The Family Circle

New Zealand Tablet, 31 March 1921, Page 45

The Family Circle

THE ANGELUS. 0 list to the Angelus, sweetly and clear Ringing out from the walls of the convent so dear. Out through the vines that mantle its towers, Announcing each day the three sacred hours. At morn rings it merrily, At morn rings it cheerily : “Angelus Domini nuntiavit Marine, Marine, Marine.” With happiest chime, In youth's glad time, It peals forth a message of joy. From the convent so dear, How' sweetly and clear, It peals forth a message of joy. “Fcce ancilla Domini, Marine, Marine, Marine.” Oh, hark, from the Convent, old and gray, Rings the Angelus bell at high mid-day. A warning it sounds through the busy strife, A warning to all in the midst of life. At noon rings it loudly, At noon rings it boldly,, “Angelus Domini nuntiavit Marine, Marine, Marine.” Once more to the Angelus calmly we list, When nature at eve by the sunset is kissed. A halo at twilight on the Convent gray falls, While sternly, yet sweetly, the Angelus calls At eve rings it thoughtfully, At eve rings it solemnly, “Angelas Domini nuntiavit Marine, Marine, Marine ” With a sweet low call, It rings for us all, ”, It peals forth a message of Faith. Death causes no fear, For heaven is near, , , Praise God for thy message of Faith. “Free ancilla Domini, Marine, Marine, Marine.” —C. E. W. Griffith, in the Missionary. “TWELVE APOSTLES OF ERIN" IRISHMEN NOTED FOR HOLINESS. A title which has a quaint and inviting touch in the history of Ireland is that of “The Twelve Apostles of Erin (says an exchange). From far back in early Christian days in the Emerald Isle comes the story which gave rise to this title, so suggestive of the life and ways of the time, and so challenging to investigation. The “Twelve Apostles of Erin" were a dozen Irishmen who were noted for holiness in the sixth century. They were men who went to pursue their, studies at the School of Clonard in Meath. The story* of their coming to study under St. Finian at Clonard, on the banks of the Boyne and Kinnegad Rivers, is almost like a romance of the Faith in the Old Land. At the present day there appears to be some doubt “ *0 the reason why these particular men were termed the . Twelve Apostles," but the fact is that they are so designed in old annals. It -was about the year 520 that St. Fiman founded his noted school at Cluain■Uraird. This name means “Eraird’s Meadow.” The place is now Clonard. It is recorded that saints and men of learning found their way there in the old days. •, L ™y , can frm various parts of Ireland, and some fart 4°w -f IIZBl IZB i ot th& P! ace ma >’ be g ain cd from the tact that it has been said that the average number of thrp ft ° tb S , Wh ? Tv 6 inStrUcted at Clonard was some three thousand. Th.s , may be compared instructively rttA.d^nZ m fTu ° f students who at the present time ttend some of the leading universities and institutions of learning in America and abroad. been?-! fa “ US “Twelve Apostles” are said to have S' S aran Saiginr (Seir-Kieran). : . fet. Ciaran of Qlonmachois. J .= J.... ...

St. Brendan of Birr. }?M St. Brendan of Clonfert. , St. Columba of Tir-da-giasi (Terryglass). ' vli St. Mobhi of Glasnevin. . , y^i: St. Ruadhan of Lorrha. .% >. St. Senan of Iniscathay. : '£>& St. Ninnidh “the Saintly’-’ of Loch Erne. yy St. Lasserian mac Nadfraech. St. Canice of Aghaboe. ' • ; Such is the company of those who have been looked upon by old Irish writers as “The Twelve Apostles of Erin.” Whatever may be the particular reason which caused the best owal of the title, it has been said ' they all were apostles, whose studies were founded on the Sacred Scriptures as they were expounded by St. Finian. •<. v “ " • • V rTHE FAIREST ACTION. ,- The fairest action of our human life Is scorning to revenge an injury; For who forgives without a further .strife, His adversary’s heart to him doth tie. 7 And ’tis a firmer conquest truly said' To win the heart than overthrow the head. ■, —Lady Elizabeth Carew. CATHOLIC BEQUESTS. For the past few years there is noticeable a pleasing spirit of generosity on the part of Catholics in the matter of religious works (says an American exchange). In other words, scarcely a week passes but the papers inform us that new bequests have been left to Catholic charity, education, or other welfare work through the will of some deceased member of the Faith. This is indeed an encouraging sign of a re-awakening. In the ages of faith men of wealth and prominence usually included the Church among their beneficiaries after death. Countless religious monuments in the form of churches, chapels, monasteries, schools, libraries, hospitals, and homes for the destitute of all kinds still attest to the spirit of faith that actuated the well-to-do classes of former times. Foundations for Masses for the soul of the testator were also of very frequent occurrence, and many of these remain to the present day. t - The faithful seem to have at last realised again that the possessions which God has given them in this world,, or permitted them to accumulate, are but a holding of which they are merely the custodians. Hence it is gratifying to read of the numerous donations bequeathed for religious purposes. If more people would but reflect they readily would grasp the idea that alms left to religion are a potent means of securing increased blessings in the hereafter. If charity covers a multitude of sins, it also makes a bid for the title to eternal happiness. Were each Catholic to assign even a small percentage of his worldly goods, of his insurance, to some worthy cause, it would exert a most beneficent effect on the general works 'of the Church. If each person would include in his will a certain sum, even one hundred dollars, towards the work of his own parish church, the burden of debt as well as of worry soon might be lifted from the shoulders of priests and people. -c! DO A GOOD TURN io i How many find in this workaday world Whose aim is to plot and to plan ■■ ■'’ To keep others down, and refuse, with a frown To do a good turn when they can. ; - mit is easy for those who have riches in store •¥ vS To prove helpful, but give me the man Who is ready each day to go out of his way -v. To do a good turn if he can. ' Though your’e often hard pushed and have little •.\ VJy to spare, * . Ti* And practical help'you must' ban, ■>’* A kind word or a smile will prove welcome the while, : - :i r ■ ■•■ -■ ' •-*■; -V r> So do a good turn when you can.

V AN ARTFUL RUSE. Tommy; “Mamma, didn’t"you say last week you wanted the carving-knife and the chopper sharpened?” Mrs. Suburb: “Indeed t. du™ w m+m * XIIUL-OU. a- vaxva. JXIVPO LUO little heart! How thoughtful you are Well, I 11 take ’em round to the cutler’s for you.” “How sweet of you-to offer to do such things for your mamma, my little cherub. I’ll wrap them up.” “No, don’t wrap them up. I want them to show. There’s a boy out there waiting to fight me; but I fancy when he sees me coming he’ll go home.” GOOD FINANCING. An eccentric old fellow on the point of death expressed a wish for each of his sons to deposit £lO in his coffin. When they returned from the funeral the family lawyer inquired: “Well, did you carry out your father’s last wish?” “Certainly,” replied the two eldest. “And you, my boy?” the lawyer inquired of the youngest. Of course, you complied with the old gentleman’s wish?” “Oh, yes,” responded the son. “But as I hadn’t £lO in cash I took out the other £2O and put in a cheque for £3O. SMILE RAISERS. Visitor: “Is this a good place for rheumatism?” Villager: “Oh, yes, sir! I got mine here.” Mr. Roberts: “Five hundred elephants are needed every year for making billiard balls.” Aunt Jane: “How strange that people can teach such big beasts to do such delicate work.” Flora: “How very sympathetic Mrs. Brooks is.” Dora; “Yes; she is never happy unless she is feeling sorry for someone.” Elderly Hostess: “So you are the daughter of my old friend, Margaret Blank. I was at your christening 18 years ago; but how you’ve changed!” He —well, very, very careful. Each week he would go over his wife’s cash account, growling and grumbling Once ho delivered himself of the following : “Look here, Sarah, mustard plasters Is: two teeth extracted, ss. There’s 6s in one week spent for your private pleasure. Do you think lam made of money The storm was increasing in violence, and some of the deck-fittings had already been swept overboard, when the captain decided to send up a signal of distress. But hardly had the rocket burst over the ship when a solemn-faced passenger stepped on to the bridge. “Captain,” he said, “I’d be the last man on earth to .cast a damper on any man, but it seems to me that this is no time for letting off fireworks.” Bobby had been taken by his father to witness the opening meet of the season. One of the horses was very restive. Said Bobby: “What’s the matter with that horse, daddy?” “It’s balky, Bobby,” said his father. “Well; what’s the man patting him for?” “Oh, you see, he’s coaxing him. Then, perhaps, he’ll go.” With a somewhat injured air, Bobby replied slowly; “That’s not the way you treat me, daddy, when I’m balky.”