Rule of Life for Children

I. IN THE MORNING.

Before you get up, make the sign of the cross, and say, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul. (Each time you say this prayer you get an indulgence of one hundred days, which you can give to the souls in Purgatory.) Get up directly at a fixed time, and while you are dressing yourself do not think of your dreams or other foolish things, but remember that God is looking at you.

II. MORNING PRAYERS.

When you are dressed kneel down and say the Our Father, Hail Mary and Creed. Then make a meditation:

1. Morning Offering. Say to yourself, “what shall I have to do from now till evening”—think for a moment what?—and how you will do each action well, prayers and school duties, work, meals, conversation, &c., then say, My God I offer to Thee the thoughts, words, actions and sufferings of this day, with those of Jesus Christ.

2. Examination about the sins of the day. Say to yourself, “what is the greatest sin I commit, or what sin do I commit oftenest”—what is it?—think how you will avoid it. Then say, My God, keep me to-day from all sin. Amen.

It is good to say also, “Dear Mary, Mother of Jesus, pray for me. St. Joseph and my holy patrons, pray for me. My dear angel guardian, I love you, take care of me this day. Sweet Jesus, have pity on the poor sinners and save them from hell; have mercy on the souls suffering in Purgatory.”

It is better to say short prayers, Our Father and Hail Mary, or to say your prayers going to or at your work, than to say no prayers at all.

About the meditation, remember, 1. To say the prayers slowly, and to stop on them as long as you can, like a bee stops in a flower, till it has got all the honey out of it. 2. A boy was walking along a road where there was a great stone. When he came to the stone, he tumbled over it and fell down, because he was not looking before him. Temptations to sin are the devil's stones, and if you do not try to foresee them, and get ready for them in your morning meditation, very likely when you come to them, you will fall into sin. 3. You never forget to take your breakfast. Meditation is the breakfast of the soul, so make your meditation every morning.

III. MEAL PRAYERS.

Before and after your meals bless yourself.—You may also say grace. Before meals: “Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which of Thy bounty we are going to receive, through Christ our Lord. Amen.” After meals: “We give Thee thanks, Almighty God, for all Thy benefits, Who livest and reignest for ever. Amen. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.” At your meals it is good not to eat some very little bit, at least a crumb, for the love of the infant Jesus.

IV. NIGHT PRAYERS.

Before you go to bed, kneel down and say your night prayers. 1. The Our Father, Hail Mary and Apostles' Creed. 2. Examine your conscience. Say: “Did I miss my prayers or commit any sin to-day?” Think for a moment what sin—then say, “O God, be merciful to me a sinner.”

V. WHEN IN BED

Bless yourself, and put your arms in the form of a cross for the love of Jesus, Who died on the cross for the love of you. Then say, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul.

VI. DAILY VIRTUES.

1. Be meek and humble of heart like Jesus.—2. Give everything you do to Jesus. If you pray eat, drink, sleep, dress yourself, talk, sing, walk, sit down, go on an errand, light a candle, sweep the house, go to school, read, write, mend a pen, sew, work—in every action, great or little, at the beginning or middle or end of it—say, my Jesus, I do this for the love of Thee, or all for Thee, my Jesus, or if you like say only “Jesus and Mary,” or the Hail Mary. 3. If anything happens to you which you do not like, say, my God, may Thy holy will be done. 4. Be kind to everybody, and give a bit of bread or anything to the poor if you can. 5. Forgive those who offend you, and speak kindly to them. 6. Love, respect and obey your parents, masters and superiors. Jesus the great God was obedient to Mary and Joseph. Obey quickly, cheerfully, and in every thing, and because it is the will of God.

VII. GOOD PRACTICES.

Every day make a meditation (page 219)—hear mass—visit the blessed sacrament, (prayer pages 90–99,) visit some picture or image of the blessed virgin, and say the hail Mary—say the angelus, morning, noon and night—say the rosary, at least one decade for the love of Mary your dear mother. If you have no beads, count the Hail Marys on your fingers.

It is good for every family to meet together in the evenings, and say the rosary, and this with the examination of conscience (page 18,) would do for night prayers. Be in some pious confraternity. Read this rule of life every Sunday.

VIII. TEMPTATION.

1. If a temptation comes to you, turn away from it and say, “Jesus and Mary, help me,” or say the Hail Mary till it goes away. 2. Put a bad thought out of your heart as quickly as you would shake a burning spark off your hand.—3. Keep your eyes, ears and tongue from what is bad. 4. Keep away from bad company, public-houses, whiskey-shops, dram-shops, bad dancing and singing-houses, gambling-houses, theatres, bad wakes, bad books, novels and romances. Against temptations of impurity, it is good to say every day three Hail Marys in honor of the purity of the Immaculate Mary.

IX. SINS COMMITTED.

1. Mortal Sin.—If you commit a mortal sin, make an act of Contrition directly, and go to Confession as soon as you can. 2. Venial Sin. —Live in the firm purpose of never committing a venial sin. If you fall into venial sin even many times, do not be vexed at yourself, or discouraged, but always strike your breast, or at least be sorry for a moment, and resolve not to commit it again.

X. THE SACRAMENTS.

Go to Confession and the Holy Communion at Easter, and at least once a month. Do not wilfully conceal a sin in Confession.

XI. DAYS OF THE WEEK.

Give Sunday to the Blessed Trinity: Monday to the souls in Purgatory; Tuesday to your Angel Guardian; Wednesday to St. Joseph; Thursday to the Blessed Sacrament; Friday to Jesus crucified; Saturday to your Mother, Mary.

XII. DEATH.

Live every day as if you were to die that day. When death comes, be sure to make an act of Contrition—say, O my God, I am very sorry that I have sinned against Thee, because Thou art so good, and I will not sin again. This act of Contrition from your heart will save your soul if there is no priest to hear your Confession when dying. If you are near any poor creature who is dying, whisper the act of Contrition into his ear, and perhaps you will save a soul from hell.

For the love of Jesus and Mary, do the twelve things which are in this Rule of Life.