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MAY 31, 1945 THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LA YMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA THREE Saturday Evening Post Article Tells Story of Chaplain Hoffman (B.v N. C. W. C. News Service) PHILADELPHIA. — A graphic account of the experiences of the Itev. Albert J. Hoffman, U. S. Army chaplain,'and the ideals for which he labored in the present .war, written by Jack Alexander, appears in a recent issue of The Saturday Evening Post, published here. Father Hoffman, a priest of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, is now assistant chaplain at Percy Jones General Hospital, Battle Creek. Mich. He has received the Silver Star and the Distinguished Ser vice Cross for gallantry in action, and the Purple Heart tor a wound which resulted in the loss of'a leg when he stepped on a German mine in Italy. In his article entitled "He's Our Guy.'' Mr. Alexander state that many army men refer to Father Hoffmann as “the Father Duffy of (his war," because his insist ence on performing other than his regular duties "got him into tight spots repeatedly and made him a legend or the hard-hit 34th Divi sion.” Mr. Alexander % states that Fa- Iher Hoffman justified the extra risk? he took on the ground that “the,! unaided wounded lying out in the field had the highest call upon the chaplain’s services.” “Father Hoffmann"’ the author writes, 'although a quiet, unbel- ligefent man, simply had a front line temperatment. And the front line troops throughout the regi ment would tell one another: ‘He’s our guy.’ They thought of him as a personal possession, the way they thought of a good combat officer.” Noting that the locale where Fa ther Hoffman administered to the wounded was usually a ditch or a position behind a rock, Mr. Alex ander continues: “If the wounded man was a Protestant, the chap lain recited the Lord’s Prayer with him. Then he would have the man repeat, after him, acts, of lailh, hope, charity and contri tion. After that, if there was time, lie recited from memory a few of the Psalms — 'anything,' as lie put s it now, ‘that would take I he kid’s mind back to liis home con gregation.” For Jewish soldiers he also recited Psalms and other passages from tlie Old Testament.” Touching briefly on Father Hoff man’s life as assistant pastor at Sacred Heart parish in Dubuque, the author tells how the young cu rate “said Masses, called on the sick, taught in the parish school, helped run bazaars and parish din ners, coached baseball and foot ball. directed boys' and girls’ choirs, and acted as chaplain to the Boy Scout Troop.” In this, he writes, Father Hoffman resem bled the young priest portrayed by Bing Crosby in “Going My Way.” The rest of Mr. Alexander’s narrative is devoted to bristling accounts of Father Hoffman’s bravery under fire. He describes him day after day, as recklessly “crawling out, caring for the wounded and policing the field of 'lie dead.” He tells how the Du buque priest developed malaria and, ignoring the doctor’s orders to remain in sick bay, continued his work, winding up successive weeks of misery and horror with "three Masses on Sunday for dif ferent battalions located 40 miles apart." World SAILOR FROM GEORGIA PRAISES HEROISM OF CHAPLAIN O’CALLAGHAN (Special to The Bulletin) ATLANTA, Ga.—“There was only one man on the Franklin wlic stayed really calm within himself, and that was Chaplain O'Callaghan —the bravest man I've ever known,” was the tribute paid Lieut. Comdr. Joseph T. O'Cal laghan, S. J., Catholic chaplain of the aircraft carrier which suffered severe damage from enemy bombs off the coast of Japan, by Fireman First Class Bill Reeves, of Luth- ersville, Ga., in an interview pub lished in The Atlanta Constitution. The young sailor, who is home on leave, told the interviewer that “even Captain Gehres told us latei that he was scared all the way down to his shoes, but Chaplain O'Callaghan was calm the whole time. He did everything and seem ed to be everywhere at once, fight ing fire, helping _lhe wounded, saving a comforting word to those who needed it Yes, he is the bravest man 1 have ever known.” And the reviewer commented, that when a sailor says a man is brave, he means it. ‘ •' :• • jtm STRIIvEN CARRIER, AXD ITS HERO CHAPLAIN Hit hv Tononoc . . the gallant aircraft carrier, U S S Franklin guUerl iw fiimil ^ £ l ve-bomber, March 19, 1943, strike against the Japanese fleet in thc Inland Sea, has reached tL S in a It suffered more than a thousand casualties. Among the many mrocs aboard rla sa racked by explosions and fire was Chaplain Joseph T O Cailah-m S r „ ,t7 ' • w V e l w “ only gave religious consolation to the injured and dying bul assisted'il, . Bo:>lo, L (inset), who not trol and rescue parties: His superior officer declared that n ? organising and leading lire con- men he had ever seen. The heroic chaplain is a brnthl. n/ « f ° Callahan "’as one of (he bravest munity, who served fifteen years in the P philippines. She was^tlf j"' ? ose ' ?. f . tllc . Maryknoll com- Banos prison camp last February.—(NC Photo). * “ & Amencang liberated from the Los Plea Bing lor “Family Rosary” Made hy • Crosby on International Broadcast (By N. C. W. C. News Service) NEW YORK.—Dedicated to en couraging the practice of the daily family Rosary, an international ra dio broadcast was staged here, featuring addresses by the Most Rev. Francis J. Spellman, Arch bishop of New York, and by Bing Crosby, movie and radio star. The program, arranged by the Rev. Patrick P. Peyton, C. S. C„ National Director of the Daily Family Rosary Movement, was broadcast over the facilities of the Mutual Broadcasting System and was shoU>waved to numbers of the armed forces. The program originated al the Guild Theatre here. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Sullivan, of Waterloo, La., parents of the five Sullivan brothers who were lost at-sea early in the war in the Pacific, recited the Rosary over the air. bile a commentator explained each of the Five Glorious Mys teries as the prayers were recited. Archbishop Spellman ecalled that during his journeys t< the va rious battle fronts as Military Vi car of the U S. Armed Forces, he met one chaplain who said hat his association with devout soldiers, had made him “a belter priest." ‘CIGARETTE BOWL' HELPS SERVICEMEN AT NCOS CLCB r (B.y N.C.W.C. News Service) ■ DURHAM, N. C.—“Share Your Cigarettes” is the slogan originat ed by Director A. J. Sicnolf at the LiSO club here, operated by the National Catholic Community Ser vice. The idea took hold one evening when three servicemen stood at the snack bar bemoaning the ciga rette shortage.' Nearby stood an other serviceman with a pack of cigarettes in bis hand. Reaching out.- he offered to share his ciga rettes. That's how the idea of a "ciga rette bowl” was born. Now a huge bowl rests on top of the snack bar with a sign reading: “If you don't have a cigarette, take one. If you have cigarettes, pul one in.” Di rector Sicnolf slates that frequ ently a man will contribute an en tire pack “The bowl maintains itself dpring tlie week," he said, hut the wet^t-end strain is usu ally a little too much.” Mr. Crosby spoke from Holly wood and asked that "on litis day of days. Mother s Day,” h might enter American homes end tplk as a father. Just like ail parents every where,” Mr. Crosby said. “1 want my children to become honest, useful citizens in an honest peace- loving world. I want nay four boys to love their country, love their home, love their God. 1 want my children to pray—because I know the deep and all-moving power of prayer. "I know that power, not as a member of the clergy but just an other father, just another parent —just like you. “I want my children lo pray in our home, as well as in our Church. That is why 1 want them to believe as I believe, in the true glory and true greatness' and true significance of the family Rosary. "In our home we believe in the iamily Rosary as a great force working for good ... working for good and against evil. We be lieve that today as never before this vital force for good i neces sary if we are to fashion from the holocaust of war the framework of tasting peace. “As Christians, as Americans, we believe in Die power and ne cessity of family prayer in all homes. As Catholics, we believe the family Rosary to be the per fect family prayer. We pledge ourselves to do everything in our power to spread the ever-growing popularity of the daily family Ros ary.” “None could witness the devo tion of these lads without becom ing better," the Archbishop said. Tf only you, their beloved ones, could kneel in a chapel at twilight its -they say their Rosaries or tread the Way of the Cross; if only you could see your boys as 1 daily have seen them in the greatest picture of this world's worst war, kneeling in prayer, earnestly ..sking the protection of God and His Blessed Mother. In ntud and sand, in heat and cold, in sleet and rain, on many battlel’ronts. I have seen this precious picture of your boys reflected in the cup of my chalice, and I long to print this picture on your hearts and memories as it is impressed on mine. Then would you. too, in your lives and in your hearts, find time to say your Ros ary. FATHER SMITH SPEAKS AT MEETING OF S. C. HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION (Special to The Bulletin) AIKEN, S. C.— The Rev. George Lewis Smith, of Aiken, Director of Hospitals for the Diocese of Charleston, and second vice-presi dent of the American Hospital As sociation. delivered an address at the annual meeting of the South Carolina Hospital Association, held in Columbia on May 17, speaking on “Current Pending and Pro posed Legislation Affecting Hos pitals.” At the meeting. Father Smith, who is also a member of the Ad ministrative Board of the Cath olic Hospital Association of the United States and Canada, was elected first vice-president of the South Carolina Hospital Associa tion. The Rev. George Lewis Smith. Pastor of St. Mary Help of Chris tians Church, Aiken, was The prin cipal speaker at the meeting of the Co unibiu Deanery Council of flic National Council of Catholic Women held on May 21. his topic being “The Papal Pronouncements and the Principles of World Peace.” CIRCUS PERFORMERS and of- tieials and members of the theatri- cal profession attended a Req uiem Mass in the Actors’ Chapel. St. Malachy’s Church, New York City, for Miss Victoria Torrence, aorialist of the Ringling Brothers- Barnum and Bailey Circus, who fell sixty feel to her death duting a performance at Madison Square Garden a few weeks ago. The Rev. Edward Sullivan, of St. Peter’s Church, Cambridge, Mass., who acts as chaplain ot the circus when it is in the North offered the Mass. Funeral services were conduct ed from St. Martha’s Church, Sar asota, Fla., by the Rev. Charles Elslander, chaplain for the circul at its w'inlcr headquarters in Sarasota, where Mrs. Torrence, and her husband, Frank Torrence, had made their home. RECEIVING IN AUDIENCE a group of Mother Cabrini nTins. tits Holiness Pope Pius XU praised (he saintly foundress of their community and urged them to fol low faithfully her spirit and ex ample. Pointing out that in war time there are endless oppoituni- (ies to exercise in behalf of war suffers works of religion and charity and social assistance, the llnly Father mentioned the new right of women’s suffrage in Italy and said that the exercise of this riglit is incumbent upon nuns in Jultilling their obligation of con science for the good of religion and of the nation. Silent Monk Who Cared tor RAF Sergeant Identified as French Ace of World War 1 (Special to The Bulletin) _ ATLANTA, Ga.—Here in Geor gia, where the Trappist monks al the Monastery of Our Lady of (he Holy Ghost, near Conyers, follow the rule of silence of I lie Order of Cistercians of the Strict Obser vance, a United Press release from London, published recently in The Atlanta Constitution, was read with unusual interest. H was tlic dramatic story of a sergeant of Britain’s Royal Air Force, who was forced to bail out of his Mitchell bomber over Ma- lines, Belgium, shortly before the end of hostilities in Europe, and who made a parachute landing on the roof of a monastery, where for three days lie was cared for and his wounds were treated by a monk who maintained silence throughout his ministrations of mercy. Knocked unconscious when his parachute opened, Sgt. George Cole, flic British airman, crashed through the monastery roof, and when lie awoke on a heap of rub ble, there was a grey-clad monk holding u lantern over him. Silently, the monk led him to the refectory of a monastery, the UP release goes on to relate. There lie was fed, and then his wounds were cleansed, without a word be ing exchanged. After three days, the airman was , strapped lo the back of a motor cycle and tak *n by the monk to bis base. - En route, the monk broke bis silence and began asking questions—the kind of questions lliat only one flier would ask of another. The sergeant asked a lew questions himself, and finally learned that the monk was none other than the legendary hero of French aviation, Li. Col. Rene -Fonek, France’s great ace of World War 1, who according to official record? accounted lor 75 German planes, and whose score by unof ficial records reached 125. - The story of the British air man’s encounter with the lormer rce of France’s flying forces hold added interest for Georgians be cause of the fact that Colonel Fonck visited Georgia twenty years ago, and was the guest of I he then Gov. Clifford Walker, at the governor’s mansion in Atlanta, and also the guest of the late Howard Coffin who developed Sea island and other Georgia enter prises. Dtti>ing his visit in Georgia, Col onel Fonck was taken on a deer hunt on the Coffin estate on Sa- pelb Island, where the accuracy of his shooting won the admiration of other members of the party. Like the silent Belgian monk. Father M. James Fox, O. C. S. O., superior of the Trappist commun ity at Conyers, is a veteran of the First World War, having served as an ensign in the United States Navy, in the days of 1917-18. THE 150111 ANNIVERSARY of the founding of SI. Mary’s Church, Alexandria, Va., which was first planned at a meeting George Washington attended was celebrated on Pentecost Sun day, the Most Rev. Peter I,. Ire- lon. Bishop of Richmond, pontifi cal ing at a Solemn Pontifical Mass of Thanksgiving. On St. Patrick’s Day. 1778. a group nf men gathered in the home of Colonel John Fitzgerald, aide-de-camp to General Wash ington. and, his close personal friend, and decided to build a Catholic church in historic Alex andria. General Washington, who attended the _ meeting afterward contributed to flic building fund of the original church, built in 1795. JOHN W. CONS1DINE, ,IU.. motion picture director and pro ducer. has obi allied an option for the film rights on "My Mother.” a volume written by the Rev. Daniel A. Lord, S. j., editor of The Queen’s Work. Mr. Consi- dine, who directed “Boys’ Town” for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, inform ed Father Lord that he expected lo make a. great picture out of the story he had written of his mother. FATHER EUGENE B. EREIN, U. S. Army chaplain, of I lie Dio cese of Brooklyn, has been award ed the Bronze Star for “meritor ious service in the face of the ene my in England, France, Belgium and Germany,” (tie War Depart ment has announced. OF THE MILAN CHURCHES listed as national monuments, only five are still intact. The Duo- mo, or Cathedral, escaped with minor scars, bul the Basilica of Sant’ Ambrogio, one of the oldest churches ih Europe, was severely damaged.