The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-02-21

say that there are no restrictions
to holding Catholic services on
Sunday, or other times when de-
sired by clergymen who are trav-
cling as passengers, as many of
our co-religionists will testify,
who have travelled by our line.
AS to whether we provide altar,
altar stones, vestments, altar lin
ems, sacred vessels. wine, ETC., we
confess that this is expecting a
little too much. We do not know
of any line that provides altar,
vestments, sacred vessels, altar
linens, ETC. AS pointed out in our
previous communication, we have
on our pier sets of altar stones
on our pier at Montreal for our
Canadian service, and at New
York here for our Antwerp serv-
ice-which can be placed on the
vessel on request; but it is expect
ing little too much that the line
should provide, what we term re-
iigious regalia, such as vestments,
altar linens, etc.
Gas often as the writer has trav-
elled, he has found there was nc
difficulty in arranging on ship
board for a portable altar to be
fixed by the ships carpenter on
short notice. and furthermore,
wine Of course can be furnished
and linen arranged by the stew
ardesses; but as far as vestments
are concerned, naturally when
Mass is expected to be celebrated
on shipboard, clergymen have
easily come prepared by bringing
their own vestments with them. y
| A careful perusal of these ex.
tracts leaves us in doubt as to
just what provision the White
Star Line makes for Catholic serv,
ices. In the first letter we are
told that "altar stones
are on our piers to be placed on
board steamers on which priests
are travelling" In the second
we read that ION all steamers OF
the Canadian service there are
altar stones at which Mass can be
celebrated. On the steamers of
the Boston and New York service,
while we have no altar stones here
or in Boston, there are no objec-
lions to the celebration Of Mass
on the part of the Company, when
the clergyman has the necessary
equipment to perform same \
II" In the third it is stated "We
have on our pier sets of altar
stones-on our pier at Montreal
for our Canadian service, and at
New York here for our Antwerp
service-which can be placed on
the vessel on request. "
In regard to the Canadian serv-
ice we would like to know whether
or not the altar stones are con all
steamers or con our pier at Mon
treal," and whether, for the Amer
lean service. there are really altar
stones on the piers or not. One
letter says there are no altar
stones in Boston or New York
another states they are kept at
New York.
Mr.. Farley's letter of the 18th
inst. also states that it is "expect-
ing little too much, " to ask the
White Star Line to provide all the
requisites for Mass on its vessels.
He adds eve do not know Of any
line that provides altar, vestments,
sacred vessels. altar linens, etc. y
In reply to this we may say, for
the information Of the White Star
Line officials, that all the requis-
ties for Mass, including altar,
vestments. altar linens, altar YES
sells, ETC., are carried on board the
steamships of La Compagnie
Trans-Atlantique whose New York
office is located at q State Street.
This steamship company leaves
nothing undone to provide for the
spiritual welfare Of its Catholic
patrons by affording every facility
for the celebration of Mass and
the holding Of Catholic services
on board it's liners. The Company
deserves great credit for this evi-
dence of proper consideration for
the religious convictions of its
Catholic patrons. It is well for
our Catholic people to know this
that they may govern themselves
accordingly when booking pas
sage for European ports.
OF course. the White Star Line
is within it's rights in not provid-
ing the requisites for Mass on
board it's Transatlantic steam
shi ps; but it must not complain if
Catholic travellers refuse to pa
tronize it because of its want Of
foresight in this important matter.
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