50 Years Ago Clergy appointments included: Rev. Msgr. George C. Royer, pastor Our Lady of the Gulf; Rev. Philip A. Lambert, chaplain Allen Memorial Home; Rev. Michael A. McGuinness, pastor St. Peter, Montgomery; Rev. Oliver E. Adams, pastor St. Matthew, Mobile; Rev. Francis V. Cusack, pastor, St. Maurice, Brewton; Rev. Louis M. Suffredini, pastor St. Cecilia, Mount Vernon; Rev. Timothy J. Deasy, pastor St. Robert, Atmore; Rev. Finbar Desmond, pastor St. Andrew, Montgomery.
The 1971 Catholic Charities Drive for the Diocese of Mobile received pledges of $402,140.
Mrs. Charles J. Pollman presided at the annual Bishop Toolen Alumni Banquet. Sister Marian Alberta was special guest.
The officers of the Catholic Maritime Board were: Martin Johnson, chairman; John Carey, vice president/maintenance; David Friedlander, vice president/finance; Pat Crawford, secretary; Gerry Strang, Club director; and Fr. Louis M. Suffredini, chaplain.
Mrs. Evelyn P. Guy was named director of St. Jude Catholic Hospital Social Services Department.
St. Bede fifth- and sixth-grade cheerleaders were Patty Scott, Nancy Mancuso, LeAnn Teague, Jamie Law, Nancy Gomillion, Sharon Lacari and Berry Taylor.
Archbishop Thomas J. Toolen celebrated his 85th birthday.
St. Catherine’s Honor Chair, composed of students in sixth-eighth grades, received superior rating at the Alabama Vocal Association Music Festival. Seventh grader Mary Jane Laubenthal won a superior rating in the soloist competition.
25 Years Ago Fr. Bill Skoneki, Catholic Charities Director, thanked the thousands of Catholics and others in south and central Alabama for their generosity in making the 65th annual Catholic Charities Appeal a success. The 1996 Appeal received pledges totaling $2,823,349. St. Ignatius Parish, Mobile, led all parishes in the archdiocese with $328,178 pledged. Serving as chairperson for the successful campaign was Charlie McGinty of Montgomery.
Rev. Thomas Mulcrone, S.J., professor emeritus of Mathematics at Loyola University of New Orleans, died at the Jesuit Community in New Orleans. Fr. Mulcrone served as a mathematician and professor for 56 years. He spent 23 of those years at Spring Hill College.
An overflow crowd attended the long-awaited inaugural Christus/Mercy Lecture on “Feminist Theology: The Heart of the Mother” held at Spring Hill College by Dr. Mary Aquin O’Neill, R.S.M.
The A.S. Mitchell Foundation awarded St. Mary School, Mobile, a check for $6,500 for the advancement of computer technology.
Co-chairs of McGill-Toolen’s second annual “Jacket Jubilation” silent and live auction were Bill and Maryanne Geers. Serving as co-chairs of the “Jacket Jubilation” Family Fun Day were Mary Ann Lafleur and Susan Kurzweg.
An Olympic theme entitled “Lighting the Way” was chosen for the 1996 Children’s Memorial Benefit held at St. Ignatius parish in honor of all deceased children and young adults of the parish with proceeds benefiting financial assistance to educate children. Chairing the event were Mary Ann Ball and Kara Coats.
—Anne Baggett compiles information for Looking Back from past issues of this newspaper. Anne is a member of St. Mary Parish in Mobile.