July 1, 1942.
My dear Jim:
The enclosed clipping will interest you in connection with poor
old Bob. The doctor quoted is a very fine Catholic doctor here in St. Louis.
It is a most consoling doctrine and all in Bob's favor. It is almost worth
saving.
(Yesterday I saw the Provincial about accepting a commission as a chap¬
lain in the Army and he is thinking the matter over.)(This looks encouraging
to me as he would have definitely turned me down and rejected the idea un¬
less he had some intention of granting the request.) Tee has been working on
my case in Washington and has everything lined up and the way cleared for me
to join him if the Provincial says to go ahead. Had a wire from Tee Monday
saying that he intended to be in Washington till this coming Thursday or
Friday, that more offical papers were being mailed to me, etc. I am ex¬
pecting to hear from him again in to-day's mail and will go to the City to
see the Provincial again tomorrow.
Had a fine visit at the Convent yesterday with Marie and Sister. They
are sort of worked up over the whole situation and interested in getting any
bit of news they can about the development of things. They showed me a let-
ter that Ruth had written to them and also told me she had called them up.
She has what it takes to face the situation and all will work out for the
best in the end.
You will be seeing something of Wim during Fr. Ledit's visit and again
during the summer school of Catholic action that he intends to take in. It
lasts a whole week. Had a letter from him yesterday, the first since I left
St. Paul.
I was just wondering if we could not work you into the Army some way.
If my deal goes through and I get a commission, then Tee and I could work
together to get you in and with us as some sort of unusual technical con-
sultant, a kind of secret service job about which nobody would know anything
It could be of such a secret nature that you could not even talk about it,
even with superiors, so your whole situation would be wrapped up in the deep¬
est mystery.
Had a fine letter from Brick since my return. Your last several cards
have come and it always does me good to hear from you.
Please give my love to all at home and keep us in your prayers.
With love,
John