Missioners' Reflections

Father McGrath and the members of his Statesboro, Ga., mission community at Christmas, 1944.

In 1944, Glenmary missioners arrived in Statesboro, Ga., and began outreach to those living in Bulloch County and the surrounding eight counties. St. Matthew in Statesboro became the base mission from which many, many mission churches have been established.

What follows are reflections from Father William Howard Bishop, Glenmary's founder; Brother Vince Wilmes on the early days of the mission and Father Earl McGrath, the mission's first Glenmary pastor as recorded in letters and articles that appeared in the Christmas, 1944, issue of Glenmary Challenge.

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Four of us, with baggage and other freight that filled the rest of two machines (cars), left Glendale at eight-thirty, Wednesday, October 18. There was Father McGrath appointed to labor among the people of the Statesboro Mission Area in Georgia, Brother Vincent Wilmes, assigned to care for the domestic needs of the mission, and then myself (Father Bishop), going along to present his young missioners to the Savannah Bishop, see them established in their new charge and then drive back home.

For three happy days—two of them cloudless and beautiful—we travelled through hill and mountain country embellished with the startling color contrasts of autumn's artistry. But on the third morning a heavy rainstorm raged as we rose to say our Masses.

By mid-afternoon Friday, the sky was clearing and by four o'clock we were entering the tidy little town of Statesboro, which was to be the future home of our missioners We drew up in front of a snug frame bungalow that a sign outside identified as "Catholic Mission Center." The thoughtful Bishop had informed us that painting and repairs were under way at the Center and had kindly engaged rooms for our missioners at a local hotel until all should be in readiness. After inspecting the property, our missioners resolved to ask the Bishop if they might not take over the painting themselves and push it to completion, as to hasten occupancy.

Thence on to Savannah where the missioners were presented to their kindly, zealous and hospitable Bishop, the Most Reverend Gerald P. O'Hara, who, with his fine corps of priests, gave us all a hearty and generous welcome.
—Father William Howard Bishop

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Feast of Christ the King, 1944

Dear Father Bishop,

Father McGrath is moving things along more rapidly than things moved of themselves down here. Our reception and the appreciation of the faithful has been very encouraging. Our general hopes are high; God must surely be generous with His supernatural gifts to these good people among whom human generosity is so abundant toward His humble servants.

Sincerely yours in the Kingdom of Christ,
Brother Vincent

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Feast of All Saints, 1944

Dear Father Bishop,

We returned to the Mission Center for the night instead of the hotel. One bedroom and the bath are finished and furnished, so we spent our first night in our new home in Georgia. The landlord's furniture is still here, condensed to one room, the kitchen, so that we could finish the rest of the house and have sufficient room for Mass. The painters were so slow in coming that we have taken over the job. The electrician is still missing and the plumber is just not on the beam.

But things are shaping up very well. We have found the people—that means the non-Catholics, since there are so few Catholics in town—very friendly and willing to help, just as we had been told. Sunday's Masses were really a consolation, if we had been in need of such a thing. There were thirty-two present at Statesboro, including eight soldiers. Most of them went to confession and communion. The collection more than doubled the first Sunday's. The young Negro school teacher who inquired about coming to Church was among those present.

Our four Italian families from Brooklet must receive credit for a good part of the crowd at Statesboro. When I hunted them up last week, I found that they were just as willing to come in for Mass as to have the priest come to one of their homes as had been the practice.

They are another interesting part of this many-sided mission field. About thirteen years ago the four families, all closely related, left the city of Jamestown, N.Y., to try their fortune on a farm in a climate more like their native Italy. They chose Georgia and were bitterly disillusioned by the cold nights and late Spring frosts. They lost their first season's plantings and would have returned to Jamestown, but for the insistence and perseverance of the women folks. Now they are successful Georgian farmers and owners-picking their money off the pecan trees as do most.

The story at Bay Branch (where there was another church) was a good parallel. Thirty people were present with most of them going to the Sacraments, although Mass didn't start until 11:30. Here again a good number of the crowd were from another town at some distance. The Croatians from Rocky Ford helped swell the number, due to the good work of one of the good parish ladies who sent cards to all notifying and persuading them to come. One of the families treated Brother and me to a sumptuous Southern dinner at their farm home close by the little church.

But the most edifying incident of all happened last Friday when Brother Vince and I drove out to the camp of the Irish Travelers some twenty-five miles south of our Center. It was easy to find the spot with the ten large green tents pitched near a large stable. The Travelers are mule traders by profession and provide as good shelter for their precious animals as for themselves, relatively speaking.

Mrs. O'Donnell, who seemed to be running the camp, ushered me into her family's tent. A curtain divided the tent into sleeping and living quarters. On this occasion it served as the partition between the penitents and the confessor as the whole tent became a temporary chapel. Everyone in camp who had reached the age of reason went to confession. Then while Brother Vince set up the altar on a table I vested for Mass. All the women and children crowded into the warm tent. A blazing wood fire in a stove in one corner of the tent kept out the cold damp morning air. The men gathered in front of the tent where the flaps had been drawn aside. There was an important mule deal on that morning, so some of the men had to withdraw to the side for a little council which lasted till about Gospel time.

It was really inspiring to see the whole camp come to the altar for Communion. Even the little four-year-old, redheaded O'Donnell girl came, knelt and held her mouth open to receive. What a hard look she gave me when I passed her by. You could see the fighting Irish in that little one.

Immediately after Mass, the women and children brought in all kinds and sizes of statues, medals and pictures to be blessed. The men held out their wallets for the same purpose. And they did not forget to open them. (They insisted that I take $35; there were thirty-five souls in camp).

Having done a little camping myself, I really appreciated the easy technique with which the pale brown toast was brought from the oven. Breakfast was whipped together and served with all the efficiency of a short order chef.

We were walking to our car and on our way home when the little four-yearold, red-headed O'Donnell girl came running out, knelt down in the road before me and demanded, "Father, bless me." The Irish Travelers stay close and hold tight to their religion and learn to practice it from the day they leave the cradle.

I have not mentioned the generous help that the Bishop has given to establish us in Statesboro, but you know of that.

By the way, we have begun instructions for one young lady and the two younger girls.

Brother Vincent is the busiest man in Statesboro and is doing a bang-up job of gardener, painter, janitor, cook and Brother.

Your devoted son in Christ,

Father Earl McGrath.
Catholic Mission Center
Statesboro, Ga.

Brother Vince's Reflections

Glenmary's History in Statesboro