By a Staff Reporter Not for a long time has the Cathedral Hall, Westminster, been so crowded as it was last Thursday for the annual general meeting of the Westminster branch of the Union of Catholic Mothers, and mothers had come from places as far away as Luton to be present.
But that was not all. Meny had also brought their young children, and it vas one of the few occasions, when the youngsters were allowed to cry without being admonished. Mgr. Craven Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, who presided urged mothers not to leave the hall, simply because their babies cried; " let them have their say." he said.
The Bishop spoke of the high vocation of motherhood, and the likeness of all mothers to Our Lady. When in her home at Nazareth. she too had her difficulties. The shopping, the daily chores, the cooking for her family were just as real as it is today with the modern mother.
TEACHING RELIGION
He stressed the necessity of re
ligious education by parents. "I am not being unduly pessimistic, but there may come a day, in the not too far distant future, when the only religious education our children
will get, will be in the home. No teacher can teach like a teacher mother," declared the Bishop. After emphasising the need for prayer, Bishop Craven urged the mothers to get into the habit of saying the Rosary. and especially in the family circle with the children. Miss Barbara Ward, President of the Catholic Women's league. spoke on Holy Year and said it would only be a happy and holy year in so far that we made it so. From any angle other than of the Church. it does not seem as it will be either happy or holy.
FOUR NEW FOUNDATIONS
The future looked grim, she said, and with the spread of Communism and the general advance of materialism, conditions would become more and more difficult. Only by our Faith, fully lived, could we hope for improvements, could we hope for happiness.
The secretary's report showed a membership of 1.350. with four new foundations established in the past 12 months. At two successful Days of Recollection held during the year, over 100 mothers attended.