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by Ella McMahon (Translator), Brother Hermenegild Tosf (Editor), Father F. X. Schouppe Sj (Author)
Of all the means employed by the Church for the promotion of piety, particularly among youth, there are few more efficacious than sodalities or confraternities of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Happy are the parishes and educational houses which possess fervent and flourishing confraternities, asylums of perseverance, centres of piety, nurseries of good works and holy vocations. Now, the fervor and prosperity of a confraternity depend in a great nlcasure on the pious instructions given at the meetings. If these instructions and conferences are well chosen, suited to the age, condition, and circumstances of the members; if they tend to inspire them with an enlightened and solid piety, which includes hatred of sin, love of labor, and the constant practice of strong Christian virtues, they cannot fail to produce admirable fruits. The Children of Mary! Oh! glorious Queen of Heaven, blessed and tender Mother, they are thy joy and thy crown. Consecrated to thy honor, making open profession of piety by enrolling themselves under the standard of thy Son, they form a Land of elect in the Church militant. Thou coverest them with thy special protection, powerful Virgin; thou leadest them to combat and to victory if they are but faithful to thee. Oh! that it were given me to inspire them all with increased love for their amiable Mother-not a barren love, but a love the fruit of which would be inviolable fidelity to the engagements they have contracted toward their august sovereign! Then I would have assured them a pledge of salvation and in-- creased, 0 Mary! the joys of thy maternal heart. That this happiness may be mine, deign, O holy Virgin! to bless this little work undertaken for thy glory. If thou hearest nly prayer it will be my sweetest consolation before leaving this world. My course is almost run; and as the end approaches, among many regrets which I experience before God, one of the most sorrowful is, alas! having loved thee too little, O sweetest and most amiable of mothers! But if this work be pleasing to thee, if thou deign to bless it, it it bear fruit among thy dear children, I will find in it compensation for a too barren past and consolation for the hour of death.
