Relief Efforts
During and after the War, Pax Romana continued
the important work of relief efforts to students who were negatively affected
by the conflict. In this effort, Pax Romana and the World Student Christian
Federation created a joint student Entr'aide program, which eventually grew
into the World University Service. During the war, both the Washington and
Fribourg secretariats would take leadership roles in these efforts.
As part of this program, Pax Romana was asked
by the Swiss Catholic Mission to coordinate a book service. By the end of June
1946, 600,000 books in 15,000 parcels and 250 cases had been sent to student
prisoners. The Vatican
and the United States National Catholic Welfare Conference funded these efforts.
Pax Romana also helped create the European Fund
for Aid to Students, which became in August 1943 the World Fund for Aid to
Students. This fund was run by a committee which had Fr. Gremaud (Pax Romana
Secretary General) as Vice-President from the start. André Florinetti, the
future President of Pax Romana, also
became a member in 1942. This service came to the help of students who were
prisoners of war and refugees. The committee of this fund carried out its work
until the end of 1949. After the end of hostilities, the efforts focused on
helping students suffering from tuberculosis at Leysin, maintenance of rest
centers at Combloux (France), Rocca di Papa (Italy),
and Ashton Hayes (Great
Britain). The Committee also helped in the opening
of university hostels in China
and India,
and the sending of books, pharmaceutical products and laboratory equipment into
these countries.
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