POTTER Familles unies

had done to the Holy Church. I heard that they said to Father in
French, "But, sir, we did not know at all the things that we were going
to do to the Church."
Left alone by their “monkey war” generals, French soldiers invading
the Spanish Netherlands, visited Roeland de Potter. They were sick
on their horses…! Some of them were even attached onto the poor
animals. Others had died on the way, carrying sicknesses to Holland
and Brabant. They would never have reached Rotterdam, if Roeland
had not been charitable to them…!
Roeland always wanted to administer the sacraments in time. He did
not make a distinction between soldier or peasant, rich or poor. Only
kids came first served.
He was always concerned about whether someone was ill, or whether
a child should be baptized or if he could have someone fulfill his
church duties. Even though those people were uninterested, he
walked there, without first having to be called.
Towards the end, Roeland had a serious illness, when the big plague
was over. He was sick with Agata Sandelingh near him. I took care of
117