October 2020

50 Years Ago
Archbishop Thomas J. Toolen offered a Mass of Thanksgiving at the Cathedral on the occasion of his 60th anniversary in the priesthood. A reception followed at Portier Center at McGill Institute.
Mrs. E. F. Mitchell presided at the Burse Club meeting/luncheon at the Visitation Monastery. Msgr. Oscar Lipscomb was a speaker for the occasion.
Mrs. Louise Townes Starr was installed as President of the Supreme Emblem Club of America. Mrs. Starr was a graduate of St. Margaret School of Nursing in Montgomery.
Mrs. Joseph Smith, president, presided over the Providence Hospital Auxiliary luncheon/meeting in Mobile.
St. Jude Pirates won their fourth straight game, 28-6 over the Calhoun County Tigers. Quarterback Joe Lewis completed 5 of 8 passes for 101 yards.
Catholic High, Montgomery, PTA Officers were: President John Jancaterino; Vice President Donald Dieters; Secretary Mrs. Kitty Rieckenback; Treasurer Mrs. Vernon Gentermann; and Parliamentarian Jack Rosenow.

25 Years Ago
Most Rev. Oscar H. Lipscomb, Archbishop of Mobile, announced that the Catholic community in Montgomery would build a middle school to serve the Catholic seventh and eighth-grade students in Montgomery. In addition Montgomery Catholic High School announced plans to expand with a new facility at its present location. Bill Barranco served as president of the combined board and chairman of the Steering Committee. Jack Galassini was campaign chairman and Tom Doyle was president of Catholic High School.
Danny Dasis, 14, son of Jack and Ethel Dasis of St. John’s Parish, Butler, won the 1995 Special Olympics World Games Gold Medal for Golf. He was one of 7,000 athletes from 140 nations competing at the events held at Yale University in New Haven, Conn.
The Cecilian Chorale 40th anniversary celebration Mass with Fr. Michael Lux, CSP as celebrant, was held at the Visitation Monastery. Charter members still active with the Chorale were Mary C. Kaemmer, director, Margaret Twilley and Fred Goff.
Sister Clotaire Thro, S.L., former teacher at Bishop Toolen High School, died in St. Louis.
“U. S. News and World Report” listed Spring Hill College among the top 15 southern schools in the 1996 Annual Guide of “America’s Best Colleges.”
McGill-Toolen Catholic High School students Mick Heinz, Kit Perrien and David Zitnik were named National Merit Semifinalists.
Mary Ann McConnell served as coordinator of the Rainbows Program in the archdiocese. The Rainbows Program ministered to children who were grieving a death, divorce or any other painful transition in a family.
The annual Toy Bowl Kick-off meeting/luncheon was held at the Barrett CYO Center. Jim Nonnemacher served as chairman and Mitch Kalifeh was CYO board president. The CYO was under the direction of Paul Crane, assisted by Pat Dumas.
The annual Mass for Firefighters was held at St. Catherine Church, Mobile, with Msgr. Oliver E. Adams, Catholic chaplain of the Mobile Fire Department and Pastor of St. Catherine, as celebrant. The homlist was Father Peter C. Weiss, S.S.J., pastor of St. Joan of Arc Parish, New Orleans.
—Anne Baggett compiles information for Looking Back from past issues of this newspaper. Anne is a member of St. Mary Parish in Mobile.