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Vol. 44, No. 19 10c Per Copy — $3 A Year SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1963 Bishop McDonough Says Confraternity Drive "‘Outstanding Success” Southeastern Regional C.P.A. Conference Cuba, Federal Aid Press Meet Topics PRESS MEETING—Rt. Rev. Msgr. R. G. Peters, president of the Catholic Press Association (holding paper), James A. Doyle, Executive Secretary Catholic Press Asso ciation, and Rev. Francis J. Donohue, Host Editor, read about their meeting in copy of THE SOUTHERN CROSS "hot off the press."—(Savannah News-Press Photo) ‘Sensational’ Editorials Rapped By Fr. Kiernan SAVANNAH—In a message from Rome, where he is attend ing the Second Vatican Council, Bishop Thomas J. McDonough has expressed "my warmest and most heartfelt appreciation for the outstanding success of this year’s Confraternity of the Laity drive for diocesan funds. The most difficult task of any Bishop is to ask his people for money. But without it the work of the Church would be frustra ted. The generosity of the peo ple of the Diocese of Savannah is a truly wonderful manifesta tion of their commitment to the Apostolate which they share with me." It has also been announced by the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Andrew J. McDonald, Chancellor, that a Novena of Masses will be offered each month for the next twelve months for all contribu tors to the fund-raising cam paign. Final reports, presently being tabulated at the Chancery, indicate that the 1963 goal of p $140,000 will be oversub scribed. Said Monsignor McDonald, "When the Confraternity of the Laity Drive was conducted for the first time, six years ago, Bishop McDonough had urged upon all the motto, ‘Charity is the very lifeblood of our Faith.’ "In these days of rising taxes and rising costs in every field, it is certainly not an easy 'cask for the average man to find the twenty-five dollars which we have asked as a mini mum donation. The fact that so many did so is not only a V tribute to their Faith, but to the / spirit of self-sacrifice which must underlie a strong and lasting Faith." In a separate letter, Bishop McDonough asked the Savannah Chancellor to "convey my par ticular gratitude to the pastors and assistant priests who pre sented the very real needs of SAVANNAH — The following letter from Bishop McDonough was addressed to members of Most Blessed Sacrament parish: * * * October 28, 1963 Dearly beloved Parishioners of Blessed Sacrament Parish: This evening I received the news of the death of your faith ful pastor and my dear asso ciate and friend, Monsignor Thomas Brennan. Before I left for the Council I had been ad vised of the critical condition of Monsignor, nevertheless I hop ed and prayed for his recovery. Our Divine Master wished to call home Monsignor Brennan who had finished his labors upon earth. All of us will miss him because we all loved him. God gave him outstanding qualities and talents which he used gen erously; yes, ever sacrifically for the good of souls. Now he has left us—but we pray fer vently that what he planted so ■ well, will grow a,nd increase a thousand-fold. The loss of a priest brings grief to all of us. The loss of a pastor creates a spiri tual void. The loss of a Christ- like priest stirs up in our hearts an abiding gratitude because we knew him. There are many things which I could say in pointing out the charity, the understanding and the wisdom and the patience of Monsignor Brennan, but they are well known to you, who watched him day after day bring Christ upon the altar to re- our diocese so intelligently and tellingly, and moved them to the generosity which has made this year’s drive such an outstand ing success." A seminary fund for the edu cation of future priests for the Diocese of Savannah which will receive $50,000 from the Con fraternity campaign, and a fund for the construction of Mission Churches in rural areas, which will receive $30,000, are the principal beneficiaries of this NEW YORK, (NC),—Presi dent Kennedy said in a mes sage to some 7,000 Catholic youths meeting here that the ideals set forth in their con vention program "are fully har monious with our national goals." "The challenge which faces America’s youth at this time must be met with great cour age and conviction," said the presidential message to the (Nov. 14-17) convention of the National Catholic Youth Organi zation Federation. "Your theme, ‘Youtlr Gives Service,’ recognizes this urgent need for young Americans to awake to the problems which lie ahead and to play an increasingly active part in out national life. "I salute your past accom plishments," the President also said, "and I know that your fu ture endeavors will reflect the same sense of dedication and high purpose." The message was addressed to Msgr. Frederick J. Steven son, director of the Youth De partment, National Catholic Welfare Conference, sponsor of the biennial convention, at tended by teenagers and young adults from all parts of the U. S. freshen the souls of all. Monsignor Brennan was well prepared to meet God. We beg then when we are called, that God will be equally pleased with us. Again to all of you I extend my deep abiding and personal annual diocesan-wide appeal for funds. Funds have also been alloca ted for the care of the depen dent children of the Diocese at St. Mary’s Home in Savan nah and St. Joseph’s Home in Washington, Georgia; for the recently renovated Cathedral of St. John the Baptist; and for the support of mission parishes in rural Catholic parishes with too few members to be self- supporting. Archbishop John J. Krol of Philadelphia, Eposcopal Chair man of the NCWC Youth De partment, said in a message to the delegates: "I pray that the deliberations of the convention will inspire all to undertake a course of intense preparation for effective service as lay apostles in theirparishes, their dioceses and in the Church." On the second day (Nov. 15) of the convention the delegates took part in panel discussions on such diverse topics as poli tics, lay missionary activity and cheating in school. At a panel session on "The Catholic Young Adult and Po litical Responsibilities," Char lotte Rauschuber of the San Antonio archdiocese said "de mocracy in the United States today is in far greater danger from its 'do-nothing citizens’ than from any military attack." She cited "the appalling num bers of eligible voters who fail to vote," but added that "if we wait until election day to participate in self-government, it is almost too late.” “To do nothing more than vote is, in effect, to do very little,” Miss Rauschuber said. (Continued On Page 2) sympathy. Remember him in your prayers that God will have mercy upon his soul. Imparting to all of you my blessing, I am, Devotedly yours in Christ, thomas j. McDonough Bishop of Savannah School Aid Seen Necessary SAVANNAH—"Whatever the merits or demerits of fears concerning Federal inter ference with or control of edu cation, the economic facts of life indicate that financial aid on the federal level is neces sary if our elementary and secondary school systems are to do the job they must do in the future," said the Rev. J. Fleming McManus, Superinten dent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina. Father Mc Manus spoke at the Southeast ern regional meeting of the Catholic Press Association here. The South Carolina educator cited figures compiled by the National Education Associa tion in declaring that "South Carolina and most of the states of the deep South spend con siderably less than the national average of $390 per pupil an nually. In South Carolina, the per pupil cost for education in our public schools is $223." "Yet these same deep South states are among the nation’s leaders in the percentage of tax income alloted for educational purposes. "But, our southern states are financially poor and can scarce ly do much more than they are doing at present," he said, noting that an additional dollar outlay of more than one hundred million dollars annually will be required to bring South Caro lina’s per-pupil cost up to the national average. "Massive federal aid benefit ing public school students only, however, would place the nation’s private schools at a serious disadvantage,” he said “and reduce non-public school education to a privilege of the wealthy. “It is up to you in the Ca tholic Press to use your talents and resources to develop an in formed and articulate laity who will be able to carry into the community an awareness of the contribution which private schools are daily making to Am erican education, and of the in justice involved when the State or Federal government acknow ledges the right of parents to educate their children in reli giously oriented schools, but effectively destroys that right by making its exercise econo mically impossible,” he said. Father McManus closed his remarks by noting that in creased public school budgets means "increased taxation, ei ther on the local, State or Fed eral level. "Our schools must keep pace, and if an already heavy tax burden is increased to provide needed massive governmental assistance to public school pu pils only, supporters of private (Continued On Page 2) SAVANNAH — Delegates to the Southeastern Regional meeting of the Catholic Press Association, held here last week, heard the consulting edi tor of the Atlanta Catholic news paper, the GEORGIA BULLE TIN, criticize what he term ed, "Ill advised, unkind and sensational editorializing on highly respected personalities connected with controversial events." The Rev. R. Donald Kiernan cited as an example, "The re cent attack by some newspap ers on the person of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, which I feel can only have the effect of les sening public respect for those whom we have been taught are the successors of the Apos tles." Father Kiernan also assailed the handling of what he termed the "Catholic University cri sis” in some segments of the Catholic press last fall. "Maybe I am old fashioned," he said, "But I’m sure the squabbles between my mother and father were never the sub ject of neighborhood gossip— nor do I think it good for the squabbles of personalities in the Church to be hung like the laun dry, out in public." "I am not advocating a‘muz zled’ press," declared the Georgia editor, "but I think we can fulfill our commitment to truth in commenting on the pub lic actions of Catholic institu tions without necessarily fail ing in our commitment to Chris tian Charity by calling into question the motives of highly respected and dedicated men who happen to be parties to con troversial events." By Richard M. Menges CHICAGO, (NC) — The superintendent of Chicago’s Ca tholic schools quarreled here with a statement that parochial school supporters are now will ing to "phase them out." "My experience," saidMsgr. William E. McManus, "is that parents have been violently op posed to phasing out one grade to say nothing of phasing out an entire school or the whole system.” He was asked for comment on an article in the Saturday Evening Post (Oct. 26). The author said that * * ‘a substantial number (of Catholic parents) are now clearly more than wil ling to accept a phasing out of parochial schools, at least at the elementary level." Msgr. McManus said: ‘ 'I challenge the evidence on that ‘phasing out’ statement. He says ‘a substantial number’ of Catholics. What does he con sider a substantial number— 5, 10, 15, 20, 40, 50%? Or one-half of 1%? ‘ ‘I would not say there is an overwhelming sentiment for phasing out the elementary school when every year our en rollment goes up." As for the charge that paro chial schools are obsolete, Father Kiernan also warned against the danger of publishing editorial comment based only on "hearsay evidence” without first "checking all the facts." "I’m sure there are many editors who would rather for get that when Fidel Castro took over Cuba, the Catholic press of the nation belabored the fact that here was a Catholic col lege graduate. Frontpages were decorated with pictures of the scoundrel wearing religious medals, and we gave the country the distinct impression that we were behind him . . .Then, with red faces and heads bowed low, we, like our government, had to back-track and admit that we were taken in," he said. Msgr. McManus commented: "I disagree. Too many writ ers recently have stared at only one side of the school picture— the large classes in some schools and the need for more teachers and funds to expand. ‘ ‘Why do they ignore the high professional standards of the Catholic system and its strong, consistent efforts to achieve and maintain professional excel lence?" ' ‘The whole accent in our school system is on ‘aggiorna- (Continued On Page 2) PRAY FOR OUR PRIESTLY DEAD RT. REV. WILLIAM H. GROSS, C.SS.R., DD Fifth Bishop of Savannah Nov. 14, 1898 * * * REV. CORNELIUS M. SHEEHAN Nov. 18, 1875 Oh Cod, Who didst give to thy servants hy their sacredotal office, a share in the Priest hood of the Apostles, grant, ur implore, that they may also he one of their company forever in heaven. Through Christ Our Lord, Amen. Marxist Blueprint Outlined SAVANNAH—The Cuba of Fi del Castro at its beginnings _ three years ago was brought in to sharp contrast with the thor oughly subjugated Red-ruled is land of today by Jaime Fonces- ca, editor of Noticias Catoli- cas, Spanish-Portuguese ver sion of NCWC News Service, at a meeting of Catholic newsmen here last week. Mr. Fonseca spoke at the Southeastern Regional meeting of the Catholic Press Associa tion. He recalled the popular adu lation of Castro in the early days of the triumph over the Batista regime, before the bearded dictator had fully re vealed his communist lean ings. “. . .Catholics were staging a giant rally . . .Therewas this woman, poorly dressed, walking thru the mud . . .She came from one of the slums in the outskirts of Havana. "This is wonderful," she said, "to have this mass for our Lady of Charity (the patron ess of Cuba.) ‘Oh, yes. Fidel will be here too . . .You see this hospital, it hasn’t been finished ... It was going to be for the army, but now Fidel says it is ours . . .It belongs to the peo ple . . .1 can touch and say it is mine.’ "This was some three years ago. The hospital was complet ed but today it has scarcely any drugs, or nurses, or doctors. The good woman may still be praying to Our Lady of Chairty but she must have found out long ago that what Castro meant by ‘we the people’ was really a Big Brother State." The Cold War has made the establishment of a communist bastion in the Americas a "threat of unprecedented magnitude," said Fonseca. “It has provided stepping stones for the Soviet world revolution, because it has ex- tablished these things: "1. The Soviets do not need a large influential Communist Party to take over a country, not even an armed invasion. "2. A Soviet military base can be established in the Wes tern Hemisphere, over the dead body of the Monroe Doctrine and of the unfulfilled commitments of the Organization of American States. "3. The back of the so-called "capitalist imperialism" can be broken overnight, and in its place a "socialist state" with native roots can survive in Am erica. "4. Marxist propaganda can fire the idea that the underde veloped peoples of Africa, As ia and Latin America can find in socialism (communism) the road and tool to national lib eration." Fonseca also cited conditions which "make other regions in Latin AmericapronetotheCas- troite brand of the Red conspir acy." "Liberal nationalism, easily tinged with Marxism. In a cen tury of frustrations and dreams and wars and trying the repub lican way of government, such nationalism has hardened into isolating walls. "Resentment at the econom ic dependence from the advanc ed markets of Western Europe and Noth America, which in turn feeds ‘anti-imperialist feelings.’ "The romantic image—at first among the intellectuals, now also among the masses—of the Russian Revolution, later of Republican Spain and now of Cu ba." The editor of Noticias warned that if the U.S. continues to follow a policy of non-interven tion while Russia continues a "relentless crusade to engulf more nations," other forces will take the initiative. He listed these forces as "Nasserism, military juntas, a new European entente, suen as DeGaulle seeks," and pre dicted that if these fail while Moscow advances under the cloak of peaceful co-existence, (Continued On Page 2) J.F.K. Praises Youth Convention Ideals Bishop Sends Condolences On Death Of Msgr. Brennan Of Parochial Schools Educator Sees No “Phasing Out”