Newspaper Page Text
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The Southern Cross
DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH NEWSPAPER
Vol. 55 No. 6
Thursday, February 7, 1974
Single Copy Price — 12 Cents
SUCCESSOR TO BALTIMORE CATECHISM
Local Input Sought for Catechetical Directory
FATHER DAVID CONNER S.J. celebrates his First Mass at St.
Joseph’s Church, Macon. (Photo courtesy of Macon News)
HEADLINE
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HOPSCOTCH
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Honors for Civil War Nurse
VATICAN CITY (NC) - Mother Frances Schervier, a German Franciscan nun who
nursed the wounded during the American Civil War, will be beatified here April 28. In
1863, during the Civil War, she accompanied a group of volunteer nurses to America.
By the time of her death in Germany in 1876, her congregation had grown under her
direction to 31 foundations in Europe and 10 in the United States.
Nixon Backs Tax Credits
WASHINGTON (NC) -- President Nixon has expressed his continued support for
“legislation which permits tax credits for parents who pay to send their children to
nonpublic schools.” In the printed portion of the State of the Union message, the
President said: “I remain firmly committed to the principle of educational diversity.
The continued health of the nation’s nonpublic schools is essential to this concept.
Although governmental efforts aimed at supporting these scschools have encountered
difficulty in the courts, I believe we must continue our efforts to find ways to keep
these schools open.”
Dual Enrollment Nixed
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (NC) - A U. S. district court has barred an arrangement allowing
public school teachers to teach in Catholic schools here. Judge Mac Swinford of the
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky struck down a dual
enrollment plan under which a public school board leased sections of four Catholic
schools for nominal rent. The pupils in the Catholic schools were then enrolled in the
public schools for courses taught in those sections. The teachers were paid by the
public school board.
NLRB Raps Farah
WASHINGTON (NC) -- A National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) official has
declared that the Farah Co. acted illegally in 1972 when it dismissed six workers - an
action that touched off a 20-month strike against the clothing manufacturer. The
ruling, which ordered reinstatement of the workers, was described by union lawyers as
a major victory, but they said it might not be implemented until a long appeal process
is completed.
The American bishops have invited all
Catholics to have a say in developing
what will become the present day
successor to the Baltimore catechism. In
the Savannah diocese, a special effort
will be made during the month of
February to gather suggestions from all
who would like to participate. The
procedure was explained and resource
materials distributed to all priests at the
clergy conference held in Augusta
recently.
important to American Catholics
because it served as a practical help to
hold on to our faith at a time when it
was questioned and challenged from all
sides. The new book - to be called the
National Catechetical Directory - aims
to move beyond a simple summary of
the truths of faith to outline the
pastoral efforts the church should be
making to help people in America today
find and grow in the faith.
be truly useful and practical only if it is
grounded in the real needs and concerns
of American Catholics. Thus its
development will begin with a
nation-wide grassroots consultation
process ending March 31, 1974.
new Directory will have lasting impact
only if it touches on the real concerns
of people and takes heed of all different
points of view.”
The Baltimore Catechsim was so
This new handbook of what the
church should do to help faith grow will
Bishop Raymond W. Lessard has
appointed Fr. Michael Smith as
coordinator for this project in the
Diocese of Savannah. Fr. Smith said,
“We want everyone who has something
to say to have a chance to do so. The
This nationwide effort is being called
“Project Rainbow” because it aims to
bring together the many different
shades of opinion among Catholics. If
you would like to have a say in its
development consult your parish priest,
or the information in the box printed
on Page 8.
FR. DAVID CONNER
Jesuit Ordained in Macon Church
BY GRACE T. CRAWFORD
Macon News Staff Writer
When David Conner was ordained a
Jesuit priest in Macon last Saturday, he
made a bit of local history.
The clergy coming to Macon from
Pennsylvania were Msgr. George Hickey
and the Rev. Christian Le Frois, who
served as chaplains in Hawaii, when Col.
Castex Conner, now retired, was in the
Air Force.
priesthood, for his uncle was founder of
the Maryknoll Missioners.
schools
Orleans.
in Tampa, Fla., and New
Father Conner attended Catholic
University and was graduated summa
cum laude from Spring Hill College.
In the summer of 1972, he served in a
Catholic community for retarded adults
in L’Arche, France, and later in a similar
community in Erie, Pa.
The young Maconite, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Castex P. Conner, became the first
person ever to have ordination services
conducted in St. Joseph Catholic
Church.
Father Conner celebrated his first
mass at 9:30 a.m. last Sunday in St.
Joseph Church. He is not the first
member of his family to enter the
He received his novitiate training at
Grand Coteau Seminary, and taught
French for three years in Jesuit high
After his ordination, Father Conner
will return to complete his final year at
Regis College, a Jesuit seminary in
Toronto, Canada.
As a result of recent changes in the
church, ordinations in home parishes
have been encouraged, according to St.
Joseph assistant pastor, the Rev.
Thomas Healy. “This is so people can
see such a service and so that it may
foster vocations to the priesthood.” He
noted that previously, ordinations have
been in the seminary attended by the
student.
TO AID ILLITERATES
Tutor Training Program Set
BY MAUREEN THORNTON
at the Church of the Covenant, 11 W.
Park Avenue.
The Most Rev. Raymond W. Lessard,
bishop of the Diocese of Savannah, was
the ordaining prelate, and a reception
followed in the church social hall.
When the service began at noon,
several of the huge oak benches in the
church were filled - with Father
Conner’s four brothers, Paul, Bill, Don
and Bob, his two sisters, Jean and Jane;
several nieces and nephews, his
grandfather, Dr. Harry Bishop, who
recently moved to Macon from
Washington; at least two members of
the Catholic clergy, “and a whole raft of
uncles and aunts and cousins,”
according to his mother.
Sister Mary Catherine Moore,
Coordinator of the Social Apostolate of
Savannah, has announced that
workshops for the training of tutors for
adult illiterates will be held at the Social
Apostolate’s Bethany Center.
Mrs. John Olson, a Certified Tutor
Trainer from Atlanta, Georgia will
conduct the workshops.
Mrs. Jeanette Smithee, Public Library
Coordinator for SALT (Savannah Area
Literacy Training) Program has set the
following dates for the workshop
sessions: February 20 and 21 and
February 27 and 28 from 7:00 p.m. til
9:00 p.m. at the Social Apostolate, 501
E. McDonough Street; and February 18,
19 and 21 from 9:00 a.m. til 1:00 p.m.
Mrs. Smithee said that approximately
10% of the adult population is
functionally illiterate. These people
would be unable to read contracts or fill
out employment forms, tax forms etc.
even though they might be able to sign
their names. SALT was started in the
Savannah area in 1971 and has trained
approximately 30 tutors to date.
The Laubach Course which is used
was invented in 1920 by Dr. Frank
Laubach a missionary in the Philippines.
It has been used successfully since then
in 103 countries. The method relies on
key words and picture association
together with a one-to-one relationship
between the tutor and student.
People interested in becoming tutors
must be at least 18 years old and able to
read. Mrs. Snithee stressed that these
are the only prerequisites for tutor #
training. No previous teaching
experience is necessary.
According to Mrs. Smithee there is a
waiting list on file now for tutors, and
the demand continues to grow as more
people become aware of the SALT
Program.
Those interested in the SALT
program are urged to contact Sister
Mary Catherine Moore at 233-1877 or
Mrs. Jeanette Smithee at 234-5127.
CATHOLIC HOUR PROGRAM
Mason to Be Speaker
Chatham county Superior Court
Judge George E. Oliver, immediate Past
Grand Master of Georgia Masons, will be
the speaker on the Savannah Catholic
Hour radio program Sunday morning,
February 17th, at 11:06 a.m.
The K. of C. committee in charge of
putting the Sunday morning programs
on the air includes: Thomas J. Buttimer,
John R. Caterisan and Hugh H. Grady.
HENRY HOCKENSCHNEIDER oldest member of Savannah’s Holy
Family Council no. 5588, Knights of Columbus is shown receiving his
fifty year certificate from Grand Knight William F. Smith, looking on is
financial secretary Thomas J. Wells. Mr. Hockenschneider has been a
member of the Knights of Columbus since 1918, he is presently
recuperating from a stroke at the Savannah Convalescent Center. This was
the occasion of Mr. Hockenschneider becoming Holy Family council’s
first honorary life member.
The radio program, sponsored by
Savannah Council 631, Knights of
Columbus, has been broadcast over
station WTOC for the past 38 years. It is
believed to be the oldest Catholic radio
INSIDE STORY
program conducted by laymen in the
United States.
Valdosta Nows
Pg. 2
Judge Oliver, a Methodist, is an active
member of Wesley Monumental
Methodist Church. His first two college
Prisons
years were spent at Belmont Abbey
College, N.C., conducted by the
Benedictine Fathers.
Pg- 3
Eight months ago Judge Oliver was
Entertainment
the principal speaker at the Fourth
Degree Knights of Columbus
exemplification banquet held in
Augusta. For many years he has been a
guest of honor at the traditional
reception given at the K. of C. Hall for
the grand marshal of the St. Patrick’s
Pg. 6
Macon Churches
Pg. 7
Day parade.