Live telecast of Christmas Eve Midnight Mass from St. Patrick’s Cathedral *n New York City will highlight NBC’s holiday schedule. The Midnight Mass will be on NBC-TV Tuesday. Dec. 24 from 12 midnight to 1:45 a. m., EST. The Most Rev. Joseph F. Flan- nelly, Auxiliary Bishop of New York and administrator of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, will celebrate the Midnight Mass. The Rev. Charles J. McManus, member of the St. Patrick’s Cathedral staff, will deliver the sermon. The St. Patrick’s Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys will sing the “Messe en Mi” by Leonce Saint Martin. Bishop McDonough Extends Wishes For Holy Christmas SAVANNAH—His Excellen cy the Most Rev. Thomas J. McDonough, D.D. J.C.D., Aux iliary Bishop of Savannah, ex tends to all readers of the Bulletin best wishes for a hap py and holy Christmas. On this occasion he extends his blessing to all the people of the Diocese. Hold Day Of Recollection For Savannah Priests SAVANNAH — On December 3rd, first Day of Recollection was held for priests of the Savannah Deanery. The Rev. Louis Wheeler, S. J. gave the conference and closed the day with a Holy Hour. His Excellency, Bishop Mc Donough, opened the day with Mass and presided over the exer cises. In charge Of preparations was the Rt. Rev. T. James Mc- hear in the liturgy: “There has appeared the kindness and hu manity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.” You are never closer to me than at the holy time of Our Lord’s coming. You are never closer to one another. I want to speak of this close ness with one another in Our Lord. The old pagans said that friendship “either finds people equal or makes them equal.” Equality, likeness, is the cause of love. God became one of us, mak ing Himself like us, to make it easier for us to love Him. On that Holy Night when the shepherds left His presence was there not a strange new friendliness in their hearts? That mysterious feeling has never left the world since that Night. It was a new stirring of love: it was nourished by the love of God as a little child. Every Christmastime the flame leaps higher and even the pagan world for a space is warm er, brighter and happier. Would that the same warmth and bright ness and happiness were perpet ual and universal throughout the entire year! It is good that we should enter Namara, V. F., Rector of the Cathedral, and Vicar Forane of the Savannah Deanery. Other Days of Recollection for priests will be held in Columbus and Augusta. Dates will be an nounced later. into all the human joy and hap piness associated with Christmas but it would be unworthy of us to bask in that light and not to contribute to it. The Little Babe shivering in the straw will later say: “I have come to cast fire on the earth and what will I but that it be enkindled.” To hug to ourselves the joy of this festival and to give nothing in return is not a true celebration of Christ mas. He became the brother of all men to die for all men. If we are already alike and equal in our common human nature, He has more wonderfully refashioned that nature of ours. We are now equal and alike in His love, His grace. “The grace of God Our Savior hath appeared to all men instructing us that we should live . . . looking for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God and Our Savior Jesus Christ.” Are we to keep this good news and this great hope to our selves? We shall rejoice with our families and our friends this Christmas. That is right and proper and may all our families be united in new love and con fidence this Christmas. But, my beloved people, the true Christ mas spirit requires more. God opened His heart to give Himself in the Incarnation. We must en large our love and open our hearts in return. Our charity and our prayers must go beyond the circle of family and friends that God in His kindness has already given us. Here I might refer to the annual collection for orphans, taken up on Christmas Day. Merely to mention this appeal will assure your characteristical ly generous response. 1 beg you to pray for those who are not known to you, who are your brothers and sisters in Christ, but for whom Christmas will mean no festive ease and plenty. I think not only of the underpriviledged who suffer physically in the whole world but also of those who suffer through loss of freedom. Remember the hundreds of thousands who lang uish for Our Lord in prison be hind the Iron Curtain. They are not only prelates and priests; they are good Catholic laymen and women like yourselves. The extra flame of your charity will shed a ray of hope and send an impulse of courage to those so sorely tried. I beg you to remember also those who suffer either in body or mind and are without the con solation of our holy faith. How great their loss, even though they realize it not! Pray for the greatest Christmas gift of all for them: pray for the gift of faith. Remember too all those who persecute and say all manner of (Continued on Page 2)