The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-01-19
Bidding Soldiers Farewell
FRENCH CHAPLAIN, Able FLYNN,
I TELLS HOW DRAFTED MEN ARE
Ridden GoDsPEED BY PASTORS
AND PARISH.

The October issue of The Queens
Work gives an interesting account
of conversation with Able Patrick
Flynn, cure of a parish near Paris and
chaplain in the French army, whose
interesting lectures have been giving
to American audiences his experiences
as chaplain in the trenches at Yer
dun and other places on the Western
front. The activities undertaken by
the French priests and people on be-
half of the conscripts are strikingly
similar to those suggested by the Cath
Ollie press for our American Catholic
soldiers.
Able Flynn says that the activity of
closed retreats for the soldier boys has
long been popular in Paris and other
parts of France. Where possible the
soldiers are given two or three days
seclusion in college or religious
house, according to the true principle
of the closed retreat Where this is
not practicable Masses are held for the
soldiers, with instructions for their
particular benefit. In any case it is
usually possible for the pastor to have
farewell Mass and communion, with
breakfast afterwards for the new sol
diers.
An effort is made in the church to
have the soldiers give their names and
the camps to which they are going, but
this is supplemented at the breakfast
afterwards. In the halls where the
breakfasts are held large placards
bearing the names of the different
camps to which the soldiers are going
are placed-"Toul, scissors, Verdun"
the conscript looks about and
chooses the placard bearing the name
of his destination, and then proceeds
thither and meets a group of other
conscripts who are going to the same
camp. They exchange cards, introduce
themselves to one another, tell their
company and regiment, and in few
minutes form acquaintance that will
last the time of the war and after
wards. Then when the young men
go to the camp they do not find them
selves alone among strangers, exposed
to all the dangers of loneliness and
doubtful companionsship. They have
with them the cards of their new
acquaintances and they go about in
search of the men they met at the
farewell breakfast.
Another interesting feature of the
breakfast are brief animated addresses
made during the progress of the meal.
The pastor himself is there with some
veteran officers, and after the pastor
has said his words of welcome and ad-
vice, these veterans get up and give
the young men fiery and practical adj
dresses full of counsel born of their
experience Then chosen speakers
from among the young men them
selves arise and reply. Some of the
Socialists who are not yet drafted
spead in their turn, and so the meeting
is a sort of love feast where everyone
gives what he can to the general edi-
fication and to strengthen the parting
soldier. Moreover, the pastor makes it
his business to notify the chaplain at
each camp of the Catholic young men
who are going from his parish. For
the convenience of the pastors the
Ordo of each diocese contains full
list of the names and addresses of the
chaplains, SO that the pastor has only
to turn to his Ordo and copy out the
names and addresses he finds there.
These little practical details should be
of great help to the workers for our
American troops. They are the result
of the long and fiery trials to which
the French people have been subjected
and are therefore doubly precious,
both for their own sake and for the
sake of the gallant people from which
they come.