The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-03-02
MOTHERHOOD. :

The sacredness of the calling or
motherhood, the grand and noble dig
nifty, the holy state, the instrument
of fulf1llment of the Divine word OF
God is full of pathos and full OF joy.
When we speak of motherhood, it is
by associating that sweet and gentle
name with home, with memories
which flash across our minds and take
us back, perchance, to the humble
home, where by the fireside we nes-
tied to mothers breast and first
learned to lisp the sacred name OF
God. Home, either humble or pala-
tial awakens within our mind fond
and cherished memories that are in
delibly written across our hearts.
Homes does not mean the beautiful
mansion, ideally situated in the midst
of dazzling panoramic scene: Home
does not mean a beautiful structure
made of the most expensive building
material and constructed according to
the highest type of art drawn from
ancient or modern architecture.
Home does not mean the brilliancy
of interior decoration. Home does
not mean the elaborate drapings and
furnishings, the costly paintings, the
unique bric-a-brac or the oriental rug.
No, thank God, home has a greater
and higher significance. 1t is as one
brilliant writer says: THE charmed
circle within which live and love the
nearest and dearest friends on earth.
1t is, the temple of heart affection. 1t
is the sanctuary blessed by noble hui
man unSelfishness. 1t is the shrine
eonsecrated to highest human love.
Home means the bonds of blood and
ties of tenderness, which clasp into
one close intimacy the hearts of those
who hand in hand journey heaven
ward Home is the moral circle with
in which minds and hearts share the
same shelter, breathe the same at
mosphere, bear the same burdens,
sympathize in the same sorrows, en-
Joy the same pleasures, divide the
same tolls and contribute to. the same
success.
But this home of which I speak
would be terribly incomplete without
mother Therefore, l say, no grander,
nobler dignity could God confer upon
woman, than that of motherhood. She
is the Queen of the basic unit of So
ciety, she is the sunshine of the home,
she. is the most brilliant star in all
the galaxy of the armament, she is
the sweetest, most beautiful flower of
all the fragrant blossoms. Her good
influence permeates the whole family
circle and soothes, encourages, and
ennobles each member to higher and
grander ideals. There is no sacrifice
too great for mother when the inter
estS of the family are at stake. The
long dreary watch, the ever vigilant
attention, the care, responsibilities
and duties of motherhood from the
cradle to the altar, have given to her
dignity which God intended no
power on earth should remove. But
we are living in an age, in which a
fragment of society seeks to rob
motherhood of much of this God-given
dignity, this sublime glory. Mother
hood, in this modern age, is becoming
an, incident in the material things of
life, rather than the chosen instru-
ment of a sacred mission. The min
imizing of added responsibilities in
the home seems to be the aim of
thousands of otherwise excellent
women. The frustrating and setting
aside of the designs of Omnipotent
economy, in the sacredness of the
marriage tie, is not only practiced,
but openly advocated by the follow
ers of Communism, the Free Love
advocates and the affinity propaganda
lists,
Motherhood in the human family
differs materially from motherhood in
other spheres, for the honor, glory
and dignity which is hers, dates back
two thousand years ago, back to the
humble manger, back to the inn at
Bethlehem, back to the obscure peas
ant Virgin of Galilee, who humbly
listened to the angelic salutation,
| Hail full of grace, the Lord is with
thee. Blessed art thou among WON.
| Gil. GT1UI W ILLS ulfluG 5dlutdtl0H
from the angel Gabriel, and contem.
poraneous with the life of the Divine
Son, woman was but the plaything OF
man, a slave to the brutality. licenti-
BUSINESS and lust of wicked men.
Imagine, if you will, the multiplic-
Eity of duties incumbent upon the
mother with her new born babe. The
helpless infant, the atom of human
unconsciousness, the weak limp mem.
Der of society, stretched out in swad.
ling clothes and slumbering in yon.
der cradle. With what tenderness,
what love, with what. fondness the
mother caresses this almost shapeless
mass of infantile life. AS time flies
| and to each day is added additional
responsibilities the mothers love. is
not diminished, but rather increased
She is ever at. the bedside of the
helpless child, ministering to it the
care which only mother can give
Lays pass by and months and years
are added to this great human scene
The child is now in boyhood or girl
/ hood and government, real govern
ment must be inaugurated, for real
1 government the basic principle of all