The Catholic bulletin., 1918-02-16
BUILDINGS SECURED FOR REcRE-
ATloNAL PURPOSES AND FIT
TED UP FOR SOLDlERS-THE
WORK OF OUR CHAPLAINS IN
FRANCE - SEVEN cHAPLAINS
MAINTAINED BY KNIGHTS.

RANCE - SEVEN CHAPLAlNS
MAINTAINED BY KNIGHTS.
Seven auxiliary chaplains, under the
auspices of the knights of Columbus,
are now at work in France. This num-
Der is, of course, insufficient for the
vast amount of work that has pre-
sented itself in the foreign field, and
more American priests will be sent
abroad at the earliest opportunity.
That splendid results are being OBJ
tanned by those pioneers who are al
ready on the ground, is an indisput-
able fact, and the Knights of Column
bus Committee on War Activities feels
that these chaplains have begun a
work which will reflect with great
credit upon American Catholicity.
1t must be remembered that some
time elapsed after the arrival of the
chaplains in France before they were
assigned to their missions. This de-
lay was caused by the fact that it re-
quired no little time before authoriza-
ton of the work was secured from
General Pershing by Walter n. Ker-
man, Knights of Columbus commits
sioner with the overseas army That
permission once given, the question of
suitable buildings also presented it.
self, and the chaplains were sent in
different directions under instructions
to find such quarters as might be
aV0i19 hln and thnrn in tI1n Of
the Knights of Columbus, as the rep
resentatives of the Catholics of this
country, to minister to the social and
religious needs of American soldiers,
on the same basis that the Knights of
Columbus are conducting their well
fare work in the camps of this
country.
Quarters Difficult to Find.
1t is no small task to find such
quarters in France at present, for as
has been pointed out before, every
building, every cowshed in fact, is be-
ing used for military purposes, and
the shortage of labor has made it i'm
possible for new buildings to be erect
ed or for old ones to be repaired.
1t is then with great qualification,
that the Knights of Columbus Com
mittee on War Activities has received
from the Paris headquarters of the
chaplains news showing that they have
been able to secure temporary ac-
commodations which have met with
the favor of the American soldiers,
and where they are conducting the
splendid work which is in itself an
apostolic mission.
The Rev. G.. G.. Van Gothen, for
merly parish priest at Nogales, N.
NJ, who, in following his priestly
duties became entangled in some in
teresting and exciting adventures at
the time when the Pershing forces
made their expedition into Mexico, is
one of the men now on duty in France
as Knights of Columbus auxiliary
chaplain In a letter sent under date
of December % to the Paris head
quarters of the Knights of Columbus
Committee on War Activities, and for
warded to the Washington office of
the committee, Father Van Gothen
tells of some of the work he is, doing.
BY the circular l herewith en-
Close he writes, you will see that
/ am at it and bound to succeed. The
boys are enthusiastic about the open
ing of the Knights of Columbus hall,
which now looks very cozy and will
be attractive. The (deleted by cen
sor) boys who are numerous, begged
to have Mass and English sermon on
Christmas, SO that l have made the
necessary changes in my program to
satisfy them
All Arc Welcome.