on the
part of the family, as well as of the individual, for while he gives
up parents, brothers and sisters, they, too, must part with him. And
as they share in the renunciation, they participate also in its merit
and reward. In God's household the religious represents his family, he
works and prays by proxy for them, and they share in his graces and
good deeds. Is it not a matter of daily experience that the family of
a religious, particularly the parents, receive abundant graces, that
God leads them in various ways to greater fidelity in His service, to
a love of prayer and higher perfection? Parents of religious
frequently become religious themselves at heart, and though not
clothed with the habit, they share in the "hundredfold" promised to
the child.

"It is the glory of a large and happy Catholic family to produce a
vocation," says Rev. Joseph Rickaby, S.J. "A sound Catholic is glad to
have brother or sister, uncle or aunt, or cousin or child, 'who has
pleased God and is found no more' in the ordinary walks of life,
because God hath taken and translated him to something higher and
better."

Parents and teachers, then, who do not hesitate to incline the minds
of children to a professional career, should have no fear also to
direct their thoughts to higher things. To praise in the family circle
the priestly or religious life, to express the hope and desire that
one or more of the children may have the great happiness of such a
profession, to offer them daily in prayer to God, to train them to
piety and devotion, these are all praiseworthy in a father or mother,
and if faithfully practiced in all families would doubtless greatly
increase the number of God's chosen servants.

Anything approaching coercion or excessive urging should, of course,
be avoided, because moral violence should not be done to the child's
will. But the remark sometimes made by well-meaning mothers, "O, I
would not say a word to influence my child towards religion, for fear
of interfering with God's work," shows a lamentable ignorance of the
nature of a vocation. One might almost as well say, "O, I am careful
not to contribute to the building of a church, because if God wants it
built, He will not need any help." If all persons thought thus, such a
church would be long in building.

Most of God's works require our cooperation. He designs them and we
must carry them out. Many a great project has depended on a timely
word, or on the exertio