The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-08-10
WAR PRISONERS VATICAN BUREAU

other American, who with his breth-
rem, have devoted themselves with
wonderful energy ever since.
In May, 1915, when Italy entered the
theatre of war; an office was opened
| in the Secretariate of State by His
Eminence Cardinal Gasparri and the
Ri. Rev. Mgr. Federico Tedeschini,
Deputy of the Papal Secretary of
State and Secretary of the CIPHER,
for the benefit of Italian prisoners.
| Over this was placed the Very Rev.
Father Huisman, a Conventual also,
Hollander, and, like Father Reuter-, a
linguist, in the capacity of Secretary.
Thus the arrangement at present is
this: Father Reuter- conducts in the
Conventual monastery in the Piazza
Scossa Cavalli the department for
nOn-ltalian prisoners. 1t is we'll to
add that early in 1915 an Office was
established by the Holy Father at
Vienna, and placed under the control
Of Mgr Bremen for the sake of
Italian prisoners in Austria.
The Bureau and Results Achieved.
Of all engaged in the working of
the Vatican bureau for prisoners of
war none take a more active interest
in its success than does the Holy
Father himself. With that wonderful
vigor which marks his days, he gives
time and close attention to it's gen
eral working. | need not dwell upon
the deep gratitude which so many
thousands of families in every part
of the new and the old world owe to
Monsignor Tedeschini, Father Reuter-
and Father HuiSman, who direct the
details of the bureau in Rome and
its corresponding offices at Pader-
born, Fribourg and Vienna, and the
immense network of sub-offices that
stretch from London to CONSTANT
nople, and from Palermo to Stockholm.
Patient diligence has signalized their
labor of love these four years.
With the charity for which the
Three Families Of the Seraph of AS
siSi are famous, members of the
Orders Of the Friars Minor, Conven-
tuals and Capuchins have been berfd-
ing over their desks every day for
many hours. The Order of st. DOM
mic is also represented there, so also
is the secular clergy. And not a few
Jealous laymen give a number of
hours each day to the bureau, happy
in the thought that their labor is one
not only highly charitable, but also
a source OF satisfaction to the Sover-
eign POntiff. Nor are the female re-
ligiOus orders without doing their
share; six or seven orders apply
themselves in the tranquility of their
converts to the work sent to them
couple Of times a week, among
these being Sisters of the Sacred
Heart order and the Franciscan Mis-
siOnaries of Mary. And here and
there, in the Eternal City, ladies and
gentlemen in the secular walks of life,
some of them belonging to the highest
families, take their part in this labor
of love. Altogether from 100 to 200
persons belong to the bureau.
Up to the present over 100000 ap-
plicatiOns have come to the Vatican
from Cardinals Bishops, associations
Catholic and secular-all asking for
missing soldiers to be traced for them
Of these the vast majority have been
discovered and put into communica-
ton with their families all over the
world. The bureau is in daily COM
munication with France, Germany,
Austria-Hungary, Holland, Italy, Eng
land, Scotland, Russia, Turkey, Swift
zerland, Sweden and Bulgaria.
Just a few words in case you have
to write, reader, to the bureau for
information as to the whereabouts of
a prisoner. In your letter mention the
full name, rank and regiment of the
missing one; when he is supposed to
have been taken prisoner, and any
other detail you may think useful.
But, for the love of Heaven, do not
think of enclosing expenses. This is
a work of pure charity organized by
His Holiness, the Pope, and the ques-
ton of recOmpense or reward does
not enter into it. On two occasions,
the Vatican has had to warn the pub
lie against some harpies, all utterly
eXtraneOus to the bureau, who would
give their services" in this matter
for 1ucre. The strong Indignation
shown in these warnings ought suffice
to dispel all the false impressions any
one might have formed on the point