PRIESTS' RETURN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21604, 5 January 1945, Page 2

PRIESTS' RETURN

LIFE IN NAZI ROME REMARKABLE - ]experience Two Auckland Roman Catholic priests who had the remarkable experience of living in Rome throughout Italy's participation in the war have returned to New Zealand with the latest draft of members of the Second N.Z.E.F. in the Central Mediterranean theatre. They are the Rev. Fathers Owen N. Sneddon and John Flanagan, both former pupils of Sacret Heart College. Fathers Snedden and Flanagan were ordained in Rome in February, 1941. after being students at the College of Propaganda for three years. When Italy entered the war they and all other British students were given the option of leaving Italy or continuing with their studies in the Vatican City. The two Aucklanders decided to remain and complete the course. Later Father Snedden became known lo radio listeners in every British country. His was the voice which for three years regularly broadcast from the Vatican City radio names of prisoners of war in Axis hands. Particularly after Greece and Crete. Father Snedden was the means by which many New Zealand families first learned that their men-folk had 1 not been killed in the confused fighting of those two campaigns. Father Snedden continued with this work until the Allies captured Rome. In other ways, too, he was able to be of aid and comfort to prisoners and their '•datives. , After Germany virtually assumed control of Italy, the positions of Fathers Snedden and Flanagan became even more remarkable than it had been when they had to deal only with the Italians. Their duties frequently look them beyond the boundaries of the Vatican City, but although they were the nationals of a country at war w'th Germany, the Germans in Rome seem to have respected punctiliously ilie rights of the Vatican, and the Vatican Passports carried' by the two Aucklanders ensured them of safety from German guards and patrols. father Snedden is a brother of Mr. N. C. Snedden, Auckland, and Father Flanagan is the son of Police-Inspector M. Flanagan and Mrs. Flanagan, Auckland.