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September 4, 1918
NO MANDATORY MILITARY SERVICE FOR SEMINARIANS
In Newfoundland, the Military Service Act was proclaimed on May 11, 1918, and like similar legislation in Britain and Canada, allowed the government of Newfoundland to introduce mandatory military service.
In rural Newfoundland there was no support for conscription. Largely, Catholic rural districts dependent the fishery opposed conscription. For fishermen, conscription meant a disruption in the fishery, since it would take badly-needed laborers from a fishery which was now experiencing considerable war-induced prosperity
Edward Patrick Roche, Roman Catholic Archbishop of the day was silent in the debate that raged in Newfoundland over conscription. Archbishop Roche’s silence in the debate was seen as tantamount to consent.
Archbishop Roche may not have taken a public position but he was in discussion with officials about the implications of the legislation in particular about the implications of the legislation on the young men that were studying for the priesthood. He did not want to see young men interested in becoming priests conscripted for service.
On September 4, 1918 P.J. Summers of the Military Service Board in St. John’s, notified Archbishop Roche that he was willing to issue certificates to the effect that under the Military Service Act of Newfoundland that young men studying for the priesthood were exempted from Military Service.
Mr. Summers in his two page letter also stated that he intended to make representation to the Executive of the Military Service Board suggesting that an agreement be made between Canada and Newfoundland so that young men studying to be priests who are exempted from the Newfoundland Act shall not be conscripted while studying in Canada.
At that time four young men from Newfoundland John McGettigan, George Bartlett, Ronald Murphy, James Gibbs, and Augustine Gibbs were studying in Toronto and James Miller was studying in Halifax.
For more information on this and other related subjects contact the Archives of the R.C. Archdiocese. www.stjohnsarchdiocese.nf.ca
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Larry Dohey
Archives of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. John’s
P.O. Box 1363
St. John’s, NL
A1C 5M3
709-726-3660
E-mail: archives@nf.aibn.com
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