, and
have their own educational ideals. In the public schools of the
English-speaking world in America, manners and religion receive, alas,
but slight attention. But in Quebec one need only pass along a country
road to see that the children are taught respect and courtesy. The chief
subject of instruction is religion and to prepare the children for the
first communion seems to be the main aim of education. In the parish the
priest is never far away. Nearly always one or other of the clergy is at
the presbytery to answer calls of urgency, and their duties begin at an
early hour. "I am very busy until nine o'clock in the morning," a cure
once said to me. My comment was that most of us are only beginning the
serious duties of the day at that hour. "But I am tired by that time,"
he said, rather sadly, "for already, so early in the day, I have heard
much of human sin." The people come early in the morning to confess and
by nine o'clock the cure was weary of the tale of man's frailty.
Thursday is his day of recreation. Only on that day usually does he
leave his parish and then he always arranges that a neighbouring priest
shall be within call. This oversight is not spasmodic; it is persistent,
alert, universal, and hardly varies with the individual cure. In human
society there is no institution more perfectly organized than the Roman
Catholic Church and in Quebec her traditions have a vitality and vigour
lost perhaps in communities more initiated. Of course not every one
accepts or heeds the cure's ministry. Many a _mauvais sujet_ is careless
or even defiant but, when his last moments come, at his bedside stands
the priest to show to the repentant sinner the path of blessedness, and,
when he is gone, his wayward course will give ground to call the living
to earlier obedience.

In the Canadian parishes faith is simple, with a pronounced taste for
the supernatural. In the year 1907 a Jesuit priest, M. Hudon, published
at Montreal the life of Marie Catherine de Saint Augustin, 1632-1668, a
Quebec nun. This devout lady lived in an atmosphere charged always with
the supernatural. She knew of events before they happened; with demons
who tempted her she had terrific combats; she read the thoughts of
others with divine insight. Perhaps the climax of her experiences is
found when she has regularly, as confessor and mentor, the Jesuit father
and martyr Breboeuf, dead for some years. M. Hudon declared that he
had submitted the evidence