The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1952-11-14

tnE 1Gt1 Cdt t1ONCutCHt Ids UGGW
under way for the past 80 years
in this country but was organized
in a corporate way in 1886 in
Chicago.
Today, Miss Bauer said, the
movement has 57 member retreat
houses with facilities for 1000
retreats a year.
The Very Rev. J. J. McLarney,
o.P., prior of st. Joseph's Priory
in Somerset, keynoted the two-day
conference Saturday morning with
a talk on the theme You are the
light of the world"
Father McLarney told the wom-
en- there are four properties of
light which are so obvious they
often 60 unnoticed. He explained:
Light is, first, beautiful and
without blemish or blur.
Secondly, it is abundant and
generous and without reserve,
without reluctance to shine.
Thirdly, its rays are direct and
they never deviate from the
straight line.
Finally, light is enduring and
travels without cessation or delay.
''if it ceases to be enduring and
direct; if it ceases to be abundant
and beautiful, it is something else.
II cannot be light, 1t would be the
absence of light, or darkness"
in a similar way, light-let us
say, the light of the sun, splendid
always-touches every manner of
ugIiness and filth without a bIem-
ish in itself. SO should be the heart
of a Christian.
The saints have been "the lights
of the world" Father McLarney
said, for 1T has been given them
to be iliumined and set on fire
with the love of God"
ITO you is given the same illum-
ination; to you the same charge
is delivered. To you the same chal-
lenge. To you the same mission Of
light"
He told the women that mis-
sion is ito stay at the feet of the
Lord and hear His word as Mary"
That mission, he added, is to be
busy, about many things and to
bring others to His feet even as
Martha"
The Very Rev Msgr. Harry c. Con-
nelly, pastor of st. Joseph Cathed-
raj and former Diocesan Director
OF the Retreats. spoke at the gen
eral session Saturday morning,
calling upon his long experience
in retreat work to explain to the
delegates, Just What Is A Re-
treat"
At the Saturday morning ses-
sion, the Rev. Francis f. Brown,
director Of retreats for the Steu-
benville Diocese in Ohio, spoke OF
the retreat in relation to the fam
lily. He said:
Before the retreat can exert
its full force on the parish, it must
first effect a terrible, frightening,
but wonderful change on the fam
lily, the life-blood of the parish
parish organizations cannot
be overlooked, school groups must
be considered. But basically il
must be the family that will give
the parish its greatest impetus"
He said the Catholic mother, aft
CT making a retreat. has her first
obligation to spread the Gospel
among" her family Her obligation
is not with the Catholic Women's
Club, or the Parent-Teachers club
Father Brown asked the women:
"Why attempt to persuade a
group in whose presence your in
fluence is sorely limited, while
your family, among whom your in
fIuence ought TO be virtually with
out limit, suffers from want Of
leadership"
Also heard at the second gener-
al session Saturday afternoon, was
the Right Rev Msgr. Roland T.
Winet, Chancellor of the Diocese
of Columbus and Diocesan Moder-
ator of the Council of Catholic
Women The Monsignor outlined
and emphasized the Importance of
what the retreat can do for each
retreatant as an individual and as
an apostle for the Church.
Miss Virginia DuBrul of Gin
cincinnati spoke of Retreats and
the ApoStolate of the Individual.
Miss DuBrul told members of a
panel session Saturday that the
lay apostle finds in a retreat fuel
and flint to kindle" the light of
the world"
"Free from the distractions of
home. work and responsibilities,
and an1tteamentS. i'm an atmoSnhafe