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THE CATHOLIC PRESS- 4
Catholic Press And Public Opinion—Georgia Pioneers
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PATRICK F. SCANLAN
About 45 years ago one of our neighbors
in Brooklyn met us one evening and conveyed
the surprising information that he was going to
Georgia to engage in a special Catholic activity.
Our friend told us that Bishop Kiely of Savan
nah, assisted by some stalwart and zealous lay
men, was establishing an organization to confront
the prejudice and misrepresentation directed ag
ainst the Catholic religion.
It will be recalled that those were the days
of Tom Watson, who so frequently fulminated
and wrote against our religion and its people.
The Catholics, of course, were small in number
and throughout Georgia large sections of the
press, ministerial groups and men striving for
political advantage derided the Pope, the Hier-
achy and the Faith we love.
THE MAN GOING from Brooklyn to Georgia
was James Farrell. The work which he helped
establish was the Catholic Layman’s Associa
tion o f Georgia. The main tools he employed
were personal appearances before groups, a
bureau of information, and spreading literature-
mostly small tracts imparting information about
This is the fourth in a series of 12 articles on
the Catholic Press written exclusively for the
GEORGIA BULLETIN by leading editors through
out the country. Pat Scanlan is managing editor
of The Tablet, official newspaper of the Diocese
of Brooklyn. Mr. Scanlan is no doubt, the “Dean”
of Catholic Press editors, and has given over
40 years of service to Church and country.
Catholics.
After being in Georgia a year, Mr. Farrell
stated: hatred of the Church is greatly exagge
rated; what people hate is not what Catholicism
is but what they think it is. What we must do,
he said, is to be in a position to present our
case to the poeple — for the people of Georgia
are religious; they love the Bible; they are open
for hearing the truth.
Mr, Farrell died a few years after he had
commenced this noble, positive, constructive
work and he was succeeded by another friend
of ours, Richard Reid, a very worthy gentleman
who for years carried on most unselfishly, suc
cessfully-and effectively the activities of the
Catholic Layman’s Association. The result has
been better feeling, better understanding, lead
ing to unity, harmony and friendship. Civic and
religious progress has resulted and to this day
the effects of this small but vital endeavor has
been impressive.
In recent years most of us are familiar with
what is called the Madison Ave. technique. Here
richly financed, well-equipped, powerfully organ
ized and extremely active businesses are dedi
cated to public relations, indoctrination, the crea
tion of images, the erection of judgments, the
endeavor to influence public opinion and buyers,
to win friends or initiate movements, which will
promote the particular business of Madison Ave.
and its clients.
Jim Farrell and Dick Reid started their public
relations work long before Madison Ave. became a
cliche, but their technique, as proved by results,
achieved the goal of what has been called “selling”
convincing the public that the Catholic religion
was a most worthy article, one worth possess
ing, or certainly respecting. Their program pro
duced what might be called a healthy public opin
ion for these reasons:
FIRSTLY, AS individuals they were men of high
moral caliber. Whenever and wherever they asso
ciated with others, by their sturdy character they
made a fine impression. Among Catholics they had
an inspiring influence and among non-Catholics
they were a source of stimulation. They were in
the best sense of the word “salesmen.”
Secondly, they combined learning and zeal with
their faith. They were mission-minded, for they
loved their fellow man, took him at face value,
and considered friendship as the cement for unity,
self-respect, understanding and concord.
Thirdly, they Identified the Catholic Church
with public life. They considered our religion
was of importance not only to the individual but
to the great issues of the day. They ardently
promoted education, public welfare, law and ord
er, the progress of the Nation and civic matters
helpful to all people.
FOURTHLY, THEY believed very emphatically
in the written as well as the spoken word, The
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
PATRICK F. SCANLAN
NCWC Unit Asks
Poverty Action
Washington (nc)—TheSo-
£ ia l Action Department of the
National Catholic Welfare Con-
fer *ence has called for new ini
tiatives by individuals, private
S r °ups and government to assist
^ 5 million fellow Americans
who u ve in poverty/’
The department, in a major
st atement on the problem of
Poverty, said that “one-fifth
°i our citizens are in want.”
IT URGED Steps not only to
d ® al with the immediate effects
°i Poverty but also to root out
lts causes—racial discrimina-
tlon * poor education, unemploy-
ment and other social ills,
„ 7,16 Church views poverty as
a challenge, not merely to
0dr compassion and charity-, but
also to intelligent social action
almed at eradicating the many
of human failure,” the
^ agency said.
"IT is a tragic commentary
u Pon the world today that na
tions are forced to spend bil
lions for ghastly weapons of war
and yet cannot find the funds to
eliminate slums. Our ingenuity
can cope with the almost un
believable difficulties of send
ing a rocket to the moon, but
we seem unable to come up with
workable plans to aid human be
ings created in the image and
likeness of Almighty God,” the
statement said.
The department’s statement
came amid mounting national
concern over the problem, in
cluding the Johnson administra
tion’s announced war on pov
erty. A presidential message
on the subject to Congress is
expected shortly.
THE DEPARTMENT stres
sed that while the Church tra
ditionally has taught that poverty
is a good thing for those who
embrace it voluntarily as a
means of religious detachment,
it is an evil for those who have
no other choice.
Archbishop’s
Notebook
When you are in the hospital, especially in a hospital like Saint
Joseph’s Infirmary, there is a tendency to tell about the medical
team (Doctors Joseph Wilber, David Hein, John Galambas and
Peter Cline), the Sisters (Sister Melanie, the Administrator) and
the others; the nurses and the aides; and the many who make life
what it is.
But today, it was different. Today. 1 offered the Sacrifice of the
Mass. It was my 27th anniversary. Twenty-seven years ago, I
offered my first Mass at Saint John's Cathedral, Cleveland, Feb
ruary 20, 1937; and my first Solemn Mass at Saint Mary’s Church,
Painsville, Ohio, February 21, 1937.They were great days, but the
day I’ll never forget is February 20,1964—the day I offered Mass
at the Chapel of the Convent of the Mercy Sisters in Saint Joseph’s
Infirmary.
MONSIGNOR Norman P. Kelley, my classmate, and his dad and
mother visited me. Norm said Mass at 8, but was on hand for the
Mass a^t 11:30. The Mass was ‘The Mass for the Eternal High
Priest, with a special memento for the priest himself. About six
of the Sisters were able to be present, as well as Mr. and Mrs.
Kelley. I was quite weak because I had not offered Mass since
Christmas; but by sitting at a very convenient chair for the Canon
until the Communion, I made it fine. At the end, I gave the triple
blessing as usual, and then said a few words of gratitude to them
all.
It was a great experience. As I mentioned, it was even more
thrilling than February 1937. Also, as I thought of the intervening
27 years, I could only be grateful, and appreciative to God for what
He has given me. My years as a parish priest, my college, news
paper and army days; my three years as Bishop of Charleston,
S. C., and then the appointment two years ago, February 21 1962
to Atlanta. Now as then, there is much work to do, and it must be
done Atlanta’s way— vigorous, firstrate, excellent.
IT WAS DISAPPOINTING to postpone the Expansion Program.
But there have been the integration moves, the new educational
policy, The GEORGIA BULLETIN, the hoped-for increase in
priests, the renovated financial system, the “Georgia Mission
Plan , the Liturgical steps, the Ecumenical moves, the Welfare
S . l ,t PS i a l WCU 3S ±e plans for ^ new Center and other projects.
All of these add up to a large order for 1964-65. Some of these
must await 1965, but many of them can begin this year, 1964 So
you can understand how anxious I am to be back in the harness,* or
should I say Mitre and Zuccheto.
It was a great day, and I am sure that it was the outstanding of
twenty-seven anniversaries since 1937.Thanks be to God I There is
much to be grateful for in 1964.
■
Archbishop of Atlanta
NY Auxiliary Bishop Dies
NEW YORK (NC) — Solemn
Pontifical Mass of Requiem for
Auxiliary Bishop James H.
Griffiths of New York was of
fered in St. Patrick’s cathedral
by Francis Cardinal Spellman,
Archbishop of New York on Feb.
27.
The 60-year-old prelate died
at the rectory of St. Monica’s
church, where he had been pas
tor since 1955. His death re
sulted from a heart attack. Ex
treme Unction was administer
ed by Father John C. Cannon of
the rectory staff.
Bishop Griffiths was bom in
Brooklyn, N.Y., July 16, 1903,
son of the late James Hei
and Helen O’Neill Griffiths,
was graduated from St. Joh
University, Brooklyn, befo
going to Rome to make his s
dies for the priesthood. He v
ordained in Rome, March
1927.
Vatican Pavilion
Cross In Place
NEW YORK (NC)—A 42-foot
“three-dimensional” cross has
been placed on top of the Vati
can Pavilion at the World's
Fair.
diocese of Atlanta
LLETIN
SERVING GEORGIA’S 71 NORTHERN COUNTIES
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1964
$5.00 PER YEAR.
HOBERT DENNIS WITHERS, a senior at Marist, is shown ad-
dressing the Georgia House of Representatives. He was invited
t0 speak as the result of a resolution, sponsored by represen
tatives Ralph McClellan and Wilson Brooks (on left), recogniz
es his services as Governor of the 1963 Georgia Boys’ State,
backed by the American Legion, and for his outstanding high
^chool record. Withers later received a flag which had been
“own from the nation’s Capitol.
INITIATIVE needed
MONEY OR JAIL
Jesuits Describe
Haitian Ouster
N. C. W. C. NEWS SERVICE
Members of the Jesuit com
munity in Haiti—expelled in
toto from that Caribbean nat
ion on Ash Wednesday—have
revealed details of their last
days under the authoritarian
regime there.
Those who were jailed suf
fered major discomforts, but
no torture. Others, only under
police surveillance, apparently
were treated with relative
courtesy. But the Church was
forced to pay $2,000 in con
nection with the Jesuits
ouster — two missionary bi
shops having to promise the
money. The expellees other
wise were threatened with
mass imprisonment.
one of the priests was found
to have in his possession a
copy of the August, 1963, re
port of the Interna tipnal Com
mission of Jurists declaring
that Haiti under President
Francois Duvalier is oppressed
by a tyranny in which “human
rights and fundamental liberties
are totally disregarded.”
BUT THE BASIC reason for
the ouster seemed to be that
the members of the Society
of Jesus were servants of the
people of Haiti, not puppets
of the Duvalier regime. And,
as the jurists' report declared,
Duvalier sees the Catholic
Church as “the only organized
fbree capable of standing up
against him.”
Liturgical Constitution
Is Revolutionary Change
(The following article is the
10th in a series on the broad
reforms in the public worship
of the Church which were enact
ed by the ecumenical council.
The author, an official council
expert, is a professor of canon
law at the Catholic University of
America and the immediate past
president of the North American
Liturgical Conference.)
BY FATHER FREDERICK R.
MCMANUS
(N. C. W. C. NEWSSERVICE)
From gloomy silence to joy
ous song—this is the revolut
ion demanded by the Second
Vatican Council for Catholic
worship.
It may be expressed in other
ways—from passive unconcern
at Mass to active involvement,
from a liturgy understood by
priests to the people's worship,
THE CONSTITUTION on the
Liturgy is revolutionary, part
ly because it decrees a thorough
reform of the services of wor
ship, partly because it brings
the whole Church abreast of the
Biblical, cathechetical, ecu
menical and theological move-4
ments of the past few decades.
To take one .example, the pic
ture of the Church as a lega
listic, authoritarian society is
bypassed. The Church is seen
as a community of love, as an
assembly of worshipers.
The center of Christian wor-
slilp is the celebration of the
eucharist, holy Mass. Accord
ing to the council, this is the
height toward which all the other
activities of the Church lead.
It Is the source and starting
point for the entire Christian
life of the faithful.
YET, MORE often than not,
the Mass appears to be an im
personal and mechanical rite,
or the weekly payment of a
debt to God or a haven of
escape from the real world.
Translate Bible
BOMBAY, India (NC)—Work
is now under way to translate
the entire Bible into Gujerati,
which is the language of seve
ral million people on the west
coast of India. Among the Indian
languages which already have
their vernacular Bible are San-
skirt, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali,
Konkani, Malayalam and Hindi.
For a long time people have
been described as “hearing
Mass” and priests have been
described as "saying Mass,”
as if it were a formula
of words—words spoken In a
language which not one parti
cipant in 100 or 1,000 could
understand without a translat
ion. The involvement of the in
dividual person in the communi
ty’s worship is at a minimum.
Communion hardly appears to
be the joyful feast of the Chris
tian family at the Lord’s com
mon table.
“The Church,” says the
council, “has never failed to
come together to celebrate the
Paschal Mystery” of the Pas
sion, Resurrection, and As
cension of Jesus, “reading
those things ‘which were in the
Scriptures concerning him'
(Luke 24:27), celebrating the
Eucharist in which ‘the
victory and triumph of his
death are again made present,
'and at the same time giving
thanks 'to God for his unspeak
able gift’ (2 Cor. 9:15) in Christ
Jesus, 'in praise of his glory*
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
MOURNED - A Pontifical Re
quiem Mass was offered in St,
Louis (February 22) for Su
preme Knight Luke E. Hart,
83 , (above) an officer of the
Knights of Col»mbus for 45
years. (See also page 8)
AN ADDRESS OF WELCOME—A young member of Rome’s St.
Pius X parish reads an address of welcome to His Holiness
Pope Paul VI, who seems to be enjoying it all. The Pope visited
the parish in the northwest part of the city on one of his Sunday
Lenten visits as Bishop of Rome.
MASS CENTER OF WORSHIP
HAITIAN officials gave as
the reapon for the expulsion
only the nonspecific charge of
conspiracy against the govern
ment.
One immediate cause, it ap
peared in retrospect, was that
The 18 Jesuits in Haiti-
all members of their society's
Frenchspeaking province of
Lower Canada, with headquart
ers in Montreal — were
responsible for vital work in
behalf of the Church in Haiti;
They conducted the nation's only
senior seminary; they also staf
fed the sole laymen’s retreat
house.
A KEY figure in the mass
ouster was Father Paul
Laramee, S, J., who was at
tached to the Port-au-Prince
retreat house and who operat
ed a small radio station there
which broadcast religious news
and taught reading and writing.
The priest, son of Justice Arthur
Laramee of Montreal, was ar
rested Jan. 31, on his return
from Canada. Arrested with him
was Brother Francois Xavier
Ross, S. J., technician of the
radio station.
They were held incom
municado for 12 days, until
they were taken to the air
port for deportation.
CATHOLIC
PRESS
MONTH