The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-03-07
LETTER
OF THE BISHOP OF ST. CLOUD

snort prayers which it should repeat
daily. When it shows sufficient judg-
ment of distinction between good
and evil, it must be taught to hate
sin and love virtue. 1t must be di-
rected to love God, its Creator; Jesus
Christ, it's Savior; His Blessed Mother
Mary, it's guardian angel, etc. Chris
tian parents should see that there is
nothing said or done in the house
that could hurt the tender innocence
of the child. This first Christian edu-
cation in the arms of the good pious
Christian mother is of the utmost i'm
portance and cannot be replaced by
anything afterwards. This early
Christian training is most necessary
especially in our days when children
of years are admitted to the first
holy Communion, which exercises a
blessed influence upon all subsequent
Communions, in fact, upon the whole
life. The pious Christian mother
should consider the careful prepara-
tion of her innocent child for this first
holy Communion as her special privi-
lege and most pleasing duty. God
will bless and reward her.
Negligent Parents.
| But there are also mothers who do
nothing for the religious instruction
of their children, but leave every
thing to priests and teachers; and so
it comes that children or 8 years of
age do not know even the most famil-
lar prayers and have not the least
idea Of religion and religious truths
What labor and pains does it not cost
priests and teachers to impress the
most essential things on the minds
of such neglected children! There
are parents who not only neglect to
teach their children the saving truths
of religion themselves, but even re-
fuse to send them regularly to instruc-
tion. ALI admonitions Of jealous Pas
tors are in some cases in vain. Such
neglected children make their appear
ance few times before the solemn
holy Communion or before Conf1rma-
tion. No wonder that in their IL or
more years of age, they know less of
holy religion than a little child in
the arms of a good, pious Christian
mother. When such neglected, ig-
norant children grow up and go out
into the wicked world, where they
see and hear so much badness and
evil, they are like reed shaken by
every wind, they have no foundation
to stand on, nothing to regulate their
conduct; they are not armed for the
battle against the enemies of their
salvation, and must necessarily sue
cumb. What a fearful responsibility
have not the parents who neglect the
early Christian education of their
children in their own homes.
Having received the first beginning
of Christian education in the home of
good, loving parents, the child must
be sent to school where this true edu-
cation should be continued But it
must perhaps go to school where no
religion can be taught Here the diff
ficulty is great, almost insurmount-
able Day after day the poor child
hears nothing of God and it's duties
toward Him, nothing of religion, so
that at last it naturally comes to the
conclusion that, after all, religion is
only troublesome matter of little
Importance.
Catechism Glasses.
There are many small places, sta
tions and settlements, in which only
few Catholics live. Our Jealous
priests tend to them from time to
time and teach their children. But
how many difficulties they have to en-
counter, for there is no proper place
where they could assemble them, no
accommodation for the priest. Very
often circumstances prevent some
children from attending even the few
instructions that can be given during
the year. In parishes where there is
no parochial school, catechism is
taught, as rule, on Saturdays and
Sundays. This, however, is not sufi-
cient, even if it could be done all the
time; but there are busy seasons,
when it is impossible to expect chill
dren of farmers for instructions. Be-
sides, what attention can the Rev.
Pastor give to catechism instruction
on Sundays when he is continually
occupied with other parochial work?
In remote little places and settle
ments Pastors should (if possible) or
ganize catechism classes and get
good, fairly well instructed lay-cate-
chists to hear the lessons of the chill
dren and say some prayers with them.
Missionaries in pagan countries &C
complish most with the help of their
native lay-catechists. This was also
the custom in many stations and set
Elements of our own State about 40
(or more) years ago, when every
priest had one or two counties to at
tend to. The results of such cate
chism classes were generally most
gratifying. OF course, such method
is only a makeshift in places where
| nothing else is possible.
ParochiaI School instruction.
Wherever there is parochial
school, all Catholic children are
obliged to attend, for only there the
continuation of the true Christian in
struction is possible. Parents have
neither time nor skill to give COM
plete education to their children,
hence they intrust them to we'll
trained teachers who love them and