SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR

New Zealand Tablet, 16 May 1918, Page 17

SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR

LETT FROM THE FRONT. A few days ago, states .S (. Joseph’. s Parish Maipizme (Wellington) one of the priests received a beautiful letter from a young soldier now at the front who had been received into the Church some little time before he left New Zealand. It is too long to publish in full, but an extract will be given. “We have lights and shades in this life, and in the shades especially it is a great thing to know that we have friends and loved ones at. home praying for our welfare. . . I cannot forget, Father, what a great debt I owe you for all the patient instruction you gave me in the things that really matter. I have never regretted for a moment that day on which I made my Profession of Faith, and I know I never will. I cannot help feeling how good God has been to me, and how unworthy I am of all His goodness. I have been particularly blessed while in this country, and thank God He did not send me to scenes such as these without a certainty that what I believed was true, and without a knowledge of His grace and mercy which His sacraments afford.”

Another good lad writes : —‘Please, Father, in case I am called home, tell my dear mother that I have never missed an opportunity for Confession and Holy Communion.” Father Barra in his last letter says he is quite restored to health. ‘‘May God pity the poor boys in

•. , . . , ■ • .Uw • ~ the next campaign, for; I fear it will be terrific/’ he writes. “Ask the people to pray for ' them without ceasing.” ■- •’

' ENGLISH PRISONERS OF THE TURKS. Because of the anxiety with which the relatives of prisoners ■ of war 1 look for news of their loved ones, the following report, dated Constantinople, December 30, 1917, which the Most Rev. Archbishop Dolci, Apostolic Delegate at -Constantinople, has sent to the Papal Secretary of State concerning his visit to the English soldiers in a concentration camp on the Sea of - Marmora, is both interesting and instructive; “Your Eminence, — I went yesterday to visit the English prisoners at the concentration camp of. S. Stefano, a smiling village on the Sea of Marmora, celebrated in connection with the treaty of 1878 which is called after it. All are Protestants, with the exception of eight Catholics. The Military Commandant, Captain Falk Bey, and the official Yonnous Nabri came to the station. They told me that the prisoners

were all assembled and were awaiting me. On my arrival at the camp I had an agreeable surprise. At my entrance into the hall, which was adorned with palms, a group of them who had already organised an orchestra of violins, flutes, and mandolines played the Papal Hymn, while all the others arose and saluted me with jas much joy as they would have shown at the arrival of a relative. How much goodness and what nobility of sentiment is to be found in those kind and brave English soldiers ! Accustomed to look intrepidly at death on the field of battle, they manifested their sentiments in the most delicate manner. To the Papal Hymn succeeded a real musical entertainment, during which English pieces were played and English songs sung by individuals and in chorus amid scenes of the greatest joy. Nor were rag-time tunes and comical monologue wanting. The Commandant and the SubCommandant, two distinguished and extremely courteous Turkish officials, were present at this festival, seated beside me. I can assure your Eminence that among the English soldiers and these two Turkish officers a true fraternal friendship exists. The soldiers are permitted to go out in a group, and sometimes in small numbers. At Christmas several full days of rest'were given them, and they passed away the time according to their national customs, full of gaiety. The little musical interlude terminated, I distributed to each of them in the august name of the Holy Father some cigarettes and a bottle of cognac. I thanked them earnestly for this kind demonstration, which they had made in honor of the representative of his Holiness, and I declared how happy I felt at finding myself among them and spoke of the great interest which the Holy Father took in their welfare. I then very warmly congratulated the Commandant and the officer. Amid the applatise which followed my words SergeantMajor R. Dibbes advanced to thank me in the name of all and to ask me to send to the Holy Father an expression of their lively and respectful feelings of gratitude. I remained with the prisoners about two hours. They are about thirty-two in number, with Sergeant-Major Dibbes at their head. They repeated to me that they are more than satisfied at their treatment by the Turkish authorities from every point of view, and they had words of praise for the two Turkish Commandants mentioned above, as these latter also had for the English soldiers. I have found them all in excellent health, happy and pleased with everybody and everything. They have a little orchestra, a reading room, a recreation hall, and a small theatre. They dearly love their chaplain, Padre Pietro, of Smyrna. As I-bade them good-bye they desired”to have a photographic souvenir, which, with exquisite courtesy, the Commandant permitted, and I stood between the two Turkish Commandants. They will" feel infinitely grateful to the Holy Father if he will kindly send a copy to their families. [The names of the soldiers are then given.] With a sense of the highest esteem and most profound veneration, I have the honor of remaining, your Eminence’s most obedient servant in Jesus Christ, Angelo Maria Dolci, Delegate Apostolic.”

FRANCE’S SOLDIER-PRIESTS. In an appreciation of the heroism and devotion of France’s soldier-priests in the war, Mr. Bedes Wilson, iiP'the London Daily Telcyrajjh, describing a religious ceremony, says: “In this subterranean chapel, with its reeking mud walls, in the heart of this now desolated but once fair land of Champagne, with these soiled and shabby, but reverent Frenchmen of the 20th century, each with his rifle, supporting his casque, resting against his knees—men drawn from every class, artisans, shopkeepers, clerks, farmers, fonctionnatresthere was a significance to me wholly and strikingly impressive. I knew but little of the French priest before the war. What I did know was the picture painted of him by the anti-clerical party. , “How utterly, how monstrously, they misjudged and under-rated him, these cynical and intelligent anti-clericals, let the official records of this war ; and the bulletins of the Legion d’lismneur demonstrate.

The Church in France has in great measure retrieved its old position in the hearts and minds of the people. “Some of the finest and most thrilling deeds of the war have been performed by priests; some have, by their steadiness and contempt of death, saved a whole battalion from destruction. This happened twice at Verdun. Upwards of 2000 priests lie dead on the battlefield. “The 25,000 priests serving in the army come under three categories. The first are the 300 regular chaplains, or aunioniers. These are given the grade of captain. These may be called upon to perform any duty in the field which an officer may undertake. In the second category come the officers and soldiers, some 12,000, who in civil life follow the priestly calling. The remaining group are those employed in the medical service as hospital orderlies, stretcher-bearers, and so forth. Their ages range from 19 to 65 years. The annals of the war are sown thick with tales of clerical valor and devotion to duty. • Names of aumoniers appear in almost every bulletin. The Catholic priesthood has apparently forgotten the indignities it has suffered at the hands of the State.” To. the writer Archbishop Amette said: “What the Catholic priesthood has done in this war will endure- as one of the most sacred traditions of our Church of France.’’