Looking Back

50 Years Ago
Fr. Edward P. McDevitt was ordained to the priesthood to serve the Diocese of Mobile.
Miss Alexis Herman of Catholic Social Services was among eight Alabamians selected to attend the White House Conference on Youth in Estes Park, Colo.
Fr. Michael Kelly was ordained to the priesthood at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
First-place winners of the St. Bede annual science fair were Bill Price, Christa Scheiben, Linda Scheiben, Barnes Agar and Paul Marley.
St. Jude youth participating in the dramatization of the Way of the Cross were Leslie Rogers, Hilda Williams, Wendall Hawkins, Nettie Clayton, Julette Flowers and Leyman Smiley. Margaret Dean directed the musical arrangements.
Elected officers of the Ladies of Charity at the 60th annual meeting were: Mrs. Harold Doody, president; Mrs. Frank Baxley, first vice president; Mrs. Hays Zieman, second vice president; Mrs. Tom Bailey, recording secretary; Mrs. John D. Paulk, treasurer; Mrs. T. P. McArdle, corresponding secretary; Mrs. A. J. Amos, auditor; Mrs. Henry A. Andrews, historian; and Mrs. Harold Dawson, parliamentarian.
Bishop John L. May was the featured speaker at the dedication ceremonies of the $9 million addition of Providence Hospital. Sister Anita Doyle, D.C., served as chairman of the board.
Sister Mary Gonzaga, R.S.M., administrator of Martin de Porres Hospital, announced the hospital’s closing.
Mrs. Donald J. Deiters and Major Adam C. Smith served as general chairman of Montgomery Catholic High Spring Festival.

25 Years Ago
Forty-two Mobile Bay area lobbyist traveled to Montgomery to voice their opinion on pending legislation regarding abortion.
The Sisters of Mercy of the Regional Community of Baltimore re-elected Sister Marilyn Graf, RSM, from Mobile, to the office of councilor for the 1996-2000 term.
Fr. J. William Harmless, SJ, gave the Christus Lecture on the Arian controversy of “How Christians Came to Call Jesus  ‘True God.’ ”
St. Dominic parish hall was named the Murphy Center in honor of St. Dominic pastor, Rev. Msgr. Francis C. Murphy. The plaque commemorating the event was presented by Deacon Ed Connick and Odile Schneider, parish council president.
Kit Perrien was selected as a candidate in the 1996 Presidential Scholars Program based on her outstanding performance on the ACT. She was also named a regional winner in the 1996 Alabama All-State Academic Team.
“Summer Time” was the theme of the Mobile District ACCW Card Party Fashion Show. Natalie Risner served as ticket chairman, Pat Cannon, Card Party Chairman and Jean Lewis, Entrance Prize Chairman.
Nancy C. Fontenot, an English teacher at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, was awarded a stipend by the National Endowment for the Humanities to participate in the 1996 program of Summer Seminars for School Teachers.
A celebration was held at St. Peter Parish honoring Sister Martha Belke, SL, on the 50th anniversary of her profession as a Sister of Loretto and Rev. Edward P. McDevitt on the 25th Anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.
— Anne Baggett compiles information for Looking Back from past issues of this newspaper. Anne is a member of St. Mary Parish in Mobile.