As their work grew lighter, leaves of absence were given the hard-working Sisters and nurses. During one of these the Sisters visited Rome, and had the happiness of assisting at the Mass of the Holy Father and receiving Holy Communion from him. Later they were received in private audience by the Pope. The Sisters had also the pleasure of visiting the mother-house of their Order in Paris. It was while there they were ordered to proceed to Genoa for embarkation.
They sailed from Genoa March 21 for Marseilles, where they were joined by several American officers and nurses who had served in France, arriving in New York April 4.
While they were the only Sisters with the A. E. F., still they found everywhere abroad Sisters doing their share of work. One band of Italian Sisters of Charity walked sixty-five miles with a retreating force. They were in the war since its beginning. This is not only true of the Italian Sisters, but also of the French and Belgian, and presumably of those in the enemy countries. The American Sisters were glad of the opportunity to give their service in this war, in which their country was engaged, as they have done their part in the other wars of the Republic.
Seventh Division Troops Boarding Leviathan at Hoboken.
I had made known to good Bishop Hayes my decided preference for a combat force, and have always felt he favored me, for, on July 30, the message from the War Department came: "Report at once to Officer Commanding Seventh Division, Camp Merritt, New Jersey."
Good Father Dinneen, the Bishop's Secretary, added to my joy by venturing opinion, that the "Seventh" was about to sail! He also generously equipped me financially—"Just a little pin money for you," as he charmingly expressed it.
What magnificent men these priests of St. Stephen's and the Ordinariate! How worthy to be associated with the Bishop who so kindly, so wisely, and so well cared for the Chaplains in the National service.
Reporting at once to Camp Merritt I entered upon my Army duties.