The Irish standard., 1916-06-17
PRIESTS LAUDED
FOR BRAVERY
French Anti-cIericaI Party Unsuccess-
full in Their Efforts to Discredit
Catholic Priests.
combes, French Premier, Erstwhite
Prosecutor Of Church, Thanks He.
roic Nun for Her Well Wishes-Is
Now Friend Of Church.

Paris, June IA campaiA,. ny the
extreme anti-clerical eleme2sN i've
Radical and Socialist par 'ale <I1Sf
the presence of priests at tn Cab;,
fronts in daily contact with solo.> .
has brought sharply into public notice
the work which these priests have
done and are doing.
When war began, Count Albert de
Nun. since deceased, obtained from
the Minister of War authorization for
priests to enlist as chaplains with the
approval of their bishops up to the
number of $50 in addition. Count Paul
Pourtles obtained the same favor for
so more Protestant pastors, while 16
additional Rabbis were named.
A chaplain from the region of Yer
dun gives the following graphic re-
cital Of an experience: 1--WE celebrat-
ed Easter under the shrapnel, within
300 yards of the German trenches, and
the Credo was saluted by a fusillade.
Our trenches had been converted into
green bowers with flowers and ivy
garlands. On Good Friday fourteen
stations had been marked with crosses
In the communicating trench for the
solemn procession. At half-past two,
just as had confessed my last peni-
tent, bullet hit him in the neck. The
blood spurted out just as the last
words of absolution were uttered. 1
gave him first aid, and then he turned
his brave eyes toward me and MUIR
INJURED: You have cared for the body,
now look after the soul.' l offered up
a prayer that went with his departing
soul, while the blood flowed upon my
cross and cassock. 1t was in that con-
dition that proceeded on the road to
the cross, and at the twelfth station
offered the pure vermilion blood of
that brave son Of France to Christ and
with all my heart l said: Our Lord,
that blood was generously shed.'"
The Able Henrocque, simple priest
at the beginning of the war, is now a
knight of the Legion of Honor. He
lifted men as they fell under heavy
shelling, with suffocating gas projec-
tiles, dressed their wounds and car
rfed them to shelter. He was wound
ed in the head and arm by a shell that
exploded three yards away; he stopped
only to wipe the blood from his eyes;
an instant later a heavy projectile
upheaved section of the French
trenches and buried two officers and
six men; Able Menrocque, while cry.
ing for help, dug until he had saved
one officer and four of the soldiers.
For the chaplain as we'll as for the
combatant, heroism is the small
change Of everyday existence at the
front. His place is wherever there is
fighting. He often falls under the
shells and bullets, and frequently
reaps the same reward for gallant
conduct as that of the fighting soldier.
The infidel journals of Paris are
very wroth about several things these
past few days. First, LA Laterne"
learns that a large number of priestly
brancadiers and infirmarians have
been appointed to the Eastern Expedi.
tionary force, and it openly bewails
the numbers Of Masses which will be
said in consequence. 1t does not state,
however, why the priests and religious
were specially chosen by the authori-
ties for this sanitary service-because
1t is the hardest and most trying, and
the least we'll equipped, to say nothing
of its dangers.
Another organ of the infidels is
angry at Premier Combes, the erst.
while prosecutor Of the Church, who
has received postcard from Sister
Julie, the heroic nun of Gerbvillers,
and has responded cordially thereto
1t seems that Combes visited Sister
Julie on Easter Day last, and she was
so pleased with his cordial and re-
spectful greeting that she wrote to him
telling him she would supplicate the
good God for him and for the union OF
all hearts in an "allelula" of victory al
the foot of the altar And Combes
wrote to Sister Julie thanking her fol
her letter and her pious and patriotic
wishes.