Manhattan College - Manhattanite Yearbook (Riverdale, NY)

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The Crztvrlziirt Society Milroy, a Jasper Maryknoller who will receive a degree in Electrical Engineer- ing this semester. Chosen at the beginning of the first semester, John F. Sweeney and Robert N. Paolini, President and Vice-President respectively, have acted as chairman and presided at all business meetings and gen- eral meetings held in Smith Auditorium, James Neumann has acted as Treasurer of the Society, and the Secretary's post has been handled by the very capable Griffith J. Billmeyer. Under the continued guidance of Brother Denis, F.S.C., moderator, the Catholic Students Mission Crusade looks forward to 1947 as another year of ac- 2 complishment in behalf of the Catholic missions of the world. THE CATECHIST SOCIETY HE Catechist Society, an aliiliate of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, was organized in the fall of 1938 reaching its peak of effectiveness on the Campus during the scholastic year 1941-1942. During the war years it had all it could do to keep its activities going on a reduced scale. Because of the gen- erous response of many who could spend only a few terms in college during these

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3'1'l-' 'W 'A i '- ' ' Officers of thc Maulzaffaaz Unit of H10 Catholic Sz'udmzf.r zwisxion Crusadf' pire in them a love for the missions that will express itself, not only during col- legiate days but in later life as well. Activities of the Crusade have devel- oped in a threefold plan embracing prayer, study and sacrifice. Each mem- ber is expected to pray frequently for the missions. Priests laboring in the various mission tields are invited to speak at the meetings and acquaint the members with the activities and needs of the missions. ln line with this policy the Mission So- ciety invited a Franciscan, a Paulist, and a Maryknoller to address the student body. The true stories narrated by the Padre missionaries were informative and truly inspiring. ln order to aid in a positive way the great work being accomplished by our missionaries the promoter in each re- ligion class collects dues for the Catholic Students Mission Crusade and the SO- ciety for the Propagation of the Faith. This year dues collected reached an all- time high of over one thousand dollars. Additional money for the missions was acquired through Tea Dances held on the campus, and through the generosity of the Manhattan Players who donated half the proceeds from their smash hit play to the Mission Society. The money re- ceived from the Players was turned over by the Mission Society to the Maryknoll Fathers as a token of esteem for Father

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- -1 T110 Dv La Salle Unit of flu' Sf. TfvilICI'lI'f dr Paul Society trying times, the Society did manage to keep its principal mission at St. Cecilials fairly well staffed. The Society also man- aged to keep alive on the Campus the apostolic spirit of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. T hose who have con- tributed much to the effectiveness of the Catechists during these years are Math- ias VVeiden, John Walsli, Bryan Kellway, John Swan, Thomas Ryan, Joseph Dot- tino, to mention but a few. During the past year the Society was happy to welcome back to its ranks many of its former members, notably VVilliam McGowan, the only remaining charter member of the group. ln addition to an increase in the membership, the Society was able to send laborers to St. john the Martyr's Sunday School classes, the Casita Maria, as well as other centers of activity. The year also marked the return of the Course in Methods of Teaching Religion which had been sus- pended during the war years. The Oflicers of the Society during the past semester were Thomas Ryan, Timothy VValsh and Peter NVeiden Campus activities of the Catechists during the past semester were given over primarily to the laying of plans for the scholastic year 1946-47. Early in the first semester the Society plans to sponsor a Confraternity Day on the Campus for the benefit of the entire student body.