remembered. Fourteen years ago the war against Germany came to an end and peace was declared.
I don't suppose that many of you remember the war, but you've
all heard about it, and most of you have relations that fought or died in it. Today is a good day to say a prayer for those who were killed because we owe them a great deal. But it's also a good time to remember why they died —so that there shouldn't be any more wars.
Of course ifs not easy when you're young to stop grown-up people from fighting, but there's no reason why we shouldn't pray. At the end of Mass on Sundays we say three Hail Marys for the conversion of Russia. Now. be honest—do you always say those prayers carefully, meaning them. or are you already shuffling around getting ready to leave church? If you're not very careful about them, here is something you can really do to make sure that people who died in the last war didn't waste their lives.
Commandos
ONE of the sorts of soldiers you may have heard about were the Commandos. These were specially tough men, very well trained, and ready to do anything they were asked however dangerous and unpleasant it might have been. In the war against the Devil, there are Commandos. too: suicall them Jesuits. In the sixteenth century the battle with the Devil had become a very fierce one. There were men like Luther who were trying to drag people away from the Church and Catholics could see that only very strong men could save the situation.
First General
QT. IGNATIUS of Loyola deIs cided to form a regiment of spiritual Commandos with a General at their head just like a real army, so that the Devil coulJ be kept at bay. His soldiers had to give up their homes and live wherever they were needed to carry on the battle. They had to promise complete obedience to their superior officers, and make a vow of chastity so that nothing would distract them from their work.
Like the Commandos they were given a long and hard training so that they would be prepared to do anything required however difficult, and since then this is just what they have been doing. As you know they often run schools— like Stonyhurst or Beaumont—and pass on some of their training to Catholic boys.
They work in the Missions. too, and give Retreats all round the country. Some of them are parish priests like at the Sacred Heart parish in Wimbledon, which some of you may know. All over the world they are fighting the Devil just as St. Ignatius taught them to do when he became their first General.
Gabriel