OCR Text |
Show I "VAIN AND DEPLORABLE." The month of May will bring to many Catholic children throughout the country and world th. joyful joy-ful day of their first Holy Communion. How important im-portant it i3 that around this great event in the life of the young Christian a bright halo should be shed that will make-the prospective communicants' enter into their preparation for it in a becoming spirit of reverence, recollection and holy joy. Tho good pastor knows no keener source of anxiety than that connected with the preparation of the young souls under his charge for a devout reception of the Blessed. Eucharist jvhen tliy. approach for the "fiist time in their lives the altar qf God. It means so much to the boy or girl to perform well this great, this stupendous act. And knowing their carelessness careless-ness and indifference to their children's spiritual welfare of so many parents, priests and rehgiou.? teachers have good grounds for anxiety. It often happens that parents are much more concerned over the fine appearance f their children at the altar than with the all-important question as to their mental and spiritual fitness for the sacrament. Archbishop Bruchesi of Montreal has found it necessary to condemn as scandalous the vanity indulged in-dulged in by certain parents in his diocese in connection con-nection with the preparation of children for first Communion. "The young communicant should be clothed in a simple manner," says His Grace. "In certain parishes par-ishes where I had occasion to administer confirmation confirma-tion children were presented to lne to whom I was tempted to refuse the sacrament because they were not suitably attired This is the season when certain cer-tain styles are coming in, such, for example, as sleeveless dresses. These dresses are not seemly. The child who is going to first Communion should hot be subjected to follow what is called style. There are also first Communion presents. This has become be-come a custom from, which one cannotjescape. Previous Pre-vious to first Communion, several days are employed em-ployed in going through the stores, shops and jewelry jew-elry establishments in quest of presents. The tastes and desires of the child are consulted a well, and the presents flow into the young communicant; everybody trying to give the best-A-presents of $."5, $?, $20; watches, bracelets or collars of precious stones. They could not do better for a bride. "Then, as in the case of the bride, the presents are displayed; they adorn the piano and the parlor table. Visitors examine and compare them, reading read-ing on each of them the address of the donor. The parents are rejoiced. The mother counts up the presents, calculates the price of them, and says, 'My daughter has received thirty presents,' or 'My daughter has received $150 worth of presents.' This is a scandal. "I myself received a first Communion present' continued His Grace. "It was a crucifix, which I still keep, and which is very dear to me. It cost 40 cents. "Why awaken in the child whose mind is only filled with piety these frivolous and worldly ideas? "A present which is suitable for a child who is going to first Communion is a prayer-book or a pious image, not a jewel, and I would like mv words to be heard by all the diocese and have an end put to this tyrannical and deplorable custom." Cattho-lic Cattho-lic Xews. . |