War: Families

JMJ

It is unavoidable that the conflict between the Church and the World will ... inspite of the Church basically surrendering to the World during and after the Second Vatican Council ... enter the family.

First, it is unlikely that an entire family will be "Traditional Catholic". This will lead to conflict between the various "sides" of the family.

Next there is the impact of the world around them. In other words, you can't keep your children out of the world indefinitely. There are so many pressures and stessors that work against keeping the Catholic Life that it seems that heroic virtue is needed in this day and age.

A final aspect is related to the second. Their companions, especially if they are not Catholic. In some cases you may hope that your children will influence instead of be influenced. In this case you will have to intervene if they are underage and if adults, pray and act prudently.

With all these forces stacked up against you, the best you can do is prepare them for the day with good principles and I recommend the First Nine Fridays after they make their First Holy Communion.

As an example, I give a story (as best I can remember it) related by Fr. Angles from the pulpit, then in charge of the SSPX school in St. Mary's, Kansas.

Fr. Angles was driving to somewhere when he came across a train / automobile accident. He happened to have the Holy Oils with him and approach the sole surviving passenger of the vehicle. A young woman. He identified himself as a Catholic priest and asked if she was Catholic. She was. He heard her confession, anointed her, shortly after which she passed away.

Some days later he attended the prayers held the night prior to the funeral and went through the receiving line to off his consolences to the parents. After identifying himself as the priest who had been there when her daughter died the Mother exclaimed, "I knew she wouldn't die without the sacraments". She went on to explain that her daughter had left home and was living in a bad state with some other young adults. She kept hope in the fact that after her daughter had made the First Nine Friday's. Even when her daughter seemed so far from her and the Christ, she was confident in the promise Our Lord made to St. Margaret Mary. (SSPX First Friday of the Month Devotions - Link)

So even if bad companions or just free-will create a chasm between you and your children, at least you can have hope that your work raising them for Heaven will not be lost.

P^3

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