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The Southern Cross
DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH NEWSPAPER
Vol.54 No. 35
Thursday, October 11,1973
Single Copy Price —12 Cents/
$30.00 MINIMUM GIFT ASKED OF WAGE EARNERS
Confraternity of Laity Drive Underway
It’s that time of year, again. Time for
the annual diocesan-wide fund-raising
effort -- The Bishop’s Confraternity of
the Laity Drive.
The 1973 drive, which seeks to raise
cash contributions of $140,000.00 was
kicked-off in parishes throughout the
diocese last Sunday (Oct. 7) with
announcements in every church.
Next Sunday (Oct. 14), a special
letter from Bishop Raymond Lessard
concerning the drive will be read at all
Masses. An advance copy of the letter
has been made available to THE
SOUTHERN CROSS.
In it, the bishop cites indications of
continued and steady growth of the
Church in the Savannah diocese, noting
that there are now fifteen students
preparing for the priesthood and that
two of them are to be ordained next
year.
$30,000 of this year’s Confraternity
funds have been earmarked for the
education of seminarians.
The bishop’s letter also outlines
progress in other areas of diocesan
service which receive financial aid from
the annual fund-raising drive. “The
Christian Education program,” Bishop
Lessard says, “has been expanded and
strengthened for both young people and
adults.
“The mission church of Christ the
King at Hamilton was dedicated last
May, and a mission chapel at Adel will
be blessed later this month. We are
confident that in the near future, the
mission church at Hazelhurst will be
completed, as will be the educational
center at Cordele and the parish hall in
Glenn ville.”
“These,” according to the bishop,
“are but a few of the many indications
of recent growth made possible in great
part through your contributions. Also in
need of your continued assistance are
our other mission parishes, as well as St.
Mary’s Home and Camp Villa Marie.”
Expressing appreciation for “your
outstanding Christian generosity in the
past, Bishop Lessard’s letter declares
that “I am confident that you will rise
magnificently to the challenge and
insure success of this year’s drive.”
Solicitation of funds will begin on
Sunday, Oct. 21. In many parishes,
teams of solicitors will call on homes of
parishioners seeking a proposed
minimum gift of $30.00 from each wage
earner. As in the past, larger
contributions will be asked of those
whom Drive Director Monsignor Daniel
J. Bourke describes as “especially
blessed by God.”
On Sunday, Oct. 28, solicitors will
call back at homes where parishioners
could not be contacted on the previous
Sunday.
Leaflets illustrating the mechanics of
the Confraternity of the Laity Drive and
outlining the diocesan programs which
will receive support from the drive’s
proceeds have been distributed in all
parishes.
Seminary Education
In addition to helping defray the
expenses of seminary education for men
studying for the priesthood, $5,450.00
will be made available to priests of the
diocese whose work requires special
courses in education, canon law, and
other ecclesiastical subjects. Some of
these priests will take summer courses.
Others will be given temporary leaves
from present assignments to attend
courses during the academic year.
Mission Parishes
Some parishes in rural areas of the
diocese are so small that they could not
survive financially without aid from the
diocese. $4,200.00 has been allocated to
supplement help they receive from the
American Board of Catholic Missions,
Extension Society and the Indian and
Negro Mission Board.
St. Mary’s Home
Dependent boys and girls of the
diocese receive home care at St. Mary’s
Home, Savannah. The home also
provides for their education, counselling
and, if necessary psychotherapy. This
year’s drive will supplement income
from others sources by the sum of
$20,400.00
FAMILY WALK FOR LIFE - Newark residents of various ages march
in a Family Walk for Life, one of three such rallies which attracted 5,000
persons in Newark, Trenton, and Pennsauken. The rallies were organized
AT SAVANNAH CATHEDRAL
by the New Jersey Right to Life Committee as a prelude to Respect Life
Month which began Oct. 7. (NC Photo)
2 Franciscan Nuns Take Final Vows
INSIDE STORY
Boycott Support
Pg. 2
Bibles and Korans
Pg. 4
TV Movies
Pg. 6
Waycross School
Pg. 7
In an impressive and moving
ceremony last Sunday in Savannah’s
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, two
young Franciscan Sisters pronounced
their solemn, final vows as members of
the Order of St. Francis.
They are Sister Pauline O’Brien and
Sister Ann Walsh. Both young women
are Irish by birth and this, their solemn
religious profession, was attended by
relatives who made the trip from Ireland
to be present.
Sister Pauline’s mother, Mrs. Anne
O’Brien arrived in Savannah on Friday,
Oct. 5 Sister Ann’s sister, Philornena,
had arrived a few days earlier. Other
relatives of both nuns from Boston,
New Jersey, Augusta and Illinois were
also present for Sunday’s ceremony.
Behind a specially designed liturgical
banner bearing the words of the book of
Isaiah the prophet, “I have called you
by your name. You are Mine,” the two
nuns, accompanied by their relatives
walked in procession from the Cathedral
entrance to places of honor in the
sanctuary. They were followed by three
priests and Bishop Raymond W.
Lessard, concelebrants of the Mass of
Profession.
As the procession moved down the
aisle, the voices of a choir composed of
students of St. Vincent’s Academy
under the direction of Mrs. Joseph C.
Schreck, and the congregation were
(continued on Page 8)
Sister Pauline
Sister Ann
Priests’ Retirement Fund
Until three years ago, priests were
ineligible to participate in Social
Security. $17,000.00 has been
ear-marked to help provide “dignity and
frugal comfort” for retired priests.
The Southern Cross
The diocesan newspaper is sent into
every home in the diocese as part of the
Church’s teaching apostolate. A grant of
$24,450.00 will be made to The
Southern Cross to supplement monies
derived from the annual collection in
February and from advertising revenue
so that the publication can meet its
operating costs of approximately
$50,000.00 per year.
New Mission Buildings
$15,000.00 will be designated for the
erection of mission churches - and
education centers in rural areas of the
diocese.
Diocesan Properties
Diocesan properties, which include
the Cathedral and the Chancery building
as well as other facilities will receive
$15,000.00 from this year’s drive.
Camp Villa Marie
During the summer months Camp
Villa Marie is the scene of an intensive
catechetics camp. During the year it is
also used for retreats and seminars.
$5,000.00 will be contributed to offset
the costs of these programs.
Catholic Conference
The Diocese of Savannah is
cooperating with the Archdiocese of
Atlanta in protecting the interests of
Christian morality at the legislative level
of the Georgia General Assembly. The
Georgia Catholic Conference is
representing the voice and values of the
Catholic Church on legislation involving
human life and social justice. The
Savannah diocese’s share of the
expenses of operating the Conference is
$3,500.00 per year.
ON NA TIONAL LEVEL
Pastoral Council Nixed
WASHINGTON (NC) - Several
leading professional pastoral planners
applauded the recent decision by the
U.S. bishops’ Administrative Committee
to postpone indefinitely any plans for a
National Pastoral Council (NPC).
“A National Pastoral Council would
be premature,” said Father Robert
Howes, former coordinator of the
Department for Church Management
and Organization at the Center for
Applied Research in the Apostolate
(CARA).
“We haven’t yet learned how to select
diocesan and parish council
representatives effectively,” the priest
said.
Until structures are solidly developed
on the local level, he said, “a National
Pastoral Council would be like the
National Council of Churches-it could
fall victim to an ideological staff,
whether on the left or on the right. It
would not be able to speak for the
masses of Catholics around the country.
We do not have the structures for that
kind of representativity yet.”
Father Norman Choate, assistant
research director at CARA, and Father
Charles Giglio, who is chairman of the
executive committee for pastoral
planners around the country and
director of the Camden, N.J., diocesan
pastoral planning office, both told NC
News they shared Father Howes’ feeling
that an NPC would be “premature.”
Msgr. J. ' Paul O’Connor of
Youngstown, 0., immediate past
chairman of the Advisory Council’s
committee on a National Pastoral
Council, declined to comment
immediately on the decision.
The idea of an NPC was first taken up
by the U.S. bishops’ Advisory Council-a
60-member consultative body composed
of laity, priests, Religious and
bishops--in 1970. After conducting an
extensive feasibility study, the council
concluded in 1971 that an NPC was
“desirable, but not yet feasible.”
Father Howes said he saw the change
in direction as a positive one. “I’m glad
to see the parish and diocesan councils
freed from the effort to use them to
propagandize for a National Pastoral
Council,” he said.
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Sr
HEADLINE
HOPSCOTCH
Women Rejected
NEW ORLEANS (NC) - Proposals for admission of women members and creation
of an international Holy Name union were soundly defeated at the third general
assembly convention of the National Association of the Holy Name Society here.
James T. Flanagan, a New Orleans attorney, was elected as president of the national
organization by the 300 members in attendance.
School Aid Overturned
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (NC) - The Illinois Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional the
state’s $25 million-a-year program of aid to nonpublic schools. The court struck down
a $4.5 million provision to aid low-income families who send their children to
nonpublic schools and another provision to grant $20.5 million for secular textbooks
and auxiliary services. Cardinal John Cody of Chicago expressed “personal bitter
disappointment” at the decision.
Cogley Joins Episcopalians
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (NC) - John Cogley, former executive editor of
Commonweal, formally joined the Episcopal Church in a ceremony here. Cogley told
the National Catholic Reporter: “I do not look upon this move as a ‘conversion’ since
I have not changed any of the beliefs I formerly held. Rather, it is a matter of finding
my proper spiritual home.”