THE WORLD IS SMALL.

New Zealand Tablet, 8 May 1919, Page 38

THE WORLD IS SMALL.

The following account of a triple Jewish conversion and the beautiful ; sequel of if is printed in the Calendar of St. Paul's Church, New York. It is signed by the Paulist Superior-General, Father John J. Hughes, C.S.P. : ; ■'■>> ; :i _;■■■•■' - - Ten years ago, three boys, 15, 13, and nine years of age, were brought to me by their mother, a convert. The boys were Jews— young chaps. I put them through a course of instruction in Deharbe's Catechism for three months, and I then baptised them and put- them in the advanced course in our Sunday school. They made their first Confession and received First Communion from my hands, and were confirmed by the Cardinal. Years go on so quickly: since then the second boy has seen war service on the Mexican border, the youngest is now in the service, and the oldest, Stephen, went to France. Here he was in the front ranks, was wounded once, cured, and went back. The second time was wounded and again went back ; and the third time was struck and had to be carried to the rear on a stretcher. Who was the happy priest there to meet him and give him the last rites of the Church? One of our own dear priests, Father Hoey, of the Paulist Community. Three days before he died Stephen received the decoration of the Cross of War. Wonderful ! A Paulist baptised him, heard his first Confession, gave him his First Communion, and had him confirmed: and more wonderful to relate, it was a Paulist, on the battlefield of France, who was with him to give him his last Communion. It is a .small world, because the Catholic Church is universal.