Manners, Customs, Clothing
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Establishing a Spirit of Order, Prayer & Duty
in a Catholic Home
This question was posed to TIA regarding establishing good customs and a spirit of recollection in a family:
After watching the videos on Courtesy on your TIA Media Center and reading some information on Our Lady of Good Success, it is obvious to me that my constant lack of recollection, searching out new books and devotions, and confusion/frustration comes from the lack of guidance from the Church Hierarchy. There are very few priests who are concerned for our souls much less their own soul. Our Lady of Good Success told us this would happen in our time.
What are we to do in these confusing times? What can I do as a father and husband concerned about my soul and those of my family especially when we have been living, in many ways, of the world?
Your input is much needed.
Our response follows:
Thank you for your inquiry that demonstrates a trust in us, which we will try to merit.
It seems to us you are asking a basic question that many men and women formed by the Progressivist Church and the modern world are asking: How do I install harmony and order in my home and life?
Supposing that this is part of your concerns we will offer some practical suggestions on putting order into your home.
Order in the home
A well-ordered life is pleasing to God and will help you to find the recollection that you seek.
The best way to attain recollection is to strive to make your home a safe haven from the tempests of the world and an abode of peace. This can be accomplished by having a structured family life.
To have an ordered schedule for you and your family will help. The easiest way to start forming a schedule is to have the meals at specific hours. For example, breakfast at 8:30am, lunch at 12:00pm, and dinner at 6:00pm. Although it may be difficult at first to keep this schedule, with perseverance you will find that it adds meaning and order to the day. And, following the good Catholic custom, the prayer before and after meals should be said at each meal, led by the father when he is present.
The dinner time, especially, should be the time for conviviality among the family members. This is the time to discuss the interesting facts of the day that have taken place, pertinent local and world news, family stories and legends, saints of the day, or any other topic that will interest the entire family. There is an old saying that the real education is not gained in books, but at the family table. Perhaps that is why the Revolution has made so much effort to destroy the family meal.
As a father of a family you should direct the conversation moving your wife and children towards a Catholic way of analyzing and discussing events. In particular, you should guard against gossips or detractions entering the family conversation.
Prayer should be the center of family life; therefore, after establishing set meal times, it would be advisable to establish the custom of the prayer of the Angelus to be said by all family members (and guests) present in the home three times a day (6:00am, 12:00pm, and 6:00pm). Some families find it easiest to pray the Angelus around the table before sitting down to each meal. While this method is certainly acceptable, the more perfect way is to keep the exact times prescribed by the Church for the Angelus to adhere to a schedule and invite everyone to pause what they are doing to lift their minds to God.
If your home does not have a bell, it would be good to get one, and then this bell could be rung for the Angelus, as well as to call the family to meals. Many families choose to have a 5 minute warning bell before dinner, which gives everyone time to stop what they are doing, wash their hands and tidy up, and then be at the table in a presentable state when the second bell is rung that announces the prayer before the meal.
Another essential element of a well run house that was strictly maintained in Catholic families of the past of all classes was the habit of rising early. If the whole family (excepting the very young children) is able to rise to pray the Angelus together at 6:00 am, many blessings will come to the family, and the early rising will help its members to accomplish more in a day, if they diligently manage their time.
However, you may find that this is very difficult to do at first, especially if some household members have the bad habit of awakening late. In this case, it is best to gradually wake up earlier, moving in increments of 30 minutes earlier every week or month. Efforts should also be made to go to bed earlier.
St. John Baptiste de la Salle wisely advises, “It is quite proper, both for your health and for the good of your soul, to go to bed not later than ten o’clock and to get up no later than six in the morning. Say to yourself the words of St. Paul, and repeat them to those whom laziness keeps in bed: The time has come for us to rise from our sleep; the night is past, and the day has dawned. Thus you may then address God in the words of the Royal Prophet: O God, my God, I watch for you from the break of day (Ps 63:1]).”
After establishing set times for rising, eating meals, going to bed, and praying the Angelus, you can choose a time when all the family members can gather to pray the Rosary together. This is an essential part of the day for family unity and the preservation of the Faith.
The Rosary should be prayed in a very respectful manner, with the parents setting the good example of kneeling devoutly (or sitting straight and still, if unable to kneel) and reciting the prayers with attention in front of a holy picture or statue. The father of the family should lead the Rosary to reinforce the hierarchy in the home, speaking in an even tone without expression neither too quickly nor too slowly, but at a pace that all members can easily follow.
The Rosary is the most essential devotion for these times, as Our Lady of Fatima asked all Catholics to pray it every day. It should be the key devotion for you.
Establishing a sense of duty
As a father of a family, it is your obligation to instill a sense of duty in your children. Children should not be idle, nor should they be playing all day. Every member of a family has duties to fulfill to make the household run well.
Children should be studying (homeschooling is the ideal), doing chores (feeding animals, keeping their bedrooms tidy, watering plants, etc.), and helping their mother keep order in the home (washing dishes, cooking, cleaning, etc.). If you have sons, you can instruct them how to do some of the work outdoors (lawn work, washing the car, etc. ) and they should assist you with indoor repair work. Girls can be taught how to sew, embroider, knit or do other womanly arts. Play time should be limited, and children should be taught to take part in the upkeep of the home.
Modern family life normally reflects the complete opposite of this order. Spontaneous, vulgar, and chaotic, the normal household of our days creates an atmosphere from which all members wish to escape. This is why the children move out of the home as soon as they are able and the parents spend all their time doing things outside of the home or driving their children to a non-ending series of classes, activities and sports practices. This is unfortunately true even in many traditional homes.
The only way to remedy this bad habit is to make your home the center of your family life through order, courtesy and innocent amusements.
We recommend putting away your television, or strictly limiting its use, for this is the source of destruction and impurity that has polluted many families. Good entertainment can be found in going on walks around the neighborhood, visiting local parks, singing folk songs and hymns, playing musical instruments, telling stories and reading books aloud together. A scheduled time in the evening can be set for reading aloud or singing together, and you will soon find that all will begin to look forward to those gatherings.
To become more recollected, it would be good for you to limit the amount of time you spend on the internet. Regarding books, the good advice that priests gave Catholics of the past was to read one good spiritual book for at least 15 minutes every day and to finish that book before moving on to a new one.
This same advice applies to other books of a more informative or historical nature, if you have a tendency to follow this path of reading. Your mind will be much less confused if you read only one book at a time, slowly and thoughtfully, so that you truly understand and remember what you have read. With careful reading, you will be able to discuss what you read with your family so that they can grow in knowledge along with you. (1)
We believe you will find our family collection (Catholic Manual of Civility, Courtesy Calls Again, and Restoring the Family) helpful. You may also benefit from reading articles on our Manners, Customs, and Clothing page, Women and Men in Society page, and Formation of Children and Youth page. The Saints of the Day by Prof. Plinio offer a historical perspective on the Saint and a practical application to our lives.
To assist you in achieving the spirit of contemplation, we would also suggest that you read the series we posted on True and False Happiness by Prof. Plinio.
Following the same advice on reading books, it would be good to read only one or two articles a day, think about what you read, and make concrete resolutions to apply the principles to your daily life. In this way, you will find a balance in your online reading and will not find yourself neglecting your duties by spending hours in front of a phone or computer.
If you have found suggestions useful in any way, we could address the ambience of the home in another letter. What do we mean by ambience? It is the atmosphere of the home created by its decor and style of furniture, etc.
A Catholic ambience requires more than to simply have Catholic pictures on the wall or a statue of the Sacred Heart installed in a prominent place. The ambience reflects the soul of the family, its way of being and thinking and understanding the world. It plays as important a role in the formation of the children as the books they read and the prayers they say.
May Our Lady, her Divine Son and the great St. Joseph help you to become the model husband and father you aspire to be.
Respice stellam, voca Mariam [Look to the Star. Call on Mary].
Footnotes
After watching the videos on Courtesy on your TIA Media Center and reading some information on Our Lady of Good Success, it is obvious to me that my constant lack of recollection, searching out new books and devotions, and confusion/frustration comes from the lack of guidance from the Church Hierarchy. There are very few priests who are concerned for our souls much less their own soul. Our Lady of Good Success told us this would happen in our time.
What are we to do in these confusing times? What can I do as a father and husband concerned about my soul and those of my family especially when we have been living, in many ways, of the world?
Your input is much needed.
Our response follows:
Thank you for your inquiry that demonstrates a trust in us, which we will try to merit.
It seems to us you are asking a basic question that many men and women formed by the Progressivist Church and the modern world are asking: How do I install harmony and order in my home and life?
Supposing that this is part of your concerns we will offer some practical suggestions on putting order into your home.
Order in the home
A well-ordered life is pleasing to God and will help you to find the recollection that you seek.
The best way to attain recollection is to strive to make your home a safe haven from the tempests of the world and an abode of peace. This can be accomplished by having a structured family life.
Dinner should be a time for conversation led by the father, not a time for cell phones
The dinner time, especially, should be the time for conviviality among the family members. This is the time to discuss the interesting facts of the day that have taken place, pertinent local and world news, family stories and legends, saints of the day, or any other topic that will interest the entire family. There is an old saying that the real education is not gained in books, but at the family table. Perhaps that is why the Revolution has made so much effort to destroy the family meal.
As a father of a family you should direct the conversation moving your wife and children towards a Catholic way of analyzing and discussing events. In particular, you should guard against gossips or detractions entering the family conversation.
Prayer should be the center of family life; therefore, after establishing set meal times, it would be advisable to establish the custom of the prayer of the Angelus to be said by all family members (and guests) present in the home three times a day (6:00am, 12:00pm, and 6:00pm). Some families find it easiest to pray the Angelus around the table before sitting down to each meal. While this method is certainly acceptable, the more perfect way is to keep the exact times prescribed by the Church for the Angelus to adhere to a schedule and invite everyone to pause what they are doing to lift their minds to God.
Prayer should be led with dignity, not in a casual manner
Another essential element of a well run house that was strictly maintained in Catholic families of the past of all classes was the habit of rising early. If the whole family (excepting the very young children) is able to rise to pray the Angelus together at 6:00 am, many blessings will come to the family, and the early rising will help its members to accomplish more in a day, if they diligently manage their time.
However, you may find that this is very difficult to do at first, especially if some household members have the bad habit of awakening late. In this case, it is best to gradually wake up earlier, moving in increments of 30 minutes earlier every week or month. Efforts should also be made to go to bed earlier.
St. John Baptiste de la Salle wisely advises, “It is quite proper, both for your health and for the good of your soul, to go to bed not later than ten o’clock and to get up no later than six in the morning. Say to yourself the words of St. Paul, and repeat them to those whom laziness keeps in bed: The time has come for us to rise from our sleep; the night is past, and the day has dawned. Thus you may then address God in the words of the Royal Prophet: O God, my God, I watch for you from the break of day (Ps 63:1]).”
An ordered home requires a regular schedule
to rise & go to bed
The Rosary should be prayed in a very respectful manner, with the parents setting the good example of kneeling devoutly (or sitting straight and still, if unable to kneel) and reciting the prayers with attention in front of a holy picture or statue. The father of the family should lead the Rosary to reinforce the hierarchy in the home, speaking in an even tone without expression neither too quickly nor too slowly, but at a pace that all members can easily follow.
The Rosary is the most essential devotion for these times, as Our Lady of Fatima asked all Catholics to pray it every day. It should be the key devotion for you.
Establishing a sense of duty
As a father of a family, it is your obligation to instill a sense of duty in your children. Children should not be idle, nor should they be playing all day. Every member of a family has duties to fulfill to make the household run well.
Sons should assist their father in learning his trade or doing outdoor chores
Modern family life normally reflects the complete opposite of this order. Spontaneous, vulgar, and chaotic, the normal household of our days creates an atmosphere from which all members wish to escape. This is why the children move out of the home as soon as they are able and the parents spend all their time doing things outside of the home or driving their children to a non-ending series of classes, activities and sports practices. This is unfortunately true even in many traditional homes.
The only way to remedy this bad habit is to make your home the center of your family life through order, courtesy and innocent amusements.
We recommend putting away your television, or strictly limiting its use, for this is the source of destruction and impurity that has polluted many families. Good entertainment can be found in going on walks around the neighborhood, visiting local parks, singing folk songs and hymns, playing musical instruments, telling stories and reading books aloud together. A scheduled time in the evening can be set for reading aloud or singing together, and you will soon find that all will begin to look forward to those gatherings.
To become more recollected, it would be good for you to limit the amount of time you spend on the internet. Regarding books, the good advice that priests gave Catholics of the past was to read one good spiritual book for at least 15 minutes every day and to finish that book before moving on to a new one.
Singing and storytelling - the sound family recreations of the past
We believe you will find our family collection (Catholic Manual of Civility, Courtesy Calls Again, and Restoring the Family) helpful. You may also benefit from reading articles on our Manners, Customs, and Clothing page, Women and Men in Society page, and Formation of Children and Youth page. The Saints of the Day by Prof. Plinio offer a historical perspective on the Saint and a practical application to our lives.
To assist you in achieving the spirit of contemplation, we would also suggest that you read the series we posted on True and False Happiness by Prof. Plinio.
Following the same advice on reading books, it would be good to read only one or two articles a day, think about what you read, and make concrete resolutions to apply the principles to your daily life. In this way, you will find a balance in your online reading and will not find yourself neglecting your duties by spending hours in front of a phone or computer.
The father points out a beautiful sunset to his family
A Catholic ambience requires more than to simply have Catholic pictures on the wall or a statue of the Sacred Heart installed in a prominent place. The ambience reflects the soul of the family, its way of being and thinking and understanding the world. It plays as important a role in the formation of the children as the books they read and the prayers they say.
May Our Lady, her Divine Son and the great St. Joseph help you to become the model husband and father you aspire to be.
Respice stellam, voca Mariam [Look to the Star. Call on Mary].
A sense of duty can be established in a child
at a very young age
- Some spiritual books we recommend are listed below:
● True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis Grignon de Montfort
● The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus Liguori
● Uniformity with God’s Will by St. Alphonsus Liguori
● An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales
● The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis
● The City of God by Mary of Agreda
Other books that give an understanding of the crisis in the Church and Society:
● Revolution and Counter-Revolution by Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira
● Americanism and the Anti-Christian Conspiracy by Msgr. Henri DeLassus (soon to be published on our website)
● Liberalism is a Sin by Félix Sardà y Salvany
Posted October 7, 2022
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