The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-07-13
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
ACTIVITIES AT CAMP DODGE.
Camp Dodge, July l.
To the Editor:

|
| had an attendance of 91,01O at re-
ligious services. That represents an
! average attendance of 10000 each
month at our three buildings and at
| the Base hospital. In that time there
| have been 1925 Communions. The
number of those that have returned
| to the practice of the faith, lax and
| careless for years, runs over 1000.
| Work of instruction in the faith has
| been constant. Over 100 have been
prepared for first Communion and the
number Of converts approaches so
| Thousands have been invested with
! the scapular, being impressed with
| the necessity of wearing the scapular
cloth instead of carrying only the
medal. Every Sunday hundreds are
lined up after Mass seeking enroll
ment in the scapular. Prayer books,
rosaries, medals, emblems Of religion,
are in constant demand, all distribut-
ed free. Hardly day passes that
some poor boy at the Base hospital
is not given the Sacramento. There
systematic visitation is had, our
chaplains vieing with each other in
their attention to the sick. Needless
to say, in all this religious work the
regular army chaplains here have
borne noble part. No better, more
efficient, more painstaking, more
sOlicitous co-workers could be found
than Fathers Higgins, Chuse and Noll,
who have all won their way into the
hearts Of the men. Time and again
they have expressed their appreciation
of the Knights of Columbus in afford
ing them an opportunity in the K. Of
c. buildings of meeting the boys, ming
ling with them and ministering to
them. Such an opportunity would not
be theirs to the same extent at least,
were they confined to activity simply
in their respective regiments.
How often in the past nine months
have we marvelled at the many
instances of Christian devotion and
piety on the part of our boys. Ere
quently they have come to us anxious
to receive the Sacramento before an
unexpected departure for somewhere
unknown; they have gotten up as
early as a. m. to go 10 Confession
and receive Communion, their last act
before boarding the troop train. We
have had those on guard duty drop in
at all hours Of the night, especially
Saturday night, relieved for the while
that they might go to Confession.
Then, too, they have come Sunday
mornings to receive Communion, not
having the further opportunity per-
haps to hear Mass. Only last Satur-
day an incident occurred that is well
calculated to arouse the enthusiasm
and inspire the heart of the most
jealous and devoted. About $50 in
the afternoon one of our boys came
, and asked to go to Confession. That
was not unusual as Confessions are
being heard from the hour of all the
afternoon and evening. But he added
further that he wanted to receive Holy
Communion, stating that he was I'M
der orders to leave that same evening.
| He was asked if he had not broken
| his fast and to- our amaZement replied
| that he had not eaten since the night
| before. He wanted to receive the
| Sacraments before leaving, and this
was his first opportunity Such evil
| dences of faith arouse in us renewed
| energy. And thanking God for such
| tokens of grace, we are prepared
| despite the cost to make any and all
sacrifice. Our work is truly labor of
love, no day being too long working
for the welfare, spiritual and material,
of our boys.
Week after week our buildings grow
in popularity with the boys. 1t is en-
couraging as we'll as pleasing to hear
them point out the many excellent
! All seem to be unanimous our
| buildings SAVIOR of home, our energetic
secretaries being anxious and alert in
creating and fostering a home-like
atmosphere. The number awaiting
themselves of the services offered is
truly amazing. Take for instance in
| the domain of letter writing. Last
Sunday 1900 letters, cards, and
packages were mailed in the three K
of G.. buildings. The main building
was responsible for about one-half.
| There $500 letter-heads and 2,400 en-
velopes were distributed, some being
| carried to the barracks for use there.
At 10 p. m. last Sunday by actual
count 80 boys were yet writing at the
desks The individual record was made
| in the main building last week when
one of the boys wrote at one sitting
| q letters. In that line there is just
! one thing they like better than writ
] ing, ana that is getting letters. Moth
| ing else takes the place of the letter
/ from home-whether it be from
mother, father, sister, brother, wife,
children, or sweetheart, relative or
! friend. AS suggested once before,
Keep the home pens writing" and
comfort the boys Lovers of Lady
| Nicotine will be interested to know
that free tobacco, in weight sixty
pounds, is used by the boys each week
at the main building. Once again we
crave your patronage and ask your
smoker" friends and readers to send
bit for the boys.
Last week our main building was
much used for lectures and educa-
tional movies for machine gunners
Tho y,,ar 0f r1--+I.