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WASHINGTON (CNS) — Walls, Miss., population 1,170, isn’t known for its rush hours.<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, it’s the home of the Sacred Heart Auto League, an apostolate of the Priests of the Sacred Heart.<\/p>\n
The auto league celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.<\/p>\n
Founded in 1955 to promote what it calls "prayerful and careful driving," the auto league now boasts 1 million members, an all-time high.<\/p>\n
The Priests of the Sacred Heart established their mission activities in Mississippi in 1942, and founded the auto league 13 years later, said Dominican Sister Ruthann Williams, league spokeswoman.<\/p>\n
The religious order "has a special devotion to the Sacred Heart," she added, hence the name of the league.<\/p>\n
Fifty years ago, the interstate highway system was barely a glimmer in President Dwight Eisenhower’s eye.<\/p>\n
Today, there are more traffic jams than there are swear words to curse them.<\/p>\n
That’s the point of the Sacred Heart Auto League.<\/p>\n
According to Sister Williams, members find comfort knowing "I can pray behind the wheel" rather than stew about clogged traffic.<\/p>\n
Just as driving has changed, cars have changed.<\/p>\n
Air bags were nonexistent and seat belts in cars were virtually unheard of 50 years ago.<\/p>\n
And dashboards were made of metal, which allowed auto league members to place a magnetized Sacred Heart statue or sticker on the dashboard as a reminder there’s a higher purpose to their driving.<\/p>\n
Now, with dashboards made of plastic, Sacred Heart emblems for members have adhesives — Sister Williams calls it "that sticky stuff" — for attaching to the dashboard.<\/p>\n
One thing that hasn’t changed is that membership in the auto league is free, although donations are always welcome.<\/p>\n