Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 3—The Georgia Bulletin, September 28, 1978
The Catholic Priest
The First Ordinary of Atlanta, the late Bishop Francis E. Hyland . . ,
(Continued from page 1)
THE WHOLE STATE had
no more than 22 priests in
those days and not too many
Catholics either. Father
Cassidy spent his first two
years in the humid city of
Savannah as Assistant Pastor
in the beautiful Cathedral of
St. John the Baptist.
Savannah immediately
became his home and he
knew and hoped he would
often return to it.
The infant city of Atlanta
was next for him, where he
served for four years in the
historic Shrine of the
Immaculate Conception in
the heart of downtown.
“Atlanta wasn’t much in
those days,” says the
reminiscing Monsignor, “it
was easy to walk all over
town. We had to, on a salary
of $25 a month, cars were
out of the question.”
Four years later, he was
sent further north. This time
as pastor to St. Mary’s in
Rome. His first pastorate and
a seven year stay. With glee,
he recalls those years. The
parish Church, still standing
today, was his brainchild. He
recalls that the asking price
for the land was $10,000.00.
“We hadn’t 10,000 pennies
and the Bishop would not
allow us to borrow.” Not to
be stopped and without the
“full knowledge” of the
watchful Bishop Keys, he
pounced on 10 reluctant
parishioners to borrow the
money and put the price on
the line. The project was off
the ground and Rome had its
grand parish Church.
While serving in Rome, an
unexpected surprise came to
the Catholic pastor. Each
morning was spent with his
non-Catholic coffee clutch in
the Busy Bee - “the best
hideaway in town.” So
popular was this Yankee
turned Rebel that they sent
him on a dream trip.
“Thirteen weeks in Europe
and the Middle East,” he
recalls. “They gave me
$1,300, the trip cost $900.”
He would repeat that journey
on a number of occasions but
the surprise first, “that was
the best.”
In 1936, it was back to
Savannah to the new Blessed
Sacrament parish and also the
strangest adventure of his life.
Along with the usual pastoral
duties, Father Cassidy was
also appointed Director of
the Rural Life Apostolate.
While visiting a conference in
Tennessee, he learned about
the Trailer Apostolate
spreading rapidly in the
wilderness of the Appalachian
Mountains.
“The Trailers” were, in
fact, parishes on wheels. The
priest was driver, mechanic,
pastor, teacher and street
corner preacher. With
enthusiasm he brought the
news back to the Bishop -
then Gerald P. O’Hara. “After
hearing me out,” he
remembers, “he agreed the
idea was a good one and we
should try it. Then he said he
believed he had the man for
the job. Who, I asked.” The
answer was quick and
decisive. Father Cassidy hit
the road.
“I remember my first day
with the Trailer,” Monsignor
says. “I took it to a place
called Lakeland near Valdosta
and set it up in O’Brien’s
field. Along the side of the
26-foot mobile home, we
placed our name. It was
called Queen of the Apostles
Motor Chapel.”
He intended to stay two
weeks in Lakeland. He stayed
eight. Each evening, the rural
workers, mostly black, would
come to enjoy the
“entertainment.” Movies
were shown, hymns were
sung (“The Old Rugged
Cross” was a favorite) and
instructions were given. The
seed of the faith was sown. It
was then time to move on.
Other priests would take the
Chapel’s place and establish a
parish as the Trailer rolled.
Father Cassidy and his
pulpit on wheels rolled to
every corner of the state in
two and a half years. Names
like Pin Point, Gainesville,
Toccoa, Isle of Hope - all
became familiar. On cold
Georgia nights when outdoor
services were too
uncomfortable, he rented
town halls. “The First job
would be wood for the fire
and then stoking it before
unloading the Trailer.” He
recalls renting the hall in Pin
Point for seventy-five cents.
“It was called the Poor and
Needy Hall,” he grinned.
As the Cassidy Trailer
rattled on, the Second World
War was in progress. Some of
the movies shown were
Italian with English sub-titles.
A local resident in one small
town hearing the foreign
dialect from a distance,
believed spies had landed in
Middle Georgia. The sheriff
was summoned and Father
Cassidy was held for a little
questioning. He was released,
but the files of the FBI will
show that the incident was
noted.
“Life on the road was an
education,” recalles the
Monsignor, “I learned about
car engines and I learned
about people. They both have
their good moments and their
bad. But they come through
when you need them -
usually.”
After his adventures on
the road, Milledgeville and
the parish of Sacred Heart
was next. It was here in 1941
he met his second love -
contact with the largest
mental health hospital in the
world. He treasured those
visits to the unfortunate
forgottens in that dread
place. He would next go to
the parish in Thomasville,
Albany and then to the
rectorship of the Cathedral in
Atlanta - but he never forgot
the needs of those inmates in
the State Hospital.
When other men would be
planning the quiet of
retirement days, after serving
in Christ the King for 20
years, Monsignor Cassidy
requested work as Chaplain
to the State Hospital in
Milledgeville, which included
care of the Women’s Prison.
In 1965, this new Apostolate
began and lasted over four
years.
Now at the age of 67,
Monsignor finally attempted
Quasi-retirement. Taking an
apartment in Atlanta, he
assisted in the new parish in
Roswell and then back to his
rural beginnings in Dalton,
Georgia. But there was no
peace in retirement. Still,
there were missions calling to
this kid from Brooklyn.
Recalling his deep interest
in the work for mentally
handicapped, the authorities
of the Regional Hospital
invited the Monsignor to
return as Chaplain to the new
hospital in Savannah. The
temptation was too much,
especially since they had no
budget to cover his salary and
his title would have to be
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And The Bishops He
Has Served
. . . was succeeded by Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan . . .
. . . followed by Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan.
“volunteer.” He jumped at
the chance and he is there,
back where it all began.
“I have loved the years in
Georgia,” Monsignor Cassidy
testifies, “they were happy,
all of them, for me.” He
served under five different
Bishops during those years
and he has a concise
comment on them all.
“Keys was the best
administrator. If you didn’t
have it, you were forbidden
to spend it. O’Hara was the
exact opposite. Hyland was a
Saint. Hallinan never
listened.” And what about his
present Archbishop “Well
now,” he grins, “he’s a good
man - he’s from Dunwoody,
isn’t he?”
Monsignor Cassidy is
remembered for his
passionate love of the
Yankees, but when they fired
Yogi Barra, he transferred his
love to Monday Night
Football. “A quarter to six
on Tuesday mornings always
comes early,” he quips.
You may call his home in
Savannah in the evenings and
get no answer - find that most
understandable. He is
listening to one of his more
than 200 complete operas -
earphones in place. Or he
may be writing his beautiful
commentaries on Scripture
verses for his special friends.
New things to do in his
priesthood keeps finding
avenues in his glorious
young-at-heart life.
This is the final article in
our “Catholic” Series. We
have attempted to highlight
the lives of some of our
Catholic brothers and sisters
in our communities. Meaning
absolutely no disrespect to
that valiant group, we must
say, fearing no disagreement,
that the best was reserved for
last.
Monsignor Joseph Gerard
Cassidy, Georgia mission
priest. And he is our Catholic.
The Chair Returns
VATICAN CITY (NC)
The ancient “sedia
gestatoria” (portable papal
throne) is again in service
at the Vatican.
The portable throne is
one of the most ancient
symbols of the papacy
with references dating to
the fifth century.
Pope Paul did riot use
the portable throne for
several years. But in his
final years, the late pope’s
critical arthritic conditions
made it nearly impossible
for him tq walk long
distances, reviving use of
the throne and its 12
chairbearers dressed in
formal light purple suits.
Pope John Paul I, the
first pontiff in recent
history to refuse to be
crowned with the
traditional papal tiara,
decided not to use the
throne for his entry into
St: Peter’s Square at his
inaugural Mass.
He continued non-use
of the throne Sept. 6 when
he walked down the
central aisle of the modern
papal audience hall for his
first general audience.
Immediately
afterwards, however, the
Vatican began' receiving
complaints from
thousands of people in the
hall who could not see the
short pope, who is only
about five feet, five inches
tall.
In response to the
telephone calls and letters,
the pope decided to enter
and leave the hall on the
portable throne.
The pope seemed
comfortable on the
portable throne during his
first rides as he waved to
the crowds.
Pope John Paul has not
yet mastered Pope Paul’s
technique of tapping the
hands of the faithful,
extended to him as he
rides past.
Actually, two portable
thrones exist.
Pope John Paul used
the white velvet throne
with gold ornamentation,
the simpler of the two.
The other is covered in
maroon cloth and gold
fringe. On the back of the
second throne is an
embroidery of the Holy
Spirit in the form of a
dove.
In past eras, the popes
who sat on the portable
throne were accompanied
by two huge feather fans,
called flabella. Above the
pontiff was a canopy
similar to those which
once covered a priest
carrying the Blessed
Sacrament in procession.
When he began holding
weekly general audiences.
Pope Pius XII was not
accompanied into St.
Peter’s Basilica by the fans
and canopy, although he
did ride on the throne to
give the crowds a better
chance to see him. -
Popes Pius XII and
John XXIII used the fans
and canopy on most
solemn occasions. But
these were eliminated by
Paul VI.
The portable throne has
an antecedent in the
“sedia curule” used by
Roman magistrates and
consuls in ancient times.
Better visibility and
pompousness were not the
only reason why the popes
used the portable throne.
Old age and the once
very heavy pontifical
vestments made it difficult
for many popes to walk
long distances.
The throne, with its
cushions and arms, rests
on a platform. Two long
wooden poles, covered in
z velvet, pass through
supports on the platform.
The throne is then borne
on the shoulders of the
white-gloved chairbearers.
Most of the
chairbearers, called
“sediari” or “patafrenieri,”
double as ushers or office
clerks in the Vatican.
CHAIR RETURNS -- Pope John Paul I is carried on
the “sedia gestatoria” (portable papal throne) through
cheering pilgrims at the Vatican audience hall. The
pope had given up the portable throne but changed his
mind after receiving many letters from people
complaining they could not see the pontiff who is only
five feet, five inches tall.
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