The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-11-22
DUTIES OF PARENTS TOWARDS
THEIR CHILDREN.

A writer signing himself Rev. c. M.
H. gives the following admirable in
struction in the Pittsburg Observer:
1. Of what shall we speak in this
instruction?
In this instruction we shall speak
of the duties of parents to their
children.
2. How may we sum up the duties
of parents to their children?
We may sum up the duties of par
ents to their children as love of chill
dren. Love means to wish good and
do good to another Parents must by
the natural and the divine law love
their children. The love of parents
for the child must be a Christian love,
that is, a love springing from Chris
tan principles.
8. To what must the love of par
ents extend?
The love of parents must extend to
the whole child, that is, to the life of
the body and to the life of the soul.
Parents must have care of the tenn
poral and the spiritual welfare of their
children.
4. What are the duties of parents
regarding the temporal welfare of
their children?
The duties of parents regarding the
temporal welfare of their children
are: 1. To protect the life and health
of the child. The child, even yet I'M
born, has right to live, has a right to
hnqlthU of nfc in
mind the fifth commandment of God:
Thou shalt not kill" Parents may
be guilty of killing directly and in
directly, by placing an action, by
neglecting duty. Let parents ever
keep in mind: There is no riches
above the riches of the health of the
body (Ecclus 80, 16). Both these
rights of the child are put into the
hands of the parents. The parents
are answerable to God, because the
chosen instruments of God. g. To
afford the child food, shelter, and
clothing. Parents must supply these
needs of the child as long as the child
is unable to provide them for himself.
The supply must be sufficient and
suitable to the condition of the child.
8. To fit the child to support itself
honestly and becomingly. Parents
should accustom the child early to
labor, to do useful work. But the
parents must not overtax the strength
of the child. The child should be
given opportunity, when practicable,
to learn trade. Parents dare not in
terfere with the child's vocation; but
they should guide the child in the
choice of state of life 4. To save
as an inheritance to the children. Par
ents should not waste worldly goods
they should try to save of their in
come for the children.
5. How do parents sin against the
temporal welfare of their children?
Parents sin against the temporal
welfare of their children: 1. If they
do not protect the life and health OF
the children; 2. If they fail to provide
sufficient and suitable food, shelter
and clothing; 8. If they permit the
children to grow up in idleness, il
they do not train them to useful
work; 4. If they squander the worldly
goods which should pass to the chill
dren as an Inheritance.
g. What are the duties of parents
regarding the spiritual welfare OF
their children?
The duties of parents regarding the
spiritual welfare of their children are:
1. To instruct and educate in all that
is necessary for salvation, namely, in
faith, morals, and the means of grace
Parents must see to this under pain
of grievous sin. They must answer to
God; they cannot shirk the duty. The
educating must be accomplished by
word and example. The instructins
and educating of the child should be
done by the parents; but under pres
ent conditions is largely done away
from the home. done at school tt
attain the end-namely. to give the
child religious education-the chilt
must be sent. wherever practicable, tt