The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-11-29

TERMS PRIMO ClPLES LAlE
DOWN MAY BE APPLIED TIC
CHRISTIAN WOMEN EVERY
WHERE.
The following is a translation OF
the important discourse pronounced
recently by the Holy Father in reply
to the address presented by the Ital
ian Catholic Womens Union (the
"Unione Femminile Cattolica Ital
iana"):
Words of Holy Father.
The changed conditions of the
times have conferred upon woman
functions and rights which were not
allowed her in former times. But nc
change in the opinions of men, nc
novelty of circumstances and events
will ever remove woman, conscious
of her mission, from her natural cen
ter, which is the family. At the do
mestic hearth she is queen, but even
when at a distance from the domestic
hearth, she must direct towards it not
only her natural affection, but also
the cares of a prudent ruler, in the
same manner as a sovereign who is
outside of the territory of his own
state does not neglect the welfare OF
the state, but always keeps it fore,
most in his thoughts and solicitude.
Hence it may be justly said that
the changed conditions of the times
have enlarged the field of woman's S
activity. An apostolate of woman in
the world has succeeded that more
intimate and restricted action which
she formerly exercised within the do
mestic walls; but this apostolate must
be carried out in such manner as
to make it evident that woman, both
outside and within the home, shall
not forget that it is her duty, even
today, to consecrate her principal
cares to the family.
We are aware that the increased,
and ever-increasing activity OF Italian
Catholic women is determined to be
guided by this same standard. Hence
we applaud the renewed determina-
tion of dedicating themselves to the
education of youth, and to the better
ment of the family and of the school.
We emphasize the right that they
claim to liberty in the education of
their children, because it would be
barbarous to pretend that whilst not
excluded from the formation Of the
less noble part of their children, they
should be shut out from the care and
development Of their more noble part
Modesty in Dress.
On the other hand, we rejoice at
the resolution which has been formu-
lated to secure that Catholic women,
in addition to the duty of being mod
est. should also realize that of show
ing themselves such in their manner
of dress. Such a resolution expresses
the necessity of the good example
that the Catholic woman ought to
give; and, oh! how grave, how urgent
gerations of fashion which, them
selves the fruit of the corruption OF
their inventors, contribute in a de-
plorable degree to the general cor
ruption of manners! We feel it our
duty to insist in a particular manner
on this point, because on the one
hand we know that certain styles OF
dress which nowadays have become
usual among women are harmful tC
the well-being of society, as being
provocative of evil; and, on the other
hand, we are filled with amaZement al
seeing that those who communicate
the poison seem not to realize it's ma
lignant action, and those who set the
house on fire seem to ignore the de-
structive force of the fire. 1t is only
the supposition of such ignorance
which can explain the deplorable eX
tension in our days of fashion sc
contrary to that modesty which ought
to be the choicest ornament of the
Christian woman Without sucE
ignorance it appears to us that nc
women could possibly have gone te
the excess of wearing indecent gar
ments, even when approaching the
sanctuary, and when presenting them
selves before the natural and accred
tied masters of Christian morality
With what satisfaction, therefore
have we learned that the adherents
of the Catholic Wemen's Union have
inscribed in their program the reso
luton of showing themselves modes
even in the form of their dress 3!
so doing they will fulfil the stric
duty of not giving scandal. and o
not becoming a stumbling block t.
others in the path of virtue; more
over, they will show that they under
stand how, now that their mission il
the world has been enlarged, the!
must give good example, no longe
within the walls of their homes, bu
also in the streets and public places
a Solemn Duty.
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