Cardinal Suhard enthusiastic for the new France

By BURKE WALSH PARIS
Kind, gentle, patient. I cannot get those words out of my mind. I had an interview with Cardinal Suhard, Atchhishop of Paris.
I asked the Cardinal %shut effect the war had upon the Church in France. " We have had some very hoel times diming the German occupation," he re plied. "This is especially nue with regard to Catholic Action, and particularly with relation to .1.0,C., our organisation for young Catholic workers."
Cardinal Suhard said that if anything the outlook for vocations in France is brighter now than ever. This is due in sonic measure to the hardships and sobering influences of war, he said. but mainly to the patient, intensive work that has gone on for some years.
In this connection the Cardinal explained that even though it was not until 1943—when the distinction between Occupied and Unoccupied Franee was obliterated—that ell the Bishops could come together for joint meetiags, nevertheless they had found ways of communicating with one another long before that.
" Catholic Action in France," His Eminence continued. " increased during the war, not only in the number of those actively participating hut also in the quality of the work accomplished. We have striven to give this walk a double purpose l'he first is that it shall he missionary in character, to may the Faith to the people throughout the land, and the second is that it shall be social, to improve living conditions, so that people may be freed from too many mundane preoccupations and enabled to give more time to cultivation of things of the spirit," I asked Cardinal Suhard his opinion concerning the future of the Church in France. He replied that he very hopeful for the future of France and the Church. tie is hopeful. he said. because the increasing vocations and the survilal and growth of Catholic Action, and last but not least because of the good position of the Catholic schools.
As I talked with the Cardinal it was difficult to realise the harrowing experiences he personally had suffered at the hands of the Germans during the first days of occupation. On July 26, 1940, members of the German Gestapo invaded the Cardinal's house and took up residence there after confining His Eminence to one room. They were, they explained. bent on searching the files of his predecessor, Cardinal Verdier, who had died in April of that year. At the some time, Gestapo agents were doing the same thing at the residence of the Archbishop of Rheims and were looking up the files of Cardinal Suhard, who had been Archbishop of Rheims before he was transferred to Paris.
The imprisonment of the Cardinal and violation of the Cardinal's residence continued until July 29, During that time he was unable to offer Mass or to communicate with anyone on the outside.