The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1951-10-12
Honor NCWC
Law Director
On Retirement
Pope, Bishops Hail William
Montayon For Services
To Church and Nation

The Holy Father and scores Of
Cardinals, Archbishops, and Bisk-
ops - including Bishop Ready =
sent messages Of esteem and graf
itude last week TO William z.
Montsvon, native Of the Columbus
diocese, who retired from active
service as director Of the Legal De
partment of the National Catholic
Welfare conference after more
than Is years in that post Bishop
Ready and Mr. Montayon we're
closely associated when the former
was general secretary of NCWC in
the years from 1881 to 1914
The paternal blessings Of Pooe
JUS XII we're conveyed to Mr..
Montavon in a letter from Arch
bishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani,
Apostolic Delegate, in which he
expressed in his own name and in
the name of the Holy See deep
and sincere gratitude for the
splendid and self-sacrifieing deyo.
tion and loyalty you have shown
for so many years to Holy Mother
Church and to the Hierarchy Of
the U.S.A."
Among the kilograms and lei
ters read to Mr.. Montsvon at a re-
ception in his honor at NCWC
headquarters last week was one
from Bishop Ready expressing his
"unbounded appreciation for the
historic three decades of conse-
Grated service you have rendered
to the Church and nation"
AS an associate in the work Of
the Conference" the Bishop con
tinued, 1T was my privilege to
know both the grave importance
/ of your unique position and the
unbounded measure Of success
achieved in it by your great quail
ties of mind and heart Your life
and labor merit our praise and
/ gratitude. May God regard our
prayers in your behalf and in His
mercy may your sunset years be
enriched with lasting Joy.
The Diocese of Columbus halls
you as its own beloved son and re-
joices in the distinguished service
you have given to the Church"
Born in Seioto County
A native of Scioto county, Ohio,
Mr.. Montavon Joined the NCWC
staff in 1925 as director of the
Legal department He is a gradu-
ate of the University of Notre
Dame. of the INSTITUTE DE STE.
4 CR0IX in Paris, and of the Cath
olic University in America.
He served in 1915 as superln
tendent of schools in Tayabas prov.
ince. Philippine Islands, and dur
ing the following three years as u
! S, commercial attache in Lima
Peru. During the seven years pre-
cedinc his joining the NCWC staff
he was executive representative OF
petroleum company in South
America.
As director of the Legal depart
ment, Mr. Montsvon frequently
represented Catholic interests In
foreign lands He accompanied the
late Monsignor John J. Burke,
CSP, first General Secretary OF
+ NCWC, on a mission to Mex;co at
the height of the persecution OF
the Church in that country. Short.
ly after their conference with Mex.
ico's President Gales on that occa.
sion the persecution began TO
abate.
mir. MontaYon Is the author of 4
number OF pamphlets on Mexico,
Haiti and Spain, and on various
legal topics affecting the Church.
He was honored by Pope Plus XI
in 1925 with the Knighthood Of st.
Gregory, and in 1945 Pope Plus
XII named him a knight Com
mander of st. Gregory.
He also was awarded the Cath
olic Action medal by ST Bonayen.
ture university in 1889 as the out.
standing Catholic layman in the
field of Catholic Action.