FIRST COMMUNION.
After school closed Mrs. Allen had a serious conversation with her son
on the subject of First Holy Communion. "You are now past eleven, dear
child, and I want you and Amy to devote the whole vacation to immediate
preparation for your First Communion. Sister Amy is thirteen, but owing
to her infirmity, has been deprived of that favor until now. I have made
arrangements with the Sisters of Mercy to take you for the next six
weeks, that you may be under special instruction and away from
mischievous pranks and scrapes like those of last summer, when in
company with the village boys."
"But Ma, dear, six weeks! Will I have to be silent and pray all that
time?"
"No, no, my son; there are a few nice boys in the Convent who will
remain all summer, so you will not be without recreation. Indeed, you
will have plenty of fun, for the Sisters play ball with the boys."
Amy came into the room while her mother was speaking.
"I have just been telling Bolax of what we propose doing by way of
preparation for that most important event of our lives, viz: the First
reception of our dear Lord in Holy Communion."
"You both know your catechism perfectly, and I am sure understand all
you have studied. I know you firmly believe all the sacred truths
contained in the Gospels and Teachings of the Catholic Church. For the
past three years our talks on the subject have been many and earnest.
You know how kind our dear Lord was while here on earth, how he fed five
thousand people in the wilderness. Well, He is just as loving and kind
now, and gives us His precious Body and Blood to nourish and comfort our
souls. So, dear children, let all your thoughts, words and actions from
this day be offered up as a preparation for that greatest of all events
of your life, your First Holy Communion."
[Illustration: AMY.]
"We will give up all reading, except books that lead our thoughts to
holy things, not necessarily dull or uninteresting because they are
holy. You know how delighted you were with 'Fabiola,' 'Faber's Tales of
the Angels,' 'Babies Who Died for Christ,' 'The Little Spouse of the
Blessed Sacrament.'"
"I should like to read 'Fabiola' again Ma, dear," said Amy. "I always
feel--I don't know exactly how to describe my feelings after reading
such a book as 'Fabiola'--happy, calm, a longing to have been one of the
first Christians to have loved our dear Lord as did little St. Agnes."
"And I," said Bo, "wouldn't I enjoy going round with the big soldier
Quadratus, and tearing down the Emperor's edicts against the Christians.
Oh, wouldn't I play tricks on those mean old Pagans; I tell you I'd make
them skiddoo."
"Mamma," said Amy, pointing to a painting of Ecce Homo, "I do so love
that sad face; sometimes when I sit here and look at it intently, the
eyes seem to open. Once I was so sure of it, I got Hetty to take the
picture down. Oh, I feel so sorry for our dear Lord, especially his
crown of thorns. Why, oh why, couldn't they have taken it off while he
was carrying the cross. He must have struck His sacred head against the
cross as he staggered under its heavy weight up that awful road to
Calvary," and the gentle, tender-hearted girl sobbed aloud.
Bolax, at this, jumped up, dashing a book against the wall and kicking
his chair, he exclaimed: "Oh, if I had been there I would have gotten a
crowd of boys and thrown stones at those awful executioners! Surely lots
of boys must have known and followed Jesus--what cowards they were! You
don't hear of any one offering to help Him; every one was afraid except
brave, glorious St. Veronica."
"My dear impetuous boy, I am comforted to know you think of and feel for
our suffering Savior."
"What you would have done had you been present at the awful scene on the
road to Calvary, do now, by making sacrifices of your own will,
suffering something for the love of Jesus."
"You must not compare the American boy with the boys of those long ago
times; the Roman soldiers who were driving Jesus were naturally cruel
and rejoiced in having a victim on which to exercise their cruelty. They
would have exterminated even a crowd of men had they dared to interfere,
and boys would have been crushed to death instantly. Mercy was an
unknown virtue to the people of those days."
"Mamma," said Amy, "thinking of my general Confession, I feel I must
ask your advice on one subject; is it a sin to pray for animals?"
"Oh, Ma, dear," interrupted Bolax, "I want to ask about that too."
"Elmer Mullen laughed at me when I told him I always prayed for poor
horses, dogs and cats that I saw badly treated. Sometimes I beg men and
boys to cease their cruelties; often I fight those that won't stop
tormenting animals, then when all fails I just pray for the poor things.
And Ma, dear, while I think of it, did you ever see a nanny goat faint?"
Serious little Amy burst out laughing at the odd question, and Bo's
earnest expression of countenance when asking it.
"It's nothing to laugh at, Sister. I'll tell you how it happened. Tom
Burk and Dan Donavan were trying to make their goat pull them in a
little wagon, but she was not able; they beat her and she fell over and
shut her eyes. I stooped over her and rubbed her head. Then a man came,
and after a long wait she came to, and he ordered the boys to take poor
Nanny into the stable."
"My dear, kind boy, we will have to make you President of the
'Prevention of Cruelty Society.' Several people have told me what a
little champion you have shown yourself on many occasions."
"Well," said Amy, "I cannot fight to prevent cruelty, but all my life I
have prayed for that intention. When I pray for a poor over-laden horse
or a homeless, starved dog, I always say, 'Dear God, you made these
creatures, surely you cannot be angry if I ask you to have pity on
them.'"
Mrs. Allen put her head down on the table to hide her emotion, but the
children thought it was because she was shocked at what they had told
her about the prayers. Amy put both her hands on her mother's arm,
saying: "Ma dear, oh, I hope it was not a mortal sin! And just to think
I never confessed it! I never thought it was a sin at all."
Here Mrs. Allen raised her head, tears were in her eyes. Bolax put his
arms around her neck, saying: "Dear, dear Ma, is it really so bad a sin
as to cause you to weep?"
"My darlings, bless your dear compassionate hearts. I must plead guilty
of the very same sin. Without ever letting any one know it, since my
childhood I have prayed that the cruel driver might have mercy on his
poor horse; that the starving animals might be helped in some way. I
prayed that a mercy stroke might be given the dying horses on the
battlefield; that the God of Compassion would have pity on the thousands
of sheep and cattle who perish miserably on the unsheltered plains. Oh,
surely our prayers are not lost! Many saints were renowned for their
love of the brute creation; dear St. Francis of Assisi called them his
little brothers and sisters. So let us hope our dear Lord will not be
offended for what we have done in a spirit of pity and love for His dumb
creatures."
CRY OF THE LITTLE BROTHERS.
E. M. BARBY.
We are the little brothers, homeless in cold and heat,
Four-footed little beggars, roaming the city street,
Snatching a bone from the gutter, creepin' thro' alleys drear,
Stoned and sworn at and beaten, our hearts consumed with fear.
You pride yourselves on the beauty of your city fair and free,
Yet we are dying by thousands in coverts you never see.
You boast of your mental progress, of your libraries, schools and
halls,
But we who are dumb denounce you as we crouch beneath their walls.
You sit in your tinseled playhouse, and weep o'er a mimic wrong,
Our woes are the woes of the voiceless; our griefs are unheeded in
song.
You say that the same God made us. When before His throne you come,
Shall you clear yourselves in His presence
On the plea that He made us dumb?
Are your hearts too hard to listen to a starving kitten's cries,
Or too gay for the patient pleading in a dog's beseeching eyes?
Behold us, your little brothers, starving, beaten, oppressed--
Stretch out a hand to help us that we may have food and rest.
Too long have we roamed neglected, too long have we sickened with fear,
The mercy you hope and pray for, you can grant us now and here.
BOLAX GOES TO THE CONVENT OF ST. IMELDA.
On July sixth Mrs. Allen took her son to the Convent, where Reverend
Mother Gertrude received them cordially, and placed Bolax under the care
of Sister Joseph, who was to be his special instructress for Holy
Communion.
For a few days he felt homesick, but soon got over it. The good Sisters
had always some work or play to occupy their pupils, so that time never
seemed long or lonely to the boys.
As the school was only eight miles from Midville, some one went down
every week and all the household sent letters to our boy. Reverend
Mother gave Mrs. Allen an invitation to spend the three days of the
retreat in the Convent with her children, as Amy's health would not
permit her to remain away from her mother's care.
CONVENT OF ST. IMELDA.
_Dearest Mother and all at Home_: You will be glad to know that I am
well and happy. My First Holy Communion is always in my mind, and I am
doing all I can to prepare for the great day. I went to Confession to
the Chaplain Father Drumgool, and I will make my General Confession in
one week's time.
Please come down to see me as soon as you get this, I want to see you
particularly, bring Sister Amy, I want Mother Gertrude and the Sisters
to see her. I make two visits to the Blessed Sacrament every day, and
beg our Lord to make me worthy to receive Him.
Your loving son,
BOLAX.
* * * * *
JULY 18TH.
_My Beloved Son_: Yours just received, and oh how it gladdens my heart
to know you are contented.
I dream of you every night, and my heart longs for you, but I know it is
best for your soul to be with the blessed Sisters. The longer you are in
such a heavenly place, the less you will feel like leaving it. I look
back at my Convent days as the happiest of my life.
Papa has felt less pain in his arm for the last few days, so your
prayers are being heard already. God bless you, darling, and make you a
good and sincere Catholic.
MAMMA.
Offer all your actions, even your play, as so many prayers that your
First Communion may be a very holy one. Sister sends her dearest love;
pray that she may be able to make her retreat with you at the Convent.
Your loving,
MOTHER.
* * * * *
HOME, JULY 26TH.
_My Dear Little Nephew_: Your mother was so glad to see something
belonging to you that she actually kissed the bundle of your soiled
clothes. Oh, dear child! I wonder if you ever will repay that mother for
her adoring love of you. All she asks in return is, that you will always
be a fervent Catholic all the days of your life. Don't disappoint her.
Several of the boys were here asking for you, but we did not explain why
you were away, as they would not understand about First Holy Communion.
Elmer came and was so glad to hear of you being in the Convent.
Amy and I will be down to see you in a day or two. I will then tell all
the news, so this letter will have to be short.
Your loving Aunt,
LUCY ALLEN.
* * * * *
_Dear Little Master_: Wherever you be, do stop for a moment and listen
to me, while here on this paper I try to relate how sad we dogs are; not
knowing your fate. "Mamma Fan" says you're dead, that she ought to know,
for all her three puppies told her so.
They miss the big giant who came every day to love them and squeeze them
while she was away.
Tot went to your room and snuffed all around, then he cried very loud,
for all that he found was just an old shoe, torn inside and out. Oh!
said he, now I know Bolax's whereabout, those "Goblins" have caught him,
cause he wouldn't "watch out."
Your lovingest dog,
DON.
* * * * *
_My Honey Boy_: You' old Hetty miss you night and day. Law! de howse
done got so still, even de dogs notis it.
Ef I say you' name dey looks all round, and den dey whynes when they
kant find you.
I'se hopen you is goin' to get relijon enuff to last you de rest of you'
life. Pat sends love, he kant rite, so he axed me to rite dat for him.
You is prayen for me, I no, bekose dat pane I had in my bak and my nee,
is done gone.
God bless you, dis is from you' own old
HETTY.
* * * * *
AUGUST 8TH.
_Soul of My Heart_: Your conduct yesterday showed wonderful improvement.
I noticed your patience on two occasions, then your willingness to go
without the candy although I could see you wanted it.
All this shows you are learning the Catholic spirit of mortification,
or, as you will better understand it; giving up what is most pleasing to
us, and bearing with little privations. You are now I hope doing all
this with good will, as a preparation for your First Holy Communion.
Our Lord will notice each act of self-abnegation made for His sake.
How like Heaven that Convent is. Often in dreams I am in my old Convent
singing the hymns, walking in the May procession, but most glorious of
all were the First Communion days. The hymn for that day comes back to
me now and thrills my heart.
O saint Autel qu'environent les Anges!
Qu' avec transport, aujourd 'hui je te vois,
Ici mon Dieu l'objet de mes louanges,
Vient dans mon coeur, pour la première fois.
O darling; how I would love to shield you from all the trials of the
world. O offer myself to our Lord as a victim; to do with me what He
will, send me any cross or trial, no matter how hard to bear, if only He
receives my children among His chosen ones and secures their eternal
salvation.
Be very attentive to all the instructions you receive, and do all in
your power to make a perfect preparation for the great grace you will
receive.
O my beloved! in after years, when troubled with worldly cares, it will
be a consolation to look back on these days of holiness and peace.
Thoughts of them will come upon you, long after the heart that dictates
these words of love shall have ceased to throb, and the hand that pens
them shall be--dust.
MAMMA.
* * * * *
ST. XAVIER'S COLLEGE.
_Dear Little Friend_: I congratulate you sincerely on your happy
privilege of receiving our Lord. It is a good thing on this occasion to
make good resolutions, but you must not rest satisfied with making them,
you must turn all the energy of your will to keeping them exactly as you
made them.
It is not right to pledge one's word to God, and afterwards take no
pains to carry out the promise. If you promised a boy of your own age
something and then neglected your word, the boy would despise you.
It is much worse to treat God with neglect. I do hope that after your
First Holy Communion you will strive hard to overcome your defects, to
correct the faults that your Mother notices in you.
That you will endeavor to give the greatest satisfaction to your parents
is our Lord's wish, and mine. They have labored so much for you,
suffered so much; your mother especially, they have had so much trouble
with you when you were a helpless infant, that it would be the greatest
ingratitude now, when you are able, not to seek to give them pleasure
and comfort.
Another reason for paying the closest attention to what your parents say
is that they are your best friends, all they want from you is for your
good; so if you are docile and obedient you will become a good man, and
not one that we should be ashamed of in after life.
Say your prayers every evening, renew your good resolutions every
morning, and promise to obey in everything, and I am sure you will
become a good man.
Your friend in Christ,
ALOYSIUS ROCOFORT, S. J.
* * * * *
MARQUETTE COLLEGE, AUGUST 14TH.
Master Bolax Allen.
_My Dear Little Friend_: Your letter has given me a great deal of
pleasure. At first I could not think who was writing; then I remembered
you are the boy who wished I might live a hundred years. So this is the
eve of your First Holy Communion!
Well dear, you have my best prayers that your heart may be adorned with
all the virtues that will make it worthy of so great a grace.
You write a nice letter, just the kind Claude used to write. I hope you
will love your religion and hate sin as did little Claude Lightfoot.
Your friend in Christ,
F. J. FINN, S. J.
On August 12th the children's Retreat opened, Mrs. Allen and Amy took
the train in the morning so as to arrive at St. Imelda's before noon.
Their first visit was to the Chapel, then Sister Joseph conducted them
over the house and grounds. Bolax insisted on showing the "Most
beautiful cows in the world," as he termed the well-kept Convent herd.
The Retreat opened at four in the afternoon, with Rosary and Benediction
of the Blessed Sacrament.
The order of exercises were Holy Mass at half past six. Then breakfast.
A walk in the grounds; spiritual reading, Stations of the Cross, not the
prayers in books, but some story told at each station, then an act of
contrition, and a prayer for the holy souls.
After dinner Bo was asked to help Sister Martha to weed the garden and
gather vegetables, so that he might join work to prayer. He was
delighted to think he could be of use, but, of course, the dear sister
only wanted to give him occupation, that he might not feel the silence
of the retreat too monotonous.
Amy made many visits to the Blessed Sacrament, indeed she would have
remained hours in the Chapel if allowed. Mrs. Allen read interesting and
instructive spiritual books, especially one by Père Bordalou on the
"Last Supper." This she read every day, because she was anxious that it
should be deeply engraven on her children's minds and hearts.
After the evening meal some of the Sisters would sit with the family
under the trees in the garden, or walk about the beautiful grounds. One
day Amy pointed to a bed of lilies of the valley, saying: "Sister, when
I die I want to be buried under those lilies." "My darling," exclaimed
her mother, startled by the earnest manner of the child, "don't talk of
dying, what would I ever do without my little daughter. Oh, no, my
precious, our Lord will surely spare you to help me, besides you know,
you are your father's guardian angel. I depend on your prayers,
particularly for his conversion."
Lucy and Mr. Allen were anxious to be present at the ceremony on the
fifteenth of August, but there was no hotel in the vicinity of the
Convent and no train could be had from Midville at so early an hour.
Mother Gertrude said, Miss Lucy could come to the Convent, then she went
to see one of her friends, a Mrs. O'Donnell, who lived a short walk from
the Convent gate; this lady gladly offered to receive Mr. Allen for the
night, so both father and aunt had the pleasure of being present at the
ceremony in the morning.
The Feast of the Assumption was celebrated with unusual splendor at St.
Imelda's. Five little girls renewed their First Communion, dressed in
white and wearing wreaths and veils. Amy's costume was very plain, but
spotlessly white and new; her mother did not approve of dressing
children in finery for so sacred a function, lest thoughts of their
outward appearance should divert their mind from the holy act they were
about to perform.
Mr. Allen and kind Mrs. Donald were at the Chapel door just as the
Angelus bell was ringing; they were ushered into a seat by one of the
Sisters. At ten minutes of six the organ played a grand prelude and all
the Sisters and children sang: "Jesus, My Love, is Mine Today."
It was a most impressive scene; the soft, solemn music, the devout
attention of the children, even the little boys so still and
respectful.
Mr. Allen had never before witnessed such devout Worship.
When the time came to approach the altar, Reverend Mother led the
children to the communion rail, while the choir sang soft and low, "Come
Into My Heart, Dear Jesus, Come."
Little Amy looked so white and seemed to tremble.
The priest stood with the Sacred Host in his hands; slowly and with
evident emotion, repeating the "Domine non sum dignus."
The children then returned to their seats with hands joined and eyes
cast down; Amy's cheeks, which had been so pale were now delicately
colored. There was such a transformation. It seemed that a smile from
heaven played around her lips, to give them angelic grace.
After Mass the children were clasped in their parents' arms, and all the
sisters and friends congratulated them on their happiness.
In taking leave Mr. Allen thanked the Reverend Mother most heartily for
her kindness to his family and expressed himself as being "almost
conquered."
Mrs. Allen remained with her children for the afternoon services, which
were: The renovation of the Baptismal vows, Benediction of the Blessed
Sacrament and a short sermon.
THE CHAPLAIN'S ADDRESS TO THE FIRST COMMUNICANTS.
Dear children I do not intend speaking to you of Faith. I am sure yours
is firm and sincere. I come only to remind you of your promises made to
our blessed Lord this morning, to ask you to fill your hearts to
overflowing with love. Love for our merciful Jesus in all stages of His
life and death, but particularly love for Him in the divine Sacrament.
Love makes all things easy! so dear children, never tire asking the
Blessed Mother of Jesus to give you of the love which filled her heart,
that yours may ever be adorned with the virtues which will make it a fit
abiding place for your merciful and sweet Saviour.
Love for Jesus will give you patience to bear with the contradictions
and crosses you meet with; even little children have crosses. They may
be reprimanded for a fault which another committed; bear the reproof
patiently for the love of Jesus; a companion may be harsh and unjust
towards you, be glad that you have something to suffer for love of
Jesus. A bouquet of sacrifices to offer at the end of each day, will be
more acceptable than if it were the most exquisite flowers culled from
your gardens.
Dearest children come as often as you can to the Holy Table, don't be
afraid--don't think of your unworthiness, no one ever was entirely
worthy of Holy Communion, except the Blessed Mother of Jesus.
Come! I say, eat this heavenly bread that you may be strong to resist
all temptations, that you may learn to love our Lord devotedly on earth,
so as to be prepared for an eternity of love in Heaven.