Category Archives: FF Tidbits

Immodest Conversation/Dangerous Reading

17 Tuesday May 2022

Posted by in Clean Love in Courtship - Fr. Lovasik, FF Tidbits, Youth

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Very good reading for all. Sometimes the temptations get confused with sin. Fr. Lovasik lays it out pretty clear so you know where the line is drawn…

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From Clean Love in Courtship, Fr. Lawrence G. Lovasik

Immodest Conversation and Speaking

MORTAL SIN

 Immodest conversation with the intention of exciting the hearers to lust. Course language which would scandalize and excite the young and innocent.

VENIAL SIN:

 Immodest conversation which is merely suggestive or slightly objectionable.

No SIN:

 Serious conversation about sexual topics is permissible when there is a sufficient reason for it and proper precautions are taken.

Listening

MORTAL SIN:

To listen to obscene conversation for the sake of the sensual pleasure that it excites.

VENIAL SIN:

 To listen out of curiosity or to laugh at obscene jokes from human respect. Many people who tell stories with sexy content are not bothered by them, but they have to assume some responsibility for their listeners.

Things like this can easily give scandal, especially in a mature mixed group, and above all when adolescents are present. The mere fun of telling a story is never a sufficient reason for the uncertain danger of temptation which is practically always present.

A smutty story displays your lack of a sense of decency and the state of your soul. It proclaims the meagerness of your sources of entertainment, the coarseness of your ideas of humor, the inadequacy of your means of expression.

It soils the imagination of your hearers, hanging vulgar pictures in the inner chambers of their minds. A dirty story disgusts people of finer sensibilities who care for the clean, wholesome things of life, but hate dirt.

It dishonors your parents, your friends, your God and yourself! Off-color and suggestive stories and jokes may be serious occasions of sin in company-keeping.

They easily arouse passions and lead the way to sin. Make it a point of honor that you will never soil your date with a single dirty story. Say nothing that you would not want your mother to hear.

God sees and hears you. Never take willful pleasure listening to a dirty story. If you are not in a position to silence the Story-teller or change the trend of conversation, or leave, at least refrain from encouraging him by your interest or expression of pleasure and approval.

Let him see from your attitude that you are not interested. Avoid the company of those who tell filthy jokes or stories. If your friend belongs to this class, you have made a very poor choice.

Dangerous Reading

MORTAL SIN:

 The reading of a very obscene book without sufficient reason. The reading of slightly objectionable books with an evil intention.

VENIAL SIN:

 The reading of slightly objectionable books out of mere curiosity and without evil intentions, e.g., a novel with too passionate love.

No SIN:

 Those who have a serious reason for reading (doctors, nurses, spiritual directors, teachers, young people about to be married who need instruction) do not sin, even though they should be strongly excited, provided that they control their wills. The greater the danger to the virtue of chastity, the greater must be the justifying reason for reading dangerous books.

Even mere entertainment justifies one in ignoring occasional slight motions of passion caused by a few suggestive pictures or  passages in books or magazines that are otherwise decent.

But mere entertainment is not usually a complete justification for reading things that one finds strongly stimulating, even in an otherwise decent book or magazine.

One of the great enemies to the moral cleanliness of youth is the avalanche of filth being poured upon them today by smutty magazines, lewd pictures and newspapers which relate the details of sexual crimes and divorce scandals.

Such literature poisons the minds, befouls the imaginations and sullies the hearts of youth. The publishers of these filthy, sex inciting magazines are the arch criminals of our day, the criminals who turn out others by the hundreds.

Make it a point of honor never to read any literature which you know to be in any way objectionable. Refrain from reading cheap books and magazines that will scarcely be an inspiration to you.

Read and promote Catholic books, magazines and pamphlets in order to become a better Catholic and help the cause of truth and virtue. You cannot appreciate anything you know little about.

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“Let us ask God every day and in every prayer we ever say to make us love Him. Let us offer every good act we do that He may give us this, the greatest of all graces, His blessed love. In our morning prayers and evening prayers, in our Rosary, at Mass, in our Communions, let it be our first, our most earnest petition, that we may love God. Let us never say any prayer in which this is not our outstanding wish and intention.” – Rev. Fr. Paul O’Sullivan. An Easy Way To Become A Saint, 1943
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This is a must-read for Catholic youth. The do’s and don’t s of dating, how to keep pure, what is a sin and what is just a temptation, the qualities to look for in a good spouse, etc. It is small, but power-packed, straightforward and balanced! http://amzn.to/2niVm2T (afflink)
Sermon for today. “What are the dangers of dating? What is the purpose of marriage? What does the Church teach is OK to & not OK to do with members of the opposite gender?”

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To the modern mind, the concept of poverty is often confused with destitution. But destitution emphatically is not the Gospel ideal. A love-filled sharing frugality is the message, and Happy Are You Poor explains the meaning of this beatitude lived and taught by Jesus himself. But isn’t simplicity in lifestyle meant only for nuns and priests? Are not all of us to enjoy the goodness and beauties of our magnificent creation? Are parents to be frugal with the children they love so much?

For over half a century, Catholic families have treasured the practical piety and homespun wisdom of Mary Reed Newland’s classic of domestic spirituality, The Year and Our Children. With this new edition, no longer will you have to search for worn, dusty copies to enjoy Newland’s faithful insights, gentle lessons, and delightful stories. They’re all here, and ready to be shared with your family or homeschooling group. Here, too, you’ll find all the prayers, crafts, family activities, litanies, and recipes that will help make your children ever-mindful of the beautiful rhythm of the Church calendar.
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How to Control Your Anger (Conclusion) ~ Fr. Donald Miller, C.SS.R.

13 Friday May 2022

Posted by in Attitude, FF Tidbits, Virtues

≈ 2 Comments

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Continued from….

How to Control Your Anger (Part One) here.

How to control Your Anger (Part Two) here.

6. POUTING

Anger can express itself through silence. The silence that anger sometimes adopts as an offensive weapon is not to be confused with the silence that should be employed to keep oneself from violent expressions of anger. A person who is often tempted to hasty and intemperate speech can cure that defect only by learning to be silent when the fury of anger is upon him.

Angry silence takes the form of pouting. It is a silence that bristles, that charges an atmosphere with tension. It is usually a prolonged silence that refuses to take part even in the most trivial conversation. Introspective, sensitive, and moody persons find themselves especially tempted to show their anger in this way, as the following questions will reveal.

1. I have been hurt or angered by someone. I know that harsh words would be an ineffective response. Do I therefore show my anger by withdrawing into a shell and refusing to say anything for a period of time?

2. Have I at times lapsed into an aggrieved silence over some fancied injury, only to find out afterward that the one who provoked my anger was utterly unaware of what it was that upset me?

3. When angry at someone, do I make him (or her) feel it by showing absolutely no interest in anything, not even in things that are ordinarily my favorite topics or activities?

4. If accused of pouting, do I adopt an attitude of woebegone sadness, and answer every attempt to shake me out of it with ‘I don’t care’ or ‘Just leave me alone’?

There is little hope that the ‘pouter’ will overcome his bad habit unless he faces the fact that his temperament inclines him to take offense where none is intended and then, hopeless of making others repent in any other way, to lapse into an unmistakably aggrieved or angry silence. Such persons can remain free from the fault of angry silence only when they learn to make allowances both for the shortcomings of others and for their own touchy sensitiveness.

7. IRRITABILITY

Irritability is the flaw of character whereby people permit themselves to be unpleasant, curt, and ill-mannered with others for no other reason than that they do not happen to be feeling just right. Irritability manifests itself when nothing has been said or done that could possibly be taken as an offence. When a person is in an irritable mood, it is impossible to say anything to him that will not occasion grumbling and unkindness.

Everyone is exposed to the irritability of others from time to time, and every such experience should make one more determined not to permit this fault to appear in one’s own conduct. Ask yourself these questions and see if you show signs of irritability.

1. When someone asks you an innocent question, is your response unnecessarily sharp, mean, or critical of the questioner?

2. As a parent, an employer, or a person in authority do you speak harshly to those for whom you are responsible, even when they are doing everything correctly?

3. When a little mistake is made or when a person somehow bothers or disturbs you in some small matter, do you respond in a way that is totally out of proportion to the action that has taken place? Irritable people make many smooth excuses for their weakness. Some say that it is due to their nerves, which are in bad shape. Others attribute it to high blood pressure or low blood pressure or insomnia or indigestion. Still others say that their unpleasantness with those around them is due to the fact that they have so many worries and responsibilities that they cannot be expected to show a consideration toward the feelings of other people.

All such excuses are just that – excuses. Irritability signifies a lack of personal control and an inability to subject one’s feelings to the demands of charity. There is no reason for a person to display signs of irritability. Like any other form of anger, it must be brought under control and not allowed to grow. So, stop making excuses.

One who is often cross and unpleasant with others for no apparent reason needs to come face to face with the fact that he is thinking too much of himself. The irritable person forgets that the other person has feelings, too, and does not like to be shouted at or abused for no reason at all.

8. TAKING REVENGE

With some people, anger expresses itself in attempts to take revenge on the one who occasioned it. There is a wide variety of ways in which this may be done, from attempts to do grave bodily harm to the person, to scheming attempts to make the person suffer some form of retribution. Many will find themselves subject to seeking revenge in one of the following forms, some of which can be serious sins.

1. If someone angers me, do I seek revenge by running that person down in my conversation with others, revealing his secret faults, perhaps even exaggerating them and lying about them?

2. After a quarrel with my spouse do I speak uncharitably about him (or her) to my children or my own blood relatives?

3. Do I try to alienate the friends of someone with whom I am angry, by making that person appear to be unworthy of their friendship or trust?

4. Do I attempt to take revenge on my spouse when I have been angered, by refusing to fulfill the duties of marriage or to carry on with my essential tasks?

5. Do I try to take revenge on a person who, I think, has injured me, by spoiling his chances for advancement or recognition?

One who invariably seeks to take revenge against another has an exaggerated or wrong sense of justice, and no regard for Christian charity at all. Christ dramatically insisted not only that his followers are not to strike back at those who injure them but that when they are struck on one cheek, they should turn and offer the other (See Mt 5:38-39). This was one of his forceful ways of saying that revenge is sinful. So, develop true Christian charity.

9. HATRED

Hatred is the final, fixed, and spiritually fatal outcome of undisciplined anger. Hatred is persevering bad will. It is the deliberate crystallizing of one’s anger into a state of total dislike. Hatred is not to be confused with involuntary dislike or antipathy for a certain person. Everybody experiences this feeling at times but it is not sinful when it is successfully concealed.

Hatred is not involuntary. It is a will act whereby one, both internally and externally, surrenders to acts of enmity toward another. These questions reveal the presence of hatred in a person.

1. Do I find myself deliberately fostering the desire to hurt, or to see hurt seriously, the one who has injured me?

2. Do I deliberately rejoice in the serious misfortunes that befall my enemy, and wish they would be multiplied? Do I even want him to be condemned to hell?

3. When I pray, do I deliberately try to exclude my enemy in my prayers which I know I am bound to say for all men? Worse, do I ask God to send great problems and misfortunes into the life of this person?

4. Do I show my hatred by refusing even to say hello to my enemy, either when we meet alone or in the presence of others? Does this go on for a considerable period of time?

One who has fallen into hatred of another must be made mindful of the fact that deliberately to hate a fellow human being is similar to hating God who is present within that person. He is inviting God’s condemnation on himself. Every time he says the Our Father, he asks God to forgive his trespasses as he forgives others. He asks God’s pardon only in the measure he is willing to forgive those who have wronged him. No matter how great the injury or injustice received, the offending person still must be forgiven. The remedy for overcoming hatred is to pray the Lord’s Prayer and really mean it.

CONCLUSION

It should now be clear that anger can be expressed in many forms. It can be spoken in angry or sarcastic words. Nagging or quarreling are especially divisive forms of anger. It can be expressed in a mood like irritability or in the silence of pouting. It can also be physically demonstrated through violent actions. Revenge and hatred are often the most extreme forms of anger.

To allow oneself to exhibit any of these forms of anger is bad. It is a sign of a flaw in one’s character and personality. More devastating than the effects on the person himself are the evil effects that anger can have on other people. Anger destroys harmony in the home. It can endanger peace in a neighborhood, a city, country, or even in the world. Angry people cause problems wherever they go – on the job, in a meeting, or at a party.

Anger is also a stumbling block on the road to Christian perfection. For some people it is just a small obstacle. For others it is a major stumbling block. Either way a person must work diligently each day and in every human situation to remedy this great problem of anger. With hard work and the ever-present assistance of God’s grace, this problem can be remedied. Unnecessary and unreasonable anger can be stopped.

“Blessed is the home where unkind speech does not enter, nor cursing, nor bad literature, nor intemperance, for on that home will be heaped the blessings of peace.” – Fr. Lawrence Lovasik

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To the modern mind, the concept of poverty is often confused with destitution. But destitution emphatically is not the Gospel ideal. A love-filled sharing frugality is the message, and Happy Are You Poor explains the meaning of this beatitude lived and taught by Jesus himself. But isn’t simplicity in lifestyle meant only for nuns and priests? Are not all of us to enjoy the goodness and beauties of our magnificent creation? Are parents to be frugal with the children they love so much?

For over half a century, Catholic families have treasured the practical piety and homespun wisdom of Mary Reed Newland’s classic of domestic spirituality, The Year and Our Children. With this new edition, no longer will you have to search for worn, dusty copies to enjoy Newland’s faithful insights, gentle lessons, and delightful stories. They’re all here, and ready to be shared with your family or homeschooling group. Here, too, you’ll find all the prayers, crafts, family activities, litanies, and recipes that will help make your children ever-mindful of the beautiful rhythm of the Church calendar.

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support

 

 

 

A Little Lesson ~ Tammy’s Cloud

09 Monday May 2022

Posted by in by Leane Vdp, FF Tidbits, Praying

≈ 7 Comments

by Leane VanderPutten

Tammy was feeling testy lately and she didn’t know why. She felt like this periodically and it was an uncomfortable sort of thing. Kind of like a cloud that had settled around her…a greyish one that made her uneasy…like all was not okay.

She was short with the kids and her husband, which made the cloud a little more dense. She felt like she was losing control and slipping…

Many things had her worried. Things like…

Why is Susie disobeying so much lately?

How can I get little George potty-trained?

Hubby seems so tired lately…I hope everything is all right.

I wish I wouldn’t have gained that 5 lbs.…

My prayer life needs help…

Why is the neighbor so grouchy with me these days?

And on and on.

This weekend a visiting priest was coming to give a women’s conference. Tammy wasn’t looking forward to it. She had this unpleasant feeling she would walk away from it feeling even more inadequate than ever.

No, she wasn’t praying enough.

Yes, her routine was often messed up…sometimes through her own fault.

No, she hadn’t been making it very often to daily Mass.

She felt she would be reminded of these many inadequacies that were weighing heavy upon her.

Tammy made it through the rest of the week, each day muddling through as the cloud of anxiety stuck with her. It was in the background, and, though Tammy managed to get the basics done each day… it was there, like a chronic itch that was especially annoying when one was being still.

Saturday came. Hubby had said he would watch the kids so Tammy could go to the conference. Tammy was off to Mass, doing her best to have a positive attitude about the talks.

As Tammy sat down in the hall, she noticed many other women coming to take part in the conferences. She wondered if they had it all together. They were smiling, talking and laughing. Tammy said hi to several of them as they were, of course, familiar faces, many of them were friends.

Father went to the podium and introduced himself and began his talk. Tammy fidgeted and tried to pull her thoughts away from the many chores that awaited her at home.

As Father proceeded in his talk, she started to take more notice.

“I’m here today to take that baseball bat that you keep hitting yourself with, out of your hand…”

Hmmm…she thought. That would probably be a good thing.

“We often rely on our own power, our own strength to overcome our faults and failings. We also rely on ourselves often to ‘fix things’ that are, a lot of times, out of our control,” he continued.

“And even if there IS something we should or should not be doing, the strength to carry this out and the wisdom to know what we should be doing evades us. We want answers but we don’t have them.

So, really, the solution to these daily problems is a continual crying out to God for help…for grace, for wisdom. It’s as simple as that…. a continual reaching out to Him Who wants to help in all the nitty gritty details of life.

But how do you do that, as busy wives, and mothers? You often hit the ground running as you struggle to get the day rolling with the multitude of needs that beg to be met.

In the morning, on arising, we can direct to the Most High through the Morning Offering, all the activity of the day.

This is most important, because as the hours and minutes roll by, the various actions rise in homage to God.”

Ok, I do that, thought Tammy. So at least I am starting out my day by doing the right thing.

The priest continued….

“From time to time throughout the day, think of raising our mind and heart to God. Each person has their own individual way of conversing with God. And this is good. God loves us and He made us each with a unique personality and way of expressing ourselves.

A continual conversation with Him throughout the day is very valuable! Like a best friend, and of course, He is the very best, take your cares, your joys, your struggles to Him throughout the day. Talk to Him.

It’s not difficult to do this…it is a matter of habit…of remembering to lift our hearts to Him often throughout the day.

How can we do this? Find ways that help you remember.

As you are getting dressed in the morning, talk familiarly with God. Imagine putting on the armor of God and ask Him to protect you from any evil that may come your way today, to protect you from negative thoughts, from getting discouraged. Ask Him to help you smile more, be more relaxed and peaceful about things….or whatever you wish to say to Him first thing in the morning.

When you have your morning tea or coffee, a quick prayer of gratefulness to Him who gave you this to enjoy is valuable.

As you are teaching school, pray for those children who are having problems…a quick prayer…and then for yourself, the teacher, the mother.

During the children’s nap time, send a quick prayer to the Holy Ghost that you use the time wisely. Then go about your business.

Ask for energy, temperance, kindness, etc. often during the day…”

Father went on about intimately conversing with God and with Our Lady because they are truly our best friends.

Then he concluded, “If it is one thing I am going to give you as homework from this conference, it is this:

Increase your conversation with God throughout the day.

That’s it.

Yes, say your regular prayers, try to say them better. But most importantly, talk to Him throughout the day about your fears, your frustrations, your loneliness, your joys, your gratefulness, etc.”

Tammy walked away that day with a lighter step. Father did not make her feel guilty…he just encouraged her to seek for a deeper relationship with God…not by spending more time in prayer but by learning to converse with Him throughout the day. She felt she could do that.

The next few days, Tammy talked to God, Our Lady, the saints and her Guardian Angel about a lot of things throughout the day… her neighbor’s grouchiness, (“St. Anne, please help my neighbor with whatever it is that is bothering her”) Susie’s disobedience (“Blessed Mother, help Susie, and help me to know what to do”), her bothersome weight gain (“Dear Lord, give me wisdom and temperance”), etc. Little prayers were being sent up all through the day as Tammy thought of it…

After a month or so, Tammy realized something…that cloud of anxiety had dissipated…it was gone!

The problems were still there, there would always be problems, but that cloud of anxiety Our Lord had taken care of. By her continual reaching out to Him, He had in turn, given her more peace in her days!

And it showed in her family life. Her husband made a comment to her that he noticed she was more at peace, more cheerful. This made him happier, too. The children seemed to get along better and, well, life in general, perked up! After all, if Mama’s not happy, her little world feels it!

Tammy was very grateful!

Never forget that it is God’s will that the parents should be the ones to teach the child to pray, as Mary and Joseph helped the boy Jesus to advance in wisdom and grace. -A Dominican Nun, 1954

We must realize that building back to traditional values starts, first, in ourselves and in our homes. Which, in turn, will affect our communities and society in general. And our dress is a powerful means to do just that! It IS like a billboard saying, “There is still something beautiful, noble and good in this world, and it is worth living for.”

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We live in an age characterized by agitation and lack of peace. This tendency manifests itself in our spiritual as well as our secular life. In our search for God and holiness, in our service to our neighbor, a kind of restlessness and anxiety take the place of the confidence and peace which ought to be ours. What must we do to overcome the moments of fear and distress which assail us? How can we learn to place all our confidence in God and abandon ourselves into his loving care? This is what is taught in this simple, yet profound little treatise on peace of heart. Taking concrete examples from our everyday life, the author invites us to respond in a Gospel fashion to the upsetting situations we must all confront. Since peace of heart is a pure gift of God, it is something we should seek, pursue and ask him for without cease. This book is here to help us in that pursuit.

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For the Month of May ~ A Tea Party!

05 Thursday May 2022

Posted by in by Emilie Barnes, FF Tidbits

≈ 3 Comments

For the Month of May, why not have a….

“Little Women” Themed Tea Party! by Emilie Barnes

Nothing like a Tea Party to stir up the femininity in the young and not-so-young ladies!

A tea party is one of my most favorite things! I love the food, the games, the special decorations, and the chance to be with my friends. A tea party is always a fun time of being with people I love.

For a long, long time – since long before card and telephones and computers – tea has been served between 4:00 and 6:00 in the afternoon, and it still is today. A tea party can be very simple – just sharing a cup of tea and something sweet to eat with a friend.

Or a tea party can be very fancy – lots of friends wearing their dressiest clothes and using pretty china and cloth napkins. You can have a tea to celebrate a birthday, a special holiday, or a god report card! Or tea can be just because! There’s always time for tea!

by Emilie Barnes, Let’s Have a Tea Party!

The girls flew about, trying to make things comfortable, each in her own way. Meg arranged the tea table, Jo brought wood and set chairs, dropping, overturning, and clattering everything she touched. Beth trotted to and fro between parlor and kitchen, quiet and busy, while Amy gave directions to everyone. ~ Little Women

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is my all – time favorite book. Have you read it? It’s the story of four sisters who lived in the 1800s, and it’s wonderful! Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy lived in a world that’s very different from ours, but they’re girls who, like you and me, had their dreams, loved their family, and were not perfect! (Remember when Amy threw Jo’s manuscript into the fire?)

I love to imagine being Jo, telling stories, acting in plays with her three sisters, and, of course, enjoying tea.

If your guests haven’t read the book, watch some or all of the movie Little Women at the beginning of your tea.

Invitations

Choose pretty white or flowered note paper and write a formal invitation like this one:

Add your address before “R.S.V.P.” and your phone number afterward, and of course use your name instead of mine!

Marmee’s Surprise Table

The March family lived during the Civil War. Since Mr. March was away, Mrs. March (her four daughters called her “Marmee”) didn’t have much money. But the girls and their mother loved being together and they enjoyed what they did have.

So, for your tea, start with a plain white tablecloth like the March girls used. See if you can find an older, slightly worn but still pretty one like the March family might have had.

Put flowers in a pretty vase and wrap ivy around it, let- ting some vines trail onto the table.

Old handkerchiefs make perfect napkins for your old-fashioned table. (If you can’t get handkerchiefs, cut some squares of pretty cloth.)

And here is an idea for your “open book” placemats. If you want to perform a short skit with your guests (a favorite pastime for the March sisters), you could write their parts on their placemats. Or copy a favorite (and short) passage from the book. Or write a description of one of the characters. After all, each of your friends will be dressed up as one of the March girls. I’ll talk about that next.

Jo’s Dress-up Box

Before the party, fill a large box or chest with old-fashioned clothes (long skirts, high-necked blouses, cameo pins, high button shoes) and pretty hair rib- bons and snoods (those little nets that hold a tucked-under ponytail at the back of your neck).

When your guests arrive, have each one dress up like one of the March girls. You can either ask someone who knows how to braid to come and braid each guest’s hair or you and your friends can practice on each other.

Since the March girls loved to act, you might ask each guest to take on the role of one of the sisters while you have your tea. (It’s okay to have more than one motherly Meg, energetic Jo, peaceful Beth, or spirited Amy.)

You and your guests could perform a scene from the book or make something up on your own.

And here are a couple of recipes you can use for your Tea Party:

Pretty Petit Fours:

by Taste of Home. Recipe here.

Cherry Bonbons ~

Maraschino cherries with stems

Semisweet chocolate chips

Take the cherries out of the jar they come in and put them on paper towels so the liquid can drain off. Then fill a small deep container (like a coffee cup) with chocolate chips and place it in the microwave. To melt the chocolate, heat it on high for 20 seconds, open the microwave and stir the chocolate, and then heat it again for 20 more seconds.Continue heating the chocolate at 20-second intervals until it is just melted. Or melt on a double boiler on the stove.

Then hold the cherries by their stems and dip them in chocolate. Set the dipped cherries on wax paper. Chill these bonbons in the refrigerator.

More Fun! Some more Ideas for your Tea Party~

MISS ALCOTT’S GIRLS— Read aloud chapter one of Little Women or, as I mentioned earlier, watch a movie version of this special book.  Do this at the beginning of your party if your friends haven’t read the book.

GUESS WHO?— If your friends know the story well, ask each one to choose a character from Little Women. Then play a “20 Questions” game. Have your friends take turns asking yes/ no questions to each other (one person answers at a time) to try to figure out who each girl has chosen to be.

BOOK TRADE— Have each guest bring a favorite book to the tea. Give everyone a chance to tell why they brought their book. If you want, and if your guests know each other well enough, encourage them to trade books for a few weeks. Make sure people who trade books know who is borrowing theirs and when they will get it back. It’s a good idea to have the owner of the book write her name, her phone number, and the date she’s expecting it back on the inside front cover. Book owners may also want to have those who borrow their book sign their name and date on the inside back cover. You and your guests might even decide to make a certain day each month “Book Trading Day.” It might be fun to see which book has the most signatures at the end of the year.

SECRET TREASURE JOURNAL— Give each of your guests 16 sheets of lined paper (the kind with the holes) and three pieces of pretty ribbon. Tie the ribbon through the holes to make a secret treasure journal. Then let your friends decorate the cover with stickers, stamps and marking pens. Each of your friends will now have something to write their dreams and memories in.

Pictures of friends’ lovely Tea Party held in Connecticut last year…

Religious have no need of particular friendships, but those living in the world need them as a mutual strength and aid in the many difficult passages that have to be crossed.
For those who live in the midst of the world and yet strive for true virtue, it is necessary to ally themselves to one another by a holy and sacred friendship through which they stimulate, assist and encourage each other toward good.Those who walk on level ground do not need to hold hands, but those who climb steep and slippery roads need to hold on to each other in order to progress more securely. -St. Francis de Sales

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These soaps are amazing! My family and I have extremely sensitive skin and even struggle with eczema and allergic rashes from many products. These beautiful and gentle soaps actually calm our skin and the eczema on my hands started improving right away! The scents are beautiful as well; the extra soaps we have on display and every time we walk in our bathroom, there is a gentle yet not overpowering beautiful scent. Very feminine and lovely! Thank you for making these!

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  • Establish simple systems that save time and money and gain peace of mind
  • Organize the home’s problem areas–kitchen cupboards, crowded closets, home offices, and more
  • Reclaim precious time for family and friends

Filled with inspiration, encouragement, and tried-and-true tips, this book is a must-have for every woman!

The good news is that a beautiful home doesn’t require too much money, too much energy, or too much time. Bestselling author and home-management expert Emilie Barnes shows readers how they can easily weave beauty and happiness into the fabric of their daily lives. With just a touch of inspiration, readers can

  • turn their homes into havens of welcome and blessing
  • build a lifestyle that beautifully reflects their unique personalities
  • enrich their spirits with growing things (even if their thumbs are several shades shy of green)
  • make mealtimes feasts of thanksgiving and kitchen duty fun
  • establish traditions of celebration that allow joy to filter through to everyday life

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New Podcast on Kindness ~ A Maypole

02 Monday May 2022

Posted by in FF Tidbits

≈ 1 Comment

Father Lovasik has so many golden nuggets in this piece! If we were to follow the Golden Rule “Do Unto Others As We Would Have Them Do Unto Us,” we would have the basic principles of a happy family life!

“Kind deeds are a source of happiness in the family. Little acts of kindness and little courtesies are the things that, added up at night, constitute a happy day. The best part of your life is spent in the little nameless acts of kindness and love you have performed in your home. Faithful, self-forgetting service – love that spends itself – is the secret of family happiness…”

A sweet little nugget for May…You probably have heard of the MayPole. Here is a little history…

From Wikipedia…

In Germany and Austria the maypole is a tradition going back to the 16th century. It is a decorated tree or tree trunk that is usually erected either on 1 May – in Baden and Swabia – or on the evening before, for example, in East Frisia. In most areas, it is usual to have a ceremony to erect the maypole on the village green. The custom of combining it with a village or town fete, that usually takes place on 30 April 1 May or at Pentecost (Whitsun), is widespread. Up with the help of long poles, today it may sometime also be done using tractors, forklifts or even cranes. In Lower Austria ropes and ladders are used.

In the Rhineland in and around Cologne, there exists a somewhat different maypole tradition. During the night before 1 May, unmarried men erect young birch trees in front of the houses of their sweethearts. These trees, which may reach five metres of height or more, are sold beforehand by local foresters. The men usually decorate them with multicoloured crepe paper and often with a red heart of wood with the name of the girl written on it. During the month of May, many house front gardens have such maypoles.

If the tree is erected on the eve of 1 May, then the event is usually followed by a May dance or Tanz in den Mai. Depending on local custom, the Maibaum may remain in place all year round or may be taken down at the end of May. The trunk may then be stored until the following year.

~~~

Here is a lovely post at Shower of Roses on how to do the Maypole at home using a large outdoor umbrella stand.

Photo Credit: Shower of Roses, posted with permission

“Even though the symbolism of the maypole has been continuously debated for centuries, and no set conclusion has ever been arrived at, Stasia explained to all the girls that she likes to think that all the individual ribbons represent the many different aspects and doctrines of our Catholic Faith, and when weaved together they create something complete and beautiful!” ~Shower of Roses 

~~~

One could also either have a procession afterwards or a Tea Party! All in honor of Our Lady for May! The crepe streamers that you use for the Maypole can be different shades of blue and white!

What a beautiful way to celebrate May in honor of Our Lady!

A midsummer pole at harbour in Bromarv, Finland

Brentwood, Los Angeles

Maypole at Llanfyllin, Wales on 1 May 1941

Maypole in San Diego

🌺🌺Take time to smell the roses in this wonderful month of May, the month of Mary! Take a walk with your children, garden together, pick a bouquet, look at the stars…. Another spring is upon us, a time to enjoy God’s creation as it unfolds its beauty all around us! 🌸🌸Our Lady, Cause of our Joy, pray for us!

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The rosary, scapulars, formal prayers and blessings, holy water, incense, altar candles. . . The sacramentals of the Holy Catholic Church express the supreme beauty and goodness of Almighty God. The words and language of the blessings are beautiful; the form and art of statues and pictures inspire the best in us. The sacramentals of themselves do not save souls, but they are the means for securing heavenly help for those who use them properly. A sacramental is anything set apart or blessed by the Church to excite good thoughts and to help devotion, and thus secure grace and take away venial sin or the temporal punishment due to sin. This beautiful compendium of Catholic sacramentals contains more than 60,000 words and over 50 full color illustrations that make the time-tested sacramental traditions of the Church – many of which have been forgotten since Vatican II – readily available to every believer.

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How To Be Prudent

27 Wednesday Apr 2022

Posted by in FF Tidbits, Virtues

≈ 1 Comment

Painting by Eugene de Blaas. Austrian (1843 – 1932)

by E. Dunne, C.SS.R., J.C.D., Australian Catholic Family Magazine

Women might be more emotional than men, but, on the whole, what is called commonsense seems to be equally divided among the sexes. Some are born with it; some learn it through experience; others never acquire it.

Commonsense is natural prudence. It means choosing the right means, doing the right thing.

For the conduct of life and for getting to heaven, commonsense is not enough. We need the supernatural virtue of prudence. Through this virtue a wife and mother keeps everything in her life in proper relation to God and His plan for us. In other words she never does anything that could take her away from God, or take others away from Him, and the conduct of her life is intelligent, secure, Christian and holy.

A very big program? That is precisely why prudence is needed. You practice prudence in these ways….

  1. In General

(a) By remaining in the state of grace. It is most imprudent to run the risk of losing one’s soul.

(b) By prayer. Prayer unites you with Our Lord, Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. With the guidance given by God in prayer, your life will be safe and secure because it will be guided by prudence. It may not be easy, but at least it will be holy. If you always remember to pray, you will never sin. Sin is the abandoning of that which is right and proper and good.

(c) By keeping death and eternity before you. What does this matter for eternity? Is it worth it? How will this look on my death bed? Will I be glad I have acted like this when I come to die? These are the thoughts of a prudent woman.

  1. In Particular

To practice prudence in individual actions and affairs, it is necessary to think well, to choose well, and then to do what you have decided.

(a) To think well.

Train yourself against acting on the spur of the moment. If you tend to be imprudent in speech, resolve not to talk so much, and give yourself time to think of what you are going to say. Thus you will avoid uncharitableness, thoughtless and cutting remarks.

Before you drift into a situation or an occasion in which sin is almost inevitable, think and pray on your responsibility before God for your own soul and maybe for the soul of another.

Convince yourself that first things must come first. Peace of mind is better than money; purity comes before pleasure; peace in the home is preferable to winning arguments. These are the principles which will help you to be prudent. Before they will do you any good, however, you must be personally convinced of them.

(b) To choose well.

Wives and mothers often have momentous decisions to make.

One of my children is heading for spiritual disaster. How can I stop it?

Shall I send the children to this school or that school? Which is better?

My husband seems to be in spiritual difficulties. He is worried, withdrawn, moody. How can I help him?

To make a wrong decision in any of these things might make the situation worse. Choose well by considering all the possibilities. Write them down if necessary. Consult another more experienced or prudent person. Ask advice from your spiritual director, your parish priest.

Have you thought of consulting your husband? Perhaps he is only waiting to be asked, to share his and your burden. Before making a decision, always pray that prudence will help you to choose well.

(c) Do what you have decided.

Women are often hesitant and fearful, even though they know what they ought to do. It is imprudent to dilly-dally, and it often causes more harm. When you have prayed, thought and asked advice, make up your mind, and go ahead! Act!

You might still be fearful of the outcome, but you have acted prudently, and God will not blame you. He might blame you, if through imprudence, you do nothing.

Pray for prudence to Mary, the Most Prudent Virgin.

Charity towards your neighbor, tolerance for his opinions, indulgence for his defects, compassion for his errors, yes; but no cowardly and guilty concessions to human respect. Never allow fear of the ridicule or contempt of men to make you blush for your faith. -Light and Peace, Quadrupani https://amzn.to/2FZ6Ima (afflink)

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These soaps are amazing! My family and I have extremely sensitive skin and even struggle with eczema and allergic rashes from many products. These beautiful and gentle soaps actually calm our skin and the eczema on my hands started improving right away! The scents are beautiful as well; the extra soaps we have on display and every time we walk in our bathroom, there is a gentle yet not overpowering beautiful scent. Very feminine and lovely! Thank you for making these!

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Strive For Lasting Success

18 Monday Apr 2022

Posted by in FF Tidbits, Virtues, Youth

≈ 1 Comment

What is your measurement of success?  In this article, Father Garesche talks about striving for lasting success, success that is true and noble.

The Catholic Book of Character and Success by Fr. Edward F. Garesche

Before we speak of the means to achieve success, we should form a clear idea for ourselves as to what success means, in what it consists, for we cannot discuss the way sensibly unless we know where we are going.

Everyone who is not a fool desires success in life, but many fail to achieve it, even with their utmost effort, because they have not rightly conceived what really constitutes success.

A successful life is a life that achieves its purpose. Such a life is a happy one, even though its way may pass through suffering and difficulty, because happiness is one thing and pleasure another, and a person may have great pleasure and still be very unhappy, just as he may lack pleasure almost entirely and still be very happy.

What is the purpose of life?

The chorus of all generations of mankind, the general conclusion of history, is that the purpose of life is to do one’s duty to God and man, to make the most of one’s opportunities of service, to live virtuously, and thus enjoy the happiness here and hereafter that comes from such performance of duty.

I say this is the final conclusion of mankind. It is true that there are many individuals who put success in various forms of achievement. Some people look on success as the acquirement of great sums of money, and the reason they judge thus is that money means power; it means the acquirement of property and influence and the enjoyment of good things of this world. Hence, when men put success in business achievement, they confess that the good things of this world seem to them the way to happiness.

But is this so? A little reflection will show that it is not. Money is a means to an end, and very often a necessary means, because a man must live decently and must support his family, if he has one.

But some of the greatest failures in history have been those who have accumulated huge sums of money, but who have lacked moral principle and have been false to their duty; wherefore, they made gigantic failures.

The greatest persons of history have often been poor in material things, but they have always been rich in principle, in devotion to duty; otherwise they would have been not truly great.

There are others who have put success in the acquirement of honor or reputation, and here again they were wrong, because honor in itself is not so much in the person himself as in the thoughts of others. Honor does not bring a person lasting happiness.

Many a one has achieved immense reputation and then left, in his own writings, the record of his disillusionment and disappointment. It is not those who have achieved renown who are truly fortunate and happy, but those who have deserved honor by their virtue. What has been said of honor may be said, too, of power and influence.

These are not the real rewards of life. Here, again, many a man has succeeded in rising to great heights and yet made a failure of his life.

Remember the great Napoleon at St. Helena. He had climbed and fought to the peak of human greatness, and he left behind a name that will endure for many generations. Yet his career recalls at its end the saying of Solomon: “Vanity of vanities and all is vanity.”

Rather, it is the leading of a virtuous and upright life, the performance of one’s duties to God and man, the making the most of every opportunity for service, and the harmonious development of every faculty that make for real success in life and that lead to happiness here and a greater happiness hereafter.

You have only a few years in which to realize in your own person this end of dutiful service. To realize it, you may have to “scorn delights, and live laborious days”; you may be obliged to forget friendships, amusements, and even success, when these are against your conscience and your duty. But in this way, and in this way alone, lie true success and happiness.

 

“At a certain moment when going to confession to a Capuchin father, St. Therese came to understand that it was just the opposite: her defects did not displease God and her littleness attracted God’s love, just as a father is moved by the weakness of his children and loves them still more as soon as he sees their good will and sincere love.” -Fr. Jacques Philippe,The Way of Trust and Love http://amzn.to/2fpXVzl

 

 

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Palm Sunday ~ Fr. Francis Weiser

09 Saturday Apr 2022

Posted by in FF Tidbits, Lent, Seasons, Feast Days, etc.

≈ 1 Comment

You may also like to read this post: Palm Sunday by Maria von Trapp

Article by Francis Weiser, The Easter Book

PALM SUNDAY LITURGY

As soon as the Church obtained her freedom in the fourth century, the faithful in Jerusalem re-enacted the solemn Palm Sunday entry of Christ into their city on the Sunday before Easter, holding a procession in which they carried branches and sang the “Hosanna” ( Matthew 21, 1-11).

In the early Latin Church, people attending Mass on this Sunday would hold aloft twigs of olives, which were not, however, blessed in those days.

The rite of the solemn blessing of “palms” seems to have originated in the Frankish kingdom. The earliest mention of these ceremonies is found in the Sacramentary of the Abbey of Bobbio in northern Italy (at the beginning of the eighth century). The rite was soon accepted in Rome and incorporated into the liturgy.

A Mass was celebrated in some church outside the walls of Rome, and there the palms were blessed. Then a solemn procession moved into the city to the basilica of the Lateran or to St. Peter’s, where the pope sang a second Mass.

The first Mass, however, was soon discontinued, and in its place only the ceremony of blessing was performed.

Everywhere in medieval times, following the Roman custom, a procession composed of the clergy and laity carrying palms moved from a chapel or shrine outside the town, where the palms were blessed, to the cathedral or main church.

Our Lord was represented in the procession, either by the Blessed Sacrament or by a crucifix, adorned with flowers, carried by the celebrant of the Mass.

Later, in the Middle Ages, a quaint custom arose of drawing a wooden statue of Christ sitting on a donkey (the whole image on wheels) in the center of the procession. These statues  Palm Donkey; Palmesel) are still seen in museums of many European cities.

As the procession approached the city gate, a boys’ choir stationed high above the doorway of the church would greet the Lord with the Latin song Gloria, laus et honor. This hymn, which is still used today in the liturgy of Palm Sunday, was written by the Benedictine Theodulph, Bishop of Orleans.

Glory, praise and honor, O Christ, our Savior-King,

To thee in glad Hosannas Inspired children sing.

After this song, there followed a dramatic salutation before the Blessed Sacrament or the image of Christ. Both clergy and laity knelt and bowed in prayer, arising to spread cloths and carpets on the ground, throwing flowers and branches in the path of the procession.

The bells of the churches pealed, and the crowds sang the “Hosanna” as the colorful procession entered the cathedral for the solemn Mass.

In medieval times this dramatic celebration was restricted more and more to a procession around the church. The crucifix in the churchyard was festively decorated with flowers. There the procession came to a halt.

While the clergy sang the hymns and antiphons, the congregation dispersed among the tombs, each family kneeling at the grave of relatives. The celebrant sprinkled holy water over the graveyard, the procession formed again and entered the church.

In France and England the custom of decorating graves and visiting the cemeteries on Palm Sunday is still retained.

Today the blessing of palms and the procession are usually performed within the churches. The new liturgical arrangements made by Pope Pius XII have restored the original solemnity of the procession, and the members of the congregation now take active part again in the sacred ceremonies of Palm Sunday.

The blessing of palms, however, is now very short and simple compared to the former elaborate ritual.

NAMES

The various names for the Sunday before Easter come from the plants used—palms (Palm Sunday) or branches in general (Branch Sunday, Domingo de Ramos, Dimanche des Rameaux).

In most countries of Europe real palms are unobtainable, so in their place people use many other plants: olive branches (in Italy), box, yew, spruce, willows, and pussy willows.

In fact, some plants have come to be called “palms” because of this usage, such as the yew in Ireland and the willow in England (palm willow) and in Germany (Palmkatzchen).

From the use of willow branches Palm Sunday was called “Willow Sunday” in parts of England and Poland, and in Lithuania Verbu Sekmadienis (Willow Twig Sunday).

The Greek Church uses the names “Sunday of the Palm-carrying” and “Hosanna Sunday.”

Centuries ago it was customary to bless not only branches but also various flowers of the season (the flowers are still mentioned in the first antiphon of the procession). Hence the name “Flower Sunday,” which the day bore in many countries—”Flowering Sun-day” or “Blossom Sunday” in England, Blumensonntag in Germany, Pdsques Fleuris in France, Pascua Florida in Spain, Virdgvasdrnap in Hungary, Cvetna among the Slavic nations, Zaghkasart in Armenia.”

The term Pascua Florida, which in Spain originally meant just Palm Sunday, was later also applied to the whole festive season of Easter Week. Thus the State of Florida received its name when, on March 27, 1513 (Easter Sunday), Ponce de Leon first sighted the land and named it in honor of the great feast.

In the new liturgical order of Holy Week, Palm Sunday bears the official title “Second Sunday of the Passion, or Palm Sunday.” Thus the Church enhances the significance of this Sunday as a memorial of Christ’s sufferings, which are commemorated by the reading of the Passion.

The word Passion in this connection means those passages of the Gospels which report the events of Christ’s suffering and death. The Passions of all four Gospels are read or chanted in all Catholic churches during the liturgical services on certain days of Holy Week and observed in varying degrees in many Protestant churches.

On Palm Sunday, the Passion of Saint Matthew (26, 36-27, 54) is solemnly sung during Mass, in place of the usual Gospel. The ancient liturgical rules prescribe that three clergymen of deacon’s rank, vested in alb and stole, chant the sacred text.

They are to alternate in contrasting voices. One (tenor) represents the Evangelist narrator; the second (high tenor) chants the voices of individuals and crowds; the third (bass) sings only the words of Christ.

The melodies prescribed for the liturgical chanting of the Passion are among the most impressive examples of Gregorian chant, and for many centuries remained the only Passion music, until the nonliturgical works on the Passion were written.

THE PALMS

In central Europe, large clusters of plants, interwoven with flowers and adorned with ribbons, are fastened to the top of a wooden stick. All sizes of such palm bouquets may be seen, from the small children’s bush to rods of ten feet and more.

The regular “palm,” however, consists in most European countries of pussy willows bearing their catkin blossoms.

In the Latin countries and in the United States, palm leaves are often shaped and woven into little crosses and other symbolic designs. This custom was originated by a suggestion in the ceremonial book for bishops that “little crosses of palm” be attached to the boughs wherever true palms are not available in sufficient quantity.

In the spirit of this blessing, the faithful reverently keep the palms in their homes throughout the year, usually attached to a crucifix or holy picture, or fastened on the wall.

In South America they put the large palm bouquets behind the door. In Italy people offer blessed palms as a token of reconciliation and peace to those with whom they have quarreled or lived on unfriendly terms.

The Ukrainians and Poles strike each other gently with the pussy-willow palms on Palm Sunday; this custom, called Boze Rany (God’s Wounds) they interpret as an imitation of the scourging of our Lord.

In Austria, Bavaria, and in the Slavic countries, farmers, accompanied by their families, walk through their fields and buildings on the afternoon of Palm Sunday. Praying and singing their ancient hymns, they place a sprig of blessed palms in each lot of pasture or plowland, in every barn and stable, to avert the punishment of weather tragedies or diseases, and to draw God’s blessing on the year’s harvest and all their possessions.

“Think of the Queen of Heaven and Lady of the World as humble housewife at the same time that she is mother and caretaker of God’s Son. It makes me sigh of tenderness, fills me with goodwill and love for the small and great chores of the home. How fragrant would be the robes that this pure lily washed. How tasty would be the food her delicate hands prepared. From her holy lips, not a whisper, no complaint or claim, only praise and sweet words. A life of worship and continuous obedience, in the freedom of those who choose to love – were she to kneel in prayer or clean the floor.” -Veronica Mendes, A Mulher Forte

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A Gallery: January ~ March 2022

04 Friday Mar 2022

Posted by in FF Tidbits, Smorgasbord 'n Smidgens

≈ 9 Comments

It’s been hard for me to get a gallery up these days. But here we are….

As far as news goes…

Vin and Gin had their tenth baby, David Elias! Her pregnancy was hard so when the baby showed up early, we all were grateful! All went well, with Gin showing up at the Birth Center just 20 minutes before having the baby! At least she didn’t have him in the vehicle like last time!

We got news about three weeks ago that David and Margy are expecting their second! Sean is a big brother now! Happy news!

Vincent is still struggling with knee issues. We thought it was his back but have pinned it down to the knee. He is going to Physical Therapy to try to get that leg/knee mobile again. We have seen some progress.

Praying for peace in the world, as I am sure you all are. May Our Lady cover all over with her Mantle and Our Lord with His Precious Blood!

Click on the first picture to view the gallery…

From Three to Five ~ Christ in the Home

23 Wednesday Feb 2022

Posted by in Christ in the Home - Fr. Raoul Plus S.J., FF Tidbits, Parenting

≈ 1 Comment

From Christ in the Home, Fr. Raoul Plus, S.J., 1950’s

FROM THREE TO FIVE

At this period of their life, children have not in general arrived at an awakening, at least not a complete awakening, of their moral sense. They are midway between the unawareness of their first years and a completely rational contact with life; their principal occupation is play–the little boy will be busy building and tearing down; the little girl will be busy scribbling away at indefinite designs or dressing and undressing her sawdust doll, the first in a series of many dolls.

They will have just the beginning of a contact–depending upon their family, their mother particularly–with the invisible world. They will learn their prayers, know that there is a God who is good and they will hear about little Jesus.

They will also know that there are things that are forbidden, but they will not as yet see the wickedness of sin; they take what belongs to mamma without knowing that they are stealing; they do not always tell the truth without knowing really that it is an evil thing to lie and when they do speak untruly it is much more through an instinct of self-defense than through innate perversion.

They would go to the end of the world for a kiss and much further still for a piece of candy. But if they must give up the piece of candy to a little brother or sister, they will do it with not too bad a grace but they will see to it that they get a lick of it themselves before parting with it; after all, aren’t they being quite generous already?

And if for Christmas mother has suggested that they sacrifice some of their sweets to little Jesus, they do it eagerly but see nothing wrong with coming back quietly later to eat up their sacrifices.

It is important to capitalize on this marvelous period of the child’s life.

Since the child loves to imagine, it is necessary to suggest images to its mind and since the child needs to be educated, these images should be elevating. That can be done very early by using the lives of the saints, the life of Mary and of Jesus.

Why not? How many details of Scripture are most picturesque and quite within the grasp of the child’s mind; this is especially true if the Gospel episodes have first come by way of the mother’s heart; she will know how to awaken without straining, instruct without fatiguing, and adapt it all to the mentality of the child.

A prime guiding principle here is Never anything inexact! Children at this age are extremely docile. “Papa said it or Mamma said it,” makes it sacred. Therefore, great attention to the stories they are told, to the allusions made or the conversations held in their presence.

At this age the child is inclined to refer everything to itself, but very likely to be disinterested in goodness. By nature it is selfish; it has a terrific sense of ownership; will share nothing; wants everything.

Since it has numerous needs and knows itself to be little, it seeks to surround itself with the greatest possible number of things to its own advantage. But if little by little it is taught to look about to see that there are others less privileged, that to give up things for love of another is something fine, it will be found capable of remarkable generosity.

The child at this age has not since the time of its baptism become incrusted with the shell of negligence and the faults an adult might commit; simplicity is inherent in it; it is pure; it has infused Faith and the Holy Spirit in its soul is at ease.

But it is essential to avoid scandalizing the least of these little ones, giving them the example of evil, of impurity even material impurity, of lying, of anger.

Further, the child is readily distracted, forgetful, has its head in the clouds. You speak to it and it listens or does not listen as fancy strikes; it follows its own thought and interior emotion. Your commands fall on its ears like water on marble. You must catch its attention, reiterate your suggestions or commands without impatience on your part or fatigue for the child.

Constant attention is necessary to train them in manners, in proper sleeping habits, in conduct at table; to check the first symptoms of greediness, laziness, lack of discipline, sensuality. The child is still thoughtless but the educator must not be. Long explanations are not needed; a word, simple look go a long way and speak volumes at times.

Parents should never lose courage even if the results are imperfect. Let them examine their methods and change them if necessary. Let them see in these little ones only Christ– “Whatsoever you do to these, the least of My brethren, you do unto Me.”

Patience connotes a “self-possession, especially under suffering or provocation,” and it brings to one a quiet confidence. The patient wife is master of her own soul. She, and not every imp to come flying into her mind, is in charge of her own fort.

Since no one can be truly successful without patience, it should be expected that the possession of the virtue is a requisite for every desired wife.

Indeed, no vocation or profession in life requires patience more than that of husband and wife.

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