The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-04-09
Family Prayer-arace Before and A1ee1 @es"'
We take the following extracts from the
I.enten Pastoral Letter of the Most Rev.
Archkishop Manning:

Manning:
Enn,ily Prayer.-There were two noble
cnstoms in Christian households which are
now declining, aud ought to be carel9ny
The one ia to unite together Gay
by day, as q family, in prayer, either at tne
HOLY Mass, or in the rosary, or In some
common acts of piety family las. s.; IT,
self TIE head has responsibilities for all
it's members, children and servants; and
thew also to him and to each other. "a
rental authority, filial obedience, domestic
fidelity, can never be sustained without
faith and prayer. Ts kneel together Gay
by day. before our common Fl chartV and
duty. When households are not sanctlhed
by drawer, authority and obedience, charity
and peace. are all weakened and too often
altogether lost. We fear, however, that
this Catholic practice of daily plety ID
dying out in many homes; Inc t asagss ;o Oh
are not Catholic, the tyranny OF society,
which deranges all hours, early and late,
turning night into day, are pleaded as ex-
cuses for letting this duty Of Catholic piety
die out. How far the usages of the world
will excuse us before Hin, who will come to
Judge the world, You need not be told. ~,
Grace Before and After Meals. - The
other practice is that for which every
manual of Catholic piety provides, under
the head of "Grace before and after meals"
Such was the practice of our fore1athers,
| and, it may be, of many in their ch!idnooo
who now for years have forgotten this duty.
The cause of this neglect of thankfulness
| is, chiefly. contact with the world: AND
| vet it was, till of late, the universal prac-
tice in all English homes. Catholics who
neglect it are without excuse Tor many
who are not Catholics still with fidelity
maintain this duty of thankfulness to ou1
Heavenly Father. But the world, IN l1'
heartless and faithless forgetfulness OF GOD
goes to it's food without any token OF In
telligent recognition of the hand from
} which it comes. 1t is recorded as mari
of the first Christians, that continuing
daily with one accord in the Temple, an
8 breaking bread from house to house, the
$ took their meat with gladness and sim
q picity of heart, praising God" (Acts III
= 46, Az. And it is the upbraiding of Go
'. himself for the ingratitude of Jerusalem
. " The OK knoweth his owner and the al
d his masters crib; but Israel hath NJ
l. known Me, and My people doth not co..
Z. sidern isaiah, i. /, ~. There is somethiI
y unworthy of higher natures in such thanl
al less and insen sible use of the gifts of Go
10 You remember how our books OF devotlo
e es such as s''The Garden of the Soul" bid y
he to ego to your meals with a pure lnte
ng ton" always say grace before and att
IS; your meals, with q serions attentloh
mi Godn "Observe moderation In then
,it g study rather to mortify than to graf
to your appetite" What is this but the tt
t. is: meaning of the Apostles words: "Whets
,ns you eat OF drink, or whatsoever you 90,
ed: ed all to the glory of God" Il Cor. K, 3f)
Id, DO not m!sunoerstahu 'nae NY 49,.
all mean that by an ostentatloh ot piety,
in sinqularity of behavior, you should ettr
Id. attention. Those who will, can always +
ON I'll this duty towards God. At least, Il
est can make it the rule of their own no
I'D In without fear of the world or false sha
me-, mes They can also, be they where they m
at ont provoking the notice of others. BIZ
but is better to bear ridicule, if need be, rat
ons than to forget God, which provokes
lust displeasure.