Politeness and Good Manners

A quote about Catherine McAuley (unknown);


Our Reverend Foundress practiced toward her sisters, naturally and simply the usages of good society, and required the strictest attention to politeness and good manners in their intercourse with each other, and wished these rules to be thoroughly taught...

Today it seems we have let our best manners go out the window and do not seem to even know when to employ them. Catherine had the idea that each sister should be very well-schooled in the graciousness and good manners of a modern lady in society and with good manners would be able to attend to anyone from the sickest and poorest to the titled person with the same respect and diffidence to make the works of mercy a work of great edification for the person as well as the sister.

There is something to be said for having great manners. One can handle any situation when when one has those manners in place, even today. Perhaps we need to take a look at the way we eat, sit, walk, drink and speak to people. We may even want to get out the latest Emily Post book on manners and review some things. Then, as we go about our days, use the manners we have been taught. They are "catching' and it will make your place in the world a bit more pleasant.

Catherine would be pleased that we still try to make the comfort of the other the basis for our good manners. I think will go check out a book today....

www.sistersofmercy.org