Columbianism in Texas
447
Great was the disappointment felt when the Knights were told that under a new regulation made by Secretary of War Newton D. Baker, no service organization could establish buildings or provide services on Gov- ernment property. It had been decided that it would be best to merge the efforts of all service groups into one, under one central agency, the United Services Organization, popularly. known as U.S.O. Supreme Knight Mathews decided that under the circumstances the Order would do better to merge with the National Catholic Community Service, the organization that would represent all the Catholic agencies in the U.S.O. Thereafter every Knight in Texas, as well as every Knight in the Order, gave his wholehearted support to a.11 the efforts of the U.S.O., through the National Cathc,lic Community Service. An experienced former chaplain of World War I, whose missionary zeal has won him the love of all who know him, Most Reverend Mariano S. Garriga, Bishop of Corpus Christi, appointed Vicar Delegate of the Military Ordinariate of the United States for Sub-Vicariate VI, and serving Texas and Louisiana, explained the situation that existed during World War II at the State Convention in 1942 in these words: "Under the new conditions, 'U.S.0.' affords an avenue through the National Catholic Community Service for the Knights of Columbus to do their bit for the soldiers, sailors, and marines.... Whenever possible the K of C should lend a helping hand... Our chaplains in World War I had a powerful auxiliary in the K of C secretaries. ... Today that help is wanting-and wherever possible local Councils should contact our Catholic chaplains in the great work they are doing." The Knights did their part as enthusiastically and unselfishly as in World War I. They participated in 1942 in a drive to raise one .million dollars in the State of Texas for the benefit of the National Catholic Community Service; fourteen were very active in organizing social func- tions; ten gave the use of their clubroom facilities to the U.S.O. The War Activities Committee of the Texas Knights reported in 1947 that out of 1837 members of the Order in Texas who were in the armed forces, 37 were killed in action, 52 were wounded in battle, 22 were miss- ing in action, and 21 received outstanding war citations. The Knights at home did their share in other ways. They were out- standing in the purchase of war bonds and stamps; there were among them more than five hundred blood donors; donations were made of rosaries, missals, and prayer books for men in combat. The Knights of Columbus in Texas rightly consider their work of relief and charity
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