The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-10-28
MILITARY MASS FOR
LEGION CONVENTION
IN. cav. G.. News Service.)

Solemn high military Mass, cele,
DRAFTED in Lafayette Square New or.
leans, by a priest who had served as
a private in the French army, marked
the opening of the annual convention
of the American Legion held here this
week. The Mass was arranged as
fitting Inauguration of program
mapped out by the Knights of Column
bus for the eX-service men who were
here by the thousands. 1t was one
of the most impressive outdoor devo-
tional services ever held in New Or
leans. The Most Rev. John Shaw,
Archbishop of New Orleans, presided.
Right Rev. j. M. Laval, auxiliary Bish-
op of New Orleans, and Right Rev.
Cornelius Van de Ven, Bishop of
Alexandra, were present An eloquent
sermon on Americanism was preached
by the Right Rev. Monsignor J. Nj.
Kirwin of Galveston, who served as
chaplain in France.
The celebrant, the Rev. J. Adrien
Bornes, o. M. l., pastor OF the Church
of Our Lady of Guadalupe, served in
French uniform during the,war and
took part in many of the most san
culinary engagements, being wounded
and decorated. The Very Rev. J. Wig
lier OF Lafayette. who was deacon,
served with the Louisiana troops in
France. The Rev. E. P. McGrath, s.
NJ. of the Church of the Holy Name
of Mary. Algiers, La, the sub-deacon,
served in American camps and canton
ments. Many distinguished men in
public life, including Mayor McShane,
Chief Justice Provosty, former Chief
Justice Joseph Breaux and Justice
Winston Oyerton of the Louisiana
State court were present at the GER
emory.
A plea for Justice to the disabled
veterans and for tolerance among
| American citizens marked Monsignor
Kirwin's sermon. He characterized
as a disgrace to America the manner
| in which some of the victims of the
/ war are obliged to beg for a living.
while the generality of the disabled
| veterans are given scant consideration.
| by those for whom they were willing
to give up their lives four years ago."
| He stressed the need of cooperation
among the American people irrespec-
tive of religious belief, declaring that
/ it was but the natural result of the
war that when people are taken out
of their normal way of living there is
! disaffectiOn afterwards, but that the
coordination of all Americans in the
war, regardless of religious belief,
| should be the guide of conduct in
times of peace. "The buried embers
government are seeking to rekindle,'
said Monsignor Kirwin, should not
be permitted to divide people who,
having the greatest government on
earth, have mutual responsibility to-
wards its perpetuatio y
| Pointing to New Orleans and Lou
isiana as section of the United
States particularly free throughout its
history of the elements that make for
disturbance in government, he paid
high tribute to their founders. Here
there never was an infringement of
h the civil by the ecclesiastical govern
ment," he asserted, "and common
sense has prevented radical usurpa-
ton of the rights and privileges of Ell
ther.''
The Right Rev. Monsignor Leslie J.
Kavanagh, one of Archbishop Shaw's
assistants at the Mass, was vicar gen.
eral of the southern army camps and
the Right Rev. Monsignor W.. w.
4 Hume, master of ceremonies, although
not chaplain, served the men in uni
form in the camps around San An
tonic.