The Irish standard., 1912-08-10
CHAPLA|NS FOR
THE BOYS IN BLUE
81
At Present Time There Are 16 on
the Active List of United
States Army.
Rev. Timothy P. O'Keefe is Senior in
Grade, Having the Rank
of Major.
Have Strong and Beneficial Influence
Over Men at Various
Garrisons.

The number of the personnel of
the army is more than twice that Of
the navy, so one must expect to find
the number of all requisites doubled
for its maintenance and supervision.
The number of officers and en-
listed men in Uncle Sans army is
now about 10000, and to provide for
their spiritual welfare, Congress pro-
vides for 81 chaplains representing
all creeds and denominations, and
among this number the Catholic
faith is represented by 16 on the ac-
tive list, while there are several on
the retired list by operation of law,
they having reached the age of retire
ment, Ga years, or retired for dis
ability.
Rev. TIP. o'keefe.
Among the 16 now doing active
duty is Rev. Timothy p. O'Keefe,
senior in grade of the Catholic chap
lains, having the rank of major since
March %, 1912. Father O'Keefe was
originally appointed on February .,
1901, from the District of Columbia,
on the recommendation of His Emil
nence James Cardinal Gibbons.
He was born in Kansas, November
las. -1ss4k. and shas.saerxed, atHs aalsp pegta
of the United States and the Philip.
pine Islands, and his present station
is at the military prison, Alcatraz,
CAL, doing splendid work among the
convicts. Father O'Keefe will not re-
tire for age until 1928. The pay of a
major is $4,000, plus 10 per cent for
each five years. service.
Five Hold Captains Rank.
At the present time there are five
Catholics having the rank of captain,
and these are Albert ]. Bader, Ninth
Infantry, who is now in the United
States on leave Of absence, awaiting
the return of his regiment from the
Philippine Islands; Francis B. Doher-
ty, with the Porto Rico Regiment, at
San Juan; John A. Ferry, of the Tenth
Infantry, at the military prison, Fort
Leavenworth, Kan; Andrew C.. Muir
ply, Of the fifth Regiment, field artil-
lery, at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and
George ]. Waring, of the Eleventh
Cavalry, at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia.
The pay of chaplain, having the
rank Of captain is $2,40O plus 10 per
cent for every five years service.
Father Bader is the Dean.
Chaplain Bader is the dean Of the
army Catholic chaplains, not only in
age, but in service, for he entered
the volunteer service in September.
1898, as chaplain of the Twelfth New
York Volunteers. He is a native of
New York, and was appointed to the
regular army from the State in Feb.
ruary, 1901. He was born on Sep
tember "a, 1859.
Father Doherty is native of Mas
sachusetts, but was appointed to the
army from California in 1902 He
was born December 21, 1862.
Father Ferry is another New York
er, and has been assigned to reform
work at the big military prison at
Fort Leavenworth.
Father Denning Is the youngest of
the Catholic chaplains, and was born
in Ohio on August 20, 1878.
On Retired List.
Among the Catholic chaplains on
the retired list are Patrick j. HIATT,
Edward H. Fitzgerald and Edward J.
Vattman. having the rank of major,
and Patrick P. Carey and Eli w. j.
Lindesmith, with the grade of cap.
| tain.
No doubt the best known of all the
chaplains is Father FitzGerald, who
did such efficient work with the
Twenty-second Infantry in Cuba in
1898, and who was retired for dis.
ability, incident to the service, on Feb
ruary 26, 1909.
These Catholic chaplains have the
most beneficial effect and good influ-
ence over all the men in the differ
ent organizations and at the various
garrisons, irrespective of their re-
ligious belief.
One of the ranking officers of the
army said recently. in speaking of
the hioh tome and morals ef the en-.