These are the broad directions of the institution that ought to possibly have a boarding house connected to it. The school's life ought to be good, without fanfares,18 food ought to be abundant, but simple. The trainees would have a certain freedom to go out at given hours, alone or accompanied, as the case may be. Too much rigor would be out of place: inasmuch as they are called to the apostolate; a certain freedom shall benefit their formation that ought to be quite serious and religious, without affectation and nothing of nunnishness.
All would be paying fees from their own pockets or with the help of benefactors. Parish priests and wealthy persons ought to encourage good girls to attend such schools. Leaving such schools, they could ask, for services rendered, a small compensation, although, when they are wealthy, they might want to do it for free.
Some observations now follow. Shall it remain a dream? Let it be known that in Rome Miss Turton directs a boarding school for the training of nurses: numerous sisters are attending the courses. The Social school would have a similar program, but much more extensive.
HEADING XI
ZEAL IN PRACTICE
Here we have arrived at a very delicate matter. Let us take note immediately that what follows is especially addressed to parish priests. It is our most strict duty
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to respect the institutions of the Church: now, as it was said above, the fundamental and central organization is and must be the parish, and the parish priest is and must be the soul of the entire pastoral action. In order to be more clear, I believe it good to divide the subject matter in different points.
1. [Positive method]
In all the pastoral works and organizations it is a must to follow the positive method.
A well defined and precise program is not just possible before one comes or has just come to a parish; a broad program, instead, is always necessary. In fact, the first would comport a harmful presumption, while the second is included in the very mission of the parish priest. One who pretends to come into a parish with a list of things to accomplish and wants to start doing would soon fall into numerous illusions. Not everything that is praiseworthy in theory always comes easy in practice: not everything one has done well in a parish equally succeeds in another. How many times has it happened that after one has made serious sacrifices of time, health, money soon gets convinced that he has made the wrong turn...?
A general program is, instead, necessary as I have said. It consists in a most firm will to do to women and for the sake of women what is good: in the spiritual as well as material order.
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