Tea at Trianon: Good Catholic Families

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Friday, August 17, 2007

Good Catholic Families

Heidi has a fine post on "good Catholic families" and how we can never judge by exteriors. Sometimes families that look perfect from the outside have problems that no one would ever guess. But, it's nobody's business, unless help is asked for. And we can never judge from the number of children how open a couple might be to life. Perhaps there are health issues which they do not care to be made public. Infertility is the cause of many tears being shed. Share

4 comments:

Anonymous said...: People need to learn to keep their mouths shut and hearts in prayer!

I have heard people make unfair assumptions over the years...."Well, they're Catholic and only have one child - you know they're using contraception!! Ha!!"

As you pointed out, they might have struggled with infertility. Perhaps they suffered through the death of a child(ren) or have had grave reasons that dictated the use of NFP to prevent conception. It is none of our business.

I suppose it can go the other way too....people assume that a couple with 5 lovely children is very generous and 'open to life' - but said couple might be defying the Church and using contraception (instead of NFP) to prevent the 6th.

Only God can read the heart. If we have suspicions or concerns, we should make it our job to pray and keep our eyes on our own faults. Like the old saying goes, 'when you assume, you make an ass out of you and me.' :); August 18, 2007 at 3:13:00 AM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: So true, everything you say.; August 18, 2007 at 8:04:00 AM EDT
Anonymous said...: Thank you, Elena. So very true- and when you meet that kind of true Catholic understanding, so very helpful!
Not helpful, as Margaret said, however,is people not minding their own business. Oh, the things I've wanted to say when people start poking around and suggesting....; August 20, 2007 at 12:41:00 PM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: Well meaning Catholic busybodies can cause a lot of suffering when they start making invasive comments.; August 20, 2007 at 12:46:00 PM EDT