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"In order to obtain perfect education, it is of the utmost
importance to see that all those conditions which surround the child
during the period of his formation, in other words, the combination of
circumstances which we call enthronement, correspond exactly to the end
proposed. The first natural and necessary clement in this environment,
as regards education, is the family, and this precisely because so
ordained by the Creator Himself." --"Pius XI in "Christian Education of
Youth."
Need of Healthy Atmosphere
To enjoy the
great boon of good health, it is not enough for one to be cleanly in
one's person, to partake of sufficient wholesome food and drink, and to
take a proper amount of exercise. Many a child in the crowded districts
of our great centers of industry has plenty of good food and exercise
and has been taught by a loving mother to cultivate the habit of
personal cleanliness, and yet is far from enjoying good health. Living
in the shadow of huge buildings, breathing in constantly the smoke and
dust of near-by factories that becloud and bedim the small portion of
sunlight that it receives, instead of attaining the full vigor and
sprightliness of the normal child, it must languish and pale like a
flower in a sterile soil. But take this child from these unpropitious
surroundings place it in the country far from the dusty city; let it
bask in a glory of sunshine and drink deep draughts of pure country
air; and the bloom that will redden its cheeks, the sparkle that will
light up its eyes, and the lilt that will appear in its gait will
proclaim the beneficial effects of such a change. The one thing that
was wanting to the child was a healthy atmosphere; and such an
atmosphere we must all have in order to remain in a state of perfect
health. Now what is true of the body and natural life is equally true
of the soul and the religious life. If the vitality of a Catholic's
Faith is not to be gradually weakened by the contagion of irreligion
that infests practically our entire public life, he must be able to
spend the greater part of his private life in a place where the moral
atmosphere is not only not tainted but is positively religious; and
this he will be able to do only if he have a morally healthy and
religiously bracing atmosphere in his own home.
Atmosphere of the Home
The reader will
readily understand that in homes where family prayer is regularly
practiced, much has already been done to create a religious atmosphere;
for by the atmosphere of the home I mean, broadly speaking, the
aggregate of external influences in the home, affecting the
spirituality of the members o the family, and, in a narrower sense, the
sum-total of sensible objects in the home capable of exerting a
favorable or unfavorable influence upon the religious or moral life of
its inmates. Just as we are variously affected as regards our bodies by
the material atmosphere in which we live,--by its heat and cold, by the
gases and germs and minute particles of dust that it holds: so, too,
are our souls affected by the sensible objects around us; and the
aggregate of such objects is accordingly quite appropriately called
moral atmosphere.
Effect of Environment
That the moral
atmosphere or environment, as it may also be styled, exerts a strong
influence upon a man s habits and the formation of his character, no
one that has the slightest knowledge of human nature will presume to
deny. It is a principle of sound philosophy that there is no conception
in the mind which is not preceded by a perception of one o the five
senses; and since it is the mind and will that govern our rational
actions, it follows that our sense-perceptions, notably those of seeing
and hearing, must have a powerful influence upon our actions.
Absolutely speaking, of course, a person may shake off this influence;
but the important thing to be noted is that the influence is there and
is felt even though it be withstood; and since we must be guided by
what ordinarily happens and not by what is theoretically possible,
parents and other responsible persons should see to it that the moral
atmosphere in their home is such as will exert a wholesome influence on
all in the household. It is true, the influence exerted by environment
produces its effects slowly and perhaps imperceptibly; but it may not
for that reason be belittled or ignored, any more than the slowly but
constantly dripping water which little by little hollows the stone.
A Worldly Atmosphere
To state in the
first place what the moral atmosphere of the home should not be, if it
is to meet the requirements of a truly Christian home, I would say that
it should not be worldly. Worldliness is diametrically opposed to
religion. The spirit of the Catholic religion is the spirit of the
Gospel, and the name for that spirit is unworldliness. The whole
purpose of the Catholic religion is to turn our thoughts, our hopes,
our aspirations and our efforts away from this world to the other
world; and we are good Catholics only in so far as we realize this end.
Christ tells us plainly: "You cannot serve two masters." We cannot
serve God and the world. Yet one of the two we must serve. Hence we are
oblige to choose either the one or the other. If we choose to serve
God, if we want to rule our life according to the precepts of the
Gospel, then we must banish worldliness from our homes. If we fail to
banish worldliness even from our homes, which we are free to fashion to
suit our own tastes and to meet our own wants, then we plainly show
that the world still has a place in our hearts.
Extravagant Furnishings
But how does
this worldliness manifest itself in the home? When may the atmosphere
of the home be said to have a worldly character? First of all, when its
dominant note is luxury or extravagance. If the Christian's attitude
towards wealth must square with those two statements of Our Lord:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit," and "How hardly shall they that have
riches enter into the kingdom of God" (Mk., 10, 23), then it is plainly
an evidence of worldliness, or opposition to the spirit of
Christianity, if wealth obtrudes itself in the home from every nook and
corner. I do not say that a rich Catholic may not have a splendid home,
furnished in a manner suited to his station in life. But there should
be no boldly conspicuous display of wealth, evidencing an inordinate
love of worldly magnificence and a disposition to glory in it. That
would show a worldly spirit. But it is not only the rich who may sin by
extravagance. Families of the middle class are just as often guilty.
The homes of such families betray a very decided spirit of worldliness
when they are quite evidently furnished more richly than the owners'
modest means can afford. We are in conscience bound to make a discreet
use of our earthly goods and to make our expenditures in proportion to
our means. The endeavor to match the splendor of one's own home with
that of the homes of one's more well-to-do acquaintances proceeds from
pride and leads to other unchristian practices besides the
misapplication of one's earthly goods. In order to be able to earn more
money to spend on luxuries, some young wives persist in retaining the
gainful positions which they had before marriage, and for the sake of
this filthy lucre sinfully postpone the task of rearing a family. That
is the worst kind of worldliness--the kind that weighs duty and worldly
goods in the balance and deliberately chooses the latter. Beware of it,
my dear young couples. Beware! (See quotation below)
Extravagance in Dress
What has been
said of excessive expenditures for the furnishing and decorating of
one's home, is equally true of extravagance in ornamenting one's
person. The home may be given a worldly touch by the unduly rich or
extremely stylish apparel of the persons that dwell in it. One is
certainly allowed to dress well and becomingly within the limits of
one's means and according to the requirements of one's station in life;
but in no station in life is there an excuse for extravagance. There
may be no injustice to anyone if a woman buys all the exquisite gowns,
rare jewels, and costly footwear and headgear that she can possibly pay
for; but neither is there any charity in it or Christian moderation;
and justice is not the only virtue that must regulate the use we make
of our worldly goods. We are bound also by the law of moderation and of
charity; and it is sinful to waste money for the extravagant decoration
of one's person or one's home when there are thousands of deserving
poor who have not even the necessary food, clothing, and shelter.
Pope Pius XI
on Mothers Who Work Away from Home
"Mothers will above all devote their work to the home and the things
connected with it. Intolerable and to be opposed with all our strength
is the abuse whereby mothers of families, because of the insufficiency
of the father's salary, are forced to engage in gainful occupations
outside the domestic walls, to the neglect of their own proper cares
and duties, particularly the education of their children." --Encyclical
"Quadragesimo Anno," on the Social Order.
N.B.--If His Holiness condemns the abuse whereby mothers are forced to
work away from their homes, what must he think of those mothers, who,
without any compulsion whatever, entirely of their own accord, pursue
gainful occupations outside the domestic walls?
Keeping a Family Budget
The best way for
parents to avoid excessive or ill-advised expenditures is to keep a
family budget. Let them make a careful study of their resources and a
classified list of their needs; e.g., housing, food, clothing, running
expenses, improvement, and savings. Then let them fix a certain
percentage of their income for each of these items of expense, and hold
their disbursements strictly within the budget allowance, unless real
necessity or charity require otherwise. It is hardly necessary to
remark that also such expenses as church, school and club dues, charity
and amusements must be figured in the budget, and that according to the
aforesaid classification these, together with all outlays for reading
material, could be put under the heading improvement; that is, mental,
moral, or physical. Keeping a home and family is just as much a
business as running a store; so why should it not be kept on a business
basis? Many couples have had their eyes opened by keeping an itemized
account of disbursements. They found that they had been extravagant
without realizing it. But if keeping tab on one's expenses teaches
economy, it should be done in every Christian home; for economy,
supernaturalized, is nothing but the Christian virtue of moderation.
A Touch of Paganism
Another
indication of worldliness in the home is the unchristian and sometimes
even pagan character of the objects with which it is equipped. Let us
enter such a home. What do we see? At our very entrance, perhaps, a
painting of Apollo dancing with thin- clad muses on the lawn; there a
lamp or candelabrum supported by the nude figure of Cupid; in a corner,
perhaps, a statue of Venus of Milo; on the library table various
gay-colored magazines displaying bathing girls or notorious "movie"
actresses on the front covers; on the mantle a snow-white bust of
Pallas or some other mythological deity; and here and there as we
wander through the various apartments, sundry other ornaments and
articles of a like character. Will any Catholic maintain that such
objects are appropriate in a Christian home? Yet there are Catholic
homes, and not a few of them, in which such ornaments are quite common.
In some cases their presence is due to mere thoughtlessness or sheer
worldly-mindedness, and no conscience is made of it. In others,
however, a sense of guilt is manifested by the care with which such
objects are removed when a visit of the pastor or some other clergyman
is expected.
Regard for Modesty
To be in
thorough accord with its profession of Christianity, the home of a
Catholic family should be free from all things of this kind. The home
is not an art museum; and statues of pagan deities that may be
tolerated in museums are out of place in a Christian home. And so, too,
are all images not in conformity with Christian modesty. It will not be
enough to limit them to a small representation. Neither will it suffice
to confine them to one place, say the reception room, in order that
there at least you may show your broadmindedness to the non-Catholics
who enter your home. No, a Catholic home should contain nothing that
proclaims sympathy with the spirit of the world. One picture, one
statue, one ornament may mar the character of an entire room and thwart
the good effect that other images are calculated to produce. Away,
then, Catholic fathers and mothers, with all worldliness from your
homes! You are exposed enough to its contagion when you go abroad. At
least be quit of it when you enter the sanctuary of your own home.
An Insidious Propaganda
If pictures and
statues of persons insufficiently clad give an air of worldliness to
the home, what must be the effect of such lack of modesty in the living
inmates? There is an insidious propaganda abroad in our day to tear
down the conventions that Christian civilization has established as
safeguards of the virtue of purity. Despite the specious reasons
advanced in its defense; e.g., that one should become familiar with the
nude in order not to be affected by it, the plain purpose of this
propaganda is to substitute a pagan code for our Christian code of
morality. This purpose is the more evident since some of the more
outspoken adherents of the movement have declared that the Ten
Commandments are antiquated and that there is no longer such a thing as
sin. In view of this threat of paganism, the duty of Catholics is
clear. Neither in the home nor elsewhere may there be any letting down
of the bars of decency and Christian propriety. And mothers should so
train their children from childhood on that they will never presume to
appear in the presence of others without being modestly covered Those
girls who make no conscience of exposing themselves in the presence of
their sisters, will gradually come to make nothing of wearing
insufficient clothing in public. And when modesty is thrown to the
winds, purity will not be slow to follow.
II.
A Catholic Atmosphere
Worldliness,
then, must be banished from the Christian home, if the latter is to
fulfill its mission of helping the individual Catholic to resist the
enticements of the world. Yet when we have purified our homes of
worldliness, our task is not yet completed. We must provide also a
distinctly Catholic atmosphere. There are Catholic homes, or I should
say rather, there are homes of Catholics, that do not contain the
slightest evidence of the religion of those that dwell in them. You may
see there pictures of beautiful birds and horses and dogs; of
landscapes and castles; of distinguished authors, musicians and
statesmen; but you will look in vain for any religious token of a
distinctly Catholic character. The occupants of such homes justify this
want by saying that they do not believe in parading their religion
before the world. I agree that ordinarily we need not parade our
religion before the world; but are we doing that when we give it scope
within the sacred precincts of our own homes? The Catholic who fails to
avail himself of the external aids to religion provided by religious
objects in the home shows that religion is not a dominant factor in his
life.
Portraits of Your Friends
By all means,
therefore, let there be some distinctly Catholic images in your home,
if you wish to enjoy the advantages of a healthy Catholic atmosphere.
Far from being singular or obtrusive, nothing could be more natural or
more appropriate. If you hang portraits of your relatives and friends
and of eminent men and women on the walls of your home, should you not
do as much for the best of all your friends and the greatest of all
illustrious men and women--Our Blessed Lord and the saints? There is no
valid reason why these latter should be restricted to the bedrooms or
to some obscure corners. It is true, the home is not a church; and if
one has a special place at home for prayer, a little shrine to which
one can withdraw for undisturbed communion with God, it is quite proper
that it be in a somewhat secluded spot. Neither is the home a church
goods store; and it may be no impiety, therefore, if some one expresses
his dislike of a home so crowded with religious pictures that they seem
to be on display for sale. Allowance must he made in this matter for
individual tastes. Some delight in a profusion of ornamentation, while
others are for using it very sparingly. But whether your taste favors
much or little decoration in the home, see to it that the religious
element is not stinted.
The Chief Symbol of Your Faith
Foremost among
the religious articles that should have a place of honor in every
Catholic home is the Crucifix, the image of our crucified Savior. The
Cross is the principal emblem of the Catholic religion; it is the
symbol of our Faith, the source of our hope, the incentive to our love,
the sign of our redemption, the pledge of our salvation. A beautiful
and also moderately large Crucifix should be one of the finest and most
cherished ornaments in the home. But there should be at least a small
yet properly fashioned Crucifix also in each one of the bedrooms. It is
deplorable that so many Catholics are satisfied with any kind of
Crucifix, no matter how poorly it is made. They can afford to have
large and expensive portraits of their parents and children, but balk
at spending a few dollars for a worthy image of their crucified Savior.
Let them remember that just as their taste is betrayed by the other
objects, so the depth of their Faith is indicated by the quality of the
religious images with which their home is equipped.
Image of the Sacred Heart
Other images
that should be seen in every Catholic home are a picture of the Holy
Family and of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Pope Leo XIII prescribed that
all Christian families should be consecrated to the Holy Family; and
Our Lord revealed to St. Margaret Mary that He would bless all houses
where an image of His Sacred Heart would be exposed and honored. The
choice of other pictures must be left to each one's individual taste
and devotion, always, however, in entire accord with the teaching of
our holy religion and the spirit of Holy Mother Church. A picture of
the Child Jesus or of the Guardian Angel would be very appropriate for
the children's apartments; and one of the Blessed Virgin and of St.
Joseph in the rooms of the larger girls and boys respectively. In each
bedroom, at least, there should be a vase with holy water, which should
be religiously used on rising and before retiring. And in a becoming
place, one should preserve some blessed palm branches and at least two
blessed candles, the latter in suitable candlesticks.
Unedifying Pictures
While, as I have
said, the selection of the different images must be left to each one's
own taste, one quality must be insisted on as indispensable: the images
must be such as will edify. If they are not of a nature to edify, then
they cannot possibly produce the effect that they are employed to
produce; namely, a wholesome Catholic atmosphere. The requirement that
the pictures be edifying may seem to be rather vague and indefinite;
but it furnishes a working rule that will answer all practical
purposes. The main thing is to eliminate all images that are not
edifying; and such one may call all those that represent Our Lord or
the saints in a manner unworthy of them; that is to say, in an attitude
or attire or in circumstances in which they themselves would certainly
not wish to be pictured or seen. If no one would feel himself honored
to find a caricature or other unworthy representation of himself on the
wall of your home, how can you expect by means of similar pictures to
please Our Lord and the saints?
Untrue to History
It is no excuse
to say that a certain picture is true to history, that it merely
represents an actual fact in the life of the saint. That an immoral
pagan judge subjected a saint to indignities does not justify us in
repeating the indecency on canvas. But many representations lack even
this flimsy excuse, as they are positively untrue to history. In the
Gospel story of the birth of our Savior, for example, we are told that
the Virgin Mother wrapped the Babe in swaddling clothes; yet we find
pictures inscribed "The Nativity" in which the Divine Child is not only
not wrapped in swaddling clothes but not clad at all. The same is true
of the Christ Child on many Madonnas. No one will maintain that such a
representation is true to history. Neither is it true to the highest
standard of Catholic art; and least of all is it true to that reverent
delicacy of treatment due to the august person of the Child Divine. I
realize quite well that strict insistence on this rule will debar many
a picture from the Catholic home. Be it so. There are hundreds of other
sacred pictures to choose from,--pictures that are in every way
satisfactory, in point of art no less than in point of propriety. Let
such only adorn your walls, and the sight of them will be to you a
source not only of edification in your daily life but of consolation
and encouragement in days of sorrow and distress; and a daily reminder
that if you but imitate the example of the saints whom they represent,
you too will one day share their happiness.
Good Example
In the foregoing
pages, I have dwelt only on the visible objects that give character to
the home--on what I have called its moral atmosphere in the narrow
sense. It will be remembered, however, that I defined the home
atmosphere also in a broader sense; namely, as the aggregate of
external influences in the home affecting the spiritual life of the
inmates. In this broader sense, the words and deeds of the inmates also
contribute essentially to the moral atmosphere, and if the latter is to
be thoroughly Catholic, the general tone of conversation and conduct in
the home must reflect a Catholic mentality. The Holy Father emphasizes
this point in the following passage of His Encyclical on the Christian
Education of Youth: "That education, as a rule, will be more effective
and lasting which is received in a well- ordered and well-disciplined
Christian family; and the more efficacious in proportion to the clear
and constant good example set first by the parents and then by the
other members of the household."
The Catholic Mind
One cannot, it
is true, in view of human frailty, expect that the members of even the
better Catholic families will never be guilty of wrong-doing of any
kind. But what can be expected is that when wrong-doing does occur, it
will be found to be out of keeping with the surroundings. In other
words, should deviations from Catholic standards sometimes occur in
practice, there should at least be no deviation from Catholic
principles in theory. Should the conversation, for example, turn on
such subjects as Sunday observance, frequent Communion, mixed
marriages, cremation, forbidden societies and books, attendance of
Catholics at non- Catholic schools, the relations between Church and
State and the like, the attitude of the Church will be accepted without
question. The accepted stand of every member of the family will be the
same as that of the Church; and if in any instance any member should
mistakingly espouse a contrary opinion, he will at once recede from it
when assured that it is not in accord with the teaching of Holy Mother
Church. This is what is meant by the Latin phrase "sentire cum
ecclesia," "to be of one mind with the Church," to have the Catholic
mentality or the Catholic mind. In homes where such a mentality
prevails nothing will be found that antagonizes the Church. No songs
will be heard that offend against Christian virtue; no literature will
be tolerated that openly or insidiously undermines Catholic morals; and
no radio programs will be listened to that disseminate false doctrines
of a religious or moral character.
Homes of the Early Christians
Would to God
there were more Catholic homes of this kind scattered up and down our
beloved land, homes that are in every sense Catholic and veritable
strongholds of Christianity! Some will no doubt aver that it is an idle
dream to expect an increase in the number of such homes amid the
adverse conditions of our age. But are the conditions of our age any
worse than were the conditions of pagan Rome? The moral atmosphere of
Rome at the dawn of Christianity was so corrupt that vice was not only
tolerated but even enthroned as a god in certain forms of religious
worship. Yet, despite the universal corruption without, so pure, so
holy and so heavenly an atmosphere pervaded the homes of the Christians
that it not only kept their minds untainted and their hearts unsullied,
but, by its own superior power expanding and radiating from those
homes, gradually purified even the public atmosphere and in the end
brought about the conversion of the entire Roman people. Who shall say
that what was accomplished in those days is impossible of
accomplishment now? It would require perhaps a miracle of grace; but
the days of miracles are not over. Catholic families, however, need not
look so far ahead nor to such far reaching results for inducements to
preserve a Catholic atmosphere in their homes. Such an atmosphere will
offer them full and immediate compensation for the pains required to
maintain it. It will keep their religion pure and undefiled and keep
them unspotted of this world.
Continue:
Introduction
Chapter I: Necessity of
Religion in the Home
Chapter II: Prayer in the Home
Chapter III: Catholic Atmosphere in the Home
Chapter IV: Good Reading in
the Home
Chapter V: Harmony in the Home
Chapter VI: Necessity of Home
Life
Conclusion
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