The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-08-16
KNIGHTS At lOURDES
X. OF c. SECRETARIES VISIT FA-
NOUS SHRINE RECEIVED BY
BISHOP AND BY ARDINAL
AMETTE-STATUE OF JOAN OF
ARC.

A human bridge between Lourdes
and America! The idea originated
with the Right Rev. Monsigno1
Schoepfer, Bishop of Lourdes and
Tarbes, upon the occasion of the first
official Knights of Columbus pilgrim
age to Lourdes recently.
The time came when the organiza-
ton and the individual secretary had
a breathing space in which to take
stock and to plan for needed rest be-
fore sailing for the homeland. So it
came about that the evening of July
saw forty secretaries leaving Paris
by special train, bound for Lourdes.
To no spot in Europe, save Rome
itself, does Catholic instinct more
surely turn than to the quiet little
city in the fruitful valley of the Pyre-
nees; Lourdes, the home of Berna-
dette Soubirous, favored of the Lord;
Lourdes, the special abode of Our
Lady, whose spotless purity is daily
figured by the snow-capped noun
tains that rise about her shrine;
Lourdes, whose praises have been
sung by literary genius and pictured
by contemporary art; Lourdes, where
sceptics have come to scott and
whence they have gone back to the
world to pray.
Not a man present but felt all this.
Gone were memories of tense days
at the front, gone the hours with the
wounded in the hospital; gone the
nights spent with only scattered
snatches of rest Instead, there was
the calm that comes with bivouac;
the relaxation of the battle won.
There were the usual exercises of
The Knights said the
rosary at the Holy Grotto the even
ing of their arrival and afterwards
went to confession. The following
by special privilege, Mass
was said at the Grotto and Holy Com
munion distributed to all by the resi-
dent army chaplain, Father Raw
linson, who, together with the Knights
of Columbus chaplain, Father Cheva-
lier, and the three resident secre-
taries, Messrs. Thomas, Dawson and
Mention, spared no pains to make the
a success.
Saturday afternoon the visitors
were graciously met by the Right
Reverend Bishop, who has done so
much to advance the holy cause of
Lourdes, not alone in France, but
h, orb 10
greeted the men individually; gave
them his blessing, and spoke briefly
but touchingly of their mission. II
look forward" said he, Ito the
of Columbus in this pilgrim
age as constituting a human bridge
between Lourdes and America, over
which shall pass many who come here
for strength and for healing. The
work done by your organization here
in Lourdes shall never be forgotten.
1t is my dear wish to visit America in
person, and it remains for you to re-
turn and carry on there the lay apos-
tolate begun SO nobly by you here in
France" Later, at the Grotto, the
pilgrims were received by His Emf
hence, Cardinal Annette of Paris, a
guest at Lourdes at that time.
AS a tangible token of gratitude for
favors received at Lourdes the mem
bers of the party gave into Father
hands before their depar
ture the sum of 700 francs, a volun
tary offering towards a balance of
1000 francs remaining to be collected
for statue of Jeanne dare, to be
placed before the Basilica, the gift of
members of the A E. F. Funds are
already being raised for companion
statue, given by army chaplains.