Looking back

50 Years Ago
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held for St. Patrick Catholic Church and Catholic Center in Robertsdale.
Msgr. J. Edwin Stuardi was re-elected president of the Priests’ Senate. Other officers were: Fr. William Friend, vice president; Fr. Patrick O’Connor, recording secretary; and Fr. Oliver Adams, corresponding secretary.
Fr. Thomas D. Weise was appointed pastor of St. Robert Parish, Atmore and St. Agatha Parish, Bay Minette.
Theodore R. Smith, 1973 honor grad of St. Jude High School, received the Thomas R. Lee Jr. Memorial Scholarship sponsored by the Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary of Peter Claver, New Orleans.
Brothers of the Sacred Heart, Brother Bennet Bishop, Brother William McCue and Brother Jerome Loper celebrated their 25th anniversary. Making final vows were Brothers John Abate, Carl Bouchereau and Anton Sokira.
Fr. Raymond Brown gave a four-day institute on the Church for priests held at Spring Hill College.
Officers of St. James Major Parish Council were: Mr. Lee Portis, president; Mr. Clarence A. Lott, vice president; Mrs. Irmatean Y. Watson, recording secretary; and Mrs. Ester Stallworth, correspondent secretary.
Bishop Toolen High School won the area High School Bowl Championship over schools from Mississippi, Florida and Alabama. Team members were Debbie McFarlane, Debby Smith, Rosemary Steely, Susan Weiss and alternates Martha Simons and Maggie Hittle.
Fr. Patrick Moore, S.T., pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish, Eufaula, and St. Pius X, Union Springs, died.
St. Jude Parish launched a Summer Athletic Program under the direction of Ostell Hamilton.

25 Years Ago
On the eve of his 78th birthday, Pope John Paul II told young people it was important for him to remember he was once young, but it was also important for them to remember they will grow old.
Honored at the Mobile County Awards Ceremonies for the 6A girls' all-county track team were McGill-Toolen students Holly Miller, Catherine Baggett and Ashley Johnson.
Bryan Thames, a 1988 graduate and scholar athlete from McGill-Toolen, spoke to the young golfers at the first CYO Golf Tournament awards banquet.
Fr. Patrick Gallagher, pastor of St. Columba Parish, Dothan, was presented the Paul Harris Fellowship Award by the Rotary Foundation. The award was given to a person who believes and lives the Rotary Motto of “Service Above Self.”
City of St. Jude was recipient of a service award recognizing their support of literacy from the Central Alabama Laubach Literacy Council. Fr. Matthew Sindik served as director of the City of St. Jude.
Kristy Kirkland representing the Wiregrass Chapter, took first place in the Alabama Citizen’s for Life’s statewide pro-life Oratory Contest.
Abbot Victor Clarke, OSB, assisted by Fr. Pat Madden, blessed a ship and its participants as a highlight at the Blessing of the Fleet in Bayou La Batre.
Fr. Thomas McGread, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Wichita, Kan., and stewardship director of the Diocese of Wichita, was the special guest speaker at two stewardship conferences held in Mobile and Montgomery. Fr. Francis V. Cusack and Rev. Mr. William R. Dolan were the stewardship officials of the Archdiocese of Mobile. More than 100 pastors and stewardship committee members attended the conference.
— Anne Baggett compiles information for Looking Back from past issues of this newspaper. Anne is a member of St. Mary Parish in Mobile.