Franklin D. Roosevelt

Greeting to Catholic War Veterans.

October 30, 1935

My dear Father Higgins:

There is something very heartening in the message of goodwill which you, as National Chaplain of the Catholic War Veterans, addressed to me in an open letter through the medium of Station WLWL. It comes to me as a voice of confidence and of hope for a better world.

As Commander-in-Chief, I welcome the pledge of fealty from a body of veterans who have served in their country's defense and who, knowing the ardors and the heartaches and the misery of war, dedicate themselves anew to the arts of peace; for peace, too, has its own victories no less valorous than those of war. May I make humble acknowledgment of your generous sentiments concerning my leadership? Happily we are now emerging from the years of depression but I want you to understand how reassuring it is to receive a pledge of faith such as you convey in the name of the Catholic War Veterans.

Ours will be the victory if we set ourselves resolutely to the performance of those spiritual and corporal acts of mercy which have ever been the salvation of men and of Nations. With organizations like yours marshaled in a mighty crusade for peace, we may look forward to a time, let us hope, not far distant, when under the Providence of God, war shall be no more and peace shall be the heritage of men of good will.

Very sincerely yours,

Reverend E. J. Higgins,

National Chaplain, Catholic War Veterans,

Long Island City, N. Y.

Franklin D. Roosevelt, Greeting to Catholic War Veterans. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/208178

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