The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-30

What his mother, the Vicomtesse
de Gironde. felt at this news Is easy
To conceive. Her only son. as hand
some as he was we'll born. the light
OF his grandfather's life and the fond
hope of the family name. was about
to enter beyond the gates of the
House OF God on earth and leave all
his wealth. his honors and his advan-
tages behind him. She was toe much
the Catholic mother to oppose her
sons wishes, but she persuaded him
To wait for some time before carry
ing out his desire. and in 1904. with
a college friend. he left Toulouse on
a journey to Rome and Jerusalem.
1t was at Jerusalem itself. in the
shadow of Calvary. that he deter
mined again to consecrate himself to
God and the priesthood. and after
his return in January. 1aO5-he was
just then entering his twenty-fourth
year--he entered the Jesuit Novi-
tiste at Hecren. near Client. in Bel
GUM.
After passing through the noyitiate
at Heeren, he entered the College Of
Gemcrt in Holland to study philoso-
pay. Three years later he was sent
as professor Of classics L the Colleg
Of Florennes in the Province Of
Namur. He II was to whom the boys
went In all their difficulties. and II
was Gilbert de Girpnde also who fred
their young imagination with that
splendid ideal Of service to others
which has shone in his life like a
diamond amid the debris Of the bat
tlciield.
Very seldom did he punish his
pupils. for by the power of his manly,
tactful and magnetic personality. he
established perfect discipline among
his toys. In 1911 he returned TO Bel
GUM. where he took up his theology
cal studies. in preparation for his ordi-
nation to the priesthood at Enghien.
No lovclier place in Belgium could
he chosen for A college. and In this
little town. some twenty miles away
10 tho south from Brussels. Gilbert de
Girondc spent the next three wears.
universally re~verenced by professors
and students. u was IN July. 1atS.
that his ordination time approached.
His weeks retreat was spent In tho
quiet and solitude Of Tronchienncs and
on Friday. July 81. he arrived back
again at E.nrhicn. and that same night
Russia and Belgium sent out their
mobilization call. which was followed
N France by the call Ia arms on the
following morning. lie was ordained
TO the priesthood on SUNDAY, August
.. 1918.
Immediately a~fterward he started
g., Ny,,,l.-, e. L $50. Ii. .--. 80.
private in tho ranks Of the Eighty
first Regiment Of Infantry. on his
way Ia Montpelier he stopped IA; Tou-
louise To visit his mother, the Nicom-
T, tosse de Gironde. and to give her the
!neffhh.e pleasure. known only TO the
Catholic mothers heart. Of seeing her
son at the altar Of God. a priest for.
ever according 10 the order of Melchi-
sedech. From Montpelier his regi.
ment went to Gerberville. in Lorraine,
where on August 30 he received his
baptism OF fire.
Twice during the engagement he
gave the soldiers "a general absolution
after they had repeated aloud with
him the act Of contrition. and he
proved himself the support and the
CONSIDER Of his men. " volunteerel
for dangerous missions So simply and
quietly hat Il seemed quite natural
10 let him go. During the night after
the battle of Gerberviile he was
known To- bo absent from his place.
and he came back shortly before dawn
the next morning. and calling the
strctchcr bearers 20 him. he pointed
out y farmhouse nearby and said
II believe that in that farmhouse
Their" are twelve Frencn wounded SOL
iiers whom you might remove to tho
hospital
by tho mcrest chance the amhu-
lance men learned atterward that
Father de Glronde had carried these
men single handed one by one during
the night TO the shelter of The farm.
He was "a born leader with a mar
vellous Influence over his soldiers. and
by September officers and men recoe-
ni@ed that in the young priest dwe!t
~ ~- -