SOLDIER PILGRIMAGES TO LOURDES.

New Zealand Tablet, 17 April 1919, Page 39

SOLDIER PILGRIMAGES TO LOURDES.

To the Editor.

Sir, —May I, as one who saw the Lourdes scheino -of soldier pilgrimages in operation as applied to British and American troops, strongly recommend this excellent object to the charitable action of your readers. Though personally deprived of the opportunity, it has been my pleasure to meet many officers and men in Britain who had availed themselves of the splendid ■privilege of visiting Lourdes. In their soldier way, they quietly but in happy phrases expressed the joy of their pilgrimage: they spoke of the bracing effect of such a manifestation of faith upon their religious fervor —an incalcuable benefit to men at war and exposed to strong temptation : —of the extreme kindness of their patrons : and of the correct insight that Lourdes gave into the Catholic spirit of the French people. To visit Lourdes has been the ambition of many of our boys when inspired at school by the recital of the wondrous miracles. To have these men return with their desire fulfilled would have a wonderful spiritual effect on many a New Zealand home. I would strongly urge that this occasion of subscribing to the Catholic Federation fund to help the New Zealand boys to visit Lourdes before they come home should be worthily utilised as a means of expressing the proud gratitude of Catholic New Zealand towards her soldier sons.—l am, etc.. John Duggan, Lieut. New Zealand Field Artillery.