The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-01-18
An Important Problem.
From the Jersey City Catholic Unio

From the Jersey City Catholic Union.l
How shall we get our children to read
Catholic publications Have we not all
felt the gravity of this problem There is |
no use in our forgetting in the conduct of
this Catholic war for the good and the true
in literature, that there is grave difhculty
in our way. Human nature is very corrupt
and very much inclined to prefer what Is
decidedly injurious to Catholic morals.
That is the difficulty-how are we to meet
itf
To show how it can be met, and what
agencies are required will require more
papers than one. At some other time we
may suggest how the clergy as body can
aid in doing what individual priests are
doing every day with the most marked and
gratifying success. Now, we have to deal
with priests. In our first number we asked
them to remember their duty of providing
their children with Catholic books and
papers, and to exclude from their homes
the immoral and infidel substitutes which
are within the reach of every child Does
the parents duty end there's p.
"Mr. Editor" said Catholic parent
some time ago to a Catholic journalist of
cur acquaintance 4" like your paper,
whenever have time I read it. l take it
reads it and like it, but cannot get the
children to read it. There is no use in
conccaling the fact, they prefer such and
such papers," mentioning some that were
not the worse of their kind but which still
are not the most suitable for Christian
home. "Can you tell me, Mr.. Editor, what
am to do I"
els there the same objection to other
Catholic papers 7" was the editors ques-
tioning reply.
"Just so, and perhaps even more So"
"It is STANCE that Catholic children of a
Catholic parent should feel no interest IN
weekly record of the progress of the
greatest work-even humanity regarded
chat the mind of man ever conceived. Are
they devoid of feelings of interest in cleo
ton newsf How about the Modoc cam
paigni The Cuban businessf The French
and German Wars
The answer was as might be expected.
Their interest in all these topics is un-
bounded, and the tea-table at supper time,
was a perfect table of discussion. Catholic
parent, what q reproach to you. Your
} children capable of being made to feel the
deepest interest in such matters, and yet
you confess that they cannot be induced to
read of the sufferings Of the dear Holy Fa'
= Their, of the dedication of Ireland, or of the
struggles and efforts Of our missionaries ir
foreign countries, of the outrage offered tc
, the Church by infidel rulers, and of the
prosecutions in Switzerland and Germany
They know every particular OF the low
3 lives of the latest murderer or black-lel
4 whose crime has won him a days immor
r tality in the New York press, and yet the,
9 know almost nothing about the great ane
Q good men who in every quarter OF the giob'
are doing the work of God and civilization
9 in building up and preserving human
:, society! But it is not to reproach that W
o now write Let US resume out interview
: The editor replied, "Have you eve
= thought of the cause of this7 You join il
j, the discussion of Cuban and Modoc of
: fairs ~
t eyes,"
# Daring the French war you points
ont on the map the course of the invadin
# army and explained what they tried to &C
t com plshed."
8 Well, yes, attempted that, as well q
8 a civilian could do it. You know l am
8 self made man and have not much educa
Q tion.'
0 "In politics, you Always vote the straigh
9 ticketf"
v Certainly"
= dren should vote the samef
}, "Of course"
Q "They share your opinions and interes
y in that ticket, whatever it may bel"
10 Certainly"
r. Chow did they learn these opinions an
70 obtain that interest Z"
"Why, suppose they heard us talsln
l. of the matter. You know what chlldre
1t are. They always like to talk with bigge
IT people. suppose it is their nature ~
Of "It is"
;" "Well they heard us talking of tines
le things and of course took hand in, and E
f. they grew up, and now they know IA muc
i as do, or as any of the neighbors."
" 81 see. By the way, you said you ha
TT not often time to read the Catholic paper
ID Business is large and you are much occr
IN pied 7"
IN ayes. have great deal to do and NJ
DO much leisure, and on Sunday l like i
n smoke cigar and take o sail to State
b. Island or do something equivalent"
I'd "Ah! remember 1 met you the oth'
p Sunday. By the way, l think you lent
ed the Sunday Blank "a vile paper) to read
spicy article which you admired, Will
tn you could not read about the great Chur'
cs of God.
al "Good friend and Catholic parent, r
II sponsible before God, for the Catholic ed
oil cation of your children. Iou are CO. 20
in demned out of your own mouth. You ca
raj interest your children in politics., wheth
lat ward, county, state or national or. intern
on tionai. You never read a Catholic paP'
Of You mover talk Catholic affairs to then
le. YOU never ask them their opinion on this
ole that fact which is of human importan
form