From the "Catholic Who's Who & Year Book 1915" - editor's "Preface", by Sir Francis Cowley Burnand

Continuing our series of excerpts from the century-old Year Book and to specifically complement our earlier posts (here and here) with pointed reference to the unfolding early events of World War I.

Some brief notes:

- A future post will deal more expansively with the passing in 1914, as remarked upon below by Sir Francis, of Mgr Robert Hugh Benson, the priestly author, whose considerable literary legacy is still widely appreciated today, not least through the strong impression that at least one of his works (Lord of the World) has made upon both the reigning pontiff, His Holiness Pope Francis, and his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

- We would also draw attention to the editor's reference to this "most troublous time" in connection, clearly, with the outbreak of World War I in the latter part of that year, a comment of his which informed our earlier post, concerning the surely tasking final months of the production period of the 1915 Year Book. Again, what Sir Francis and Co. achieved in those final stages of 1914, when producing the 1915 volume, should not go unrecognised - even a century later. For who knows how many fallen souls from the early weeks of World War I benefited from the prayers directly prompted by having their names listed in the 1915 Year Book so shortly after their deaths!

Let it continue to be so. And let us continue to pray for – and indeed to, as the case may be! – the souls of all those who are duly name-checked below.

Requiescant in pace.

From the "Catholic Who's Who & Year Book 1915" - full list of the "Roll of Honour" (56 names); (Deaths, Aug. 23 - Nov. 26, 1914)

The Last General Absolution of the Munsters at Rue du Bois by Fortunino Matania depicting Fr Francis Gleeson, British Army Chaplain (mounted, foreground) on the eve of the Battle of Aubers Ridge, May 1915.

We had hoped to publish this list in January. Better late than never, of course, especially concerning prayers for the lost souls of World War I in these commemorative centenary years.

As already adverted to, Liverpolitanus, as well as being a monitor of events in the Archdiocese of Liverpool, England – particularly concerning the local cause of the restoration of Catholic Tradition and the struggle against the rampant Modernism blighting this part of one of the true original heartlands of English Catholicism – is a blog that will be rich on Catholic history (we have some great and rare resources readily available to draw upon).

One such jewel is our collection of volumes of the "Catholic Who's Who and Year Book".

From the "Catholic Who's Who & Year Book 1915" - excerpts from: "The Catholic Year" (January to November 1914: January - Post #1); and "The Roll of Honour" (UPDATED - June 19, 2015)

Oh for the foresight to have started these posts a year ago today.

Still, here we are, on the first day of 2015 aptly recording excerpts from the 1915 "Catholic Who's Who & Year Book" (Burns & Oates; Edited by Sir F. C. Burnand; 3/6 NET) – but naturally recounting aspects from 1914, as per the publication itself.

Why are we doing this? Well, simply because we're blessed with immediate access to these treasured Year Book volumes – and it is not only good to breathe a little digital-life back into such rare titles, but also, we hope, it will prove a small web-service for those interested in the Catholic history and heritage of our lands over the last century. Also, what more fitting time to start this series than during these years commemorating the centenary of World War I (an atrocity which, inevitably, features prominently in the Catholic Who's Who & Year Book volumes of that period)? Moreover, we would hope that as we episodically highlight the names of those who populated our Catholic sanctuaries and pews 100 years ago that prayers will be offered aplenty for their souls.  

So, without further ado, verbatim, we start from the first line of the first entry of the 1915 Year Book's annual diary section entitled "The Catholic Year" looking back on 1914: