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About The Georgia bulletin (Atlanta) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (July 23, 1987)
PAGE 2 — The Georgia Bulletin, July 23, 1987 Birmingham Bishop Dies, Was Civil Rights Advocate BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (NC) — Bishop Joseph G. Vath of Birmingham, Ala., known for his civil rights advocacy, died July 14. Bishop Vath, who served as bishop of Birmingham for 18 years, was 69 years old. He was the first bishop of the Diocese of Birm ingham, which became its own diocese in 1969. Before that Bishop Vath served as auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Mobile-Birming- ham. The bishop died the even- ing before he was to undergo heart bypass surgery. He had entered the hospital July 12 with con gestion and chest pains. During the 1970s, times of intense racial strife in the South, Bishop Vath spoke out on behalf of blacks. Bishop Joseph Vath In 1971, Bishop Vath com mended a diocesan grade school for refusing to ac cept 15 new students allegedly transferring from public schools to avoid court-ordered integration. During the 1970s, times of intense racial strife in the South, Bishop Vath spoke out on behalf of blacks. In 1979, the bishop became involved in a con troversial case involving three charges of rape against a mentally retard ed black man. Bishop Vath warned that the man's rights should not be de nied, and allowed diocesan churches to collect a de fense fund for the man. Tommy Lee Hines. A year earlier, he and 45 priests and 110 nuns of the diocese criticized federal and state failure to provide equal educational oppor tunity for blacks. They published their condemna tion of segregation as an ad in the Birmingham Post- Herald. In 1984, Bishop Vath made headlines when he defended a priest serving as diocesan coordinator of pro-life activities who was charged with one felony and two misdemeanors after allegedly damaging a medical clinic which per formed abortions. He said the priest had a right to act according to his cons cience. He was concerned with the needs of the elderly and the poor in his diocese and was a guiding force for the Alabama Impact Commit tee which fought for reduc ed utility rates for the poor. He maintained an ‘‘open door” on Friday afternoons to listen to anyone who wished to speak with him. He was said to possess the ability to call people to gether to create and imple ment programs and he en- courged the shared minis try concept within the diocese. One of a family of 13 children, he was born in New Orleans on March 12, 1918. After his ordination in 1941, he studied canon law at The Catholic University of America in Washington. He served at Ascension Parish in Donaldsonvilie. La.: Incarnate Word and ' St. Michael parishes in New Orleans, and was tem porary chaplain at the U S Public Health Hospital in Carville. La. He was vice chancellor of the Archdiocese of New Orleans in 1948-62. secre tary to New Orleans Arch bishop Joseph F. Rummel in 1949-63, and secretary of the archdiocesan tribunal in 1955-562. He served as pastor of St Rita Parish in 1963-66 Elegant Dining In The Heart Of Dunwoody Tastings Of Dunwoody Restaurant & Catering 2458 Jett Ferry Road at Mount Vernon Williamsburg at Dunwoody Shopping Center Lunch: Tuesday thru Friday 11:30-2:30 Dinner: Wednesday & Thursday 6:00-9:00 Friday & Saturday 6:00-10:00 2 FOR 1 SPECIAL Valid for Lunch or Dinner w/ this coupon. Buy one entree at the regular price and receive the second entree of equal or lesser value FREE! LIVE ENTERTAINMENT FRIDAY & SATURDAY NIGHTS. Reservations Requested for Parties of 5 or More Expires 8/22/87 395-6537 Pastoral Care Director Embarks On New Studies Sister Rosalie Mallard, R.S.M., the first director of pastoral care at St. Joseph’s Hospital has left the Atlanta facility to prepare for another phase of her ministry. She had been associated with the hospital since January, 1978. Sister Mallard will par ticipate in Ministry to Ministers, a program for men and women dedicat ing their lives to pastoral care, in San Antonio, Tex as. The program, under the auspices of the Oblate School of Theology, will begin Aug. 17 and end Dec. 14. She told the Georgia Bulletin that she expects her plans for the future will take shape during the four months in San An tonio. The course includes theological and Scripture studies, spiritual direc tion, a directed retreat, and a wholistic health program, all in a prayer ful atmosphere. ‘‘My experience at St. Joseph's has been enrich ing, I don't think you can minister to someone else without letting that per son minister to you also.” she said. “Sister Rosalie has ac tively brought pastoral care into the effective clinical programs which serve the patients,” Ken neth Wheeler, hospital Sister Rosalie Mallard. RSM president, said. "Pastor al care is a necessary yet intangible ingredient for the kind of compassionate care experienced by our patients. Sister Michelle Carroll. R.S.M., vice president for sponsorship at the hos pital, said "Her prepara tion and training, along with her diligent and un tiring leadership, enabled this fledging department to grow to occupy the key and respected place it holds today, not only within the hospital but within the community She will be missed but we know that she will be a blessing in her future ministry to God's peo ple.” Sister Mallard said St. Joseph’s always had pastoral care, usually by sisters who had left classroom teaching and still wanted to be active. Then, she said, it became specialized, with profes sional training and cer tification by the National Association of Catholic Chaplains required. She joined the hospital staff three months be fore the move from Ivy Street downtown to its present location on Peachtree Dunwoody Road. “It’s been gratify ing watching St. Joseph's grow and flourish over the years,” she said. “I've had so many re warding experiences with patients and their fam ilies. Administration has been so supportive of pas toral care, with resources and staff: it isn't that way everywhere.” A native of Atlanta who grew up in Savannah, she entered the Sisters of Mercy (Baltimore Pro vince) in 1940. Stationed in Atlanta since 1970, she taught Spanish and English at the former St. Joseph’s High School, and spent a year as an interne in clinical pastoral train ing at the Georgia Mental Health Institute before beginning her work at St. Joseph's. He was named auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham in 1966 In 1969. when Pope Paul VI divided the See to form the two dioceses of Mobile and Birmingham, he nam ed Auxiliary Bishop Vath as bishop of Birmingham ot>. BURTON OPTICIANS ATLANTA. GEORGIA “Hottest Styles in Midtown” Burt Stollerman, L.D.O. 881-6910 Discounts To Georgia Bulletin Readers In midtown 1 55 North Ave. at Piedmont Near The Catholic Center The funeral Mass was celebrated July 20 in St. Paul’s Cathedral, Birm ingham, with Bishop Oscar Lipscomb of Mobile pre siding. Concelebrants were other bishops and the priests of the diocese. A Dixieland jazz band played "Amazing Grace,” and "Oh, When The Saints Go Marching In” after the prayers at the cathedral crypt. Bishop Vath was the first bishop to be buried in the crypt. SAT.—SUN.—MON.—TUES. ONLY fWr SAVE BIG $$$$$$$ ^ ^jjagagg DISCOUNTS TO 70% FACTORY DIRECT " tl PVC FURNITURE TO YOU!!! 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