The Irish standard., 1918-01-12
Columbus Day in France

AS an example of the splendid field
that awaits the workers of the knights
of Columbus Committee on War Activ-
tiles in France, the Catholics of this
country need look no further than to
the activities which have been already
inaugurated among the Catholic SOL
diers of the American Expeditionary
forces. Columbus Day was chosen by
them as the time to begin the work OF
centralizing Catholic social, recrea-
tional and religious activity, and a
splendid account of the celebration
held at that time has been received by
the Knights of Columbus Committee
on War Activities.
1t must be remembered that at the
present moment, the knights of Col
umbus Committee has been able to do
only pioneer work on French soil
to lay, as it were, the foundation for
that extensive work which is to be
propagated just as soon as conditions
are right. In the meantime, the Cath
olic soldiers themselves are paving the
way for this work by arousing inter-
est in1Catholic affairs and by arrang-
ing what may be best termed get
together meetings." with the idea in
view of being in a position to render
every assistance possible to the regu-
lar knights of Columbus recreational
work, once the military authorities
define exactly what can be done along
this line
Give Communion Dinner.
The account of the Columbus Day
celebration which has just reached
America, was sent by Joseph Deegan,
of New York City, who was one of the
promoters of the idea. Mr.. Deegan
writes from Somewhere in France"
and says that the affair took the form
of Communion Dinner A large num-
Der of Catholic soldiers, all members
of the Knights of Columbus, entered
enthusiastically into the spirit of the
occasion, and although the morning of
October IL was what Mr. Deegan de-
scribed as "heart-breaker" with rain,
hail, slush, high wind; everything in
fact conducive to the blues. Some of
the men who had signifed their in
tention of attending, had to travel the
greater part of the previous night in
order to be present, but when noses
were counted at the station, there
we're no absentees.
The Bishop of one of the oldest Ca
.Haedrals in France had kindly per-
mitted the use of one of his largest
chapels, and this had been appropri-
of al 1nO0rofod hn
Stars and Stripes being enlwined with
the Tri-color. The Americans were no
sooner seated than a detachment of
French soldiers filed in, and before the
beginning of the Mass, the great organ
played the "Star Spangled Banner"
Mass was celebrated by a French
priest, all those present receiving the
Holy Communion.
After the Mass, the dinner was
served at the largest hotel of the city,
and during the after dinner speeches
the plan Of organizing the Catholic
men of the regiment into unit for the
promotion of the Knights of Columbus
social and recreational work was form
ulated. The French priests present,
who until that day had not exactly
understood the relation between the
Knights of Columbus and the Catholic
Church, expressed their delight when
the splendid work which the organiza-
ton representing the Catholics of the
United States is doing among Uncle
Sans soldiers in this country was ex-
planned to them, and were greatly in
terested in the plans which are being
made for carrying this to France.
Other Priests Laud Work.
Mr.. Deegan also writes that on the
following Sunday he attended Mass in
a village church at a distant point, and
there the pastor devoted his sermon
time to laudation of the knights of
Columbus work. Another soldier, who
attended Mass in another church on
the same day, reports that there also.
the pastor spoke of the Knights of
Columbus and cited the need for this
work in France.