PASTOR CALLED TO COLORS

Contributed by Jean Walker, August 18, 2022

The Border Vidette (Nogales, Arizona) 29 Aug 1917, Page 3.

 

Rev. Father Van Goethen Will Leave for Battle Line in France.

Rev. Father G. Van Goethen, pastor of the Sacred Heart Church, has been called to France as a chaplain in the service of the allies and will leave for New York within a few days, says Monday's Herald. Rev. N. J. Lavelle, paster of St. Patrick's Cathedral of New York who is in charge of the work of sending Catholic priests to the war zone, wired Father Van Goethen to be ready for a call within a week. The National Catholic War Council has found it necessary to send a number of priests to the front and Father Van Goethen will be in the first increment to go across the pond.

When seen this morning Father Van Goethen was very happy over the prospects of getting to the front line trenches. His aged mother lives at the village of Lokeren between Ghent and antwerp where the west line is being pushed back at the present time.

"Who knows, I may be able to have dinner with my mother and then go out on the lines and see the boys battle in the afternoon," said Father Van Goethen. During the three years that he has been in Nogales, Father Van Goethen has made a world of friends not only among those of his church but the public in general. Father Van Goethen comes of a prominent Belgian family and those who have been in close touch with him know what an extreme pleasure it will be for him to go to the battle front and help the boys on the line push forward so that he might again be among those that are near and dear to him.

While the people of Nogales will regret to lose Father van Goethen and will miss his charming personality, they wish him every success and will pray that he will safely reach the land for which his heart has bled, during the past three years.

 

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