SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR

New Zealand Tablet, 20 June 1918, Page 30

SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR

. If the great war has demonstrated anything, it is the utter failure of our materialistic civilisation (says the San Francisco Monitor). A new civilisation must be built up on the teachings of Christianity. The light must not be hidden under a bushel, for the Church is a city , set on the mountain of God’s truth that all who run may read the message of God to the world. In this great work of instructing and converting the modern pagan world the lay apostolate will have its influential part under the dispensation of Providence. The fields are white for the harvest, and the effective telling by inspired men of the glad tidings of peace on earth to men of good will cannot but result in a glorious harvest of souls for the Church of God. “Other sheep I have that are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.” HEROIC PRIESTS AND NUNS ON THE BATTLEFIELD. When the history of the present European conflict is written (says the Catholic Register), no mention may be made of the heroism of the Catholic Sisterhoods, but in the hearts of thousands of soldiers will be an appreciation of the valor being shown by the “Angels of Mercy.” Neither will the courage of the priests be forgotten. Risking shot and shell, nuns and priests are cringing comfort to the injured and dying soldiers. Danger is forgotten by these workers of God, even though it is .but occasionally that the name of a Sister or a priest is cited in the order of the day. “Recently, while returning from South America,” writes Frank B. Lord, “I met Father P. Edmundo Monsaert, S.J., an ocean travelling companion. He had served as a chaplain in the war. Father Monsaert is a Belgian. He was with the Allies along the River Yser. He would not talk of himself, but he told of his fellow-workersand of the nuns. “The frightful slaughter and the uncertainty of death on the battlefields lias revived the Catholic faith all throughout Europe,” says the priest. “Although there are many soldiers of the opposite faith in the war, the one religion in common is the Catholic. The wonderful faith displayed by the Catholics has brought many into the fold. Now it is a common sight to see soldiers in the trenches kneeling at the Rosary services.” Priests are allowed to remain in the first line -trenches only a week at a time, and then are sent to the rear to recuperate. Mass is said every day in the trenches, the soldiers have erected altars under the surface of the earth, and services are well attended. The altars are crude, but beautiful, according to the description of the Jesuit Father. Early in the war, it was a common thing for a priest to be standing up to his knees in water while saying Mass, but later the soldiers procured sand bags on which the priest now stands while celebrating Mass. The Rosary is chanted every night. When peace is declared it is predicted there will be more Catholics than ever. Thousands of Sisters have volunteered their services, and only one is known to Father Monsaert to have been shot on the battlefield. One Sister was rewarded seven times for bravery by President Poincare of France in Paris, before a large multitude. Many priests have also received medals. A TOUCHING INCIDENT. The comrades of a French aviator who was brought down within the German lines were notified of his death by a German aviator, who also dropped a letter containing an invitation to the French Aviation Corps to assist at a Requiem Mass for the soul of the deceased hero. Guarantees were given of absolute security for the journey and return. On the appointed day fifteen French aviators went over , the

enemy’s line and descended ; at the village where the body :of the hero lay. Aftei:' the Mass a German officer paid a tribute of homage to the French aviator and a compliment to the entire French Aviation Corps. The ceremony was very touching, and the strongest in the congregation were not ashamed, of their tears. When the Frenchmen returned to the field where their machines had been left, they found their tanks had been , refilled with benzine, the engines were started for them, and everything was in readiness for fheir return. This incident demonstrates one thing very clearly: that a chivalrous spirit comes from that charity founded on the true Faith. THE PRIESTHOOD AND . THE WAR. In view of the misrepresentations that have appeared in some of the papers (says Cardinal Bourne), it is necessary to state accurately the attitude of- tne Catholic Hierarchy in England and Wales regarding the Military Service Bill. It is quite in accordance with Catholic tradition that in case of real need priests should render non-combatant service, of a kind compatible with the priestly character and dress, especially by tending the wounded. The bishops, therefore, at once signified their willingness to see. who among their clergy could be set free for this purpose, pointing out at the same time that only the bishops could accurately judge the circumstances, and that in view of the heavy demands already made on their clergy, no large number could be available for other work. The Bishop of London has recently stated that his clergy are 1100 in number, and that 24 of them are acting as military chaplains. The active secular clergy of the diocese of Westminster are less than 300 in number, and 52 of them are serving as chaplains. This gives some idea of what the Catholic clergy in England are doing in.this respect. It is well known that even in time of peace there are no superfluous priests in England. Every man is ordained to do work. In addition to several hundreds who are acting as commissioned chaplains, the clergy left at home have a burden ol additional work quite unknown in times of peace. Everywhere there are military hospitals with Catholics needing attention. There are scattered groups of soldiers all over the country, who depend for spiritual ministrations on the local clergy. In many places there are Belgian refugees. There are, in addition, numerous large camps of prisoners of war, and all these camps ask for the spiritual assistance of the Catholic clergy. Quite recently the Home Office requested the bishops to make provision for the spiritual needs of the Catholic prisoners belonging to the Austrian Empire who are working on farms throughout the country. When, further, it is remembered that the work of a Catholic priest is not confined to a Sunday service and sermon, but consists largely in the heavy work of confessions and the administration of the Sacraments to the sick and dying, and that attendance at church even on week days is largely increased owing to the war, it will be understood that the Catholic clergy, always well occupied, are in many cases overburdened by fresh, duties arising out of the war.

Allusion has been made in the press to the clergy undertaking even combatant service. It must not be forgotten that it is directly contrary to Christian sentiment and to ancient Catholic tradition that those who are consecrated to the service of the altar for the offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the administration of the Sacraments should be called upon to take part in the shedding of blood. France, alone among the belligerent nations, impelled by anti-Chris-tian principles and the hatred of religion, has violated the tradition of centuries. God indeed has made use of the heroic patriotism of the French clergy to undo some of the consequences of this enactment; but those who remember that the laws of Christian tradition cannot be violated with impunity may surely find in this violation one of the causes why victory is so long delayed. The example of the anti-Christian Govern-

nient of France is not one to set before the . people of Christian England. No doubt the Government saw that the number of clergy to be set free would not be commensurate with the dislocation of the spiritual and religious service needed for the nation at home. This certainly is the case as far as the Catholic clergy are concerned. As appears from what is stated above, the proportion of the chaplains given by the diocese of Westminster is one in six of the secular clergy. ' J Taking the whole of Great Britain, and counting all priests, including even the retired and sick, the proportion of the number of the chaplains to that of the clergy, regular and secular, is one to nine. *