The Catholic Girl's Guide: Counsels & Devotions for Girls in the Ordinary Walks of Life

by Francis Xavier Lasance, Lisa Bergman (Abridged by)

This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. This text refers to the Bibliobazaar edition.

Genres: Catholic, Religion, Christian, Faith, Childrens

478 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1906

About the author

Francis Xavier Lasance [F. X. Lasance] was an American priest and writer of Roman Catholic devotional works.

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, he was the son of Augustine and Philamena (Detert) Lasance. He was educated at St. Mary's School and St. Xavier College (Cincinnati) and St. Meinrad Archabbey (Indiana), and was ordained by the Most Reverend William Henry Elder, Archbishop of Cincinnati, on May 24, 1883.

During the next seven years, Lasance served as curate in various parishes in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati including churches in Kenton, Reading, Dayton, Lebanon, and Monroe, Ohio. He also served as chaplain at Our Lady's Summit, in East Walnut Hills, in Cincinnati. Ill health forced him to relinquish parish work in 1890; from then on, he lived a "retired, semi-invalid existence" at St. Francis Hospital, Cincinnati, writing various books on spiritual subjects and serving as spiritual director of the Tabernacle Society. He wrote thirty-nine volumes, including Thoughts on the Religious Life (1907), My Prayer Book (1913), Reflections for Religious (1920), Our Lady Book (1924), The New Roman Missal (1937, with the Reverend Father Augustine Walsh, OSB), Patience: Thoughts on the Patient Endurance of Sorrows and Suffering (1937); Catholic Girl's Guide; Manna of the Soul; Visits to Jesus in the Tabernacle; Road to Happiness; With Saints and Sages; Young Man's Guide; Let Us Pray; Come Holy Spirit: Prayer Book for Religious; Lift Up Your Hearts; Blessed Sacrament Book; My God and My All; Holy Souls Book; Sacred Heart Book; Little Manual of St. Anthony; Rejoice in the Lord; Prisoner of Love; With God; Sweet Sacrament, We Thee Adore; Emmanuel; Holiness and Happiness; Novenas and Devotions in Honor of the Holy Ghost; Thoughts on the Religious Life; Self-Conquest; Remember. He also compiled and edited the Blessed Sacrament Book (1913).

For his devotional works, he was given a special blessing by Pope Pius XI on May 10, 1927. Lasance died at the age of eighty-six, in his native city.

Reviews

[emma grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book for prayers and good counsel readings. I try too read a little bit every day, especially during Lent...

[Cathy Q de V · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the most profitable books I have read. Especially as I grow in my vocation as a wife and have a little one on the way. Very good, sound Catholic advice. Wonderful emphasis on virtue and domesticity. The devotions at the end are lovely. If God blesses me with daughters, I pray that they would read and imitate what they find. I definitely recommend to any lady, young or old.

[An · Rating 1 out of 5]

While it had some nice prayers and some wise advice, I could not give this book two or more stars based on the number of untrue and offensive (not to mention unCatholic) things it said throughout. Judge for yourselves with the quotes below:

p 112 "God has ordained that young girls should especially practice obedience."

p 408 "But the Christian housewife, who knows that self denial is required of her, is content to lay her right[s] on the alter of peace and keep silence...If she wants to rule, let her cultivate a sweet and gentle disposition. She can do nothing, gain nothing, by force, whereas with patient wisdom and wise patience she will succeed in getting her own way."

p 113 "Yet you [women] must live in subjugation all your life long, whether you like it or not, for such has been the lot of every woman who has lived upon this Earth."

p 332 "Protestants on the other hand, regard marriage as a bond which can be dissolved."

p 330 "...the Protestant considers matrimony a merely civil contract."

p 403 "'Take religion away from woman and she is deprived of morality also, in that case she is nothing but a whited sepulcher wherein abide corruption and decay.'"

p 188 "The North American Indians hate work and leave it to women, as did also the Teutonic races."

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read an original copy earlier this year. Amazing how times have changed...this is a very precious writing from an era sadly gone by, but the advice can still be used today. It's not just instructions for the young, but lots of prayers and powerful devotional material as well. I really don't think any Catholic, especially tradtional Catholic, can go wrong reading Fr. Lasance!

[Rebekah W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure if I ever actually made it all the way through this one--it was self-assigned spiritual reading, and I wasn't quite ready for it--but Fr. Lasance is wonderful, and this is a beautiful book of formation for young ladies.

[AudreyMM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice! Dense and wordy but super helpful on discerning your vocation! Only read parts, though, because some are not for my age. Father Lasance explores in depth the virtues of the Catholic Girl, as personified by various flowers, with particular attention to that most precious possession: the lily of purity. However, this book goes far beyond simple lessons in virtue; it is truly a manual for the Catholic young lady from the middle years up to-and including-married life. Like its companion volume, The Young Man's Guide, the original book contained hundreds of pages of prayers, devotions, litanies and even a Latin Missal. Select prayers from this section have been placed at the end of each chapter and the rest have been omitted in order to make this valuable book available in a more portable and affordable format for today's Catholic girl. All ages of Catholic girls.

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it even more the second time:-)

[Susan Molloy]

https://archive.org/details/catholicg...

[Blanche · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for every Catholic girl. Rev. Fr. Lasance (RIP) has compiled essays and prayers suitable for guiding young girls in growing into and deepening in their Catholic faith. As the reverend father has intended, this book is meant to be a guidance for young girls against the perils of the world, like a good father would to his young daughter.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book and guide for Catholic girls. Wish I would have come across this book while I was a young girl. But it's God's will that I receive it now. I read it a few years ago, but it didn't help me as much as it helps me now for some reason.