The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-04-24
LITERATURE IN THE HOME.

Every mother desires the success
of her children, and this is quite
natural, but it of the greatest i'm
portance to discover in what success
consists, and then what are the means
to secure it. There is sometimes seen
in community a family whose mem
bers are honored above their neigh
bors; both parents and children re-
ceive the confidence of their Pastor
and others. Sometimes this compli-
ment provokes the ill-will of the
thoughtless, who fail to recognize the
cause-superior ability.
One such instance recurs to my
mind. A lad in the elocution class
gave in so slovenly a manner the ex-
tract assigned to him that the teacher
called from a lower class much
younger boy, who recited the selec-
ton with delightful clearness of enun-
citation, eloquent meditation and rare
gracefulness of demeanor. The lis
teners showed their appreciation by
their enthusiastic applause. The diff
ference between the two lads was
traceable to their mothers, or, rather,
through them to their grandparents.
In each family the station in life
was the same, but in one home read
ing was delight, and the parents led
their little ones along the fowery
paths of knowledge.
There succeeded to the study of the
catechism readings in Scripture and
church history. The children were
taught the Mass so carefully that they
could unite with the very words of
the Priest when Mass was in prog
ress. They recited in Latin the
Gloria, Credo and Pater Noster; the
other parts in English as the priest
said the words in Latin. The father
of such family had been taught by
a blind aunt who lived in that Elmer
aid Isle, where persecution drew the
faithful to the church. They priced
the faith in proportion to the price
they paid for it-many gave their
lives.
In the household of the intelligent
Catholic the arrival of the Catholic
weekly paper is delight. Therein
may be found the answers to many of
the charges against the faith which
are met in intercourse with non-Cath-
olics. The Catholic weekly, read aloud
in the family, furnishes information
that not only cultivates the taste by
the exquisite style of the writer, but
by the variety and excellence of the
articles adds greatly to the knowl-
edge of science and of scientific men,
who have been also faithful sons of
the Church, loyal to their God aud
useful to the world, whether as states
men, physicians, artists or artisans,
or in any occupation i'll life.
1t is but recently that a well-known
priest received call from a commit
tee of men prominent in the municipal
affairs of a great city who desired the
names of some men of the parish
men who were capable of administer
ing certain departments. The priest
expressed surprise, and asked if there
ministration was desired, and only
men of good principles could cope
with the existing corruption,
The home wherein good reading is
cultivated is usually remarkable for
the courteous manners of the family
gentleness and good English give a
pleasing grace and a delightful voice
Familiarity with good reading is like
companionship with good society
both stimulate and refine. Thus the
young folks are prepared for the sue
cess that comes to the deserving.