The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-05-24
THE RETURN OF OUR SOLDIERS

avenue, during the Fourth Liberty
Loan drive, had indicated the progress
of the drive. This "battleship," sixty
feet long, was now anchored in front
OF the parade ground and above it
was a large sign reading, tx of c..
Bid You Welcome; Everything Free
to the Man in Uniform
The good ship Casey" for so the
| Knights were dubbed in France and
such was the name painted at the
PROV, was now manned by fair crew
OF forty young women from the K.
Of c. Red Cross center. These girls,
| under the direction of Miss Mary
Sleavin, and aided by half a dozen of
the local knights were kept busy
handing out ice cream cones, choco-
late, cigarettes and chewing gum to,
the soldiers and marines That the
soldiers know well how the Knights
treat them is shown by the fact that
during the day the entire cargo of the
ship was disposed of. Two hundred
gallons of ice cream and 5000 cones
were given away; 1000 packages of
cigarettes, 1900 packages of chewing
gum and 1000 chocolate cakes. The
wounded men from Fort Smelling es-
pecially enjoyed the treat; for they
had learned how to trust the knights
in places where these little creature
comforts were the only reminders of
their distant homes.
Before the marching was ended
men and women began thronging to
the Pro-Cathedral of st. Mary which
oVerlooks the parade ground. By half
past four o'clock the pews were be-
ing rapidly filled up and the thanks
giving services began. Father Cullen,
the pastor, mounted the pulpit and led
the devotions. The congregation
joined in the opening hymn of thanks
giving, Holy God, We Praise Thy
Name" This was followed by prayers
for the authorities for the Church,
the Pope, The Archbishop, and all
other prelates and pastor; for the
President, for Congress, for the Gov
ernOr of the state, the members of
the Assembly, all judges, magistrates
and other officers appointed to guard
our political welfare, for our fellow
citizens throughout the United States;
for our soldiers and sailors who
marched through our streets today
that they may be enabled to discharge
the duties and rightly exercise the re-
sponsibilities of citizenship; and
finally, for the souls in purgatory.'
Father Cullen then spoke with en-
thusiastic fervor of our reasons for
Thanksgiving to God. He dWelt on
The blessings of peace now once more
returned to US; of the unselfish devo-
ton to lofty ideals which led us into
the war after every honorable effort
had been made to keep us free from
that awful scourge. Then the speaker
sketched with pride the part we
played in the terrific struggle-the
courage of our soldiers and sailors,
the generosity of our civil population,
the loyalty of our labOring classes,
the liberality of the wealthy, the
united patriotism of all. Father Cul-
len, however, did not forget to remind
his hearers of the unspeakable hor-
rors Of war itself, its disorganizing,
destructive power, its demoralizing eff
fects and urged his hearers to pray
steadily that the nation and the world
purified by this horrible scourge and
humbed beneath the hand of God
might be found worthy to remain free
forevermore from such a dreadful
chastisement.
The devotions ended with Benedc-
ton of the Blessed Sacrament, and
after the priest had left the altar the
congregation sang our national an
them, THE Star Spangled Banner"