The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-10-07
THE HOME: A CLOSE CORPORA
TON.

The decay of family life in United
States is a subject of grave concern
for serious students of the times, says
the New Orleans Morning Star. From
the pulpit, in the press, in magazines,
and even novels of the day, the trend
of thought seems to center upon the
passing of the home, which was and
should ever be such a potent infu-
ence in our life and civilization. In
stead of the home life of the old days,
we have all manner of club life, fra
ternities, societies and other organiza-
lions, setting themselves up as centers
for youth and old age, too, to the
detriment of those fine old principles
which once made the family hearth
and home circle the paramount
thought in the life of the people.
A peculiar thing about all these or
CARNATIONS which are robbing us of
much of our home life, is sense of
comradship at the same time that
members are shut off, as it we're, from
all kinds of people, and "can do just
what they like" That idea of doing
just what eve like to do is sure to
appeal to human nature in some way.
Now, this principle may very hap
PLY be utilized in the family circle.
Eve have our little ways at home,
and they are very dear to U.S." said
sweet mother, now passed away. Her
children were remarkable for their
loyalty to their home. Stretching like
a silver cord through long years to
bind one back to home and love, are
sweet old family customs that kept
the children at home with father and
mother. There was the sacred custom
of family prayers, the grace at meals,
the habit of carrying the youngest
child in triumph to the table-and, oh,
there was youngest child almost
every year in this home; there were
the happy birthdays, the feast days,
the first communion and combinations,
the sacred rule-never deviated from
of all the family approaching the
Holy Table in common on the first
Sunday of the month. There were the
Christmases and New Years, and the
happy greeting and kiss for father
when he came home from his daily
tasks; there was the good night and
the good morning kiss for father and
mother, and sisters and brother; the
charming winter nights when such
beautiful good stories and poetry were
read around the family hearth; and
there we're, too, memories that are de-
lightful that touched upon little econ
omics that we're kept close family
secrets" Indeed, this family circle
was zone big secret" Each one knew
what the other was doing, and boys
and girls had no secrets from father
and mother. The economy" prac-
ticed was something not to be asham-
ed of, but rather ranked as high grade
policy in this home community"
Now, having "our own way" of doing
this or that, ought to be very popular
in family circles. Instead of being
troubled about what other people
do" in their home or in public, let
every home go back to old customs
and make home itself "close corpor-
alton" Let us seek, rather, to follow
methods and plans that suit "our own"
peculiar circumstances or conyen-
fences or taste, and let us, at least,
have some customs that will be so
ingrained into the family life that the
young folks will think them far better
than following the fashion
A.