The Irish standard., 1915-07-24
(By Patrick H. Casey, S. j.

store or in the richly equipped office
building. She may work with the
needle, the typewriter or the pen. But
no matter where or with what she
works she belongs to class of Catho
lies of whom we are justly proud
You are my joy and my crown
wrote st. Paul to his converts in Phil.
ippi. In like manner the Catholic
Church addressing her working girls
may also be proud of them and call
them cher joy and her crown" The
mission of the Church is to sanctify
human souls, and the soul of the
Catholic working girl is one of the
most beautiful and consoling results
of her work.
The Catholic working girl is not
only a representative of Catholicism;
she is also one of its best apostles.
She brings the Church into notice
where no pulpit preacher can get a
hearing. She moves in sphere where
oftentimes no other Catholic influence
can enter. Especially does she bring
before the world the Church's attri-
butte of sanctity. The Church's unity
is fact visible to all. So, too, is its
catholicity or worldwide existence.
But it's sanctity is an attribute not so
easily discerned. But our Catholic
working girls bring it into view. Their
honesty, their purity, their piety are
easily recognized as the outcome of
their religion. The Church's sanctity
is manifested through the sanctity of
her children.
But Catholic working girls in their
turn have much for which to be CRATE
full to the Church, their mother. She
gives them faith which is the mar
vel of the world, and is "the one pearl
of priceless value" in their lives She
gives them the Sacramento that en-
able them to resist temptation and
persevere in the grace and friendship
of God. She gives them the tribunal of
Penance, with all it's wise restraints
and saving counsels. She gives them
the Flesh and the Immaculate Lamb
to support them in the battle for pur-
ity of soul and body. She gives them
all those Catholic devotions that set
around them wall of strength, pro-
lection and security. But especially
does she instill into their hearts a
deep and tender devotion to the Virgin
Mother of God. And with this devO-
ton there comes into the Catholic
girls life a source of strength and In
SEPARATION of which the world must live
forever unaware.
The lily Maid Of Nazareth had to
work. Though born Of the royal house
of David, she had to work. Though
Mother of the King of kings, she had
to work. And her work and the work
of her Divine Son in Nazareth made
work beautiful and honorable forever.
with these examples constantly set
before her, the Catholic working girl
feels no envy for 1.-The idle rich" nor
aspires to the emptiness of the life
they lead She feels no pain When she
reads of their doings, nor regret when
she sees them rush past like the pleas
ures they pursue.
But she is not dreamer this Cath
olic working girl. She knows that Goa
feeds the birds of the air and clothes
with beauty the lilies of the field. But
she also knows that the birds are up
at the peep of day and go forth In
search of food. She knows that the
lilies are clothed with beauty only IN
so far as they live up to the laws OF
their nature. The Catholic working
girl knows that though fashioned for
heaven she has to live on earth, make
her living and win her way.
She has her ambitions. First among
than nerhaps. is the ambition to Sc,
cure the approval of her employer
She is right in this. But she will Sc.
cure it by her fidelity, her accuracy
and her attention to duty. BY no other
method. She will also aim to win his
respect. This she will reach by the
way of modesty and reserve and the
wilderness of lovely, innocent life.
Shall she try to win his affection?
No. Let his approval and respect be
enough. But she will try to win the
affections of the girl companions with
whom she works. Their affection will
tighten her toll. Her cheerfulness
and the sweetness of her company will
tighten theirs.
But no matter how pleasant their
company may be, the time comes
when she has to think of leaving 1t
No matter how good and kind her EN-
ployer is, the day dawns when she
thinks of leaving him. She begins tc
! think of working in some sweet little
home of her own. So she looks around
for the man who will make that home
\ and keep it and guard it for her.
Here she comes face to face witt
the great questions of life. Where tt
find him? How to choose him? How
sst55i to be sure he is all she hopes him t.
n be? How to win his affection? How
70 keep 1t? How to bring It to full
ness? How to consecrate it forever
X III marriage? These are the great