The two great vocation arms of the church in Georgia for many years were the Serra Club and Msgr. Patrick J. O’Connor.

The Serra Club, which still meets on a regular basis, is an outreach of the laity to inspire religious vocations in youth. The men and women of Serra also assist financially in the education of priest.

But there can be no doubt that the history of Atlanta’s vocation program and the name of Msgr. “P.J” O’Connor will always be linked. Many of the priests presently ministering in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, and also in the Diocese of Savannah, have come to this service through the inspiration of this one man.

Msgr. O’Connor would frequently say that he felt called to “bring the message” of the priesthood to young men. A native of Savannah, he was ordained on May 25, 1933. In 1936, he was assigned to the faculty of Catholic University in Washington, D.C. Although sent far from his native state, he was ever mindful of her needs. He frequently used his weekends to preach for funds for the Georgia missions in established northern parishes and also to seek vocations.

In 1950, Msgr. made a pilgrimage to Our Lady’s Shrine at Knock in Ireland. After that visit he wrote, “The beauty of the country, the friendliness of the people impressed me deeply, but the deepest impression made upon me was the number of colleges and seminaries that dotted the land.” The idea was forming. Two years later he would begin his annual visit to Ireland seeking vocations.

In 1956, when the Diocese of Atlanta was born, Msgr. O’Connor returned to serve as a pastor in the new diocese. He continued his vocations work and founded a club for young men who might have “questions” concerning a vocation to the priesthood. He called the group the “Tenth Man Club” after the patron of the diocese, St. Pius X. Under the direction of the Council of Catholic Women, he also organized “The Theresians,” a lay organization that would provide information on the religious life for women.

Others have followed in the footsteps of Msgr. O’Connor directing vocations to the priesthood and religious life--Msgr. Jerry Hardy, Fathers John Adamski and Edward Dillon and the present vocation director, Father Richard Lopez.

Msgr. Patrick O’Connor continued his lively interest in vocations even in retirement. On Aug. 1, 1980, after a short illness, this great priest of the Lord and modern apostle of vocations died.

In Other Ways

Catholic communications in the state of Georgia began its outreach in the last century under Bishop John England, a man of many talents, founded the first Catholic newspaper in the United States and called it “Catholic Miscellany.”

The first newspaper of the Savannah Diocese came into existence in 1919. It was a quarterly called simply “The Bulletin.” This historic paper was an arm of the Catholic Layman’s Association. The first editor was Mr. James Farrell.

Circulation in 1919 was 2,000.

In 1921, Mr. Richard Reid became the editor and served in that position until 1939 when he was named editor of “The Catholic News,” official newspaper of the Archdiocese of New York.

Mr. Hugh Kinchley was named editor in 1940 and held the position until 1953. Mr. John Markwalter, presently editor of the Savannah paper, “The Southern Cross,” became editor of “The Bulletin” in 1953 and held that post until 1958 when the two Georgia dioceses established diocesan editions. Father R. Donald Kiernan was named editor of the Atlanta weekly.

In 1953, the old “Bulletin” got a new editor and a new look. Mr. Gerard E. Sherry was assigned to the post and the name of the paper was changed to “The Georgia Bulletin.” Mr. Chris Ecki became editor in 1967 and Mr. Harry Murphy followed him in 1970, Father James Maciejewski in 1972, Father Peter Dora in 1975 and Msgr. Noel Burtenshaw in 1977.

The Office of Catholic Communications was set up under Msgr. Burtenshaw and the communications apostolate was extended to include radio and television. A Mass on television was begun monthly in 1977. Today this Mass is seen weekly. A radio program, “Religion-Wise,” was begun in 1978 on Atlanta’s WGST. Programming is being placed on cable channels. Further preparations are being made to participate in the satellite communications apostolate of National Catholic Communications.

Atlanta’s Office of Communications in this 25th year of the north Georgia Church has the following staff:

Director and Editor of “The Georgia Bulletin”: Msgr. Noel C. Burtenshaw.

Associate Editor: Gretchen R. Keiser

Contributing Editor: Thea K. Jarvis

Media Coordinator: Mary C. Dill

Advertising Manager: Leonard Markun

Business Manager: Jean M. Driskell