Looking back

50 Years Ago
The Mobile Diocesan Council of the National Council of Catholic Women held their 38th annual Convention in Montgomery with Mrs. Kitty Reickenbach presiding.
CYO Officers of St. Columba Parish, Dothan, were Leo Urrutis, president; Greg Schroll, vice president; Jan Gerleman, secretary; and Leslie Colvin, treasurer.
Elected Officers of the Little Flower School Board were: Gene Honeycutt, president; Russell Brandau, vice president; Doug Simpson, treasurer; and Sandra Simmons, secretary.
Officers of St. Lawrence Youth Group, Fairhope, were: Russell Cowles, president; Donna Lane, vice president; Cathy Finnissey, secretary; Harriet King, treasurer; and Rene Wood, sergeant at arms.
Fr. Patrick Maher conducted St. Jude’s 40th Novena in Montgomery.
The Congress for Catholic Education was held in Mobile under the direction of Rev. William B. Friend, diocesan Vicar for Education. Special presentations were made by Most Rev. William McManus, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago and Dr. Mary Angela Harper, President of National Council on Boards of Education NCEA.
St. Ignatius CYO officers were: Bill Hendrick, president; Teresa Johnson, vice president; Becky Younge, secretary; Deanie Bertucci, treasurer; and Mark Harrison, sergeant at arms.
Gerald Christi was named general chairman of St. Bede’s Fall Festival.
Miss St. Jude Marielle Smiley, reigned as queen of St. Jude Homecoming activities. The Pirates defeated Tuskegee 9-6 to highlight the festivities.
Officers of St. Columba Parish Council were: John Joyas, president; Mrs. Toni Emblem, vice president; Mrs. Tom Colvin, secretary; and Mrs. Jean Boetlger, parliamentarian.
25 Years Ago
The Columbian Squires Archbishop T. J. Toolen Circle 1312 in Mobile was designated a winner of the 1997-98 Brother Barnabas Award. The award was given in recognition of an outstanding singular activity conducted by a Circle during a program year. The Mobile Squires won for its “Outstanding Activity” in a project called “Dollars for Anna”.
More than 150 anglers competed in McGill-Toolen’s inaugural Yellow Jacket Pro/Am Fishing Tournament that raised over $8,000 to purchase computers for classrooms. Tim Mills and Rommie Perez were co-chairmen.
Alabama Gov. Fob James made a formal request to President Bill Clinton for a federal emergency declaration for southern Alabama, including Mobile, Baldwin, Clarke, Escambia, Monroe and Washington counties that sustained significant damage from the storm Hurricane Georges. Archbishop Oscar H. Lipscomb held a special collection for neighbors in lower Mississippi that were victims of considerable damage.
Newly elected officers of the Mobile District, ACCW, were: Beth Bush, president; Rosemary Harrison, first vice president; Marie Kenny, second vice president; Eunice Torrans, third vice president; Vernice Spotswood, treasurer; Jane Shoulders, corresponding secretary; Mary Johnson, auditor; Linda Schafer, historian. And Jo Ann Ryan, parliamentarian. 
James M. Seals, Edward Lewis and Robert M. Langham were presented national recognition awards for their work with the Knights of Peter Claver at National Recognition Awards held at Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish in Mobile.
National Merit Semifinalists for 1999 from McGill-Toolen were: Meggan Booker, Elizabeth Harris and Donna Stadther.
Little Sisters of the Poor Lawn Party was rescheduled for Oct. 18, 1998, due to the storm damage in the area from Hurricane Georges.
Columnist George Weigel noted “For 20 years” Pope John Paul II has “been a witness to hope at the end of a century of fears. His life and ministry are a blessing beyond measure.”
— Anne Baggett compiles information for Looking Back from past issues of this newspaper. Anne is a member of St. Mary Parish in Mobile.