The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-07-19
FATHER LADDEN DOES HIS BIT.
Continued from page %

make that of the Holy Name nothing
more than squalid heap of stone?"
No. Father Laden assured him,
'the idea is not to put up Cathe-
dral. You know that for some time I
have known that my real work would
be with men-well, to be brief-with
soldiers, and that is the reason that
the parish must be in shipshape be-
| fore | can even think of taking the
| matter up with the Bishop. l figure
that in about six months, if l get the
new church up, | could enlist as
chaplain with machine gun outfit
somewhere on the Western front, and
| know that there's many a poor SOL
der there who would be glad because
of my ministrations. And anyhow, in
time of war a mans place is with the
army-especially if he's a young man."
he fastened to add with a thought for
| his guest.
Monsignor Ewing blew a ring of
smoke towards the ceiling. Sup
| pose," he ventured, that peace
should be declared before that time"
'Oh, there's little danger of that"
Father Laden assured him. Il was
| just talking to returned soldier the
other day and he said to me: Father,
some folks think the war'll be over in
a few years, but I'm here to tell you
that it won't be over in twenty
years. And peace-loving Father
Laden heaved sigh of satisfaction.
That must have been such a con-
solation," murmured Monsignor, flick
| ing off the ashes of his cigar. "It
| would be nice if it waited for you to
get into it," and the ghost of smile
| danced around rather firmly set pair
of lips. 1T would be nice,' he repeat
ed, but if it should happen that peace
| is declared before the allotted twenty
years and before your plans and prof.
ects come into being, don't get dis
couraged, one can always find some
thing to quarrel about at home if they
are in earnest for skirmish."
Father Laden laughed. "Oh, we'll,
you won't take me seriously, but when
I call on you in chaplain's outfit,
l y
gave me and how graciously | accept
| ed it."
Then Monsignor put down his cigar
| 'I've something very important to
speak to you about he said. You
know I've great confidence in your
prayers"
| so have t. interrupted Father Lad
den, with classical candor Conf
dence in prayer, to my mind, is simply
| taking the Lord at His Word. It's
question of asking and receiving; just
as He said
Yes, | know; that's why have so
| much confidence in your prayers,-be-
cause you realize it and act accord
| ingly.' The Monsignor was very
| much in earnest, and if he thought
Father Laden lacked humility by the
avowal of his confidence in his own
powers of persuasion with the Heaven
| ly Court he took great care not to
show it. When you pray for some
| thing" he continued, you really eX-
pect it, and when you pray for money
and get five thousand dollars why it's
| blow to you that it isn't thirty thou
sand you receive-that'S the reason |
| want you to do some praying for an
intention of mine-some tall praying,
| too,-for soul. He's one of my par
ishioners." Monsignor lit the dead
stump of his cigar and threw the
match on the table.
of course it's not his fault that
he's one of my parishioners, nor is it
my fault either. It's just my lot. He's
a millionaire, over on the Drive. He
lost his health and his faith gaining
| his money, and now he'd be willing to
lose his money to regain his health;
| but it's a bargain that won't work
both way. He has a cancer, and we'll,
to make long story short, he's dying
| impenitent-not the ghost of sorrow
for any of the things that are attrib-
| uted to him. You know there's little
| consolation unless a miracle takes
placer
rs that all?" queried Father Lad
den Well haven't you prayed for
Ii ?"
since I've made his acquaintance, but
as far as / can judge the Lord has
not yet granted my prayer, and so |
| want you to pray for it. And believe
| if you do, and put your whole heart
into it, we'll get him"
Have you recommended him to the
Poor Clares?" asked Father Laden.
Il rarely bother storming Heaven for
the conversion of sinner until I've
handed him over to the Poor Clares
and let them plague the Lord first
No, Father Ewing admitted that he
had not troubled the Poor Clares
about him; perhaps he thought they
had trouble enough living their aus
tere lives without any outside cares
on their shoulders. He had asked
few prayers from his penitents, but
beyond that he had not gone.
Father Laden promised him that
he would pray for him and get prayers
for him, and also that he would have
little chat with Saint Anthony, the
restorer of lost things who, if he con-
descended to find so un-Franciscan a
thing as money would surely work
hand-in-glove with him in restoring so
precious a treasure as Faith
Monsignor departed; and for the
time Father Ladden's primary and
secondary intentions, of going to