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Manuals
Conduct of Christian Schools:
FIRST PART - Chapter 8
SCHOOL PRACTICES AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY ARE TO BE CARRIED OUT
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CHAPTER 8
Holy Mass
It will be so arranged everywhere that the students assist at Holy Mass in the nearest church and at the most convenient hour.
The most convenient time to go to Holy Mass is at the end of school [in the morning]. In order to go at this time, it will be necessary that the Mass should not begin much before 10:30. In this way, there may be time to say the morning prayers before going to Holy Mass, beginning them at 10:00 o'clock.
If it is not possible to go to Holy Mass at the end of morning school, it will be arranged to go at or around 9:00 o'clock.
ARTICLE I
Manner in Which the Students Should Leave School
to Go to Holy Mass and How They Should Deport
Themselves on the Street When on the Way
When the students are to attend Holy Mass after morning school, they will prepare to leave the school in the same manner they follow in the afternoon as they prepare to leave school at the end of the day. The manner to be followed is indicated in the Chapter XI,11 which treats the topic of leaving the school.
When the students are to assist at Holy Mass during school time, they will leave school in the order of the benches. The first on a bench will take the second one as companion, the third one will take the fourth one, and so on with the others. Teachers will see to it that all leave the school in silence, with great decorum and reserve, and that, while on the street on their way to the church, they walk two by two in a line. They are not to leave their companion or walk apart from the time they leave the school until they are kneeling in the church.
Teachers will take care that the students do not go too near the walls, the shops, or the gutter, and that they walk immediately behind the ones who precede them, only two paces apart. Teachers will also take care that the students walk sedately and without making any noise, and will urge each pair to say the rosary or some other prayers in a low voice. In this way, they will be more attentive to themselves, more restrained, and more modest.
Teachers will watch very carefully over the students at this time. It would, however, be best if the students are not aware of the extent of the vigilance over them.
By their modesty and restraint, teachers will give an example of the manner in which they should walk. In order that they may more easily see the students and observe how they behave themselves on the way to Holy Mass, teachers will walk on the opposite side of the street from them, ahead of the line, with their faces sufficiently turned toward their students to be able to see them all.
While on the street, teachers will not admonish students for any faults of which they may be guilty, but will wait until the next day, just before going to Holy Mass, to correct them.
Finally, teachers will take care from time to time to warn the students in the school, while they are preparing to leave or while the students of the other classes are going out, concerning the manner in which they should walk on the street and behave in the church, and of the edification which they are obliged to give their neighbor. Teachers will urge the students to good conduct through Christian motives. They will also make the students understand that they will be more exact to punish lack of restraint and the faults that are committed on the street and in the church than those which are committed in school. The reason for this is the scandal which students would give those who might see them there.
ARTICLE II
Manner of Entering the Church
Teachers will take the greatest care to have the students enter the church in silence and in a particularly respectful manner.
It would be well that teachers always enter the church before their students. Those who follow a teacher should, while watching over their own students, be careful to watch over those students who remain in the street. It is important that teachers should watch carefully over the conduct of students, especially when they are entering the church. Teachers should prevent them from making any noise either with the tongue or with the feet, and should require them to walk very modestly, with their eyes lowered. In this way, students will behave on the street in the manner indicated above and without the least confusion.
There will be one student, called the Holy Water Bearer, who will have the duty of offering Holy Water to all the students. This will be offered to them one after another as they enter or leave the church.
This student will enter church first, and from time to time, will take Holy Water from the font with the aspergillum. The Bearer will hold the aspergillum in such a manner that all the students can easily touch it.
Teachers will not permit students to take Holy Water directly from the font, but will have them take it properly from the aspergillum in a manner which manifests the piety with which one should do this act. When the students reach the place in the church assigned to them, they will all kneel, one after another.
Teachers will have the students seated in proper order in the church, and placed two by two one pair behind another. Ordinarily, they will be placed in several ranks of two each depending upon the width and length of the place that they occupy. They will be seated in such a manner that those in a same row and rank, both lengthwise and crosswise, will be exactly beside or behind one another in a straight line. If there are pillars in the middle of the section which they occupy, the students will be seated in such a manner that those of a same class will be between the pillars and the wall. In this way, each teacher may be able to see all of the students easily and watch over them. The students will be trained to take their respective places without the teacher's being obliged to attend to them.
ARTICLE III
What the Students Should Do during Holy Mass
The teacher of the lowest class in each school will see that the student who has charge of rosaries always brings them to church and that one be given to each student who does not know how to read. There will be as many of the best behaved students appointed to distribute the rosaries as there are ranks of two in the church. As soon as the students are kneeling, the keeper of rosaries and the keeper's assistants will distribute the rosaries to each one in the assigned rank, going from the top of the rank to the bottom. They will collect the rosaries in the same manner at the end of Holy Mass. They will take care to collect them all and to lose none of them.
Teachers will take great care that all those who have rosaries use them to pray continuously. When students are being taught in school how to say the rosary, teachers will show them how to hold it. Teachers will require them to hold it in such a way that it may be easily seen.
Each of those who know how to read will have Un Livre des Prières de la Sainte Messe à l'usage des Ecoles chrétiennes and will use it during this time.
In order to avoid the noise and confusion which it might occasion, students who assist all together at Holy Mass on school days will not rise when the priest reads the Gospels. Teachers will, however, recommend that they make the sign of the cross three times at the beginning of each Gospel and at the response, Gloria tibi Domine, the first on the forehead, the second on the mouth, and the third on the breast.
When the bell is rung to warn the faithful to prepare for the Consecration, all who have books will place them under their arms and all of those who have rosaries will put them on their arms. Then all including teachers will clasp their hands until after the Elevation of the Chalice. When the bell is rung for the Elevation both of the Host and of the Chalice, all the students will bow their heads and bend slightly forward to adore Our Lord in the Host and in the Precious Blood in the Chalice.
ARTICLE IV
The Duties of the Teachers during Holy Mass
Teachers will keep a continuous watch over their students during Holy Mass, observing the manner in which the students behave and the faults that they may commit. They will prevent students from speaking with each other, from passing anything to one another, from exchanging books, from pushing each other, or from doing any other of those foolish things which are only too common among children.
To prevent the students from falling into all these faults and into all the others which they could commit during Holy Mass, the three following means will be used. First, teachers will oblige the students to hold their books with both hands and not cease reading them. Second, the teachers will be sure to position themselves so that the faces of the students can be easily seen. Third, teachers will always separate the students as much as possible from each other as far as space and the arrangement of the place will permit.
Except in the case of great necessity, teachers will not leave their places to reprimand students when they commit a fault. Neither will they threaten students in the church. Teachers should be persuaded that it is not for their own benefit that they assist at Holy Mass when they take their students. They are there only in order to watch over the students. This is, therefore, the only thing of which they will think, and they will do it with attention. They will not have any books at this time, and they will be content with a simple attention to the Sacrifice.
They will take care that students bring nothing into the church that is improper or that might be a subject of distraction, as their papers could be when they have finished writing them. If they bring a brazier during winter, they should put it near to themselves in some place where it cannot be seen. They should not make use of it when in the church.
ARTICLE V
What Must Be Done When Entering the Church
after Mass Has Already Begun and Is Advanced
If Holy Mass has begun and is already advanced when the students reach the church, they will still be made to assist at it unless there is another Mass beginning a little later. If there is another Mass which begins immediately after the one at which they arrived late, they will remain until the end of the second Mass. If, however, there is no other Mass following, they will remain in the church for as long a time altogether as it would take for an entire Mass, including the time of the Mass at which they assisted in part.
Great care will be taken that all the students get to church and are in their places and kneeling before the Mass begins. All necessary steps to effect this will be taken, even if it is necessary to send a student to the church to give notice of their coming or to request that the bell be rung a little sooner or that the Mass begin a little later. This point is of very great importance. In case of necessity, it is better to omit the prayers in the school rather than to fail to assist at Holy Mass.
When it is not possible to have the students assist at Holy Mass on account of sleet or extraordinary rain, they will say the rosary in school. The students will stand for the rosary. Part of them will begin Ave Maria, and so forth, and the others will continue Sancta Maria, and so forth.
ARTICLE VI
How the Students Will Leave the Church
When Holy Mass has ended students will leave church for school after a pause about as long as it takes to say a Pater Noster. The teacher or whosoever is in charge of the class that should be the first to leave will give the usual signal. Once the signal is given, all of the students of one rank will rise, make a genuflection, and at once leave their places to go out as they came, two by two. The same procedure will be followed for all the other rows. All teachers will do the same with their own class.
When the students go home after Mass, they shall be dismissed two by two. This is the same as the way in which they went from the school to the church. The Director, the Inspector of Schools, or one of the teachers who has been charged with this duty will stand at the door of the church and see that the students do not play or make any noise in the street. This teacher will take note of those who do or who stop on the way. All the students will always walk two by two in the streets and in the church, the pairs always being at least four paces away from each other. This will avoid noise and confusion. The teachers will take care to instruct the students concerning the manner of entering and of leaving the church.
ARTICLE VII
Assistance at the Parish Mass and at Vespers
The students will be taken to the parish Mass when this can be easily done. They will also be taken to the nearest and most convenient church for vespers after Catechism on Sundays and holy days of obligation. It is the duty of the Superior of the Institute to decide what should be done about this. Teachers will explain to their students the purpose of the Parish Mass and the manner of assisting at it. If there is a sermon, they will take care that the students listen to it very attentively and respectfully. Teachers will inspire the students with a great respect and affection for the offices of the church, especially for those which are celebrated in their own parishes. Students will, therefore, assemble in the church on Sundays and holy days of obligation. They will be required to be there before the Asperges, or blessing with Holy Water, and to remain until the end of the Mass. If there are benches for them in the church, they will sit there. Teachers will see that they do so in proper order. They will sit, stand, or kneel according to the practice of the diocese or the parish.
They will, however, all kneel during the Offertory, and until the Preface if there is no Offering. They will kneel until the Offering, if there is one and it is made immediately after the Offertory. This will help them unite themselves during this action with the intention of the priest and also to offer themselves to be consecrated entirely to God. They will stand throughout the Preface and will all kneel when the Sanctus is sung. They will remain kneeling until the end of the Mass.
If there are no benches for the students, they will stand all the time that the others are seated except during the Offertory. Teachers who are present to watch over them will see that they are always well lined up and in good order.
During the Parish Mass and during vespers, teachers will always keep the students in sight and will take care that those who do not know how to read say the rosary as on other days. They will take care that those who know how to read have Le Livre des Prières de la Sainte Messe in their hands all the time at Mass and a Livre d'office throughout vespers, and they will see to it that they read them continuously. When the students leave the church after the Mass and after vespers, the same order will be observed as after Holy Mass on school days.
When the Blessed Bread12 is given for the students, the one who has charge of the rosaries will bring a basket in which to put it. At the end of the Mass, this student will distribute the Bread to them all in turn.
11 Actually this is found in Chapter X..
12 In France, it was frequently the custom for different families in a parish to make (in turn) an offering of small loaves of bread or rolls. This bread was blessed at the High Mass and then distributed to the faithful present.
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