In Principio

Superior’s Letter Prayer Warrior A Message of Peace A Powerful Image

Summer 2018 Newsletter of the SSPX in Ireland

Every year thousands of pilgrims climb Croagh Patrick on ‘Reek’ Sunday. The SSPX has a pilgrimage scheduled for 14 July. St. Declan’s Tower in Ardmore, Co. Waterford. A 3-day trial pilgrimage from Ardmore to Cashel will take place 19-21 July. If interested email [email protected] In Principio Bulletin of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X in Ireland

Publisher Fr. Vicente A. Griego Saint Pius X House 12 Tivoli Terrace South Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin

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Letter from the Superior 6 Prayer Warrior 11

A Message of Peace 16 A Powerful Image 20

Picture Collage 26 Calendar of Events 30 Addresses 31

In Principio

Letter from the Superior

Rev. Fr. Vicente A. Griego, SSPX Superior of Ireland

Dear Friends and Benefactors, unique role of the Catholic Church in Ireland. IN THE PREAMBLE OF the Constitution of Ireland (1 On 5 January 1973, the July 1937), we read: In the Fifth Amendment revoked the Name of the Most Holy Trinity, special position of the Catholic from Whom is all authority and Church in Ireland and recog- to Whom, as our final end, all nised false religions. Religious actions both of men and States liberty denies objective truth must be referred, We, the people and foments indifference; con- of Éire, Humbly acknowledging sequently, it is a grave injustice all our obligations to our Divine to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Lord, Jesus Christ… Do hereby Who instituted the Church. adopt, enact, and give to our- The recognition of false relig- selves this Constitution. ions deprives souls of necessary graces, thereby abandoning These words ring hallow in men, wounded by sin, to a de- the aftermath of the popular clining observance of God’s approval to repeal the Eighth Law, ignorance of God’s truth, Amendment of the Constitu- and indifference to the Chris- tion, which ultimately allows tian combat. for unrestricted abortion – dia- metrically opposed to divine Inevitably men, deprived of and natural law. The contradic- grace, not only ignore God, but tory outcome was not impossi- violently reject God. Without ble to foresee, since a more cru- God sinful men have nothing to cial truth was rejected forty- prevent malice from enslaving five years earlier; namely, the them – even blinding them to

6 Summer 2018

the barbarism of abortion. De- and liberal thinking, human praved by the lust for sensual vanity and pride presumptu- pleasures, men choose not to ously set out to save mankind know, love, and serve God on … but without God. So de- earth and in heaven, but desire ceived, the divine weapons of only earthly happiness: …what grace and moral and doctrinal doth it profit me, if the dead integrity (which admits no com- rise not again? Let us eat and promise with evil) were aban- drink, for tomorrow we shall doned. Notable deviations from die (I Corinthians 15:32). objective and entire truth have deprived many of grace and The graphic horror of the doctrine, especially the Novus perversion of abortion rightly Ordo Mass of Paul VI, which enrages our sense of justice. So ecumenically obscures integral too, and more so, should doc- doctrine, and the blatant sub- trinal deviation rouse our zeal jectivism of Pope Francis, to fight for the honour of God, which destroys truth and mo- Who is gravely dishonoured by rality. the perversion of religious in- difference. Integral Catholic Tradition, the Deposit of Faith, communi- This veritable crime of in- cates clarity and direction difference is not unique to Ire- through the timeless principles land. Neglect of truth, espe- by which men access God’s cially the first truth – the one, grace to live, to be sanctified, true God – was adopted by and ultimately to be saved. many prelates and clergy of the Hence, we must be zealous for Church, which indirectly facili- the whole truth – not only tated the eventual moral degra- those parts we find easy or dation of civil society (e.g. pleasing. To live fully the faith, promiscuity, contraception, there will necessarily be diffi- abortion, homosexuality, etc.). culties – especially as we find ourselves in contradiction to When churchmen welcomed our surroundings, our the ‘smoke of Satan’ at the Sec- neighbours, perhaps, even our ond Vatican Council’s embrac- family. ing of condemned modernist

7 Superior’s Letter

This is nothing new to the sins are for- Church and true Christians, given her, because she hath love who follow in the steps of Our d much. But to whom Lord: My Heart hath expected less is forgiven, he loveth less reproach and misery: and I (Luke 7:47). looked for one that would grieve together with Me, but there was This is the transforming none: and for one that would supernatural charity of God, comfort Me, and I found none whereby sinners are made just! (Psalm 68:21). What a wonderful work – a work that humbled a boasting In these sad days of mani- Peter into a Saint Peter, strong fest apostasy, great ignorance and courageous; a work that of truth, the parody of civilisa- converted the pagan empire of tion, and corruption of morals, Rome into the Holy Roman Em- we must more perfectly live the pire. So too today, can secular ideal of Christ and His King- and irreligious society become a dom – despite the world’s furi- truly Christian civilisation. But ous opposition. Otherwise, we we must do our part, dear too will lose and outrage the friends, and this is to love like good God, we too will become the Sacred Heart of Jesus. the enemies of truth, and cor- rupters of morals. This is the Combat Liberalism that consequence of not loving weakens our sense of justice. Christ, as He loved us: Greater Furthermore, the virtue of re- love than this, no man hath, ligion, which is a part of the than to lay down his life for his virtue of justice, demands we friends (John 15:13). pay due reverence to God. All is due to God. Do we each give all How does the Incarnate to God? All of our heart? Or do God call sinners, who put Him we save something for our- unjustly to death, friends!? God selves and rob God of what is sees the good He can bring due to Him? The Sacred Heart about by His love. It is the good of Jesus proposes a courageous He loves, the good He desires to and sacrificial love. bring forth from sinners, who repent and learn to love: Many The Sacred Heart will give

8 Summer 2018

Basilique du Sacré-Cœur in Paris, France

us the graces necessary to give of nine consecutive months. all if we honour Him as He The first promises all graces asks. The Sacred Heart prom- needed for one’s state in life ises abundance of graces to and the twelfth promises one those who practice the devotion the grace of final repentance. of the Nine First Fridays. This devotion is made in reparation These and many other for the sins of ingratitude com- graces will fortify individuals mitted against the unfathom- and families for the spiritual able love of God. The promises combat to achieve victory with of the Sacred Heart extend also Christ, Our King! Let us begin to those families and homes anew our personal reform, the where the Sacred Heart has restoration of Christ in all, been solemnly and genuinely and, like Christ, take on the enthroned – that Christ rule responsibility of making repa- over the family and the home. ration for sin for the conversion and sanctification of our I draw your attention to the neighbour. This will be Christ’s twelve promises made by the victory, that we become saints Sacred Heart to all who receive and that others are drawn to Holy Communion, in repara- conversion and sanctification tion for sin, on the First Friday by our humble efforts.

9 Superior’s Letter

tolate (i.e. maintenance of our Cast your vote for Jesus priests and properties in Ire- Christ the King and honour land). May God bless you and Him by living His life of virtue; the Immaculate Heart of Mary, venerate His Sacred Heart Our Lady of Victory, watch (especially throughout June); over you. enthrone His Sacred Heart in your home; consecrate your life to the Sacred Heart of Jesus! In Christ the King,

Thank you dear friends and benefactors for your generous support of the Society of Saint Pius X and our apostolate, by Rev. Fr. Vicente A. Griego your prayers and sacrifices, as well as your financial assis- Superior, Autonomous tance, upon which we rely for House of Ireland the material aspect of our apos-

10 Summer 2018

Prayer Warrior

Fr. Willie Doyle, SJ

By Gerard Brady

William Joseph Gabriel pointed by his superiors to the Doyle was born in Dalkey, mission staff for five years. County Dublin, on 3 March 1873. He was the youngest of During World War I, he seven children, four boys and was finally appointed chaplain three girls. The eldest and of the 16th Irish Division, serv- youngest girls married, and the ing with 8th Royal Irish Fusil- middle girl became a Sister of iers, Royal Inniskilling Fusil- Mercy. The eldest boy, after a iers, 9th Royal Dublin Fusil- short stay in the Jesuit Noviti- iers, 6th Royal Irish Rifles and ate, entered Holy Cross Col- the 7th Royal Irish Rifles. Hav- lege, Clonliffe Road, Drum- ing fulfilled his priestly duties condra, graduating to the Col- in an exemplary fashion for al- lege of the Propaganda, Rome. most two years, he was killed Ten days before his ordination, at the Third Battle of Ypres he caught fever and died in (Passchendaele) on 16 August 1887 at only 28 years of age. 1917.

After schooling at That is but the bare out- Ratcliffe College in Leicester- line of the life of a man who shire and at only 18 years of without doubt is one of the holi- age, William Doyle entered the est men and religious exem- Jesuit Novitiate. This decision plars of the early twentieth was made just after reading St. century, vying with Matt Tal- Alphonsus’ book Instructions bot as one of Ireland’s greatest and Consideration on the Reli- modern ascetics. Even in child- gious State, which deeply af- hood Fr. Doyle was marked out fected him. Soon after his ordi- as an exceptional example of nation in 1907, he was ap- putting the Gospel into prac-

11 Prayer Warrior tice. He was wont to help the wealth warming himself before poor people of his area from a a fire made of banknotes. Do we very early age by providing act less madly in seeking grati- them with money and goods, or fication by consuming our pre- even by lending them a hand. It cious day in frivolities?’ is impossible not to believe that this was the result of a fer- He did indeed bring his vently religious household. ‘At body and his will to submission. the beginning of Lent, when he ‘He gave up having a fire in his was quite a little boy, an old room and even avoided warm- Aunt, chancing to go into his ing himself at one. Every day Mother’s bedroom, found him he wore a hair shirt and one or gesticulating and talking in two chains for some time’. He front of the mirror. “You villain, also took up an amazing pen- you wretch,” he kept saying to ance of saying thousands of his reflection, “I’ll starve you, short prayers every day which I'll murder you! Not a sweet he referred to as ‘aspirations’. ‘I will you get, not a bit of cake find I am falling off in the will you get!”’ 100,000 aspirations. Have bound myself for a week by vow This spirit of mortifica- to make the full number (1 Feb. tion and strong will to master 1917)’. Reminiscent of the East- his weaknesses was something ern Jesus prayer, this was obvi- he worked at his whole life. As ously quite a commitment he commented himself, ‘The while under fire or avoiding reformation of one’s life must taking a surprise dip in a rain- be the work of every day, I filled shell hole. should take each rule and duty, think how Jesus acted, or It would be wrong, how- would have done, and contrast ever, to think of Fr. Doyle as a my conduct with His’. He con- humourless or dour individual. centrated on using the life God His severity was very much di- had given him to remove any rected to his own faults and he impediment to forming a close was loath to ask similar pen- and lasting relationship with ances of others. Added to this his creator. ‘We should call a he had a very strong sense of man a fool who wasted his humour that tended to disguise

12 Summer 2018

his true ascetic nature. His tered the common room and sat principal biographer illustrates down at the fire opposite Mr. X this somewhat playful side to who was absorbed in his paper his character. ‘The scene of the – which suddenly burst into first story is Donegal Bay on a flame. Fr. Doyle, having heated summer vacation day. Fr. the poker, had surreptitiously Doyle was in a small boat with applied it to the newspaper!’ four fellow scholastics. One of These and other incidents paint them, sitting in the stern, took a picture of a rather mischie- out his watch to regulate the vous and good-humoured indi- time for examen. Just as he vidual. said, “we begin now,” Fr. Doyle, who was sitting in the bow with His service as a chaplain a gun in his hand, fired both to the 16th (Irish) Division dur- barrels into the air, shouting ing World War I and the subse- “Go!” The oarsmen nearly fell quent biography detailing that out of the boat with the shock’. service made him posthu- mously famous. The second ‘While in Clongowes Fr. part of the biography is largely Doyle came to the conclusion comprised of edited letters that a brother scholastic used written to his father and paints to appropriate the newspaper a true picture of life in the too much. So one day he en- trenches but always with his

13 Prayer Warrior quirky sense of humour. He priest. The poor priest cracks a writes about a Christmas foot- joke or two, makes them forget ball game in 1916. ‘On St. their terror, and goes on with Stephen’s Day the men were his lunch while every morsel engaged in a football match, sticks in his throat from fear when the Germans saw them, and dread of the next shell. A sent over a lovely shot at long moment passes, one, two, here range, which carried away the it comes; dead silence and anx- goal post—the umpire gave a ious faces for a second, and ‘foul’—and bursting in the mid- then we all laugh, for it is one dle of the men, killed three and of our own shells going over. wounded seven. The wounded Five minutes more and we were bandaged up and hurried know all danger has passed’. off to hospital, the dead carried away for burial; and then the Fr. Doyle’s own time ball was kicked off once more, came on 16 August. ‘Word came and the game went on as if in that an officer of the Dublins nothing had happened. The had been badly hit, and was Germans must have admired lying out in an exposed posi- the cool pluck of the players, for tion. Fr. Doyle at once decided they did not fire any more. This to go out to him, and left the is just one little incident of the Aid Post with his runner, Pri- war, showing how little is vate Mclnespie, and a Lieuten- thought of human life out here; ant Grant. Some twenty min- it sounds callous but there is no utes later, at about a quarter to room for sentiment in warfare’. four, Mclnespie staggered into the Aid Post and fell down in a He was very attached to state of collapse from shell the soldiers entrusted to his shock. Corporal Raitt went to care, and they had great re- his assistance and after consid- spect and affection for him. The erable difficulty managed to soldiers and quite a number of revive him. His first words on the officers thought of him as coming back to consciousness fearless but the reality was dif- were: “Fr. Doyle has been ferent. ‘Three of my lads came killed!” Then bit by bit the tearing in to my dug-out; they whole story was told. Fr. Doyle had nearly been sent to glory had found the wounded officer and felt they were safe with the lying far out in a shell crater.

14 Summer 2018

Fr. Doyle was in the trenches anointing the wounded and comforting the others.

He crawled out to him, ab- death, he became well known solved and anointed him, and through Professor Alfred O’Ra- then, half dragging, half carry- hilly’s biography first published ing the dying man, managed to in 1920. More recently, there get him within the line. Three seems to have been a revival of officers came up at this mo- interest in his life and he cer- ment, and Mclnespie was sent tainly has lessons to teach us for some water. This he got and with regard to striving for per- was handing it to Fr. Doyle fection, and the love and ser- when a shell burst in the midst vice of neighbour. of the group, killing Fr. Doyle and the three officers instanta- FURTHER READING: O’Ra- neously, and hurling Mclnespie hilly, A. 1922, Father William violently to the ground’. Doyle S.J. London. Available Fr. Doyle was mourned online at https://archive.org by all the soldiers at the front. In the years that followed his

15

A Message of Peace

Pope Benedict XV

By Gina Connolly

There is no limit to the war. With the war still in its measure of ruin and of slaugh- early stages, Benedict XV pub- ter; day by day the earth is lished the encyclical Ad Beatis- drenched with newly shed simi Apostolorum on the Feast blood, and is covered with the of all Saints in 1914. bodies of the wounded and of the slain.¹ In this, his first encycli- cal, with the suffering of his The papacy of Benedict XV, Gi- people foremost in his mind he acomo della Chiesa, began on 3 stated, ‘on every side the dread September 1914. As he as- phantom of war holds sway: cended the papal throne, there is scarce room for another Europe was already shrouded thought in the minds of men’.2. in the darkness of a war that What was the root cause of the would change the face of the darkness into which Europe continent in an unprecedented was now plunged? How had it way. come to this? The Holy Father answered the overriding ques- From the very beginning tion of a world in chaos. He of his pontificate, Benedict was stated, ‘Ever since the precepts tireless in his pursuit of peace. and practices of Christian wis- The conflict which would be- dom ceased to be observed in come known to posterity as the ruling of states it followed ‘The Great War’ would cast a that, as they contained the heavy shadow over the reign of peace and stability of institu- this Vicar of Christ, a shadow tions, the very foundations of which he would work cease- states necessarily began to be lessly to dispel. Already in his shaken’.3 first public address, he had strongly condemned the evils of The Holy Father clearly

16 Summer 2018

and unequivocally outlined the the more worthy goods for root cause of the war which he which all should necessarily so vehemently deplored: the strive. rejection by governments and rulers of the precepts and prac- Mutual love tices of Christian wisdom. The consequences of such a rejec- ‘Never perhaps was tion were inevitable. there more talking about the brotherhood of men than there From this central error is today; in fact, men do not sprang the proximate causes of hesitate to proclaim that striv- the serious unrest which the ing after brotherhood is one of Pope now addressed under four the greatest gifts of modern headings: the absence from the civilization, ignoring the teach- relation of men of mutual love ing of the Gospel, and setting with their fellow men; the con- aside the work of Christ and of tempt in which the authority of His Church. But in reality rulers was held; the injustice never was there less brotherly which reigned between the activity amongst men than at classes of society; and finally, the present moment’.4 The the desire for transient and Pope insisted that the charity perishable things being so keen of Jesus Christ be once more as to cause men to lose sight of central to relations between

17 A Message of Peace men. Philanthropic institutions differences of conditions and could be of no real value unless therefore of classes – a result they stimulated true love of which is just as impossible as God and of neighbour in the that in the living body all the hearts of men. members should have the same functions and dignity …’.6 Contempt for authority Desire for the transient In dealing with contempt for authority the Pope under- Finally, the Holy Father lined the all-pervasive nature identified as a ‘most pernicious of the contagion. ‘The unre- error’ that it is here on this strained striving after inde- lowly earth that man is to find pendence, together with over- his happiness. For if men, weening pride, has little by lit- ‘whose very nature is made for tle found its way everywhere; it happiness’ are led astray this has not even spared the home, error they will, ‘with all the en- although the natural origin of ergy which impels them to seek the ruling power in the family that very good, break down is as clear as the noonday sun; whatever delays or impedes nay, more deplorable still, it their obtaining it’.7 Thus the has not stopped at the steps of pontiff unveiled the source of the sanctuary’.5 the multi-faceted dissatisfac- tion which leads to unrest, that Class hatred unrest which by 1914 had reached a climax of unforeseen Reminding his listeners of proportions. the condemnations of the errors of Socialism by Leo XIII, and Nor did the Pope wholly urging that they be expounded limit his exhortations to the wherever teaching was possi- immediate problem of war. ble, he called on them also to Turning to the Church he did ‘exhort all men, that in virtue not miss an opportunity to re- of the divine law of charity they new the condemnation of the should love one another with ‘monstrous errors of Modern- brotherly love. Brotherly love is ism’, those same errors which not calculated to get rid of the had been solemnly condemned

18 Summer 2018

by his immediate predecessor most necessary foundation of Pope Pius X. Fully aware that peace, ‘the precepts and prac- Modernism still lurked where tices of Christian wisdom’, we it should not, he exhorted all to can discover anew the wisdom due care and vigilance. Borrow- of a pontiff at war. To the detri- ing the words of Job he re- ment and grief of future gen- minded them to be on their erations, World War I would guard against this great evil. not become ‘the war to end all ‘It is a fire that devoureth even wars’.11 It was, put simply and to destruction, and rooteth up sadly, but a beginning. all things that spring’ (Job 31:12).8

Thus, in this era of war, FOOTNOTES this ‘winter of the world’,9 it fell to Giacomo della Chiesa, Pope 1. Benedict XV, 1914, Ad Beatissimi Benedict XV, to lead those with Apostolorum, 3 2.ibid., 3 ears to hear, to recognition of 3. ibid., 5 the darkness of the error into 4. ibid.,7 which they had fallen. Four 5. ibid., 9 years after the promulgation of 6. ibid., 13 his first encyclical, he would 7. ibid., 15 8. ibid., 25 joyfully welcome the peace ‘for 9. Wilfrid Owen, “1914” which the whole world had 10. Quod Iam Diu, 1918, 1 long sighed’.10 His words echo 11. Benedict XV, 1914, Ad Beatissimi now across a century, as timely Apostolorum, 5 today as they were then. In this sad time of apostasy, when states once more reject that

19

A Powerful Image

Fr. Francis Gleeson

By Liam Foley

In May of 1915 just be- the German trench they had fore the Battle of Aubers Ridge, captured. Amongst the dead an Irish chaplain granted gen- was Lieutenant -Col onel eral absolution to the men of Rickard, the commanding offi- the 2nd Battalion of the Royal cer of the battalion. Rickard Munster Fusiliers. This scene had formed a strong friendship was later immortalised in a with their chaplain Fr. painting by Italian war artist Gleeson, particularly since his Fortunino Matania, and is parents were Irish Catholics. known today as The Last Gen- eral Absolution of the Munsters Fr. Francis Gleeson, at Rue du Bois. It is now argua- born in 1884 in Templemore, bly one of the most renowned Co. Tipperary, was one of thir- images from World War I. teen children. In 1910, he was ordained a priest of the Arch- The Battle of Aubers diocese of Dublin. At the out- Ridge which immediately fol- break of war he volunteered to lowed the absolution, was a dis- aid the military as a chaplain, aster for the attacking British and was appointed to the 2nd forces and consequently, this Battalion, Royal Munster Fu- was the fate of the vast major- siliers. He followed them to the ity of men in the 2nd Battalion. Western Front, and there be- Eleven officers and 140 men came immensely popular with died that tragic day, and over all the men, remaining much 200 others were wounded. Al- beloved to them and their fami- though the Munsters were one lies for many years after the of the few British units to gain war. Robert Graves, author of territory that day, they were I, Claudius, mentions Fr. nevertheless forced to abandon Gleeson in his own memoirs:

20 Summer 2018

once again requested to return Jovial Father Gleeson of to the Western Front where he the Munsters, when all the offi- remained with the Munster cers were killed or wounded at Fusiliers until the end of the the first battle of Ypres, had war. After the war, he was ap- stripped off his black badges pointed as a curate in St. Mi- (chaplains’ insignia and a sign chael’s parish Dún Laoghaire of his non-combatant status) and became a chaplain in the and taking command of the Free State army. He became survivors, held the line (Graves, the parish priest of Bray in R. 1929. Goodbye to All That.). 1941 and died in 1959. His dia- ries are kept in the archives of Fr. Gleeson was particu- the Archdiocese of Dublin, larly known for keeping records while the National Army Mu- which he used to write home to seum has the purple stole he the families of the men under carried and which is depicted his care, especially for those in the painting. who lacked literacy skills. After a year of service and suffering In his diaries Fr. battle fatigue, Fr. Gleeson re- Gleeson described the scene in turned home to his Dublin par- the painting and the carnage of ish but soon after, in 1917, he the battle:

21 A Powerful Image

Saturday 8 May 1915. We & remove the wounded. It was march out from Tombe Willot ghastly to see them lying there (Locon) about 900 strong, our in cold, cheerless outhouses, on Commanding Officer being Ma- bare stretchers, with no blanket jor Rickard & the Adjutant – to cover their freezing limbs. I Capt. Fitzpatrick – two of the shall never forget that young kindest men I have come across. officer with the shattered left We leave about 7pm. The scenes arm, nor how Barndale of the of enthusiasm are extraordi- Welsh who was a great organist nary. I rode on my horse. Gave & played for me in Essars. Absolution to Batt. during rest Heart wrenching to see him dy- on road. Opposite La Couten ing there – wasting away. Hun- Church between shrines of dreds lying out in cold air all “N.D. de la Bonne Mort” & an- night at Windy Corner. No am- other shrine we have another bulances coming. They came at rest. The men will sing Hymns last – at daylight esp. “Hail Glorious St. Pat- rick”… I go further up – near Tuesday 11 May 1915. Re- the trenches & bid goodbye to turned to Tombe Willot, start- all. So sad!! ing from Windy Corner about 3 pm. All stretcher bearers re- Sunday 9 May 1915. The fa- mained the night, as I did not mous 9th of May!! What a day like the idea of leaving till we for the Munsters! We lose at got every wounded man cleared least 350 men, between killed, from our Munster’s Dressing wounded, & missing. I slept in Station. We left when every sin- a bivouac with Divisional gle man had been evacuated. transports at Locon last night Poor Major Rickard, Capt. after having returned from Hewitt, Pt. Leahy & several Windy Corner. Attack started at other bodied were lying in a 5 am. Lovely summer morn. I stall in the yard. We took care sat up in my bivouac listening to have people put in care of the to the boom of the guns think- bodies till our return this eve- ing of the poor boys making ning, to bury them. Buried all their matching charge. Aero- the bodies this evening at planes busy. Up early, shave & Windy Corner Capt. Fitz & off to Bethune. Hard day. Spent Carrigan attended. all night trying to console, aid

22 Summer 2018

Wednesday 12 May 1915. It Wocesters. We went to trenches was so sad to see scores of dead & I read service over all the lying in the cemetery laid right R.C.s bodies & blessed graves. – awaiting burial. There, in the Harcourt held a flash lamp for twilight, and after the din of the book. battle had ceased, all was so mournful, so awful!! What an Ascension Thursday 13 May impression it must make on my 1915. The roll-call of the Mun- mind, whether I like it or not!! sters on Monday was the sad- Barry the hero of Capt. Hawkes dest thing imaginable. In the rescue was amongst those I bur- field beside “St. Mary’s” (the ied. Captain Considine & a little tent-chapel the artillery draft arrived today. He is a chaps erected for us) the four R.C. Harcourt & myself went to Companies all sat round on the Windy Corner in evening & dry grass. One Company was were arrested as spies by the called at a time. Everybody was

Fr. Gleeson’s diary the week of the Battle of Aubers Ridge

23 A Powerful Image worn, sad, depressed, after the their heads and the light breeze loss of so many loved comrades. ruffled hair and caused to flut- Some had lost brothers, others ter the green company stan- cousins, but all had lost good & dards. Father Gleeson’s stole faithful companions. The S. made a splash of soft colour. Major called out name after The chaplain raised his right name. “Killed”, “Wounded”, hand and intoned general abso- “Missing” was answered ac- lution and all sang the Té cording to the fate of each. Deum. Then, to the barked com- mands of RSM Ring, the march Nevertheless, God can resumed towards the sound of bring good even out of the the guns (Johnstone, T. Or- worst situations. The image of ange, Green and Khaki: Story Fr. Gleeson applying the re- of the Irish Regiments in the demptive graces of the Sacra- Great War, 1914-18, p. 82). ment of Penance on the sol- diers before they went to their The location of the last Final Judgement is surely an absolution was chosen because example of this. The beautiful it was the site of a small way- scene is described below: side chapel and shrine dedi- cated to Notre Dame de Seez. On the evening of 8 May, The chapel had been destroyed under command of Lt.-Col. in the early days of the war but V.G.H. Rickard, 2nd Munsters was well known to the men once again marched towards who fought in the area. Rebuilt the front. At a French wayside after the war, it has since been shrine, Rickard halted the bat- demolished in the 1970s to talion and formed a hollow make way for a road. The origi- square before it. On three sides nal painting of Matania’s has were the rifle companies, and been lost but due to its popu- facing them on horseback were larity amongst veterans of the Col. Rickard, his adjutant, Royal Munster Fusiliers many Capt. Filgate and the chaplain, copies were made and hung in Father Gleeson. Gun flashes homes throughout Munster. added to the semi-light of a The painting itself was com- spring evening; gunfire and missioned by the widow of the shell explosions reminded all of commanding officer, Lieuten- the ordeal to come. All bared ant-Colonel Rickard who seems

24 Summer 2018

to have perished that very day. General Absolution. To some Mrs. Rickard, the daughter of a present, very certainly, the Protestant clergyman, was “vitam æternam” was intensely later received into the Catholic and beautifully manifest, the Church and was known in her day-spring of Eternity very day as a novelist. She died in near. “Miseratur vestri Omni- 1963. She describes the scene potens Deus, et dimissis pecca- depicted in the painting in her tis vestris, perducat vos ad vi- own words: tam æternam.” The whole Regi- ment with their heads bared, When the Munsters sang the Te Deum, the great came up the road, Colonel thanksgiving, the “Sursum Rickard halted the Battalion. Corda” of all the earth. The men were ranged in three (Rickard, Mrs. V. 1918. The sides of a square, their green Story of the Munsters at Etreux, flags, embroidered with the Festubert, Rue du Bois and Irish harp and the word Hulloch. ). “Munster,” a gift from Lady Gordon, placed before each FURTHER READING: tran- Company. Father Gleeson scriptions of Fr. Gleeson’s mounted, Colonel Rickard and diaries are available online Captain Filgate, the Adjutant at https://digital.ucd.ie/view/ on their chargers, were in the ucdlib:36570 centre, and in that wonderful twilight Father Gleeson gave a

25 A Powerful Image

26 Summer 2018

Some faithful participated in the Chartres Pilgrim- age to pray for the then-upcoming referendum. 27

About 150 people gathered for the Great Appeal conference on 5 May. 28 Autumn 2017

June Youth Outing in Cork 29 Calendar of Events

June 22 Priestly Ordination of Rev. Mr. Thomas O’Hart in Virginia

June 30 Mass at Mass Rock in Castletownroche

July 7 Rally for Life in Belfast

July 14-15 Youth Outing

July 14 Croagh Patrick Pilgrimage

July 11-21 General Chapter of the SSPX

July 19-21 St. Declan’s Way Pilgrimage (trial)

July 22-29 Girls’ Eucharistic Crusade Camp

July 29-Aug. 4 Boys’ Eucharistic Crusade Camp

August 15 Newry Mass Rock Pilgrimage

September 8 Knock Pilgrimage

May Youth Outing in Dublin The Priestly Society of Saint Pius X in Ireland

Rev. Vicente A. Griego, Superior

Mass Centres Residences

Saint John the Evangelist Saint Pius X House Church 12 Tivoli Terrace South 1 Upper Mounttown Road Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin A96 KV65 A96 P793 (01) 284 2206 (01) 284 2206 Fr. Vicente Griego Corpus Christi Church Fr. Pierpaolo Petrucci Connaught Gardens Fr. Francis Gallagher Athlone, Co. Westmeath Fr. Marcel Ockerse N37 E671 (090) 643 3703

Saint Pius V Chapel Saint Joseph’s House 78 Andersonstown Road Court Devenish House Belfast, Co. Antrim BT11 9AN Court Devenish Lane Mr. McKeown (028) 9445 3654 Athlone, Co. Westmeath N37 NF77 Our Lady of the Rosary (090) 643 3703 Shanakiel Road Sunday’s Well, Co. Cork Fr. Leo Boyle T23 T389 Fr. Patrick Kimball (090) 643 3703

Our Lady of Knock Chapel Unit 5 Richbrook Business Visit fsspx.ie for complete sche- Park, Mill Road, Bessbrook, dules, weekly bulletins, and Newry, Co. Down BT35 7DT more information. The Priestly Society of Saint Pius X is an international society of common life without vows, whose purpose is the Priesthood and that which pertains to it.

The main goal of the Society is to preserve the Catholic faith in its fullness and purity, to teach its truths, and to diffuse its virtues. Authentic spiritual life, the Sacraments, and the traditional liturgy are its primary means of bringing this life of grace to souls.