The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-11-15
which was held i'll Augusta sew
eral weeks ago.

eral weeks ago.
There were about one hundred
and twenty delegates present at
the convention-people from all
parts Of Georgia. There were
Catholic doctors and lawyers,
bankers and business men, man
ufacturers and educators = in
fact, representatives of the best
people in the State. If the an
|nual convention Of the Laymen s
League did nothing more than
make Georgia Catholics realize
how the best and most respected
men in the State are loyal sons Of
the Church, it would be well
worth while.
/: Every parish in the State is en-
titled to two representatives, and
every Catholic society to one.
Among the delegates were a large
number of women, but no men,
bers of the clergy. 1t was lay
mems affair entirely, although
the venerable Bishop Kelley, Of
Savannah, was present and de-
livered an address at the close of
the convention.
In 1916, the press of Georgia
was generally anti-Catholic. The
newspapers that attacked Catho-
lies, their beliefs and doctrines,
were more numerous than the
ones that left such subjects alone.
The Catholics Of the State saw
that something must be done.
They knew that most of the an
tagonism to the Church was due
to ignorance Of it's teachings, ana
they set out to let the State know
what the real doctrines of the
Church were.
In his report submitted at this
years convention the secretary
called attention to the changed
conditions of Catholics in Georgia
since the formation of the Lay
mems League. Three years ago
the press of the State was antag-
onistic. What Catholics really
believed was known only to Cath
olics themselves. The notorious
convent inspection law was
passed by a legislature that
thought, thanks to the press, that
it was doing the will Of the peo-
pie Of Georgia. The patriotism
of members Of the Church was as
sailed and calumny upon cal
jimmy was circulated about Cath
olics, their beliefs, hopes and
practices.
Now all is changed. The press
is generally fair today; outside
of one great exception, there are
but two frankly anti Catholic pa
pers in the State.
The publicity committee Of the
League runs advertisements call
ing the attention Of the people of
the State to its booklets, asking
them to get their information
about Catholics first hand" Be
sides this, many outside the
Church ask questions by mail
and the answering Of these letters
is one Of the most important
features of the publicity commit.
tees work. Where inquiries once
came in only occasionally, they
now come in every mail, and
there are now no insults to oul
form OF worship, ETC., fewer ques
lions showing absolute ignorance
Of Catholicity, such as the infalli
bility of the Pope and the like
and few hostile writer's. Incl
dentally, the League allows nc
hostile comment in the press tt
go unanswered.
The work of the Catholic Lay
mems League is important no
only on account Of the work it i!
doing in the state. Catholic:
outside Georgia have seen the re
suits and have started to GO an(
do likewise. A movement is OF
foot to form a similar organiza
ton in Alabama, where bigotry i
rampant just now.
The people in South Carolin;
are also about to follow tn,
Georgia pioneers, and report
from Missouri indicate that a sim
liar organization will soon b
formed there.
| If similar movements were il
| force in every state there Woul'
be far less bitterness towards on