No Greater Work: Education in the Modernist Era

“What greater work is there than training the mind and forming the habits of the young?”[1]

St. John Chrysostom’s beautiful observation serves as a reminder that, like all doctrines, those on marriage and education were given by God and received by the Church for the instruction, sanctification, and salvation of the faithful. Yet we who live in the “modernist era” have great challenges set before us.

As Catholics, we have duties and obligations and, with them, exist their corresponding rights. To speak of “duties,” “obligations,” and “rights” is not to infer, as some do, matters of cold duty, grim-faced compulsion, or capricious, self-seeking demands. Rather, these duties, obligations and rights are expressions, so to speak, of supernatural charity. This is the virtue summed up by Christ Himself when He spoke of the two Great Commandments: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets.” [2]

With this charity to God and to their families, the primary obligation of Catholic parents is raising their children to be good Christians. (On an important, related note, “Church tradition makes clear that the words Christian and Catholic are synonymous.” [3] It is through the family that a child should first learn to “know, love and serve God in this world” [4] in order to be happy with Him in the next.

The Catholic formation and education of children is a parental obligation first to God, because it is He Who blesses a husband and wife with children, either through natural generation or through generous adoption. After all, it is to God Whom the couple promised, when exchanging their sacramental marriage vows, to receive children joyfully and to raise and educate them in the Catholic Faith, so that they may gain eternal life. Secondly, since charity is also directed to our neighbors, and since our closest neighbors are our own spouses and children, one can see why “Charity begins at home.” [5]

All the good which Catholic parents do on behalf of their children should issue from this supernatural charity, simultaneously recalling that with obligations and duties are their corresponding rights. The Church recognizes that these are matters of both natural and divine law, as the few examples below will show:

• Pope Leo XIII: “By nature, parents have a right to the training of their children, but with this added duty: that the education and instruction of the child be in accord with the end for which by God's blessing it was begotten. Therefore it is the duty of parents to make every effort to prevent any invasion of their rights in this matter, and to make absolutely sure that the education of their children remain under their own control in keeping with their Christian duty, and above all to refuse to send them to those schools in which there is danger of imbibing the deadly poison of impiety.” [6]

• Pope Pius XI: “The family therefore holds directly from the Creator the mission and hence the right to educate the offspring, a right inalienable because inseparably joined to the strict obligation, a right anterior to any right whatever of civil society and of the State, and therefore inviolable on the part of any power on earth.” [7]

• Pope Pius XII: “Parents who are earnest and conscious of their educative duties, have a primary right to the education of the children God has given them in the spirit of their Faith, and according to its prescriptions.” [8]

The latter pope also wrote, “The charge laid by God on parents, to provide for the material and spiritual well-being of their offspring and to procure for them a suitable training, imbued with the true spirit of religion, cannot be wrested from them without grave violation of their rights.” [9]

The Times in Which We Live
As the Church goes, so goes the world, as an old maxim states, meaning that what affects the Church affects all societies. The Church and, with her, the family is under particular attack.

Without the Church established by Christ, Our Lord has not His kingdom on earth. Without Christian families (from which spring more families, priests, and religious), there would be no citizens in the kingdom of Christ on earth. This is exactly the situation for which the Church’s enemies strive: to dismantle to its very foundations the eternal Catholic City and destroy its citizens - especially the little ones - in whatever way possible.

Near the end of the 19th century, Pope Leo XIII observed, “The very times in which we live are warning us to seek remedies there where alone they are to be found - namely, by re-establishing in the family circle and throughout the whole range of society the doctrines and practices of the Christian religion.” [10] The truth of this magisterial statement (and others which later shall be addressed) is even more evident in our day.

Successive acts of the traditional Magisterium (both Ordinary and Extraordinary) remind those living within the Catholic City of the Christian principles by which they must live. Simultaneously, the same magisterial acts warn of the rising heresies, their origins, and the various means to resist them.[11] The Catholic City’s repeated “call-to-arms” were made by its stewards, who understood that the obligations and rights of the papal office charged them with its safe-guarding and protection.

“The whole Church is in dissolution,” St. Basil the Great mourned in the 2nd century. [12]It is a great tragedy that the elect of this age can make the same lament. Still, faithful Catholics familiar with salvation history know that ours is not the first era in which heresy has afflicted the human element of the Church - for we can and must make the distinction between the Church herself and individuals within the Church.

While it is true that heresies have always distressed the Church Militant, those living in this age are the most grievously afflicted. Why? The plethora of condemned heresies is now coalesced into what the Church deems as modernism, “the synthesis of all heresies.” [13] 

“The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume,” says Boromir in the movie-version of The Fellowship of the Ring, as he spoke of the evil land of Mordor. A most appropriate observation for those of us who live in the Modern Age, Boromir’s remark reminds us that the very culture in which we live is permeated with the poison of modernism. As popes from Clement XII to Pius XII have declared (and as history proves), the “modern errors” are poisoning souls and societies. The symptoms of this insidious, deadly spiritual disease are everywhere manifest.

One may wonder why, in an essay on Catholic education, the subject of modernism arises. Simply stated, parents and other educators need to know against what they are battling and how to combat it, in order to protect and educate the children. Without even being asked for the exchange, the greater part of recent generations have been denied their birthright and handed a mess of pottage. [14]

Perhaps what is most chilling about the modernist heresy is this: it may be the warning sign of the coming person known as Anti-Christ. Consider that modernism is “the synthesis” of all the previous and lesser heresies, just as the Anti-Christ will be “the synthesis” of all previous and lesser anti-christs in history.

Decades ago, an intriguing observation about “dialog” (as it is called today) and “education without religion” was made by Rev. R. Gerald Culleton, author of The Prophets and Our Times. Fr. Culleton was a Catholic priest who had carefully studied prophecies from Divine Revelation (Tradition and Scripture, both Old Testament and New), prophecies from Fathers of the Church (the Didache and Apostolic Constitutions, 90-100 A.D.), private prophecies from Apocryphal Scriptures of Jewish tradition and other ancient oracles, and prophecies from the Middle Ages and those spanning between the 16th and 20th centuries, with a good number of them uttered by canonized saints, beati, and venerables.

“There will be those who will indulge in fruitless discussions of so-called learned things,” wrote Fr. Culleton, “and by so doing will miss the real truth and the real faith because the things which engage their attention are based on false knowledge instead of the truth. The reason for this, primarily, is the education without religion which will exist in those days, for this education will not really educate but will have as its basis vain works and false ideals. This so-called education will be one of the most effective means used by Satan to prepare the world for Anti-Christ.” [15]

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, calls the Anti-Christ “the son of perdition.” [16] This, “the man of sin, according to both St. John and St. Paul, [i]s a person destined to gather all the evil forces in the world and unite and coordinate them under his dominion for the last desperate attack on the Church of Jesus Christ.” [17]

In foreseeing the Anti-Christ, St. John “outlines the preparation of his [the anti-Christ’s] empire in the first nine chapters [of the Apocalypse] and thereafter its growth to maturity under the personal direction of Anti-Christ and then its destruction. Emperor-worship, idolatry, magic, Judaism, heresy, schism, agnosticism, infidelity, liberalism, atheism, compromise with error or unbelief, persecution of the Church, hypocrisy and other vices are the roots out of which the enormities of Anti-Christ’s reign will grow until they overshadow the world.” [18]

Should we not consider, then, that every one of the ten aforementioned signs is already apparent in these days? Too, St. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, foretells that the day of the Lord is not to come until the man of sin be revealed: “Let no man deceive you by any means, for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” [19]

The revolt of which St. Paul speaks is the great falling away, otherwise known as the great apostasy. Pope St. Pius X alluded to both apostasy and the Anti-Christ in his inaugural encyclical, E Supremi (On the Restoration of All Things in Christ):

“For who can fail to see that society is at the present time, more than in any past age, suffering from a terrible and deep-rooted malady which, developing every day and eating into its inmost being, is dragging it to destruction? You understand, Venerable Brethren, what this disease is - apostasy from God.” [20]

“When all this is considered there is good reason to fear lest this great perversity may be as it were a foretaste, and perhaps the beginning of those evils which are reserved for the last days; and that there may be already in the world the ‘Son of Perdition’ of whom the Apostle speaks (2 Thess. 2: 3).” [21]


What to Do?
Pope St. Pius X – a holy pope, a canonized saint whose body is incorruptible - not only assessed the disease, but he gave the antidote: the “‘restoring of all things in Christ’ (Eph. 1:10), so that ‘Christ may be all and in all’ (Col. 2:2).” [22]

“But if our desire to obtain this is to be fulfilled, we must use every means and exert all our energy to bring about the utter disappearance of the enormous and detestable wickedness, so characteristic of our time - the substitution of man for God; this done, it remains to restore to their ancient place of honor the most holy laws and counsels of the gospel; to proclaim aloud the truths taught by the Church, and her teachings on the sanctity of marriage, on the education and discipline of youth, on the possession and use of property, the duties that men owe to those who rule the State; and lastly to restore equilibrium between the different classes of society according to Christian precept and custom.” [23]

Although the sainted pope clearly laid out for the princes of the Church “the means to be employed in attaining this great end,” [24] the restoring of all things in Christ is still not accomplished. Granted, some advances were made, only to be soon followed by a greater number of retreats and capitulations.

For many reasons, the war against modernism is not yet won but, as St. Paul said to the Romans, “Even so…at this present time also, there is a remnant saved according to the election of grace.” [25] Thanks only to the merciful Virgin Mary’s intercession before the throne of God, the Catholic City still stands.

Not long after Pope St. Pius X was called to his eternal reward, Our Lady came to Fatima. There She affirmed the central doctrines of the Catholic Faith, stressing the daily Rosary and sacrifice for the conversion of sinners, and forewarning in “the Great Secret” of future and terrible world events if Her requests were not heeded.

But Our Lady also promised, “In the end, My Immaculate Heart will triumph” and with it, “an era of peace will be granted to the world.”

What, then, is expected of all Catholics, and is there anything “special” that Catholic parents can do? The same answer to both questions is simpler than one might expect. It will foster the continuing Catholic formation and education of children, teens, and adults, and it infallibly guarantees the salvation of many souls:

• “Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by our epistle,” as St. Paul taught. [26] Therein is found the definition and the “secret” of Divine Revelation; it is to Tradition and Scripture that we must hold.

• Do everything which the Virgin of Fatima requested. The Fatima apparitions were declared worthy of belief, so it is no small matter to disregard the Queen of the Catholic City. That for which the Virgin asked finds precedent in either Tradition or Scripture: Prayer and sacrifice (specifically, in the form of the daily Rosary), Sacramental Confession and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered in reparation for sins (the foundational necessity for the Five First Saturday devotions), meditation on the mysteries of Christ’s life, the wearing of the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, fidelity to daily duty as Catholics and in our states in life, and - finally - consecration (of a nation, but also of individuals).

 • With the children, ask in the daily Rosary intentions that the Holy Father will accept the graces God sends him to fulfill the Virgin’s request that Russia is collegially consecrated to Her Immaculate Heart. Our Lord Himself said to Sr. Lucia, “Pray much for the Holy Father. He will do it, but it will be late.”

 • Consecrate ourselves to the Virgin Mary, according to the method given by St. Louis de Montfort.[27] Do not hesitate to use one’s parental right to place one’s children, regardless of age, under Our Lady’s mantle.

As we keep hope in the promises of Christ, with constant recourse to Him and His Virgin Mother, may we always recall the words of St. Augustine: “The crown of victory is promised only to those who engage in the struggle.” [28]

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Secrets of the Catholic City is the name of Mrs. Bartold's column, published in Catholic Family News (CFN). "No Greater Work: The Education of the Young in the Modernist Era" was published in CFN's April 2010 issue. All Rights Reserved World-wide by the author.

Marianna Bartold, founder of Keeping It Catholic, is the author of “The Age of Mary” Study Guides, a series of “digitally delivered” Catholic unit studies for homeschooled teens - as well as adults or anyone who wishes to grow closer “to Jesus through Mary.” Her other works include the upcoming digital Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings) Catholic Study Guide. She is the author of the Keeping It Catholic Home Education Guide books (Volumes I and II). Mrs. Bartold was the original homeschool editor of Sursum Corda and the founding publisher of The Catholic Family’s Magnificat! Magazine.
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Notes
[1] St. John Chrysostom, Hom. 60, in c. 18 Matt.: Ouid maius quam animis moderari, quam adolescentulorum fingere mores? Cited by Pope Pius XI in Divinis Illius Magistri (On Christian Education of Youth, 1929): para. 8.
[2] Mt. 22: 36-40. [Douay-Rheims Bible]
[3] Marianna Bartold, “Christ in the Family: The Christian Education of Youth,” Catholic Family News, Aug. 2009.
[4] Baltimore Catechism and Mass, No. 3, The New Confraternity Edition Revised [Washington, D.C.: Catholic Book Publishing Co., 1949]: p. 6.
[5] Quote attributed to Terence (full name, Publius Terentius Afer) in Andria; Roman comic dramatist (185 B.C. - 159 B.C.); Quotations by Author at “The Quotations Page” website [http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Terence/]
[6] Pope Leo XIII, cited by Pope Pius XI in Divini Illius Magistri (On the Christian Education of Youth, December 29, 1929): para. 35. [Emphasis added]
[7] Pope Pius XI, Divini Illius Magistri (On the Christian Education of Youth, December 29, 1929): para. 32. [Emphasis added]
[8] Pope Pius XII, Mit Brennender Sorge (On the Church and the German Reich, March 14, 1937): para. 31. [Emphasis added]
[9] Pope Pius XII, Summi Pontificatus (On the Unity of Society, October 20, 1939): para. 66. [Emphasis added]
[10] Pope Leo XIII, Sapientiae Christianae (On Christians as Citizens, January 10, 1890): para. 3.
[11] See the papal bull of Pope Clement XII, In Eminenti (On Freemasonry, April 28, 1738); also Pope Gregory XVI, Mirari Vos (On Liberalism, August 15, 1832); Pope Pius IX, Quanta Cura (On Current Errors, December 8, 1864) and the Syllabus of Errors (December 8, 1864); Pope Leo XIII, Humanum Genus (On Freemasonry and Naturalism, April 20, 1884); Pope Pius X, E Supremi (On the Restoration of All Things in Christ, October 4, 1904); Lamentabili Sane (Syllabus Condemning the Errors of the Modernists, July 3, 1907), Pascendi Dominici Gregis (On the Doctrines of the Modernists, September 8, 1907) and Our Apostolic Mandate (On the “Sillion,” August 25, 1910); Pope Pius XI, Quas Primas (On the Feast of Christ the King, December 11, 1925), Mortalium Animos (On Fostering True Religious Unity, January 6, 1928); Divini Redemptoris (On Atheistic Communism, March 19, 1937); and Pope Pius XII, Humani Generis (On Certain False Opinions Which Threaten to Undermine Christian Doctrine, August 12, 1950).
[12] St. Basil the Great (ca.330 A.D-ca.379 A.D.), Epistulae, to St. Athanasius (in 371-372 A.D.).
[13] Pope Pius X, Pascendi Dominici Gregis (On the Doctrines of the Modernists, September 8, 1907): para. 39.
[14] Gen. 25: 31-34.
[15] Rev. R. Gerald Culleton, The Prophets and Our Times [Republished in Rockford, IL: TAN Books and Publishers, 1974. Originally published by the author in 1941 and 1943, with Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur, November 1941]: p. 25. [Emphasis added]
[16] Jn. 17:12. [Emphasis added]
[17] Rev. Herman Bernard Kramer, The Book of Destiny [Rockford, IL: TAN Books and Publishers, reprinted 1975 from the original 1955 edition, with Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur, January 1956): p. 18. [Emphasis added]
[18] Rev. Kramer, Ibid., p. 21. [Emphasis added]
[19] 2 Thess. 2:3. [Emphasis added]
[20] Pope St. Pius X, E Supremi (On the Restoration of All Things in Christ, October 4, 1903): para. 3. [Emphasis added]
[21] Ibid., para. 5. [Emphasis added]
[22] Ibid., para. 4.
[23] Ibid., para. 9. [Emphasis added]
[24] Ibid., para. 10.
[25] Rom. 11:5.
[26] 2 Thess. 2:14. [Emphasis added]
[27] St. Louis de Montfort, True Devotion to Mary, republished in Rockford, IL: TAN Books and Publishers.
[28] St. Augustine (354-430 A.D.), De Agone Christiano, 1:1.

Christ in the Family: The Christian Education of Youth

“The family received from God a threefold mission: The care of the material life, the spiritual life and the supernatural life,” St. John Marie Vianney, the Curé of Ars, once said.[1] Recognizing that each human soul needs instruction in that which is good, the saint continued, “For this reason, it is, above all things, necessary that he should know the means that are indispensable for him to this end – and this is the knowledge of the commandments of God or, in one word – Religion.” [2]

With those words, the saint echoed the Church’s doctrine on Christian education and its threefold purpose, a doctrine reinforced in the 1929 encyclical Divini Illius Magistri, on the Christian Education of Youth: “In fact, since education consists essentially in preparing man for what he must be and for what he must do here below, in order to obtain the sublime end for which he was created…there can be no ideally perfect education which is not Christian education.” [3]

In using the term “Christian education,” Church tradition makes clear that the words Christian and Catholic are synonymous. As we know from the Acts of the Apostles (11:26), it was in 1st century Antioch that Jesus Christ’s followers were first called Christians. It was also in 1st century Antioch that the term Catholic Church [i.e., universal Church] flowed from the pen of St. Ignatius, the bishop-martyr known as the Apostolic Father because he was a “hearer” of St. John the Evangelist, as well as the third bishop of Antioch, following St. Evodius who was himself the immediate successor of St. Peter.[4] While more proof could be offered, these two examples from both Scripture and Tradition firmly establish that a Christian is a follower of Christ and a member of the Catholic Church, which bears four infallible marks – one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic. It follows that we can say with gentle confidence that Christian means Catholic, and Christianity means Catholicism.

Once these very important terms and their definitions are accepted for the truth they are, the last sentence quoted from the encyclical Christian Education of Youth translates to “there can be no ideally perfect education which is not Catholic education.”

What Catholic Education Is and Isn’t

“Now in order that no mistake be made in this work of utmost importance, it is necessary to have a clear and definite idea of Christian education in its essential aspects…” [5]

First, it should be said that a Catholic education is not one in which a religion class is “tacked” onto the rest of the curriculum. We know this because the Church’s doctrine on education teaches: “For the mere fact that a school gives some religious instruction (often extremely stinted) does not bring it into accord with the rights of the Church and of the Christian family, or make it a fit place for Catholic students.”[6]

What is it, then, that makes education Catholic? The encyclical Militantis Ecclesiae proclaimed, “Religion must not be taught to youth only during certain hours, but the entire system of education must be permeated with the sense of Christian [meaning Catholic] piety. If this is lacking, if this holy spirit does not penetrate and inflame the souls of teacher and pupil, small benefit will be derived from any other sort of education; instead damage will be done.”[7] Finally, this same encyclical clearly states, “Religion must permeate and direct every branch of knowledge.”[8]

Catholic Education at Home

The Church’s doctrine on Catholic education applies not only to the Catholic school but also to the private Catholic home. Home education has existed since the dawn of creation and, therefore, throughout the Church’s history.

While the phrases “home education” or “homeschooling” will not be found in any Church document, the Church has always recognized and upheld the natural law that parents are responsible for their children’s education. Since the time that God became Man and elevated marriage to a sacrament, the natural necessity of children’s education became supernatural.

Now, more than ever, parental rights and obligations in the Christian education of youth remain necessary. As heretofore stated, the Church is very clear that Catholic education prepares man for three things: “for what he must be and for what he must do here below, in order to attain the sublime end for which he was created.” What he must be refers to the development of the child’s character and the interior life of the soul; what he must do here below refers to an individual’s purpose in life, which is to know, love and serve God, regardless of any aspirations about state in life; and the sublime end for which he is created refers to the eternal happiness of Heaven which God gives to those who have lived a life of faith and good works.

The objective mind, however, understands that Catholic education – whether at school or within the home - is no guarantee of sanctity, for one must not forget “the free will factor,” given by God to every person. St. Jean Marie Vianney was clear on this point when he said, “Christian fathers and mothers, if you wish to have pious, good children, you must first of all yourselves be God-fearing and lead good lives. As the tree, so will the fruit be, says an old proverb, and the divine word verifies this. A good tree brings forth good fruit, a bad tree fruit like itself” to which the saint wisely added, “We know that now and then, even in good Christian families, there are to be found degenerate sons or daughters, but the rule is as our Savior says…”[9]

The Four Pillars of Catholic Education

“The home, therefore, must be in accord with the Church,” the Curé of Ars taught, “so that all harmful influences must be withheld from the souls of children. Where there is true piety in the household, purity of morals reigns supreme, and every agreeable virtue finds a home therein. I turn to you, dear parents, and implore you: To imitate the Holy Family of Nazareth!” [10]

To follow this saintly advice and to keep the home in accord with the Church, we must adhere to the four pillars of Catholic education, which are as follows: 1) teaching, 2) organization, 3) teachers, and 4) syllabus and textbooks. The Church highlights the necessity of these four pillars in Christian Education of Youth, which declares “…it is necessary that all the teaching and the whole organization of the school, and its teachers, syllabus and textbooks in every branch, be regulated by the Christian spirit, under the direction and maternal supervision of the Church; so that Religion may be in very truth the foundation and crown of the youth’s entire training, and this in every grade in school, not only the elementary, but the intermediate and higher institutions as well.” [11]

• The First Pillar - Teaching the Mind, Training the Will: Teaching consists of the instruction of the mind and the training of the will. In fact, teaching instructs the mind in order to motivate the will. As most parents eventually discover, teaching the mind and training the will are essential to all education; a plethora of books could (and have) been written about how to motivate a child’s will toward the good, but ultimately teaching and training centers on the virtue of religion, which elevates the mind and soul to God, the Source of All Good.

• The Second Pillar - Organization: As taught in Christian Education of Youth, organization is addressed in two distinct parts, comprising the following whole: the establishment or the society of the school and its order, design or way of implementation. The organization of the Catholic home and school does well when it imitates those excellent examples traditionally provided by the Church throughout the centuries.

“Accordingly that education, as a rule, will be more effective and lasting which is received in a well-ordered and well-disciplined Christian family; and 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.” [12]

Organization, as it pertains to the establishment or the “society” of the home led by the parents, is founded on one, multi-faceted motto of Catholic Action: Pray, Study, and Act. The organization of family life is firmly founded on daily prayer by parents and children, daily duty of study and work in the Catholic spirit of charity, and regular reception of the Sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion.

“It requires care, a great deal of care, to conscientiously fulfill the obligations of a father or mother,” St. John Marie Vianney noted. “The parents are a mirror to their children; and the children constantly look into this mirror. Be careful therefore that only the good, and what is worthy of imitation is perceptible in you and graven upon your hearts.” [13]

“Watch particularly over your children when they have grown up,” is another counsel of the saint’s. “Do not allow them to associate with irreligious persons.” [14] This important advice addresses the interior life of “teens,” for there are three periods of the spiritual life, which are compared to the three stages of physical life: childhood, youth, and adulthood.

In general, conscience or “aware” childhood commences at the dawn of reason, about the age of seven but sometimes before, and lasts until the age of puberty. Youth, or adolescence, spans the years of fourteen through twenty. Then follows adulthood, “in which we may distinguish the period which precedes full maturity, about the age of thirty-five, and that which follows it, before the decline of old age sets in.” [15]

“The period of puberty,” explained Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P., “is characterized by a transformation not only organic, but also psychological, intellectual and moral. The youth is no longer content to follow his imagination, as the child was; he begins to reflect on the things of human life, on the need to prepare himself for some career or occupation in the future. He has no longer the child’s attitude toward family, social and religious matters; his moral personality begins to take shape, and he acquires the sense of honor and of good repute. Or else, on the contrary, if he passes unsuccessfully through this difficult period, he deteriorates and follows evil courses. The law of nature so ordains that the transition from childhood to youth must follow a normal development; otherwise, the subject will assume a positive bias to evil, or else he will remain a half-wit, perhaps even a complete idiot, for the rest of his life. ‘He who makes no progress loses ground.’” [16]

Those sober words explain why the Church insists that Catholic education must continue throughout the adolescent years and beyond. To accomplish this most important task, parents must themselves continue in the habit of prayer, to study the Faith, and to act by practicing the virtues, while gently and firmly expecting the same of their children.

The second meaning of organization addresses the order, design or way of implementation of Catholic education. When it comes to formally teaching religion, reading, arithmetic or math, science, history and geography, the Church’s traditional practice in instruction is systematic, methodical and cyclical. Such instruction eschews “child-led” learning which means allowing the child to choose what, how and when “subjects” shall be learned. Of course, authentic Catholic education does not preclude helping children develop their God-given talents and interests, but even this path must be tread with care so as to avoid self-indulgence.

“Bring up your children simply, withhold all luxury from them, discourage a too great desire of pleasures, and let them learn only that which is good, useful, and practical,” advised the saintly Curé of Ars. “See to it, that in their childhood, as well as when they are older, they frequent the Sacraments regularly.” [17]

• The Third Pillar – Teachers: Parents are the primary educators of their children, a natural law which the Church recognizes and upholds in Divine Law. The begetting and education of children is the primary end of the marriage sacrament. As Christian Education of Youth elucidates, “Parents are under a grave obligation to see to the religious and moral obligation of their children, as well as to their physical and civic training, as far as they can, and moreover to provide for their temporal well-being.” [18]

The Fourth Pillar – Catholic Text and Syllabus: A priest who understands the purpose and aim of Catholic homeschooling once told me, “Many parents today have no notion of Catholic textbooks and if they do not have that experience, it is a gaping lacuna [hole or gap] in their formation as Catholics.” The selection of materials to study religion and the other subjects must also assist the parents in ensuring that the Catholic religion permeates the curriculum. This is often a daunting task, since for many years too many books considered “Catholic” are doctrinally diluted and, even worse, are peppered with the seeds of modernism, the synthesis of all heresies.

A century ago, the Church warned against “pernicious books” that have “now grown to such an extent that it is hardly possible to subject them all to censure. Hence, it happens sometimes that the remedy arrives too late, for the disease has taken root during the delay;” [19] the Church further warns against books bearing an Imprimatur which “may have been granted through carelessness or too much indulgence or excessive trust placed in the author, which last has perhaps sometimes happened in the religious orders.” [20] This warning is even truer today.

The Secret of Catholic Life

Despite the many obstacles placed before Catholic families, God provides the spiritual and material necessities, a truth of which the Curé of Ars reminded us when he said, “What are the means to renew the family life in the spirit of Christ and the Church? I answer: Keep the commandments of God, and follow the infallible teaching which God has placed in that haven of salvation, the Holy Catholic Church, so that you may walk in the right path which leads to the inheritance of the Saints. If you wish, Christian married people, to imitate St. Joseph and the Blessed Mother of God, you must sanctify yourselves; you must practice the virtues which shine out to us from the life of this most holy couple. Matrimony is a great sacrament, as St. Paul says, but only in Christ and His Church.” [21]

“As long as Our Lord is first served,” St. Joan of Arc was wont to say, in beautiful words that summarize the secret of Catholic life. The Catholic family must be grounded upon the Cornerstone, of Whom St. Jean Marie Vianney rightly exclaimed:

“Christ must come back into the family! Christ must remain in the family! Let this be your motto. Then, with the help of God, a devout, chaste generation will spring up to the joy of the parents and of the Church.”[22]

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Secrets of the Catholic City is the name of Mrs. Bartold's new column, published by Catholic Family News (CFN). "Christ in the Family: The Christian Education of Youth" was published in CFN's August 2009 issue. All Rights Reserved World-wide by the author.

Marianna Bartold, founder of Keeping It Catholic, is the author of “The Age of Mary” Study Guides, a series of “digitally delivered” Catholic unit studies for homeschooled teens - as well as adults or anyone who wishes to grow closer “to Jesus through Mary.” Her other works include the upcoming digital Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings) Catholic Study Guide. She is the author of the Keeping It Catholic Home Education Guide books (Volumes I and II, available from Neumann Press). Mrs. Bartold was the original homeschool editor of Sursum Corda and the founding publisher of The Catholic Family Magnificat! Magazine.

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Endnotes
[1] St. Jean Marie Vianney, Sermons of the Curé of Ars (Long Prairie, MN: The Neumann Press, 1995]: p. 87.
[2] Ibid, p. 88.
[3] Pope Pius XI, Divini Illius Magistri (On the Christian Education of Youth, December 29, 1929; also known as Rappresentanti in Terra): para. 7. [Emphasis added]
[4] St. Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrnaeans, ca. 110 A.D.: “Wherever the bishop appears, let the people be there; just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.” Cited by William A. Jurgens, The Faith of the Early Fathers, Vol. I [Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1970]: p. 25.
[5]Pope Pius XI, loc. cit., para. 10.
[6] Ibid. para. 80.
[7] Pope Leo XIII, Militantis Ecclesia (On St. Peter Canisius, August 1, 1897): para. 18. Here it must be noted that, sometime after 1995, recent English translations of encyclicals have been re-edited, especially those currently available on the Net. See the article “Encyclicals: A Matter of Translation?” at www.keepingitcatholic.blogspot.com
[8] Ibid.
[9] St. Jean Marie Vianney, op. cit., p. 91.
[10] Ibid., p. 90. [Emphasis in the original]
[11] Pope Pius XI, loc. cit.
[12] Ibid, para. 71.
[13] St. Jean Marie Vianney, loc. cit.
[14] Ibid., pp. 91-92.
[15] Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P., The Three Conversions in the Spiritual Life [Rockford, IL: TAN Books and Publishers, Reprinted in 1977 by arrangement with Burnes & Oates, London]: p. 26.
[16] Ibid., pp. 26-27. [Emphasis added]
[17] St. Jean Marie Vianney, op. cit, p. 92.
[18] Pope Pius XI, op. cit., para. 23.
[19] Pope St. Pius X, Pascendi Dominici Gregis (On the Doctrines of the Modernists, September 8, 1907): para. 51
[20] Ibid.
[21] St. Jean Marie Vianney, op. cit, p. 91. [Emphasis added]
[22] Ibid., p. 92. [Emphasis in the original]

The Sacred Heart: The Sensible Image of Christ's Love

Today marks the first day of June in the year of Our Lord 2009. June is the month in which the Church commemorates the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Pope Leo XIII wrote "...there is in the Sacred Heart a symbol and a sensible image of the infinite love of Jesus Christ which moves us to love one another; therefore it is fit and proper that we should consecrate ourselves to His most Sacred Heart-an act which is nothing else than an offering and a binding of oneself to Jesus Christ, seeing that whatever honor, veneration and love is given to this divine Heart is really and truly given to Christ Himself." (Annum Sacrum, On Consecration to the Sacred Heart, 1899: para. 8)

The first of June is also the Feast of St. Angela Merici, one of the Church's great educators to whom is attributed the quote, "Disorder in society is the result of disorder in the family." St. Angela, who was especially devoted to the Passion of Jesus, recognized "the supreme importance of Christian education, not merely for each individual, but for families and for the whole of human society, whose perfection comes from the perfection of the elements that compose it." (Pope Pius XII, Divini Illius Magistri, 1929: para. 8). Perhaps because she was orphaned young, but raised in the loving environment of her uncle's home, she also understood that "the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world."

Seeing how society was sadly impacted by the lack of Catholic education for the girls of her era (13th century), and also recognizing the importance of the mother (who is the heart of the Christian home), St. Angela acted to ensure that little girls and teen girls received a proper Christian education. But this was not all. St. Angela and her companions visited the poor, gave away as alms the resources upon which they themselves relied, and took care of the sick. St. Angela later founded the Ursuline order, which brought many more souls to Christ through Catholic education.


St. Angela's faith and good works, proof of her devotion to the Sacred Heart which is the "sensible image of the infinite love of Jesus Christ, which moves us to love one another," remind us that the Christian education of youth is a noble work of "daily duty" for mothers and fathers, that the family is the foundation of society, and that the family must be founded on the Cornerstone - Who is Christ the Lord.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

Comet Lulin: When the Moon is In the 7th House

Long, long ago (ok, not that long ago) in a galaxy far, far away (actually, it was in our own galaxy), there was a song made popular by a group known as The Fifth Dimension. The song's opening lines went like this:

When the moon is in the seventh house
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius...

Coincidentally (or not), it seems the moon is (or will soon be) in the seventh house, and Jupiter is aligned with Mars (as well as Mercury). The moon, too, will be in close conjuction with Venus on Feb. 27. Once more, one can only think of those famous lines from Shakespeare: "There are more things in heaven and on earth..."

Is ours the dawning of the Age of Aquarius? Let's hope not because, despite the song lyrics, it is not the kind of New Age to desire. At any rate, should we choose to gaze at the current celestial events, we might also consider sharing with the kiddos that little historical tidbit on an old song.

In the meantime...

Look at that awesome photograph of Comet Lulin's tails (the blue tail is the anti-tail). Astro-photographer Phil Jones recently took the fantastic photo [seen upper right], accomplished with a long exposure through a 4-inch Takahashi refractor, from the grounds of the Central Texas Astronomical Society Observatory in Clifton, Texas.

Btw, for those of us who are not professional astronomers, there are two ways to see Comet Lulin this very night:

1) With your own eyes (aided by binoculars or telescope is best for viewing if the skies are clear)

In the Northern hemisphere, look to the south-southwest for constellation Leo (the backward question mark with six stars in its formation). Btw: It's easy to confuse the Leo constellation with Leo Minor, which has seven stars - and usually, only three stars in Leo Minor are very bright. If you first find Leo Minor, look below it for the constellation Leo: the backward question mark with six stars.

When looking at Leo the Constellation: Visually go straight for the very bright "dot" of the question mark. That's Regulus, aka "Cor Leonis" (the Heart of the Lion).

From Regulus, let your glance travel straight across the heavens (to the left) until you see a very bright spot; that's Saturn. Just two degrees away is Comet Lulin!

2) With a live webcast

If you’ll miss Comet Lulin because your skies are cloudy tonight, you still have a great option! Real-time webcast viewing will be made available by the Coca-Cola Space Science Center in Columbus, Georgia.

"We're going to transmit the view through our observatory's 16-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope," says astronomy professor Rosa Williams of Columbus State University.

Tonight’s webcast of Comet Lulin:
Mon., Feb. 23 (starting tonight at 11 p.m, EST) - through 5 a.m. EST tomorrow morning, Tues., Feb 24 from this observatory!

May you truly enjoy the beauty of the heavenly skies this night!

Comet Lulin Update: Tonight One Hour Past Midnight

What's the best time to view Comet Lulin tonight? After all, in about 5 hours (EST), the comet is going to converge with Saturn, in the constellation Leo. Also tonight, four of Saturn's moons will "transit the disk" and should be viewable with clear skies and family backyard telescopes. (For details on celestial events, from tonight through Feb. 27, please see the post directly below this one, entitled Comet Lulin: More Things in Heaven and on Earth, Horatio.)

Here's a great tip for tonight (technically, 'tomorrow' since the timing is one hour after midnight):

Where ever you are in the world and whatever your time zone, most reports are now claiming the best viewing time for Comet Lulin and the triple-planetary conjunction will occur early this morning at 1:00 a.m.

That's right: If local skies are clear, Comet Lulin can be seen by everyone around the world, tonight - just after midnight.

In the Northern Hemisphere, look in the south-southeast sky at 1:00 a.m. In the Southern Hemisphere, look in the north-northwest at 1:00 a.m. Remember, Comet Lulin is traveling 'backward" and it will also be close to the triple-planetary conjunction now lining up.

Unaided "naked eye" viewing will probably see a small, faint patch of gas (next to Saturn) - that's the comet. Help from binoculars or a telescope, however, will allow those with clear skies to see comet details, as well as witness Comet Lulin's actual motion as it moves across the stars.

Only those living on the Pacific Rim, however, will see the quadruple transit of Saturn's four moons (3 a.m., PST).

Comet Lulin: More Things in Heaven and on Earth, Horatio

There’s a lot happening in the heavens, especially from Feb. 23 (the eve of Ash Wednesday) and right through Feb. 27! All within five days, Comet Lulin will be at its closest proximity to Earth, sharing a visual conjunction with Saturn. We’ll see a new moon and a conjunction of Jupiter, Mars and Mercury – with the result that Ceres (the 590 mile-wide asteroid recently reclassified as a “dwarf planet”) cameo appearance might be overlooked as it orbits between Mars and Jupiter.

Since Comet Lulin won't be visiting this neighborhood for at least another 1,000 years, skywatchers might want to hie themselves and the children outside to view the upcoming heavenly, once-in-a-millenium show! Below you'll see a a generous handful of spectacular pix and "forecast" graphics of Comet Lulin and the conjunction of the new moon and three planets.


Below: Three different views of Comet Lulin's parabolic orbit on Tues., Feb. 24, 2009 (the evening before Ash Wednesday).

Comet Lulin is traveling backward in orbit - that is, from east to west. The planets and our moon travel west to east. (For color-coding explanations, please see the note directly under the three following graphics.)



























Note: "The orbits shown above are color coded. The planets are white lines, and the asteroid/comet is a blue line. The bright white line indicates the portion of the orbit that is above the ecliptic plane, and the darker portion is below the ecliptic plane. Likewise for the asteroid/comet orbit, the light blue indicates the portion above the ecliptic plane, and the dark blue the portion below the ecliptic plane." To see and play with a "moving" diagram of Comet Lulin's orbit with an applet from which these graphics came, please visit Solar System Dynamics (NASA).

Already brighter than expected, Comet Lulin is now visible to the naked eye (if the sky is clear). However, as it nears earth on Ash Wednesday, the use of binoculars or a telescope will allow one to actually watch its steady movement against the background of stars.

Just two nights before, on Sun., Feb. 22, the waning crescent moon itself will be in conjunction with Mercury and Jupiter. (On Mon., Feb. 23, Mars joins the conjunction.)

Below: The south-eastern sky in the pre-dawn hour (5:30 a.m.) on Mon., Feb. 23, 2009. The waning crescent moon is close to Mars, Jupiter and Mercury.

Next "forecast" picture below: In the early morning hours of Tues., Feb. 24 (eve of Ash Wednesday), Comet Lulin joins the party (appearing directly below Saturn, in constellation Leo, in the south-southeast sky), while the moon will be "new." On this same morning (just before dawn), Mercury and Jupiter will appear very close together – seemingly side-by-side.

Interesting Tidbit: As the moon moves away, it will be "on" earth's equator – possibly leaving earth 'wide open' to solar winds that have twice ripped off one of Comet Lulin's tails.

Below: Three days later, on Fri., Feb. 27, the waxing crescent moon moves into conjunction with Venus – a spectacular sight all on its own!

With all the gravitational forces in simultaneous array and play, there has been some conjecture on the potential effect on earth. Since the moon's movements have so much to do with the ocean tides, it is theoretically possible that the gravitational effects from the moon, Comet Lulin, Ceres, and the triple-planetary conjunction could cause severe storms, if not earthquakes and/or volcanic eruptions, anywhere from Thurs., Feb. 26 to Sun., Mar 1, here on Terra Cotta.

Let's hope the above conjecture is simply reserved caution, and that we may view these amazing heavenly line-ups with awe of God's creation, offering a thankful "Godspeed" to Comet Lulin as it returns to whence it came.

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy..." - Shakespeare

Catholic Christmas Traditions: The Nativity Set and "Little" Sacrifices

Any day of the Advent or Christmas season is a good time to share with children the story of St. Francis of Assisi and the first Nativity set. St. Francis of Assisi assembled the first “living” Nativity scene on Christmas Eve, gathering together some animals in a creche and telling those who assembled the story of Jesus' humble birth - God's own example of humility. The saint did this in order to incite holy devotion to God. Those who anticipated the Messiah never expected that the King of Kings would be born in a palace. Rather, He confounded man’s wisdom by being born in an obscure stable - and that one solitary act possesses many lessons to teach us!

Even small children can daily prepare their hearts for Jesus by learning how to make small sacrifices throughout Advent, then from Christmas or the Epiphany righton through “Candlemas” (February 2, the traditional liturgical closing of the Christmas season). Parents might encourage older children let sacrifices be known only to God in a uniqueway – through a special use of the family Nativity set.

We parents might start by explaining to small children (older ones, too!) that they will be responsible for “upkeeping” the stable for the Infant Jesus by doing what God expects from all of us - good deeds, done for love of Him. Set the stable up but keep it empty of all figures except the empty creche (if the family Nativity set has a small statue of the Infant Jesus on the manger, cover it with a few pieces of cotton balls). Next to the stable, keep a small, unbreakable covered container in which are placed pieces of straw, about 4 inches in length (in the city, small bags of straw are available at craft shops).

For each sacrifice (a good deed), each child may add a single piece of straw the stable or on top of the Christ Child's manger (already covered with cotton). Some families may start this tradition at the very beginning of Advent, and others begin on Christmas Day itself, adding the “sacrificial straw” each day in order to protect the Holy Infant. This latter practice is also a good reminder that the true Christmas season begins on December 25!

To cultivate the practice of "little sacrifices," one fairly simple idea sets the tone for each day. Every morning, the parents call all the children to join them as they all start the day. Together, the family prays the Morning Offering, and then each members places a,single piece of straw on the little manger.

Do this every day for a few weeks and a good habit is either formed or further grounded in the family - the Morning Offering!

We can also explain to the children that together, the whole family is going to practice sacrifices by offering them silently to God. (This is something we should do every day, but especially we should make this a constant practice during Advent and Lent.) Some ideas of sacrifices include keeping quiet when someone else murmurs against them and offering our hurt feelings in sacrifice for the conversion of sinners, not complaining when asked to do anything but responding quickly and cheerfully, speaking kindly when tempted to do otherwise, and so on.

Parents may wish to remind the children that this “placing of the straw” is a private matter between God and them, and they should try their best not to make their visit to the crib a “public matter” for everyone else to see. The act of keeping private any good action cultivates the virtue of humility (love of poverty of spirit), training each of us do everything - from making the bed to feeding the cat or the dog or the bird, to washing the dishes or the clothes, shovelling the snow, putting up with a miserable cold without complaint, etc. - solely for the love of Jesus.

Also, parents may wish to quietly pull a child aside who did something kind and yet didn’t remember to visit the Nativity set. This is only right for, just as parents must correct their children, they must encourage them in virtue. A child who hasn’t had the best day may realize on his own that he didn’t have“anything” to offer the Baby Jesus. This is the time when parents might look for “a little good” the child did well that day, help the little child (one who has not yet reached the age of reason but is growing close to it) to pray an Act of Contrition. Always encourage the child to start anew, asking for Our Lady's help. The offering of even little things is consistent with the Church’s teachings, training the little ones for future fidelity in "daily duty" as Catholics.

Another idea: Moving the Nativity set figures closer to their final destination is another activity children will enjoy. Perhaps each child can have his own little unbreakable set in his room. Each day, the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, as well as the shepherds and kings, all travelling from a great distance, inch their way to the stable at Bethlehem. Of course, Our Lady and St. Joseph are in the stable by Christmas Eve. By this time, the creche is hopefully heaped with straw, ready for the Christ Child. When the Christ Child is finally uncovered, the the shepherds arrive soon afterward. The Wise men are the last to arrive - on January 6, the Epiphany.

The Rosary: Holy Weapon and Safeguard of the Church and the Family

“One day, through the Rosary and the Scapular, I shall save the world.”
~Our Lady to Blessed Alan de la Roche


We may judge of the excellence of the Rosary by the attention given to this devotion by the Vicar of Christ. The great Pope Leo XIII issued thirteen encyclicals on the Rosary and recommended this devotion as a family prayer for every Catholic home. The month of October has been specially selected as the “month of the Rosary” and the feast of the Holy Rosary is now celebrated on the 7th of this month.

This feast of the most Holy Rosary took its origin from the great victory of the Catholic forces over the Mohammedans at the Battle of Lepanto on October 7, 1571. The defeat of the enemies of the Church and of civilization was due to the special assistance of the Mother of God. [Before his ascension to the papal throne, the pope at that time, Pope St. Pius V, been a Dominican monk with a reputation of piety. Documents of the Vatican archives relate that, at dawn on October 7, 1571, Pope St. Pius V, accompanied by a procession of faithful, entered the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore – that is, St. Mary Major’s. There the pope and the people prayed the Rosary, asking Our Lady for her intercession as the Catholic monarchs battled in defense of Christian Europe. The pope had no idea that, on that southern coast of Greece, the gruesome “Battle of Lepanto” would take place that very day. Hours later, the Pope was supernaturally informed that God had given victory to the Catholic forces. – MCB] The Rosary was recited throughout the countries of Europe for the success of the Christian forces, and the victory was attributed to Our Lady, called the “Help of Christians.” The Rosary has been the great weapon against heresy and infidelity, but it is also the chief safeguard for family peace and holiness.

Our Holy Father [Pope Leo XIII] wished to raise up the Rosary as a bulwark against the encroachments of the wicked and against the wiles of the devil aimed at the destruction of domestic sanctity. Society depends upon the family, and if we have good families, not all the powers of earth and Hell can make headway against the Church in her mission for the salvation of souls. We see some countries where the Faith has been preserved in spite of all the fury of Hell and in the face of all the powers of the world.

How can we account for such steadfastness in the face of such trials? We must go deep down to the basis of social virtue to get the explanation of such heroism, and when we go deep enough, we will find family holiness in these countries. If we examine a little more, we will find that the chief means of preserving this sanctity in family life was the practice of the Rosary as a family prayer.

The great St. Dominic performed a wonderful work in the destruction of the Albigensian heresy. He had spent a long time in arguments with the heretics, and, as is usual, he made no converts by his arguments. Never has there been a single conversion made by arguments or dispute alone, because heretics, as a rule, do not wish to know the Truth. The devil knows all the truths of the Church even better than many Catholics, and yet he has no wish to serve God.

While Our Lord was dying on the Cross, He prayed for His executioners, and He excused them on the grounds that they knew not what they did. Our Lord’s prayer was heard and thousands were converted through this act of forgiveness who would never have received such grace had not the suffering and merciful Heart of Jesus prayed for them. Jesus here excuses them on account of their ignorance, but in the case of many of these people, their ignorance was culpable. They could have known the truth if they had wished, but they resembled the coward Pilate who asked, “What is truth?” but did not wait for an answer. Arguing over religious matters with those outside the Church only gives the enemies of God an opportunity to blaspheme and to mock at holy things. Reason unaided by grace is not able to grasp the great religious truths contained in the Catholic Church. (Consider, too, that Our Lady of Fatima did not ask us to dialog with the unconverted. No, She asked that we pray the Rosary every day and make sacrifices for the conversion of sinners.- MCB)

It may be asked then what are we to do with a view to instructing those outside the Faith? We must, like St. Dominic, teach the simple Christian doctrine and we may answer the objections of, and give information to, those who are sincerely anxious to know the Truth. The Church spread throughout the great pagan Roman Empire by the preaching of the Gospel, aided by the blood of the martyrs and the prayers of the faithful. When a nation or an individual loses the Faith, it is never for intellectual reasons nor because they cannot harmonize the beliefs of the Church with their philosophy of life. The Faith is lost through the loss of grace, owing to absence of prayer and through the commission of sin. The Faith in a country is preserved by the teaching of Christian doctrine and by the self-sacrificing lives of the faithful. Sanctity is only self-denial for the love of God. Some perform self-sacrificing actions, but for some worldly motive, and so that is not sanctity. The marks of true sanctity are prayer, self-denial and zeal for God’s glory.

When St. Dominic found that his arguments were of no value, he had recourse to the Mother of God, who has always been the consoler of the afflicted and the help of all those who carry on works for the salvation of souls. This sweet Mother told the saint to lay aside the arguments and begin the teaching of the simple Christian doctrine [by teaching her Psalter, with its three Mysteries: Joyous, Sorrowful, and Glorious]. The message of the angel to Mary was the beginning of the work of Redemption, and St. Dominic taught the people to repeat this Angelic Salutation, which at once reminded them of the great mystery of the Incarnation.

St. Dominic at once gave up his arguments with the heretics and began to teach the people to pray to Mary by repeating the Hail Mary. While he repeated the Our Fathers and the Hail Marys, he taught the people a simple language some mystery of Our Lord’s Life. In a short time, the people gave up their heresy and returned once more to the practice of religion. We see here the importance of prayer in the work of salvation. Prayer removes the obstacles to the reception of grace, and simple instruction will do the rest. Prayer obtains everything from God, simply because one who prays prepares his soul for the seeds of grace and sanctification, and if only heretics and all those outside the Church could be induced to pray [the Rosary, as they should, since it is a Meditation of Christ’s Life and Death], they would very soon receive the gift of Faith. The absence of prayers means the absence of grace, and so the evils of sin and heresy are all due in the final result to the want of prayer.

We must not leave out another factor in the destruction of the Albigensian heresy, and that was the power of Mary. St. Dominic prayed to Our Lady, and he taught the people to do so. Mary is the link that binds the soul to Jesus. She is also the link that binds whole nations to Jesus, and so we have another explanation of the marvelous success of St. Dominic. Those who invoke the aid of this Holy Mother are assured of success because her prayers are so powerful that they can defeat all the powers of Hell and all the stratagems of wicked men.

It is worthy of notice also that the Order of St. Dominic remained so faithful to the Church during the time of the Reformation [the Protestant Revolt]. This is accounted for by their devotion to the Rosary and by their fidelity to the teaching of the ordinary Christian doctrine to the faithful. St. Thomas [Aquinas], who was perhaps after St. Dominic the greatest gem of the Dominican order, so simplified the philosophy and the theology of the Church that when the time of trial came, the sons of St. Dominic were ready to give a simple explanation of all the truths of the Church, and in this way were able to confound all the tricks of the heretics.

The Rosary has been the great safeguard of whole nations during times of storm and stress when the wolves of heresy threatened to devour the faithful children of Jesus and Mary. When priests were put to death, it was practically impossible to preserve the Faith for the want of assistance of the Sacraments and on account of the absence of religious instruction. The devotion to the Rosary kept the Faith in whole countries, and we have no reason to be surprised at this.

The simple meditations of the Rosary on the lives of Jesus and Mary and the consideration of some mystery of faith kept the knowledge of the supernatural truths before the minds of the faithful…[t]he prayers or the reputation of the Our Father and Hail Mary reminded the people of the Angelic Salutation and the Providence of God, while it at the same time prepared the soul for, and obtained grace, by the power of impetration, or by its efficacy as a prayer. This devotion of the Rosary has been the great secret of family holiness and has therefore been the source of vocations and of much of the sanctity of the Church. Vocations can only spring from good families, and saints always come from homes in which Jesus and Mary have a prominent place and in which the family is sanctified each evening by the recitation of the Rosary, which draws down the blessings and the protection of this sweet Mother.

What we mean by goodness in families [is] supernatural goodness. Many families may be respectable and may enjoy the goodwill of their neighbors, but their goodness may be purely or largely natural, and may take no account of eternity. Some are here confused and they may tend to copy the natural goodness of others because they cannot distinguish between the natural and the supernatural. Some ask why do worldlings prosper, while the good have to suffer. This is again confusing the natural and the supernatural.

Worldlings, or those who act as if this world were the only world, may prosper and be respected in this world, and God gives them this reward for their natural good works. But there is no word here of the supernatural rewards of eternity, which surpass any of the passing joys of this world. Our Lord never promised worldly rewards to His followers. The friends of Jesus may receive the gifts of this world, but these are only accidental. Our Lord advised His friends to lay up “treasures in Heaven,” where they cannot be destroyed and where thieves cannot steal. The hundredfold promised even in this life may not necessarily consist of wealth or honors. It may and generally does consist of blessings, which bring true peace of soul and prevent many misfortunes. But the supernatural reward promised to those who seek first the Kingdom of God will begin on the shores of eternity and will be never-ending.

The family Rosary will prevent such unhappy occurrences in the home which cause such sadness for both parents and children and which often end in the destruction of the matrimonial bond. [This does not mean lack of sufferings, trials or sorrows; it does mean, however, the family will not be overcome by them. – MCB]

The family Rosary is one of the best prayers of the Church. Prayer is intended to raise the mind to God and to take our thoughts away from the passing affairs of this world. The Rosary is long enough to engage our attention for a sufficient time to enable us to leave aside our worldly cares, and this is good for both body and soul. It can be said on a journey or even while engaged in our occupations which do not demand all our attention. The indulgences of the Rosary are so great the faithful ought to make use of this devotion for the relief of the poor souls in Purgatory. The Rosary is the devotion which belongs especially to Our Lady. No one who wishes for the assistance of Mary will neglect Her Rosary.

To the above essay of Fr. H. O'Laverty's, I will only add words uttered by Our Lady herself. At Fatima, Our Lady said: “Continue to pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary…”… “Pray, pray very much and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to hell because there are none to sacrifice themselves and pray for them.” And finally, "Pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world...because only She can help you."

(Essay from Fr. H. O’Laverty’s book, The Mother of God’s Glorious Feasts, 1908. Republished under the title The Mother of God and Her Glorious Feasts. Remarks or clarifications found in brackets are mine. - MCB)

For Children: A Short and Simple Way of Life

Last night, as we began the prayers of the Rosary, it seems our littlest recognized that I wasn't feeling very well, so he brought his prayer book to me and whispered, "Mama, maybe you should read these. They always help me."

I was so touched to read the pages he had bookmarked. The first listed the Eight Beautitudes, which, as we all know, begin, "Blessed are the poor in spirit..." (How true it is that even a moment of spiritual reading lifts up the heart!) After reading them, I saw a tiny slip of a bookmark on the next page, so I carefully turned the thin leaf. After reading that second page, I realized our littlest was not only offering me spiritual consolation --- he had also given me a glimpse into his own developing interior life. My heart swelled in gratitude...

Because it is a 'short and simple way' that reminds little ones of True Devotion to Jesus through Mary, or perhaps "The Little Way" of St. Therese, and to take as their own the examples of the lives of saints like young St. Dominic Savio or the Blesseds Jacinta and Francisco, I gladly share with you what our youngest son shared with me:

A Short and Simple Way of Life for a Child

Fear sin.

Dread mortal sin.

Never commit wilful venial sins.

Fly the occasions of sin.

Avoid bad companions.

Never read a bad book.

Guard your eyes, that they see no evil.

Watch your lips, that they speak no ill.

Pray often -

-To Jesus, to His Mother, to the Saints.

-Say your morning and evening prayers.

-Recite your Rosary.

-Hear Mass as often as you can.

-Receive Jesus frequently in Holy Communion.

Be obedient, be wise, be kind, be industrious, be good.

Honor your parents. Help them. Obey them.

Forget not the Souls in Purgatory.

Always, and above everything else ---love God.

From Jesus Make Me Worthy, a Prayerbook for the Young Boy or Girl

(The Regina Press, New York, 1961)