Page 168 - March On! God will Provide by Brother Aubert

DEPARTURE FOR AMERICA I47
about to start for the missions in America. One quota-
tion from his talks characterizes him and his role: "The
beginning of your Congregation, its slow growth, its
efforts, mistakes, and sacrifices have been known to me
from the very first moment. And now that its mission-
aries prepare themselves to go to foreign shores, I must
exclaim, 'There is the hand of God.' If I should choose
a name to write above this house, I should write in
inefiaceable letters, 'The House of Providence'."
Leavetaking Day was Sunday, July ninth. In the after-
noon all the pupils of the School of Our Lady marched
across town from Nieuwstraat, through the Town Hall
Plaza, down St. George Street, and in through the gate
at "Het Walletje." In the paved courtyard in front of
the Brothers' residence, they saw the Superior with the
six missionaries alongside him. Guided by their teachers
they took their places, the main group to the right of the
departing Brothers and the selected singers to the left.
The program of song and speeches went ofi smoothly.
It was a gala occasion, a celebration to honor valiant
men. And then it was all over.
Monday, July tenth, was Departure Day. The baggage
had been sent ahead to catch the "Franklin." From
Bruges, the little party journeyed to Mouscron, the
customs station on the French-Belgian border, and then
on to Lille where they may have halted overnight since
they did not have to reach Le Havre until the evening
of Thursday, July fourteenth.
On Friday, the fifteenth, the party of seven Xaverians
was aboard the "Indiana" when she pulled away from
the quay and started on her way to New York.