The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-07-06

|
with cannon.
ConVeyances.
I'VE are all very we'll and doing our
bit as well as we know. 1t sometimes
seems very big bit, Judging from the
area we cover. The one great thing
| am always sorry for is that | have
not my Ford with me- with that /
could get around to so many more
places and much more easily, besides
being able better to carry things to the
boys in different places. l tried to
buy a car over here but they are i'm
possible to obtain, at least l haven't
found any as yet. The Knights of
Columbus kindly offered to purchase
one for me if l could find it. I may
yet be successful in my hunt. At any
rate, the next war | go to | shall
know better. AS it is now | must
buy, beg, or steal a ride in whatever
way possible; of course, | have a good
horse, but even that method of travel
is often too slow for me. | am most
fortunate, however, in being able to
J
regiment in urgent cases. At other
times l fall back upon my trusty
| Steed
Il have a Mass-kit sent to me from
Paris. The French priests have made
this very small and convenient, so
that one is ready for all emergencies,
whether one has to say Mass in a dug
woods, or the steps or windowsills of
ruined church. l have used almost
every kind of altar imaginable, SO |
will enjoy all the more the fine new
altar you will have in the new church.
Our missal is very small, containing
only the four Masses we are privi-
legged to say, with three or four others
for the greater feasts.
Yesterday we decorated the graves
of our heroes, holding very appro-
pirate ceremonies, at which several
generals were present. l went to the
cemetery with Colonel Leach, early in
the morning, to decorate the graves.
then went to different places to con-
duct memorial services and say Mass
| while Colonel Leach remained at the
| cemetery to represent the regiment
at the services conducted there. All
in all, think President Wilson would
have been well satisfied with our OBJ
serVance of the day according as he
had outlined and the Boche would
allow"
In another letter Father Harring-
ton says further:
Village Churches.
"They had most beautiful little
churches, even in the smallest village,
and now they are nothing but ruins;
it is rare sight to find a church that
has not suffered. They make good
targets and aiming points for the
enemy because they are always in
some prominent part of the town and
always on an elevation or hill, so the
Germans know that if they drop a
| few shells around the church they
are getting the center of the town
and besides, the church spires always
tell them where the town is, so they
shoot at that first; and believe me it
doesn't take very long to shoot up a
town.
Bombarded Towns.
Really it is terrible the way
some of these churches and towns
have been destroyed. We are more
or less accustomed to the sight now
but at first it was quite appalling.
And the people, even away up in front,
If at all possible, will cling to their
old homes even though they be bat
tered to pieces. l thought it rather
strange they should want to live where
there is SO much danger at all times,
SO | spoke to an old lady one day in
the best French l could 'parlez-vous'
and asked her why she stayed here,
she said, Where shall l go? This is
our home 1t was very pathetic. OF
course, in places where they expect
the Germans to come the Government
moves them out. On our first trip to
the front was very much surprised to
see them (civilians) around. In the
first attack we were in | saw women
sitting in the door-steps with their
children all sewing and knitting, while
all around them was going on the
most fearful clatter you ever heard,
shells WhizZing over their heads and
; aeroplanes battling above and firing
with machine guns, and yet these
people went on as calmly as if it were
: Fourth of July celebration. But it
, is pathetic to see women at work or
, at church or on the street with their
!, gas-masks tied about them; and the
; little children whether at play or going
} to school or even serving Mass, al
{ ways the inevitable gas-mask. Last
Sunday | said Mass in a French church
for priest who had been called in
the army. They have here what they
call an official Chanter who chants
the Ordinary of the Mass; he has a
; special place in the sanctuary.
"One thing which they have down
ine, and that is that practically all
the people sing the Mass. | was at a
little church Sunday afternoon for
Benediction and there were eight very
2 old women and one old man in church
t and this congregation sang the Bene-