The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-07-07
Work Of Dutch Sodality
ASKS SOCIALISTS THROUGHOUT
THE WORLD TO PRAY FOR
PEACE.

lie lOllOWlnS appear 10 all the
socialists of the world has been issued
by the Sodality of the Annunciation
of the Blessed Virgin and of st. Fran
els Borgia, The Hague, Holland:
Through the merciful disposition of
divine Providence and the wise coun-
sells of our gracious sovereign, Queen
Wilhelmina, this country has SO far,
been spared the frightful calamities of
war. Prompted by gratitude towards
God, by sympathy with the sufferings
of our fellow men, by the sight of the
havoc wrought all around us, and by
ences we have witnessed in our an
cient city, we feel compelled to use
every endeavor that at last the bless
ings of peace may be restored to
afflicted Europe.
How our hearts would rejoice to
see among us the delegates of the
warning nations, to welcome them to
the Palace of Peace, which, alas! has
| become a subject of mockery in the
mouths of the vulgar. But though it's
halls are deserted and it's gates are
closed, there is another temple of
peace, ever open, the court of the
Queen of Peace, home for us, the
children of Mary: it is the church,
the chapel, where we meet, where our
| Queen, Advocate and Mother awaits
us with outstretched arms. Shall we
not enter? Shall we not all, scatter
ed throughout the world, yet one in
| heart, throw ourselves at her feet, and
implore through her intercession
what for more than two years the
world has implored in vain?
| 1t is on record that in bygone cen
turtles the sodalities of Our Lady by
fasting and prayer have more than
once stayed the chastising hand of
God, favored by Him as the favored
children of His Mother. Therefore,
dear fellow socialists, remembering
4 this our ancient glory, remembering
also this glorious confidence in our
Queen and Mother, let us hope
against hope in the midst of agoniz-
Mary, let us boldly endeavor to pro-
pitiate the Son through the Mother!
Though His hour, it would seem, has
not yet come, yet surely He cannot
/ turn deaf ear to the entreaties of
His Mother beseeching Him that the
evil days may be shortened for her
chosen children and that a fresh
miracle of His mercy may be wrought
| to bring about what to human effort
seems well-nigh impossible: that JUS
tice and peace may reign on earth
that hearts torn by hatred may be
healed, that the nations may under
stand the scourge of God and through
His mercy may return once more to
the mutual offices of kindness and
benevolence.
1t is the greatness of the object to
be achieved which emboldens us tc
address all those who are gathered
under the banner of Mary Humbly
we invite them to join in making one
grand effort and to do violence tC
heaven with the whole of our large
army of nearly $4,000 sodalities affili
ated to the Prima Primaria at Rome
We propose, therefore, that on the
feast of the Annunciation, or on the
preceding Sunday, there shall be {
general communion of all socialists il
the morning at Mass, and that at a full
meeting in the evening, after the usua
devotions, the Rosary and the Hol!
Fathers prayer for peace ("Dis
mayed by the horrors of war;" etc0
be recited in common. 1t would b,
desirable for these prayers to be pre-
coded by a day of fasting and absti
nence and to be accompanied b,
large-hearted almsgiving. H
1t now remains for us to crave tn
indulgence of all our fellow socialists
that we, humble sodality of a small
country, have presumed to common,
these things to you; but the world i
out of joint, and perhaps the small
may be permitted what is denied t
the great We trust, therefore, tina
, we have not presumed too far; w
should be sure, if we had the happi
mess to learn that our proposals hav
been adopted by a large number o
sodalities-