C.P.A.-and children honour family day
HOLY Family Sunday was celebrated by Westminster diocesan branches of the Catholic Parents' Association with rallies, spiritual and social events specially arranged to honour the family day.
"Are Catholic Schools worth Paying for?" was the question before a rally of families of the East Herts council of the C.P.A. at Hoddesdon.
Catholic parents would live to rue the day when they allowed their children to cross the threshold of a nonCatholic school. said the speaker, Brother Dennis Robert, F.S.C.
"Let no Catholic parent say that their children are 'perfectly safe' in council schools," he added, and he warned against non-Christian teachers and dangerous films such as those on sex education.
How could they he sure that their children's intellectual and moral foundations would not be undermined? How could history be taught without bringing in religion, or science, or biology?
Bro. Dennis quoted the case of France, where in 1904 all religious teaching orders were expelled from the schools, with the result that in 1953 France is treated as a missionary country.
Bro. Dennis also quoted Hungary, and Yugoslavia, where Tito has flooded the schools with Communist text-books. Russia, he said, counted on having 30 to 40 million children by 1960 trained in Communism through the schools.
Rosary bond
A T a family meeting and social held at Islington, Mr. R. A. G. O'Brien gave a talk on the place of the family in society, the value of the Family Rosary as a binding force, and the need to continue the efforts to keep the schools question before the Government and the public so that "our grandchildren might be rid of the burden we bear today."
At Wood Green Canon T. J. Fitzgerald preached a special sermon followed by a procession of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction. Afterwards there was a family social evening in the hall.
Rickmansworth held a special service at the Crib followed by an address from the Rector, Fr. Brendan Fox, A.A., blessing of the children. Benediction, and then a tea and social gathering.
Kingsbury Green branch held their annual general meeting, after which a member of the Catholic Evidence Guild of St. Joseph's Retreat, Highgate, gave an address.
At Bow and many of the other branches families had been specially asked to receive Holy Communion together on this the Family Feast.
'Mind who you marry': Bishop Ellis
"Mind whom you marry" was the advice which Bishop Ellis gave to Lithuanians in Nottingham on Sunday when he attended a Mass for Lithuanian Catholics at Our Lady and St. Patrick's Church.
"When you think about marriage you should be careful to choose a partner with the same views about marriage as yourself. YOU have come In England where very often marriage is broken by divorce," the Bishop warned.
New Richmond church
The new church at Ham, a housing estate in the parish of Richmond, Surrey, will be opened on Sunday. Bishop Cowderoy will celebrate Mass at 10 a.m.
When Marshal Tito visits England Mass will be offered for him at every place in the Birmingham diocese where there is a branch of the C.Y.M.S.
Guest of honour at Banbury's C.Y.M.S. annual dinner last 'week was the non-Catholic Mayor, Councillor J. Price. Alderman R. B. Miller and Alderman J. Toole also attended, and a gift was presented to the chaplain. Canon A. G. Wall, on his 74th birthday.
Mr. George F. Williamson has been elected Grand Knight of No. 407 (North-East Nottingham) Council of the Knights of St. Columba.