Service of Catholic Women
CARDINAL HINSLEY, who has this week made a statement concerning Catholic women who wish to offer their services in a national emergency, points out that there should be no difficulty in nuns adapting their head-dresses in order to facilitate the fitting of gas masks. He states: " The question of veils has been worrying some of the Orders. In time of national emergency there shoe,' be no scruples. It is strongly
advocated that a simplified form of head-dress be adopted by all consisting of: " (a) An unstarched, tight-fitting cap or snugly-fitting under-veil, over which the respirator could easily and quickly be adjusted.
" (b) A heavier outer veil which could be pulled back over the headharness of the respirator when the latter in use.
Different Coloured Veils
"In France some of the Communities have decided to discard their usual black veils and replace these by shorter and different coloured ones, so that nuns of different communities should be able to recognise each other, even when wearing gas masks. Such arrangement has my full approval for this country. Black should not be worn by nurses.
"It cannot be too strongly urged that the simplest type of head-dress be adopted, and respirators must be able to be adjusted in a few seconds. it is also essential that these veils be washed several times a week.
" As regards the overalls, Nursing Auxiliaries wear special grey-blue ones, but should Communities prefer wearing their own white ones, such as worn by nursing Sisters in hospitals, no objection will be made to this by the Authorities,"
Where to Apply
" Should war break out it will be necessary for all to help immediately.
"The Nursing Auxiliary and the Casualty Organisations will require many more women to staff hospitals and first aid posts.
" Through Lady Peel, Catholic Representative of the Women's Voluntary Services, all nuns volunteering can be allocated direct to hospitals, even if they have had no previous training or experience.
" Names should be sent at once to Lady Peel at the W.V.S. Headquarters, 41, Tothill Street, London, S.W.1, and the Matrons of the hospitals in question will be instructed to accept nuns on the same conditions of maintenance already made known."