The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-12-05
The Soldier Priests of France
AntiCecals Aroused by Popularity of Battle
Their Heroism and Patriotism MISUNDERSTANDING
France to Religion

in the suburban parish of Kremlin.
Bicetre. was killed on September by
an obus, at the battle of the Marne.
He wrote thus to his parents: my
men are admirable; they followed me
under violent firing; they trust me
and would follow me anywhere" A
few days later this devoted young
pastor died soldiers death.
These mild, APPARENTLY timid, ecclesi- (
astics develop with extraordinary
promptitude the military feeling that
Is at the heart of every Frenchman.
Il shall never abuse cures again."
said a rabid anti-clerical fresh from
the front; "they fight magnificently:
they do not know what fear means"
| The early conservation of their
lives to an ideal of self-immolation
seems, in their case, to pave the way
to final sacrifice; there is no deny.
ing that the novitiates and seminarists
OF France, with their system of aus
tere self-repression, have proved At
tra1nlngschools for our soldier. priests.
"A true story, for whose authenticity
we can vouch. comes from the front
and presents them under an aspect
mat seems more in harmony with
their ecclesiastical vocation. Captain
~ was lying dangerously wounded
on the field of battle; young French
private, also wounded, crawled up to
MIN. Mon Capitaine," he whispered,
let me protect you," and stretching
both arms over the officers head and
breast he shielded him from the shells
that were falling thickly The officer
demonstrated, but the young voice
answered: Mon Capitaine, your life
must be preserved for the country.
at Whatever cost l cannot carry you
away, for ! cannot walk, but l will
protect you from further harm"
once' the captain, feeling a stream
e OF blood flow over his neck, cried:
3 They have struck me again!" "No."
\ said the other, "the blood comes from
a a wound in my shoulder. 1t is moth
ing, so do not mind, mon Capitaine {"
!" When night came on, the two men
;, were rescued by the French "bran.
+ cardiers," and the grateful captain
> asked the soldiers name; ooh, am
only a seminarist from -" an.
swered the boy.
, over and over again it has hap
pened that rabid or ignorant anti-cleri-
Gals have recognized, after few
weeks soldering in company of the
soldlerpriests, that their preiudices
were unfounded and they have Weld.
ed to the influence of the cures"
The military chiefs are the first to
acknowledge the latter's widespread
ing influence upon the men. 1t is all
the greater because the priest is a
comrade who shares their dangers
ana hardships. We know of a young
Paris "vicaire," an excellent tyne of
the soldier-priest, who, in the post
that he occupies has gradually be.
come the friend, helper, resource of
every one, and this not by any at
tempt to preach, but by his cheerful
readiness to do more than his duty.
This particular priest has heard con.
fessions by the dozen, while shoulder.
ing gun and guarding a bridge or a
railway; he says his Mass at day.
break, when and where he can; off,
GERS and men. on their way to the
front, drop in and receive Holy Com.
munion, many for the last time.
Another soldier-priest taught his
rough and ignorant recruits to offer
their lives to God as willing sacrt.
, flee. So eagerly did they grasp the
idea suggested to them that they
asked for the text Of the prayer and
pinned 1t within their tunics as a
perpetual reminder.
Another, who belongs to the Domin-
lean Order, and whose scholarly re-
port was noticed at the Lourdes Con.
| gress, was publicly praised by his
| colonel for the excellent spirit of the
men under his command.
Once more God has drawn good out
of evil in permitting that law,
framed out Of enmity to the Catholic
Church and with the object Of check
; ing the vocations of her seminarists.
has become, on the contrary, a means
, of extending her power. The soldier
priests of France, at the cost of hard
ships and possibly Of the sacrifice of
their lives, are apostles in the best
sense Of the word, and the number of
souls whom they have reconciled and
saved will only be known on the other
[ side of the grave. But we,, who live
within touch Of the great war, can
testify to the extent and value of their
happy influence.