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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 b 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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