Francis J. Parater

(October 10, 1897, – February 7, 1920) 

Francis J. Parater is Servant of God, a seminarian who died at the age of twenty-two while studying in Rome at the North American College. 

Frank joined the Boy Scouts, eventually earning the rank of Eagle Scout. 

Discerning a call to religious life, he first thought about joining the order that educated him, the Benedictines. Later, he opted for the diocesan priesthood and was sent to the “Eternal City” for studies. 

He was only in Rome for a few months before he became ill with rheumatic fever. He died with the last sacraments and with great piety and joy just eleven days after being admitted to the hospital.

From Dachau...

Camp number and the indication of prisoner type from camp in Dachau.

The country - the most powerful of all countries

First page from 'Diary' with mother's dedication.

I strongly believe that the country, which all citizens would be scouts, it would be the most powerful of all.

Scouting in fact, a Polish especially, has the resources to help that those who pass through his school, this is the kind of man, what we need now. And now the strangest, but the best is the idea of ​​scouting: formation youth by youth.

I myself, as long as I can, which God forbid, that has always been, and never will be a scout working for him and support him will not stop.

Be Prepared!

In Polish: Wierzę mocno, że państwo, którego wszyscy obywatele byliby harcerzami, byłoby najpotężniejsze ze wszystkich. Harcerstwo bowiem, a polskie szczególnie, ma takie środki, pomoce, że kto przejdzie przez jego szkołę, to jest typem człowieka, jakiego nam teraz potrzeba. A już najdziwniejszą, ale najlepszą jest idea harcerstwa. Wychowanie młodzieży przez młodzież. I ja sam, jak długo tylko będę mógł, co daj Boże, aby zawsze było, będę harcerzem i nigdy dla niego pracować i popierać go nie przestanę. Czuwaj! 

S.W. Frelichowski, Pamiętnik [Diary], January 16th, 1930