A Gift of Faith created by Deacon Denis Mailhot

Deacon Denis Mailhot serves parishes in Auburn, Maine.  He and the article's editor gave permissions to republish this article printed in Harvest Magazine.

http://francoamerican.bdnblogs.com/2020/10/30/franco-american-news-and-culture/franco-american-wwii-veteran-wrote-the-crucifix/?fbclid=IwAR3V8QAovBGUCQijNr51jr6mvyQ6FsFUQ5hTlTRES5byg_Qvzn28ZoETs-4

“There are no atheists in a foxhole”, because I wanted to blog about the poem entitled, “The Crucifix”. This inspirational poem was written by the late Private First Class Elisée Dutil (b. 1919, in Maine – d. 1945 in Germany), who was a Franco-American and Lewiston resident. Memories about the young life of this World War II veteran have been collected and preserved by the family of Maine Deacon Denis Mailhot. In fact, Deacon Denis has created a scrapbook with the artifacts that his mother’s side of the family meticulously kept from Mr. Dutil’s World War II veteran’s collection.

Moreover, Deacon Mailhot acknowledged how the Franco-American Collection at the University of Southern Maine Lewiston Auburn College (FAC USM LAC) has included this important veteran’s biography in an oral history data collection project.

“There are no atheists in a foxhole”: The first use of this forceful quote was reported as circulated during World War 1; and then spread during World War 2. The earliest close match located by Quote Investigator appeared in 1914, in “The Western Times” newspaper of Devon, England. A speaker at a memorial service for a fallen soldier held at St. Matthias’ Church, Ilsham read from the letter of an unnamed chaplain serving at the front.

This quote is brought close to home in the poem “The Crucifix”.

Permission to reprint this article was provided by Harvest Magazine.

“Ms. L’Heureux, Thank you for your interest. Yes, you may reprint the article as indicated crediting Harvest magazine of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland. I’m sure that Deacon Denis will be pleased. He is so appreciative of the help he received from the university’s Franco-American Collection. Sincerely, Lois Czerniak, Editor.”

Title: A Gift of Faith: From a WWII Foxhole

“A little metal crucifix as plain as it can be, but only God in heaven knows how dear it is to me.”

So begins a poem penned by a soldier more than 75 years ago, a sign of the faith he carried with him from the neighborhoods of Lewiston to the battlefields of World War II, in Europe.

Elisée served as a Private First Class, Company K, 7th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division, U.S. Army during World War II.

“I have it always with me, in every step I take, at evening when I slumber, at morning when I awake,” the poem continues.

Entitled, “The Crucifix”, the poem was written by Private First Class Elisée Dutil, on the beachhead of Anzio-Nettuno, in Italy, in 1944. It is one of many treasurers preserved by his nephew, Deacon Denis Mailhot, who serves at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, in Auburn.