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Venerable John Neumann
Recovery Of Youth On
Verge Of Death In 1949
Attributed To Intercession
(By Father Francis X. Keul)
PHILADELPHIA—From
shattered accident victim given
no chance of survival to cham
pion weightlifter, music teacher
and band leader—that is the
story of J. Kent Lenahan, Jr.,
whose amazing return from the
jaws of death is attributed to
the intercession of Venerable
John Nepomucene Neumann,
fourth Bishop of Philadephia.
Lenahan’s apparently mira
culous recovery from injuries
suffered in an auto accident in
July, 1949, has been accepted
by the medical commission of
Rome’s Sacred Congregation of
Rites as one of the two
miracles needed for the
beatification of Bjshop Neu
mann. Beatification is expected
to take place on June 23.
On July 8, 1949, Lenahan,
then 19, was traveling in an
automobile with two other
youths near Wayne, a suburb
of Philadelphia. "When the driv
er stopped the car, Lenahan
switched to the outside position
so that he could get out first
at his home in Villanova. While
Lenahan was still on the running
board, the driver started the car
and Lenahan was left hanging
precariously to the side of the
moving vehicle.
Suddenly, eyewitnesses re
ported, the car swerved and
sideswiped a utility pole at the
roadside. Lenahan was crush
ed between the car and pole
and then hurled to the ground.,
He was rushed to nearby
Byrn Mawr Hospital. His skull
was crushed, one eye, almost
torn from its socket, hung'over
his cheekbone; and he was
bleeding copiously from ears,
nose and mouth.
From July 8 to 12, the youth
hovered between life and death.
A rib—one of three fractured
in the accident—had torn a gap
ing hole in one lung, and there
were other internal injuries,
all considered so certainly fa
tal that they were not even set
down in detail in the hospital
record.
Though in a coma, Lenahan
tossed in violent delirium. His
temperature rose to 107 de
grees and his pulse rate was
160. Normal rate in 70 to 75.
His physician, Dr. Charles A.
Steiner, as well as nurses and
other hospital personnel, aban
doned all hope for his recovery.
On the afternoon of July 12,
a priest was called and Lena
han received the Sacrament of
Extreme Unction. His parents,
summoned to his bedside, found
the priest reciting the prayers
for the dying.
The parents, Mr. and Mrs.
James Kent Lenahan, had se
cured a relic—a portion of the
cassock--of Venerable Bishop
Neumann with the aid of a non-
Catholic neighbor. They brought
the relic to the hospital and
applied it to their apparently
dying son.
By 11 p.m. the same day,
Lenahan’s temperature had
dropped to 100 degrees and his
pulse rate was nearly normal.
A non-Catholic nurse who at
tended "’him testified that, be
cause hope for his survival had
been abandoned, all medical
treatment had been halted. Yet
Lenahan’s condition had im
proved remarkably.
“When we returned to the
hospital the morning of July
13,’’ recalled Mrs. Lenahan,
“the entire building was buz
zing with the news of Kent's
amazing improvement. We
found him resting quietly. His
restlessness and delirium were
completely gone. Even his com
plexion, which had been an ugly
blue, had returned to normal
“From then on,” she contin
ued, “his recovery was rapid.
Even the external bumps and
bruises healed rapidly, and he
was able to discuss with us the
cure he had received. We all
agreed it must have been amir
acle.”
On visiting his patient the
following morning, Dr. Steiner
was astonished at the sudden
recovery and at a loss to explain
it. Nurses and interns who had
seen Lenahan when he was ad
mitted were equally astonished
By July 17, Lenahan’s tem
perature and pulse rate were 1
entirely normal. He chatted with
his parents. His injuries seem-l
ed to be healing completely.
Less than five weeks after the
accident—on August 10, 1949—
Kent Lenahan walked unaided
from Byrn Mawr Hospital and
returned to his parents' home in
Villanova. Since that time he has
been in excellent health.
Recalling details of her son’s
return home, Mrs. Lenahan
ATTRIBUTES RECOVERY TO BISHOP NEUMANN--J.
Kent Lenahan Jr., of Ardmore, a Philadelphia suburb is
shown with his mother, Mrs. James K. Lenahan, examin
ing a photo of Venerable John Nepocume Neumann, fourth
Bishop of Philadelphia. - (NC Photos)
He lives in Ardmore, a Phil-
said; “He was out mowing tlu
front lawn within a couple oi
weeks, and by Labor Day he
was back to playing his trum
pet and lifting weights.’’
Before the accident Lenahan
wore glasses to correct severe
nearsightedness. After his
return from the hospital, Lena
han had his eyes examined and
found that his eyesight had im
proved measurably.
“I lost my glasses several
years ago,” Lenahan said. “I
never bothered to replace them
because I have absolutely no
need for them.”
In 1954 Lenahan won the jun
ior and senior weightlifting
championships of the Middle
Atlantic Amatuer Athletic Un
ion (AAU), the state champion
ship and one national Jjitle.
Since the accident, Lenahan
has married and has earned a
bachelor of science degree in
musical education. He is su
pervisor of instrumental mu
sic for five Upper Dublin Town
ship elementary schools. In ad
dition, he gives private music
lessons and plays several in
struments in his own dance
orchestra.
adelphia suburb, with his wife,
Rita, and their two children,
James Kent III, five, and Erin
Maureen, one. He is studying
for his master’s degree in mu
sical edication.
Lenahan’s father, a lawyer,
died in 1957. His mother re
sides in Villanova.
She credits the application of
the relic of Bishop Neumann and
the prayers of many nuns for
her son’s recovery. Particular
ly efficacious, she believes,
were the prayers of the Domini
can Sisters of the Perpetual
Rosary, whose headquarters
are at Camden, N.J. Immediate
ly upon hearing of the accident,
she said, the nuns began a
round-the -clock novena to beg
the intercession of Bishop Neu
mann.
“Words will never express
our gratitude to Bishop Neu
mann for what he has given us,”
Mrs. Lenahan declared. “We
are thrilled to have played a part
in what now seems a certainty
—his beatification. When he is
eventually canonized, you
may be sure he’ll be our fam
ily’s favorite saint.”
U. S. Army Exhibit
To Come To Augusta
CAMERON STATION, Alex
andria, Va.—A special exhibit
highlighting U.S. Army achieve
ments in science and power for
peace will be displayed in Aug
usta, Georgia, during the Re
cruiting Extravaganza, March
1-4.
Called PARADE OF PRO
GRESS, the exhibit features
many pieces of actual combat
and support equipment.
The hardware is backed up
by viewer-operated animations,
cut-aways, three-dimensional
scenes and photographs of Army
achievements in its many tech
nological fields.
PARADE OF PROGRESS was
produced by the Office, Chief
of Information, Department of
the Army and is currently tour
ing the nation, with all show
ings open to the public without
charge.
On hand for close-up inspec
tion will be the 90 millimeter
recoilless rifle, newest of the
service’s anti-tank weapons.
Weighing in at 35 pounds, the
Tour Savannah
River Plant
AUGUSTA —Six outstanding
students from the Science De
partment of Aquinas High School
made a tour of the Savannah
River Plant on February 11th.
The tour was sponsored by
the U.S. Atomic Energy Com
mission in cooperation with its
prime contractor at the plant,
the DuPont Company.
Mrt. T. J. Kearns, Science
teacher, Marion Powell, Mae
Mulherin and Nancy Roberts
of the girls division and Marry
Turley, Frank Sheehan and Tony
Schmaltz of the boys division
were shown the laboratories and
general facilities of the
tion-wide program to encourage
greater interest among high
school students in atomic en
ergy, engineering, physics,
chemistry and allied fields.
Communism
In Five
Hours
WASHINGTON - The Catholic
Education Press, the Catholic
University of America, has an
nounced the publication, “COM
MUNISM IN FIVE HOURS,”
which, in the words of Lt. Col.
Raymond J. Wilson, Jr., prin
cipal contributor of the book,
attempts to do three things:
to present in one volume the
meaning of communism, to ex
plain why Christians are op
posed to communism, and to
suggest a program of action
against communism suitable to
persons who are not in positions
of commanding influence.”
In preparing his book, Colo
nel Wilson, with the special
permission of church authori
ties, consulted the writings of
Nicolai Bukharin, Nicolai Len
in, Karl Marx, Josef Stalin and
Yaroslavsky. Careful study was
given to the papal encyclicals
of Popes Leo XII, Pius XI and
Pius XII on social conditions,
the tenets of communism and
the function of the state in the
modern world.
Further information on this
publication, designed especially
for students, may be obtained
by writing directly to The Ca
tholic Education Press, the Ca
tholic University of America,
Washington 17, D. C.
OUSTED AFTER
FORTY YEARS
IN SUDAN
ROME, (Radio, NC)—Eight
missionaries expelled by the
Moslem-controlled government
of the Sudan have returned to
Italy—two of them after more
than 40 years of mission serv
ice apiece.
The group brings to 90 the
number of Catholic missioners
ousted by the Sudanese regime
in the past four months
Actually, 10 had been expected
in the group; the other two were
expected to arrive here shortly
A spokesman for the Sons
of the Sacred Heart, the
Verona Fathers, identified the
new men expellees as Father
Lorenzo Spagnolo, 73, who had
been in the missions for 44
years; Brother Giovanni Rama
72, who had been in Africa 43
years, and Brother Giovanni
Colussi, who had been in the
Sudan 35 years.
Five Verona Sisters were
expelled with them: Sisters
Tullia Villa, Apollonia Partel
Ellenia Vitale, Franca Azzola
and Regina Mariani.
All are members of the so-
called Combonian congrega
tions, named after Daniele
Comboni, missionary bishop in
the Sudan who founded the soci
eties at Verona in the last quar
ter of the 19th century.
SAVANNAH BEACH MARDI GRAS—Dr. Charles Peterson, Chairman of the 1963
Mardi Gras points out to Father Robert Teoli the program of the Mardi Gras. The
Mardi Gras is an annual event held at Savannah Beach by St. Michael’s Parish. This
year the Mardi Gras will be held on Saturday, February 23rd, at the Brass Rail. Also
shown are Mrs. Peterson, Mrs. Mildred Burke, program; Mr. Teck Rossiter, pub
licity; Mr. George Fitzgerald, ticket chairman, Mr. Nick Rimedio, chairman of wait
ers. Not shown is Mrs. Coleen Griffin, food chairman.
The Southern Cross, February 23, 1963—PAGE 3
Savannah
Students On
Dean’s List
i
SAVANNAH—Three students
from Savannah have been named
to the Dean's List for the first
semester at Belmont Abbey
College, Belmont, N.C., recent
ly announced by the Rev. An-
slem G. Biggs, O.S.B., Academ
ic Dean.
Richard J. Buttimer, ranking
seventh in the senior class of
107 students, and Edward M.
Buttimer, ranking sixth in the
junior class of 97 students, are
the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Pat
rick J. Buttimer of 2 Summit
Drive.
Robert M. Kelleher ranked
seventh in the junior class of
97 students. He is the son of
Mr. and Mrs. John J. Kell
eher of 526 East 46th Street.
They are all graduates of
Benedictine High School.
Holy Habit Conferred
At Carmelite Monastery
SAVANNAH—On Saturday
morning the Feast of
Our Lady’s Purification,
amid the blessed, lighted cand
les of the day’s Feast, the.£ar-
melite Monastery of Our Lady
of Confidence at Coffee Bluff
in Savannah, was filled with
friends and devotees who wit-
\
nessed the dedication andCloth-
ing Ceremony of a young Postu
lant who received the Holy Habit
of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.
The Religious Bride, Sister
Maria of the Passion, in along,
graceful white gown and veil
approached the cloister grille,
carrying a lighted taper deco
rated with a beautiful white
orchid, to offer her life by
prayer and sacrifice for the
world and for the good people
of this Diocese in particular.
His Excellency, The Most
Reverend Thomas J. McDon
ough, D.D. celebrated the Holy
Mass, assisted by the Very
Reverend Bede Lightner, O.S.B.
and Reverend Father Andrew
Doris O.S.B. The Right Rever
end Monsignor Andrew J. Mc
Donald, J.C.D. Chancellor was
Master of Ceremonies. The
lovely singers and the praying
of the organ by Mr. Dunne en
hanced the beauty of the Mass
and ceremony.
After Holy Mass, His Ex
cellency turned to the grille
to receive the simple, ancient
answers to his questions and the
pledge of Sister Maria of the
Passion to the service of God
and mankind. Then the Religious
Bride withdrew from the grille,
returning a few minutes later
clothed in the rough brown
serge Habit of the Order of
Carmel.
His Excellency continued the
Ceremony with the blessings
and prayers prescribed, and
the new Novice prostrated upon
a floral-covered rug, which sig
nified her death to the life of
the world and the beginning of
a new spiritual life for God.
Carmel is a contemplative
Order, lived in Poverty accord
ing to the Spirit and Rule of
the Mother Foundress, St. Te
resa of Avila who established
the First Monastery of the Re
form at St. Joseph’s in Avila
Spain in 1562, just 400 years
ago. In 1790 Carmel was born
in America at Fort Tobacco,
in Maryland.
Carmelites dedicate their life
of Silence and solitude to Pray
er, Mortification, and Penance.
Having strict enclosure(Papal),
they take solemn Vows of Obe
dience, Chastity, and Poverty.
Like the Ancient Solitaries,
the nuns are bound by Rule not
only to pray, but to work. By
virtue of the vow of Poverty,
they give a good part of the day
to manual labor. The nuns fast
and abstain the greater part of
the year, and though con
templative, they are endowed
by their Holy Mother, St. Te
resa, with an Apostolic Spirit.
The Divine Office is daily re
cited for the Universal Needs
of the Church and the santifica-
tion of priests, and the Faith
ful the world over; especially
for the Diocese in which they
labor. By Prayer they continu
ally intercede for the Blessings
of Almighty God and His Prodi
gality on a needy world. The
Carmelite Order is one of the
four Mendicant Orders, com
prising Friars, nuns, and reli-
lightweight rifle throws a “Sam
son” punch able to knock
out the heaviest armor now
known.
Other bamtamweight -
but -power-packed weapons to
be seen are the M-14 rifle and
M-60 machinegun, both cham
bered to fire the 7.62 NATO
round. Between them the wea
pons replace a half-dozen heav
ier, slower firing, less versa
tile and semi-automatic arms.
Also on display will be the
Redeye—a shoulder-fired mis
sile giving fast moving com
bat troops protection against
strafing enemy aircraft; the
SS-11 “Giant Killer”—a four-
finned antitank guided missile;
and a photo mural of the dual
role Davy Crockett—able to
fire either conventional or nu
clear projectiles.
The Army’s role in air de
fense is represented by photo
graphs of Nike-Hercules, Nike-
Zeus and Hawk missiles in ac
tion.
Achievements in other fields
are depicted through animated
panels, cutaways, audience par
ticipation devices and attrac
tive illustrations. Such innova
tions as the “shot gun” ap
proach to painless, mass inocu
lations and a rolling liquid
transporter capable of handling
up to 500 gallons of fuels ir
each of its huge tires, are
spotlighted in the exhibit.
By pushing a button, visi
tors will observe how sunlight
is converted into energy by
solar cells. And they will see
actual samples of radiation-
preserved food.
As the man who uses today’s
modern Army equipment is the
paramount element in warfare,
and, in fact, the continuing key
to landpower, the U.S. Soldier
—as he appears today and may
appear tomorrow-dominates
the entrance and exit to the
exhibit in the form of attrac
tive and meaningful art.
Says Catholic Press Necessary
Priest-Editor Blames
Christians For Social
Imbalance Of World
ST. PAUL, Minn., (NC)—A
priest-editor primarily blam
ed Christians, rather than pa
gans or atheists for the social
imbalance in the world today.
Msgr. Daniel Moore, editor
of the St. Louis Review, arch
diocesan newspaper, told news
paper, radio and television per
sonnel of the St. Paul-Minnea-
polis area at the annual Press
Month symposium at the Col
lege of St. Thomas here, some
editors in their efforts to “en
ter the market place” with Ca
tholic newspapers, are over
eager to crusade against
atheists, agnostics and others
who do not know about Jedeo-
Christian principles.
“It is not the pagan’s fault
that there is social imbalance,
poverty, greed, strife and war,”
Msgr. Moore said. “It is the
Christian’s fault.”
The Catholic press, he said,
should exist “to help form the
Catholic’s mind and endow
it with Christian principles, so
that he can aptly think about and
make judgments about the larg
er issues of the day.”
Msgr. Moore indicated many
Catholic publications have
readers who don’t want to think
about these larger issues.
“Many of our subscribers
are as surprised to see us
(Catholic periodicals) in the
market place as they are to see
nuns bowling and going to ball
games,” he said. “The sur
prise is often well mixed with
I chagrin when we discuss a sub
ject about which there are
strong pros and cons.
“But our diocesan papers
must be Catholic not only with
an upper case 'C', but a low
er case one as well. According
to Pope John, not one of the
larger issues of the day fails
to have its moral facet,” he
said.
“ There is no intention (on
the part of an editor) to ne
glect the minor issues, but
such things as sports, wedding
announcements and parish so
cial events must be put in
their proper place and prop
er perspective. And yet there
are those among your subscrib
ers whose only interests are.the
minor issues, and when per
spectives clash you have irate
customers,” he added.
Msgr. Moore said while the
nature of the Catholic press is
different from that of the secu
lar press, the two do overlap
in places.
gious or secular Tertiaries
Father Perot Fiero, Assis
tant at St. James Parish, gave
the sermon, in which he com
mented upon the excellence of
Virtue in God’s Love and Peace,
which only He can bestow. He
took Psalm 118 for his theme
on the Lamentations of Jere
mias.
After the Ceremony, the peo
ple left the Chapel for the
Speakroom, there to congratu
late the new novice, Sister
Maria of the Passion.
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