The Irish standard., 1918-02-16
Suitable Quarters Hard to Be Found.
"All Are Welcome" Sign Dis
played as in America.
BATHING FACILITIES
DIFFICULT TO PROVIDE
Seven chaplains Are Working Like
Women for Comfort Of
Soldiers.
United States Uniform Opens Door to
All Privileges Of Huts.

Seven auxiliary chaplains, under the
auspices of the knights of Columbus,
are now at work in France. This
number is, of course, insufficient for
the vast amount of work that has
presented itself in the foreign field,
and more American priests will be
sent abroad at the earliest opportun-
ity. That SPLENDID results are being
obtained by those pioneers who are
already on the ground, is an indisput-
able fact and the Knights of Column
bus Committee on War Activities feels
that these chaplains have begun
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
CURED no little time before authorize
ton of the work was secured from
General Pershing by Walter N. Ker.
nan, Knights of Columbus Commits
sioner with the Overseas Army. That
permission once given, the question
of suitable buildings also presented
itself, and the chaplains were sent in
different directions under instructions
to find such quarters as might be avail
able, and there, in the name of the
Knights of Columbus, as the repre-
sentatives of the Catholics of this
country, to minister to the social and
rOli Cio rf
on the same basis that the knights
Of Columbus are conducting their vel.
fare work in the camps of this coun.
try.
Quarters Difficult to Find.
1t is no small task to find such quar-
tiers in France at present, for as has
been pointed out before, every build
ing. every cowslled in fact, is being
used for military purposes, and the
shortage of labor has made it impos-
sible for new buildings to be erected
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
Committee. reports from some Of the
chaplains showing that they have been
able to secure temporary accOmmOda-
tions 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.
Fl. Van Goethen.
The Rev. G. G. Van Goethen, for
merly a parish priest at Nogales, N. NJ,
who in following his priestly duties
became entangled in some interesting
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 a
Knights Of Columbus auxiliary chap
plain. In a letter sent under date of
December %, to the Paris headquar-
mittee on War Activities, and forward
ed to the Washington office of the
committee Father Van Goethen tells
of some of the work he is doing.
"By the circular 1 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 cosy 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 Are Welcome.
con the large red, white and blue
sign above the door Of our knights of
Columbus hut, have the words: All
are welcome and on small notice on
the door I have: Our non-Catholic
brethren, as we'll as Catholics, are cor
daily invited and always welcome.
One need not be Knight of Column
bus. Wearing United States uniform
entities you to all privileges
II obtained liberty for the boys who
wished to attend midnight Mass, the
authorities being perfectly kind and
obliging in this matter
"The flowers, flags and literature
have arrived and I am exceedingly
grateful to you for your kind and
prompt work. The grafonola is a
wonder and is going to be the chief
attraction of our first days. I will be
at the hall daily-afternoon and eve
ning-and will do all l can to make
the work success. It may be that
I will have the honor of having in
operation the first of the knights of
Columbus endeavors"
In second letter. written December
%, Father Van Goethen speaks Of the
opening of his building and of the en-
thusiasm of the soldiers. "The games
are on the tables" he writes, together
with reading and writing matter We
are now preparing an old-fashioned
American smoker and negro minstrel
show, to be given at the hut Friday,
January 4, which will no doubt be
grand success. The authorities kindly
give us their best support and assist
ance with auto trucks for bringing the