The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-03-09

dividual into the married state; bnt
when woman has once entered it, she
10 bound to look on its obligations az
paramount, and therefore may not en-
ter into any engagements incompatible
with them. Moreover, whether mar
ried or single, she is not allowed to
hold or teach that marriage is, of it's
nature, degradation or slavery. In
this, I presume, we are all agreed, not
only as Christians, but also as students
of sane philosophy of life Now, as
the state of wifehood and motherhood
involves, with other obligations, the
rearing Of children and the care of the
home, these two duties she must not
shirk, and for the faithful discharge of
them, she must waive all aspirations
and claims with which they cannot be
adjusted. On the other hand, what
ever right or privilege or liberty or
equality is not incompatible with the
obligations OF marriage may be
claimed and fought for and enjoyed by
woman as rightfully as by man. After
everything has been done for the chill
dren, the husband and the home, there
is no restriction, as far as know, on
female activity, whether it be for per-
sonal betterment or the enfranchise-
ment and elevation of her sex. ZAP
plause.)
Home Duties First Care.
"Let woman, therefore, give the
Catholic Church satisfactory guarantee
| that she shall make the faithful dis
| charge of home duties her first and
chief care, and the Catholic Church
will bid her Godspeed in any propa-
gandism that makes for her highest
good. (Vociferous applause.)
"But, ladies, at the heart of much
of woman's unrest in our day is re-
volt, conscious or unconscious, against
her wifely, maternal, and domestic
duties. (Cries of No, no. Shame
Withdraw Bear with me, beg you,
until explain, as Christian priest,
what those duties are, and then Judge
who Is right.
ST look in Christian home for such
mutual love as will fuse the members
into an unit. / look for community of
interest and cooperation of energy in
husband and wife. I look for ability
and intelligence and sympathy and
help in the latter, so that she may be
to the former, in time of need or
worry or depression, trusty adviser,
a faithful friend, true helpmeet
Then again I look to find in it
mothers love for her children char
acterized by wisdom and foresight and
fortitude and self-denial. Lastly, re-
quire of the Christian mother to make
her home bright, cheerful, refined
and children. Such is my idea of
Christian home and of woman's queen
ly place in it. Such were the homes in
the past from which the strongest men
and the noblest women went out to be
a blessing and an inspiration to the
world. Can you honestly tell me,
ladies, that the woman who reigns by
love in such homes can be fifty called
drudge or slave? Or, let me ask
more pertinent question: Is there
not antipathy and disgust for such
homes and contempt for the women
who preside in them among the agita-
tors for women's rights? Yet which
is doing most for God and humanity
the childless wife planning an Utopian
future to which she contributes moth
ing but words, or the mother of a
numerous family which she is rearing
and training to become good Chris
tians and worthy citizens-her con-
tribution to posterity?
Eyes; I repeat it-there is spread
ing revolt against woman's traditional
place in the Christian home; and So
cieties like yours, however praise
worthy they may be, have to be on
their guard, or they shall find them
selves some day in the camp of the
enemy. The danger is, I trust, remote
; from you, who are devoted to your
homes and are doing your utmost to
make them beautiful and happy. But
the remoteness of danger is no guar
antee against its approach. There is
yet no danger for the moored skiff
above the deadly waterfall. But let it
be drawn into the treacherous current
and who shall save it from disaster"