Bishop Buddy Scrapbook 1936-37 (1)

The Bishop At Home- 73/

S. D.'S NEW BISHOP LIKES GOLF- BUT HE'S JUST A 'DUFFER' AT IT Charles Francis Buddy. No Mean Marble Shooter Either In His Day, Reporter Discovers ' By NED MORRIS Ris11op C'harlr F1·a nl·t.· Rudel~· laid asi

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of his mobile mouth and an infec- tious chuckle tripped out as he temporized over the question just put to him, which had been: "What were you thinking about when you looked down so re- flectively at your bishop's ring last Wednesday when you became first bishop of San Diego " His First Ring . ''Well." came the indirect an- swer. spoken while a twinkle played tag with deep emotion be- hind his eyes," it is the first ring I have ever worn. You see, my falher, who was a wholesale com- mission merchant, didn't believe in rings for young men. So I'd never worn one before in all my life. I'm not entirely unconscious of this ,, _________ Reception In Doubt Whether the parade and civic reception for Bishop Charles F. Buddy would be held as scheduled today, was indefinite at a late hour last night. If the rains continue as expected, the reception will be postponed, officials said. The parade was scheduled to begin at 11: 15 a. m., at the Indian Village and march to the Organ Pavilion. The pro- gram at the pavilion was scheduled for 2 p. m. <•.--- ----------1>- one yet, although I am, of course, filled with awe and reverence for the office of which it is a symbol." The ring, which has been kissed by hundreds of Catholics, pnests and laymen alike, since Bishop Buddy arrived and will be kissed by thousands more as he traYels up and down the 34.000 square miles of his diocese in his capacity as leader and supreme teacher of 100,000 communicants, is a beauti- ful example of the je"·eler's art. Siberian Amethyst A huge, clear Siberian amethyst. surrounded by 24 diamonds, it is a gift from Mr. and Mrs. John A. McGee, friends who accomPanied the Bishop here from St. Joseph. Mo. Fashioned by Tiffanv in New York. The heavy gold of the ring is carved with a sheaf of wheat and a cluster of grapes-the bread and I wine of religious ritual-a mitre. the headpiece designating a bish- op's rank, the Crozier, which is the symbol of his authority, and, abon• these, a dove, symbol of the Holy Ghost. The bishop, clad in a house cas- sock. the flowing black robe with purple -~ipim,. whi:l~ 1:_e. '::ars in

the privacy of his residence. was describing the ring when the door- bell rang. A maid was within ear- shot, but the bishop hastened to the door himself to welcome Wil- liam J. McGinnis, who came to San Diego with him and will speak at the public reception in his hon- or as representative of the mayor 1· of st. Joseph, Mo. Church For Poor McGinnis' arrival led Bishop Buddy naturally into reminiscenes of his work in his native city. His modesty about his accomplish- ments there made it necessary to drag from him the fact that a cafeteria. he operated for victims of the depression fed as many as 96,000 people in a single month. He also told enthusiastically about his experiment in establishing a "church for the poorest of the poor." near the cafeteria, where worshippers were welcomed in overalls or tatters and where no collections of any kind were ever taken. From the living room of his resi- dence Bishop Buddy led The Sun photographer and reporter to his private chapel on the floor above. There was a glow of pleasure in his eyes as he pointed to the golden tabernacle in the center of the altar with the announce- ment: Gift From Priests "That is a gift from the priests of the diocese. Everybody has been so kind to me since I came to this land of sunshine." The bishop picked up a gold and silver chalice. beautifully enam- elled in Munich. Bavaria, and studded with jewels. Pointed to a cluster of diamonds on the stem of the chalice he said, with Tever- ence in his voice: "And this is a gift from my parents. Those diamonds were once set in a brooch my mother \\'ore.'• Once downstairs again. the bishop pointed with mock dismay at his desk, piled high with con- gratulatory telegrams and corre- spondence with which he has been too busy to keep abreast. ''My nbrmal working day," he explained. "is from 14 to 16 hours and I usually sleep only seven hours a night, rising at 5;30 a. m., but there has been so much to do since I got here. Yesterday I had my first walk along the beach and took advantage of being alone to enjoy a period of meditation." Surmounting the desk at which the bishop had pointed was a por- trait inscribed to him by :Mmleto Giovanni Cicognani, Archbishop of Laodicea, Italy. Apostolic dele- gate who represents Pope Pius XI at Washington, D. C. It '\\ished

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''I used to play baseball and basketball, but they are getting pretty strenuous for me now," said the Bishop as he read The Sun sports page,

These will be so heavy (the bishop is charged with administer- ing the temporal as well as the spiritual affairs of his diocese) that he fears he will have little time during his early months here for his favorite recreations, golf- ing and walking. "I play a very poor game of golf." he said, "but I enjoy it tre- mendously. I used to play hand- ball, baseball and basketball. but they are getting pretty strenuous for me now. I was born, October 4. 1887, you know, on the Feast Day of St. Francis of Asissi." A question about his reported skill as a marble shooter brought that characteristic twinkle, which even the dignity of his rank can- I not suppress, back to the bishop's eye: j "Yes." he admitted, "I did used, to play marbles with the young- sters every spring back in St. Jo- seph. In fact, I played earlier this year." After one such hour of relaxa- tion. he recounted. he met three little girls who almost tearfu1'y told him that they simply had to have their hair cut that day and I could not afford to do so. Ample Reward "The poor kids were in rags." I he continued, "so I took them to a barber shop. had their hair cut, 1 told the barber to give. them fresh blue hair ribbons. got them some chocolate bars and took my ample reward in the form of watching the smiles on their faces. "As they were about to say g-ocd-bye. one of them asked me I if I did not wa t to know whv thev had jp,:u;t::d that t11c t 0 ir':. cu•tine: mu 0 t be c,r :1c that ,en· day-that it could not possibly

wait 24 hours. I had not thought much about their msistence upon the tragedy of a short delay, but I asked them why they could not wait. "Imagine ho,,· I felt when the youngest of the trio piped up: 'You S€C, \" C had to look ni ~e so \\"C could go to th:: Methodist Sundar t I , ~chool tomorrow.•" •

him success in his ecclesiastical labors i~ ~!s ~~wl!.C:!_at,E:d diocese. I