The FamHy (:!:nic I
Cites Steps to be Taken In Determ~ning' Vocation
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By Rev. John L. Thomas, S.J. . .
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Assistant Professor of Sociology St. Louis University
.When is a girl ol<;l enough to make up her own mind about what she will be in life? I've wanted to enter the religious life /lince I was in sixth grade. Because' I'm an only child, my parents are very much opposed and are even sending me to a public high tual and moral endowments. You apparently have the right inten school so I won't be "promp ted" by priests and sisters. tion, enjoy good health, are I ~on't 'want to disobey my doing well in your studies, and parents, but I'm 16 now and feel 'are obedient and persevering. I'm old enough to make my oWn Understand Religious Life decisions. What do you think? Second, siQce you are not going Well, Agnes, to start your own order-I hope .there are deci -you have to select some reli .sions and deci gious congregation engaged in sions. We' r e the type of work you feel you old enough to . would be able to do, and in . make our own which you would llke to serve . decisions when ,God. Is it nursing? Teaching? we' r e o I d . ' Missionary work? Contempla e n o' ugh t o " " tion? There are religious. con::' know the neces- . gregations establishe'd for almost ' RECORD NUMBERS MARK POPE'S ANNIVERSARY:' More than 50 nations were sary facts, the '., 'every variety of work, 'and many represented at a Solemn Pontifical Mass in Washington'sNational Shrine of the Im pertinent prin. of them combine: several major m~culate Conception, marking the 19th anniversa'ryOf the coronation of His Holiness eiples; and how ".types..·..'.. ~ .. ,. ,Pope Phis XII. .Pictl,lred. are fiv.e: ambassadors attending, from left, Mr. Hugues Le Gal- . ' to apply t h e s e ; " Third,: b~causey'o", 'h~v~beerl' lais, ambassador of Luxernbourg ; Signor Manlio Brosio,' ambassador of Italy; Senor DOD logically to the reading about the religious life, ' ease ,under discussion. IU!k~ it for gran~e4_ that . you Jose' ~. de Areilza; ambassador of Spain; Mr. John Joseph Heam;'ambassador of Ireland; This'isn't really a function 'of have a generaf ide'a concerriirig' and Senor Don Fernando Berckem~yeJ:'..ambassad6! of Peru: The occasion was the largest , age, 'but of knowledge and pru.,. the vows, rules, and wayof.·life turnout of ~iplom~ts to- honor· the ,Holy, Father, in ,the years that the anniversary ··hal dent.judgment. IJ:1 making dt!Cj.. : :which ,religious ,congregations ooen observed in the natio~'s :capitol. NC Photo. . sions. which have far-reachj'~g uniformly opset"e. . consequences, such as choosing . ;;Make Own Decision .', :~-TH.E.A~~~()R our life vocation, we mustpro-' I., .. Fourth, ..although " you owe· Thurs.,March 27, 1958 Af" .. . C ..... NEW YORK (NC) - Father reed slowly 'andwith care. ".,. :. respect' and 'obedience to yo~r".,· . . ". . '. . . Good sign' ',. '.". " parents, they have taken such enou'gh" to make your OWi'l'deci..:' :WASHINGTON (NG) -:. The, ,.Joh·~. L. Thomas, S ..J., assistant You tell me that you have:' "'an' unchristian 'attitude toward sion in this regard. White Fath"ers of Africa baptized ,pro~essor of sociology at St. been praying a lot and readin'g "':your vocation that one may well .. Seek Advice 364,~56 persons in their missions Louis University, will speak on books.. on the religious life for .. "question their judg~ent in this . dunng 1957. Of the total '''Holy Week and the American the past six years: Such petse';" I 'matter. At any rate; it is imposYour ne:c~ step' w!ll be to con111,187 persons were adult con People" on the "Church of the verance in spite of no 'outside" sible to justify their decision to sult a spiritual dl~ector, your verts. The number of baptized support from parents or teachers"" transfer you 'to a public 'school ·confessor or any pnest you feel native Catholics in the White. Air" 'program at 10:30 Sunday is a good sign you're not day- so that you would not be encour- .' you can talk to with confidence. Fathers' missions reached an night,. March 30, over the Co dreaming or letting your imag~ aged 'in your vocation by priests Explain your views and put all-time high of 3 875087 during lumbia Broadcasting System inat;ion run away with you. ' or sisters. , y o u r s e l f under his direction. 1957-more than 15 per cent of radio network. Aren't ,you now old enough' to', Since .you tell me, "they don't' If,?e feels that you ·have a the total population in the areas mak;~ up, your own mind in',' want' me to enter now ·or later," .vocation, he can. then help you under their jurisdiction. regard,. to your vocation? I think we can safely assume select some religious community Also in 1957 the White Fathers W.e, can probably answer that that their judgment in this mat- for 'furt?er study.' When you, opened eight new mission posts, question better if we see what ter is not based on sound moral enter Will depend upon your bringing their total African mis is needed to make an intelligent principles and can consequently mutual decisions, and, of course, sions to 585. The number of decision ,in this matter. , b e ignored.' the p,ermission of the' 'religious, White Fathers serving in the First, wpat qualities are reWhat should you ao? Well, supenors. missions totaled 1,976, and there quired for success in a vocation Agnes, if you think you have What about your parents? were 298 Brothers. . Since you are only .16, you may to the religious life? Stated·. the 'proper qualifications, if you have a problem trying to enter briefly, you must have the in- know enough about the religious . at once, as you' now desire. On tention of consecrating yourself life to understand what such a th. th h d l't' 'bl th t CHARLES F. VARGAS . \., . . .' to: the service of ,God and the .' vocation implies, and if you have'. e 0 e~ .tanl '·d . IS Pt OSSI ~ talak" 254 ROCKDALE AVENUE . ' .. ...:1' your spin ua uec or can . ELECTRICAL saI vatIon .of ~~ls, together With - pray.ed over the matter 'as you II. to th" d h I d'f th' '1J\Y BEDFORD, MASS. the necessary physical, intellec- ;'indicate,I think- .youare .' em. all., ~ p mo I .y elr .CONTRACTORS , , . .' "old ", erroneous views. : .':, p~rental Objections R~sid'enti~l - Com~er~laI Industrial Some parents have acquired , strange prejudices against sisters: 633 Broadway, Fall River . and. convents.·. They· object that.. they do not want to "lose" their, --~ daughter by giving her to Chr.ist.. Tl1is is a strange perversion .of . . Christian. thinking. Oddly , enough, these same parents. do' : not ,hesitate to "lose" their ' daughter in marriage,' even" though she may move far away , from them under present condi tions of mobility. S 0 m e Christians evidently , FALL RIVER think very little of Our Lord, MAII:-ING, SERVICE the Divine Spouse.
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;'·;WhiteFathersGain .:..... F;.·Thomas to Talk ,rlCan onverslons
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CARDINAL SUPPORTS RED CROSS: His Eminence Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York, pre sents $2,000 to New York City's Red Cross campaign to raise $6-million. He is presenting his check to Gen. Alfred. 1\1. Gruenth'er, natoinal Red Cross president, with the ex planation that "I am giving more this'year because of the mariy disasters which have depleted Red Cross reserves." NC Photo.
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