The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-10-07

God and their souls.
The ideal Catholic mother-a queen
in her parish, an angel in her home,
Joy untold to the mother of God, and
a strong testimony to the victory of
the Cross. At the cradle, her beads
steal quietly through her tender fin
gers as. she watches with JOY and
pride the precious gift of God,-her
child made in His image and likeness.
AS the little one passes from baby
hood and acquires the light and gift
of intelligence, sweet, simple stories
of the Divine Infant, of His holy Mo-
Their, of Heaven, and of God fall from
her lips and impress upon the mind of
that innocent little one, such indelible
pictures, such radiant coloring, as
brush of artist, no matter how gifted,
could never create-pictures that
never fade, pictures that allure the
man and woman of after years along
the originals; pictures that lead to
the feet of Christ, pictures that have
made and will make saints innumer-
able.
AS the little one advances in boy
hood or girlhood, the ideal Catholic
mothers mind is more and more pre-
occupied with the things of the soul
of her child. Her trust is ever in God.
Prayers are spoken into the youth
full ears; rosaries are taught and re-
cited; simple acts of love and faith
ceaselessly fall from her lips, to be
repeated daily and nightly by her pre-
cious charge. When the clock on the
mantel strikes the mother devontly
blesses herself and praises God for the
Blessings of the hour that has gone
and begs of Him graces and blessings
for the hours to come Her child be-
holds, listens, and initiates. The An
gelus peals from nearby convent and
again mother and child echo the sweet
and solemn words Of the Queen of
Heaven, the Mother of Christ.
When schooldays arrive the gentle
mother leads her dear one by the
hand, and, with a simple explanation
and humble eXhortation to the kindly
nun and tender embrace of her child,
she departs-not homeward, but for
visit to her God in the Blessed Sac
rament. With bowed head she begs
His protection and grace on her darl-
ing. Every morning thereafter as her
child departs for school the good
mother kneels and with a simple pray
er asks Gods blessing upon him, after
which the little one is sprinkled with
Holy Water, and with his tiny statues
OF the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and
Mary on his person or in his school
bag, he wends his way schoolwards.
Thus do the schooldays pass; and
thus does the mother impress deeper
and deeper upon the child the love of
God and of the things of God-and
not as the least, love and reverence
for His priests. And what pains are
taken when the childish lips reveal to
the tender parent that he is being pre-.
pared for his first Holy Communion.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
mother has implicit trust in the zeal
and care of his teachers she spares no
pains to prepare her little one
thoroughly and devoutly for the Day
OF his life. When that happy morn
ing dawns the child is arrayed in
spotless raiment, while his soul, still
more spotless, is all eagerness to re-
ceive his God-eagerness impaired by
the loving zeal and sweet patience of
the child's dearest friend on earth,
his mother. The blissful moment ar
rives. The child is led forward by his
angel guardian to the altar rail while
the deVout parent reverently prays
for him-humble and simple prayers
OF thanksgiving mingled with petitions
that the great good God may ever
keep. His little one as on this Day of
days immaculate and pure of soul and
heart. In the home that day and night
the all absorbing thought and topic is
the First Communion.
Thus is it with every member of
that devoted mothers household and
family circle. True, the father is
good and kind-nay, indulgent-
all and beloved by all; but the mother
AASbEAOo SAC WudL IL 1S-L0G
mother is the human guardian angel,
the great, glowing, shining example
for all those little boys and girls who
play and chatter around the hearth,
who, morning, noon and night, pray
about her knee
Schooldaays are over,-the world
must be faced. The mother whose
sole ambition is the salvation of the
souls of her children is now confront
ed with many anxieties. The world
is wicked and sinful. Hence she
seeks TO still further impress upon her
boy or girl the value of virtue and the
friendship of God. For years past
they have knelt by her side at evening
ftss6t :