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<0ue$ttonsi  of  Catholic* 
UnStoerefc 


By 
The  Rev.  Winfrid  Herbst,  S.  D.  S. 


Fourth  Edition 


Published  by 

THE  SOCIETY  OF  THE  DIVINE  SAVIOR 

(Salvatorian  Seminary) 

PUBLISHING  DEPARTMENT 

St.  Nazianz,  Wisconsin 

1946 


imprint  $ote*t: 

Ralph  M.  Fontaine,  S.  D.  S., 

Superior  Provincialis. 


Jfrtfttl  (^bsiat: 


imprimatur: 


W.  J.  Luby, 

Censor  Librorum. 


*  Paul  us  Petrus, 

Epps.  Sinus  Viridis. 


Sinu  Viridi, 

d.  IX  Sept.  1937. 


y- 


Copyright,  1938,  by 

The  Society  of  the  Divine  Savior 

(The  Salvatorian  Fathers) 

St.  Nazianz,  Wisconsin 


jforetoorb 

This  book  is  published  because  there  are  many 
who  will  be  glad  to  read  it  and  who  will  derive 
great  benefit  from  its  perusal. 

The  eagerness  and  intellectual  pleasure  with 
which  Catholics  are  wont  to  read  the  question- 
box  departments  conducted  in  various  Catholic 
periodicals,  and  the  splendid  attendance  of 
interested  listeners  at  the  question-box  dis- 
cussions or  conferences  during  missions  and  re- 
treats, are  proof  positive  of  the  appropriateness 
and  utility  of  this  form  of  instruction.  This 
predilection  for  the  question  box  is  likewise  a 
gratifying  proof  that  our  Catholic  people  hunger 
for  information  on  religious  subjects  and  are 
eager  and  willing  to  be  enlightened.  It  is  a  good 
sign.  To  meet  this  willingness  by  giving  more  of 
what  is  wanted,  this  book  is  now  added  to  the 
excellent  question-box  books  already  in  circula- 
tion. It  is  not  intended  to  replace,  but  in  its 
modest  way  to  complement  them. 

The  purpose  of  this  book  is  to  instruct  and  help 
its  readers.  From  the  thousands  of  questions 
the  author  has  answered  in  various  ways  and 
diverse  circumstances  he  has  selected  those  in 
the  following  pages  in  order  to  present  them  in 
convenient  and  attractive  form  to  Catholic 
readers, — or  to  men  of  good  will  in  general.  He 
has  tried  to  arrive  at  some  semblance  of  order; 
and,  though  the  result  is  but  a  semblance  and  the 
information  given  under  each  chapter  heading 
does  not  pretend  to  be  at  all  complete,  since  in- 
numerable questions  could  still  be  asked  regard- 
ing each  subject,  he  is  content;  and  the  very 
fact  that  there  is  no  regular  sequence  will  break 
the  monotony  of  the  reading  and  lead  the  reader 
on.     Sometimes  similar  questions  are  repeatedly 


013  3'S3  0CT    9  1981 


iv  FOREWORD 


answered  with  modifications  or  amplifications. 
But  varied  repetition  only  makes  for  better 
instruction. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  questions  are  answered 
as  fully  as  possible  in  view  of  the  conciseness 
aimed  at.  In  compiling  the  answers,  approved 
theological,  catechetical,  and  religious  books  and 
periodicals  of  all  kinds  were  freely  used.  It  is 
to  be  regretted  that  the  mention  of  sources  of 
information  was  frequently  omitted,  since  there 
was  orginally  no  intention  of  publishing  the 
questions  and  answers  in  book  form,  and  cannot 
now  be  accurately  supplied.  Sincere  thanks  are 
extended  to  all  whose  works  have  in  any  way 
helped  to  answer  in  a  popular  way  these  simple 
yet  oftentimes  vexing  questions. 

Winfrid  Herbst,  S.  D.  S. 


Salvatorian  Seminary, 

St.  Nazianz.  Wis, 
Feast  of  the  Assumption, 
August  15,  1938 


Sntrobuction 

In  the  present  volume,  arranged  in  questions 
and  answers,  the  reader  will  find  a  rich  mine  of 
information  on  the  teachings  and  practices  of 
the  Catholic  Church  as  applied  to  a  great  variety 
of  practical  doubts  and  difficulties  that  arise  in 
daily  life,  a  sure  guide  in  the  many  intricate 
circumstances  of  life  when  one  looks  for  the 
ascertainment  of  the  proper  Catholic  attitude  in 
thought  and  action.  The  main  topics  stand  out 
boldly  in  the  table  of  contents  in  order  that  the 
reader  may  see  at  a  glance  the  important  subjects 
concerning  which  he  may  expect  to  find  satis- 
factory explanations.  A  complete  general  index 
is  added,  by  referring  to  which  the  subject 
whereon  the  reader  seeks  information  can  quickly 
be  found,  if  that  subject  is  discussed  in  the  pages 
of  the  book.  Each  question  is  presented  in  plain, 
everyday  thought  and  expression,  just  as  it  was 
asked,  and  the  answers  are  given  with  frankness, 
clearness  and  exactitude.  We  have  carefully 
read  every  line  of  this  book  of  valuable  informa- 
tion and  have  found  it  both  interesting  and  exact 
in  the  manner  in  which  Catholic  doctrine  is  ex- 
plained and  put  in  terms  that  can  be  understood, 
so  far  as  it  is  possible  to  understand  God's  revela- 
tion in  this  life,  by  people  who  have  had  no 
special  training  in  religious  knowledge. 

The  reader  should  not  expect  to  find  here 
information  on  every  possible  aspect  of  the 
Catholic  faith  and  its  principles,  for  they  enter 
into  all  human  activity  in  one  way  or  another, 
and  it  would  require  a  work  many  times  the  size 
of  the  present  volume  to  apply  religion  to  every 
phase  of  life  and  to  the  endless  variety  of  persons 
and  their  doings.  In  fact,  no  one  book  or  work 
can  ever  be  absolutely  complete  in  the  application 


INTRODUCTION 


of  the  principles  of  religion  to  all  human  activi- 
ties. However,  most  of  the  things  on  which  re- 
ligious information  is  frequently  desired  will  be 
found  here  and  in  an  intelligent,  dignified  and 
instructive  form.  This  volume  will  add  to  the 
knowledge  and  love  and  service  of  God  in  the 
hearts  of  all  who  use  it  as  their  guide.  May  it 
go  on  its  mission  of  thus  increasing  in  the  minds 
of  all  people  of  good  will  the  knowledge  and  love 
and  service  of  God. 


Stanislaus  Woywod,  O.  F.  M. 


Holy  Name  College, 
Washington,  D.  C. 


Content* 

Tage 

Foreword in 

Introduction V 

Baptism 1 

Chastity 35 

Communion 69 

Confession Ill 

Courtship 168 

Duties  of  Catholic  Parents 200 

Fast  and  Abstinence 227 

Indulgences 246 

Marriage  Questions 286 

Mass 350 

Participation  in  False  Worship 393 

Prayers  and  Devotions 414 

Priests 466 

Purgatory,  Heaven,  and  Hell 486 

Precepts  of  Various  Kinds 544 

Teachings  of  Various  Kinds 632 

Various  Questions    708 

Vocation 746 

General  Index .  ■ 789 


V1J 


BOYHOOD'S  HIGHEST  IDEAL 

CHATS  AND  STORIES  ABOUT 
THE  BLESSED  SACRAMENT 

CHRIST'S  LITTLE  ONES 

COURAGEOUS  CHILDREN 

THE  DIVINE  SAVIOR 

EUCHARISTIC  WHISPERINGS    (Eight  Volumes) 

EXHORTATIONS  AND  ADMONITIONS 

FALLEN  LEAVES 

FOLLOW  THE  SAINTS 

GIRLHOOD'S  HIGHEST  IDEAL 

HOLY  MASS 

JESUS  AND  HIS  MOTHER 

JUST  STORIES 

THE  LIFE  OF  FATHER  FRANCIS  JORDAN 

PRIEST'S  SATURDAY  PAMPHLETS 

ANSWERS 

READINGS  AND  REFLECTIONS 
ON  THE  GOSPELS 

READY  REPLIES  ON  RELIGION 

REAL  LIFE  STORIES 

SAINTLY  CHILDREN 

THE  SAVIOR  OF  THE  WORLD 

SPOTLIGHTS  ON  MATTERS  SPIRITUAL 

TALKS  TO  BOYS  AND  GIRLS 

TELL  US  ANOTHER 

VOCATION  LETTERS 


©ue3tton3  of  Catf)oltc3&n3toereb 


PERTAINING  TO    BAPTISM 

A  young  lady  who  has  never  been 
taught  to  believe  in  any  religion  and  never 
seems  to  care,  tells  me  she  has  never  been 
baptized.  Suppose  she  dies  in  that  state? 
What  will  become  of  her  soul?  If  un- 
baptized  babies  cannot  go  to  heaven,  how 
can  she?    Please  answer  this  in  detail. 

The  teaching  of  the  Church  is  simply  this: 
Baptism  is  necessary  for  children  as  well  as  for 
adults,  in  order  that  they  may  be  saved.  "'Amen, 
amen  I  say  to  thee,  unless  a  man  be  born  again 
of  water  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  cannot  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God."  (John  3:5.)  These 
words  of  Christ  are  very  plain.  He  likewise 
commands  universal  Baptism.  "Teach  all  nations, 
baptizing  them."  "He  that  believeth  and  is 
baptized  shall  be  saved,  but  he  that  believeth 
not  shall  be  condemned." 

However,  as  you  doubtless  know,  children  who 
die  without  Baptism  do  not  suffer  any  punish- 
ment. They  are  indeed  excluded  from  heaven 
and  the  supernatural  vision  of  God;  for  they 
have  not  fulfilled  the  conditions  laid  down  by 
Christ.  This  privation,  as  is  evident,  is  not  un- 
just on  God's  part;  for  the  glory  of  heaven  is  a 
free  supernatural  gift  not  due  to  human  nature. 
This  privation  does  not  imply  suffering;  for  the 
little  ones  perhaps  do  not  even  know  that  there  is 
such  a  thing  as  the  Beatific  Vision,  and  hence 
know  God  and  rejoice  in  Him  "by  a  natural 
knowledge  and  love,"  as  St.  Thomas  teaches. 

But  can  an  adult  who  dies  without  Baptism  be 
saved?  Manifestly — no.  Both  for  children  and 
for  adults,  Baptism  is   necessary  for  salvation. 


i  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

The  Catholic  Church  has  so  defined  in  the  Council 
of  Trent. 

Still,  that  necessity  is  not  strictly  absolute,  as 
we  learn  from  the  same  Council  of  Trent,  which 
declared  that  "since  the  promulgation  of  the 
Gospel  there  is  no  translation  from  the  state  of 
Old  Adam  to  the  state  of  grace  .  .  .  without 
the  laver  of  regeneration,  or  the  desire  of  it."  So 
Baptism  of  water  is  not  the  only  Baptism. 

This  brings  us  to  the  important  point  of  Bap- 
tism of  desire.  In  case  of  necessity  this  B  iptism 
will  suffice  for  salvation.  (But  only  Baptism  by 
water  can  confer  the  baptismal  character  and 
render  a  person  capable  of  receiving  the  other 
Sacraments.)  And  it  is  consoling  here  to  recall 
the  teaching  of  St.  Augustine  and  St.  Ambrose 
that  the  perfect  love  of  God  and  sorrow 
for  sin  surely  include  the  desire  to  fulfil 
Christ's  every  command.  That  is  Baptism  of 
desire.  We  need  not  mention  martyrdom,  or 
Baptism  of  blood,  which  is  also  equivalent  to 
Baptism  of  water. 

But  what  about  this  young  lady,  "who  has 
never  been  taught  to  believe  in  any  religion  and 
never  seems  to  care"?  There  are  millions  like 
her.  Hence  we  give  a  number  of  important 
Catholic  doctrines  and  principles. 

1.  The  Catholic  Church  teaches  that  no  one 
is  condemned  to  hell,  unless  he  has  freely  and 
deliberately  turned  his  back  on  God  and  died 
guilty  of  unrepented  mortal  sin. 

2.  The  Catholic  Church  has  always  believed 
that  men  outside  her  fold  might  live  in  error  and 
still  be  saved;  that  men  outside  of  her  visible 
organization,  through  invincible  ignorance,  might 
still  be  in  the  soul  of  the  Church,  by  a  true  spiritual 
communion  of  faith  and  charity. 

3.  Every  anathema  or  condemnation  by  the 
Church  relates  to  error  itself  or  false  principles 
contrary  to  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  and  does 


BAPTISM  3 

not  concern  the  interior  guilt  of  men  or  women 
in  error. 

4.  No  Catholic  has  the  right  to  judge  of  the 
guilt  of  any  individual. 

5.  In  his  Allocution  of  December  9,  1854, 
Pope  Pius  IX  says,  "Far  be  it  from  us  to  dare 
set  bounds  to  the  boundless  mercy  of  God;  far 
be  it  from  us  to  desire  to  search  into  the  depths 
of  the  hidden  counsels  and  judgments  of  God, 
an  abyss  that  the  mind  of  men  cannot  explore  .  .  . 
We  must  hold  as  of  faith,  that  out  of  the  Apos- 
tolic Roman  Church  there  is  no  salvation;  that 
she  is  the  only  ark  of  safety,  and  whosoever  is 
not  in  her,  perishes  in  the  deluge;  we  must  also, 
on  the  other  hand,  recognize  with  certainty  that 
those  who  are  in  invincible  ignorance  of  the  true 
religion  are  not  guilty  for  this  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Lord.  And  who  will  presume  to  mark  out  the 
limits  of  this  ignorance  according  to  the  character 
and  diversity  of  peoples,  countries,  minds,  and 
the  rest?" 

6.  In  his  Encyclical  to  the  Italian  Bishops, 
August  10,  1863,  this  same  great  Pope  writes 
with  unmistakable  clearness,  "It  is  known  to  us 
and  to  you  that  those  who  are  in  invincible 
ignorance  of  our  most  holy  religion,  but  who 
observe  carefully  the  natural  law  and  the  pre- 
cepts graven  by  God  upon  the  hearts  of  all  men, 
and  who,  being  disposed  to  obey  God,  lead  an 
honest  and  upright  life,  may,  aided  by  the  light 
of  divine  grace,  attain  to  eternal  life;  for  God, 
Who  sees  clearly,  searches  and  knows  the  heart, 
the  disposition,  the  thoughts  and  intentions  of 
each,  in  His  supreme  mercy  and  goodness  by  no 
means  permits  that  anyone  suffer  eternal  punish- 
ment who  has  not  of  his  own  free  will  fallen 
into  sin." 

I  am  a  Catholic,  and  my  friend  is  a 
Baptist.  He  often  asks  me  questions. 
He  asked  me  if  I  ever  saw  in  the  Bible 


4  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

where  they  baptized  with  water.  He  says 
he  doesn't  believe  in  baptizing  with  water, 
but  that  the  persons  to  be  baptized 
should  be  put  into  the  water.  Please 
tell  me  why  Catholics  baptize  with  water. 
Your  friend  (naturally  enough,  for  such  argu- 
mentation is  usually  confused)  maintains  that 
he  doesn't  believe  in  Baptism  with  water  and  in 
the  same  breath  admits  that  water  is  necessary, 
inasmuch  as  he  says  that  the  persons  to  be 
baptized  should  be  put  into  the  water.  This 
admission  saves  us  from  further  theological 
discussion  relative  to  the  matter  of  Baptism. 
We  both  agree  that  water  is  necessary.  Indeed, 
it  is  hard  to  imagine  any  real  Baptism  without 
water.  The  very  word  "baptize"  comes  from  a 
Greek  word  meaning  "to  dip  into  water."  Again, 
as  regards  Baptism  with  water  and  the  Bible, 
we  wish  to  say  that  wherever  Baptism  is  men- 
tioned in  Holy  Writ,  there  water  is  indicated  or 
implied  as  the  proper  matter  for  its  administra- 
tion. You  might  refer  your  friend  to  St.  Matthew, 
Chapter  the  Third,  as  just  one  example  of  what 
the  Book  says  about  Baptism.  This  chapter 
speaks  about  the  Baptism  of  John,  the  prelude, 
the  figure  of  the  Christian  Baptism.  In  the 
eleventh  verse  of  this  chapter  John  the  Baptist 
says,  "I  indeed  baptize  you  with  water  unto 
penance." 

So  as  regards  the  use  of  water  and  its  mention 
in  the  Bible,  your  friend  does  not  and  cannot 
disagree  with  us.  He  evidently  means  that  he 
does  not  believe  in  Baptism  by  pouring>  but  by 
immersion.  Catholic  teaching  is  that  Baptism 
both  by  pouring  and  by  immersion  is  valid; 
and  even  in  the  catacombs  both  forms  are  repre- 
sented as  being  used.  In  former  times  Baptism 
by  immersion  was  very  common  in  Holy  Church; 
but  in  the  course  of  centuries  Baptism  by  pouring 
has    become    the    common    practice    because    it 


BAPTISM 


obviates  numerous  inconveniences.  How  could 
tender  babes,  the  sick,  the  dying,  those  in  water- 
less places,  etc.,  otherwise  be  baptized? 

Your  friend,  like  all  our  good  Protestant 
friends,  looks  upon  the  Bible  as  the  sole  rule  of 
faith.  Catholic  teaching  is  based  on  the  Bible 
and  tradition  as  interpreted  by  Christ's  infallible 
Church.  But  since  your  friend  ever  falls  back 
upon  the  Bible  and  sticks  so  much  to  the  letter, 
ask  him  kindly  to  read  from  its  pages  that 
Baptism  by  immersion  alone  is  valid.  After  he 
has  done  that  we  will  answer  further  questions. 

If  a  child  just  born  or  born  out  of  time 
should  suddenly  die  without  any  chance 
of  Baptism,  would  it  be  eligible  to  enter 
the  kingdom  of  heaven?  Has  every  child 
when  it  enters  this  world  a  sin  upon  its 
little  soul? 

Yes;  every  child  born  into  this  world  has  the 
guilt  of  original  sin  upon  its  soul.  Original  sin 
is  the  sin  that  we  inherit  from  our  first  parents. 
It  is  called  original,  because  it  comes  to  us  from 
the  source  and  origin  of  the  human  race,  from 
our  first  parents,  Adam  and  Eve,  and  because 
we  are  brought  into  the  world  with  its  guilt 
upon  our  souls.  Original  sin  excludes  from 
heaven  unless  forgiven.  It  is  forgiven  only  by 
Baptism.  Hence  when  an  unbaptized  child  dies 
it  cannot  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

It  is  deplorable  that  babies  sometimes  die 
without  Baptism.  Yet,  though  it  never  should, 
it  sometimes  happens  even  in  Catholic  families, 
without  any  fault  at  all  of  the  parents.  In  such 
a  case  the  matter  calls  for  nothing  else  than  con- 
formity to  the  holy  will  of  God.  The  soul  of  the 
child  will  not  go  to  heaven,  it  is  true;  but  neither 
will  it  go  to  a  place  of  torments ;  it  will  go  to  what 
is  called  the  limbo  of  infants,  where  it  will  enjoy 
natural  happiness  in  a  high  degree,  in  a  higher 


6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

degree  than  is  tasted  by  children  or  men  in 
general  on  this  earth.  This  is  an  opinion  quite 
commonly  held  by  theologians,  and  not  at  all 
frowned  upon  by  the  Church.  At  any  rate, 
such  a  child  is  immensely  better  off  in  being  as 
it  is  than  if  it  had  never  been  born  at  all.  So 
its  parents  who,  as  we  suppose,  were  not  guilty 
of  any  negligence,  have  no  cause  for  worry. 

Still,  great  care  should  be  taken  in  this  regard. 
In  case  of  danger  private  Baptism  should  be  ad- 
ministered; when  no  one  else  is  at  hand  to  ad- 
minister it  the  parents  may  and  must  do  so.  The 
same  person  should  pour  common  water  over  the 
head  of  the  little  one  and  say,  while  pouring  the 
water:  "I  baptize  thee  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  In  case 
of  involuntary  miscarriage,  Baptism  should  be 
administered  to  the  prematurely  ejected  foetus, 
if  possible.  The  mother,  for  instance,  taking 
notice  of  it,  opens  the  involucrum  and  pours 
water  over  the  contents  whilst  saying  the  words: 
"If  you  are  living,  I  baptize  you  in  the  name  of 
the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost."  Life  may  still  be  there.  If  so,  the 
Baptism  will  open  the  gates  of  heaven  to  the 
child's  soul. 

Does  the  Catholic  Church  consider  a 
person  baptized  who  has  been  baptized 
by  a  minister  ?  Take,  for  instance,  a  non- 
Catholic  baptized  by  a  minister.  If  he 
wanted  to  become  a  Catholic  would  the 
priest  have  to  baptize  that  person  again? 
I  have  always  been  under  the  impression 
that  a  non-Catholic  person  baptized  by 
a  minister  is  baptized  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Catholic  Church. 

The  Church  holds  that  such  persons  are  bap- 
tized, provided  the  Baptism  was  validly  per- 
formed.    If  there  is  certainty  about  the  validity 


BAPTISM  7 

of  the  Baptism  administered  by  a  minister, 
such  a  person  is  not  rebaptized;  for  Baptism 
can  be  received  only  once.  When  there  is  no 
such  certainty  non-Catholics  are  baptized  con- 
ditionally on  entering  the  Catholic  Church,  that 
is,  with  the  form,  "If  thou  art  not  baptized,  I 
baptize  thee,"  etc.  In  case  the  original  Baptism 
was  validly  performed,  then  this  ceremony  is 
not  a  Sacrament  at  all. 

When  a  non-Catholic  is  received  into  the 
Church  and  is  uncertain  about  his  former  Bap- 
tism, he  is  thus  conditionally  baptized.  In  this 
case  the  Sacrament  of  Penance  is  also  given  con- 
ditionally, so  that  a  convert  is  certain  of  the  for- 
giveness of  sins,  either  through  one  Sacrament  or 
through  the  other.  If  he  is  absolutely  sure  of  his 
Baptism  and  that  it  was  valid,  he  cannot  be  re- 
baptized,  but  is  bound  to  confess  all  grievous  sins 
committed  after  Baptism.  If  he  is  absolutely 
sure  that  he  never  was  baptized,  he  is  given 
Baptism  unconditionally  and  his  sins  are,  of 
course,  blotted  out  without  confession. 

The  conditional  Baptism  mentioned  above  must 
very  often  be  resorted  to  in  our  day  because  of 
the  lax  views  and  careless  practice  regarding 
Baptism  that  prevail  quite  generally  outside  the 
Catholic  Church.  Some,  for  instance,  deny 
altogether  its  sacramental  character;  others,  in 
baptizing  a  number  at  once,  sprinkle  the  water 
so  carelessly  that  it  merely  touches  the  clothes 
of  some;  and,  again,  others  use  a  form  different 
from  the  one  prescribed  by  our  Lord.  For  ex- 
ample, we  have  read  of  a  case  in  which  one 
minister  immersed  the  subjects  for  Baptism  in 
a  large  tank  near  the  pulpit,  while  another  from 
a  distance  repeated  this  form,  "I  baptize  thee  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus." — It  is  not  hard, 
then,  to  understand  why  the  Church  is  often 
distrustful  of  Baptism  administered  by  those 
outside  the  fold. 


8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Must  a  non-Catholic  who  was  once 
baptized  be  again  baptized  at  his  recep- 
tion into  the  Catholic  Church? 

It  is  of  faith,  as  can  be  seen  from  the  Council 
of  Trent,  that  Baptism  conferred  by  heretics  is 
valid,  if  everything  requisite  for  the  valid  ad- 
ministration of  the  Sacrament  is  duly  observed 
by  them.  But  in  our  day  and  country  it  is  much 
to  be  doubted  whether  those  requisites  are  duly 
observed  by  the  non-Catholic  ministers  who 
profess  to  administer  the  Sacrament  of  Baptism. 
Hence  it  is  commonly  held  by  theologians  that 
when  a  convert  enters  the  Church  he  should 
be  conditionally  rebaptized,  unless  the  validity 
of  his  former  Baptism  be  established  beyond 
reasonable  doubt.  We  wish  it  to  be  well  under- 
stood that  the  first  Baptism,  when  questionable, 
is  not  considered  invalid  in  itself,  as  though 
non-Catholics  could  not  administer  the  Sacra- 
ment validly,  but  because  something  essential  in 
matter  or  form  was  omitted  in  its  administration. 

What,  then,  is  to  be  done  in  the  case  of  a  con- 
vert to  the  Catholic  Church?  The  Congregation 
of  the  Holy  Office  has  thus  decreed:  "If  Baptism 
is  to  be  repeated  conditionally  the  following  order 
is  to  be  followed:  1.  Abjuration  or  profession  of 
faith.  2.  Conditional  Baptism.  3.  Sacramental 
confession  with  conditional  absolution."  This  is 
the  order  to  be  followed  in  the  case  of  a  convert 
who  was  (as  most  non-Catholics  are  generally 
considered  to  be)  doubtfully  baptized.  It  is  clear 
that  confession  is  not  necessary  in  the  case  of  one 
who  was  never  baptized  at  all ;  for  when  Baptism 
is  conferred  absolutely  no  abjuration  follows  and 
no  absolution  because  the  Sacrament  of  Re- 
generation washes  everything  away.  In  the  case 
of  adults  it  is  understood  that  they  are  baptized 
with  their  own  knowledge  and  of  their  own  free 
will  and  after  having  been  duly  instructed  and 
exhorted  to  be  sorry  for  their  sins. 


BAPTISM  9 

When,  however,  the  convert's  former  Baptism 
is  judged  to  have  been  valid,  the  abjuration  or 
profession  of  faith  alone  is  received  after  which 
absolution  from  censures  follows. 

What  must  the  sponsors  do  at  Baptism  ? 

The  answer  to  this  question  is  of  still  greater 
practical  importance.  We  will  make  it  very 
practical.  In  the  first  place  and  as  the  thing 
that  essentially  constitutes  them  sponsors,  they 
should,  either  personally  or  by  proxy,  at  the 
moment  when  Baptism  is  conferred,  while  the 
water  is  poured,  hold  or  touch  the  person  bap- 
tized, or  at  least  take  him  out  of  the  font,  or 
receive  him  from  the  hands  of  him  who  adminis- 
ters the  Sacrament. 

We  will  give  a  brief  summary  of  just  what  is 
to  be  done  by  the  sponsors,  taking  it  for  granted 
that  there  are  two,  though  the  same  holds  good 
if  there  be  only  one. 

At  the  appointed  time  they  will  be  present  in 
church  with  the  child  and,  if  this  has  not  been 
arranged  beforehand,  will  give  the  priest  their 
names,  the  Christian  name  to  be  given  the  child, 
the  names  of  the  child's  parents,  the  day  of  its 
birth,  and  any  other  information  the  priest  may 
deem  it  necessary  to  ask. 

During  the  ceremony  of  Baptism  the  godfather 
stands  at  the  right  of  the  godmother,  who  holds 
the  child  on  her  right  arm. 

When  the  priest  asks  of  the  child,  "N.,  what 
dost  thou  ask  of  the  Church  of  God?"  they  answer, 
both  together,  "Faith." 

"To  what  doth  faith  bring  thee?"  the  priest 
asks.     They  answer,  "Life  everlasting." 

The  godmother  should  always  hold  the  child 
conveniently  when  the  priest  goes  through  the 
various  ceremonies,  for  instance,  when  he  places 
the  blessed  salt  into  the  child's  mouth,  makes 
the  sign  of  the  cross  on  its  forehead. 


io  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

When  he  places  the  end  of  the  stole  upon  the 
child  (or  upon  the  first  one,  if  there  are  more) 
and  admits  it  to  the  font,  the  sponsors,  together 
recite  in  clear  tones,  in  the  language  they  speak, 
the  Apostles*  Creed  and  the  Our  Father. 

Afterwards  when  the  priest  moistens  his  thumb 
with  spittle  and  touches  the  ears  and  nostrils  of 
the  child,  the  godmother  should  conveniently 
turn  the  child,  if  necessary,  and  uncover  the 
ears. 

The  priest  then  asks  of  the  child,  "N.,  dost 
thou  renounce  Satan?"  In  the  name  of  the  child 
the  sponsors  answer,  "I  do  renounce  him." 

"And  all  his  works?"  he  asks.  They  answer, 
"I  do  renounce  them." 

"And  all  his  pomps?"  The  sponsors  answer, 
"I  do  renounce  them." 

The  priest  then  dips  his  thumb  in  the  Oil  of 
Catechumens  and  anoints  the  child  on  the  breast 
and  between  the  shoulders  in  the  form  of  a  cross. 
Here  again  the  godmother  should  be  handy  and 
turn  the  child  slightly  and  loosen  the  clothing  if 
necessary.  Then  she  should  wait  until  the  priest 
wipes  with  cotton  the  parts  anointed. 

The  priest  then  changes  the  purple  stole  for 
a  white  stole  and  asks  of  the  child,  "N.,  dost 
thou  believe  in  God  the  Father  Almighty,  Creator 
of  heaven  and  earth?"  The  sponsors  answer  for 
the  child,  "I  do  believe." 

Then,  "Dost  thou  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  His 
only  Son,  our  Lord,  Who  was  born  into  this 
world,  and  Who  suffered  for  us?"  The  sponsors 
make  answer,  "I  do  believe." 

Again,  "Dost  thou  also  believe  in  the  Holy 
Ghost,  the  Holy  Catholic  Church,  the  communion 
of  saints,  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  the  resurrection 
of  the  body,  and  life  everlasting?"  The  sponsors 
answer,  "I  do  believe." 

The  priest  then  asks,  "N.,  wilt  thou  be  bap- 
tized?"   For  the  child  the  sponsors  say,  "I  will." 


BAPTISM  ii 

Then  the  godmother  conveniently  holds  the 
child  over  the  font  while  the  godfather  touches 
the  child's  shoulder  with  his  right  hand  and  the 
priest  pours  the  baptismal  water  on  the  forehead 
of  the  child  and  pronounces  the  sacred  words. 

The  priest  then  anoints  the  top  of  the  child's 
head  with  Holy  Chrism  and  wipes  the  part 
anointed.  Thereupon  he  lays  a  white  linen  cloth 
on  the  head  of  the  child.  Lastly  he  gives  the 
child  a  lighted  candle,  which  the  sponsor  (the 
godfather)  holds. 

The  priest  concludes  with  the  words,  "N.,  go 
in  peace,  and  the  Lord  be  with  thee.    Amen." 

It  is  customary  for  the  godfather  to  give  the 
priest  a  free-will  offering  after  the  ceremony. 

The  sponsors  will  then  take  the  child,  now 
truly  a  child  of  God  and  a  joy  to  heaven,  home 
to  its  happy  mother. 

What  are  the  obligations  of  godfather 
and  godmother  (sponsors)  in  Baptism? 

Your  question  is  one  of  great  practical  im- 
portance. We,  accordingly,  answer  it  at  con- 
siderable length.  And  we  begin  by  saying  that 
the  obligations  of  both  godfather  and  godmother 
are  the  same. 

As  regards  the  obligations  of  sponsors  towards 
the  baptized  person,  it  is  to  be  remembered  that 
the  sponsor  must  consider  the  baptized  person, 
for  whom  he  is  security,  as  a  novice  in  the  Faith, 
whom  he  has  to  instruct  in  spiritual  matters  and 
in  all  that  pertains  to  a  Christian  life.  Since  this 
obligation  belongs  primarily  to  fathers  and 
mothers,  the  sponsor  is  bound  only  when  the 
father  and  mother  are  unwilling  or  unable  to 
perform  their  part,  or  if  they  die.  Likewise  the 
sponsors  are  free  from  this  obligation  when  they 
know  that  their  godchild  attends  the  catechism 
classes  in  church,  or  is  a  pupil  of  a  Catholic 


12.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

school  or  college,  where  Christian  instruction  is 
a  part  of  the  curriculum. 

Godfathers  and  godmothers,  as  the  name  itself 
implies,  stand  between  God  and  the  child,  or 
better,  that  they  are  the  guarantors  of  the 
spiritual  union  that  must  exist  between  a  baptized 
person  and  God,  the  Author  of  Baptism.  They 
share  only  the  religious  side  of  the  parent's  duty; 
for  the  duties  of  parents  extend  to  the  temporal 
as  well  as  to  the  spiritual  life  of  the  child. 

The  Council  of  Trent  decreed  "that  only  one 
man  or  woman,  or  at  most  one  man  and  one 
woman,  stand  as  sponsors  in  Baptism."  In  the 
latter  case,  as  is  clear,  the  sponsors  should  be  of 
different  sex,  while  in  the  former  case  it  is  ad- 
visable, though  not  obligatory,  that  the  sponsor 
should  be  of  the  same  sex  as  the  child.  Here 
again  is  implied  the  real  obligation  of  sponsors. 
It  is  forbidden  to  have  more  than  one  godfather 
and  godmother  in  Baptism  because,  as  popular 
opinion  has  it  and  as  is  well  known,  the  obligation 
of  many  is  the  obligation  of  none.  And  here 
there  is  a  real  obligation. 

From  the  grave  obligation  sponsors  undertake 
towards  their  godchild  it  is  clear  that  not  every- 
one is  a  fit  person  to  act  as  sponsor.  The  parents 
or  guardians  have  the  right  to  select  the  sponsors 
for  the  child.  If  they  cannot  do  so  the  priest 
who  administers  Baptism  has  the  right. 

We  now  briefly  mention  who  may  not  act  as 
sponsors.  1.  Those  who  have  not  the  use  of 
reason.  2.  Non-Catholics,  infidels,  heretics; 
Catholics  who  have  been  excommunicated  by 
name,  etc.,  who  are  living  in  public  sin,  etc. 
3.  The  father,  mother,  husband,  or  wife  of  the 
person  to  be  baptized. 

And  now,  for  the  sake  of  greater  clearness,  we 
likewise  briefly  mention  under  what  condition  one 
may  lawfully  act  as  sponsor.  1.  The  sponsor 
must  be  at  least  fourteen  years  old,  unless  for 


BAPTISM  13 


some  good  reason  the  priest  who  baptizes  rules 
differently.  2.  He  must  not  have  committed 
any  public  crime  that  entails  excommunication 
or  other  public  stigma.  3.  He  must  know  at 
least  the  rudiments  of  faith.  4.  He  must  not  be  a 
member  of  a  Religious  Congregation  (neither 
novice  nor  professed)  or  in  Holy  Orders.  If 
there  is  some  real  necessity,  express  permission 
of  Superiors  or  of  the  Ordinary  must  be  obtained. 
We  may  here  add  that  a  spiritual  relationship 
which  is  an  impediment  to  marriage  arises  be- 
tween the  sponsors  on  the  one  side  and  the  god- 
child on  the  other,  but  not  between  the  sponsors 
themselves. 

A  certain  lady  wishes  to  have  a  baby 
baptized  in  the  church  of  which  she  is  a 
member.  She  would  like  two  relatives  of 
hers,  a  man  and  a  woman,  to  stand  for 
the  child.  But,  since  they  live  far  away 
and  cannot  come  to  church  to  hold  the 
baby,  may  others  hold  the  baby  for  those 
two  and  they  still  be  the  real  sponsors? 

Yes.  Godfathers  and  godmothers  are  to  be 
chosen  for  their  office  by  the  person  to  be  baptized, 
by  his  parents  or  guardians,  or  by  him  who  ad- 
ministers Baptism.  But  when  so  chosen  they 
may  select  a  substitute  or  procurator,  who  in 
their  stead  will  answer  the  questions  at  Baptism 
and  hold  the  child  or  touch  its  body  while  Bap- 
tism is  being  administered.  Such  substitutes  or 
procurators  do  not,  of  course,  contract  the  spiri- 
tual relationship  created  between  the  godfather 
and  his  goddaughter,  between  the  godmother  and 
her  godson,  nor  do  they  assume  the  obligations  of 
the  sponsors.  That  relationship  is  contracted 
and  those  obligations  are  assumed  by  the  real 
sponsors,  who  were  properly  chosen  and  then 
selected  substitutes  to  act  for  them. 

That  sponsors  may  act  by  proxy  is  absolutely 


i4  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

certain.  Canon  765,  Section  5,  says  of  sponsors: 
"They  should,  either  personally  or  by  proxy, 
hold  or  touch  the  person  baptized,  or  at  least 
take  him  up  out  of  the  font,  or  receive  him  from 
the  hands  of  him  who  administers  the  Sacra- 
ment." 

Can  parents  have  a  child  baptized  out- 
side their  own  parish? 

Canon  Law  tells  us  that  the  right  of  baptizing 
is  reserved  to  the  proper  pastor  or  to  another 
priest  commissioned  either  by  him  or  by  the 
Bishop.  In  other  words,  the  pastor  of  the  parish 
in  which  the  parents  have  their  home  is  the  one 
to  administer  solemn  Baptism.  (Anyone  may 
administer  private  Baptism  in  danger  of  death.) 
The  same  holds  good  as  regards  those  who  have 
no  fixed  residence  anywhere,  but  are  actually 
staying  in  his  territory.  But  outside  his  own 
parish  a  pastor  may  not,  without  permission, 
administer  solemn  Baptism,  not  even  to  his  own 
parishioners. 

As  regards  strangers,  or  travelers,  strictly 
speaking  they  cannot  be  lawfully  baptized  by  the 
pastor  of  the  place  in  which  they  happen  to  be, 
because  they  are  not  his  parishioners;  nor  can 
they  be  baptized  by  their  own  pastor,  so  long  as 
they  are  outside  his  parish,  since  he  may  not  ad- 
minister solemn  Baptism  outside  the  limits  of 
his  own  parish.  Such  are  to  be  taken  to  their 
own  parish  and  baptized  by  their  own  pastor. 
However,  if  this  cannot  be  done  easily  and  with- 
out delay,  any  pastor  in  whose  parish  they  may 
be,  may  administer  solemn  Baptism.  (Canon 
738,  n.  2.) 

This  is  a  case  which  often  occurs,  for  instance, 
when  a  mother  has  her  confinement  in  a  hospital 
in  a  different  parish.  Since  the  father's  residence 
is  also  the  residence  of  the  child,  it  is  a  stranger 
in  the  territory  in  which  the  hospital  is  located. 


BAPTISM  15 

Hence,  strictly  speaking  it  ought  to  be  taken  into 
its  own  parish  for  Baptism.  It  really  cannot  be 
lawfully  baptized  by  the  pastor  of  the  hospital  or 
his  delegate;  nor  can  the  child's  own  pastor  law- 
fully come  to  the  hospital  and  baptize  it  without 
the  consent  of  the  pastor  of  the  hospital.  But 
if  the  child  cannot  easily  be  brought  to  its  own 
parish,  then  the  pastor  of  the  hospital  may  bap- 
tize it,  but  he  will  have  to  inform  its  proper 
pastor  of  the  Baptism. 

We  deem  it  wholly  unnecessary  and  out  of 
place  further  to  mention  exceptions  due  to  pecu- 
liar circumstances  in  mission  districts,  in  our 
large  cities,  etc.,  etc.  Suffice  it  to  say  that 
ordinarily  parents  have  a  serious  obligation  to 
have  a  child  baptized  within  their  own  parish 
and  by  the  pastor  or  his  delegate. 

Would  you  kindly  tell  me  if  it  is  a  law 
of  the  Church  that  in  baptizing  a  baby 
one  must  give  it  a  saint's  name? 

Yes;  it  is  a  law  of  the  Church.  Canon  761  of 
the  New  Code  states:  "Pastors  should  see  to  it 
that  a  Christian  name  is  given  to  all  whom  they 
baptize.  If  they  cannot  obtain  this,  they  shall 
add  to  the  name  given  by  the  parents  the  name 
of  some  saint,  and  enter  both  in  the  baptismal 
record."  The  Church  has  always  insisted  upon 
this  pious  custom;  and  now  that  it  is  a  law  that 
priests  must  obey,  they  may  no  longer  be  ac- 
cused of  "strange  notions"  when  they  do  so. 
The  name  of  the  patron  saint  should  remind  the 
faithful  Catholic  of  the  example  he  is  to  imitate 
and  the  protection  he  may  expect  through  the 
intercession  of  his  patron.  Hence,  Catholics 
should  try  to  know  all  they  can  about  the  lives 
of  their  patron  saints. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  salt  used  in 
Baptism  ? 

In    the    administration    of   the    Sacrament    of 


1 6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Baptism,  among  the  other  beautiful  ceremonies 
that  take  place  before  going  nearer  to  the  font, 
there  is  the  ceremony  of  placing  a  little  salt  in 
the  mouth  of  the  person  to  be  baptized.  When 
putting  this  blessed  salt  in  the  mouth  the  priest 
says:  "Receive  the  salt  of  wisdom;  may  it  be  a 
propitiation  for  thee  unto  eternal  life."  That 
salt  is  a  symbol  of  Christian  wisdom,  and  a  pro- 
tection from  the  foulness  of  sin.  As  can  be  seen 
from  the  prayers  the  priest  says  before  and  after 
this  ceremony,  this  salt,  blessed  in  the  name  of 
the  Most  Holy  Trinity,  is  to  be  for  all  who  re- 
ceive it  a  salutary  remedy  for  putting  to  flight 
the  assaults  of  the  devil.  It  is  the  salt  of  wisdom 
indeed;  and  the  priest  prays  that  he  who  tastes 
of  it  may  be  quickly  filled  with  heavenly  food, 
inasmuch  as  he  may  be  fervent  in  spirit,  happy 
in  hope,  and  zealous  in  serving  the  Lord  God, 
the  Author  of  universal  truth 

If  a  priest  is  called  to  the  house  to  bap- 
tize a  sick  child  and  then  when  the  child 
gets  better  the  parents  do  not  take  it  to 
the  church  for  Baptism  again,  is  the  child 
thus  baptized  at  home  considered  baptized 
according  to  the  Catholic  Church?  Does 
it  matter  whether  the  baptizing  was 
done  at  home  or  in  the  church?  The 
child  is  baptized,  isn't  it,  if  it  was  baptized 
at  home? 

Of  course  the  child  is  validly  baptized.  Ordi- 
narily, outside  of  danger  of  death,  private  Bap- 
tism may  not  be  conferred,  except  on  non- 
Catholic  adults  who  are  baptized  conditionally. 
By  private  Baptism  we  mean  Baptism  that  is 
not  conferred  in  a  church  or  oratory. 

But  in  danger  of  death  Baptism  may  be  pri- 
vately administered.  If  this  is  done  by  one  who 
is  neither  a  priest  nor  a  deacon,  then  no  cere- 
monies or  rites  are  +o  be  used,  but  only  what 


BArriSM  17 

strictly  belongs  to  validity.  In  that  case  the 
person  baptizing  takes  natural  (not  holy)  water, 
pours  it  over  the  head  of  the  one  to  be  baptized 
(whether  once  or  three  times  does  not  matter), 
and  says,  while  pouring  the  water:  "I  baptize 
thee  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

But  if  the  person  who  baptizes  privately,  for 
instance,  at  the  home  of  the  person  baptized,  is 
a  priest  or  a  deacon  (and  such  may  not  ad- 
minister private  Baptism  outside  of  danger  of 
death),  he  must  administer  the  Sacrament  with 
the  prescribed  ceremonies  and  rites,  unless  there 
should  be  no  time  to  apply  all  the  ceremonies, 
or  there  be  some  other  good  reason  for  omitting 
them.  Apart  from  cases  of  necessity,  solemn 
Baptism  may  not  be  administered  in  private 
houses  except  in  circumstances  mentioned  by 
Canon  Law.     (Canons  759  and  776.) 

If  some  ceremonies  are  for  any  reason  omitted 
and  the  person,  as  in  the  case  in  question,  re- 
covers, those  ceremonies  must  be  supplied  in 
church  as  soon  as  possible,  except  the  case  of 
non-Catholic  adults  who  are  baptized  condition- 
ally. The  infant  must  then  be  brought  to  a 
church  or  oratory  as  soon  as  time  and  occasion 
are  favorable,  not  to  be  baptized  again,  for  it  is 
already  validly  baptized  and  Baptism  may  not  be 
repeated,  but  that  the  ceremonies  omitted  may- 
be supplied.  Parents  are,  of  course,  under  seri- 
ous obligation  to  bring  the  child  to  the  church 
for  the  supplying  of  ceremonies  when  the  priest 
tells  them  to  do  so. 

In  the  formula  for  lay  Baptism  it  is 
said  that  we  should  pour  common 
water  over  the  head  of  the  person  to  be 
baptized  and  say,  while  pouring  the  water, 
"I  baptize  thee  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.' ' 


1 8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Holy  water  is  not  common  water.  Would 
it  be  wrong  for  one  to  use  holy  water  for 
baptizing  ? 

In  a  case  of  necessity,  when  Baptism  has  to 
be  administered  urgently  because  of  danger  of 
death,  and  a  priest  is  not  available,  lay  persons 
may  and  absolutely  should  baptize  the  child. 
The  parents  themselves  should  (and  must)  per- 
form the  Baptism  only  when  there  are  no  other 
reliable  persons  at  hand  to  do  it.  Care  must  be 
taken  that  the  water — not  holy  water,  but  ordinary 
clean  and  fresh  water — be  poured  on  the  head  of 
the  infant  and  not  merely  sprinkled,  whilst  the 
one  who  pours  the  water  at  the  same  time  says 
distinctly  and  entirely  the  words:  "I  baptize 
thee  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  In  case  the  child  ser- 
vives  it  should  in  due  time  be  taken  to  church, 
so  that  the  priest  can  supply  the  other  ceremonies 
of  holy  Baptism.  But  every  time  Baptism  has 
been  administered  or  only  attempted  at  home, 
mention  of  this  must  be  made  to  the  priest  when 
the  child  is  brought  to  the  church,  so  that  he  does 
not  confer  Baptism  a  second  time,  supposing 
that  the  first  administration  was  valid. 

Holy  water  is,  of  course,  valid  material  for 
Baptism;  and  it  would  not  be  wrong  to  use  it 
for  any  good  reasons,  for  instance,  if  it  were 
the  only  water  at  hand.  However,  ordinary 
pure  water  should  be  used,  if  possible,  in  the  lay 
Baptism  we  are  discussing.  Even  the  Roman 
Ritual,  when  speaking  of  water  to  be  added  to 
the  specially  consecrated  baptismal  water  used 
in  solemn  Baptism,  says  that  the  water  should 
not  be  holy  water. 

There  is  an  admixture  of  salt  in  holy  water. 
Moreover,  it  is  blessed  with  quite  a  special  bless- 
ing that  has  no  direct  reference  to  Baptism. 
Holy  water  is  a  sacramental,  whereas  Baptism 
is  a  Sacrament.     We  might  perhaps  say  that  it 


BAPTISM  19 


is  incongruous  to  use  the  one  as  the  essential 
material  for  the  other. 

May  an  adult  who  is  in  a  dying  condition 
be  baptized  without  his  or  her  permission  ? 

In  order  to  answer  this  question  fully  we  begin 
by  saying,  with  Canon  752,  that  adults  who  are 
physically  and  mentally  normal  cannot  be  bap- 
tized except  with  their  own  knowledge  and  free 
will  and  after  having  been  duly  instructed  and 
exhorted  to  be  sorry  for  their  sins.  This  law  is 
based  on  the  necessity  of  co-operation  in  the 
work  of  salvation.  The  extent  of  the  instruction 
here  mentioned  may  be  thus  summarized  (from 
various  decisions  of  the  Holy  See) :  The  mysteries 
of  the  Blessed  Trinity  and  the  Incarnation; 
express  belief  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  the 
Apostles'  Creed;  instruction  regarding  the 
Eucharist,  unless  prudence  suggests  that  it  be 
postponed;  the  Our  Father;  the  effects  of  Bap- 
tism; the  acts  of  faith,  hope,  charity,  and  con- 
trition, or  at  least  attrition;  the  Ten  Com- 
mandments;   the  precepts  of  the  Church. 

Speaking  of  adults  in  danger  of  death,  Canon 
752  says  that  such  as  cannot  be  more  carefully 
instructed  in  the  principal  mysteries  of  the  faith 
may  be  baptized  if  in  any  shape  or  form  they  show 
their  readiness  to  assent  to  the  truths  of  the  Cath- 
olic religion  and  promise  to  observe  its  precepts. 

Furthermore,  the  Canon  continues,  if  in  danger 
of  death  an  adult  can  no  longer  ask  for  Baptism, 
but  has  either  previously  or  in  his  present  state, 
in  some  probable  way,  expressed  his  intention  of 
receiving  Baptism,  the  Sacrament  should  be  ad- 
ministered conditionally.  If  he  recovers  and 
there  is  a  doubt  as  to  the  validity  of  the  Baptism 
conferred,  he  must  be  rebaptized  conditionally. 

Certainty  regarding  the  existence  of  the  dis- 
positions necessary  for  the  valid  and  fruitful  re- 
ception of  Baptism  (intention,  faith,  knowledge, 


io  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

attrition)  is  not  required.  Probability  suffices, 
even  if  slight;  for,  since  the  Sacraments  were 
instituted  for  the  sake  of  men,  they  may  be  ad- 
ministered to  those  who  are  in  danger  of  death 
even  with  a  slight  probability  as  to  their  validity. 

A  Catholic  marries  against  the  laws  of 
the  Church  and  in  later  years  wants  to 
send  his  child  to  a  Catholic  school.  May 
he  do  so?  How  about  this  child's  Bap- 
tism ?  Would  there  be  any  difficulty  about 
a  couple  of  this  kind  having  their  children 
baptized  by  a  Catholic  priest? 

He  surely  may  and  should  send  his  child  to  a 
Catholic  school.  It  is  not  at  all  an  infrequent 
occurrence  to  find  even  non-Catholic  children 
in  Catholic  schools.  They  have  everything  to 
gain  and  nothing  to  lose  thereby. 

As  regards  the  Baptism  of  his  children,  we 
mention  the  following:  If  Catholic  parents  who 
now  profess  no  religion  at  all  request  that  their 
children  be  baptized,  the  promise  that  their  chil- 
dren will  be  educated  in  the  Catholic  religion  is 
to  be  demanded;  however,  the  children  may  and 
must  be  baptized,  unless  an  almost  certain  danger 
of  perversion  is  foreseen.  Inasmuch  as  a  decision 
relative  to  the  gravity  of  such  danger  is  often 
fraught  with  serious  difficulty,  the  pastor  will 
consult  his  bishop  before  he  settles  the  matter. 

In  a  marriage  where  one  party  is  not  a  Catho- 
lic, the  pastor  may  baptize  the  child,  with  the 
consent  of  the  Catholic  party,  even  if  he  knows  for 
certain  that  the  other  will  afterwards  have  the 
child  baptized  by  a  Protestant  minister.  But  the 
Catholic  party  is  obliged  to  tell  the  non-Catholic 
party  that  the  child  has  already  been  legitimately 
baptized.  Such  a  disposition  on  the  part  of  the 
Catholic  party  furnishes  a  sufficiently  well 
grounded  hope  of  the  future  Catholic  education 
of  the  child. 


BAPTISM  2.1 

We  are  taught  in  school  that  without 
Baptism  no  one  can  see  God  and  that 
little  children  dying  without  that  Sacra- 
ment go  to  Limbo,  but  never  to  heaven. 
Then  again  we  are  told  that  at  the  end  of 
the  world  there  will  be  only  heaven  and 
hell.  What  will  happen  to  the  souls  in 
Limbo  then? 

Baptism,  that  Sacrament  whereby  we  are 
cleansed  from  original  sin  and  made  Christians, 
children  of  God,  and  heirs  of  heaven,  is  indeed 
absolutely  necessary  for  salvation.  And  it  is 
indeed  true  that  little  children  dying  without 
Baptism  will  not  see  the  face  of  God  in  heaven. 
But  neither  will  they  go  to  the  hell  of  the  damned; 
they  will  go  to  the  Limbo  of  Children,  which 
means  the  state  of  natural  happiness  enjoyed  by 
those  who  die  in  original  sin,  without  ever  hav- 
ing been  guilty  of  grievous  personal  sin.  St. 
Thomas  holds  that  the  children  there  enjoy  a 
positive  happiness,  being  united  to  God  by  a 
knowledge  and  love  proportionate  to  their 
capacity.  To  Limbo  we  refer  when  in  the  Apos- 
tles' Creed  we  say  of  Christ,  "He  descended  into 
Hell."  "Hell,"  as  we  read  in  the  catechism  of 
the  Council  of  Trent,  "here  signifies  those  secret 
abodes  in  which  are  detained  the  souls  that  have 
not  obtained  the  happiness  of  heaven." 

St.  Thomas,  by  the  way,  says  that  hell  is  four- 
fold: the  hell  of  the  damned;  the  hell  which  is 
called  the  Limbo  of  Children;  the  hell  which  is 
called  purgatory;  and  the  hell  which  is  called  the 
Limbo  of  the  Fathers,  where  the  just  were  de- 
tained until  ascension  day.  However,  usage  has 
it,  except  in  the  Apostles'  Creed,  that  hell  in- 
variably means  the  hell  of  the  damned. 

The  Limbo  of  the  Fathers  was  changed  into 
heaven  as  soon  as  Christ  "descended  into  Hell" 
and  no  longer  exists.  Purgatory  will  cease  to 
exist  after  the  Last  Day.    Then  only  heaven  and 


2.i  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

hell  will  remain  (the  hell  of  the  damned  and  the 
hell  called  the  Limbo  of  Children,  which,  as  ex- 
plained above,  is  really  not  hell  at  all  and  is  a 
place  of  natural  happiness). 

Suppose  a  little  babe,  either  before  or 
after  birth,  dies  without  Baptism,  through 
one's  own  fault.  Will  such  a  babe  ever 
reach  heaven?  What  could  one  do  to 
right  the  wrong  ? 

Such  babes  will  not  see  the  face  of  God  in 
heaven;  and  yet  they  will  live  forever,  enjoying 
a  certain  natural  happiness,  theologians  tell  us. 
No  power  on  earth  can  undo  the  terrible  wrong 
done.  And,  though  oceans  of  tears  may  be  shed 
over  the  sins  committed,  they  can  never  accom- 
plish what  a  little  water  and  the  words  of  Baptism 
would  have  done.  However,  the  wrong  can  be 
righted  in  a  consoling,  and  withal  practical  and 
tangible,  way :  by  procuring  the  baptism  of  other 
children  who  would  otherwise  never  be  baptized 
and  thus  sending  them  to  the  throne  of  God  to 
take  the  place  of  those  who  will  never  get  there. 
One  way  of  doing  this  (not  to  mention  prayer 
for  the  missions)  is  to  help  support  foreign 
missionaries,  who  baptize  so  many  dying  pagan 
children  and  who  could  not  continue  their  great 
work  without  material  help  from  generous  Catho- 
lics. Another  way  is  to  ransom  heathen  babes: 
a  certain  sum  (five  dollars)  enables  the  mission- 
aries to  take  one  such  child.  The  majority  of 
the  cast-off  babes  thus  taken  by  the  missionaries 
and  baptized  die  shortly  after  Baptism,  because 
of  poor  care  or  exposure  before  the  missionaries 
receive  them,  and  thus  go  straight  to  heaven. 

If  so  many  Catholics  throughout  the  world, 
who  never  even  dreamt  of  a  thing  such  as  your 
question  implies,  are  so  zealous  in  aiding  the 
missionaries  and  in  procuring  the  ransom  of 
heathen  babes,  how  much  more  zealous  ought 


BAPTISM  13 

those  to  be  who  have  sad  lapses  to  make  amends 
for? 

Can  such  Catholics  as  do  not  make 
their  Easter  duty  act  as  sponsors  in  Bap- 
tism? 

They  evidently  may  do  so  legitimately  and 
licitly,  provided  that  they  are  not  expressly  ex- 
cluded by  the  terms  of  the  law.  And  they  are 
not  so  excluded.  But  whether  those  who  are  so 
careless  in  the  practice  of  their  religion  should 
be  admitted  as  sponsors  in  Baptism  is  another 
question.  It  is  not  seemly,  to  say  the  least. 
Canon  766,  n.  2,  states  that  the  sponsor  may  not 
(licitly)  be  one  who  is  excommunicated  for  a 
notorious  crime;  or  excluded  from  legal  acts; 
or  rendered  infamous  by  law,  without  a  sen- 
tence having  been  issued  to  that  effect;  or  inter- 
dicted; or  a  public  criminal ;  or  infamous  in  fact. 

Now,  Canon  769  tells  us  that  it  is  the  duty  of 
god-parents,  arising  from  sponsorship,  to  regard 
their  spiritual  children  as  their  perpetual  charges 
and  to  instruct  them  carefully  in  the  obligations 
of  the  Christian  life,  in  order  that  they  may 
prove  themselves  such  as  they  solemnly  promised 
by  their  baptismal  vows  to  be.  (This  obligation 
binds  chiefly  when  the  parents  neglect  their  duty.) 

Hence  it  is  evident  from  Canon  766,  n.  2,  that 
the  Code  wishes  to  debar  from  the  honor  of 
sponsorship  all  whose  moral  character  and  repu- 
tation do  not  guarantee  fitness  to  raise  a  Catholic 
child,  which,  as  sponsor,  one  would  be  expected 
to  do  in  case  of  necessity.  Though  a  Catholic 
who  does  not  make  his  Easter  duty  is  not  ex- 
pressly excluded,  it  would  seem  to  be  the  mind 
of  the  Church  that  such  a  one  is  wholly  unfit 
to  act  as  sponsor.  Sponsorship  is  an  honor  that 
should  not  be  conferred  on  such  unworthy  persons. 
Only  good,  practical  Catholics  should  be  chosen 
as  sponsors  in  Baptism. 


X4  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Catholics  claim  that  their  Church  is  the 
only  true  Church.  Then  why  do  they 
accept  the  non-Catholic  Baptism?  Are 
certain  parts  of  other  religions  recog- 
nized by  the  Catholic  Church? 

Catholics  indeed  claim  and  convincingly  prove 
that  the  Catholic  Church  is  the  only  true  Church, 
founded  by  Christ  Himself  on  His  Apostles.  All 
other  churches  are  man-made  churches,  es- 
tablished at  least  about  fifteen  hundred  years 
after  the  Catholic  Church ;  for  instance,  the  Ana- 
baptists, founded  in  Germany  by  Nicolas  Stork 
in  1521;  the  Lutherans,  founded  in  Germany  by 
Martin  Luther  in  1524;  the  Episcopalians, 
founded  in  England  by  Henry  VIII  in  1534. 
And  thus  their  story  runneth.  The  first  ones 
broke  away  from  the  Catholic  Church  and  re- 
tained some  of  its  teachings,  but  even  those  they 
garbled  and  changed  in  the  course  of  time. 
Others  broke  away  from  each  other,  following 
the  false  principle  of  private  interpretation. 
And  thus  we  have  a  multiplicity  of  sects  in  the 
world  today. 

The  Catholic  Church  adheres  in  every  detail 
to  the  teaching  of  the  Apostolic  Church,  with 
which  it  is  identical.  What  the  sects  teach  it  is 
hard  to  say,  their  teachings  being  subject  to 
constant  change,  founded  as  they  are  on  the 
shifting  sands  of  private  interpretation  and  not 
having  that  apostolic  authority  which  is  resident 
in  the  Catholic  Church  alone  and  which  is  de- 
rived from  God  Himself. 

Since  it  is  impossible  to  say  what  our  separated 
brethren  do  believe,  because  each  one  believes 
what  he  pleases  and  as  long  as  he  pleases,  if  the 
fundamental  principle  of  Protestantism  is  main- 
tained, it  might  be  instructive  to  mention  a 
number  of  Catholic  and  apostolic  truths  and 
teachings  that  they  do  not  believe. 

1.  All    non  -  Catholic    sects    practically    deny 


BAPTISM  2.5 

Peter's  supremacy  over  the  other  Apostles. 
2.  All  Protestant  churches  repudiate  the  claim  of 
infallibility.  They  deny  that  such  a  gift  is  pos- 
sessed by  any  teachers  of  religion.  The  ministers 
pronounce  no  authoritative  doctrines  but  ad- 
vance opinions  as  embodying  their  private  inter- 
pretation of  the  Scripture;  and  their  hearers  are 
never  required  to  believe  them,  but  are  to  draw 
their  own  conclusions  from  the  Bible.  3.  Protest- 
ants have  no  law  prescribing  fasts,  though  some 
may  fast  from  private  devotion.  They  even  try 
to  cast  ridicule  on  fasting  as  a  work  of  superero- 
gation, detracting  from  the  merits  of  Christ. 
4.  Women,  especially,  in  this  country,  publicly 
preach  in  Methodist  and  other  churches.  5. 
No  denomination  performs  the  ceremony  of  im- 
posing hands  in  this  country  except  Episcopalians, 
and  even  they  do  not  recognize  Confirmation  as 
a  Sacrament.  6.  The  Protestant  churches,  ex- 
cept perhaps  a  few  ritualists,  condemn  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Real  Presence  as  idolatrous  and  say 
that  in  partaking  of  Communion  we  receive  only 
a  memorial  of  Christ,  notwithstanding  the  fact 
that  they  cannot  show  any  text  of  Scripture, 
which  declares  the  Eucharist  to  be  mere  bread 
and  wine.  7.  Christ  says:  "This  is  My  Body." 
They  say:  "It  is  not  His  body."  8.  Protestants 
affirm  that  God  delegates  to  no  man  the  power  of 
forgiving  sin.  9.  The  Protestant  churches,  as  is 
well  known,  have  so  far  relaxed  the  rigorous  law 
of  the  Gospel  as  to  allow  divorced  persons  to 
remarry. 

And  thus  we  might  go  on  endlessly  almost. 
Some  have  even  gone  so  far  as  to  deny  the 
divinity  of  Christ,  thus  rendering  their  very  appel- 
lation of  Christian  denomination  a  farce. 

No  doubt,  some  shreds  of  true  Christian  faith 
have  still  been  retained  by  some  sects,  such  as 
belief  in  one  God,  in  the  divinity  of  Christ,  in 
heaven,  and  in  hell.     Some  have  also  retained  a 


i6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Sacrament  or  two,  rejecting  the  rest  of  the 
seven.  And  one  of  the  Sacraments  retained  is 
that  of  Baptism.  But  if  any  parts  of  other  re- 
ligions are  recognized  by  the  Catholic  Church, 
it  is  only  because  they  are  parts  of  Catholic 
truth  retained  and  kept  intact. 

Hence,  if  Baptism  is  properly  administered  as 
regards  intention,  matter,  and  form,  as  it  is  and 
has  ever  been  administered  in  the  Catholic  and 
Apostolic  Church,  it  is  recognized  as  valid,  no 
matter  by  whom  conferred. 

"The  usual  Protestant  belief,"  to  quote 
Stoddard,  "is  that  Baptism  bestows  upon  the 
infant  a  capacity  for  receiving  this  grace  when 
it  shall  at  the  proper  age  have  ratified  the  vows 
made  for  it  by  its  sponsors.  The  Catholic 
doctrine,  on  the  contrary,  is  that  the  grace  is 
bestowed  upon  the  baptized  infant  then  and  there. 
While  many  Protestants,  principally  Anglicans 
and  Episcopalians,  adopt  this  custom,  fully  as 
many  reject  it.  Some  even  consider  Baptism  to 
be  no  Sacrament  at  all,  but  merely  a  rite,  con- 
nected with  admission  into  the  Church!  Others, 
although  the  institution  was  indubitably  es- 
tablished by  the  Son  of  God,  have  actually  con- 
demned it  as  sinful!  Great  numbers  of  Protestants 
have,  therefore,  never  been  baptized."  (Rebuild- 
ing a  Lost  Faith.    Page  4.) 

You  say,  "Then  why  do  they  accept  the  non- 
Catholic  Baptism?"  They  accept  it  only  after 
careful  investigation  has  shown  beyond  any 
doubt  that  the  Baptism  was  validly  administered, 
as  adverted  to  above.  If  it  is  certain  that  the 
Sacrament  was  validly  administered  it  cannot 
be  conferred  again.  But  if  there  is  any  reason- 
able doubt,  and  such  is  ordinarily  the  case,  due 
to  various  circumstances  touched  upon  above, 
Baptism  is  administered  conditionally.  Thus,  for 
instance,  if  a  convert  about  to  be  received  into 
the  Catholic  Church  is  certain  of  the  validity  of 


BAPTISM  z7 


his  Baptism  he  is  bound  only  to  confess  the 
mortal  sins  he  has  committed  after  Baptism. 
If,  however,  he  is  not  certain  of  its  validity,  he 
is  baptized  conditionally  with  the  words,  "//  thou 
art  not  baptized,  I  baptize  thee  in  the  name  of 
the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost."  He  then  receives  the  Sacrament  of 
Penance  conditionally  likewise,  so  that  he  is 
certainly  forgiven  by  one  Sacrament  or  the  other. 

In  my  position  I  have  had  occasion 
secretly  to  baptize  a  number  of  dying 
infants  of  non-Catholic  parents.  But  one 
child  that  seemed  to  be  dying  and  was 
thus  baptized  by  me  recovered.  A  friend 
told  me  that  I  am  now  responsible  for 
that  child,  somewhat  as  a  sponsor  would 
be.     Is  that  true? 

Ordinarily  it  is  not  allowed  to  baptize  the 
children  of  non-Catholics  without  the  knowledge 
and  consent  of  the  parents.  But  there  are  cases 
where  such  children  may  and  must  be  baptized 
without  the  parents'  knowledge  and  consent, 
namely,  when  the  child  is  in  such  danger  of  death 
that  it  can  be  prudently  foreseen  that  it  will  die 
before  it  has  reached  the  use  of  reason.  Outside 
of  danger  of  death  such  a  child  may  be  baptized 
only  if  its  Catholic  education  is  provided  for  and 
its  parents  or  those  who  take  the  place  of  parents 
are  wanting  or  have  lost  their  rights  to  the  child 
or  can  in  no  way  exercise  such  rights. 

If  they  are  in  proximate  danger  of  death,  the 
precept  of  charity  obliges  one  to  baptize  such 
children,  if  the  occasion  presents  itself  of  doing 
so  without  exciting  the  ill  will  of  non-Catholics 
against  the  Catholic  religion.  If  they  are  in 
probable  danger  of  death  they  may,  with  like 
precaution,  be  licitly  baptized,  even  if  death  is 
still  remote.  But  the  danger  of  death  must  be 
proper  to  the  one  baptized,  that  is,  it  would  not 


2.8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

be  allowed  indiscriminately  to  baptize  such 
children  because  there  is  a  pestilence  around  and 
one  foresees  that  most  children  will  die  from  it. 
But  if  Baptism  could  not  be  conferred  upon  a 
non-Catholic  child  or  adult  without  arousing  the 
ill  will  and  persecutions  of  non-Catholics  against 
the  Catholic  religion,  it  is  not  allowed  to  confer 
it  either  in  danger  of  death  or  outside  it;  in  such 
a  case  Baptism  is  to  be  deferred  or  entirely 
omitted,  since  the  common  good  of  the  Catholic 
cause  must  be  preferred  to  private  good  of  even 
the  greatest  kind.  If  a  child  thus  secretly  bap- 
tized recovers,  prudence  usually  requires  that 
nothing  be  said  of  its  Baptism,  since  civil  authority 
now  prevents  one  from  taking  such  a  child  from 
its  parents  and  having  it  brought  up  a  Catholic. 
About  all  that  can  be  done  is,  as  far  as  possible 
(and  this  is  ordinarily  quite  impossible),  to  keep 
track  of  the  child  and,  in  case  it  should  later  be 
offered  or  offer  itself  to  be  baptized  a  Catholic, 
to  give  the  information  that  it  is  already  baptized. 
That  is  all  that  can  be  done,  at  the  most.  The 
rest  we  may  quietly  leave  to  God.  You  have  not 
the  obligations  of  a  sponsor.  No  wrong  was 
done.  You  only  did  your  duty.  Continue  so  to 
do  it,  if  occasion  offers. 

In  a  case  of  emergency,  can  any  other 
fluid  besides  water  be  used  for  a  Baptism 
of  necessity?  If  a  glass  containing  fluid 
which  was  thought  to  be  water  were  used, 
and  the  mistake  not  known  until  after 
the  child  died,  would  that  Baptism  be 
valid  ? 

The  remote  matter  of  Baptism  is  water,  that 
is,  any  and  every  form  of  liquid  that  in  common 
estimation  is  pure  and  unchanged  water,  for 
instance,  water  taken  from  the  ocean,  from 
streams,  fountains,  or  wells — water  melted  from 
ice,  snow,  or  hail — water  gathered  from  steam, 


BAPTISM  2.9 

dew,  or  mist — chemical  and  mineral  water. 
Animal  and  plant  fluids,  though  they  contain 
water,  are  looked  upon  as  distinct  substances, 
and  hence  Baptism  cannot  be  administered  with 
milk,  blood,  spittle,  sweat,  oil,  flower  or  fruit 
juices  (e.  g.,  wine,  cider),  or  extracts  of  barks  or 
roots.  Doubtful  matter  are  liquids  that,  while 
in  large  part  composed  of  water,  seem  to  be 
generally  regarded  as  not  water,  for  instance, 
thin  soup,  tea  or  coffee,  light  beer;  hence  only  in 
uecessity  can  these  be  lawfully  used  for  Baptism. 

If,  in  Baptism  of  necessity,  matter  that  is 
certainly  valid  cannot  be  had,  any  material  what- 
soever, as  long  as  it  is  not  certainly  invalid,  may 
and  must  be  used,  with  this  condition  prefixed 
to  the  formula  of  Baptism:  "If  this  matter  is 
valid,  I  baptize  .  .  .  ."  If  the  one  thus  baptized 
survives  and  matter  that  is  certainly  valid  can 
be  had,  he  should  be  again  baptized  (except  in 
the  case  mentioned  in  the  answer  above),  with 
this  condition:  "If  thou  are  not  baptized,  I 
baptize  .  .  .  ."  Just  as  for  conferring  Baptism 
under  the  first  condition  any  least  probability  as 
to  the  validity  of  the  matter  is  sufficient,  so  too 
for  rebaptizing  under  the  second  condition  any 
slight  probability  as  to  the  invalidity  of  the 
Baptism  suffices:  for  we  have  to  do  here  with  the 
most  necessary  Sacrament. 

Is  it  really  true  that  infants  who  die 
without  Baptism  shall  never  see  the  face 
of  God  in  heaven? 

Yes;  it  is  really  true.  If  to  some  this  is  a 
"hard  saying,"  let  them  take  to  heart  the  words 
of  the  learned  Cardinal  Bellarmine,  now  a 
canonized  saint:  "Our  pity  cannot  benefit  these 
little  ones,  nor  can  our  severity  hurt  them; 
but  it  may  injure  us  very  gravely  if,  through  a 
mistaken  pity  for  them,  we  assert  anything  re- 
pugnant to  Holy  Scripture  and  the  doctrine  of 


3o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

the  Church.  We  must  not  listen  to  our  own 
hearts,  but  to  the  clear  statements  of  Holy 
Scripture,  the  Councils,  and  the  Fathers" 
(De  amiss,  gratiae  et  statu  peccati,  VI,  c.  2). 

These  infants  cannot  enter  heaven,  but  they 
do  not  go  to  hell.  It  is  generally  held  that  they 
do  not  feel  pain  at  their  loss.  We  here  give  a 
rather  lengthy  but  very  enlightening  quotation 
about  this  matter  from  Bishop  William  Schnei- 
der's masterful  work,  "The  Other  Life"  (Joseph 
F.  Wagner,  Inc.,  Publishers,  New  York  City) : 

"These  infants  lead  a  painless  existence,  and 
in  this  respect  are  happier  than  any  one  on 
earth;  they  delight  in  the  perfection  of  their 
human  nature,  the  harmonious  development  of 
their  bodily  and  mental  powers,  and  the  fulfil- 
ment of  their  natural  craving  for  happiness. 
They  recognize  God  as  their  Lord  and  Creator, 
as  the  Author  of  all  things,  preserving  the  uni- 
verse and  directing  the  laws  of  nature.  In  com- 
parison with  their  knowledge  all  the  science  on 
earth  is  as  the  babbling  of  children.  They  love 
God  with  a  natural  love  proportionate  to  their 
knowledge,  and  this  love  is  deep  and  eternal. 
They  extol  His  might,  that  called  them  into  ex- 
istence, and  they  honor  His  providence,  that 
orders  and  directs  everything  with  loving  wisdom, 
and  perhaps  allowed  them  to  die  young  that  so 
they  might  escape  everlasting  death. 

"For  them,  too,  God  is  the  final  end  and  the 
supreme  good;  He  is  near  them,  not,  indeed, 
in  the  sense  in  which  He  is  with  the  saints  in 
heaven,  to  whom  He  reveals  the  unfathomable 
depths  of  His  being,  and  not  in  the  sense  in  which 
He  is  near  to  the  lost  in  hell,  who  feel  the  force 
of  His  just  vengeance.  He  draws  the  little  ones 
so  close  to  Him  that  the  impulse  of  the  creature 
to  turn  to  the  Creator — the  impulse  that  He 
planted  within  them — is  fully  gratified,  and  with 
it  their  natural   desire  for  happiness.     He  lets 


BAPTISM  31 

them  taste  His  light,  love,  and  joy,  so  that  they 
perceive  Him  to  be  their  kind  and  loving  Father. 
In  some  way  even  unbaptized  infants  have  ac- 
cess to  God,  not  as  children  of  the  promise,  like 
Isaac,  but  as  heirs  of  the  natural  blessing,  like 
Ishmael.  They  walk  in  His  presence,  contem- 
plate His  attributes  and  perfections,  as  reflected 
in  His  works,  and  thus  they  are  confirmed  in 
natural  justice  and  virtue. 

"Finally,  we  need  not  assume  that  they  are 
cut  off  from  all  intercourse  with  the  saints.  An 
infant  at  his  mother's  breast  is  everywhere  at 
home;  and  so  every  place  is  heaven  for  the 
elect  in  glory,  provided  that  God  is  with  them, 
and  He  is  present  everywhere.  They  can  tra- 
verse space  freely,  and  be  now  here,  now  there, 
and  yet  always  with  God,  and  always  in  heaven; 
always  receiving  the  measure  of  light  and  joy 
that  they  have  deserved.  Intercourse  between 
them  and  unbaptized  infants  is  neither  incon- 
ceivable nor  impossible;  in  fact  we  may  reason- 
ably think  that  it  exists.  The  little  ones  derive 
their  natural  happiness  not  so  much  from  God 
as  from  His  works;  why,  then,  should  they 
not  see  His  perfect  creatures,  and  in  them  behold 
the  results  of  His  power,  wisdom,  and  love? 
Why  should  they  not  be  instructed  by  them  in 
the  mysteries  of  His  being?  They  do  not  see  God, 
but  they  see  those  made  in  His  image,  radiant  with 
glorious  light;  they  do  not  see  the  Sun,  but  they 
see  millions  of  little  suns  that  derive  their  light 
from  Him;  they  walk  not  in  broad  daylight,  but 
in  a  starry  night ;  uncreated  beauty  is  hidden  from 
their  gaze,  but  they  behold  its  reflection;  their 
eyes  are  not,  indeed,  transformed,  but  still  they 
can  perceive  and  delight  in  the  glorious  figures  of 
the  blest;  they  rest,  not  on  our  Lord's  bosom,  but 
in  the  arms  of  His  disciples  and  rejoice  with  them. 

"That  millions  of  other  children,  by  no  merit 
of  their  own,  have  received  the  grace  of  Baptism 


3i  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 


and  enjoy  eternal  salvation,  does  not  trouble 
them,  any  more  than  the  fact  that  they  were  not 
created  angels.  They  feel  no  envy  or  ill-will  at 
the  greater  happiness  of  others.  They  survey 
and  extol  the  harmony  and  order  among  God's 
creatures,  submit  to  His  inscrutable  decree,  and 
adore  His  supreme  majesty  and  glory,  and  the 
perfect  and  unlimited  power  with  which  He 
rules  and  orders  all  things.  Intercourse  with  the 
happy  saints  in  glory  is  to  some  extent  a  com- 
pensation for  missing  the  joys  of  heaven. 

"Suarez  asserts  that  our  Lord's  resurrection 
was  the  exemplar  and  pattern  also  of  the  resur- 
rection of  the  bodies  of  children  stained  with 
original  sin.  Their  bodies  will,  however,  not 
partake  in  the  supernatural  gifts,  but  in  respect 
of  their  natural  perfection  they  will  resemble  the 
bodies  of  the  just.  We  may  assume  that  in 
stature  and  appearance  they  reach  the  stage  of 
development  that  they  would  have  attained  in 
the  prime  of  manhood.  There  will  be  nothing 
ugly  or  deformed,  no  sickness,  hunger,  or  thirst, 
nothing  to  disturb  their  perfect  well-being.  They 
have  no  need  of  food  or  drink,  they  feel  no  in- 
ordinate desires  and  no  passion.  They  possess 
the  moral,  mental,  and  corporal  maturity  that 
befits  human  nature  when  it  is  neither  corrupted 
by  sin  nor  raised  by  grace. 

"In  this  state  of  natural  perfection  and  com- 
parative bliss  they  await  their  parents,  to  whom 
they  owe  their  birth.  Therefore,  to  those  also 
whose  child  has  died  unbaptized,  we  may  say: 
'Do  not  despair;  your  child  is  safe  and  happy, 
and  you  will  see  him  again;  be  will  recognize 
you,  and  rejoice  at  being  with  you.  You  need 
not  pity  him;  he  will  gaze  at  you  with  admiration 
at  your  glory,  but  he  will  feel  no  envy'." 

I  am  a  convert  to  the  Catholic  Church. 
My    father    is    a    non-Catholic.      He    was 


BAPTISM  ft 

never  baptized.  He  is  living  with  me  now. 
Suppose  he  gets  seriously  sick  or  has  a 
serious  accident.  Would  it  be  all  right 
for  me  to  baptize  him  before  he  dies? 

Remember,  first  of  all,  that  adults  who  are 
physically  and  mentally  normal  cannot  be  bap- 
tized except  with  their  own  knowledge  and  free 
will  and  after  having  been  duly  instructed  and 
exhorted  to  be  sorry  for  their  sins  (Canon  752, 
n.  1).  As  regards  the  instruction,  bear  in  mind 
that  the  Apostles'  Creed  contains  the  principal 
mysteries  of  the  faith.  Old  people  whose  memory 
is  failing  may  be  baptized  if  they  give  assurance 
of  their  belief  and  profess  it  (S.  O.,  March  8, 
1770,  n.  2). 

Canon  752  further  states,  speaking  of  adults, 
that  in  danger  of  death ,  if  they  cannot  be  more 
carefully  instructed  in  the  principal  mysteries 
of  the  faith,  it  is  sufficient  for  the  conferring  of 
Baptism  that  they  show  in  any  way  their  readi- 
ness to  assent  to  the  truths  of  the  Catholic 
religion  and  seriously  promise  to  observe  its 
precepts. 

Finally,  it  is  stated  in  the  same  Canon  that  if 
the  adult  in  danger  of  death  can  no  longer  even 
ask  for  Baptism,  but  has  either  previously  or  in 
his  present  state  in  some  probable  way  expressed 
his  intention  of  receiving  Baptism,  the  Sacrament 
should  be  administered  conditionally;  if  he  then 
recovers  and  there  remains  a  doubt  as  to  the 
validity  of  the  Baptism  conferred,  he  must  again 
be  baptized  conditionally.  (Conditionally,  that 
is,  the  one  who  baptizes  must  use  some  such 
words  as:  "If  thou  art  capable,  i.  e.,  if  sincerely 
thou  wilt  be  baptized,  I  baptize  thee  in  the  name, 
etc.") 

In  a  case  such  as  you  suggest,  one  should  call  a 
priest  if  time  and  circumstances  permit;  for  lay 
people  are  to  administer  Baptism  only  in  case  of 
necessity.    Otherwise  be  guided  by  the  above.     If 


34  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

nothing  else  can  be  done,  if,  for  instance,  because 
of  various  circumstances  it  would  be  unwise  even 
to  suggest  Baptism  to  the  dying  person  (e.  g., 
because  it  would  harden  his  heart),  one  should 
always  urge  and  help  him  to  make  acts  of  faith, 
hope,  love,  and  sorrow.  He  may  thus  be  saved 
through  Baptism  of  desire,  an  act  of  perfect  con- 
trition. Such  acts  are  contained  in  the  following 
approved  prayer,  which  you  might  write  out  and 
preserve  for  use  in  the  assistance  of  the  dying: 

"I  believe  in  one  God.  I  believe  that  in  God 
there  are  three  Divine  Persons — God  the  Father, 
God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost.  I  be- 
lieve that  God  the  Son  became  Man,  without 
ceasing  to  be  God.  I  believe  that  He  is  my  Lord 
and  Savior,  that  He  died  on  the  cross  for  the 
salvation  of  all  mankind,  that  He  arose  from  the 
dead,  ascended  into  heaven,  and  will  come  at 
the  end  of  time  to  judge  the  living  and  the  dead. 
I  believe  in  heaven  and  hell — that  God  will  re- 
ward the  good  with  perfect  happiness  forever, 
and  punish  the  wicked  with  never-ending  pain. 
I  believe  also  everything  else  that  God  has  taught 
and  revealed. 

"O  my  God,  Who  art  all-good  and  merciful, 
I  hope  to  be  saved  and  want  to  do  all  that  is 
necessary  for  my  salvation  according  to  Thy  holy 
will.  I  have  committed  many  sins  in  my  life, 
but  I  am  very  sorry  for  them.  I  detest  and  hate 
them,  because  by  them  I  have  offended  Thee, 
my  God,  Who  art  all-good,  all-perfect,  all-holy, 
so  merciful,  so  kind,  Who  died  on  the  cross  for 
me  and  Whom  I  love  with  all  my  heart.  I  ask 
Thy  pardon,  O  my  God,  and  I  promise  Thee, 
by  the  help  of  Thy  grace,  never  to  sin  again. 
My  Jesus,  have  mercy  on  me." 


PERTAINING  TO  CHASTITY 

How  can  a  person  who  is  continually 
troubled  with  impure  thoughts  and  de- 
sires actually  know  whether  he  has  con- 
sented to  them  or  not? 

First  of  all,  as  a  matter  of  common  sense,  we 
must  remark  that  it  is  entirely  natural  for  a 
normal  person  with  greater  or  lesser  frequency 
to  experience  carnal  imaginations,  thoughts, 
feelings  and  desires.  It  would  be  a  sign  of  ab- 
normality or  constitutional  disorder  if  one  did 
not  experience  them.  But  those  experiences  are 
not  yet  a  temptation  by  any  means.  They  be- 
come a  temptation  only  when  there  is  added  to 
them  the  approach  of  lust,  or  the  lure  to  indulge 
them  unlawfully.  This  lust  constitutes  the 
temptation.  As  long  as  it  is  not  responded  to  or 
dallied  with  there  can  be  no  question  of  sin, 
however  strong  the  natural  phenomena  may  be. 

Secondly,  we  make  the  following  observations 
as  to  how  to  behave  when  assailed  by  temptations 
against  chastity: 

1.  It  is  certainly  not  sinful  to  have  bad 
thoughts,  or  to  suffer  inordinate  movements  of 
the  flesh.  We  must  only  not  yield  our  consent 
to  them,  or  take  wilful  pleasure  in  them,  or  cause 
them  either  directly  or  indirectly.  Hence,  do  not 
in  any  way  give  occasion  to  the  temptation.  Re- 
move even  all  perverse,  frivolous,  and  idle 
thoughts  and  keep  in  your  mind  only  holy  and 
useful  thoughts.  Guard  the  eyes  especially. 
Everyone  knows  how  dangerous,  for  instance, 
suggestive  pictures  can  be. 

2.  As  soon  as  you  notice  an  impure  thought, 
or  impure  movement  of  the  flesh,  turn  away  your 
mind  from  the  object  that  excites  you;  shake 
off  the  impure  thought  as  you  would  a  fiery  coa' 

35 


36  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

falling  upon  your  garment.  Turn  your  mind 
upon  something  that  is  apt  to  distract  you  from 
the  bad  thought.  Remember  that  a  good  way  of 
stifling  evil  thoughts  is  to  fill  our  minds  with 
good  ones.  Think  of  death,  judgment,  hell,  eter- 
nity, the  Passion  of  Christ. 

3.  Should  the  temptation  still  continue,  have 
recourse  to  prayer,  and  make  a  most  positive  act 
of  resistance.  "Watch  and  pray"  the  Savior  ad- 
monishes us.  Have  some  ejaculatory  prayer 
ready  and  whisper  it  devoutly  as  soon  as  you 
notice  that  the  thought  grows  vivid,  for  instance, 
"My  Jesus,  mercy!"  "Mary,  help  me;  I  am  in 
temptation!"  Or  invoke  the  holy  name  over  and 
over  again — "Jesus!  Jesus!  Jesus!"  This  is  a 
very  consoling  practice;  for  it  is  afterward  proof 
positive  that  you  did  not  want  the  thought, 
since  you  thus  prayed.  Do  not  manifest  your 
interior  struggle  by  outward  signs,  shaking  of 
the  head,  etc. 

4.  Should  the  temptation  become  more  vio- 
lent, pray  more  fervently  still.  Invoke  Jesus,  the 
Blessed  Virgin,  the  saints.  Especially,  if  circum- 
stances permit,  take  your  rosary  and  recite  it, 
endeavoring  to  force  yourself  to  meditation  on 
the  mysteries.  And  then  be  not  overanxious. 
The  more  fierce  the  battle,  the  more  glorious  the 
victory.  Only  one  thing  is  necessary:  If  you  can 
say  with  your  whole  heart,  "I  would  rather  die 
than  be  defiled  by  sin,"  all  hell  becomes  power- 
less. "God  is  faithful,  Who  will  not  suffer  you 
to  be  tempted  above  that  which  you  are  able." 

Thirdly  (and  now  we  are  drawing  nearer  to  a 
direct  answer  to  your  question),  in  case  a  person 
who  is  habitually  conscientious  in  the  practice  of 
virtue  doubts  if  he  committed  a  mortal  sin  of 
impurity  in  a  given  instance,  whether  in  thought, 
desire,  or  deed — if  he  is  not  at  once  sure,  or 
fully  conscious  and  convinced  that  he  sinned 
grievously — he  can  assume,  without  any  fear  or 


CHASTITY  37 

remorse,  that  he  did  not  sin  mortally;  he  can 
take  as  addressed  to  himself  the  words  said  to 
have  been  spoken  by  the  Savior  to  St.  Teresa, 
"No  one  loses  Me  by  mortal  sin,  without  knowing 
it  for  certain";  and  he  can  and  should  dismiss 
the  matter  categorically  from  his  mind,  without 
ever  recalling  it  again  for  special  examination  or 
adjudication,  either  in  his  daily  examens  of  con- 
science or  in  his  preparation  for  confession.  He 
will  do  the  best,  the  wisest,  and  the  most  virtuous 
thing  by  ignoring  it  completely  once  for  all. 

The  unpleasant  incident  will  stimulate  him, 
however,  to  keep  up  his  habit  of  frequently  re- 
newing the  acts  of  perfect  love  and  contrition. 
In  case  he  had  any  guilt  at  all  in  the  matter — 
even  though  it  was  in  reality  a  grievous  guilt — 
it  will  all  be  attended  to  sufficiently,  and  wiped 
out  entirely,  by  his  aspirations  of  perfect  love 
and  sorrow. 

This  practice  is  universally  followed  by  all  pi- 
ous and  saintly  persons,  lay  people,  religious,  and 
ecclesiastics,  with  much  spiritual  comfort  and 
success.  It  is  the  only  method  to  follow  for  such 
conscientious  persons  who  are  afflicted  or  threat- 
ened with  the  bane  of  scrupulosity:  it  is  best 
for  them  to  make  no  mention  whatsoever  of 
doubtful  sins  in  confession.  Persons  who  are 
conscientious  and  not  scrupulous  may  confess 
their  doubtful  sins  with  no  little  profit;  whereas 
lax  and  habitually  unscrupulous  persons  ought 
to  confess  doubtful  sins,  as  the  evidence  is  all  in 
their  disfavor. 

What  can  I  do  to  drive  the  devil  away 
when  he  tempts  me  so  much? 

We  must  expect  temptations  and  consider 
them  as  unavoidable  and  even  necessary  for  us. 
We  may  always  expect  to  meet  the  devil  on  our 
way  through  life.  Never  be  surprised  at  his 
assaults;    they  are  your  glory  and  your  merit; 


3  8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

he  persecutes  you  because  you  are  virtuous. 
Never  be  afraid  of  temptations;  always  be  cour- 
ageous and  cheerful;  and  resist  temptations 
chiefly  by  despising  them.  The  great  masters 
of  the  spiritual  life  agree  in  saying  that  contempt 
is  the  shortest  and  most  effective  means  of  resist- 
ing the  devil  and  keeping  from  sin,  more  effective 
even  than  the  words  and  acts  of  the  contrary 
virtues.  This  means  has  the  immense  advantage, 
in  the  first  place,  of  not  engaging  in  actual  com- 
bat with  the  devil  and  thus  not  getting  tired  or 
defiled  by  struggling  with  him;  and,  in  the 
second  place,  it  has  the  effect  of  discouraging  the 
devil  and  putting  a  speedy  end  to  his  temptations 
and  assaults.  It  is  indeed  good  to  put  temptation 
to  flight  by  considering,  for  instance,  the  hideous- 
ness  of  sin,  or  by  imploring  the  Blessed  Virgin's 
protection;  but  it  is  better  merely  to  despise  the 
devil,  to  make  no  account  of  his  suggestions, 
and  to  continue  quietly  to  keep  oneself  in  the 
presence  of  God. 

As  regards  temptations,  we  must,  in  general, 
always  be  on  our  guard ;  we  must  fly  from  every 
occasion  which,  though  not  sought,  may  happen 
to  arise.  We  must  pray  and  thus  bring  God  to 
our  assistance  and  His  holy  angels  to  shield  us. 
We  must  frequent  the  Sacraments,  those  channels 
of  grace  that  diminish  the  force  of  concupiscence 
and  increase  our  union  with  God  and  our  conse- 
quent separation  from  sin.  Acts  of  self-denial  in 
the  time  of  temptation  are  a  great  help.  Prompt 
resistance  at  the  beginning  is  of  utmost  importance; 
the  evil  suggestion  should  be  crushed  at  once; 
there  should  be  no  dallying  with  temptation. 
The  recollection  of  the  presence  of  God,  of  the  great 
truths  of  salvation,  of  the  horrible  deformity  of  sin, 
will  always  serve  as  a  secure  defense. 

We  are  not  alone  in  the  struggle.  God  and 
His  angels  are  standing  by  and  are  on  our  side. 
It  is  well  here  to  recall  the  words  of  Holy  Writ: 


CHASTITY  39 

"Blessed  is  the  man  that  endureth  temptation; 
for  when  he  hath  been  proved,  he  shall  receive 
the  crown  of  life,  which  God  hath  promised  to 
them  that  love  Him."  (James  1:12.) 

What  is  to  be  said  as  regards  women's 
styles  and  the  fads  and  follies  of  female 
attire  ? 

It  appears  that  not  only  the  so-called  flapper 
but  all  who  imitate  her  fads  and  follies,  be  it  but 
from  a  distance,  as  it  were,  are  entirely  oblivi- 
ous of  these  words  of  Holy  Writ,  "Many  have 
perished  by  the  beauty  of  a  woman,  and  here- 
by lust  is  enkindled  as  a  fire."  There  are  those 
who  have  wondered,  in  a  dim  and  giddy  way, 
why  the  Holy  Father,  why  prelates  and  priests 
the  world  over,  have  been  compelled  repeatedly 
to  denounce  in  no  measured  terms  the  trend  of 
modern  fashions.  It  is  because  they  are  a  first- 
class  net  the  devil  uses  to  catch  souls  with.  But 
the  above  quotation  is  bitingly  clear.  It  is  a 
thousandfold  answer. 

It  seems  that  the  modern  flapper,  without 
the  bob  maybe,  and  changing  what  is  to  be 
changed,  is  not  so  modern  after  all.  In  one  of 
his  letters  St.  Jerome  describes  Mary  Mag- 
dalen wiping  the  Savior's  feet  "with  the  same 
hair  with  which  she  had  before  deceived  many. 
She  does  not  wear  a  waving  headdress  or  creak- 
ing boots;  she  does  not  darken  her  eyes  with 
antimony;  yet  in  her  squalor  she  is  lovelier 
than  ever." 

And  he  goes  on  to  say,  "What  place  have 
rouge  and  white  lead  on  the  face  of  a  Christian 
woman?  The  one  simulates  the  natural  red  of 
the  cheeks  and  of  the  lips;  the  other  the  white- 
ness of  the  face  and  neck.  They  serve  only  to 
inflame  young  men's  passions,  to  stimulate  lust, 
and  to  indicate  an  unchaste  mind.  How  can  a 
woman  weep  for  her  sins  whose  tears  lay  bare 


4o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

her  true  complexion  and  mark  furrows  on  her 
cheeks?  .  .  .  With  what  confidence  can  a  woman 
raise  features  to  heaven  which  her  Creator  must 
fail  to  recognize?  It  is  idle  to  allege  in  excuse 
for  such  practices  girlishness  and  youthful 
vanity.'' 

Those  are  hard  sayings.  But  take  them  from 
a  saint!  "Today,"  he  continues,  "you  may  see 
women  cramming  their  wardrobes  with  dresses, 
changing  their  gowns  from  day  to  day,  and  for 
all  that  unable  to  vanquish  the  moths  .... 
Parchments  are  dyed  purple,  gold  is  melted  into 
lettering,  manuscripts  are  decked  with  jewels, 
while  Christ  lies  at  the  door  naked  and  dying." 

Again,  St.  Cyprian  bluntly  names  the  devils 
as  the  inventors  of  dress,  painting,  and  orna- 
mentation. "It  was  they,"  he  says,  "who  taught 
to  draw  a  circle  of  black  round  the  eyes,  to  paint 
the  cheeks  with  dishonest  tints,  to  dye  the  hair 
with  lying  colors,  to  make  away  with  all  truth  of 
face  and  forehead  by  the  inroads  of  their  corrup- 
tion. And  on  this  point,  in  the  fear  which  faith 
suggests  to  me,  and  the  love  which  brotherhood 
demands,  not  virgins  and  widows  only,  but  I 
consider  that  the  married  also  and  all  females 
whatever,  ought  to  be  cautioned  that  what  God 
has  formed,  what  He  made  and  fashioned,  ought 
in  no  wise  to  be  tampered  with,  whether  with 
yellow  dye,  or  black  powder,  or  rouge,  or  any 
other  preparation  at  all,  which  undoes  the  linea- 
ments of  nature." 

And  in  the  Prophecy  of  Isaias  we  have  other 
scathing  words  applicable  to  the  modern  extremist 
in  artificial  beauty.  In  chapter  the  third  we  read, 
"And  the  Lord  said:  'Because  the  daughters  of 
Sion  are  haughty  and  have  walked  with  stretched- 
out  necks,  and  wanton  glances  of  their  eyes,  and 
made  a  noise  as  they  walked  with  their  feet,  and 
moved  in  a  set  pace,  the  Lord  will  make  bald 
the  crown  of  the  head  of  the  daughters  of  Sion, 


CHASTITY  41 

and  the  Lord  will  discover  their  hair.  In  that 
day  the  Lord  will  take  away  the  ornaments  of 
shoes,  and  little  moons,  and  chains,  and  neck- 
laces, and  bracelets,  and  bonnets,  and  bodkins, 
and  ornaments  of  the  legs,  and  tablets,  and  sweet 
balls,  and  earrings,  and  rings,  and  jewels  hanging 
on  the  forehead,  and  changes  of  apparel,  and 
short  cloaks,  and  fine  linen,  and  crisping  pins, 
and  looking  glasses,  and  lawns,  and  head-bands, 
and  fine  veils.  And  instead  of  a  sweet  smell 
there  shall  be  stench,  and  instead  of  a  girdle, 
a  cord,  and  instead  of  curled  hair,  baldness,  and 
instead  of  a  stomacher,  hair  cloth.' 

But  there  is  likewise  true  beauty  in  woman. 
It  is  when  she  combines  virtue  with  loveliness 
— and  virtue  is  loveliness.  Then  "she  is  grace 
upon  grace";  then  "the  grace  of  her  modesty  is 
above  gold." 

"The  woman  that  feareth  the  Lord,  she  shall 
be  praised";  for  as  everlasting  foundations  upon 
a  solid  rock,  even  so  the  commandments  of  God 

in  the  heart  of  a  holy  woman. 

*         *         * 

Regarding  cosmetics,  if  they  are  used  with  the 
intention  of  arousing  impure  passions  in  others  it 
is,  of  course,  a  very  serious  matter.  When  used 
out  of  real  vanity  and  to  deceive,  it  is  a  venial 
sin.  If  their  use  is  not  excessive  and  it  is  done 
just  to  be  neat  and  attractive  or  to  conceal  some 
defect  or  because  it  is  a  harmless  custom,  it  is 
no  sin  at  all.  And  this  last  is  often  the  case. 
The  use  of  these  things,  however,  has  come  to 
be  rather  ridiculous  of  late,  with  young  ladies 
daubing  or  touching  up  their  faces  in  all  kinds 
of  public  places  and  at  all  occasions.  Natural 
beauty  is  the  most  attractive  after  all.  After 
marriage  young  men  often  complain  that  they 
married  a  mask,  a  false  face.  The  poet  aptly 
says:  "Behold,  God  gave  you  one  face,  and  you 
make  yourself  another!" 


4i  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Cosmetics  have  a  long  prescriptive  use  and 
place,  from  Egyptian  antiquity  down  to  the 
vanishing  creams  and  lipsticks  of  our  day.  The 
art  that  should  (but  seldom  does)  conceal  art 
may  afford  a  temporary  external  remedy  for  the 
shortcomings  of  an  ofttimes  niggard  Mother 
Nature;  and  the  man  who  would  too  sweep ingly 
condemn  them  would  do  well  to  take  lodgings  in 
a  tall  tree  or  a  flight  in  a  waiting  aeroplane.  Even 
so  great  a  churchman  and  bishop  as  St.  Francis 
de  Sales  looked  upon  cosmetics  with  smiling 
benevolence.  To  a  lady  who  consulted  him  as 
to  the  propriety  of  rouging  her  cheeks,  he  laugh- 
ingly replied: 

"Some  persons  may  object  to  it.  Others  may 
see  no  harm  in  it.  But  since  you  ask  my  advice, 
I  shall  take  a  middle  course  by  allowing  you  to 
rouge  only  one  cheek." 

Someone  has  said:  "The  Almighty  never  made 
ugliness.  All  women  are  beautiful  if  their  souls 
are  clean."  The  soul  is  more  than  its  fleshly 
overcoat;  and  have  we  not  scripture  authority 
that  the  body  is  more  than  its  raiment?  Women 
who  are  wise  will  do  nothing  to  forfeit  the  place 
— a  little  less  than  the  angels — which  they  hold 
in  the  minds  of  all  clean  and  chivalrous  Christian 
manhood. 

Since  so  much  is  said  and  written  about 
indecent  dress  of  women,  will  you  tell 
me  what  is  really  considered  indecent 
dress  by  the  supreme  authority  of  the 
Church?  What  are  Catholic  women  to  do, 
or  not  to  do? 

We  have  an  authoritative  statement  in  the 
Instruction  on  this  matter  issued  by  the  Sacred 
Congregation  of  the  Council,  January  12,  1930. 
That  Instruction  incorporates  by  reference  a 
letter  of  the  Sacred  Congregation  of  Religious, 
August  23,   1928,  to  the  religious  communities 


CHASTITY  43 

in  the  city  of  Rome  conducting  girls'  schools. 
In  that  letter  specific  directions  are  given  as  to 
what  the  Holy  See  considers  unbecoming  dress 
for  Catholic  women  and  girls.  We  quote  the 
following  as  given  in  a  leaflet  published  by  the 
Central  Bureau  of  the  Catholic  Central  Verein, 
with  the  Imprimatur  of  the  Most  Rev.  John  J. 
Glennon,  Archbishop  of  St.  Louis:  "In  order 
that  uniformity  of  understanding  prevail  in  all 
institutions  of  religious  women  regarding  the 
cases  in  which  the  afore-cited  prescriptions  of 
the  Congregation  of  Religious  apply,  we  recall 
that  a  dress  cannot  be  called  decent  which  is 
cut  deeper  than  two  fingers'  breadth  under  the 
pit  of  the  throat,  which  does  not  cover  the  arms 
at  least  to  the  elbows,  and  scarcely  reaches  a 
bit  beyond  the  knees.  Furthermore,  dresses  of 
transparent  material  are  improper,  as  also  flesh- 
colored  stockings,  which  suggest  the  legs  being 
bare." 

Even  ordinarily  good  Catholic  women  and 
young  ladies  are  often  unconscious  of  the  in- 
decency of  modern  dress  and  its  offence  against 
public  Christian  morality,  due  to  the  prevailing 
spirit  of  liberty  in  its  exaggerated  form  and  the 
lack  of  delicacy  of  Christian  modesty  lost  through 
contact  with  life  in  the  midst  of  an  overwhelm- 
ingly large  neo-pagan  population  that  is  mostly 
Christian  in  name  only.  What  is  necessary  is 
persistent  and  uniform  teaching  of  the  high  sense 
of  Christian  morality  evidenced  in  the  lives  of 
the  saints  and  the  vast  majority  of  our  Catholic 
ancestors  and  corresponding  practice  by  our 
Catholic  women.  The  following  dialogue  illus- 
trates what  we  mean: 

"Yes,  I  know,  I  think  I  really  could  dress  a 
bit  more  modestly  if  I  just  wanted  to,  but,  really, 
I  don't  see  why.     Everybody's  doing  .  .  ." 

"Now,  now!"  I  admonished  her.  "Don't  say 
anything  silly.    You  don't  see  why  you  shouldn't 


44  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

be  a  slave  to  extreme  fashion.  Why,  even  you 
must  have  read  those  forceful  words  spoken  by 
Pope  Pius  XI  not  long  ago.  Remember  them? 
Listen:  'The  unfortunate  mania  for  fashion 
causes  even  honest  women  to  forget  every 
sentiment  of  dignity  and  modesty.  The  decrease 
of  womanly  reserve  has  always  been  a  sign  of 
social  decadence.  The  vanity  of  woman  causes 
the  disintegration  of  the  family.  An  immodest 
mother  will  have  shameless  children.  A  shame- 
less girl  cannot  be  a  good  wife.  It  is  possible  to 
dress  with  ladylike  decorum  without  imitating 
monastic  severity.'  " 

"Yes,  I  know.    But  I  don't  see  why  ..." 

"But  I  see  why — why  you  should  always  be 
careful  not  to  offend  in  the  matter  of  dress, 
regardless  of  what  others  may  do  or  say.  If 
your  dress  is  of  such  a  kind  as  to  constitute  a 
sensual  appeal  to  men  and  to  encourage  other 
girls  to  follow  your  bad  example,  you  are  both 
directly  and  indirectly  giving  scandal  and  lead- 
ing others  into  temptation.  Of  course,  a  girl 
may  dress  well  and  attractively,  if  she  does  not 
offend  against  the  laws  of  modesty.  But  charity 
demands  that  she  assist  others  in  their  struggle 
against  sin  and  shield  them  from  temptation, 
instead  of  doing  just  the  opposite.  If  she  boldly 
displays  her  seductive  charms,  then  she  has  no 
reason  to  resent  it  if  insult  is  offered.  She 
throws  out  a  challenge.  She  has  freely  given  up 
her  right  to  be  treated  as  a  lady." 

"But  one  gets  used  to  it.  So  I  don't  see 
why  .  .  ." 

"You  say  'one.'  Who  gets  used  to  it?  When 
a  girl  first  appears  in  an  immodest  costume  she 
feels  very  guilty  and  embarrassed.  But  soon 
she  does,  alas!  get  used  to  it :  her  sense  of  modesty 
becomes  blunted,  her  maidenly  reserve  gradually 
vanishes.  Then  her  love  of  chastity  dies  out, 
and  sin  and  vice  are  not  far  off.     Alas  for  those 


CHASTITY  45 

who  force  themselves  to  cast  away  that  saving 
sense  of  shame,  virtue's  greatest  protection  in 
this  regard!  Who  get  used  to  it?  Do  the  men? 
Some  do,  perhaps,  others  don't.  Immodest 
dress,  as  being  co-operation  in  sin,  may  earn  for 
its  wearer  a  long  and  painful  purgatory.  Of 
course,  I  cannot  give  any  universal  rule  as  to 
how  far  you  can  go  without  offending  God. 
Time  and  place  and  different  circumstances — 
all  must  be  taken  into  consideration.  More- 
over, we  shouldn't  try  to  see  how  close  we  can 
get  to  a  mortal  sin  without  falling  into  it.  We 
should  rather  try  to  see  how  far  we  can  remain 
from  even   venial  transgressions." 

She  was  silent  now.  Poor  girl!  Why  hadn't 
some  sensible  mother  told  her  these  things  long 
before — and  taught  her  how  to  dress?  I  continued, 
"And  think  of  this,  the  immodestly  dressed  girl 
even  comes  to  church  to  distract  and  tempt 
those  who  are  praying  in  the  holy  place.  What 
a  mockery  prayer  is  on  such  lips!  'Hail,  Mary, 
full  of  grace,'  sh<  says.  'And  I  am  full  of  sin,' 
she  might  add,  if  she  be  a  seductress  in  the  house 
of  God.  In  improper  costume  such  a  girl  will 
even  approach  the  table  of  the  Lord.  But  God 
forbid  that  I  should  think  it  is  done  out  of  malice. 
Rather  let  me  call  it  ignorance  and  weakness  of 
the  saddest  kind. 

"After  all,  real  beauty  is  not  in  the  outlines 
of  the  body,  but  in  mind,  personality,  and  heart — 
the  cultivated  mind,  the  head  for  sensible  think- 
ing, the  engaging  personality,  the  sterling 
character.  Beauty  of  soul,  reflected  from  the 
eyes,  radiating  from  the  countenance — that  is 
true  beauty.  And  where  we  find  sterling  character 
there  the  laws  of  health  are  not  defied  in  slavish 
obedience  to«the  caprices  of  fashion ;  there  natural 
physical  beauty  adds  modest  charm  to  the  al- 
ready engaging  personality. 

"Disregard    all    comment.      Avoid    all    excess. 


46  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

You  can  dress  attractively  and  yet  in  an  in- 
conspicuous manner.  If  others  offend  God, 
that  is  no  reason  why  you  should  offend  Him 
by  following  their  pernicious  example. 

"Start  a  new  movement.  Set  a  good  example. 
You  will  soon  have  imitators.  Resolve:  'I  will 
never  dress  in  such  a  way  as  to  feel  ashamed  of 
myself.  I  will  never  dress  to  kill — to  kill  the 
souls  of  men.'  " 

A  friend  of  mine  was  talking  religion 
with  me  the  other  day.  1.  He  claims  that 
there  is  no  truth  in  the  story  about  Adam 
and  Eve  eating  the  forbidden  fruit,  but 
that  theirs  was  simply  a  sin  of  impurity. 
Is  that  true?  2.  He  likewise  argues  thus, 
4 'If  that  was  not  the  sin  they  committed, 
why  did  they  afterwards  clothe  themselves 
with  fig  leaves  because  they  were 
ashamed?" 

1.  The  sin  of  our  first  parents  was  the  eating 
of  forbidden  fruit,  just  as  the  Bible  tells  it.  The 
Bible's  words  must  here  be  taken  literally;  they 
are  no  allegory,  no  myth,  no  fable,  no  figure  of 
speech.  To  look  upon  them  as  such  would  be  to 
distort  the  obvious  meaning  of  the  sacred  text; 
and  it  would  also  be  adverse  to  the  opinion  of 
antiquity  and  to  the  general  teaching  of  theo- 
logians. Once  admit  such  an  interpretation,  and 
there  would  be  nothing  in  Holy  Writ  that  could 
not  be  similarly  twisted  out  of  shape  and  sense 
and  distorted  at  the  whim  of  the  individual — 
for  his  own  ends.  2.  Adam  and  Eve 
clothed  themselves  with  fig  leaves  because 
after  they  had  sinned  they  lost  their  original 
innocence  and  were  punished  by  darkness  of 
understanding,  weakness  of  will,  inclination  to 
evil.  That  inclination  to  evil  made  them  clothe 
themselves:  their  passions  were  no  longer  under 
control,  and  they  were  ashamed.    This  rebellion 


CHASTITY  47 

of   the   passions   continues   today   as   an   awful 
punishment  in  the  human  race. 

Is  it  a  sin  to  play   (game  mentioned)? 

We  will  assume  that  by  this  term  one  of  the 
many  petting  or  necking  parties  is  understood. 
Such  parties  are  usually  nothing  else  than  sinful 
flirtations,  whose  one  purpose  seems  to  be  to 
drain  the  body  of  its  healthy  vitality,  while  the 
heart  is  drained  of  virtue  and  honor,  and  the  soul 
is  made  a  stranger  to  innocence  and  grace.  They 
are  an  abomination  to  God  and  men.  "Puppy 
love,"  it  is  called.  But,  in  view  of  its  harmful 
effects  upon  the  emotional,  spiritual,  and  moral 
life  of  the  parties  to  it,  this  behavior,  instead  of 
being  called  "puppy  love,"  ought  to  be  called 
"the  devil's  game,"  since  it  is  one  of  the  most 
common  and  crafty  tricks  by  which  Satan 
gradually  and  insensibly  lures  innocent  boys  and 
girls  into  ugly  sin  and  filthy  vice  under  the 
guise  of  love. 

Is  it  a  mortal  sin  if,  when  seeing  immo- 
dest pictures  at  a  movie,  you  try  to  avoid 
seeing  them  and  banish  sinful  thoughts 
from  your  mind? 

No;  it  is  not  a  mortal  sin,  since  no  consent  is 
given  to  the  temptation.  Indeed,  you  act  in 
quite  the  proper  way  when  these  suggestive  scenes 
suddenly  turn  up, —  and  how  few  are  the  motion 
pictures  where,  in  one  form  or  other,  they  do 
not  turn  up!  But  why  court  danger  in  this  way? 
Why  attend  such  movies  at  all  ?  If  such  a  large  per 
cent  of  the  movies  shown  are  not  fit  for  children 
to  see,  how  many  are  fit  for  anybody  to  see? 
Guard  the  treasure  of  holy  purity:  it  is  worth 
any  and  every  sacrifice  and  deprivation.  And  we 
know  that  the  concupiscence  of  the  eyes,  or  want 
of  watchfulness  over  them,  has  been  the  cause 
of  thousands  of  deplorable  falls. 


4S  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

I  heard  a  priest  say  that  every  sin  of 
voluntary  and  deliberate  impurity  is  a 
mortal  sin.  Is  it  so  bad?  And  how  about 
those  thoughts  that  come  so  often? 

Yes;  that  is  true.  Remember  well,  however, 
that  the  priest  said  voluntary  and  deliberate.  In 
these  sins  there  is  no  smallness  of  matter,  but 
every  act  of  wrongful  indulgence  in  venereal 
pleasure,  if  directly  sought  or  consented  to,  is 
grievously  sinful.  (We  are  not  speaking  of  the 
lawful  use  of  matrimony.)  No  sin  against  chastity 
is  venial  except  that  which  remains  internally 
incomplete,  not  on  account  of  outward  circum- 
stances, but  because  the  will  resists. 

Therefore,  it  is  also  evident  that  not  all  sins 
against  the  sixth  and  ninth  commandments  are 
mortal.  If  an  impure  thought,  word,  or  act  is 
freely  willed  or  if  it  is  deliberately  excited,  it  is 
a  mortal  sin.  Not  so  if  it  arises  in  the  mind 
against  one's  will  or  without  one's  deliberate 
consent.  External  acts,  such  as  immodest 
touches,  looks,  etc.,  are  mortally  sinful  if  due  to 
lust;  they  are  venially  sinful  if  due  to  curiosity 
or  inadvertence,  and  are  transient  in  character; 
and  they  are  not  sinful  at  all  if  performed  for 
some  reasonable  cause,  even  though  accompanied 
by  venereal  pleasure,  provided,  of  course,  no 
consent  is  given  to  such  pleasure. 

As  regards  those  thoughts,  normal  people,  and 
youth  in  particular,  cannot  help  it  if  they  are 
more  or  less  attacked  by  foul  thoughts,  unseemly 
imaginations,  immoral  feelings,  salacious  im- 
pulses, and  obscene  desires.  But  they  can  always 
refuse  them  admittance  or  endorsement.  They 
can  resolutely  refuse  consent,  ignore  them, 
turn  the  mind  away  in  disgust,  direct  the  thoughts 
to  honorable  and  interesting  subjects,  which 
.need  not  necessarily  be  holy  subjects,  or  call 
quietly  upon  God  and  His  Blessed  Mother. 

Impure  thoughts  and  imaginations  are  in  them- 


CHASTITY  49 

selves  indifferent,  but  they  can  be  very  dangerous; 
for  they  tend  to  excite  lustful  feelings  that  can 
lead  to  complete  sin,  and  they  tend  to  allure  the 
mind  to  consent  so  that  it  takes  pleasure  in  that 
which  is  immodest  and  freely  desires  its  perpetra- 
tion. Hence  it  is  of  such  importance  to  regulate 
one's  thought -life. 

So  we  may  briefly  say  that,  as  pointed  out 
above,  to  admit  impure  thoughts  out  of  lust,  or 
for  the  purpose  of  enjoying  the  venereal  pleasure 
they  excite,  is  a  mortal  sin.  So,  too,  it  is  a  mortal 
sin  to  let  the  mind  rest  with  complacency  on  the 
pleasure  caused  by  such  thoughts  when  they 
come  involuntarily. 

But  to  admit  to  the  mind  and  dwell  upon 
immodest  thoughts  out  of  levity  or  idle  curiosity 
(not  out  of  lust),  provided  they  do  not  excite  one 
much,  is  a  venial  sin,  because  they  do  not  place 
one  in  grave  danger  of  consent  in  venereal  pleasure 
or  of  committing  the  complete  sin.  But  if  they 
excite  one  much,  to  admit  them  is  usually  mortal 
because  of  such  danger,  provided  there  be  ad- 
vertence to  the  grave  danger  of  sinning. 

Finally  to  admit  into  the  mind  or  to  foster 
immodest  thoughts  for  a  good  and  honorable 
reason  (study,  nursing,  etc.),  is  allowed,  even  if 
venereal  pleasure  arises,  provided  no  consent  is 
given  to  such  pleasure.  Watchfulness,  prayer- 
fulness,  and  the  remembrance  of  the  presence 
of  God  are  then  recommended. 

As  a  little  caution  we  would  append  the  re- 
mark that  herein  also,  though  most  sensitive 
and  watchful  and  quick  to  resist,  we  should 
likewise  be  sensible.  We  will  accordingly  re- 
member that  things  necessary,  things  that  just 
happen,  things  for  which  we  are  not  responsible, 
things  not  voluntary  and  deliberate  are  not 
grievous  sins. 

That  particular  course  which  I  am  tak- 


5o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

ing  in  art  requires  also  the  drawing  of 
figures  in  the  nude.  Will  you  tell  me 
whether  it  is  sinful  to  make  nude  draw- 
ings that  are  necessary  in  art,  as  a  study? 
I  am  a  student  at  the  Art  Institute  and 
I  am  being  taught  (before  draping) figure 
drawing  which  I  think  is  disgraceful 
because  of  its  nudity.  I  have  no  intention 
of  committing  sin.  It  is  a  part  of  my 
course. 

Images  of  the  nude  in  the  studio  of  an  artist, 
and  anatomical  charts,  figures,  or  illustrations 
in  a  book  intended  for  the  instruction  of  medical 
men,  are  not  classed  as  obscene,  nor  is  the  making 
of  them  in  itself  sinful;  for  the  persons  for  whom 
they  are  made  and  by  whom  they  are  made  are 
supposed  to  be  so  much  under  the  influence  of 
the  esthetic  or  scientific  principles  of  their  pro- 
fessions that  no  harm  will  be  taken.  This  is  one 
general  principle. 

But  here  we  must  at  the  same  time  condemn 
the  view  of  modern  aestheticians  which  would 
have  us  believe  that  the  representation  of  the 
nude  is  the  highest  ideal  and  triumph  of  art. 
This  contention  is  opposed  to  the  Christian  view. 
Esthetics  are  not  above  ethics,  as  some  moderns 
would  have  it.  This  theory  is  opposed  both  to 
morality,  since  all  conduct  should  be  guided  by 
reason,  and  to  art,  inasmuch  as  the  highest 
beauty  is  that  of  virtue  and  the  spirit  of  purity. 

Statues,  pictures,  drawings,  diagrams,  etc.,  of 
the  naked  body  or  its  parts  have  generally  the 
same  danger  as  the  originals,  though  the  allure- 
ment is  in  itself  less  vivid.  Hence  the  Church, 
while  it  has  never  regarded  the  naked  body  in 
itself  as  unchaste,  has  consistently  disapproved 
of  the  freedom  and  promiscuity  with  which  nude 
sculptures  and  paintings  are  publicly  exhibited. 

It  is,  accordingly,  lawful  for  you,  in  view  of 
your  disposition,  to  frequent  that  Art  Institute 


CHASTITY  51 

and  take  the  lessons  you  mention,  inasmuch  as 
such  drawings  are  necessary  or  very  useful  for 
the  course.  If  impure  thoughts  or  feelings  arise, 
no  consent  may  be  given  to  them.  If  unusual 
circumstances  arise,  consult  your  confessor. 

That  you  are  quite  justified  in  the  above  can 
be  seen,  too,  from  the  fact  that  to  gaze  upon 
thoroughly  artificial  statues  and  pictures  that 
represent  nude  persons  is  ordinarly  not  a  grave 
danger  to  purity  for  adult  persons  of  a  serious 
cast  of  mind.  The  reason  is  because  such  repre- 
sentations are  in  our  day,  alas!  so  frequent  that 
they  no  longer  move  such  adult  persons.  We  say 
ordinarily;  for  sometimes  they  are  not  so  arti- 
ficial and  may  then  constitute  a  grave  danger  to 
certain  temperaments.  This  paragraph  suggests 
which  attitude  to  take  in  visiting  art  museums, 
for  instance. 

Since  we  have  entered  upon  this  matter,  we 
may  touch  upon  another  point.  In  the  field  of 
so-called  art  it  has  become  the  custom  every- 
where for  artists  and  sculptors  to  employ  nude 
persons  of  either  sex  to  pose  as  models.  The 
artists  maintain  that  this  is  absolutely  necessary 
for  the  perfection  of  art.  If  that  be  really  true, 
then  it  is  allowed  thus  to  employ  living  models, 
since  such  action  is  not  in  itself  illicit  and  there  is 
sufficient  reason  therefor.  Abuses,  however, 
frequently  creep  in  and  sin  is  committed.  The 
persons  concerned  must  then  be  treated  as  those 
who  live  in  the  proximate  occasion  of  mortal  sin. 

It  is  hard  to  be  precise  about  these  things. 
We  are  merely  giving  principles  taken  from 
authorities  in  Catholic  moral  theology.  We  now 
add  a  somewhat  stricter  view  and  say  that  to 
look  upon  entirely  nude  statues  and  pictures 
(adult)  of  either  sex,  unless  it  be  done  cursorily 
for  reasons  of  great  utility,  may  easily  be  a  mortal 
sin.  Also  that  the  custom  existing  in  many  art 
academies  of  exhibiting  to  artists,  as  a  model, 


5i  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

nude  women  with  only  the  most  private  parts 
covered,  is  gravely  reprehensible,  though  painters 
who  cannot  avoid  such  academies  without  grave 
inconvenience  would  seem  to  be  excused,  pro- 
vided they  take  all  due  precautions.  Nor  are 
women  who  thus  exhibit  themselves  because  they 
are  in  great  need  of  the  remuneration  received  to 
be  at  once  and  without  exception  held  guilty  of 
grave  sin,  provided  due  precautions  are  observed. 
Furthermore,  as  regards  living  persons  in  par- 
ticular, that  recent  theory  and  common  assertion 
so  redolent  of  the  lustf  ulness  of  modern  paganism, 
that  the  eyes  grow  accustomed  to  the  sight  of 
nakedness,  is  to  be  emphatically  rejected. 

What  is  to  be  thought  of  young  ladies 
who  go  about  during  hot  weather  wearing 
no  stockings? 

It  is  necessary  again  and  again  to  remind 
girls  of  their  sacred  responsibility  as  to  modesty 
of  dress;  and  here  it  likewise  becomes  necessary 
to  repeat  that  sin  can  easily  be  committed  and 
scandal  given  by  those  who  seek  to  attract 
through  lack  of  dress — not  enough  of  it.  They 
must  be  on  their  guard,  lest  their  dress,  or  lack 
of  dress,  be  strongly  suggestive  of,  or  tempting 
to,  indecency.  A  good  and  pure  girl  will  rather 
forego  the  empty  pleasure  of  being  admired  for 
her  dress,  or  rather  endure  the  discomfort  that 
may  incidentally  arise  from  proper  dress,  than 
run  the  risk  of  being,  even  though  but  indirectly, 
a  cause  of  ruin  to  the  virtue  of  others.  More- 
over, no  apparel  so  much  brings  out  the  real 
beauty  and  charm  of  a  noble  girl  or  woman  as 
a  modest  apparel.  Christian  modesty,  sensible 
withal  and  not  prudish,  is  one  of  the  great  safe- 
guards  of  chastity. 

Is  it  a  sin  to  look  at  improper  pictures 
at  the  movies,  when  you  do  not  want  to 
offend  our  Lord? 


CHASTITY  53 

This  is,  without  doubt,  a  very  practical  ques- 
tion. Only  too  often  alas!  the  movies  are  posi- 
tively suggestive  and  indecent;  and  even  at 
their  best  they  are  none  too  free  from  a  certain 
dangerous  sex  element.  In  replying  to  this  ques- 
tion we  must  however,  distinguish.  If  the  film 
is  wholly  immoral  or  suggestive  one  who  attends 
it  can  hardly  be  excused  from  serious  sin  and  has 
the  obligation  to  leave.  But  if  the  picture  or 
theme  is  not  in  itself  immoral  or  suggestive, 
even  though  one  or  the  other  objectionable  scene 
is  thrown  upon  the  screen,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
leave.  In  this  case  it  is  clear  that  one  need  not 
look  upon  the  objectionable  features.  Look 
away.  Let  your  glance  wander  over  the  audience. 
Or  close  your  eyes.  And  deplore  the  fact  that  one 
cannot  even  have  a  few  hours  of  all-clean  amuse- 
ment and  relaxation  in  the  modern  theater — 
and  wish  you  were  home. 

Is  it  a  sin  to  wear  sleeveless  dresses,  if 
you  do  not  wear  them  in  church? 

In  answering  a  former  question  about  decency 
of  dress  we  quoted  from  an  Instruction  on  this 
matter  issued  by  the  Sacred  Congregation  of  the 
Council,  January  12,  1930,  wherein  we  read, 
"that  a  dress  cannot  be  called  decent  which  is 
cut  deeper  than  two  fingers'  breadth  under  the 
pit  of  the  throat,  which  does  not  cover  the  arms 
at  least  to  the  elbows,  and  scarcely  reaches  a 
bit  beyond  the  knees.  Furthermore,  dresses  of 
transparent  material  are  improper,  as  also  flesh- 
colored  stockings,  which  suggest  the  legs  being 
bare." 

Now,  this  clearly  shows  the  mind  of  the  Holy 
See  (and  what  a  blessed  thing  if  it  were  uni- 
versally followed  by  Catholic  girls  and  women!) 
but  it  is  not  a  law.  Hence,  when  it  is  a  question 
of  sin,  it  depends  very  much  upon  whether  in  a 
certain    country    or    at    a    certain    time    certain 


54  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

fashions  are  considered  unbecoming  or  offensive 
or  indecent  or  not — always  abstracting  from 
outright  immodesty  and  excessive  nudity  that 
no  custom  can  condone.  Were  we  to  judge  from 
facts  and  general  observation,  we  would  have  to 
say  that  respectable  and  practical  Catholic 
young  women  of  our  day  and  country  do  not, 
generally  speaking,  consider  the  dress  described 
above  immodest. 

But  to  come  to  your  question,  let  us  take,  for 
example,  the  matter  of  the  sleeveless  dress.  It 
has  frequently  been  quite  common  throughout 
the  country.  We  would  not  want  to  say  that 
the  wearing  of  such  dresses  is  sinful,  unless  an 
evil  motive  prompts  the  wearing  of  this  particular 
style.  Those  who  are  wearing  such  dresses, 
however,  should  not  appear  in  church  without 
having  on  a  coat.  And  this  really  shows  they 
are  not  dressed  just  as  they  ought  to  be.  Their 
attire  is  not  nice.  It  is  not  as  truly  attractive 
and  pleasing  as  dresses  which  have  sleeves — 
often  generous,  flowing  sleeves — that  come  to 
the  elbows,  of  which  delightful  kind  many  are 
worn.  And  how  agreeable  it  is  to  see  the  full- 
length  sleeves  that  are  still  frequently  in  evidence! 
Nakedness  is  attractive  only  to  a  class  of  persons 
whom  no  good  Catholic  girl  would  want  to  at- 
tract. Any  girl  can  attract  by  lack  of  clothes. 
But  no  Catholic  girl  or  woman  wants  to  do  that. 
They  will  strive  to  render  themselves  genuinely 
attractive  by  a  tasteful  use  of  clothes,  mindful 
of  the  fact  that  clothes  have  a  threefold  purpose: 
to  cover  the  body,  to  protect  it,  and  to  adorn  it. 

It  were  indeed  difficult,  if  not  impossible  to 
give  general  rules  for  the  whole  world  as  to 
what  is  modest  or  immodest  relative  to  styles  of 
dress  for  women.  Climate,  customs,  times,  etc., 
have  to  be  considered.  But  all  in  all  the  norm 
established  by  the  Holy  See,  as  quoted  above,  is 
an  ideal  to  strive  for  and  is  not  really  difficult,. 


CHASTITY  55 


much  less  impossible,  of  realization.  Guided  by 
these  directions,  Catholic  ladies  everywhere 
ought  to  be  able  to  devise  a  practical  way  of 
creating  fashions  that  are  according  to  the  mind 
of  the  Church  and  at  the  same  time  beautiful, 
modern,  attractive,  and  artistic.  If  artistry  of 
dress  were  emphasized  as  much  as  nakedness 
of  body,  how  much  of  real  beauty  there  would 
be  in  the  world  around  us! 

What  is  the  sin  of  Sodom? 

When  the  people  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah, 
and  other  neighboring  cities,  had  given  them- 
selves up  to  sins  of  impurity,  the  malice  of  their 
crime  was  so  great  that,  as  the  Scripture  says,  it 
cried  to  heaven  for  vengenance  (Gen.  18:20; 
19:13).  In  consequence  of  this  Almighty  God,  to 
show  His  detestation  of  that  vice,  rained  down 
fire  and  brimstone  from  heaven  upon  them. 
He  "destroyed  these  cities,  and  all  the  country 
about,  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  cities,  and  all 
things  that  spring  from  the  earth"  (Gen.  19:25). 
Thus  that  country,  which  before  was  "as  the  para- 
dise of  the  Lord"  (Gen.  13:10)  was  turned  into 
a  lake  of  stinking  water,  as  tradition  has  it, 
which  remains  to  this  day  an  eternal  monument 
of  the  detestation  God  has  for  the  sins  of  un- 
cleanness. 

So  we  answer  your  question  by  saying: 
"Sodomy  is  the  sin  for  which  Sodom  and  Gomor- 
rah were  destroyed  by  God.  The  term  includes 
all  sins  of  unnatural  lust,  particularly  those 
committed  between  persons  of  the  same  sex,  and 
all  practices  aiming  at  the  prevention  of  con- 
ception." (Koch-Preuss,  Vol.  2.  p.  88.)  Various 
distinctions,  of  no  consequence  here,  are  made 
by  moral  theology.  But  always  it  remains 
hideous,  unnatural  lust  that  cries  to  heaven  for 
vengeance. 


5  6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

What  should  one  do  when  immodest 
talk  is  carried  on  in  one's  presence? 

If  you  can  easily  leave  such  company,  leave  it 
at  once.  If  you  cannot  leave,  show  by  your 
silence  and  serious  demeanor  (unless  circum- 
stances indicate  that  a  spoken  rebuke  would  be 
in  place)  that  you  are  displeased.  One  sins  griev- 
ously if  by  one's  words  or  conduct  one  provokes 
talk  that  is  grievously  impure  or  if  one  voluntarily 
takes  impure  pleasure  therein.  One  who,  out  of 
human  respect,  smiles  at  such  talk  or  adds  a  word 
or  two,  likewise  one  who  listens  to  such  things 
out  of  curiosity  when  one  might  easily  go  away, 
does  not  sin  grievously.  But  such  a  one  is  a 
coward;  he  manifests  a  weak  character;  and  he 
is  in  greater  danger  of  sin.  Be  such  a  person  in 
conduct  and  reputation  that  no  one  will  ever 
venture  to  speak  immodestly  in  your  presence. 
The  devils  that  so  quickly  and  so  gladly  gather 
round  impure  talkers  take  to  flight  at  the  ap- 
proach of  one  who  is  chaste  and  pure. 

Can  you  tell  me  how  one  can  know  if  a 
story  or  joke  is  impure  or  only  improper? 

An  improper  joke  will  become  impure,  we  fear, 
if  you  think  of  it  long  enough  to  make  a  distinc- 
tion between  the  one  and  the  other.  As  the  words 
impure  and  improper  are  usually  understood  in 
this  connection,  the  one  is  perhaps  less  gross 
than  the  other.  But  the  two  are  more  or  less 
interchangeable.  In  our  day  improper  covers  a 
multitude  of  hideous  sins.  Our  answer  to  your 
question  is  this:  Let's  not  do  any  hair  splitting 
as  regards  the  wrong  and  the  more  wrong. 
Avoid  both  the  one  and  the  other. 

Is  it  a  sin  to  go  to  a  love  or  petting 
movie  after  going  to  confession  and  then 
to  go  to  Communion  the  next  morning? 

You  doubtless  want  to  know  whether  you  then 


CHASTITY  57 

receive  Holy  Communion  unworthily  the  next 
morning.  You  do  not,  unless  you  commit  a 
mortal  sin  and  do  not  again  go  to  confession 
before  Communion.  But  a  movie  such  as  you 
mention  may  easily  give  rise  to  sinful  thoughts, 
desires,  or  even  worse  things  that  can  be  mortal 
sin. 

At  the  very,  very  least,  it  is  a  case  of  being 
very  ungenerous  with  God  and  shows  a  sad  lack 
of  appreciation  of  the  Sacraments.  What  a 
strange  preparation  for  receiving  the  Bread  of 
Angels!  Such  movies  should  be  avoided  always 
and  at  all  times —  and  absolutely  so  when  you 
ought  to  be  quietly  at  home  and  thinking  of 
Him  Who  is  coming  in  the  morning. 

My  Protestant  friend  told  me  that  in  a 
certain  convent  she  saw  a  picture  of  the 
Christ  Child  with  very  little  clothing  on. 
She  said  that  she  thought  it  was  just 
terrible  and  that  she  did  not  believe  that 
Our  Lady  dressed  Him  that  way.  What 
should  a  Catholic  answer?    Please  explain. 

What  your  friend  saw  must  have  been  an  art 
picture, — an  artistic  representation  of  the  nativity 
of  Christ,  for  example.  Your  friend  was  quite 
right  in  saying  she  did  not  believe  Our  Lady 
dressed  Him  in  that  way,  or,  rather,  left  her 
Child  undressed.  Indeed,  we  have  the  clear 
testimony  of  Holy  Writ  for  the  fact  that  she  did 
not.  There  can  be  no  doubt  about  the  matter. 
In  the  Gospel  of  St.  Luke  (2:7)  we  read:  "And 
she  [Mary]  brought  forth  her  first-born  Son, 
and  wrapped  Him  up  in  swaddling  clothes,  and 
laid  Him  in  a  manger." 

So  your  friend  was  quite  right  in  her  first  re- 
mark. But  when  she  said  she  thought  it  was 
"just  terrible"  she  was  quite  wrong.  By  that 
remark  she  evinced  an  oversensitiveness  that  is 
not  at  all  in  keeping  with  the  common  estimation 


5  8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

of  men  in  this  matter  and  with  the  principles  of 
Christian  art.  In  innumerable  Christian  paint- 
ings and  masterpieces  the  Christ  Child,  cherubs, 
or  children  are  represented  partly  or  even  wholly 
nude;  yet  no  sensible  person  takes  offense  at 
that  nor  are  such  paintings  reprobated  by  the 
Church,  the  mother  of  true  Christian  art.  Repre- 
sentations of  the  bodies  of  undeveloped  infants, 
even  though  entirely  nude,  are  not  wont  to  excite 
carnal  emotions.  On  the  contrary,  the  paintings 
here  referred  to  are  ennobling  and  inspiring  and 
tend  to  raise  the  mind  to  higher  things  in  the 
realms  of  purity  and  innocence.  This  is  the 
Catholic  idea.  The  object  of  true  art  is  the 
honor  of  God  and  the  edification  of  man.  Art 
has  an  object  beyond  itself;  and  that  object 
should  be — and  in  the  true  Christian  master- 
pieces is — the  unostentatious  preaching  of  good- 
ness, morality.  Msgr.  Hettinger  says:  "Both 
religion  and  art  have  come  forth  from  God,  the 
highest  ideal;  and  although  their  field  is  different, 
both  must  necessarily  lead  back  to  God  if  the 
religion  is  true  and  if  art  has  not  departed  from 
its  ideal.  As  all  else  that  serves  the  truth  serves 
God,  art  also  must  serve  Him  in  representing 
beauty;  for  beauty  comes  from  God  and  leads 
back  to  Him." 

But  while  it  is  true  that  such  pictures  in  the 
nude  are  not  "just  terrible,"  it  is  equally  true 
that  they  are  not  necessary  for  real  art.  Nor 
are  they  needed  to  impress  upon  us  the  Savior's 
humanity — how  He  is  also  true  man.  There  are 
perhaps  even  many  more  strikingly  beautiful  and 
inspiring  pictures  of  the  nativity,  for  instance, 
in  which  the  Baby  Jesus  is  clothed  as  even  we 
in  this  country  would  expect  a  baby  to  be,  or 
else  wrapped  in  the  scriptural  "swaddling 
clothes."  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  in  repre- 
sentations of  the  nativity  in  the  Church's  princi- 
pal liturgical  books,  the  Missal  and  the  Breviary, 


CHASTITY  59 

the  Babe  is  not  nude  and  the  angels  are  beauti- 
fully clothed.  (We  may  remark  also  that  in  that 
picture  most  holy  and  miraculous  in  its  original, 
"Our  Lady  of  Good  Counsel,"  the  Christ  Child  is 
beautifully  and  completely  robed.  And  this  seems 
to  be  Our  Lady's  favorite  picture.) 

We  do  not  wish  to  be  misunderstood.  The 
dictum  of  modern  art,  "There  is  nothing  more 
beautiful  than  the  naked  body,"  is  utterly  false. 
Modern  aestheticians  maintain  that  the  repre- 
sentation of  the  nude  is  the  highest  ideal  and 
triumph  of  art.  This  contention  is  opposed  to 
the  Christian  view.  The  Church  has  never  re- 
garded the  naked  body  in  itself  as  unchaste,  but 
she  has  always  insisted  on  the  great  dangers  in- 
volved in  its  representation,  and  consistently 
disapproved  of  the  freedom  and  promiscuity  with 
which  nude  sculptures  and  paintings  are  publicly 
exhibited.  Art  is  not  exempt  from  the  observance 
of  divine  and  natural  law.  The  moral  law  must 
be  observed  in  works  of  art.  Hence  it  must  be 
said  that  it  is  forbidden  in  painting  and  sculpture 
to  exhibit  those  parts  of  the  human  body  which 
commonly  arouse  the  passions  of  those  who  gaze 
upon  them.  We  have  mentioned  the  exceptions 
above  and  the  reason  for  them.  The  mind 
properly  instructed  will  find  Bethlehem's  Babe 
without  the  swaddling  clothes  no  more  objec- 
tionable than  Jesus  nailed  to  the  cross,  stripped 
of  His  garments, — the  crucifix  upon  which  we 
gaze  so  often  in  grateful  love. 

Is  it  a  Church  law  that  children  under 
sixteen  are  not  allowed  to  go  to  dances? 

It  is  not.  And,  to  begin  with,  we  wish  to  say 
here  that  dancing  is  not  in  itself  sinful.  It  may 
be,  and  for  many  persons  it  actually  is,  an  inno- 
cent pastime.  And  if  any  dances  are  more  inno- 
cent than  others,  they  are  those  held  by  young 
people  at  our  schools,   academies,  and  such  like 


60  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

institutions,  and  in  private  homes,  at  family 
parties.  The  greatest  danger  in  these  informal 
dances,  it  seems  to  us,  is  that  they  may  develop 
a  craze  for  dancing — a  craze  that  may  in  time 
allure  its  victim  to  the  public  dance-hall.  And 
the  public  dance-hall  is  a  place  which  all  people, 
but  especially  the  young,  should  keep  miles  and 
miles  away  from. 

We  have  said  that  dancing  is  not  wrong  in 
itself,  that  it  may  be  innocent  pastime.  But  at 
the  same  time  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  is  a 
dangerous  form  of  recreation,  dangerous  to 
morals,  to  holy  purity  especially.  And  the  dance- 
halls  of  our  day  and  country  aggravate  the  dan- 
ger a  thousandfold.  We  cannot  illustrate  this 
better  than  by  quoting  from  the  letter  of  a 
Bishop  to  the  clergy  of  his  diocese.     He  says: 

"Finally,  in  view  of  the  present  craze  for  danc- 
ing, and  in  view  of  the  character  of  many  of  the 
dances,  I  urge  the  Rev.  Pastors  to  caution  their 
young  people,  in  all  prudence  and  earnestness, 
against  the  dangers  connected  with  this  form  of 
recreation.  Impress  them  with  the  fact  that  they 
cannot  follow  the  riotous  example  of  the  pagan 
youth  in  this  regard,  and  at  the  same  time  re- 
main true  children  of  the  Church.  They  must 
at  all  times  be  mindful  of  their  Christian  faith 
and  its  teachings.  As  to  the  dancing-pavilions 
which  have  sprung  up  on  all  sides,  and  remain 
in  the  most  part  without  control,  it  must  be 
recognized  that  we  are  dealing  with  an  evil  that 
threatens  to  sap  the  very  foundations  of  Christian 
morality.  With  the  advent  of  the  automobile  and 
the  building  of  good  roads,  these  halls  in  many 
instances  have  become  veritable  dens  of  iniquity. 
.  .  .  Liquor  is  passed  around  to  stir  up  the  pas- 
sions; lewd  men  and  women  of  the  underworld 
here  commingle  with  the  general  public  and  seek 
their  prey;  here,  too,  at  times,  are  found  people 
otherwise   respectable,   who   imagine  that   being 


CHASTITY  6 1 

far  from  home  and  their  neighbors  they  are  out 
of  reach  of  the  Lord  as  well,  and  conduct  them- 
selves in  a  way  in  which  they  never  would  do 
in  the  neighborhood  of  their  home.  One  can 
without  fear  of  contradiction  say  that  many  of 
the  dancing-halls  of  today  are  improper  places 
for  Christian  young  men  and  women  to  frequent. 
They  are  justly  to  be  considered  approximate 
occasions  of  sin.  I  expect  all  Confessors  to 
question  their  young  penitents  as  to  the  conditions 
obtaining  where  the  latter  seek  amusement,  and 
rigorously  to  apply  the  remedies  indicated  by 
Moral  Theology." 

Is  it  a  sin  if  you  go  to  confession  in  the 
afternoon  and  then  go  to  a  dance  in  the 
evening,  intending  to  receive  Holy  Com- 
munion the  next  morning? 

Dancing  is  in  itself  not  sinful,  but  it  is  very 
commonly  a  near  occasion  of  grievous  sin.  A 
near  occasion  of  sin  is  that  which  always  or  usually 
causes  one  to  fall  into  mortal  sin.  It  may  be  a 
person,  a  place,  an  amusement,  etc.  This  proxi- 
mate occasion  of  sin  must  itself  be  avoided  under 
pain  of  grievous  sin. 

We  may  say  again  that  dancing  of  the  right 
kind,  under  the  right  auspices,  is  in  itself  an 
innocent  and  even  beneficial  diversion.  Danc- 
ing is  not  necessarily  in  itself  sinful;  but  it  may 
be  sinful  because  of  the  occasions  of  sin  connected 
with  it.  or  because  ecclesiastical  authorities  have 
forbidden  certain  dances  or  dancing  at  a  certain 
time,  or  because  of  the  scandal  given  at  certain 
seasons  or  times  or  under  certain  circumstances. 

From  the  above  our  questioner,  knowing  all 
the  circumstances  of  this  particular  case,  will  be 
able  to  judge  whether  it  is  a  sin  or  not  to  go  to 
that  dance  after  confession  and  before  Com- 
munion. 

We  do  not  like  this  constant  seeking  to  remain 


6-l  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

just  inside  and  within  an  inch  of  the  dead  line 
of  grievous  sin.  Whether  it  is  a  sin  or  not  in  the 
case  in  question,  one  thing  is  certain:  if  it  is 
not,  it  is  the  next  thing  to  it;  it  is  highly  im- 
proper and  something  that  no  Catholic  with  a 
living  faith  will  ordinarily  do.  After  confession 
remain  as  much  as  you  can  in  retirement  and 
silence  and  keep  your  soul  from  the  least  little 
stain  while  thinking  longingly  of  the  great  grace 
that  awaits  you  on  the  morrow. 

But  that  you  cannot  do  there  where  virtue 
stands  but  little  chance  and  where  holiness  is 
rather  hard  to  keep  or  to  find — on  the  dancing 
floor. 

1.  Is  it  a  sin  for  girls  to  smoke?  2.  Is  it 
considered  sinful  for  a  Catholic  girl  to 
have  her  picture  taken  in  a  bathing  suit? 
3.  Is  the  (questionable  secular  magazine 
mentioned)  a  good  magazine  for  Catholic 
girls  to  read? 

The  picture  drawn  by  these  three  questions 
shows  us,  by  combination,  a  Catholic  girl  posing 
in  a  bathing  suit,  smoking  a  cigarette,  and  read- 
ing the  (questionable  magazine).  Any  Catholic 
boy  or  girl,  man  or  woman,  who  has  had  true 
Catholic  training,  would  turn  from  the  picture  in 
utter  disgust.  Another  picture  of  a  Catholic 
girl  at  ease  would  be  that  of  a  young  lady  on 
the  family  porch,  seated  in  a  cozy  veranda  chair, 
comfortably  yet  attractively  and  fully  dressed, 
giving  an  occasional  nibble  at  a  candy  bar,  and 
reading  The  Messenger  of  the  Sacred  Heart.  What 
a  contrast!  The  difference  is  as  great  as  between 
heaven  and  earth.  It  is  easy  to  pick  out  the 
sensible  ideal  here. 

But  is  it  a  sin?  Sin  is  an  offence  against  the 
law  of  God.  Go  through  the  Commandments  of 
God  and  the  precepts  of  the  Church,  which 
every  Catholic  ought  to  know  by  heart.     See  if 


CHASTITY  63 

you  can  find  any  offence  against  the  law  of  God 
as  regards  the  things  you  mention.  If  not,  go 
into  detail;  examine  the  matter  more  thoroughly, 
keeping  in  mind  the  fact  that  many  things  not 
in  themselves  sinful  may  be  sinful  because  of 
circumstances;  go  through  the  table  of  questions 
for  the  examination  of  conscience.  At  the  fifth 
commandment  you  might  come  across  questions 
like  these:  "Have  you  seriously  injured  your 
health  in  any  way?  Have  you  been  guilty  of 
the  rash  use  of  opiates?  Have  you  caused  the 
spiritual  death  of  others  by  occasioning  the 
commission  of  a  mortal  sin?  Have  you  in  a 
conversation,  or  by  any  other  means,  taught 
others  evil  of  which  they  were  ignorant?  To  how 
many?  What  was  the  evil?  Did  you  give  bad 
example?  Did  others  follow  it?"  Against  the 
sixth  and  ninth  commandments  you  might  find 
questions  like  the  following:  "Have  you  offended 
against  decency?  Have  you  acted  with  levity, 
forgetful  of  reserve  and  modesty?  Did  you, 
through  vanity  or  any  other  motive,  transgress 
the  rules  of  modesty  in  dress?  Have  you  read, 
circulated,  or  listened  to  bad  books  or  magazines? 
Have  you  taken  wilful  pleasure  in  the  thoughts 
caused  thereby?  Have  you  looked  at  immodest 
pictures?" 

Smoking  is  not  sinful  in  itself;  to  have  one's 
picture  taken  in  a  bathing  suit  is  not  sinful  in 
itself;  to  read  a  love  story  in  a  non-Catholic 
magazine  is  no  sin  in  itself.  It  would  be  ridiculous 
to  say  that.    But  circumstances  alter  cases. 

As  St.  Aloysius,  St.  Anthony,  St.  Agnes,  St. 
Teresa  and  countless  others  in  the  past,  so  there 
are  innumerable  Catholic  young  men  and  women 
today  who  say:  "I  am  young  but  once;  hence 
I  am  going  to  make  the  most  of  it.  I  am  going 
to  be  young  in  such  a  manner  that  I  shall  always 
be  glad  and  proud  of  it;  so  I  can  recall  it  with 
sincere  pleasure  and  self-congratulation  as  long 


64  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

as  I  live.  Having  but  one  youth,  I  am  going  to 
give  it  to  God,  Who  has  given  it  to  me.  He  will 
be  the  object  of  my  thoughts,  my  first  and 
greatest  love,  the  subject  of  my  dreams,  the 
goal  of  my  ambitions.  I  will  keep  my  Divine 
Model  ever  before  me  and  never  act  in  a  manner 
that  would  be  in  the  least  displeasing  to  Him." 
Speak  thus  and  act  accordingly. 

I  have  an  important  question.  St.  Paul 
says  (Cor.  6:9,  10):  "Know  you  not  that 
the  unjust  shall  not  possess  the  kingdom 
of  God?  Do  not  err:  neither  fornicators, 
nor  idolators,  nor  adulterers,  nor  the 
effeminate,  nor  Hers  with  mankind,  nor 
thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor  drunkards,  nor 
railers,  nor  extortioners,  shall  possess  the 
kingdom  of  God."  Does  this  mean  that 
even  if  you  repent  of  your  sins  you  shall 
not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven? 

It  means  no  such  thing.  If  repented  of  and 
sincerely  confessed  all  sins  can  be  forgiven  (and 
even  by  an  act  of  perfect  contrition  when  one 
cannot  get  to  confession,  in  which  case  one  has 
the  implicit  intention  of  going).  They  form  no 
obstacle  to  salvation.  All  sins  will  be  forgiven, 
if  men  turn  to  God  in  true  sorrow  and  do  what 
He  bids  them  do  to  the  best  of  their  power. 

Indeed,  you  should  have  read  on.  St.  Paul 
answers  your  question  in  the  very  next  verse  of 
this  chapter  of  his  First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians. 
He  says  quite  plainly:  "And  such  some  of  you 
were;  but  you  are  washed,  but  you  are  sanctified, 
but  you  are  justified  in  the  name  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  the  Spirit  of  our  God." 

Is  it  a  mortal  sin  to  laugh  at  an  impure 
joke  which  is  being  told  to  you? 

To  constitute  a  mortal  sin  of  impurity  the 
three  elements  required  for  every  mortal  sin  must 
be  conjointly  present;     that   is,    (1)   the  trans- 


CHASTITY  65 


gression  must  be  grievous;  (2)  it  must  be  clearly 
recognized  as  such  at  the  time  of  its  perpetration; 
and  (3)  in  spite  of  this  distinct  knowledge  the 
transgressor  must  commit  it  with  full  consent. 
In  other  words,  there  must  be  a  grievous  matter, 
sufficient  reflection,  and  full  consent  of  the  will. 
The  transgression  is  always  grievous  matter  if  it 
is  downright  unchaste. 

As  regards  obscene  talk,  suggestive  stories, 
conversations,  songs,  jokes,  it  is  sufficient  to  say 
that  to  speak  thus  is  generally  a  serious  matter 
when  the  persons  are  a  group  of  young  people 
of  the  same  sex,  more  serious  when  they  are  a 
mixed  group,  and  still  more  serious  when  they 
are  a  boy  or  a  girl  or  a  young  man  and  a  young 
woman.  The  fact  that  our  young  people  often 
do  not  admit  this,  does  not  change  its  abiding 
truth.  The  reason  is  clear  to  all  who  know  how 
impressionable  youth  is  and  how  swiftly  drawn 
into  the  vortex  of  wilful  thought,  feeling,  and 
action. 

To  listen  to  impure  speech  (jokes)  or  songs  is 
a  grave  sin  if  the  listener  by  his  conduct  en- 
courages talk  that  is  gravely  impure  or  delights 
in  such  talk  out  of  depraved  affection.  But  if 
one  laughs  along  at  such  things  out  of  human 
respect  (for  fear  of  giving  offense  or  being 
ridiculed),  or  even  adds  a  word  or  two  to  show 
what  a  "regular  fellow"  he  is,  or  if  one  merely 
listens  (without  delight)  to  such  things  when  one 
might  easily  go  away,  one  does  not  commit  a 
mortal  sin. 

The  thing  to  do  is  never  to  stain  one's  lips  with 
a  single  word  that  is  not  pure;  and  when  one  is 
obliged  to  listen  to  such  talk,  e.  g.,  in  factories, 
offices,  etc.,  among  fellow- workers,  and  cannot 
leave,  one  should  take  no  part  therein  and  mani- 
fest by  one's  deportment  the  displeasure  felt. 
The  disgusting  talk  just  mentioned  is  not, 
however,    always    mortally    sinful,    since    it   fre- 


66  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

quently  does  not  excite  the  hardened  speakers 
much  and  they  are  speaking  to  their  own  kind! 

I  never  could  quite  understand  why  im- 
purity is  so  strictly  forbidden,  since  God 
made  us  as  we  are.     Can  you  explain? 

We  answer  this  question  by  quoting  a  page  or 
two  from  The  Spiritual  Life,  A  Treatise  on 
Ascetical  and  Mystical  Theology  by  the  Very 
Rev.  Adolphe  Tanquerey,  S.  S.,  D.  D.,  trans- 
lated by  the  Rev.  Herman  Branderis,  S.  S., 
A.  M.  (Desclee  &  Co.,  Tournai,  Belgium,  1930.) 
It  is  a  clear  and  concise  answer  to  your  legitimate 
inquiry. 

"Just  as  God  has  willed  to  attach  sense- 
pleasure  to  the  nutritive  functions  in  order  to 
help  man's  self-preservation,  so  He  has  attached 
a  special  pleasure  to  the  acts  whereby  the  propa- 
gation of  the  human  species  is  secured. 

"This  pleasure  is  permissible  to  married  people, 
provided  they  use  it  for  the  purpose  for  which 
marriage  was  instituted;  outside  of  this  it  is 
strictly  forbidden.  In  spite  of  this  prohibition, 
there  is  in  us  an  unfortunate  tendency,  more  or 
less  violent,  especially  from  the  age  of  puberty 
or  adolescence,  to  indulge  in  this  pleasure  even 
out  of  lawful  wedlock.  This  is  the  tendency 
that  is  called  lust  and  which  is  condemned  by 
the  sixth  and  ninth  commandments: 
'Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery/ 
'Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor's  wife.' 
"It  is  not  merely  exterior  actions  that  are  pro- 
hibited, but  also  interior  acts,  fancies,  thoughts, 
desires.  And  this  rightly  so,  for  if  one  deliberately 
dwells  upon  impure  imaginations  or  thoughts, 
upon  evil  desires,  the  senses  become  excited, 
whilst  an  organic  disturbance  is  produced,  which 
is  too  often  but  the  prelude  to  actions  against 
purity.    Therefore,  if  we  wish  to  avoid  such  acts, 


CHASTITY  67 

we  must  fight  against  dangerous  thoughts  and 
fancies. 

"When  one  seeks  and  directly  wills  the  evil 
pleasure,  there  is  always  mortal  sin,  for  to  en- 
danger the  preservation  and  propagation  of  the 
human  race  is  a  grave  disorder.  Now,  were 
the  principle  to  be  admitted  that  one  may  seek 
voluptuous  pleasure  in  thoughts,  in  words,  or 
in  actions  otherwise  than  in  the  right  use  of 
marriage,  it  would  be  impossible  to  restrain  this 
passion,  the  demands  of  which  increase  with  the 
satisfaction  accorded,  and  soon  the  purpose  of 
the  Creator  would  be  frustrated.  This  is  what 
experience  shows:  there  are  but  too  many  young 
people  who  render  themselves  incapable  of  trans- 
mitting life,  because  they  have  abused  their 
bodies.  Hence,  as  regards  evil  pleasure  directly 
willed,  there  is  no  lightness  of  matter. 

"There  are  cases  in  which  this  pleasure  is  not 
directly  sought;  it  may  follow  from  certain 
actions  otherwise  good  or  at  least  indifferent. 
If  one  does  not  consent  to  this  pleasure,  and  has, 
besides,  a  reason  sufficient  to  justify  the  per- 
formance of  the  action,  there  is  no  guilt  and  no 
cause  for  alarm.  If,  on  the  other  hand  the  actions 
that  give  rise  to  such  sensations  are  neither 
necessary,  nor  really  useful,  like  dangerous  read- 
ings, shows,  conversations,  lewd  dancing,  then 
it  is  evident  that  to  perform  such  actions  is  a  sin 
of  imprudence,  more  or  less  grave,  in  proportion 
to  the  gravity  of  the  disorder  thus  produced  and 
of  the  danger  of  consent  to  the  evil  pleasure. 

"From  the  point  of  view  of  perfection,  there  is, 
next  to  pride,  no  greater  obstacle  to  spiritual 
growth  than  the  vice  of  impurity,  a)  When  it  is 
question  of  solitary  acts  or  of  faults  committed 
with  others,  it  is  not  long  before  tyrannical  habits 
are  formed  which  thwart  every  impulse  towards 
perfection,  and  incline  the  will  towards  debasing 
pleasures.     Relish  for  prayer  disappears,  as  does 


68  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

love  for  austere  virtue,  while  noble  and  unselfish 
aspirations  vanish,  b)  The  soul  becomes  a  prey 
to  selfishness.  The  love  once  borne  to  parents 
and  friends  gradually  dies  out;  there  is  but  the 
desire  which  becomes  a  real  obsession  to  indulge 
at  any  cost  in  evil  pleasures,  c)  The  balance  of 
the  faculties  is  destroyed;  it  is  the  body,  it  is 
lust  that  takes  command;  the  will  becomes  the 
slave  of  this  shameful  passion  and  soon  rebels 
against  God,  Who  forbids  and  punishes  these 
unholy  pleasures." 

The  remedies  needed  to  withstand  so  dangerous 
a  passion  are  deep  convictions,  protection  against 
dangerous  occasions,  mortification,  and  prayer. 

Another  simple  yet  sufficient  answer  to  your 
question  might  be  worded  as  follows:  Impurity 
is  the  indulging  in  any  way,  by  thought,  desire, 
word,  or  deed,  in  that  sensual,  that  sexual,  grati- 
fication which  is  allowed  only  to  persons  in  law- 
ful wedlock.  The  craving  for  such  gratification  is 
one  of  the  most  constant  and  powerful  instincts 
of  human  nature.  For  only  thus  could  God 
procure  the  natural  propagation  of  the  human 
race.  Were  it  not  for  this  powerful  passion,  men 
would  shun  the  burden  of  bearing  and  rearing 
children.  In  itself  it  is  good.  But  if  allowed 
outside  of  lawful  wedlock  it  would  quickly  lead 
to  the  destruction  of  the  race,  would  defeat 
God's  plans  for  the  creation  of  immortal  souls. 
Therefore  it  is  most  strictly  forbidden,  as  ex- 
plained in  detail  above. 


PERTAINING  TO  HOLY  COMMUNION 

I  cannot  seem  to  believe  in  the  Real 
Presence  of  Jesus  in  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment. Can  you  help  me  in  any  way?  I 
so  long  for  the  gift  of  faith,  since  I  wish  to 
be  very  pleasing  to  the  Lord.  I  am  a 
Catholic,  and  am  proud  of  it,  too. 

You  do  not  seem  to  believe,  you  say.  From 
your  letter,  which  we  refrain  from  publishing, 
we  are  inclined  to  think  that  you  actually  do 
believe  but  that  you  are  severely  tempted  in  this 
particular  matter.  Open  your  heart  to  your  con- 
fessor and  then  follow  his  advice  with  childlike 
faith  and  confidence. 

One  of  the  simplest  modes  of  procedure  when 
thus  tempted  is  to  remember  that  Christ  has 
said,  "This  is  My  Body";  and  Christ  is  God; 
He  is  Eternal  Truth;  He  can  neither  deceive 
nor  be  deceived.  Take  His  word  for  it.  Do  not 
dally  with  the  temptation.  Just  say,  "I  believe 
— I  believe  all  that  the  Holy  Catholic  Church 
believes  and  teaches."  Then  turn  your  thoughts 
to  other  things. 

Take  Our  Lord's  word  for  it.  He  promised 
the  real  and  substantial  presence  of  His  Body 
and  Blood  in  the  Holy  Eucharist  in  the  famous 
sixth  chapter  of  St.  John's  Gospel.  Therein  we 
read  that  after  the  multiplication  of  the  loaves, 
by  which  several  thousand  people  were  fed,  many 
of  them  sought  Jesus  again  the  next  day  and 
found  Him  at  Capharnaum,  near  Lake  Tiberias, 
and  there  they  asked  a  sign  of  Him,  so  that  they 
might  believe  in  Him.  "Our  fathers,"  they  said, 
"did  eat  manna  in  the  desert,  as  it  is  written: 
'He  gave  them  bread  from  heaven  to  eat.'  '  To 
which  Jesus  answered,  "I  am  the  living  bread 
which   came   down   from  heaven.     If  any   man 

69 


7o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live  forever;  and  the 
bread  which  I  will  give,  is  my  flesh,  for  the  life  of 
the  world."  At  this  the  Jews  said,  "How  can 
this  man  give  us  his  flesh  to  eat?"  Then  Jesus 
said  to  them,  "Except  you  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son 
of  Man,  and  drink  his  blood,  you  shall  not  have 
life  in  you.  He  that  eateth  my  flesh,  and 
drinketh  my  blood,  hath  everlasting  life  .  .  .  For 
my  flesh  is  meat  indeed;  and  my  blood  is  drink 
indeed."  We  learn  that  because  of  this  hard 
saying,  as  many  of  Christ's  hearers  called  it, 
some  of  the  disciples  were  scandalized  and  ceased 
to  follow  Him;  and  when  Jesus  was  alone  with 
the  twelve  Apostles  He  asked  them,  "Will  you 
also  go  away?"  And  Simon  Peter  answered  Him, 
"Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go?  Thou  hast  the 
words  of  eternal  life." 

No  explanation  of  that  glorious  promise  is 
necessary.  It  is  unmistakably  clear.  We  merely 
ask,  "Did  Jesus  mean  what  He  said  or  did  He 
not?"  If  not,  that  is,  if  He  meant  to  convey 
something  different  from  the  obvious  sense  of 
His  words,  He  owed  His  disciples  an  explanation 
or  correction  in  order  to  rectify  their  misunder- 
standing. He  did  not  do  so,  and  hence  His  words 
must  be  taken  in  their  strictly  natural  and  obvi- 
ous sense.  Therefore,  Christ  promised  to  give 
His  body  to  eat  and  His  blood  to  drink. 

That  promise  was  fulfilled  when,  at  the  Last 
Supper,  according  to  the  Gospels  of  St.  Matthew, 
St.  Mark,  and  St.  Luke,  He  said  over  the  bread 
and  wine,  "This  is  my  body,"  "This  is  my  blood." 
And  with  the  words,  "This  do  for  the  commem- 
oration of  me,"  He  empowered  His  priests  to  do 
what  He  had  done. 

Where  is  there  room  for  doubt?  Who  can 
doubt  the  veracity  of  God?  Believe  what  Holy 
Mother  Church,  infallible  in  her  teachings,  be- 
lieves and  teaches. 


COMMUNION  71 


My  friend  was  asked  by  a  non-Catholic, 
"Why  is  it  that  Catholics  are  forbidden  to 
eat  meat  on  Friday  when  they  are  allowed 
to  receive  Holy  Communion  on  that  day 
and  at  the  same  time  believe  it  is  the  true 
Body  and  Blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ?" 

It  is  not  surprising  that  non-Catholics  should 
ask  such  absurd  questions.  They  have  not  that 
fine  sense  of  spiritual  things  which  we  imbibe,  as 
it  were,  from  very  childhood  on.  Therefore  the 
Catholic  doctrine  of  the  Eucharist  is  repugnant 
to  them;  therefore  they  have  such  a  coarse  con- 
ception of  what  we  mean  when  we  say  that 
Christ's  real  Body  is  given  to  us  as  food.  Your 
question  is  a  common  objection,  though  oddly 
presented. 

The  Savior  did  indeed  say,  in  unmistakable 
terms,  "My  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  My  blood 
is  drink  indeed."  But  Christ  was  not  then  speak- 
ing of  "flesh"  as  we  understand  the  word  in  its 
natural  sense,  as  the  meat  which  we  are  forbidden 
to  eat  on  Friday,  as  the  above  mentioned  ques- 
tioner offensively  suggests.  No;  He  spoke  of  a 
spiritualized,  transfigured  Body,  of  that  higher, 
supersensible  form  of  existence  which  charac- 
terizes Christ's  Body  and  Blood  in  the  Holy 
Eucharist. 

But  it  is  really  and  truly  His  Body  and  Blood. 
We  believe;  and  we  adore  this  profound  mystery. 
We  cannot  fully  understand  it,  and  we  cannot 
fully  explain.  But  we  know  that  our  holy  re- 
ligion is  full  of  unfathomable  mysteries.  And, 
what  is  more,  we  rejoice  thereat. 

We  cannot  here  enter  further  into  these  sacred 
mysteries — so  sacred  that  in  the  early  ages  of 
the  Church  they  were  carefully  concealed  from 
the  uninitiated.  But,  as  a  last  indirect  answer 
to  a  question  it  would  be  irreverent  to  answer 
otherwise,  we  again  ask  you  to  bear  in  mind  that 
the  Body  of  Christ,  present  under  the  sacramental 


7i  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

species,  or  under  the  accidents  of  bread  and  wine, 
is  His  glorious  Body,  impassible  and  spiritualized. 
To  form  an  idea  of  how  our  Lord  can  truly  and 
really  exist  under  visible  accidents  or  appearances, 
without  being  seen,  is  easy  enough  if  we  remem- 
ber that  Christ,  after  His  resurrection  and  before 
His  ascension,  made  Himself  at  will  either  visible 
and  palpable,  or  invisible  and  impalpable,  never- 
theless preserving  His  Body  and  Blood  intact; 
for  both  were  clothed  with  spirituality  and  in- 
corruptibility, that  is,  they  were  endowed  with 
properties  similar  to  those  of  a  spirit. 

I  do  not  think  my  little  boy  of  nearly 
eight  years  has  a  good  understanding  of 
the  Holy  Eucharist.  He  goes  to  Holy 
Communion  often,  but  he  does  not  seem 
to  take  it  very  seriously.  But  they  say 
God  does  not  require  so  much  of  children. 
Will  you  please  explain? 

In  the  first  place,  it  is  not  allowed  to  give 
Communion  to  tiny  children,  that  is,  to  those 
whom  the  infirmity  of  their  age  prevents  from 
having  even  an  imperfect  knowledge  or  even  a 
vague  desire  for  Communion.  In  our  days  chil- 
dren are  not  permitted  to  receive  Communion 
before  they  have  reached  the  age  of  reason,  which 
is  to  be  presumed  at  the  age  of  seven  years  com- 
pleted, unless  there  is  proof  to  the  contrary.  If 
the  use  of  reason  comes  before  this  age,  say  at 
six  or  even  sooner,  the  child  has  the  right  to 
communicate.  The  Church  does  not  here  require 
in  children  the  full  use  of  reason ;  it  suffices  that 
they  have  a  certain  use  of  reason  which  permits 
them  to  distinguish  good  from  evil  and  which 
consequently  makes  it  possible  for  them  to  com- 
mit sin.  And  we  may  mention  that  the  use  of 
reason  in  question  is  such  as  is  sufficient  for  the 
commission  of  venial  sin;  in  order  to  be  per- 
mitted to  receive  Communion  the  child  need  not 
be  capable  of  committing  a  mortal  sin. 


COMMUNION 


73 


This  discretion  of  mind  required  by  the  Church 
for  the  reception  of  Holy  Communion  by  children 
varies  according  as  the  child  is  or  is  not  in  danger 
of  death. 

When  a  child  is  in  danger  of  death,  that  is, 
when  it  is  suffering  from  a  disease,  or  has  met 
with  an  accident,  that  endangers  its  life,  it  is 
enough,  in  order  that  it  may  be  permitted  to  re- 
ceive Holy  Communion,  if  it  can  distinguish  the 
Eucharistic  bread  from  ordinary  bread  and  can 
receive  it  with  the  respect,  adoration,  and  other 
dispositions  that  are  in  keeping  with  its  age, 
without  any  inquiry  being  made  as  to  whether 
or  not  it  knows  the  other  great  religious  truths. 

If  the  child  is  not  in  danger  of  death  the  Church 
demands  only  a  greater  knowledge  and  a  more 
thorough  preparation  than  for  children  who  are 
in  danger  of  death.  And  that,  as  we  have  seen, 
is  not  demanding  so  very  much. 

As  regards  the  knowledge  such  a  child  must 
have,  the  Code  of  Canon  Law  says  that  it  "must 
know,  according  to  its  capacity,  those  mysteries 
of  faith  whose  knowledge  is  necessary  necessitate 
medii"  (necessary  for  salvation).  Hence,  it  must 
know  that  God  exists  and  that  He  will  render  to 
every  man  according  to  His  works;  that  in  God 
there  are  three  persons  subsisting  in  one  nature; 
and  that  one  of  these  persons,  the  Son  of  God, 
became  man  to  save  us.  This  knowledge  must  be 
proportioned  to  the  intellectual  capacity  of  the 
child,  and  therefore  it  may  be  extremely  sum- 
mary and  superficial. 

As  regards  devotion,  which  your  question  men- 
tions in  particular,  the  Code  demands  that  the 
child  receive  the  Eucharist  with  piety,  it  is  true, 
but  with  a  piety  that  is  in  proportion  to  its  age. 
Pro  suae  aetatis  modulo,  says  the  Code,  which 
phrase  we  might  translate  thus,  "According  to 
the  small  capacity  of  its  age."  This  Latin 
diminutive  indicates  very  plainly  that  even  very 


74  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

imperfect  dispositions  will  suffice,  and  that  the 
child  is  not  required  to  manifest  a  recollection 
and  ardor  of  which  it  is  incapable.  According  to 
Msgr.  de  Segur,  a  child  has  a  "taste  for  the 
Eucharist"  when  he  "loves  Jesus  and  desires 
Him";  according  to  St.  Thomas,  "when  he  begins 
to  conceive  for  this  Sacrament  a  devotion  that 
is  in  proportion  to  his  age." 

The  question  of  confession  may  here  come  to 
mind.  It  is  plain  from  her  utterances  on  this 
subject  that  it  would  be  contrary  to  the  mind  and 
the  will  of  the  Church  to  make  a  distinction  be- 
tween the  age  required  for  confession  and  that 
required  for  Communion.  There  is  only  one  age 
of  reason. 

In  Holy  Communion  we  are  intimately 
united  with  Jesus  Christ.  How  long  does 
this  union  last?  How  long  is  Jesus  ac- 
tually within  us? 

All  theologians  treat  of  the  question  as  to  how 
long  a  time  the  sacramental  species  (here  the 
sacred  Host,  that  which  appears  to  be  bread) 
remain  in  the  stomach  without  being  corrupted. 
By  the  phrase  without  being  corrupted  we  here 
mean  the  length  of  time  the  species  of  bread  re- 
main what  they  seem  to  be,  or  the  length  of  time 
an  unconsecrated  host  would  retain  the  nature  of 
bread  within  the  body;  for  just  that  long  the 
Savior  is  really  and  truly  within  us. 

In  reality,  it  is  impossible  to  give  any  general 
rule;  the  answer  will  vary  with  the  individual 
and  with  the  actual  condition  of  each  stomach. 
Physicians  tell  us  that,  in  a  healthy  stomach,  the 
corruption  of  a  small  host  demands  at  least  a 
half  hour,  and  of  a  large  host  a  full  hour.  But  in 
the  case  of  a  certain  class  of  sick  persons  it  would 
take  at  least  two  or  three  hours  (Gasparri,  De 
Eueh.,  n.  1196). 


COMMUNION  75 


From  this  we  may  draw  some  practical  con- 
clusions. 

1.  Though  the  efficacy  of  this  Sacrament  of 
itself  (ex  opere  operato),  abstracting  from  indi- 
vidual dispositions  provided  the  soul  is  in  the 
state  of  grace,  should  not  be  forgotten,  it  is  well 
to  remember  that  these  special  effects  increase 
according  to  the  fervor  and  dispositions  (ex  opere 
operantis)  of  the  recipient.  One  thing  is  certain: 
we  can,  by  our  own  endeavors  and  disposition, 
secure  more  graces  while  the  Body  of  our  Lord 
is  within  us  than  at  any  other  time.  Hence, 
those  who  receive  Communion  should  make  a 
most  devout  thanksgiving  and  endeavor  to 
multiply  the  acts  of  faith,  hope,  charity,  humility, 
contrition,  that  they  may  more  abundantly  re- 
ceive the  graces  of  the  Sacrament.  There  are 
many  degrees  of  Eucharistic  fruitfulness.  No 
one,  indeed,  can  exhaust  all  the  grace  this  Sacra- 
ment contains;  but  all  should  strive  to  derive 
as  much  fruit  from  it  as  possible. 

2.  Still,  lack  of  time  for  an  adequate  thanks- 
giving in  church  should  not  deter  anyone  from 
Holy  Communion.  Though  a  special  thanksgiv- 
ing of  fifteen  minutes  at  the  very  least  is  to  be 
most  highly  recommended,  if  one  has  no  special 
time,  no  special  time  is  required.  If,  because  of 
modern  conditions  in  this  workaday  world  of  ours, 
you  have  no  special  time,  know,  as  Alphonsus 
says,  that  if  you  discharge  your  different  duties 
with  the  intention  of  pleasing  and  thanking  God, 
all  will  serve  you  for  thanksgiving. 

3.  When  you  leave  the  church  after  Holy 
Communion  you  are  bearing  Christ  with  you. 
You  are,  as  it  were,  a  tabernacle  wherein  He  re- 
poses. Act  accordingly.  And  remember,  one 
need  not  be  on  one's  knees  in  order  to  speak 
with  the  Savior.  Continue  your  intimate  con- 
verse with  Him  and  your  thanksgiving  as  you 
go  home  or  about  your  work,  whatever  it  may  be. 


76  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

(If,  out  of  charity,  you  must  speak  with  others, 
offer  this  charity  to  the  God  Who  is  with  you.) 
After  all,  the  best  prayers  are  those  we  say 
without  a  prayerbook,  if  we  exclude  the  Church's 
official  liturgical  prayers.  Ordinarily,  according 
to  the  above,  the  Savior  will  be  within  you  even 
when  you  sit  down  to  breakfast.  Offer  Him  some 
little  restraint  or  self-denial  as  a  token  of  love 
and  gratitude.  Parenthetically,  we  may  here 
mention  that  there  is  no  Eucharistic  fast  pre- 
scribed after  Holy  Communion.  It  is  not  wrong 
to  eat  or  drink  at  any  time  after  Communior* 
but  it  is  more  seemly  to  wait,  if  possible,  at  least 
ten  or  fifteen  minutes. 

4.  With  special  care  avoid  the  commission  of 
any  mortal  sin  during  this  time;  for,  because  of 
the  corporal  presence  of  our  Lord,  the  sin  would 
be  one  of  special  malice.  It  might  even  be  a 
sacrilege,  a  desecration  of  the  temple  wherein 
the  Lord  actually  dwells. 

5.  As  regards  the  sick,  avoid  washing  out  the 
stomach  for  two  or  three  hours  after  Communion. 
Do  not  forget  that,  even  several  hours  after  Com- 
munion, a  sick  person  may  throw  up  fragments 
of  the  Host  which  are  not  corrupted.  If  visible, 
such  fragments  should  be  taken  up  with  all 
respect  and  the  priest  summoned.  If  there  is 
no  discernible  evidence  of  the  sacred  species  and 
still  there  is  good  reason  to  doubt  whether  they 
are  yet  corrupted,  the  whole  mass  is  to  be  burnt 
and  the  ashes  put  into  the  sacrarium,  which  is  a 
special  place  at  church  into  which  is  poured  the 
water  used  in  liturgical  ablutions,  etc. 

When  the  priest  comes  to  the  house 
with  the  Blessed  Sacrament  for  the  sick, 
which  way  is  the  proper  way — to  be  kneel- 
ing and  to  say  nothing  while  the  priest  is 
passing,  or  to  say  ''Praised  be  Jesus 
Christ' '  when  the  priest  enters  the  room? 


COMMUNION  77 


A  sick-room  table  should  be  prepared  near  the 
bed  of  the  sick  person.  It  should  be  covered  with 
a  clean  white  cloth  and  on  it  there  should  be  a 
crucifix,  two  candlesticks  with  beeswax  candles, 
a  finger  bowl  with  water,  a  glass  of  water,  a  spoon, 
holy  water  and  sprinkler,  and  a  napkin.  All  this 
is  for  Holy  Communion.  If  Extreme  Unction  is 
also  to  be  administered  add  to  the  above  a  clean 
saucer  with  six  small  balls  of  cotton  and  another 
saucer  with  salt  or  pieces  of  bread  and  lemon; 
and  somewhere  nearby  have  a  basin  of  water  and 
a  towel  for  the  priest  to  use  in  washing  his  hands. 

Someone  should  light  the  candles  before  the 
priest  arrives  at  the  house  and  see  to  it  that 
everything  is  in  its  place  on  the  table  and  that 
everything  in  the  room,  including  the  bed  and  the 
sick  person,  is  as  neat  and  tidy  as  possible.  There 
should  also  be  a  chair  at  the  bedside  for  the  priest 
when  he  hears  the  patient's  confession.  It  is 
most  embarrassing,  not  to  say  disgraceful,  when 
people  must  run  around  in  confusion,  looking 
for  matches  and  this  and  that,  after  the  priest  is 
in  the  room  with  the  Blessed  Sacrament.  Have 
everything  prepared  well  in  advance.  When  the 
priest  is  at  the  door  someone  should  meet  him 
with  a  lighted  candle  and,  after  he  has  vested 
or  removed  his  overcoat,- escort  him  to  the  sick- 
room. The  always  beautiful  greeting,  "Praised 
be  Jesus  Christ,"  may  be  said  when  meeting  the 
priest  at  the  door;  but  it  is  not  necessary  to  say 
anything.  The  reverential  silence  that  shows  the 
quiet  adoration  of  the  heart  is  more  impressive 
than  anything  else  and  is  a  token  of  grateful 
welcome.  The  other  members  of  the  family, 
unless  duties  require  their  absence,  should  be  in 
the  room  kneeling  and  silently  praying.  They 
should  not  be  sitting  or  standing  around  in  other 
rooms  as  though  they  had  no  faith  and  piety. 
No  one  should  speak  to  the  priest  unless  abso- 
lutely necessary.    They  should  remain  kneeling 


78  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

until  he  bids  them  retire.  They  remain  out  during 
confession,  until  given  a  sign  by  the  priest  to 
return.  Even  while  outside  they  should  kneel 
and  pray  and  not  stand  or  sit  around  and  talk. 
Jesus  in  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  God  Himself, 
is  in  the  house!  While  in  the  sick-room  all  should 
follow  the  priest  in  prayer.  All  kneel  for  the 
blessing  which  the  priest  imparts  to  the  sick 
person  before  he  leaves.  If  he  still  has  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  it  is  unbecoming  to  detain  him  with 
conversation.  After  he  has  gone  the  water  in 
which  he  washed  his  fingers  should  be  poured 
into  the  fire.  It  is  no  longer  prescribed  that  it 
be  given  to  the  sick  person.  But  water  may  and 
should  be  given  if  the  sick  person  has  difficulty 
in  swallowing  the  Host.  In  case  Extreme  Unction 
was  administered  the  salt,  or  bread  and  lemon,  as 
also  the  pieces  of  cotton,  should  be  burnt,  so  that 
the  holy  oil  on  them  be  not  desecrated.  In  many 
cases,  however,  the  priest  will  take  these  things 
along,  at  least  the  cotton. 

Why,  in  the  Catholic  Church,  does  the 
priest  partake  of  the  chalice  and  the  com- 
municants do  not?  Is  there  any  text  in 
the  Bible  that  would  answer  our  question  ? 

This  is  a  matter  of  the  discipline  of  the  Church, 
which  teaches:  "If  anyone  saith  that  by  the 
precept  of  God,  or  by  necessity  of  salvation,  all 
and  each  of  the  faithful  ought  to  receive  both 
species  of  the  most  Holy  Sacrament  of  the 
Eucharist,  let  him  be  anathema."  (Council  of 
Trent,  Sess.  21,  can.  1.)  The  Church  was  moved 
by  weighty  and  just  reasons  when  she  approved 
the  custom  of  communicating  under  one  species. 
St.  Thomas  gives  these  reasons  as  follows:  (1) 
the  difficulty  of  providing  the  requisite  number 
of  vessels;  (2)  the  danger  of  spilling  the  Precious 
Blood,   save   in   very   small   and   select   congre- 


COMMUNION  79 


gations;    (3)  the  danger  of  giving  rise  to  false 
opinions. 

We  know  that  the  Real  Presence  is  whole  and 
entire  under  either  kind.  Hence,  he  who  com- 
municates under  the  species  of  bread  alone,  truly 
receives  the  Flesh  and  Blood  of  Christ,  that  is, 
the  living  Christ  whole  and  entire,  with  Body  and 
Soul,  Divinity  and  Humanity  and,  together  with 
the  whole  Sacrament,  all  the  graces  necessary  for 
salvation. 

As  regards  Holy  Writ,  it  is  impossible  to  prove 
from  Scripture  that  the  laity  or  non-celebrating 
priests  are  bound  to  receive  the  Holy  Eucharist 
under  both  kinds.  (And  tradition  shows  that 
Communion  under  one  kind  has  always  been 
practiced  within  the  Catholic  Church.) 

The  adversaries  of  this  doctrine  and  discipline 
of  the  Church  are  wont  to  base  their  contention 
principally  on  John  6:54:  "Except  you  eat  the 
flesh  of  the  Son  of  man  and  drink  His  blood,  you 
shall  not  have  life  in  you." 

The  Council  of  Trent  explains  this  text  as  fol- 
lows: "He  who  said:  'Except  you  eat  the  flesh 
of  the  Son  of  man  and  drink  His  blood,  you  shall 
not  have  life  in  you'  (John  6:54),  also  said: 
'He  that  eateth  this  bread  shall  live  forever' 
(verse  59);  and  He  who  said:  'He  that  eateth 
My  flesh  and  drinketh  My  blood  hath  ever- 
lasting life'  (verse  55) ,  also  said:  'The  bread  that 
I  will  give  is  My  flesh  for  the  life  of  the  world' 
(verse  52);  and,  in  fine,  He  who  said:  'He  that 
eateth  My  flesh  and  drinketh  My  blood,  abideth 
in  me  and  I  in  him' (verse  57),  said  nevertheless: 
'He  that  eateth  this  bread  shall  live  forever' 
(verse  59)." 

Is  it  a  law  of  the  Church  (Canon  Law) 
that  Holy  Communion  should  not  be 
given  in  the  afternoon?  If  it  is,  may  a 
priest    obtain    a    dispensation    from    the 


L<c  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

same  for  a  grave  reason?  And,  if  he  may, 
from  whom  must  he  obtain  such  dis- 
pensation? 

The  normal  time  for  the  giving  of  Holy  Com- 
munion corresponds  with  the  normal  time  for  the 
celebration  of  Mass,  that  is,  from  one  hour  before 
dawn  until  one  hour  after  mid-day  (Canons  867 
and  821).  It  is,  of  course,  preferable  and  more  in 
keeping  with  the  nature  of  the  Sacrifice  and  the 
intimate  relation  between  the  Sacrifice  and  the 
Sacrificial  Banquet  to  distribute  Holy  Com- 
munion after  the  Communion  of  the  priest. 
But  (except  in  the  case  of  the  celebrant's  distribut- 
ing Holy  Communion  immediately  before  or 
immediately  after  the  Solemn  High  Mass,  the 
High  Mass,  or  the  Low  Conventual  Mass)  the 
law  of  the  Church  does  not  require  any  special 
reason  for  giving  Communion  either  before,  or 
after,  or  outside  the  time  of  the  Mass. 

Any  reasonable  cause,  even  though  slight,  is 
sufficient  to  justify  the  giving  of  Communion 
outside  the  prescribed  time.  This  cause  may 
come  from  the  part  of  the  priest  or  from  the 
part  of  the  communicant,  for  instance,  physical 
or  moral  impossibility,  a  contemplated  journey, 
greater  convenience.  The  farther  the  time  of 
Communion  is  removed  from  the  normal  time, 
for  instance,  in  the  evening  or  during  the  course 
of  the  night,  the  more  important  should  be  the 
excuse.  Of  course,  the  communicant  must  be 
fasting  from  twelve  o'clock  midnight,  except  in  a 
case  of  receiving  Communion  in  dangerous  illness 
or  by  way  of  Viaticum. 

No  dispensation  of  any  kind  is  required.  And 
the  fact  that  a  person,  prevented  from  receiving 
Communion  at  the  usual  time,  desires  to  receive 
the  Bread  of  Life  is  reason  enough  to  justify 
the  priest  in  giving  it. 

Is  a  lay  person,  under  certain  circum- 


COMMUNION  81 


stances,  permitted  to  touch  the  sacred 
vessels  and  the  Sacramental  species?  Is 
such  a  person  ever  allowed  to  give  Holy 
Communion  to  others? 

Canon  Law  tells  us  that  care  must  be  taken 
that  the  chalice  and  paten,  and  unwashed  purifi- 
cators,  palls  and  corporals  used  in  the  Holy 
Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  shall  not  be  touched  by 
others  than  clerics  or  those  who  have  custody  of 
them. 

According  to  reliable  writers  on  the  Code  the 
phrase  "by  others  than  clerics  or  those  who  have 
custody  of  them"  means,  to  give  a  practical  and 
definite  answer  to  one  part  of  your  question, 
that  lay  men  and  women,  including  Brothers 
and  Sisters,  of  course,  who  have  been  placed  in 
charge  of  the  sacristy  or  other  place  where  the 
sacred  utensils  are  kept,  may  touch  the  chalice 
and  paten  (when  they  do  not  contain  the  Holy 
Eucharist)  and  also  used  sacred  linens. 

Lay  persons  may  touch  the  Sacred  Host  or 
sacred  vessels  containing  the  Blessed  Sacrament 
only  in  cases  of  real  necessity  and  when  a  priest 
cannot  be  had  in  time.  For  instance,  it  might  be 
necessary  to  save  the  Blessed  Sacrament  from 
fire,  flood,  sacrilegious  plunderers,  etc.  In  such 
cases,  in  the  absence  of  a  priest,  all  not  only  may 
but  even  must  reverently  bear  the  Sacred  Species 
to  a  place  of  safety.  We  mention  one  particular 
case  where  the  Host  may  be  touched  even  when 
the  priest  is  present.  It  is  when  the  Host  falls 
on  the  bosom  of  a  woman  about  to  receive  Holy 
Communion.  She  must  remove  it  herself  and 
give  it  to  the  priest  who  will  then  give  it  to  her 
in  Communion.  If  it  cannot  be  easily  removed, 
she  should  go  aside  alone,  into  the  sacristy,  for 
instance,  and  remove  it.  We  mention  this  most 
painful  instance  to  show  how  careful  women 
should  be  to  dress  properly,  especially  when  they 
approach  the  altar  rail,  and  also  to  hold  the  com- 


8i  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

munion  plate  (unless  it  is  held  by  the  accompany- 
ing deacon  or  server)  in  the  right  way,  well  under 
the  chin,  so  that  if  by  chance  any  particles  fall 
they  will  drop  upon  it. 

During  the  persecution  in  Mexico  some  years 
ago,  to  give  only  one  example,  a  Sister,  in  order 
to  save  the  Sacred  Hosts  from  desecration  by 
brutal  soldiers,  took  them  from  the  tabernacle 
and  gave  them  as  Communion  to  innocent  little 
children.  Nothing  could  have  been  more  proper 
than  that,  under  the  circumstances.  This  suf- 
ficiently answers  your  question  regarding  lay 
persons  giving  Communion. 

When  receiving  Holy  Communion  dur- 
ing the  midnight  Mass  on  Christmas,  how 
long  should  one  fast  beforehand? 

The  general  law  is  that  those  who  receive  Holy 
Communion  should  be  fasting  from  midnight. 
There  is  no  special  universal  law  for  the  Christ- 
mas midnight  Mass.  If  there  were  any  good 
reason  for  it,  one  might  take  food  or  drink  just 
before  twelve  o'clock  and  yet  receive  Com- 
munion during  the  Mass.  No  sin  would  thereby 
be  committed. 

However,  it  is  to  be  strongly  recommended 
that  those  who  receive  Holy  Communion  during 
the  midnight  Mass  be  fasting  from  at  least  8:00 
p.  m.,  out  of  reverence  for  the  Blessed  Sacrament. 
One  should  have  enough  spirit  of  sacrifice  to 
offer  the  Eucharistic  Savior  this  little  tribute  of 
respect. 

We  say  8:00  p.  m.,  because  when  permission 
was  granted  some  years  ago  that  a  Mass  begin- 
ning at  midnight  might  be  regularly  said  at  a 
certain  famous  European  shrine,  at  which  Mass 
the  faithful  might  also  receive  Holy  Communion, 
it  was  expressly  prescribed  that  they  be  fasting 
from  8:00  o'clock  on.  We  here  see  the  mind  of 
the  Church,  legislating  in  a  particular  instance; 


COMMUNION  83 


and  we  may  say  that  this  is  at  least  the  earnest 
wish  of  the  Church  in  all  instances,  unless  other- 
wise specified. 

How  many  times  may  one  receive  Holy 
Communion  after  confession  without  go- 
ing to  confession  again?  I  mean  for  how 
many  Sundays  or  weeks  after  that,  if  one 
does  not  sin? 

You  may  receive  Holy  Communion  any  num- 
ber of  times  without  going  to  confession  again, 
if  you  remain  in  the  state  of  grace,  that  is,  if 
you  do  not  commit  grievous  sin.  Though  it 
would  be  very  useful  to  be  exempt  from  venial 
sins,  at  least  from  such  as  are  fully  deliberate, 
as  well  as  from  all  affection  for  these  sins,  it 
nevertheless  suffices  for  frequent  Communion 
to  be  exempt  from  every  mortal  sin  and  to  have 
a  firm  resolution  never  to  sin  grievously  again. 

However,  it  would  be  well  to  try  to  go  to  con- 
fession at  least  once  every  two  weeks,  even  if 
you  have  not  sinned  grievously.  If  there  are  no 
sins,  mention  some  from  your  past  life  and  have 
them  forgiven  over  again  and  thus  get  the  ever 
more  purifying  and  strengthening  grace  of  the 
Sacrament.  Simply  say,  "I  again  accuse  myself 
of  all  the  sins  of  my  past  life,  especially  those 
committed  against  the  First  (or  any  other)  Com- 
mandment." But  if  you  are  in  the  state  of  grace 
never  omit  Holy  Communion  because  you  cannot 
or  do  not  wish  to  go  to  confession;  for  remember 
that  only  two  dispositions  are  required  for  a 
worthy  Communion;  namely,  the  state  of  grace 
and  a  right  and  pious  intention.  The  right  in- 
tention consists  in  approaching  the  Holy  Table 
not  through  routine,  nor  through  vanity,  nor 
through  any  other  human  motive,  but  with  the 
aim  to  please  God,  to  unite  ourselves  more  closely 
to  Him  by  charity,  to  apply  a  remedy  to  our 
spiritual  infirmities,  and  to  correct  our  defects. 


84  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Our  intention  is  always  good  when  we  communi- 
cate to  obey  the  Savior's  invitation  and,  by  His 
grace,  to  become  better. 

I  went  to  confession  and  Communion 
at  Christmas  time.  Then  I  put  off  my 
Easter  duty  until  about  two  weeks  before 
the  close  of  the  Easter  season,  when  I 
intended  to  make  it.  But  then  sickness 
prevented  my  making  it.  Was  that  a 
mortal  sin  and  must  I  confess  it?  I  did 
not  mean  to  neglect  my  Easter  duty. 

You  did  not  commit  a  sin,  since  you  did  not 
wish  to  neglect  your  Easter  duty  and  you  did 
not  think  of  asking  the  pastor  to  bring  you  Holy 
Communion,  which  should  always  be  done  in  a 
case  of  this  kind.  In  this  matter  it  is  well  to 
recall  that  every  Catholic  is  bound  by  a  two- 
fold obligation:  Communion  at  least  once  a  year 
(the  divino-ecclesiastical  and  principal  obliga- 
tion), and  Communion  during  the  Easter  time 
(the  ecclesiastical  and  secondary  obligation). 
Both  obligations  bind  under  pain  of  mortal  sin. 
Therefore,  anyone  who,  through  forgetfulness, 
as  in  your  case,  or  through  deliberate  neglect 
fails  to  receive  Communion  at  Easter  time,  is 
still  bound,  under  pain  of  mortal  sin,  to  receive 
Communion  during  the  year.  But  this  latter 
precept  does  not  contain  the  obligation  of  re- 
ceiving Communion  as  soon  as  possible.  It  merely 
demands  that  the  Catholic  receive  Communion 
sometime  during  the  year.  The  faithful  are  not 
to  be  left  under  the  impression  that  they  then 
commit  a  sin  every  time  they  neglect  the  op- 
portunity of  receiving  Communion. 

Can  a  person  make  his  Easter  duty 
outside  of  his  own  parish? 

It  is  a  commandment  of  the  Church  that  every 
Catholic,  of  either  sex,  who  has  reached  the  age 
of  discretion,  i.  e.,  attained  the  use  of  reason, 


COMMUNION  85 


must  receive  the  Holy  Eucharist  once  a  year, 
at  least  during  Easter  time,  unless  his  own  priest 
should,  for  a  reasonable  cause,  advise  him  to 
abstain  from  it  for  a  time. 

The  New  Code  likewise  says  that  it  is  advisable 
for  the  faithful  to  receive  the  Paschal  Com- 
munion in  their  own  parish  church;  and  those 
who  have  received  it  in  another  church,  should 
take  care  to  notify  their  pastor  of  the  fact.  It  is 
advisable;  therefore  it  is  no  longer  a  strict  com- 
mand. 

It  is  to  be  remembered  that  the  precept  of  re- 
ceiving the  Paschal  Communion  obliges  even 
after  the  lapse  of  the  prescribed  term.  It  should, 
therefore,  be  complied  with  as  soon  as  possible; 
and  one  may  not  wait  until  the  next  Easter  time 
if  he  has  neglected  this  duty. 

There  are  some  authors  who  maintain  that  the 
words  of  the  Code  "they  should  see  to  it,"  that 
the  pastor  is  informed  are  a  counsel.  According 
to  this  view  such  action  is  not  binding  under 
pain  of  sin.  Others,  on  the  contrary,  maintain 
that  the  prescription  of  the  Code  is  a  real  precept, 
but  one  that  binds  under  pain  of  venial  sin  only. 
We  are  inclined  to  agree  with  the  former. 

It  would  seem  that  various  circumstances  are 
to  be  taken  into  consideration,  especially  circum- 
stances of  place  and  practice.  The  advisability  or 
relative  necessity  of  so  informing  the  pastor  dif- 
fers greatly,  for  instance,  in  a  small  country 
parish  where  the  pastor  knows  his  parishioners 
personally  and  in  a  large  parish  with  a  shifting 
congregation,  many  of  whom  are  more  or  less 
unknown  to  the  pastor. 

Can  I  do  good  to  the  soul  of  another  by 
offering  up  Holy  Communion  for  him? 

You  surely  can.  Strictly  speaking,  of  course, 
you  cannot,  as  regards  the  inherent  effects  of  the 
Sacrament,  receive  Holy  Communion  for  another, 


86  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

no  more  than  you  can  take  food  for  another. 
Holy  Communion  is  the  spiritual  nourishment  of 
the  soul.  But  here  we  are  considering  the  fruits 
which  every  good  work  produces  in  virtue  of  the 
disposition  of  the  one  who  performs  it.  These 
fruits  are  meritorious,  impetratory,  and  satis- 
factory. Of  these  fruits  the  meritorious  are 
always  personal  and  cannot  be  given  away. 
But  the  others  can  be  applied  to  souls,  the 
impetratory  fruits  to  the  living,  and  at  least 
the  satisfactory  fruits  to  the  dead. 

Hence,  inasmuch  as  Holy  Communion  is  a 
good  work  far  more  excellent  than  others,  and 
inasmuch  as  the  prayers  that  accompany  and 
follow  Holy  Communion  are  more  pleasing  to 
God,  the  custom  of  offering  Holy  Communion 
for  others  is  to  be  recommended  to  the  faithful. 

Is  it  necessary  to  genuflect  before  leaving 
the  altar  railing  after  having  received 
Holy  Communion? 

No;  it  is  not  necessary.  You  genuflect  before 
kneeling  at  the  railing,  but  not  before  you  leave. 
But,  of  course,  it  is  not  wrong  to  do  so;  and  if 
it  is  the  custom  in  your  church  you  may  adapt 
yourself.  Often,  however,  because  of  the  many 
receiving,  the  genuflection  is  disturbing  and 
annoying  at  that  time.  Just  arise  and  with 
folded  hands  and  downcast  eyes  return  to  your 
place.  Your  God  is  with  you;  you  are  one  with 
Him;    adore  Him  in  your  heart. 

For  those  who  are  interested  we  wish  to  illus- 
trate this  by  way  of  analogy.  When  the  priest 
goes  on  a  sick  call  he  takes  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment from  the  tabernacle  and  places  it,  enclosed 
in  its  sacred  case,  on  his  heart.  Then,  without 
making  any  genuflection,  which  is  unusual  when 
leaving  the  altar,  he  walks  away.  Why  is  this? 
He  is  carrying  His  Lord  with  him  and  in  spirit 


COMMUNION  87 


must  be  lovingly  adoring  Him  always.     So  it  is 
after  receiving  Holy  Communion. 

Is  biting  and  swallowing  little  pieces  of 
skin  from  the  fingers  or  blisters  from  the 
hand,  breaking  the  Eucharistic  fast? 

As  regards  the  Eucharistic  fast  before  Holy 
Communion,  it  is  broken  only  when  the  three 
following  conditions  are  realized  at  one  and  the 
same  time:  1.  It  is  required  that  the  substance 
taken,  received  into  the  stomach,  shall  come  from 
the  exterior.  2.  It  is  required  that  there  shall 
be  the  act  of  eating  or  drinking  and  not  merely 
aspiration  or  simple  swallowing  of  saliva  which 
may  have  entailed,  without  any  intention  of 
taking  nourishment,  the  absorption  of  some 
slight  amount  of  solid  or  liquid  substance. 
3.  Thirdly,  it  is  required  that  the  object  swal- 
lowed be  digestible,  even  if  it  has  no  nutritive 
value.  The  second  of  these  three  conditions  is 
presumably  not  realized  in  the  case  in  question 
and  so  the  fast  is  not  broken.  Whenever  one 
voluntarily  takes  even  a  slight  quantity  of  any- 
thing digestible  from  the  exterior,  the  fast  is 
broken.  However,  when  the  quantity  is  insig- 
nificant it  is  the  intention  alone  which  makes  of 
the  absorption  a  separate  act, — separate  from 
the  swallowing  of  saliva. 

On  this  principle  it  is,  then,  permitted,  without 
breaking  the  Eucharistic  fast,  to  wash  out  one's 
mouth,  to  put  in  false  teeth  that  are  wet  with 
water,  to  taste  wine  or  other  liquid  and  spit  it 
out  at  once,  to  gargle  the  throat,  even  though 
by  chance  some  drops  of  the  substance  may  mix 
with  the  saliva  and  pass  into  the  stomach.  Nor 
is  any  account  to  be  taken  of  an  insect,  a  drop 
of  rain,  a  snowflake,  etc.,  which  the  respiration 
may  draw,  without  premeditation,  into  the 
oesophagus,  or  of  a  drop  of  blood  or  sweat  which, 
trickling  into  the  mouth,  is  involuntarily  mixed 
with  the  saliva.     It  is  also  permitted  to  smoke. 


88  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

to  take  snuff,  to  chew  tobacco  (without  swallow- 
ing the  juice),  even  though  some  fragments  may 
mix  with  the  saliva  and  enter  the  stomach. 
However,  unless  there  be  a  legitimate  excuse,  to 
chew  tobacco  before  Holy  Communion  would  be 
a  venial  sin  because  of  the  unseemliness  of  the  act. 

To  break  this  fast  it  is  required  that  the  sub- 
stance taken  be  received  into  the  stomach  and 
also  that  the  object  swallowed  be  digestible.  So 
even  if  one  should  swallow  things  not  digestible 
it  would  not  break  the  fast.  Among  such  things 
not  digestible  we  may  mention  metals,  stone, 
glass,  dry  wood,  hair,  finger  nails  (in  spite  of  the 
contrary  opinion  of  modern  chemists),  threads 
of  silk  or  wool,  the  pit  of  fruits,  etc.  For  the  sake 
of  completeness  we  may  add  that  the  following 
are  digestible  and,  if  swallowed,  would  break  the 
fast:  pieces  of  bone,  beeswax,  earth,  chalk,  green 
wood,  linen  threads,  gum,  paper  (in  all  proba- 
bility), etc. 

If  I  swallow  blood  from  bleeding  gums 
or  lips  or  from  nosebleed,  does  it  break  the 
fast  required  before  Holy  Communion? 
How  about  chewing  gum? 

It  is  not  breaking  the  fast  to  swallow,  even 
voluntarily,  blood  that  flows  from  the  gums  or 
from  the  nose  through  the  back  of  the  mouth 
or  from  a  wound  in  the  interior  of  the  mouth  it- 
self; but  the  fast  would  be  broken  if  the  blood 
came  from  the  outside,  for  example,  from  the 
lips  or  from  the  nose  (blood  flowing  into  the  mouth 
from  the  outside).  The  reason  is  because  the 
Eucharistic  fast  is  broken  only  when  the  sub- 
stance received  into  the  stomach  shall  have 
come  from  the  exterior.  For  the  same  reason 
the  fast  is  not  broken  by  swallowing  the  frag- 
ments of  food  that  may  remain  in  the  mouth 
from  the  meal  of  the  night  before  or  by  taking 
food  or  drink  into  the  mouth  (tasting  soup, 
for  instance)  and  spitting  it  all  out  at  once. 


COMMUNION  89 


By  chewing  a  new  stick  of  gum  you  would, 
of  course,  break  your  fast  and  then  you  could 
not  go  to  Holy  Communion.  If  the  gum  were 
a  piece  you  had  chewed  thoroughly  the  day 
before,  you  would  not  break  your  fast.  But 
we  would  not  advise  you  to  chew  any  at  all. 
It  is  not  quite  decent,  and  you  might  swallow  a 
little  piece. 

Is  it  a  bad  sign  when  the  Sacred  Host 
slips  from  the  priest's  fingers  when  one 
is  about  to  receive  Holy  Communion? 
Does  this  show  that  the  person  receiving 
is  unworthy? 

It  is  not  a  bad  sign  of  any  kind,  nor  does  it 
show  that  the  person  receiving  is  unworthy. 
To  believe  anything  of  the  kind  is  the  purest 
nonsense,  if  not  actually  sinful.  It  is  something 
that  can  easily  happen  and  occasionally  does 
happen,  in  spite  of  the  greatest  care.  It  always 
pains  the  priest  when  he  drops  a  sacred  Host,  and 
he  picks  it  up  reverently  and  with  a  feeling  of 
regret,  blaming  himself  in  his  heart  for  his  care- 
lessness, even  though  he  was  as  careful  as  careful 
could  be. 

We  take  this  opportunity  to  say  that  when 
communicating  each  one  should  observe  a  number 
of  little  things.  Be  sure  to  raise  your  head — 
slightly  and  gently — far  enough  back,  but  not 
too  far — not  with  a  jerk.  Open  your  mouth  just 
moderately  wide.  Let  your  tongue  rest  naturally 
on  your  lower  lip — do  not  stick  out  your  tongue, 
as  they  say.  Keep  your  head  and  tongue  mo- 
tionless while  receiving:  do  not  bring  them 
forward  to  meet  the  Host.  Promptly  and  rev- 
erently draw  in  your  tongue  when  the  Host  has 
been  placed  upon  it.  Do  not  let  it  dissolve  in 
the  mouth,  but  swallow  it  as  soon  as  possible. 
We  may  add  that  the  Communion  paten  should 
be  held  properly  under  the  chin,  so  that  if  the 
Host  should  drop  it  may  fall  thereon. 


9o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

On  Holy  Thursday  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment is  taken  from  the  high  altar  and 
placed  in  the  tabernacle  of  a  side  altar 
that  is  beautifully  decorated.  Is  it  cus- 
tomary during  this  day  to  genuflect  on 
both  knees  on  entering  or  leaving  the 
pews? 

While  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  in  the  Reposi- 
tory, as  that  altar  is  called,  on  Holy  Thursday 
it  is  to  be  adored  as  though  it  were  publicly  ex- 
posed, e.  g.,  as  during  the  Forty  Hours.  Hence 
a  double  genuflection  is  to  be  made  upon  entering 
or  leaving  the  church. 

There  are,  by  the  way,  two  kinds  of  genuflec- 
tions. A  simple  genuflection  is  made  by  bending 
the  right  knee  to  the  floor.  The  body  should  be 
held  erect,  and  the  right  knee  should  touch  the 
floor  near  the  ankle  of  the  left  foot.  No  inclina- 
tion of  the  head  is  to  accompany  the  simple 
genuflection.  A  double  genuflection  is  made  by 
bending  first  the  right  knee  to  the  floor  and  then 
the  left,  by  kneeling  down,  in  other  words;  then 
make  a  medium  inclination  of  the  head  and 
shoulders;  then  arise,  bringing  the  left  foot  into 
position  first  and  then  the  right.  A  little  practice 
would  enable  Catholics  to  make  this  beautiful 
act  of  adoration  gracefully  and  in  a  more  worthy 
manner. 

Is  the  general  absolution  and  the  bless- 
ing which  are  given  by  the  priest  before 
distributing  Holy  Communion  intended 
only  for  those  who  communicate? 

Yes;  they  are  intended  only  for  them.  Just 
before  Holy  Communion  the  server,  in  the  name 
of  all  those  who  are  about  to  receive  Our  Lord, 
recites  the  Confiteor.  This  general  confession 
and  expression  of  sorrow  is  an  excellent  im- 
mediate preparation  for  Communion.  After  it 
has    been    made,    the   priest    gives   the   general 


COMMUNION 


9i 


absolution  and  the  blessing,  thus  praying  that 
the  Lord  God  may  purify  still  more  those  who 
are  about  to  receive  Him.  This,  however,  is  not 
a  sacramental  absolution,  as  in  confession;  it  is 
only  deprecatory,  i.  e.,  a  prayer  that  they  may 
be  forgiven.  It  produces  its  effect  to  the  extent 
in  which  the  person  concerned  is  open  to  it  inas- 
far  as  it  is  received  with  sorrow  and  in  faith. 
At  the  blessing  the  priest  makes  the  sign  of  the 
cross  over  those  about  to  communicate,  to  sig- 
nify that  as  once  the  cross  wrought  our  salvation 
so  now  in  virtue  of  the  cross  the  absolution  may 
be  more  efficacious. 

Suppose  a  person,  went  to  confession 
and  then  committed  the  sin  of  impure  ac- 
tion and  the  voluntary  and  deliberate  en- 
tertainment of  impure  thoughts.  Would 
that  person  have  to  go  to  confession  again 
and  confess  the  above  before  he  received 
Holy  Communion? 

Yes;  such  an  act  of  impurity,  being  voluntary 
and  deliberate,  is  a  mortal  sin  and  must  be  sin- 
cerely and  contritely  confessed.  Nor  would 
it  be  sufficient  to  make  an  act  of  perfect  contrition 
(sorrow  from  the  motive  of  the  love  of  God,  so 
very  good  in  Himself).  An  act  of  perfect  con- 
trition does  not  suffice  when  it  is  a  question  of 
receiving  Holy  Communion,  except  in  a  case  of 
necessity  or  when  a  confessor  cannot  be  had. 
When  in  mortal  sin  one  must  go  to  confession 
first.  Even  if  one  has  just  been  to  confession 
one  must  go  again  in  a  case  like  the  one  mentioned 
above,  saving  the  exception  just  mentioned. 

X  has  already  left  his  pew  and  is  ap- 
proaching the  Holy  Table.  At  the  Com- 
munion railing  he  recollects  that  he  is 
in  the  state  of  mortal  sin.  Is  he  obliged 
to  return  to  his  place?     May  he  not  re- 


92.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

ceive  with  an  act  of  contrition  in  order  to 
avoid  public   shame? 

This  is  one  case  in  which  the  omission  of  con- 
fession would  be  allowed.  He  should  promptly 
make  an  act  of  perfect  contrition  with  the  reso- 
lution to  confess  the  sin  as  soon  as  practicable. 
His  Communion  will  then  be  worthy.  But  we 
find  it  hard  to  imagine  how  X  could  forget  all 
about  his  sad  state,  prepare  to  go  to  Holy  Com- 
munion, and  then  suddenly  remember  it  again. 

We  think  the  questioner  wishes  to  say  X  sud- 
denly remembered  a  mortal  sin  that  he  forgot 
to  confess.  In  that  case  he  may  receive;  for  he 
is  not  in  a  state  of  mortal  sin;  forgotten  sins  are 
forgiven,  but  must  be  mentioned  in  the  next 
regular  confession. 

Or  perhaps  X  suddenly  began  to  doubt  about 
the  character  of  a  sin  committed  since  his  con- 
fession. He  is  afraid  it  may  be  a  mortal  sin. 
Must  he  leave  the  railing  without  receiving?  No. 
Only  certain  mortal  sin  on  the  soul  can  make  a 
Communion  unworthy.  He  may  communicate 
with  the  doubt. 

Must  I  have  my  confessor's  or  pastor's 
permission  to  receive  Communion  fre- 
quently or  daily  on  week  days? 

In  the  Decree  on  Receiving  Daily  the  Most 
Holy  Eucharist,  issued  Dec.  20,  1905,  we  read, 
"That  the  practice  of  frequent  and  daily  Com- 
munion may  be  carried  out  with  greater  prudence 
and  more  abundant  merit,  the  confessor's  ad- 
vice should  be  asked.  Confessors,  however,  are 
to  be  careful  not  to  dissuade  anyone  from  fre- 
quent and  daily  Communion,  provided  that  he 
is  in  a  state  of  grace  and  approaches  with  a  right 
intention. "  The  same  Decree  thus  defines  a  right 
intention.  "A  right  intention  consists  in  this: 
that  he  who  approaches  the  Holy  Table  should 
do  so,  not  out  of  routine,  or  vain  glory,  or  human 


COMMUNION  93 


respect,  but  for  the  purpose  of  pleasing  God, 
or  being  more  closely  united  with  Him  by  charity, 
and  of  seeking  this  divine  remedy  for  his  weak- 
nesses and  defects."  Nothing  could  be  more 
clear  than  this  authoritative  teaching  of  Holy 
Church. 

Accordingly,  it  would  be  well  to  ask  the  con- 
fessor's advice  occasionally,  say  at  the  beginning 
of  each  year. 

A  person  arrives  in  church,  through  no 
fault  of  his  own,  at  the  Agnus  Dei  of  the 
Mass  on  a  Sunday  and  is  unable  to  assist 
at  another  Mass.  May  he  receive  Holy 
Communion  ? 

Yes;  he  may,  if  he  is  in  the  state  of  grace,  is 
fasting,  and  approaches  the  Holy  Table  with 
devotion  and  a  right  intention.  The  state  of 
grace,  that  is,  freedom  from  mortal  sin,  and  a 
right  intention,  for  instance,  to  honor  God  and 
nourish  the  soul,  and  to  be  fasting  from  midnight 
are  the  only  three  things  necessary  for  a  most 
worthy  Communion.  Those  who  go  to  Com- 
munion often  can  prepare  themselves  well  in  a 
few  moments  in  such  a  case  of  necessity. 

May  a  person  receive  Holy  Communion 
twice  on  the  same  day? 

Your  question,  of  course,  refers  to  the  laity; 
for,  as  you  know,  when  a  priest  celebrates  two 
or  three  Masses  on  one  day  (two  when  he  binates 
on  Sundays  and  feast  days,  three  on  All  Souls' 
Day  and  on  Christmas  Day),  he  receives  Holy 
Communion  at  each  Mass.  As  regards  all,  any 
person  who  has  received  Communion  out  of  de- 
votion in  the  morning  may,  in  danger  of  death, 
receive  again  during  the  same  day  in  the  form  of 
Holy  Viaticum,  in  which  case  the  person  need 
not  be  fasting.  Relative  to  this  matter  Canon 
Law  says  that,  even  if  they  have  been  nourished 
with  Holy  Communion  that  same  day,  it  is  greatly 


^4  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

to  be  desired  that,  in  danger  of  death,  they  com- 
municate again. 

If  I  am  uncertain  whether  I  swallowed 
this  or  that  after  midnight  or  if  I  am 
uncertain  whether  it  was  after  midnight 
or  not,  may  I  receive  Holy  Communion 
in  the  morning? 

You  are  obliged  to  refrain  from  receiving  Holy 
Communion  only  when  you  are  certain  that  you 
have  taken  something  after  midnight.  So  long 
as  doubt  exists,  whether  concerning  the  fact  of 
having  eaten  or  drunk,  or  concerning  the  exact 
moment  (before  or  after  midnight),  it  is  permis- 
sible to  receive  Communion.  But,  of  course,  this 
does  not  mean  that  it  is  permitted  during  the 
night  to  neglect  to  ascertain  the  time,  to  take 
some  food  or  drink,  and  then  to  allege  ignorance 
as  a  justification  for  receiving  Communion. 
Before  taking  the  food  or  drink  you  must,  for 
reasons  that  are  at  least  probable,  have  con- 
cluded that  it  is  not  yet  midnight. 

It  is  permissible  to  receive  Communion  even 
though,  on  awakening,  we  recall  that  when  we 
went  to  bed  we  took  a  cough  lozenge  and  are  not 
certain  that  it  was  entirely  absorbed  before  mid- 
night; or  if  it  is  quite  certain  that  the  lozenge, 
though  kept  in  the  mouth  all  night,  is  still  prac- 
tically intact. 

To  your  other  question  we  must  answer:  Yes; 
beeswax  is  digestible  and  is,  therefore,  con- 
sidered as  food.  Hence,  to  swallow  wax  means 
to  break  the  fast. 

Certain  relatives  say  that  the  reason  my 
husband  and  I  go  to  confession  and  Holy 
Communion  so  frequently  is  because  we 
must  be  awful  sinners  ?  Shall  we  listen  to 
them  and  stop  going? 

Absolutely  no!  Let  them  talk.  Go  to  the 
Sacraments   devoutly   as   often   as   you   can,   to 


COMMUNION 


95 


Communion  at  least  every  two  weeks,  every 
week  if  possible,  and  even  every  day  if  you  can. 
It  is  what  our  dear  Lord  and  His  holy  Church 
ardently  desire.  They  may  say  that  you  just 
want  to  ''show  off."  It  is  indeed  a  wonderful 
way  of  "showing  off,"  if  we  consider  that  as 
giving  a  good  example  to  others  and  of  encourag- 
ing timid  souls  that  are  kept  from  the  Holy 
Table  by  human  respect.  It  is  also  a  splendid 
way  of  "showing  off"  to  the  Divine  Savior,  of 
showing  Him  how  glad  we  are  to  follow  His 
invitation  to  receive  Him  frequently,  how  happy 
we  are  to  come  to  Him  because  He  wants  us  to, 
and  how  much  we  feel  the  need  of  receiving  this 
"antidote  whereby  we  are  cleansed  from  daily 
faults  and  preserved  from  deadly  sins." 

They  say  you  must  be  "awful  sinners."  Well, 
we  who  communicate  daily  are  the  first  to  admit 
that  we  are  sinners.  We  realize  our  sinfulness, 
our  weakness,  our  inborn  inclination  to  evil. 
And  just  because  of  this  vivid  Christian  realiza- 
tion we  make  haste  to  receive  the  Bread  of  the 
strong  frequently  or  daily.  And  the  result  is 
that,  though  frequent  communicants  are  sinners 
indeed,  mortal  sin  rarely  or  never  defiles  their 
souls,  and  in  the  sight  of  God  and  His  holy  angels 
they  are  the  purest  of  the  pure. 

Those  who  go  to  confession  and  Communion 
oftenest  are  the  best,  the  purest,  and  the  holiest 
people  in  the  world. 

I  was  taught  that  if  one  is  in  doubt  as 
to  whether  or  not  he  committed  a  mortal 
sin,  he  could  go  to  Communion;  for  it  is 
perhaps  the  devil  who  is  tempting  him,  to 
keep  him  away  from  the  Holy  Table.  Is 
that  true? 

With  reference  to  God-fearing  souls,  those 
that  have  a  delicate  conscience  and  are  habitually 
in  a  state  of  never  wishing  to  commit  a  grave  sin, 


96  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

St.  Alphonsus  teaches  that  the  doubt  alone  of 
having  sinned  mortally,  is  a  certain  sign  that  they 
have  not  sinned;  and  he  applies  to  them  these 
words  of  the  Savior  to  St.  Teresa:  "No  one  loses 
Me"  (by  mortal  sin)  "without  knowing  it  for 
certain."    (Theol.  mor.  lib.  vi,  n.  476.) 

Furthermore,  the  Council  of  Trent  has  not 
forbidden  Holy  Communion,  whether  it  be  re- 
ceived rarely,  frequently,  or  daily,  to  those  that 
doubt,  but  only  to  those  that  are  certain,  that  are 
conscious  of  having  committed  mortal  sin.  This 
is  also  the  teaching  of  St.  Alphonsus :  "If  a  person 
is  in  doubt  as  to  having  sinned  mortally  or  not, 
he  may  lawfully  approach  the  Holy  Table  with- 
out confessing,  let  the  doubt  be  negative  or  posi- 
tive, that  is,  whether  there  is  or  is  not  a  serious 
reason  for  the  doubt."  In  order  the  more  surely 
to  receive  the  fruit  of  the  Sacrament  it  suffices  to 
make  an  act  of  perfect  contrition;  for  the  pre- 
scription of  the  Apostle,  "Let  a  man  prove  him- 
self," by  which  we  understand  that  confession 
is  commanded,  binds  only,  so  the  Council  of 
Trent  tells  us,  those  who  are  conscious,  that  is  to 
say,  certain  of  mortal  sin  committed  and  not 
confessed.  "The  precept  of  the  Apostle,  then," 
says  St.  Alphonsus,  "is  imposed  only  on  him  who 
has  consciousness,  that  is,  who  is  certain  of  his 
sin." 

However,  in  case  of  a  real  doubt,  if  you  are 
not  scrupulous,  it  were  evidently  better  to  confess 
before  communicating,  if  it  could  be  conveniently 
done.  But  if  you  could  not  easily  go  to  confession 
and  it  were  a  question  of  communicating  with  the 
doubt  or  remaining  away  from  the  Holy  Table, 
then  it  were  better  to  communicate  with  the 
doubt.  In  such  a  case  make  acts  of  perfect 
contrition;  if  mortal  sin  should  be  on  the  soul, 
it  will  then  be  forgiven  because  of  your  perfect 
contrition. 

In  order  to  avoid   all   misunderstanding,   we 


COMMUNION  97 


here  repeat  that  in  case  of  mortal  sin  of  which 
one  is  certain,  though  perfect  contrition  would 
blot  it  out  indeed,  still  one  may  not  go  to  Com- 
munion before  going  to  confession.  Such  is  the 
strict  precept  of  the  Church. 

Is  it  a  sin  for  one  who  is  in  a  state  of 
mortal  sin  to  make  a  spiritual  com- 
munion ? 

Spiritual  communion  is  the  desire  to  receive 
Christ  sacramentaily.  Since  He  cannot  at  the 
moment  be  so  received,  the  soul  beseeches  the 
Savior  to  come  spiritually  instead,  that  is,  in 
love  and  heavenly  condescension.  Strictly  speak- 
ing, only  members  of  the  Church  militant  can 
thus  communicate  spiritually.  It  is  a  very 
meritorious  and  most  commendable  practice  often 
to  make  spiritual  communions. 

Even  one  who  is  in  mortal  sin  can  make  a  sort 
of  spiritual  communion,  as  is  easy  enough  to 
understand,  for  also  a  sinner  may  have  an  earnest 
desire  to  be  united  with  Christ  and  even  to 
receive  Him  in  the  Sacrament  (after  first  having 
gone  to  confession) .  Of  course,  the  state  of  mortal 
sin  makes  this  impossible,  nor  can  he  really 
acquire  the  benefits  of  spiritual  communion, 
though  this  pious  wish  will  not  be  without  some 
benefit  to  his  soul. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  the  statement  that  the 
spiritual  communion  of  one  not  in  the  state  of 
grace  is  a  sin,  because  it  is  an  unworthy  Com- 
munion, is,  if  not  positively  ridiculous,  at  least 
manifestily  untenable.  For  the  sinner  who 
actually  longs  for  the  reception  of  the  Eucharist 
does  not  want  to  receive  Jesus  into  his  heart, 
stained  as  it  at  the  moment  is.  He  yearns  for  a 
reception  that  will  bring  him  blessings.  His 
desire  proceeds  from  a  very  good  motive.  He 
does  not  think  at  all  of  .the  state  of  grace  necessary 
for  the  reception  of  the  Sacrament  itself;     or  if 


98  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

he  does  think  of  it  his  earnest  desire  for  the 
Sacrament  is  at  the  same  time  directed  to  the 
recovery  of  the  state  of  grace.  (Heinrich,  Dog. 
Theol.,  Vol.  XI,  Bk.  5,  §550.) 

In  short,  it  is  no  sin  for  one  not  in  the  state  of 
grace  to  make  a  spiritual  communion. 

Why  do  Jesus  Christ  and  the  Church 
desire  all  the  faithful  to  communicate 
frequently,   even  daily? 

Our  dear  Lord  and  His  Holy  Church  so  ar- 
dently desire  it  because  in  thus  uniting  themselves 
to  God  by  His  Sacrament  the  faithful  find  therein 
the  pardon  of  their  venial  sins,  the  strength  to 
resist  their  passions,  and  preservation  against 
the  grave  sins  to  which  human  nature  is  exposed. 

Let  us  repeat,  since  in  a  matter  so  all  important 
repetition  is  not  tedious.  In  the  Decree  on  Daily 
Communion,  issued  in  1905,  we  learn  the  will  of 
the  Savior  in  this  matter,  speaking  through  His 
Holy  Church.  Therein  we  read:  "Frequent  and 
daily  Communion,  as  a  thing  most  ardently  de- 
sired by  Christ  Our  Lord  and  by  the  Holy  Catho- 
lic Church,  should  be  open  to  all  the  faithful,  of 
whatever  rank  and  condition  of  life;  so  that  no 
one  who  is  in  the  state  of  grace,  and  who  ap- 
proaches the  Holy  Table  with  a  right  intention, 
can  lawfully  be  hindered  therefrom."  This  right 
intention  consists  in  approaching  the  Holy  Table 
not  through  routine,  nor  through  vanity,  nor 
through  any  other  human  motive,  but  with  the 
aim  to  please  God  and  to  unite  ourselves  more 
closely  to  Him  by  charity,  to  apply  a  remedy  to 
our  spiritual  infirmities,  and  to  correct  our  de- 
fects. We  may  add  that  these  two  dispositions, 
the  state  of  grace  and  the  right  intention,  which 
are  required  for  every  Communion,  whether  once 
a  year  or  once  a  month,  are  equally  sufficient  for 
frequent  and  daily  Communion;  and  only  one 
thing  is  absolutely  necessary  for  a  worthy  Com- 


COMMUNION  99 


munion — the  state  of  grace.  The  soul  in  the 
grace  of  God  cannot  make  a  sacrilegious  Com- 
munion. But,  of  course,  good  Catholics  do  not 
rest  content  with  that;  they  also  wish  to  make 
their  Communions  as  devout  and  fruitful  as 
possible. 

In  connection  with  this  it  is  well  to  recall  the 
effects  which  Holy  Communion  produces  by  itself. 
Holy  Communion  (1)  brings  about  the  real  and 
intimate  union  of  our  soul  with  Jesus  Christ. 
It  (2)  increases  grace  and  charity  within  us. 
It  (3)  remits  all  venial  sins  to  which  we  have  not 
an  actual  affection.  It  (4)  remits,  in  whole  or  in 
part,  the  punishment  due  to  past  sins,  according 
to  the  greater  or  less  fervor  with  which  we  ap- 
proach the  Sacrament.  It  (5)  preserves  us  from 
the  curse  of  mortal  sin — the  only  thing  that  can 
cause  us  to  be  lost. 

So  we  conclude  as  we  began.  We  should  re- 
ceive Communion  frequently  and  even  daily  in 
order  that,  thus  united  with  God,  we  may  derive 
strength  to  resist  our  sensual  passions,  to  cleanse 
ourselves  from  our  daily  faults,  and  to  avoid 
those  graver  sins  to  which  human  frailty  is  liable. 
This  is  the  primary  reason  for  daily  approach 
to  the  Sacred  Banquet;  for  the  Eucharist,  as 
the  Council  of  Trent  says,  is  "the  antidote 
whereby  we  are  delivered  from  daily  faults  and 
preserved  from  deadly  sins." 

May  one  go  to  Holy  Communion  if  one 
had  an  impure  dream  during  night  while 
asleep  ? 

A  person  who  is  asleep  certainly  cannot  sin, 
since  there  can  be  no  real  consent  of  the  will. 
So  in  the  case  you  mention  no  sin  is  committed. 
Hence  there  is  no  reason  why  the  occurrence 
should  keep  one  from  Holy  Communion. 

Whatever  of  this  nature  takes  place  when  asleep 
is  no  sin  at  all.    If  it  occurs  when  half-awake  or 


ioo  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

if  one  is  awakened  by  the  carnal  sensations,  it  is 
ordinarily  no  sin  either  and  certainly  no  mortal 
sin,  since  there  is  neither  sufficient  reflection  nor, 
as  we  suppose,  full  consent  of  the  will.  The  best 
way  to  deal  with  these  things  is  to  ignore  their 
coming  and  going  as  much  as  possible  and  to 
turn  the  mind  quietly  into  other  and  honorable 
channels.  Involuntary  impure  feelings,  thoughts, 
desires,  imaginations,  and  impulses  are  only 
sources  of  great  merit  for  the  pure  souls  that 
keep  close  and  true  to  God,  no  matter  how 
violently  and  persistently  they  may  be  tempted 
to  unlawful  delights  of  the  flesh. 

It  may  happen  that  such  dreams  and  carnal 
sensations,  entirely  involuntary  and  guiltless  as 
they  are  under  the  supposition,  nevertheless,  ow- 
ing to  the  powerful  manner  in  which  they  enlist 
the  entire  nervous  system  and  whatever  stands 
in  close  relation  to  it,  have  a  tendency  to  make 
their  subject  depressed  and  uneasy  of  mind  for 
fear  of  having  in  some  degree  or  other  given 
consent  to  the  violent  commotions  of  sensuous 
pleasure  one  could  not  help  experiencing.  But, 
supposing  the  subject  to  be  habitually  conscienti- 
ous in  practicing  holy  purity,  as  long  as  one  is 
not  completely  sure  of  having  yielded  to  the 
pleasure  (when  half-awake,  for  instance)  consci- 
ously and  unresistingly,  one  need  not  entertain 
any  worry  regarding  the  matter;  nor  need  one 
mention  a  word  about  it  in  confession  or  allude 
to  it  in  any  manner  at  all.  However,  in  such  a 
case  one  will  do  well  by  humiliating  oneself  before 
God  and  making  an  act  of  perfect  contrition  for 
all  one's  sins.  Then,  in  case  one  was  guilty  of 
some  lighter  or  grosser  venial  sin  in  the  matter, 
for  having  to  a  degree  invited,  or  for  having  been 
somewhat  remiss  or  tardy  in  banishing,  the  un- 
chaste allurement,  it  will  be  forgiven  at  once. 

It  is  highly  advisable  to  be  more  recollected 
than  ever  in  the  morning,  to  keep  one's  thoughts 


COMMUNION  101 


more  steadily  fixed  on  God,  to  make  many 
ejaculatory  prayers,  and  thus  to  offset  the  effects 
of  the  disagreeable  dreams  or  occurrences.  In 
this  way  one  can  approach  the  Holy  Table  with 
even  greater  humility,  longing,  and  fervent  love 
of  God,  Whom  we  receive  because  He  wants  us 
to  and,  also  and  primarily,  in  order  to  overcome 
our  sensual  passions,  to  cleanse  ourselves  from 
daily  faults  and  to  preserve  ourselves  from 
deadly  sin. 

When  we  receive  Holy  Communion  we 
receive  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Jesus  Christ ; 
but  do  we  also  receive  God  the  Father  and 
God  the  Holy  Ghost? 

The  Council  of  Trent,  speaking  of  the  Holy 
Eucharist,  says:  "This  faith  has  ever  been  in 
the  Church  of  God,  that  immediately  after  the 
consecration  the  veritable  Body  of  our  Lord  and 
His  veritable  Blood,  together  with  His  Soul  and 
Divinity,  are  under  the  species  of  bread  and  wine; 
but  the  Body  indeed  under  the  species  of  bread, 
and  the  Blood  under  the  species  of  wine,  by  the 
force  of  the  words ;  but  the  Body  itself  under  the 
species  of  wine,  and  the  Blood  under  the  species 
of  bread,  and  the  Soul  under  both,  by  the  force 
of  that  natural  connection  and  concomitance 
whereby  the  parts  of  Christ  our  Lord,  Who 
hath  now  risen  from  the  dead  to  die  no  more, 
are  united  together;  and  the  Divinity,  further- 
more, on  account  of  the  admirable  Hypostatic 
Union  thereof  with  His  Body  and  Soul." 

Now,  because  the  Divinity  is  present,  the 
Father,  too,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  are  present. 
But,  as  can  be  deduced  from  the  closing  words 
of  the  above  quotation,  they  are  not  present  by 
concomitance  in  virtue  of  the  words  of  consecra- 
tion. The  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost 
are  all  three  present  in  the  Holy  Eucharist  by 
virtue  of  the  divine  attribute  of  omnipresence, 


ioi  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

by  their  consubstantiality,  and,  more  especially, 
by  virtue  of  Trinitarian  Perichoresis  or  mutual 
inexistence.  As  only  the  Son  assumed  flesh  and 
blood  in  the  Hypostatic  Union  He  alone  is  present 
with  flesh  and  blood  such  as  the  sacramental 
species  signify;  the  other  two  Divine  Persons 
are  not  sacramentally  present;  they  are  present 
because  all  three  Persons  are  omnipresent,  con- 
substantial,  and  mutually  inexistent.  In  this 
way  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost  are  also  re- 
ceived.   (See  Pohle-Preuss:  The  Holy  Eucharist.) 

I  have  heard  it  said  in  a  sermon  on  Holy 
Communion  that  one  should  be  careful 
to  swallow  the  Host  immediately  after 
receiving.  "Swallow  it  as  soon  as  you  can. 
Do  not  let  it  dissolve  entirely  in  the 
mouth.' '     Why  is  this  advice  given? 

The  reason  is  evident.  Though  we  may  hear 
contrary  opinions,  still  we  may  state  in  the  words 
of  The  Ecclesiastical  Review  for  May,  1932:  "All 
theologians  affirm  that,  in  order  to  receive  the 
sacramental  effects  of  the  Holy  Eucharist,  a  person 
must  swallow  the  Sacred  Host  before  it  has  been 
entirely  dissolved  in  the  mouth.  See  Tanquery 
(Tractatus  de  Eucharistia,  Cap.  II  de  Sacramento 
Eucharist iae,  Art.  I  de  existentia  et  natura  huius 
sacrament i,  last  corrollary)."  The  passage  re- 
ferred to  is  as  follows  in  English:  "In  order  that 
the  Sacrament  may  be  truly  received,  it  is  neces- 
sary that  the  consecrated  species  reach  the 
stomach  before  they  are  dissolved;  for  since  this 
Sacrament  has  been  instituted  by  way  of  nourish- 
ment, it  follows  the  laws  of  material  refection; 
one  must  accordingly  be  careful  lest  the  sacred 
species  dissolve  in  the  mouth." 

Hence,  according  to  this  opinion,  though  there 
are  some  who  maintain  the  contrary,  he  does  not 
receive  the  Sacrament  validly  who  allows  the 
Sacred  Particle  to  dissolve  wholly  in  the  mouth. 


COMMUNION  103 


By  this  we  mean  that  he  does  not  really  receive 
Communion  at  all,  as  regards  its  effects.  It  is 
well,  therefore,  always  to  bear  this  matter  in 
mind.  As  regards  the  sick,  help  them  to  swallow 
the  Host  at  once  by  giving  them  a  sip  or  two  of 
water.  Those  who  have  the  privilege  of  baking 
the  altar  breads  should  be  careful  not  to  make 
the  hosts  so  thin  that  they  dissolve  almost  as 
soon  as  they  touch  the  tongue.  In  view  of  the 
above  explanation,  the  matter  becomes  one  of 
no  little  importance. 

The  Savior  said:  "Take  and  eat."  Eating 
implies  the  swallowing  of  the  food.  The  Real 
Presence  is  then  actually  with  you,  or,  better,  you 
are  transformed  into  Him,  one  with  your  God, 
for  at  least  half  an  hour,  ordinarily. 

What  should  one  do  if  a  child  takes  a 
little  something  to  eat  in  the  morning 
and  then  nevertheless  goes  to  Holy  Com- 
munion ? 

Children  are  often  very  thoughtless  and  may 
do  such  a  thing  without  thinking  that  there  is 
anything  wrong  about  it.  They  should  then  be 
kindly  admonished,  carefully  instructed  anew, 
and  told  that  if  ever  they  break  the  fast  before 
Holy  Communion  they  should  simply  say  so  and 
remain  away  from  the  Holy  Table  that  morning. 
If  it  is  found  that  the  child  was  quite  innocent 
in  the  case,  he  need  not  confess  the  matter. 
But  if  he  was  in  doubt,  or  if  there  is  reason  to 
think  that  now  that  he  has  been  informed  he 
may  begin  to  worry  about  the  matter  and  imagine 
that  he  has  committed  a  terrible  sin,  it  would  be 
well  for  his  peace  of  heart  prudently  to  induce 
him  to  tell  about  it  in  confession  before  going  to 
Holy  Communion  again.  Assure  him  that  the 
priest  will  not  scold.  Children  sometimes  go  on 
in  uneasiness  and  anguish  of  mind  for  years  and 
years  because  they  committed,  or  think  they  com- 


io4  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

mittedy  this  grave  sin  and  were  (and  are)  afraid 
to  tell  it.  They  feel  that  they  are  committing 
sacrileges  every  time  they  receive  the  Sacraments 
and  yet  they  receive  them.  This  is  deplorable. 
Often  enough  this  trouble  begins  on  First  Com- 
munion Day.  It  is  very  important  to  instruct 
such  little  ones  that  if  they  break  the  fast  they 
should  not  hesitate  to  tell  it  before  they  receive. 
No  one  will  blame  them.  Then  the  pastor  should 
be  informed  and  his  advice  and  arrangements 
followed.  Yes;  make  it  plain  to  the  little  ones 
that  it  is  no  disgrace  to  be  obliged  to  say  "I 
broke  the  fast"  and  to  stay  away  from  Com- 
munion on  that  day.  Ask  them  to  be  sure  to 
tell  even  if  it  happens  on  First  Communion  Day. 
Tell  them  that  if  this  should  happen  the  priest 
will  know  how  to  arrange  things  nicely  for  them, 
and  that  it  would  displease  Jesus  if  they  would 
not  at  once  tell  mother,  for  instance,  or  Sister. 

Because  of  throat  trouble  which  leaves 
my  mouth  so  dry,  I  have  great  difficulty 
in  swallowing  the  Host  after  receiving 
Holy  Communion.  May  I  take  a  sip  of 
water  after  receiving  or,  for  instance,  a 
pinch  of  salt  to  start  the  saliva  flowing? 
Would  that  be  breaking  the  Eucharistic 
fast? 

Yes;  you  may  take  something,  as  you  suggest, 
though  it  would  be  well  to  do  so  unnoticed,  in 
order  not  to  give  possible  scandal.  Be  careful 
not  to  touch  the  Host  with  the  finger  or  glass. 
No;  that  would  not  be  breaking  the  fast.  That 
which  is  taken  together  with  the  sacred  species 
does  not  break  the  fast.  Thus,  for  instance, 
Holy  Communion  is  often  given  to  the  sick,  also 
to  those  not  seriously  sick,  with  a  little  wine  or 
water.  Again,  on  Good  Friday  the  priest  con- 
sumes a  particle  of  the  Host  together  with  wine 
(not  consecrated  on  this  day).    It  may,  of  course, 


COMMUNION  105 


happen  that  in  the  two  instances  just  mentioned 
the  water  or  wine  enter  the  stomach  before  the 
sacred  species;  but  that  would  not  be  wrong  in 
such  cases  nor  would  it  be  breaking  the  fast. 
(Cf.  Noldin  III,  151,  17th  Ed.) 

After  Communion  everything  is  to  be  avoided 
that  is  not  in  keeping  with  the  respect  demanded 
by  the  Presence  of  Our  Lord.  It  is  proper,  in 
particular,  to  refrain  from  spitting,  or  from  eating 
and  drinking,  for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  that  is, 
during  the  time  usually  consecrated  to  thanks- 
giving. There  might  be  a  sin  in  the  case  of 
spitting,  if  there  were  any  danger  of  ejecting 
portions  of  the  consecrated  species, — a  very 
improbable  thing.  As  for  eating  and  drinking, 
all  authors  agree  that  any  reason  (faintness, 
fatigue,  a  journey  to  be  made  at  once,  the  ob- 
servance of  the  rule  of  a  community,  etc.)  is 
sufficient  to  justify  eating  or  drinking  immedi- 
ately after  Holy  Communion.  In  other  words, 
there  would  be  no  irreverence  and  no  sin  what- 
soever. 

In  this  place  where  we  have  no  resident 
priest  it  was  very  much  left  to  me  to  in- 
struct and  prepare  my  little  son,  seven 
and  a  half  years  old,  for  his  first  Holy 
Communion.  I  used  a  little  book  called 
4 'Our  First  Communion,"  by  Father  Kelly, 
and  also  taught  him  the  simple  meaning 
of  the  Commandments,  the  Sacraments, 
etc.  Do  you  not  think  that  was  enough? 
I  intend  to  keep  on  instructing  my  boy 
more  fully  as  he  grows  older. 

We  are  sure  it  was  quite  sufficient.  You  have 
a  real  Catholic  understanding  of  your  duties  as 
a  mother  and  are  evidently  doing  all  things  well. 

By  way  of  instruction  we  may  say  that  little 
children  who  are  to  be  admitted  to  First  Com- 
munion should  be  taught  the  Sign  of  the  Cross, 


106  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

the  Our  Father,  and  the  Hail  Mary,  care  being 
taken  that  they  make  the  Sign  of  the  Cross 
correctly  and  pronounce  the  words  of  these 
prayers  distinctly.  It  is  not  necessary  that  they 
then  learn  by  heart  the  Apostles'  Creed,  the  Act 
of  Contrition,  and  the  Sacraments,  though  they 
should  study  them  and  these  should  be  explained. 
A  fuller  knowledge  is  to  be  obtained  as  they  grow 
older.  With  the  aid  of  a  Catechism  and  a  Bible 
History  and  simple  explanations  and  illustrations 
the  little  child  preparing  for  First  Communion 
is  to  be  taught  that  God  made  him;  who  God  is; 
why  God  created  him;  how  God  rewards  and 
punishes;  where  God  is;  that  He  had  no  begin- 
ning; that  He  sees  all  things;  that  God  is  one 
by  unity  of  nature  in  three  distinct  Persons; 
that  the  Second  Person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity  was 
made  man;  how  and  when  He  was  made  man; 
why  He  was  made  man;  how  Jesus  Christ  re- 
deemed us.  Then  the  child  should  be  taught  what 
a  Sacrament  is;  what  the  Sacrament  of  Baptism 
did  to  him;  what  Sacrament  he  is  now  going  to 
receive.  He  should  be  taught  what  the  Sacrament 
of  Penance  is;  what  five  things  are  necessary  to 
receive  it  rightly;  what  sins  must  be  confessed. 
He  must  be  taught  that  the  Holy  Eucharist  is 
the  Sacrament  of  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Jesus 
Christ;  that  Jesus  Christ,  as  God,  is  everywhere, 
and  that  as  God  and  man  He  is  in  heaven  and  in 
the  Holy  Eucharist;  that  Holy  Communion 
means  to  receive  Jesus  Christ  Himself,  really  and 
truly  present  in  the  Sacrament  of  the  Holy 
Eucharist;  that  he  should  wish  to  go  to  Holy 
Communion  because  Jesus  Christ  loves  him  and 
therefore  desires  him  to  come  and  because  he 
loves  Jesus  and  therefore  earnestly  desires  to 
receive  Him;  that  to  receive  Holy  Communion 
rightly  he  must  be  in  the  state  of  grace,  that  is, 
of  friendship  with  God,  must  be  fasting  from  mid- 
night until  the  moment  of  Communion,  and  must 


COMMUNION  107 


make  a  careful  preparation  and  a  good  thanks- 
giving. 

That  preparation  and  thanksgiving  may  be 
very  simple  for  little  children.  One  may  read 
the  acts  to  them  slowly  and  get  them  to  repeat 
them  after  him.  Such  prayers  are  found  in  many 
excellent  little  books  written  for  this  purpose. 
Cardinal  Gennari  in  his  Commentary  on  the 
Decree  of  Pope  Pius  X  on  First  Communion 
suggests  the  following  acts: 

BEFORE  HOLY  COMMUNION 

An  Act  of  Faith:  O  good  Jesus,  I  firmly  believe 
all  that  Thou  hast  said  to  me  through  Thy 
Church,  especially  that  Thou  are  really  and 
truly  present  in  the  Consecrated  Host. 

An  Act  of  Hope:  O  good  Jesus,  trusting  in 
Thy  goodness  and  Thy  promises,  I  hope  to  re- 
ceive from  Thee  grace,  all  good  things  needful, 
and  eternal  life. 

An  Act  of  Charity:  Because  Thou  art  infinitely 
good  I  love  Thee,  Jesus,  with  all  my  heart  and 
soul  and  strength. 

An  Act  of  Contrition:  O  my  God,  I  repent  of 
all  my  sins  because  they  have  deserved  Thy 
punishments,  but  especially  because  they  have 
offended  Thy  infinite  goodness. 

An  Act  of  Humility:  O  good  Jesus,  I  am  Thy 
creature,  full  of  misery  and  sin  and  unworthy 
to  receive  Thee. 

An  Act  of  Desire:  O  good  Jesus,  I  earnestly 
desire  to  receive  Thee  into  my  heart;  come  to 
me  quickly  and  do  not  delay. 

AFTER  HOLY  COMMUNION 

An  Act  of  Adoration:  I  adore  Thee,  O  good 
Jesus  present  in  my  soul,  I  humble  myself  be- 
fore Thee.  I  am  astonished  at  Thy  wonderful 
goodness. 

An  Act  of  Gratitude:  O  good  Jesus,  how  can  I 
thank  Thee  properly?   I  offer  Thee  all  the  thanks- 


io8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

givings  of  Thy  saints,  especially  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  and  of  all  who  love  Thee. 

Should  a  person  stay  away  from  the 
Sacraments  because  he  is  always  troubled 
with  impure  thoughts,  even  about  holy 
things,  and  when  going  to  the  Sacraments, 
although  he  tries  hard  to  lead  a  good  life? 

In  that  excellent  little  book  called  Vain  Fears 
and  published  by  The  Sentinel  Press,  194  East 
76th  St.,  New  York  City,  there  is  an  answer  to 
a  similar  question  regarding  the  frequent  or  daily 
reception  of  Holy  Communion.  We  here  repro- 
duce that  answer  in  full,  at  the  same  time  heartily 
recommending  the  book  itself  to  all,  especially 
to  such  as  have  vain  fears.    The  quotation  follows. 

Let  us  examine  this  difficulty  in  its  several  lights. 

In  the  first  place,  you  do  not  communicate 
every  day,  nor  even  frequently,  on  account  of  the 
great  temptations  that  assail  you. 

I  reply :  Precisely  because  Satan  prowls  around 
you  like  a  roaring  lion,  tempting  you  against 
faith,  purity,  etc.,  you  have  all  the  more  need, 
by  frequent  and  daily  Communion,  to  "put  on 
the  armor  of  God  that  you  may  be  able  to  stand 
against  the  deceits  of  the  devil"  (Ephes.  6:11). 
In  effect,  this  Sacrament,  being  a  sign  of  the 
Passion  of  Christ,  by  whom  the  demons  have 
been  vanquished,  triumphs  over  all  his  assaults 
(St.  Thorn.  III.  q.  lxxix,  art.  6).  Therefore,  St. 
Chrysostom  says:  "When  we  have  participated 
in  the  Divine  Banquet,  we  become  terrible  to  the 
demons  as  lions  breathing  flame"  (In  Joan, 
horn.  45). 

If,  then,  in  spite  of  your  frequent,  and  even 
daily,  Communion  Satan  does  not  desist  from 
tempting  you,  will  he  not  attack  you  with  still 
greater  fury  should  you  abstain  from  a  Sacra- 
ment which  is  so  dreaded  by  him? 

But  you  say,  my  temptations  attack  me  with 


COMMUNION  109 


redoubled  violence  on  the  eve  of  my  Communions 
and  even  at  the  moment  of  receiving  the  Holy 
Eucharist. — I  believe  what  you  say,  and  I  am 
not  astonished  at  it.  The  demon,  well  knowing 
the  effects  of  the  Holy  Eucharist,  fears  you  after 
you  have  fed  on  that  Divine  Food;  hence,  his 
rage  and  his  efforts  to  keep  you  away  from  the 
"living  Bread  come  down  from  heaven"  (Joan. 
6:51),  the  pledge  of  our  victories,  and  the  cause 
of  his  own  defeats. 

See,  O  Christian  soul,  with  what  good  reason 
the  author  of  the  golden  book  of  the  Imitation 
of  Christ  says:  "When  some  are  disposed  to 
prepare  themselves  for  the  Sacred  Communion, 
they  suffer  the  worst  assaults  and  illusions  of 
Satan.  That  wicked  spirit  himself,  as  it  is  written 
in  Job,  cometh  among  the  sons  of  God  to  trouble 
them  with  his  accustomed  malice,  or  to  make 
them  over-fearful  and  perplexed;  that  so  he  may 
diminish  their  devotion,  or  by  his  assault,  take 
away  their  faith,  if  haply  they  may  altogether 
forbear  Communion,  or  approach  with  tepidity" 
(Bk.  iv,  10:2),  that  is,  by  neglecting  to  combat 
their  distractions. 

And  you,  O  Christian  soul,  would  you  by 
yielding  to  his  perfidious  suggestions  abandon 
daily  Communion?  Woe  to  you  if  you  realize 
the  desires  of  your  implacable  enemy!  On  the 
contrary:  "Not  the  least  regard  must  be  paid 
to  his  wiles  and  suggestions,  be  they  ever  so 
shameful  and  abominable;  but  all  such  imagi- 
nations are  to  be  turned  back  upon  his  own  head. 
The  wretch  must  be  contemned  and  scorned; 
nor  is  Holy  Communion  to  be  omitted  on  account 
of  any  assault  and  commotions  which  he  may 
awaken"   (Ibid). 

Again,  you  say:  "I  am  afraid  to  communicate 
badly,  by  approaching  the  Holy  Table  in  the 
midst  of  temptations  so  violent."  I  reply  that, 
your  fear  is  not  only  vain,  but  still  more,  dia- 


i  to  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

bolical.  A  vain  fear,  for  what  are  the  most  hor- 
rible temptations  if  we  do  not  wish  them,  if  we 
endure  them  against  our  will?  Are  they  sins? 
Quite  the  contrary,  they  are  for  us  an  increase 
of  grace  and  merit. 

And  it  is  by  communicating  with  this  increase 
of  grace  and  merit  that  you  fear  to  do  so  un- 
worthily? Oh,  what  a  vain  fear!  what  a  chimerical 
fear!  You  may  fear  to  communicate  unworthily 
only  when  you  are  certain,  that  is,  when  you  can 
swear,  that  you  have  consented  to  these  grave 
temptations,  and  that  you  are  thereby  in  the 
state  of  mortal  sin. 

Still  more,  it  is  a  diabolical  fear,  for,  I  repeat: 
"The  enemy,  knowing  the  very  great  fruit  and 
remedy  contained  in  the  Holy  Communion, 
striveth  by  every  method  and  occasion,  as  far 
as  he  is  able,  to  withdraw  and  hinder  faithful 
and  devout  souls  from  It"  (Ibid). 

Christian  soul,  turn  indignantly  against  the 
tempter  and  say  to  him:  "Begone,  unclean 
spirit!  Be  ashamed,  miserable  wretch!  Most 
unclean  art  thou  to  suggest  such  things  in  my 
ears!  Depart  from  me,  thou  most  wicked  se- 
ducer, thou  shalt  have  no  part  in  me.  But  Jesus 
(Whom  I  desire  to  receive  daily  in  spite  of  thee) 
will  be  with  me  as  a  valiant  warrior,  and  thou 
shalt  stand  confounded.  I  prefer  to  die,  and  to 
undergo  any  torment  whatsoever,  rather  than 
consent  to  thee.  Hold  thy  peace  and  be  silent. 
I  will  hear  thee  no  further,  although  thou  many 
times  molest  me.  The  Lord  (Who  daily  nourishes 
me  with  His  immaculate  Flesh)  is  my  light  and 
my  salvation.  Whom  shall  I  fear?  If  armies 
should  stand  together  against  me,  my  heart  shall 
not  fear.  The  Lord  (Whom  in  Communion  I 
daily  press  to  my  breast)  is  my  helper  and  my 
Redeemer"  (Imitation.  Bk.  Ill,  6:4;  Ps.  26:1, 
3;    Ps.  17:2ss). 


PERTAINING  TO  CONFESSION 

I  am  a  frequent  communicant;  and  I 
have  read  much  about  the  habit  of  going 
to  confession  weekly.  But  this  is  rather 
difficult  for  me  in  my  circumstances.  Is 
it  necessary  for  me  to  go  to  confession 
weekly  when  I  wish  to  receive  Com- 
munion? Or  is  it  wrong  for  me  to  go  to 
Communion  weekly,  or  as  often  as  I  can, 
without  going  to  confession  before,  if  I 
am  sure  that  I  did  not  sin? 

It  is  not  necessary  to  go  to  confession  weekly 
in  order  to  receive  Communion  weekly,  fre- 
quently, or  daily.  No  theologian  has  ever  taught 
that,  and  the  Church  has  never  imposed  it. 
Catholics  should  communicate  joyously  and 
fearlessly  every  day  they  can  for  weeks,  for 
months  even,  if  necessary,  without  confession 
when  they  are  certain  of  not  having  sinned 
mortally  since  their  last  confession.  And  they 
should  not  omit  Communion  because  of  their 
inability  to  approach  more  frequently  the 
tribunal  of  penance.  As  the  Council  of  Trent 
says,  there  is  only  one  case  in  which  we  are 
obliged  to  confess  before  communicating,  and 
that  is  when  we  are  conscious,  in  other  words, 
when  we  are  certain  of  having  committed  a  mortal 
sin.  Strictly  speaking,  the  Church  does  not 
forbid  Communion  to  him  that  does  not  commit 
mortal  sin,  even  if  he  does  not  go  to  confession 
once  a  year,  since,  as  St.  Alphonsus  teaches,  the 
precept  of  annual  confession  is  made  only  for 
those  who  are  certain  of  having  sinned  mortally. 

As  regards  venial  sins,  let  us  bear  in  mind  that 
it  is  the  teaching  of  the  Church  that,  though 
the  confession  of  venial  sins  before  communicat- 
ing is  useful,  it  is  not  necessary.     It  is  better  to 

zzx 


in  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

go  to  Communion  without  confessing  venial  sins 
than  to  stay  away.  St.  Alphonsus* writes:  "Down 
to  the  eighth  century,  the  usage  was  to  confess 
only  mortal  sins."  Venial  sins  are  likewise  for- 
given in  many  other  ways,  e.  g.,  by  prayer, 
especially  the  Our  Father,  by  the  use  of  sacra- 
mentals,  etc.  The  pious  and  learned  Frassinetti 
says:  "I  wish  we  would  reflect  sometimes  that, 
among  the  first  Christians,  the  more  frequent  the 
Communions,  the  more  rare  the  sacramental 
confession.  As  a  general  thing,  they  confessed 
only  when  they  had  fallen  into  some  mortal  sin, 
as  all  theologians  commonly  observe."  Paren- 
thetically, the  following  excerpt  from  Canon  931 
of  the  Church  law  is  in  order  here:  "The  faith- 
ful who  are  in  the  habit  to  confess  twice  a  month 
unless  legitimately  impeded,  or  who  receive  Holy 
Communion  daily  in  the  state  of  grace  and  with 
a  good  and  holy  intention,  though  they  may 
abstain  from  receiving  once  or  twice  a  week,  can 
gain  all  indulgences  without  actual  confession 
for  which  otherwise  confession  would  be  a  neces- 
sary condition.  The  indulgences  of  an  ordinary 
or  extraordinary  jubilee,  and  those  granted  in 
the  form  of  a  jubilee,  are  excepted  from  this 
concession."  As  regards  indulgences,  daily  Com- 
munion makes  confession  unnecessary.  In  this 
Canon  we  can  detect  the  mind  of  the  Church 
relative  to  what  we  have  said  above. 

We  have  dwelt  at  length  upon  this  because 
there  are  some  erroneous,  Jansenistic  notions  in 
vogue  regarding  the  matter.  We  repeat  that 
there  is  no  need  to  confess  every  week  in  order 
to  communicate  every  day.  The  practice  is  very 
laudable,  but  not  necessary.  Yes;  it  is  very 
praiseworthy  to  go  to  confession  every  week  or 
two  and  such  a  practice  properly  adhered  to  is  a 
great  aid  in  striving  for  Christian  perfection, 
as  we  see  from  the  fact  that  the  Church,  through 
their  Constitutions,  requires  members  of  religious 


CONFESSION  113 


Congregations  to  confess  as  a  rule  weekly;  but 
lay  people  who  cannot  or  do  not  wish  to  do  so 
are  perfectly  free  in  the  matter,  as  long  as  they 
keep  themselves  from  mortal  sin. 

I  am  worried  and  anxious  and  feel 
miserable  when  I  think  of  my  past  life. 
What  shall  I  do? 

Look  to  the  present;    make  good  use  of  it;   d( 
not  let  it  slip  through  your  fingers!    The  past  i 
gone;   the  future  is  still  in  the  hands  of  God,  th 
present  alone  is  yours.     Be  wise  and  remembe 
that  what  matters  most  to  you  and  to  God  and 
those  around  you  is  really  what  you  are  now, 
not  what  you  were  or  shall  be,  what  you  do  now, 
not  what  you  did  or  shall  do. 

It  is  too  bad  that  so  many  people  let  the 
thought  of  past  miseries  spoil  their  whole  lives. 
It  is  a  great  delusion  to  think  that  our  past  has 
ruined  our  present  and  our  future,  that  the  mis- 
takes or  sins  we  have  committed  have  made  all 
further  hope  impossible.  Full  of  much  practical 
wisdom  and  no  little  instruction  are  these  words 
of  St.  Paul:  "When  I  was  a  child  I  spoke  as  a 
child,  I  understood  as  a  child,  I  thought  as  a 
child.  But  when  I  become  a  man  I  put  away  the 
things  of  a  child."  So  we,  when  we  were  children, 
may  indeed  have  done  evil  as  children;  but  let 
us  remember  that  it  was  "as  children,"  and  not 
as  mature  men  and  women.  And  the  same  we 
may  say  of  every  step  afterwards;  we  are  always 
older  than  we  were;  and  the  good  resolve  now, 
in  the  precious  present,  if  only  we  make  it,  is  the 
act  of  a  more  matured  creature  than  was  the  evil 
we  did  yesterday.  No  matter  who  we  are,  it  is 
always  in  our  power  to  restore  the  balance. 

This  is  a  most  sensible  course  to  follow,  the 
only  thing  to  do.  Every  morning  we  should  cry 
out  with  St.  Paul:  "Now  is  the  acceptable  time, 
now  is  the  day  of  salvation!"    Doing  this,  we  shall 


1 14  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

ever  be  beginning  anew  in  the  present.  At  the 
end  we  will  find,  to  our  eternal  joy,  that  our 
many  beginnings  have  enabled  us  to  fight  the 
good  fight,  to  complete  the  course,  and  to  win 
the  prize. 

Even  those  who  must  worry  about  the  im- 
mediate past  need  but  use  the  present  for  a  speedy 
elimination  of  that  worry  and  for  beginning  anew, 
to  the  exclusion  of  all  vain  and  useless  regrets 
and  with  only  that  calm  and  sensible  act  of 
general  sorrow  embodied  in  words  like  these: 
"Dear  God,  how  much  better  I  would  feel,  how 
much  less  ashamed  of  being  Thy  creature,  had 
the  miserable  things  of  the  past  never  happened. 
Accept  this  my  Christian  regret  for  what  it  really 
is:  a  sign  of  my  love  for  Thee.  And  let  me  be 
happy  in  the  blessed  thought  that  I  love  Thee 
now!"  tmiM'LM 

Some  time  ago  I  did  something  which 
I  now  know  was  very  wrong;  for  I  have 
read  since  that  it  is  sinful.  It  has  worried 
me  very  much.  Am  I  bound  to  confess  it 
now,  and,  if  so,  do  I  have  to  repeat  all  the 
confessions  I  have  made  since  then? 

You  acted  with  an  erroneous  conscience.  To 
find  out  how  erroneous  it  was,  two  questions 
must  be  asked  and  answered.  Did  you,  when 
you  placed  that  action,  feel  that  there  was  any 
moral  indecency  in  the  act  or  did  you  at  least 
doubt  about  its  lawfulness?  Did  your  conscience 
tell  you  that  you  ought  to  ask  someone — your 
confessor,  for  instance — about  it?  If  to  both  of 
these  questions  you  can  truthfully  answer  "No," 
your  error  was  invincible  and  you  committed 
no  sin.  You  acted  with  an  invincibly  erroneous 
conscience;  and,  though  you  have  a  sure  con- 
science and  perfect  knowledge  of  the  matter  now, 
nothing  can  ever  make  that  particular  matter 
subjectively  sinful  which  was  not  formally  sinful 


CONFESSION  115 


when  you  placed  the  action.  You  are  not  bound 
to  confess  it  now  and  you  need  not  repeat  your 
confession. 

But  if  to  either  one  of  the  above  questions,  or 
to  both,  you  must  answer  "Yes,"  then  your  error 
was  vincible  and  culpable;  but  it  was  grievously 
culpable  only  if  the  matter  in  question  was  ap- 
prehended by  you  as  a  matter  of  great  importance. 
In  this  latter  event  a  brief  statement  of  the  case 
in  the  confessional,  a  statement  as  concise  as 
your  question,  for  example,  will  lead  to  a  simple 
and  easy  adjustment  of  the  whole  affair.  When 
such  doubts  arise  Catholics  should  give  a  candid 
explanation  in  their  next  confession,  follow  the 
advice  of  the  priest,  and  be  through  with  it.  That 
is  the  only  proper  and  sensible  way, — a  way  that 
makes  for  peace  of  heart  always. 

As  regards  things  long  passed,  if  you  were 
always  reasonably  careful  to  confess  what  sins 
you  knew  you  were  guilty  of,  you  may  quietly 
dismiss  the  whole  matter  from  your  mind. 
Whenever  you  go  to  confession  God  only  expects 
of  you  that  you  do  the  best  you  can  in  your  con- 
dition, in  view  of  your  actual  knowledge  and 
understanding  of  sin  and  the  circumstances  of 
sin  at  the  moment  you  confess.  In  the  past  God 
did  not  expect  you  to  confess  with  the  knowledge 
and  precision  you  are  possessed  of  today.  If 
you  did  what  you  could,  you  did  your  duty  in 
the  confessional,  and  all  your  sins  were  forgiven; 
and  there  is  no  obligation  on  your  part  to  repeat 
or  improve  such  confessions  now.  "I  committed 
so  many  mortal  sins  in  my  past  life  and  I  never 
even  knew  it,"  is  rather  a  silly  assertion.  They 
may  indeed  have  been  mortal  sins  objectively 
and  materially;  but  because  you  were  ignorant 
of  them  when  you  did  them  you  were  not  in 
reality  guilty  of  them,  as  no  one  can  be  guilty 
of  a  specified  sin  without  being  somehow  aware 
of  it  while  he  is  doing  it. 


n6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

When  I  was  young  I  committed  many 
sins,  not  knowing  they  were  so  terrible 
and  never  thinking  that  the  circumstances 
made  them  worse  still.  Of  course  I  con- 
fessed them  as  I  thought  was  right  at  the 
time.  But  now  I  have  learned  how  terrible 
those  sins  were  and  how  some  of  those 
circumstances  even  changed  the  nature  of 
the  sins,  that  is,  made  two  grievous  sins 
out  of  one.  I  now  feel  uneasy  about  my 
past  confessions.  Were  they  invalid? 
Must  they  be  repeated? 

They  were  not  for  that  reason  invalid.  They 
need  not  be  repeated.  Here  you  should  remem- 
ber that  whenever  you  go  to  confession  God  only 
expects  of  you  that  you  do  the  best  you  can  in 
your  condition,  taking  into  consideration  your 
actual  knowledge  and  understanding  at  the 
moment  you  confess.  When  you  do  this  you  have 
done  your  part  and  God  does  the  rest. 

As  a  child  or  young  person,  with  your  age's 
defective  knowledge  of  religious  things  in  general 
and  the  requirements  of  confession  in  particular, 
God  did  not  expect  you  to  confess  with  the 
knowledge  and  precision  you  are  possessed  of 
today.  If  then  you  did  what  you  could,  you  did 
your  duty  in  the  confessional,  and  all  your  sins 
were  forgiven,  without  any  ulterior  obligation  on 
your  part  to  repeat  or  improve  their  confession 
later  on. 

Moreover,  since  you  were  ignorant  of  the 
substantial  circumstances  of  your  mortal  sins 
when  you  confessed  them,  the  supposition  is 
warranted  that  you  were  equally  ignorant  of  them 
when  you  did  them;  and  consequently,  not  hav- 
ing a  clear  knowledge  of  the  various  or  additional 
mortal  sins  you  were  objectively  or  materially 
doing,  because  of  the  attending  circumstances, 
you  were  in  reality  not  guilty  of  them,  as  no  one 
can  be  guilty  of  a  specified  sin  without  being 


CONFESSION  117 


somehow  aware  of  it  whilst  he  is  doing  it.  You 
have,  then,  no  cause  for  worry  and  no  obligation 
to  repeat  those  confessions  or  even  to  supplement 
them  by  the  accuracy  you  are  capable  of  now, 
but  were  incapable  of  then. 

Only  in  case  you  are  certain  that  one  or  more 
of  your  former  confessions  were  substantially  in- 
complete, considering  your  actual  obligation  at 
the  time  of  their  performance,  are  you  bound 
to  remedy  or  supply  the  defect  whenever  you  be- 
come conscious  of  it.  With  the  assistance  of  the 
confessor  this  is  so  easily  and  readily  done  that 
there  is  no  reason  why  you  should  not  gladly 
submit  to  it  on  behalf  of  your  peace  of  mind  and 
joy  of  heart. 

Why  does  the  priest  in  the  confessional 
sometimes  ask  the  penitent  to  include 
some  sin  from  his  past  life?  It  seems  so 
strange  and  even  frightens  one. 

It  should  not  be  strange,  and  there  is  no  cause 
for  fright.  The  reason  is  very  simple.  Many 
people  go  to  confession  and  do  not  confess  any 
real  sins;  and  the  priest  cannot  absolve  them 
unless  they  have  confessed  something  that  is 
really  sinful.  Suppose,  for  example,  that  a  pious 
old  lady  comes  into  the  confessional  and  accuses 
herself  as  follows:  "I  had  involuntary  distrac- 
tions at  Mass.  I  several  times  put  off  my  morning 
prayers  until  almost  noon.  I  worried  too  much 
about  my  son's  lack  of  success  in  business.  I 
complained  about  my  rheumatism.  I  forgot  that 
it  was  Friday  and  ate  meat  for  lunch  once.  I 
missed  Mass  on  Sunday  twice  because  I  was 
sick.  That's  all,  Father."  Now,  we  could  hardly 
call  any  of  those  things  sins.  Some  of  them  may 
be  imperfections  at  the  most.  And  the  priest 
cannot  give  absolution  unless  the  penitent  has 
manifested  some  sin,  great  or  small.  So  he  asks 
the  penitent  to  mention  some  real  sin  or  sins  from 


n8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

the  past  life;  for,  though  such  sins  have  already 
been  confessed  and  forgiven,  we  know  that  also 
forgiven  sins  are  valid  matter  for  absolution — 
they  may  be  forgiven  again.  But  a  real  sin 
should  be  mentioned,  not  something  like  the 
things  enumerated  above,  otherwise  the  priest 
will  still  be  doubtful  about  giving  absolution. 

It  is  probably  sufficient  to  say,  for  instance, 
"For  these  and  all  the  sins  of  my  past  life  I  am 
heartily  sorry."  Still  this  is  too  general.  You 
ought  to  be  more  explicit  than  that;  you  ought 
to  mention  at  least  one  real  sin  that  you  were 
guilty  of.  Every  confession  ought  to  end  some- 
what like  this:  "I  accuse  myself  of  these  sins  and 
of  all  the  sins  of  my  past  life,  especially  for  once 
deliberately  doing  so  and  so, —  a  sin  that  I  con- 
fessed before  and  for  which  I  am  heartily  sorry." 
Or  you  may  say,  "I  include  the  sins  of  my  past 
life,  especially  those  grievous  sins  already  con- 
fessed that  I  deliberately  committed  against  such 
and  such  a  commandment."  Then  the  priest 
can  at  once  give  absolution,  without  first  asking 
and  asking  and  fishing  for  valid  matter  and 
frightening  the  penitent  by  probing  into  the  past. 

This  is  of  great  importance.  The  practice  of 
always  including  a  sin  of  the  past  helps  the  priest 
immensely;  and  it  helps  the  penitent,  too,  mak- 
ing his  confession  more  satisfactory.  For  sorrow 
and  a  purpose  of  amendment  are  essential  for 
valid  absolution  in  every  case.  Sometimes, 
when  the  faults  committed  since  the  last  con- 
fession, even  though  they  may  be  certainly  sinful, 
are  slight  and  our  customary,  habitual,  or  pet 
little  sins,  it  is  not  so  easy  to  awaken  real  sorrow 
and  purpose  of  amendment  for  them.  But  if 
one  recalls  a  graver  sin  from  his  past  life,  a  sin 
for  which  he  is  conscious  of  being  truly  repentant, 
he  will  be  saved  from  any  misgiving  as  to  whether 
or  not  he  was  truly  sorry.  This  practice  cannot 
be  too  much  recommended  to  all  Catholics. 


CONFESSION  119 


Even  if  one  has  no  sins  at  all  to  confess  since 
the  last  confession,  it  is  well  to  go  to  confession 
frequently,  even  every  week,  mentioning  some 
sin  of  one's  past  life,  as  suggested  above,  and 
exciting  true  sorrow;  for  one  of  the  effects  of 
the  Sacrament  of  Penance  is  sacramental  grace, 
or  a  right  to  the  helps  of  grace.  And  since  the 
end  of  this  Sacrament  is  to  blot  out  sins,  these 
helps  are  given  that  man  may  satisfy  for  his  past 
sins  and  may  avoid  committing  sin  in  the  future. 

When  a  person  commits  a  deliberate 
mortal  sin  and  then  waits  two  weeks 
before  going  to  confession,  is  it  an  extra 
sin  for  waiting  that  long  or  is  it  enough 
to  say  how  long  since  the  last  confession? 

The  divine  precept  of  confession  binds  all  the 
faithful  who  have  fallen  into  mortal  sin  in  the 
following  instances.  1.  At  the  hour  of  death, 
very  probably  when  in  danger  of  death,  and 
perhaps  a  number  of  times  during  one's  life. 
2.  Whenever  one  is  about  to  communicate  or  to 
receive  any  other  of  the  Sacraments  of  the  living, 
if  one  cannot  make  an  act  of  perfect  contrition; 
and  also  as  often  as  one  cannot  otherwise  avoid 
a  new  mortal  sin. 

The  ecclesiastical  precept  determines  the  divine 
law  and  obliges  one  who  has  fallen  into  mortal 
sin  to  go  to  confession  before  celebrating  Mass  or 
receiving  Holy  Communion;  and  it  also  obliges 
such  a  one  to  go  to  confession  at  least  once  a 
year. 

But,  abstracting  from  the  letter '  of  the  law, 
which  prescribes  the  bare  minimum,  what  an 
immense  spiritual  loss  it  is  to  live  for  any  length 
of  time  in  mortal  sin!  That  means  precious 
time  irretrievably  lost;  for  one  devoid  of  the 
grace  of  God  cannot  merit  anything  for  eternity. 
The  utter  spiritual  destitution  of  such  a  one  is 
terrible.      He   is    in   the   devil's   power,    a   pre- 


no  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

damned  soul  in  the  sense  that  there  is  nothing 
between  him  and  the  everlasting  fires  of  hell  but 
the  slender  thread  of  life.  What  a  terrible  state, 
to  be  obliged  to  say:  "This  day  (this  night)  I 
may  die  and  if  I  die  I  am  going  straight  to  hell." 
Wise  Catholics  who  have  the  great  misfortune 
to  fall  into  mortal  sin  will  make  haste  to  go  to 
confession  with  the  least  possible  delay  and  will 
in  the  meantime  make  acts  of  perfect  contrition 
over  and  over  again.  To  let  even  a  minute  pass 
without  making  the  first  such  act,  combined  with 
the  resolve  to  confess  the  sin,  is  running  a  fearful 
risk.    That  minute  may  be  the  last. 

When  going  to  confession  I  am  some- 
times worried  about  my  contrition, 
whether  I  am  sorry  enough  for  every 
single  sin.    Can  you  give  me  some  advice? 

As  you  know,  our  contrition  must  be  universal 
that  is,  we  must  be  sorry  for  all  our  mortal  sins 
without  exception.  This,  of  course,  does  not 
mean  that  we  must  make  a  special  act  of  con- 
trition for  every  single  sin  that  we  have  com- 
mitted. We  should  recall  our  sins  as  best  we 
can  and  then  make  an  act  of  contrition  that  in- 
cludes them  all.  This  will  also  include  those  that 
we  may  have  forgotten.  It  is  sufficient  if  our 
act  of  contrition  arises  from  a  general  motive, 
such  as  the  fear  of  hell,  the  loss  of  heaven,  or  from 
love  of  God.  Therefore,  when  we  say,  "O  my 
God,  I  am  sorry  for  all  my  sins,  because  by  them  I 
have  offended  Thee  and  have  merited  Thy  just 
punishments,"  or,  "0  my  God,  I  am  heartily 
sorry  that  I  have  ever  offended  Thee,  because 
I  love  Thee,  my  Lord  and  my  God,"  our  contrition 
is  sufficient.  If  you  really  commit  sins  you  will 
have  no  difficulty  in  recalling  at  least  some  of 
them. 

Our  contrition  for  venial  sins  need  not  be  uni- 
versal.    We  may  be  sorry  for  one  or  the  other 


CONFESSION  in 


and  not  sorry  for  the  rest.  Our  confession  is 
nevertheless  good.  If  we  confess  mortal  sin,  we 
need  not  be  sorry  for  any  of  the  venial  sins, 
though  it  is  well  to  try  to  be  sorry  for  them  all. 

After  confessing  grievous  sins  a  person 
is  asked  by  his  confessor  whether  he  says 
his  prayers.  The  person  answers,  "Yes," 
although  he  has  really  not  said  them  very 
often.  Granted  that  he  then  receives 
absolution,  is  his  confession  bad?  Was 
it  a  mortal  sin  for  him  thus  to  tell  a  lie 
in  the  confessional?  Concealing  a  mortal 
sin  in  confession  is  a  serious  matter,  but 
how  about  this? 

This  question  is  one  of  considerable  practical 
interest  and  of  no  little  importance,  inasmuch  as 
wrong  conceptions  in  this  regard  may  do  much 
harm  and  cause  anxiety  and  confusion  in  the  af- 
fairs of  the  soul.  Briefly  stated,  the  question  is 
this:  Is  it  always  a  mortal  sin  to  tell  a  lie  in 
confession  ? 

We  answer  with  like  brevity.  1.  To  tell  a  lie 
in  confession  regarding  a  matter  that  is  grave 
and  that  must  necessarily  be  told,  is  a  mortal  sin. 
It  is  a  sacrilegious  lie,  since  it  is  opposed  to  the 
truth  and  to  the  reverence  due  to  the  Sacrament. 
Such  a  lie  makes  one's  confession  invalid  or,  as 
we  say,  bad,  unworthy.  2.  To  tell  a  lie  in  con- 
fession as  regards  a  venial  matter  or  as  regards  a 
grave  matter  that  need  not  necessarily  be  told 
(for  instance,  regarding  a  past  mortal  sin  already 
forgiven  in  confession),  is  of  itself  only  a  venial 
sacrilege.  Such  a  lie,  deplorable  as  it  is,  does  not 
make  one's  confession  invalid  or  unworthy.  3. 
To  tell  a  lie  in  confession  as  regards  a  matter  that 
does  not  pertain  to  confesssion  is  a  mortal  sin  or 
a  venial  sin,  according  to  the  circumstances  of  the 
case.  But  this  lie,  since  it  does  not  directly 
affect  the  Sacrament,  does  not  come  under  the 


iii  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

name  of  sacrilege,  at  least  not  grievous  sacrilege. 
But  one  who  lies  grievously  in  this  way  is  surely 
not  properly  disposed  and  so  commits  a  grievous 
sacrilege  by  receiving  the  Sacrament  unworthily. 

The  person  in  question  did  not  commit  a 
mortal  sin.  His  confession  was  not  bad. 
But  he  committed  a  venial  sin  and  sacrilege,  if 
he  gave  that  answer  deliberately;  and  we 
should  not  treat  venial  sin  lightly,  least  of  all  in 
connection  with  the  reception  of  the  Sacraments. 
Venial  sin,  though  it  does  not  separate  us  from 
God,  is  so  great  an  evil  that  if  by  a  single  one  we 
could  empty  all  hell  or  save  the  souls  of  all  man- 
kind, we  would  not  be  permitted  to  commit  it. 
It  is  an  offense  against  God! 

We  say  above,  "if  he  gave  that  answer  de- 
liberately." Sometimes  penitents  are  confused 
or  embarrassed  or  abashed  and  give  answer 
without  thinking;  and  then  they  do  not  find  an 
opportunity  or  do  not  want  to  correct  themselves. 
In  that  case,  in  a  small  matter,  they  probably 
do  not  sin  at  all  and  should  forget  about  the 
affair.  Resolve  always  to  be  frank  and  open  and 
absolutely  truthful  in  the  confessional.  Then 
you  will  not  need  to  make  distinctions  and  try 
to  ease  your  conscience. 

What  is  meant  by  "A  person  in  danger 
of  death  may  make  his  confession  to  any 
priest"? 

In  ordination  the  priest  receives  the  power  to 
forgive  sins,  but  not  the  jurisdiction.  He  has  to 
exercise  his  power  over  others,  and  if  these  are 
not  subject  to  his  authority,  he  is  not  authorized 
to  pronounce  judgment  on  them;  and  if  he  does 
so,  his  absolution  is  invalid.  Hence  the  cate- 
chism says  that  confession  is  the  telling  of  our 
sins  to  a  duly  authorized  priest,  for  the  purpose  of 
obtaining  forgiveness. 

By  Christ's  institution  there  are  in  the  Church 


CONFESSION 


113 


two  kinds  of  jurisdiction,  taken  in  the  restricted 
sense  of  exercising  the  priestly  functions.  The  one 
is  general  and  supreme,  belonging  to  the  Pope, 
the  Vicar  of  Christ,  whose  jurisdiction  is  unlimited 
as  to  place  or  person;  and  the  other  is  a  sub- 
ordinate jurisdiction,  that  is,  one  limited  to  place 
or  persons,  belonging  to  the  bishops  within  their 
respective  dioceses.  The  Pope  can  subdelegate 
his  power  to  any  person  within  the  Church,  who 
is  capable  of  it;  and  likewise  the  bishop  can  sub- 
delegate  his  jurisdiction  to  anyone  of  his  subjects 
that  is  capable  of  it,  but  only  within  the  limits  of 
his  diocese.  The  Pope  may  except  from  the 
jurisdiction  of  any  priest  or  bishop  any  place, 
person,  act  or  sin;  and  the  bishops  also  have  the 
right  to  withhold  some  grave  sins  from  the  juris- 
diction of  their  priests,  but  their  power  is  subordi- 
nate to  that  of  the  Supreme  Pontiff  and  to  the 
general  laws  and  dispositions  of  the  Church. 

Hence  the  priests  of  one  diocese  cannot  validly 
absolve  in  another  diocese  without  the  authoriza- 
tion of  the  bishop  of  the  diocese  wherein  the  priest 
hears  confessions. 

But  in  danger  of  death  the  Church,  like  a  good 
Mother,  supplies  all  the  defects  of  jurisdiction, 
so  that  a  person  in  such  danger  may  validly  be 
absolved  by  any  priest,  not  even  excepting  a 
schismatic  or  excommunicated  priest. 

Are  any  of  the  confessions  at  the  hour 
of  death — in  the  so-called  deathbed  re- 
pentance— good,  or  is  it  then  too  late? 

As  long  as  life  lasts  it  is  never  too  late  to  turn 
to  God  in  sorrow  for  sin.  God,  Who,  in  His 
infinite  mercy,  does  not  wish  the  death  of  the 
sinner  but  rather  that  he  be  converted  and  live, 
is  quick  to  forgive  even  the  greatest  sinner  if  he 
turns  to  Him  with  a  contrite  heart.  Numerous 
heartening  examples  might  be  cited  of  God's 
mercy  in  this  regard. 


ii4  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

The  question  is  doubtless  prompted  by  the  fact 
that,  due  to  physical  weakness,  pain,  mental 
anguish,  the  concentration  of  the  mind  on  re- 
sistance to  death,  etc.,  the  dying  do  not  seem  to 
be  well  disposed  to  make  a  good  confession  after 
years  spent  in  sin  and  far  away  from  God.  To 
those  who  are  presuming  on  God's  mercy  and 
who  rashly  postpone  amendment  to  the  hour  of 
death,  warnings  without  number  have  been 
uttered.  The  grace  of  final  reconciliation  may 
not  be  granted  them.  But  we  must  hold  that  the 
presumption  is  all  in  favor  of  those  whom  God 
has  given  the  grace  of  a  sincere  deathbed  re- 
pentance. 

I  was  told  once  not  to  think  of  my  past 
sinful  life  any  more,  and,  although  it  is 
about  four  years  since  the  priest  told  me 
that,  some  new  things  will  come  to  my 
mind  of  which  I  am  not  certain  whether  I 
told  them  at  all  or  whether  I  told  them 
right.  Is  it  sufficient  if  I  just  say,  after 
my  ordinary  confession,  "I  include  all 
the  sins  of  my  past  life  which  I  may  have 
forgotten' '  ?    Would  I  be  doing  right  then? 

Yes;  and  you  have  no  obligation  even  to  say 
that.  It  would  be  better  to  include  again  some 
real  already  confessed  sin  of  which  you  are  certain. 
Forgotten  sins  are  forgiven  along  with  the  other 
sins;  and  the  obligation  of  mentioning  them  in 
confession  if  they  again  come  to  your  mind  refers 
only  to  mortal  sins  of  which  you  are  absolutely 
sure  both  that  you  committed  them  and  that  you 
did  not  confess  them. 

If  the  priest  tells  you  never  again  to  think  of 
or  repeat  your  past  sins,  follow  his  advice  with 
the  calm  and  happy  assurance  that  in  doing  so 
you  are  obeying  Christ  Himself,  Whose  place  the 
confessor  takes  in  your  regard,  and  Who  has 
said,  "Who  hears  vou,  hears  Me."    Be  sure  that 


CONFESSION  12.5 


your  absolute,  blind,  unhesitating  obedience  to 
the  priest  in  this  matter  will  never  be  held  against 
you  but  will  rather  be  much  to  your  credit. 
"My  dear  friend,"  Pope  Benedict  XV  once 
wrote  to  an  overanxious  soul  who  had  written 
to  him,  saying  the  confessor  would  not  allow  a 
repetition  of  sins  and  asking  what  to  do,  "there 
is  only  one  thing  to  do,  and  that  is  all  sufficient: 
obey  your  confessor,  do  just  as  he  tells  you." 

As  we  all  know,  a  person  cannot  gain 
any  merit  for  his  soul  while  not  in  the 
state  of  grace.  Some  people  live  a  great 
portion  of  their  lives  in  the  state  of  mortal 
sin.  After  making  a  good  confession, 
does  all  the  merit  for  the  good  they  had 
done,  while  not  in  the  state  of  grace, 
come  back,  that  is,  are  these  merits  ap- 
plied for  their  benefit?  Or  is  it,  once  lost, 
always  lost,  in  this  regard? 

There  is  a  manifest  contradiction  in  the  above 
question.  You  say  that  we  all  know  that  a  person 
cannot  gain  any  merit  while  not  in  the  state  of 
grace;  and  then  you  immediately  ask  whether 
merit  for  good  done  while  not  in  the  state  of 
grace  comes  back  after  a  good  confession.  Since 
no  merit  was  gained  while  one  was  in  mortal  sin, 
how  could  it  come  back? 

Let  us  make  this  quite  clear.  By  mortal  sin 
the  soul  is  stripped  of  the  merits  of  its  good 
works,  of  its  devotions  and  prayers,  of  its  vigils 
and  fastings,  of  the  graces  and  merits  received 
in  the  Sacraments,  and  of  all  other  graces,  vir- 
tues, and  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  all  of  which 
things  it  merited  and  had  in  the  state  of  grace. 
Everything  is  lost  by  mortal  sin.  But — and  how 
consoling  this  truth  of  our  holy  religion! — meri- 
torious works  revive  when,  through  the  forgive- 
ness of  mortal  sin,  grace  is  again  restored  to  the, 
soul.    All  the  merits  of  the  pious  works  performed 


ii6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

before  the  sinner  fell,  while  he  was  in  the  state 
of  grace,  are  restored  to  the  soul.  So  good  is 
God. 

And  now  we  come  to  another  point.  The  soul 
is  dead  by  mortal  sin;  it  cannot  by  right  gain  one 
single  favor  from  heaven.  All  the  good  works 
performed  during  the  time  a  sinner  remains  in 
the  state  of  mortal  sin  cannot  condignly  merit 
any  graces,  not  even  that  of  conversion.  When 
we  say  "condign  merit,"  we  mean  a  merit  due  to 
the  sinner's  good  works  by  any  claim,  including 
the  claim  arising  from  God's  promise.  Still,  the 
good  works  performed  during  the  time  the  sin- 
ner is  deprived  of  God's  grace  are  not  wholly 
useless;  for,  if  they  are  performed  with  a  view 
to  forgiveness,  they  will  probably  obtain  the 
grace  of  conversion;  for  our  God  is  a  merciful 
God.  But  the  good  deeds  performed  in  a  state  of 
mortal  sin  are  not  restored  (are  not  made  meri- 
torious); for  no  condign  merit  belongs  to  them. 
They  are  lost,  and  lost  forever.  How  miserable, 
how  unhappy  the  state  of  the  sinner  in  mortal  sin! 

If  you  go  to  confession  knowing  that 
the  priest  will  ask  you  to  go  oftener,  and 
you  promise,  knowing  that  you  probably 
won't  go  oftener,  is  that  lying  and  does 
that  make  your  confession  bad?  Is  it 
necessary  to  tell  the  priest  about  this 
broken  promise? 

It  is  not  a  lie  to  make  a  promise  without 
knowing  whether  one  can  fulfil  it.  If  the  priest 
asks  you  to  make  the  promise  referred  to  in  your 
question  he  does  not  intend  the  promise  to  bind 
under  pain  of  sin;  nor  do  you  intend  so  to  bind 
yourself.  Suppose,  for  example,  that  after  con- 
fession you  renew  your  good  resolutions  and  say 
to  God,  "Dear  Lord,  I  am  going  to  be  different 
now.  I  promise  Thee  that  I  will  henceforth  avoid 
the  near  occasion  of  sin  and  say  three  Hail  Marys 


CONFESSION 


12-7 


daily  in  order  to  keep  my  resolutions  of  leading 
a  pure  life."  Then  in  the  course  of  time  you  do 
not  avoid  the  near  occasions,  you  stop  saying 
the  three  Hail  Marys,  you  fall  into  sin.  But  the 
fact  that  you  broke  your  promise  is  no  additional 
sin.  You  did  not  intend  to  bind  yourself  under 
pain  of  sin — you  did  not  make  a  vow.  You 
merely  repeated  your  good  resolutions. 

The  case  in  question  is  neither  lying  nor  does 
it  make  one's  confession  bad.  It  is  not  necessary 
to  tell  the  priest  about  this  broken  promise. 

Suppose  you  go  to  confession  and  con- 
fess a  mortal  sin  that  you  have  com- 
mitted, knowing  that  you  will  soon  be 
committing  that  same  sin  again  and 
again.  Does  that  make  your  confession 
bad? 

How  do  you  know  that  you  will  commit  the 
same  sin  again?  If  you  are  quite  positive,  then 
you  are  already  planning  to  commit  the  sin 
again  and  your  professions  of  sorrow  and  purpose 
of  amendment  are  a  mockery.  But  that  is  not 
what  you  mean.  You  wish  to  say  that,  because 
of  former  sad  experience  with  your  strong  pas- 
sions or  an  enslaving  habit,  you  are  apprehensive 
that  you  will  fall  back  into  your  former  sins. 
But  this  apprehension  need  not  interfere  with 
your  firm  purpose.  Your  purpose  of  amendment 
is  sufficiently  firm  when  you  are  sincerely  de- 
termined to  avoid  sin  in  future,  your  frequent 
relapses  notwithstanding.  You  will  never  be 
able  to  foresee  with  certainty  whether  you  will 
really  carry  out  your  resolution  or  not,  since  you 
cannot  foretell  the  future.  The  principal  point 
is  that  you  have  at  least  the  honest  intention  to 
do  your  best  to  avoid  sin  in  the  future.  Ac- 
cordingly, if  the  priest  would  ask  the  penitent 
about  his  purpose  of  amendment  and  the  latter 
would  honestly  answer,  "I  am  weak,  I'm  afraid 


1x8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

I'll  fall  again,  but  I  don't  want  to  now,"  that 
penitent  would  have  a  true  purpose  of  amendment. 
We  must  remember  that  powerful  passions 
and  strong  and  habitual  inclinations  to  sin  are 
not,  properly  speaking,  sins.  Like  temptations, 
they  are  an  incentive  to  sin  and  must  be  manfully 
and  prayerfully  resisted  when  they  urge  to  sin. 

I  have  a  friend  who  knows  a  priest  who 
is  very  easy  in  confession.  But  she  will 
not  go  to  him  because  she  thinks  she 
would  not  be  confessing  properly  but  only 
1 'getting  away  with  it,"  as  she  calls  it. 
Is  this  true? 

From  what  you  say  it  is  clear  that  your  friend 
is  simply  scrupulous.  We  go  to  confession  chiefly 
to  tell  our  sins  with  sorrow  and  to  receive  abso- 
lution from  the  priest,  who  takes  the  place  of 
Christ.  It  seems  that  there  are  overly  pious  souls 
who  constantly  seek  mainly  direction  and  who, 
though  they  may  never  have  thought  of  it,  seek 
to  direct  the  priest  in  the  amount  and  kind  of 
direction  he  is  to  give  them.  Leave  it  to  the 
priest  to  exercise  his  sacred  office  as  he  sees  fit. 

Can  a  person  make  a  good  confession  if 
he  does  not  resolve  carefully  to  avoid  the 
occasions  of  sin? 

The  catechism  tells  us  that  in  order  to  make 
a  good  confession  we  must  also  have  a  firm 
resolve  or  determination  of  the  will  to  avoid 
not  only  such  mortal  sins  as  we  have  committed, 
but  also  all  mortal  sins,  without  excepting  any. 
The  penitent  must  truly  be  able  to  say:  "I  do 
will  to  shun  mortal  sin;  I  do  will  to  flee  all  the 
near  occasions  of  any  and  all  mortal  sins;  and 
I  will  do  so  at  whatever  cost  or  sacrifice  of  friend- 
ship, honor,  worldly  good,  yes,  even  of  life  itself." 
This  firm  purpose  excludes  cowardice,  but  it  does 
not  exclude  fear  or  timidity  based  on  our  weak- 
ness and  experience  of  the  past;    for  this  fear  is 


CONFESSION  iz9 


often  well  grounded  and  may  spring  from  a 
humble  diffidence  in  our  individual  ability  to 
resist  all  temptations.  We  should  resolve  to  make 
diligent  use  of  prayer  and  the  Sacraments  that 
we  may  say  with  St.  Paul:  "I  can  do  all  things  in 
Him  Who  strengthened  me." 

Now,  as  regards  the  occasions  of  sin  we  must 
remember  that  there  are  two  kinds:  proximate 
occasions  and  remote  occasions.  Proximate  or 
near  occasions  are  those  persons,  places  and 
things  that  always  or  usually  lead  us  into  sin; 
remote  occasions  are  those  which  may,  indeed, 
but  seldom  really  do  cause  one  to  fail  into  mortal 
sins.  To  make  a  good  confession  one  must  resolve 
carefully  to  avoid  the  near  occasions  of  sin;  but 
we  need  not  make  such  a  resolve  to  avoid  the  re- 
mote occasions.  God  is  not  unreasonable  and, 
therefore,  cannot  will  that  we  should  shun  these, 
unless,  on  account  of  peculiar  circumstances  they 
should  become  proximate.  For  instance,  on  ac- 
count of  a  particular  evil  inclination  in  an  indi- 
vidual person,  what  is  a  remote  occasion  for 
others  may  become  a  proximate  occasion  for  him. 

From  this  we  see  that  those  who  have  been 
guilty  of  mortal  sin  are  obliged  in  conscience  to 
shun  the  proximate  or  near  occasions  of  sin, 
which  to  them  are  such,  even  if  to  some  others 
such  occasions  be  only  remote.  The  reason  is 
evident;  for  he  that  loves  danger  shall  perish 
therein.  He  who  is  in  the  proximate  occasion 
of  sin  is  in  great  danger  of  sinning.  Hence  the 
sinner  who  is  not  willing  to  shun  and  remove  as  far 
as  he  can  the  proximate  occasion  of  sin  has  no  sin- 
cere contrition  and,  therefore,  cannot  be  absolved. 

But  what  is  to  be  done  if  the  occasion  is  abso- 
lutely unavoidable,  or  at  least  morally  so,  that  is, 
if  it  cannot  be  shunned  without  great  incon- 
venience or  loss?  State  the  whole  case  clearly  to 
your  confessor.  If  he  judges  that  the  near  occa- 
sion can  be  made  remote  by  prayer,  the  frequent 


130  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

reception  of  the  Sacraments,  mortification,  or 
other  means  that  he  may  suggest,  then  you  may 
abide  by  his  decision.  But  if  the  confessor  de- 
cides that  you  absolutely  remove  the  occasion 
or  flee  from  it,  then  you,  of  course,  must  promise 
to  do  so.  And  remember  that  you  must  make 
your  promise  to  God,  Who  sees  the  inmost  secrets 
of  the  heart. 

What  we  have  said  above  applies  to  mortal 
sin.  We  are  not  obliged  to  shun  all  the  proxi- 
mate occasions  of  venial  sin,  for  that  were  quite 
impossible.  Still,  he  that  confesses  only  venial 
sins  must  purpose  and  be  prepared  either  to  avoid 
the  proximate  occasion  of  one  species  of  venial 
sins  or  to  diminish  the  number  of  his  venial  sins; 
for  otherwise  he  would  place  himself  in  danger  of 
being  deficient  in  his  good  resolution,  because  he 
would  abandon  the  desire  of  advancing  or  of 
removing  the  impediments  to  spiritual  progress, 
namely,  venial  sins.  (St.  Thomas.  P.  Ill,  q. 
87,  a.  1,  to  1.) 

Is  it  permitted  to  take  your  prayerbook 
into  the  confessional  with  you,  if  it  helps 
you  to  make  an  entire  confession? 

Yes,  of  course;  it  is  always  permitted.  It 
might  even  be  advisable  in  the  case  of  a  long  and 
difficult  confession,  being  then  most  helpful. 
For  a  similar  reason  it  is  allowed  to  write  down 
your  sins  on  a  piece  of  paper  and  read  them  off 
in  the  confessional.  But  always  be  sure  to 
destroy  the  paper  afterwards;  for  confession  is 
a  sacred,  secret  thing. 

We  would  not,  however,  advise  the  use  of 
either  prayerbook  or  paper  for  ordinary  weekly 
or  monthly  confessions.  For  such  it  is  easy  and 
better,  as  a  rule,  to  confess  by  heart,  so  to  speak. 

Would  it  be  in  keeping  with  the  eti- 
quette due  to  religious  observance  for  a 
lay  person  to  choose  for  a  Father  Confassor 


CONFESSION  131 


a  priest  of  some  other  station  or  church, 
instead  of  the  priest  of  the  parish  church 
where  one  attends  regularly  at  divine 
services   on   Sundays  ? 

Canon  905  declares  that  all  the  faithful  are 
free  to  go  to  any  lawfully  approved  confessor 
whom  they  prefer,  even  though  he  belongs  to 
another  rite. 

It  has  always  been  the  practice  of  the  Church 
to  allow  the  greatest  possible  liberty  in  the  deli- 
cate matter  of  going  to  confession.  The  choice 
of  a  confessor  is  perfectly  free;  and  neither  the 
higher  nor  the  lower  clergy  are  empowered  to 
forbid  their  subjects  to  go  to  another  approved 
confessor.  To  show  the  mind  of  the  Church  in 
this  matter,  we  may  add  that  the  practice  of 
obliging  parishioners  to  make  their  paschal  con- 
fession to  their  pastor  or  his  substitute  has  been 
officially  declared  intolerable. 

In  making  a  general  confession  of  the 
sins  of  one's  whole  life,  must  one  mention 
all  the  grievous  sins  of  that  life,  as  nearly 
as  he  can,  or  need  he  mention  only  those 
he   chooses   to  mention? 

Here  we  must  first  define  and  then  distinguish. 
What  is  a  general  confession?  A  general  con- 
fession, broadly  speaking,  is  the  repetition  of 
the  sins  of  one's  whole  past  life  or  of  any  part 
thereof.  Such  a  repetition  may  be  necessary, 
unnecessary,  useful,  or  harmful.  It  is  necessary 
whenever  a  person  knowingly  made  a  bad  con- 
fession and  has  not  yet  straightened  matters  out. 
Such  a  one  must  repeat  all  the  mortal  sins  com- 
mitted since  his  last  good  confession.  A  general 
confession  is  unnecessary  in  all  other  cases.  It 
is  useful  at  certain  times  and  at  certain  periods 
of  life.  It  is  harmful  for  those  who  are  inclined 
to  be  scrupulous  and  overanxious.  Such  should 
never  repeat  their  confessions   once  they  have 


i3i  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

been  told  that  all  is  in  order.  Absolute  obedience 
is  their  only  safety. 

Now,  to  answer  your  question  with  the  utmost 
possible  brevity,  we  distinguish:  If  it  is  a  neces- 
sary general  confession,  all  the  mortal  sins  back 
to  the  last  good  confessions  must  be  told  as  nearly 
as  possible.  If  it  is  an  unnecessary  general  con- 
fession, i.  e.,  one  made  out  of  devotion,  to  begin 
a  new  life,  etc.,  then  you  need  tell  only  those  sins 
which  you  wish  to  tell.  Nor  need  you  give  the 
number  even. 

And  here  is  the  reason  for  this  difference.  In 
a  necessary  general  confession,  according  to  the 
above  explanation,  none  of  the  sins  committed 
since  the  last  good  confession  have  been  forgiven. 
Hence  the  number  and  changing  circumstances 
must  be  mentioned.  In  the  unnecessary  general 
confession  all  the  sins  repeated  have  already  been 
forgiven;  you  are  merely  telling  them  in  order 
to  have  them  forgiven  over  again;  for  God  can 
forgive  over  and  over  again  just  as  you  or  I. 
Hence  you  need  mention  only  those  you  wish  to 
mention. 

If  one  were  to  commit  a  mortal  sin, 
make  an  act  of  imperfect  contrition,  with 
the  intention  of  confessing  on  the  follow- 
ing day,  and  then  die  before  he  had  con- 
fessed, would  he  be  saved? 

Imperfect  contrition,  the  catechism  tells  us, 
is  that  by  which  we  hate  what  offends  God, 
because  by  it  we  lose  heaven  and  deserve  hell; 
or  because  sin  is  so  hateful  in  itself.  Imperfect 
contrition  is  sufficient  for  a  good  confession; 
but  it  does  not  obtain  the  forgiveness  of  sins 
outside  of  the  Sacrament  of  Penance.  The 
answer  to  your  question,  accordingly,  is,  "No; 
he  would  not  be  saved — not  because  of  his  im- 
perfect contrition." 

Is,  then,  imperfect  contrition  of  no  use  what- 


CONFESSION  133 


soever  in  a  case  like  the  above?  We  do  not  say 
that.  Nothing  prevents  us  from  arriving  at  a 
perfect  contrition  by  an  imperfect  one.  Let  us 
suppose  that  a  sinner  begins  by  detesting  his 
mortal  sins,  because  by  them  he  lost  heaven; 
this  contrition  is  imperfect,  but  it  is  sufficient 
for  the  remission  of  sins  in  the  Sacrament  of 
Penance.  But  before  he  can  go  to  confession  he 
thinks  about  what  heaven  is,  about  God,  the 
angels,  the  saints,  eternal  bliss.  How  beautiful 
that  God  must  be,  he  thinks.  How  amiable  and 
lovable!  The  best  of  Fathers,  Whose  child  I  am! 
And  I  turned  against  this  good,  loving  Father, 
ungratefully!  Never  again!  Good  Father,  for- 
give me!  And  before  he  goes  to  confession  that 
sinner  perhaps  has  perfect  contrition,  which  we 
should  endeavor  to  have  even  for  confession. 
And  perfect  contrition  is  that  which  fills  us  with 
sorrow  and  hatred  for  sin,  because  it  offends 
God  Who  is  infinitely  good  in  Himself  and  worthy 
of  all  our  love. 

If  the  person  in  your  question  were  thus  to 
arrive  at  perfect  contrition  and  then  die  before 
confession,  he  would  be  saved 

Some  time  ago  I  made  a  difficult  con- 
fession. Afterwards  I  remembered  that 
I  had  forgotten  to  mention  a  grievous 
sin.     What  was  I  to  do? 

All  mortal  sins  committed  after  Baptism  must 
be  submitted  to  the  power  of  the  keys,  as  the 
theological  expression  reads,  that  is  to  say,  they 
must  be  told  in  confession.  Even  when  forgiven 
because  of  an  act  of  perfect  contrition,  they  are 
forgiven  only  because  in  such  an  act  of  sorrow 
there  is  always  an  implied  or  expressed  intention 
to  tell  them  in  confession.  But  if  a  mortal  sin 
is  not  confessed  because  of  inculpable  forgetful- 
ness,  it  is  forgiven  together  with  the  other  sins. 
However,  the  obligation  to  tell  it  in  confession 


i34  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

remains.  Such  a  forgotten  sin  need  not  neces- 
sarily be  confessed  at  once,  nor  even  as  soon  as 
possible,  but  it  must  certainly  be  told  in  the 
next  confession.  Should  it  come  to  your  mind 
after  confession  and  before  Communion,  you  may 
communicate,  nor  is  an  act  of  contrition  neces- 
sary: the  sin  is  forgiven.  The  obligation  is  to 
mention  it  in  the  next  confession  as  forgotten. 

If  when  going  to  confession  you  intend 
and  wish  to  confess  all  your  sins  but  after 
confession  there  are  some  mortal  sins  you 
cannot  remember  whether  or  not  you 
mentioned,  what  should  you  do? 

As  the  question  stands,  you  either  confessed 
those  mortal  sins  or  you  did  not.  If  you  did  they 
are  forgiven;  and  if  you  did  not,  they  are  like- 
wise forgiven,  because  they  were  forgotten;  and 
mortal  sins  forgotten  are  all  indirectly  remitted 
by  sacramental  absolution.  Such  is  the  teaching 
of  the  Church.  St.  Alphonsus  di  Liguori  says: 
"He  who,  after  confession,  remembers  some  sin 
omitted  through  forgetfulness,  is  not  bound  to 
confess  before  communicating.  It  suffices  for 
him  to  declare  it  in  his  next  confession." 

But  if  you  do  not  know  whether  you  confessed 
them  or  not — what  then?  You  are  not  obliged  to 
confess  them;  but  it  might  be  well  to  repeat 
your  confession  for  the  sake  of  peace  of  mind, 
unless  you  are  scrupulous  and  would  thereby 
add  anxiety  to  anxiety,  in  which  case  you  should 
forget  all  about  the  matter  and  rest  assured  that 
all  is  well. 

Must  the  sins  of  your  past  life  be  con- 
fessed if  you  cannot  remember  whether 
or  not  they  have  been  confessed? 

You  have  no  certitude  in  this  matter;  you 
cannot  swear  to  it  that  your  sins  have  not  been 
confessed;  therefore  you  must  hold  that  all 
your  confessions  were  well  made.     Be  at  peace; 


CONFESSION  135 


remain  tranquil;  put  away  all  thoughts  of  a 
general  confession  on  this  account. 

We  here  copy  a  paragraph  from  Vain  Fears. 
It  explains  once  for  all  what  perhaps  all  our 
readers  have  already  wondered  about: 

"  'But,'  you  insist,  'supposing  a  case  in  which, 
without  having  certainty,  I  have,  nevertheless, 
made  my  confession  badly,  either  from  want  of 
contrition,  or  from  not  having  accused  myself  of 
all  my  mortal  sins,  or  from  not  having  sufficiently 
explained  them,  what  ought  I  to  do?5  According 
to  the  teaching  of  all  theologians,  this  is  the  way 
it  would  stand  with  you:  The  last  absolution  re- 
ceived would  remit  not  only  the  mortal  sins  com- 
mitted since  your  last  confession,  but  still  more, 
it  would  remit  indirectly  those  of  your  whole  life 
without  your  having  to  renew  the  accusation. 
Thus  with  regard  to  that  sin,  you  would  leave  the 
confessional  as  pure  as  the  newly  baptized.  O 
my  Jesus,  how  good  Thou  art!  How  great  are 
Thy  mercies!" 

(1)  If,  in  examining  his  conscience  be- 
fore confession,  a  person  thinks  of  a 
mortal  sin  of  his  past  life,  of  which  he  is 
not  sure  that  he  confessed  it,  is  he  obliged 
then  to  confess  it?  (2)  If  he  confessed 
the  sin  itself  but  forgot  to  confess  a 
circumstance  of  importance,  is  he  obliged 
to  repeat  the  sin  and  the  forgotten  cir- 
cumstances ? 

That  confession  be  entire  it  is  necessary  that 
all  mortal  sins  committed  after  baptism  and  not 
yet  directly  remitted  be  told,  in  kind  and  in 
number;  it  is  also  necessary  that  the  circum- 
stances changing  the  kind  of  sin  be  told,  as  well 
as  the  outward  acts. 

Having  premised  this  statement  we  say  in 
answer  to  the  first  part  of  the  question  that  the 
mortal  sin  mentioned  as  probably  already  con- 


136  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

fessed  need  not  necessarily  be  told  in  a  future  con- 
fession. It  need  not  be,  but  it  may  be  declared; 
for  there  is  nothing  to  prevent  its  being  told  as 
doubtfully  accused  in  a  former  confession.  But 
we  would  forbid  it  to  persons  who  are  anxious 
and  inclined  to  worry;  for  there  is  no  obligation, 
and  it  would  only  lead  them  on  to  greater 
scrupulosity.  In  a  case  of  this  kind  the  pre- 
sumption is  all  in  favor  of  the  one  who  doubts. 

In  the  second  part  of  this  question  it  is  clear 
that  the  circumstance  was  forgotten;  there  is  no 
doubt  about  it.  This  circumstance  must  be  told 
if  it  was  grievous  and  of  a  kind  that  changed 
the  nature  of  the  sin.  For  example,  a  murder 
committed  in  a  church ;  here  we  have  the  circum- 
stance of  place  making  of  this  murder  also  a 
sacrilege :  a  sin  against  the  first  as  well  as  against 
the  fifth  commandment.  But  if  the  circumstance 
was  of  a  kind  that  merely  aggravated,  increased, 
the  sin,  even  greatly,  it  need  not  be  told.  Ag- 
gravating circumstances  need  not  be  mentioned 
unless  the  confessor  should  ask  about  these  cir- 
cumstances, in  which  case  the  penitent  is  obliged 
to  answer.  The  sin  mentioned  in  this  second 
part  of  the  question  was  already  confessed;  so 
it  will  only  be  told  inasmuch  as  the  circumstance 
cannot  be  told  without  the  sin. 

Is  it  wrong  to  speak  to  others  of  what 
the  priest  tells  me  in  confession,  or  of 
what  I  tell  the  priest,  or  to  tell  the  penance 
received  ? 

You  are  the  penitent;  and  it  is  also  for  the 
penitent's  sake  that  the  sacred  seal  of  confession 
must  be  kept  inviolable.  Of  course,  you  may 
tell  your  sins  to  the  whole  world  if  you  want  to, 
but  you  certainly  do  not  want  to.  You  yourself 
are  not  bound  by  the  secrecy  of  the  confessional 
as  regards  your  own  sins.  Nor  are  you  thus 
bound  as  regards  what  the  confessor  tells  you. 


CONFESSION  137 


But  you  are  obliged  (often  most  strictly)  to  keep 
as  a  natural  secret: 

(a)  Whatever  would  unjustly  injure  the  con- 
fessor; 

(b)  Whatever  you  believe  he  would  not  want 
you  to  make  known; 

(c)  Whatever  would  render  his  ministry  diffi- 
cult or  embarrassing; 

(d)  Whatever  partakes  of  the  nature  of  ridi- 
cule or  contempt  of  the  Sacrament. 

From  this  you  see  that  you  can  speak  about 
your  confession  without  sin — that  sometimes, 
however,  it  would  be  the  sinful  violation  of  a 
natural  secret,  that  always,  unless  your  confessor 
asks  you  to  speak  of  something  to  somebody,  it  is 
apt  to  be  imprudent.  We  hope  that  many  will 
take  this  to  heart  and  not  go  on  giving  them- 
selves away. 

Is  it  a  sin  not  to  follow  the  advice  of 
the  priest  in  the  confessional? 

That  depends  upon  the  character  of  the  advice 
given.  But  we  should  not  seek  to  draw  the  line 
at  sin  in  everything.  Let  us  rather  ask,  "Is  it  a 
virtue  to  follow  the  priest's  advice?"  It  em- 
phatically is.  You  go  to  confession  to  have  your 
sins  forgiven  and  to  amend  your  life.  With 
such  a  disposition  you  will  be  anxious  to  hear 
from  your  confessor — called  by  the  Fathers 
Another  Christ — and  the  physician  of  your  soul 
whatever  may  tend  to  your  spiritual  welfare  and 
save  you  from  a  relapse.  The  priest  is  your 
friend  and  father.  He  can  compassionate  with 
your  misery,  being  himself  subject  to  the  same 
trials  and  temptations.  Hence,  whatever  advice 
he   gives    comes   from    a   friendly   and   fatherly 

k  heart. 
Is  one's  confession  good  when  the  act  of 
contrition    is    not    finished    in    the    con- 
fessional, if  one  has  made  an  act  of  con- 


i3 8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

trition   during   the   preparation   or   after 
leaving  the  confessional? 

Sorrow  for  sin  is  so  important  that  without  it 
God  cannot  forgive  us.  But  by  an  act  of  con- 
trition is  not  necessarily  meant  any  set  form 
of  words.  As  the  catechism  says,  "Contrition,  or 
sorrow  for  sin,  is  a  hatred  of  sin  and  a  true  grief 
of  the  soul  for  having  offended  God,  with  a  firm 
purpose  of  sinning  no  more."  Hence,  we  can 
have  sorrow  without  vocal  prayer.  However,  it 
is  well,  in  addition  to  this  interior  sorrow,  to 
recite  an  act  of  contrition  in  some  set  form, 
which  we  ought  to  know  by  heart. 

It  is  recommended  to  make  the  act  of  contrition 
before  entering  the  confessional  and  again  after 
the  priest  has  given  you  the  penance  and  while 
he  is  giving  you  absolution. 

You  certainly  have  the  requisite  sorrow  if  you 
elicit  an  act  of  contrition  at  any  time  from  the 
beginning  of  your  preparation  up  to  the  actual 
absolution.  But  you  have  not  the  requisite 
sorrow  if  you  first  make  an  act  of  contrition  after 
confession. 

I  went  to  Holy  Communion  without 
saying  all  my  penance;  there  were  still 
a  few  prayers  left,  I  think.  And  then 
again  I  think  I  did  say  them  all  once,  but 
I  am  not  sure.  I  think  it  happened  this 
way:  I  said  them  once  and  did  not  say 
them  right.  It  is  this  way :  I  did  say  them 
and  I  didn't  say  them.  What  can  I  do 
when  a  thing  like  that  comes  to  my  mind  ? 

You  are  doing  something  which  no  one  should 
ever  do,  much  less  one  who  is  over-anxious  about 
little  things:  you  are  repeating  your  prayers 
because  you  do  not  think  you  said  them  well 
enough.  Involuntary  distractions  do  not  de- 
prive prayer  of  its  value  and  efficacy.  What 
should  you  do?     Never  repeat  any  prayers  for 


CONFESSION  139 


that  reason!  As  regards  your  penance  say  it 
just  once,  no  matter  how  distracted  you  may  be; 
say  it  in  connection  with  your  thanksgiving  after 
confession,  if  possible,  and  then  forget  all  about  it. 
Even  a  little  such  repetition  easily  leads  to 
endless  repetition  and  then  to  worry  and  scru- 
pulosity and  all  that.  It  even  weakens  the  mind. 
Be  sensible  and  practical.  Our  good  God  under- 
stands. He  knows  of  what  clay  we  are  made. 
He  does  not  expect  the  impossible. 

Has  a  priest  the  right  to  refuse  a  girl 
absolution  because  she  goes  out  with  a 
divorced  man  or  has  him  come  to  see  her 
about  twice  a  week  ?  This  girl  knows  that 
she  cannot  marry  him,  as  he  was  validly 
married  in  the  eyes  of  the  Church.  But  he 
understands  and  has  never  asked  her  to 
leave  her  Church  and  marry  him.  He  is 
just  a  good  friend  that  anyone  would  be 
proud  of. 

We  fail  to  see  how  a  Catholic  girl  can  thus  be 
proud  of  a  divorced  man  whose  lawful  wife  is 
still  living.    But  that  is  not  the  question. 

A  priest  absolutely  and  always  has  not  only  the 
right  but  also  the  sacred  duty  to  refuse  absolu- 
tion to  any  penitent  not  having  the  requisite 
dispositions  for  the  worthy  reception  of  this 
Sacrament.  The  confessor  is  the  judge,  Christ's 
visible  representative.  He  must  hear  the  case 
as  stated  by  the  self-accused,  inquire  as  to  the 
penitent's  dispositions,  and  then  pass  sentence. 
Bear  in  mind  that  his  is  the  power  to  forgive  sins 
or  to  retain  them.  "Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Whose  sins  you  shall  forgive,  they  are  forgiven 
them;  and  whose  sins  you  shall  retain,  they  are 
retained." 

We  cannot  refrain  from  remarking  here,  in  an 
impersonal  way,  that  there  are  only  too  many 
Catholics  who  are  inclined  to  those  godless  utter- 


140  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

ances  and  deadliest  of  criticisms  in  which  people 
rashly  indulge  when  they  act  as  self-appointed 
judges  of  sacred  persons  and  things  as  though 
they  would  improve  upon  the  all-wise  rulings 
of  God,  upon  the  teachings  of  Christ,  upon  the 
doctrines  of  Holy  Church — even  dragging  the 
sacred  person  of  the  priest  in  the  dust! 

To  make  a  good  confession  is  it  neces- 
sary to  confess  more  than  the  sins  one  is 
certain  are  mortal  sins? 

All  mortal  sins  of  which  we  are  conscious,  of 
which  we  are  certain  that  they  are  mortal  sins, 
must  be  confessed.  This  is  of  strictest  obligation. 
Such  is  the  teaching  of  Holy  Church. 

There  is  no  such  strict  obligation  to  confess 
doubtful  mortal  sins  and  venial  sins.  However, 
unless  a  person  is  overanxious  or  scrupulous,  it 
would  be  well  to  mention  doubtful  mortal  sins  as 
doubtful.  If  it  is  a  doubtful  mortal  sin  it  is 
probably  a  certain  venial  sin,  and  we  are  advised 
to  confess  venial  sins,  at  least  the  more  de- 
liberate ones;  for  it  makes  us  more  careful  to 
shun  them,  helps  us  to  avoid  mortal  sin,  and 
opens  the  way  to  more  abundant  sacramental 
grace. 

When  we  say  that  doubtful  mortal  sins  should 
be  confessed,  we  mean  that  this  practice  should 
generally  be  followed;  but  people  that  have  not 
confessed  a  doubtful  mortal  sin  should  not  think 
they  have  made  a  bad  confession  on  that  account, 
if  in  their  conscience  they  thought  there  was  no 
obligation  to  confess  the  doubtful  mortal  sin. 

"No  one,"  declares  the  Council  of  Trent,  "if 
he  is  conscious  of  mortal  sin,  ought  to  approach 
the  Eucharist."  Therefore,  the  confession  com- 
manded binds  only  those  who  are  conscious,  that 
is  to  say,  certain  of  a  mortal  sin  committed  and 
not  yet  confessed.  , 

For  the  assurance  of  the  overanxious  we  give 


CONFESSION  141 


the  following  from  St.  Alphonsus,  "If  a  person 
is  in  doubt  as  to  having  sinned  mortally  or  not 
he  may  lawfully  approach  the  Holy  Table  with- 
out confessing,  let  the  doubt  be  negative  or 
positive,  that  is,  whether  there  is  or  is  not  a 
serious  reason  for  the  doubt."  The  more  surely 
to  receive  the  fruit  of  the  Sacrament  it  suffices  to 
make  an  act  of  contrition. 

May  a  priest  hear  the  confessions  of 
his  relatives  within  the  third  degree  of 
blood  relationship? 

We  make  it  a  point  to  answer  questions  in  this 
book  of  information  in  all  seriousness,  carefully 
abstaining  from  all  sarcasm.  Were  it  not  for 
this  principle  of  ours  we  would  be  tempted  to 
smile  a  little  here.  This  is  not  a  question  of  blood 
relationship  nor  of  licitness.  There  is  no  ecclesi- 
astical law  or  ruling  which  forbids  a  priest  to 
hear  the  confessions  of  his  relatives.  But  it 
is  customary  for  priests  not  to  do  so,  excepting 
under  unusual  circumstances.  This  is  due  to  a 
certain  natural  delicacy.  Why  do  people  prefer 
to  go  to  confession  to  a  stranger  and  why  is 
there  less  danger  of  making  a  bad  confession 
when  going  to  such  a  confessor?  For  very  much 
the  same  reason  a  priest  prefers  not  to  hear  the 
confessions  of  relatives  and  intimate  friends  and 
of  those  with  whom  he  comes  into  daily  familiar 
contact. 

Why  must  one  avoid  a  wilful  near 
occasion  of  sin? 

Just  as  the  resolve  to  put  your  hand  into  the 
fire  is  proof  positive  that  you  are  willing  to  burn 
it,  so  the  fact  that  you  refuse  to  avoid  a  wilful 
near  occasion  of  sin  (that  which  always  or  usually 
causes  you  to  fall  into  sin)  is  proof  positive  that 
you  are  willing  to  offend  God.  And  sin  is  in 
the  will.  Therefore,  wilfully  to  place  yourself 
in  a  proximate  occasion  of  mortal  sin  is  itself  a 


1 4i  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

mortal  sin.  This  question  reminds  us  of  the 
little  girl  who  was  anxious  enough  to  go  to 
heaven,  "but  could  she  have  a  little  devil  to  play 
with"  when  she  got  there? 

Is  it  necessary  to  correct  anything  said 
thoughtlessly  or  jokingly  about  others, 
unless  you  are  certain  that  it  has  injured 
anyone  quite  seriously?  How  can  one 
know  if  one  has  thus  injured  another 
seriously  ? 

Those  who  have  maliciously  and  seriously 
injured  their  neighbor  by  slander  or  detraction 
must  repair  the  injury  they  have  done  as  far 
as  they  are  able,  or  must  at  least  promise  to 
repair  it,  otherwise  they  will  not  be  forgiven. 
If,  however,  you  are  not  certain  that  you  have 
injured  anyone's  character  seriously,  you  have 
no  serious  obligation  to  make  restitution  of  good 
name.  If  you  do  not  know  how  to  make  restitu- 
tion, ask  your  confessor.  In  this  difficult  matter 
each  case  must  be  considered  in  all  its  individual 
bearings. 

But  how  can  one  know  if  one  has  injured 
another  seriously.  It  is  sufficient  to  mention 
that  malicious  detraction  and  calumny,  in  matters 
of  great  importance,  are,  by  their  very  nature, 
mortal  sins;  for  both  are  sins  against  charity 
and  justice.  Detraction,  or  backbiting,  in  its 
strictest  sense,  is  distinguished  from  calumny, 
or  slander,  by  this,  that  a  detractor  tells  the  truth, 
and  that  a  calumniator  wilfully  lies  about  his 
fellow  man.  Both  aim  to  injure  the  good  name 
of  the  neighbor,  but  calumny,  or  slander,  is  the 
more  grievous  sin. 

Space  forbids  us  to  enlarge  upon  this  subject 
here.  The  difficulty  of  making  due  restitution 
for  blasted  and  broken  names  and  fames  should 
make  us  resolve  anew  each  morning  to  keep  these 


CONFESSION  143 


three  golden,  peace-bringing  rules  for  the  govern- 
ment of  the  tongue: 

1.  "If  you  cannot  speak  well  of  your  neighbor, 
do  not  speak  of  him  at  all." 

2.  "Do  not  say  in  the  absence  of  your  neighbor 
what  you  would  not  say  in  his  presence." 

3.  "Say  not  of  another  what  you  would  not 
have  another  say  of  you." 

What  is  the  meaning  of  restitution,  and 
how  far  is  it  obligatory? 

By  restitution  is  meant  the  restoring  to  the 
true  owner  of  the  goods  that  belong  to  him, 
either  in  kind  or  value,  and  the  making  up  of 
the  unjust  loss  he  has  sustained,  whether  in  his 
person,  in  his  goods,  or  in  his  reputation. 

Restitution  is  a  duty  of  strict  obligation. 
Therefore,  whosoever  has  taken  away  anything 
from  another  unjustly,  whether  by  force  or  fraud, 
or  has  been  the  guilty  cause  of  its  being  so  taken 
away  by  others,  or  has  in  his  possession,  against 
the  owner's  will  or  knowledge,  the  goods  which 
he  knows  belong  to  him,  is  bound  by  the  strictest 
laws  of  justice  to  restore  the  said  goods  to  the 
true  owner,  either  in  kind  or  in  value;  as  also 
to  make  up  the  loss  the  owner  has  sustained  for 
want  of  them,  through  his  fault,  if  he  be  able; 
otherwise  he  is  incapable  of  receiving  pardon  for 
his  own  sins.  Likewise,  whosoever  has  injured 
his  neighbor  or  unjustly  occasioned  any  loss  to 
him,  whether  in  his  person,  goods,  or  reputation, 
is  bound  by  the  same  laws  of  justice  to  make 
compensation  for  the  said  loss,  otherwise  his  sin 
will  never  be  forgiven  him.  The  law  of  restitution 
includes  also  the  obligation  of  paying  one's  debts. 

If  you  do  not  know  how  to  make  restitution, 
consult  your  confessor  and  so  avoid  endless 
troubles  of  conscience. 

When  going  to  confession  I  always  feel 
very  nervous  and  forget  most  of  the  things 


i44  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

I  wish  to  say.  Others  seem  to  go  with 
ease,  but  I  become  so  nervous  otherwise, 
too.  Do  you  think  this  is  the  cause?  Can 
you  give  me  some  information? 

The  inordinate  excitement  you  experience  when 
going  to  confession  is  evidently  due  to  your 
nervosity.  There  is  naturally  some  uneasiness 
or  agitation  of  mind  in  all  sincere  penitents  who 
approach  the  tribunal  of  penance;  but  it  is 
very  moderate  in  ordinary  confessions  and  should 
not  be  so  extreme  as  your  case  suggests.  We 
here  give  some  general  directions  which  may 
help  you  very  much. 

1.  Be  calm  and  quiet  and  go  about  your  pre- 
paration in  a  sensible,  childlike  way.  Re- 
member that  you  are  merely  going  to  tell  God, 
through  His  representative,  what  He  already 
knows. 

2.  Do  not  spend  too  much  time  in  examining 
your  conscience.  If  you  go  to  confession  every 
week,  give  yourself  just  five  minutes,  at  the 
most,  for  the  examination  and  then  gently  force 
yourself  to  stop.  Nor  need  you  in  this  case  use 
a  long  table  of  questions.  Just  ask  yourself: 
"How  did  I  sin  in  thought?  In  word?  In  deed?" 
If  you  go  once  a  month  or  so,  never  use  more  than 
ten  or  fifteen  minutes.  If  we  are  trying  to  lead 
good  lives,  no  long  searching  is  necessary  in  order 
to  discover  the  grievous  sins  we  may  have  com- 
mitted. They  are  ever  before  us.  They  haunt 
us,  as  it  were. 

3.  Remember  that  mortal  sins  forgotten  in 
confession  are  indirectly  forgiven  by  sacramental 
absolution.  There  remains  only  the  obligation 
to  mention  them  as  forgotten  in  the  next  regular 
confession.  But  we  assume  that  the  many  things 
you  wish  to  say  and  then  forget  are  not  grievous 
sins  at  all.  So  bear  in  mind  that  only  mortal  sins 
of  which  you  are  certain  that  they  are  mortal  sins 
need  be  confessed.     There  is  no  obligation  to 


CONFESSION  145 


confess  venial  sins,  though  it  is  well,  as  a  rule,  to 
do  so,  at  least  the  more  deliberate  ones.  But  they 
are  forgiven  in  other  ways,  too,  especially  in 
Holy  Communion. 

4.  The  rule  for  those  in  your  condition  should 
be  to  confess  only  what  must  necessarily  be  con- 
fessed, i.  e.,  mortal  sins;  and  if  there  are  none, 
which  is  often  the  case,  to  pick  out  two  or  three 
more  deliberate  venial  sins  or  faults,  to  resolve 
to  better  yourself  in  their  regard,  and  to  confess 
them  with  sorrow.  This  means  a  short  examina- 
tion of  conscience,  a  brief  confession,  and  greater 
progress  in  perfection.  Do  not  try  to  find  sins 
where  there  are  none. 

We  have  purposely  enlarged  somewhat  upon 
this  subject.  For  we  are  sure  that  many  pious 
souls  give  themselves  headaches  because  they  do 
not  observe  the  advice  so  often  given  them  and 
now  briefly  contracted  in  the  above  paragraphs. 

Is  it  necessary  in  confession  to  tell  the 
time  of  your  last  Holy  Communion,  by 
saying,  for  instance:  "My  last  confession 
was  two  weeks  ago.  I  received  absolution 
and  went  to  Holy  Communion.'1 

Abstracting  from  unusual  circumstances,  it  is 
quite  unnecessary  to  use  this  formula.  There  are 
still  many  different  and  some  rather  lengthy 
formulas  in  use,  which  were  taught  people  per- 
haps years  ago,  when  confessions  were  not  nearly 
so  numerous  as  they  are  now  since  the  re-intro- 
duction of  frequent  Communion  and  the  Com- 
munion of  little  children.  It  is  very  advisable 
to  use  a  more  abbreviated  formula  now.  It  is  not 
even  necessary  to  say,  "Bless  me,  Father,*'  since 
the  priest  blesses  you  as  you  enter  the  con- 
fessional, before  you  can  say  a  single  word. 
Hence,  the  following  is  a  sufficiently  thorough 
and  a  pleasing  way  of  making  your  confession, 
though  you  are  at  liberty  to  follow  any  form  to 


146  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

which  you  are  accustomed  or  which  you  may 
find  in  any  good  prayerbook  or  in  your  catechism: 
Enter  the  confessional.  Kneel  down.  Make 
the  sign  of  the  cross  without  saying  the  words. 
Say  "Father,  my  last  confession  was  a  week — 
a  month — etc. — ago.  I  have"  .  .  .  Here  tell 
your  sins.  You  finish  by  saying:  "I  include 
from  my  former  life  the  sin  of  ''missing  Mass — 
impurity — )  which  I  confessed  before.  I  am 
sorry  for  all  my  sins."  (Mention  some  deliberate 
past  sin  already  confessed  and  forgiven.  Be 
sorry  for  it  once  more.) 

If  you  confess  in  this  way  you  will  hasten 
slowly.  And  that  is  the  golden  mean  in  con- 
fession. Some  are  slow,  sluggish,  and  hesitant 
about  saying  things  in  the  confessional.  Others 
are  wont  to  confess  with  too  great  haste  and 
precipitancy,  so  that  one  almost  questions  their 
sincerity.    Festina  lentel    make  haste  slowly. 

Since  we  are  speaking  about  this  matter,  a  few 
more  hints  about  confession  itself  may  be  in 
place.  1.  Do  not  speak  too  softly  and  do  not 
speak  too  loud.  Follow  the  golden  mean:  a 
distinct  and  audible  whisper.  2.  Do  not  hesitate 
to  ask  questions  and  do  so  immediately  after 
your  confession  proper,  before  receiving  absolu- 
tion, by  saying,  for  instance,  "Please,  Father, 
is  it  wrong,"  etc.  3.  If  the  confessor  finds  it 
necessary  to  ask  you  questions,  answer  in  a 
reverent,    humble,    brief,    and    candid    manner. 

4.  If  the  priest  gives  you  advice,  pay  attention 
to  his  words  and  treasure  every  one  of  them. 
Do    not    keep    thinking    of    your    confession. 

5.  When  the  priest  gives  you  a  penance  say, 
"Thank  you,  Father."  You  thus  also  show  that 
you  have  understood  it.  If  you  have  not  under- 
stood it,  humbly  ask  the  priest  to  repeat  it,  saying: 
"Please,  Father,  what  is  my  penance?"  If  you 
fear  you  cannot  perform  the  penance  given, 
mention    it    respectfully   to   the   priest,    saying: 


CONFESSION 


i47 


"Father,  I  fear  I  may  not  be  able  to  say  or  do 
this  penance,  because,"  etc.  6.  While  the  priest 
says  the  formula  of  absolution  renew  the  act  of 
contrition  and  purpose  of  amendment  with  all 
fervor  and  directness.  7.  Do  not  arise  to  leave 
the  confessional  until  the  confessor  says  "God 
bless  you"  or  gives  some  similar  word  or  sign. 
Then  say  again  "Thank  you,  Father." 

What  a  wondrous  gift  confession  is!  How 
salutary  its  effects!  By  the  few  sacred  words  of 
absolution  all  the  confessed  mortal  sins,  all  the 
forgotten  mortal  sins,  all  the  doubtful  mortal 
sins,  all  the  doubtful  confessions  and  Com- 
munions, and  all  the  deprecated  venial  sins  of 
the  penitent's  entire  past  life  are  completely 
forgiven  once  for  all.  "I  absolve  you  from  your 
sins,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     Amen." 

Is  the  amendment  of  our  lives  the  surest 
sign  that  our  confessions  were  good? 

This  question,  as  we  understand  it,  has  refer- 
ence to  the  contrition  and  firm  purpose  of  amend- 
ment necessary  for  a  good  confession.  These 
two  qualities  are  so  closely  connected  that  one 
cannot  exist  without  the  other.  Contrition,  we 
might  say,  is  the  detestation  of  past  sins,  whereas 
the  firm  purpose  of  amendment  is  the  detestation 
of  future  sins. 

There  is  only  one  really  evident  and  conclusive 
sign  that  our  contrition  is  good,  namely,  the 
change  of  our  conduct  for  the  better  after  con- 
fession. (Note  well  that  we  here  have  in  mind 
mortal  sin.)  Tears,  of  course,  are  good  in  their 
way;  so  are  sobs  of  grief  over  sin;  a  humble  and 
candid  manner  in  the  confessional  also  speaks 
well  in  our  behalf;  but  the  only  convincing 
symtom  of  genuine  contrition  is  if,  according  to 
the  Savior's  recipe,  it  brings  forth  "fruit  worthy 
of  penance";    if  it  improves  our  morals;    makes 


148  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

us  careful  to  avoid  the  occasions  of  sin,  to  make 
a  better  use  of  prayer  and  the  Sacraments; 
makes  us  satisfy  for  the  injuries  done  and  repair 
the  damages  inflicted;  if  it  intensifies  our  love 
for  God  and  the  neighbor.  Some  change  for  the 
better  must  take  place  in  your  conduct  if  your 
contrition  has  been  more  than  an  idle  fancy. 

Indeed,  it  is  quite  clear  that  there  is  cause  to 
doubt  about  the  genuineness  of  your  contrition  if, 
soon  after  confession,  you  again  commit  the  same 
grievous  sins  you  proposed  to  be  sorry  for;  with 
the  same  nonchalance  and  without  a  semblance  of 
resistance;  with  the  same  frequency  and  regularity; 
without  making  any  effort  whatsoever  to  avoid  the 
occasions  of  sin  or  to  use  the  means  of  grace, 
prayer  and  the  Sacraments;  without  making  an 
effort  to  repair  the  injury  done  by  your  sins  and 
to  satisfy  the  demands  of  justice  and  charity. 

Of  course,  as  every  confessor  knows,  even  the 
best  and  most  sincere  penitent  may  relapse  into 
mortal  sin  again  after  the  best  and  most  sincere 
confession.  But  if  he  sins  again,  it  will  seldom 
be  very  soon  after  confession;  it  will  never  be 
without  some  initial  resistance;  and  his  falls  will 
gradually  become  less  frequent  and  not  so  heavy 
as  they  were  before.  St.  Philip  Neri,  we  are 
told,  had  a  penitent  who  confessed  the  solitary 
sin.  The  saint  helped  him  make  an  act  of  con- 
trition, absolved  him,  and  had  him  promise  that 
he  would  return  to  confession  as  soon  as  he 
sinned  again.  For  thirteen  consecutive  days  he 
had  to  come  and  ruefully  admit  that  he  had 
fallen  back  into  his  fleshly  weakness.  Each  time 
St.  Philip  absolved  him — and  each  confession 
was  good.  After  the  thirteenth  the  young  man 
was  strong  and  never  fell  back  into  his  besetting 
sin  again.  This  example  ought  to  encourage  many 
a  poor  and  seemingly  helpless  sinner.  Because 
of  many  relapses,  due  in  most  cases  to  weakness 
of  the  flesh,  he  has  lost  all  reliance  on  his  acts  of 


CONFESSION  149 


contrition  and  purpose  of  amendment;  and  yet, 
in  the  light  of  the  aforesaid  incident,  he  has 
reasons  to  assume  that,  weak  as  he  may  be  in 
the  time  of  temptation,  he  may  still  be  sincerely 
and  resolutely  set  against  sin  when  the  tempta- 
tion is  remote.  Consequently,  his  contrition  and 
purpose  of  amendment  preparatory  to  confession 
and  in  the  confessional  may  be  genuine  and  even 
perfect.  But  if  so  they  will  exert  their  strength 
unto  victory  over  whatsoever  grievous  sin  sooner 
or  later. 

Now  a  word  about  those  who  confess  only 
venial  sins.  If  since  your  last  confession  you 
have  been  guilty  only  of  venial  sins,  then  include 
a  grievous  sin  of  your  former  life  in  your  act  of 
contrition  and  confess  the  same  again  in  a  general 
manner.  Choose  such  sins  as  you  have  really 
committed  and  for  which  you  are  truly  sorry, 
otherwise  the  including  of  the  same  in  your  con- 
trition and  confession  would  be  of  little  use.  At 
the  end  of  your  confession  say:  "I  also  include 
all  the  sins  of  my  past  life,  especially  such  or 
such  a  sin  (mention  the  sin),  and  again  am  sorry 
for  them  with  all  my  heart.*' 

In  this  way  you  will  always  make  a  good  con- 
fession, even  if  your  sorrow  concerning  the  faults 
committed  since  your  last  confession  should  be 
somewhat  wanting;  and  you  need  not  then  be 
disquieted  about  your  confessions  if,  later  on, 
doubts  should  arise  whether  you  had  sufficient 
sorrow  for  them.  Still,  it  is  best  always  to  excite 
oneself  to  a  sincere  sorrow  even  for  venial  sins 
and  to  form  the  resolution  of  never  offending  God 
willingly. 

A  priest,  in  confession,  advised  me  to 
avoid  a  certain  thing  that  is  not  a  sin.  I 
find  it  extremely  difficult  to  do  so.  Would 
it  be  a  sin  to  disregard  the  wishes  of  the 
priest  in  this  matter? 


i5o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Assuming  that  what  you  are  asked  to  avoid  is 
neither  a  sin  nor  a  proximate  occasion  of  sin  for 
you,  we  answer  your  question  with  a  simple, 
"No."  It  no  doubt  frequently  happens  that  a 
confessor  advises  penitents,  for  their  greater 
spiritual  progress  or  for  the  more  certain  preser- 
vation of  grace,  to  avoid  certain  things  that  are 
not  in  themselves  sinful.  So,  for  instance,  he 
might  advise  one  to  remain  away  from  the  movies, 
not  to  frequent  dances,  to  stay  at  home  more, 
etc.,  etc.  Again  penitents  are  repeatedly  asked 
to  avoid  neglecting  the  frequent  reception  of  the 
Sacraments,  sermons  and  instructions  in  Christian 
Doctrine,  the  reading  of  Catholic  books,  daily 
prayers.  These  are  exhortations  to  greater 
spiritual  perfection  and  do  not  of  themselves 
bind  under  pain  of  sin.  As  long  as  we  do  that 
which  is  good  we  are  not  bound  to  do  what  is 
better.  But  ah!  what  wisdom  in  the  Holy  Ghost, 
were  we  ever  to  strive  for  the  better  things!  One 
way  of  remaining  in  the  grace  of  God  is  to  strive 
continually  to  grow  in  His  grace. 

I  can  speak  well,  but  I  am  deaf.  I  am 
afraid  to  speak  in  the  confessional  be- 
cause, not  being  able  to  hear  myself,  I 
fear  to  speak  too  loud  and  so  be  under- 
stood by  those  outside  the  confessional. 
Is  it  all  right  to  write  out  my  sins  and  hand 
the  paper  to  the  priest  in  the  confessional 
without  saying  anything  and  then  get  the 
paper  back  and  receive  absolution? 

The  telling  of  one's  sins  belongs  to  the  Sacra- 
ment of  Penance,  which  is  the  forum  of  conscience, 
and  hence  the  penitent  accuses  himself,  submits 
to  the  judgment  of  the  confessor,  and  is  heard 
in  secret.  Public  confession  is,  therefore,  valid 
but  not  obligatory  in  any  case.  Likewise,  one 
who  does  not  speak  the  language  of  the  con- 
fessor is  not  bound  to  use  an  interpreter. 


CONFESSION  151 


Regularly,  confession  should  be  vocal,  i.  e., 
sins  should  be  made  manifest  by  spoken  words. 
This,  indeed,  does  not  belong  to  the  essence  of 
confession,  since  any  sign  by  which  sins  are 
sufficiently  made  manifest  would  suffice,  and 
there  is  no  divine  precept  to  confess  orally; 
but  from  the  custom  of  the  Church,  which  has 
obtained  the  force  of  law,  confession  must  sub 
gravi  be  made  orally  by  those  who  can  speak, 
unless  a  serious  reason  excuses  from  this  obliga- 
tion, though  in  certain  cases  not  all  the  sins 
need  be  told  vocally;  for  instance,  if  they  are 
already  known  to  the  confessor  the  words,  "I 
accuse  myself  of  the  sins  already  known  to  you," 
would  suffice. 

Hence,  though  one  is  in  no  case  bound  to  confess 
by  writing,  confession  may  be  made  by  signs  or 
in  writing  for  grave  reasons,  e.  g.,  if  the  penitent 
is  dumb,  or  the  confessor  is  deaf;  or  if  there  is 
danger  of  being  heard  by  those  nearby;  or  if  one 
sick  with  throat  trouble  finds  it  very  hard  to 
speak;  or  if  one,  out  of  excessive  shame,  cannot 
explain  his  sins;  or  if  one  fears  that  because  of 
scruples  or  temptations  to  conceal  sins  he  cannot 
make  a  complete  confession ;  or  if  there  are  similar 
grave  reasons.  But  in  these  instances  it  is  ad- 
visable, if  possible,  that  before  absolution  the 
penitent  say  these  or  similar  words:  "I  accuse 
myself  of  the  sins  which  I  have  written  down  and 
am  sorry  for  them."  But  this  is  not  strictly 
necessary  since,  in  circumstances  like  those 
mentioned  above,  he  is  simply  excused  from  oral 
confession. 

From  the  above  you  can  gather  how  to  make 
your  confession  in  writing.  But  since  you  can 
speak  well,  it  is  highly  to  be  recommended  that 
you  let  the  confessor  know  you  are  deaf  and  have 
him  hear  your  confession  in  the  sacristy  or  some 
other  place  appointed  for  the  deaf,  where  there 


i5x         QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

is  no  danger  of  being  overheard.    There  you  can 
confess  in  the  ordinary  way. 

We  spoke  above  about  the  dumb.  They  may 
and  must,  of  course,  go  to  confession;  that 
precept  binds  all  who  can  in  any  way  manifest 
their  sins;  and  by  signs  the  dumb  can  in  some 
way  manifest  their  sins  or  at  least  that  they  are 
sinners.  They  are  not  obliged  to  use  the  extra- 
ordinary means  of  writing,  even  if  they  can, 
though  they  should  gently  be  urged  to  do  so. 
Yes;  those  who  are  dumb  or  who  cannot  speak 
the  language  of  the  confessor  may  be  absolved 
by  the  priest,  but  only  three  or  four  times  a  year, 
if  they  make  at  least  a  general  accusation  and  ask 
for  absolution,  because  moral  necessity  excuses 
that  often  from  integrity.  Because  of  that  one 
ignorant  of  the  language  of  the  confessor  may 
confess  by  signs  as  best  he  can,  as  the  dumb  do, 
provided  that  he  simply  cannot  find  a  confessor 
who  speaks  his  language.  This,  by  the  way,  is 
of  rare  occurrence,  though  there  may  easily 
enough  be  death-bed  cases  of  this  nature.  In 
such  cases  the  priest  may  validly  absolve  even  if 
he  does  not  understand  the  penitent's  language. 

Why  do  confessors  sometimes  ask  if 
one  is  married,  or  has  a  boy  or  girl  friend, 
or  works,  etc.  ?  Do  they  realize  that  some- 
times they  ask  such  questions  of  boys  and 
girls  thirteen  or  fourteen  years  of  age? 

Yes;  the  confessor  realizes  that  and  often 
hesitates  before  asking.  But  he  usually  cannot 
see  the  penitent  and  cannot  always  tell  by  the 
voice,  whereas  the  nature  of  the  sins  confessed 
seems  to  demand  an  inquiry.  The  priest  never 
asks  questions  through  curiosity,  but  from  a 
sense  of  duty.  He  feels  that  he  ought  to  have 
additional  information  regarding  your  state  or 
manner  of  life,  especially  your  disposition  of  soul 
with  reference  to  the  reception  of  the  Sacrament. 


CONFESSION  153 


Then,  too,  he  may  be  convinced,  or  have  good 
reason  to  suspect,  that  you  have  omitted  some 
essential  point  in  your  confession,  which  it  is 
his  obligation  to  assist  you  in  supplying.  Hence 
his  questions.  His  one  aim  in  making  inquiries 
is  your  spiritual  cure  and  advancement.  Do  not 
take  them  amiss  or  grow  nervous  or  upset,  let 
alone  hurt  or  insulted,  because  you  are  questioned. 
Answer  in  a  reverent,  humble,  calm,  easy,  and 
brief  manner. 

It  would  really  be  a  great  relief  for  the  con- 
fessor and  greatly  expedite  matters  if  those  who 
are  about  to  confess  mortal  sins  would  mention 
their  age  and  state  of  life,  e.  g.,  "Father,  I  am  a 
young  man  twenty  years  old  and  single.  My  last 
confession  was  .  .  ." 

When  a  woman  or  young  lady  wants  to 
go  to  confession  to  a  certain  pastor  he 
sometimes  says,  "Men  only,  please !" 
Has  he  a  right  to  say  this? 

He  certainly  has  a  perfect  right  to  make  certain 
disciplinary  regulations  in  his  parish,  as  long  as 
he  gives  his  parishioners  an  opportunity  to  go  to 
confession  to  some  priest  in  the  church,  which  as 
a  matter  of  fact  is  always  provided  for.  Various 
circumstances  or  certain  local  customs  may  call 
for  this  "Men  only"  arrangement.  We  recall  a 
case  where  all  the  confessionals  were  occupied 
by  visiting  priests  and  the  pastor  was  hearing  in 
a  temporary  confessional  in  the  front  aisle  of  the 
church.  He  announced  "Men  only!"  The  reason 
was  very  simple.  He  had  just  a  kneeling-bench 
for  the  penitents — no  screen,  no  grate.  And 
Canon  Law  '(Cartons  909  and  910)  says  that  the 
confessional  for  hearing  women  s  confessions  must 
always  be  placed  in  an  open  and  visible  place, 
and  it  must  have  an  immovable  grate  with  small 
holes.  This  grate  is  not  necessary  for  hearing 
men's  confessions,  and  men's  confessions  may  be 


i54  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

heard  also  in  private  homes.  Women's  con- 
fessions should  not  be  heard  outside  the  con- 
fessional, which  must  be  furnished  with  a  grate, 
as  mentioned  above,  except  in  case  of  sickness 
or  for  other  reasons  of  necessity.  The  term  sick- 
ness includes  old  age,  decreptitude  and  deafness, 

A  person  goes  to  confession  and,  with- 
out any  fault  on  his  part,  forgets  to  con- 
fess a  mortal  sin.  But  he  thinks  of  it  when 
the  priest  is  giving  absolution.  What 
should  one  do  in  such  a  case,  tell  the  sin  at 
once,  or  tell  it  after  absolution,  or  let  it  go 
and  mention  it  as  forgotten,  in  the  next 
confession?  There  was  no  intention  to 
conceal  the  sin. 

This  is  a  practical  question.  Such  forgetfulness 
happens  often  enough.  The  confessor  will  no 
doubt  appreciate  it  if  you  respectfully  interrupt 
him  by  saying,  for  instance,  "Please,  Father,  I 
forgot  a  sin.""  Then  tell  him  the  sin.  But  if 
he  has  already  given  you  absolution,  tell  him  the 
sin  then  in  the  same  simple  and  respectful  way; 
and  do  not  leave  the  confessional  before  you 
have  done  so.  He  can  then  give  you  absolution 
once  more,  thus  directly  including  this  sin.  You 
should  not  let  the  matter  go  until  your  next  con- 
fession, since  you  can  so  easily  settle  it  then  and 
there  and  get  it  off  your  mind. 

Should  the  forgotten  mortal  sin  come  to  your 
mind  after  you  have  left  the  confessional,  it 
might  be  well  to  go  back  again  if  it  can  be  con- 
veniently done.  But  you  have  no  obligation  to 
do  so  or  to  confess  it  before  you  receive  Holy 
Communion.  Forgotten  mortal  sins  are  indirectly 
remitted  by  the  words  of  absolution  and  your 
only  obligation — a  grave  obligation — is  to  tell 
them  as  forgotten  in  your  next  regular  confession. 

What  is  the  good  of  going  to  confession 
every  two  weeks  or  so  if  one  has  no  mortal 


CONFESSION 


i55 


sins  to  confess?  Was  not  confession  insti- 
tuted principally  for  the  forgiveness  of 
mortal  sin? 

Yes;  the  Sacrament  of  Penance  was  instituted 
principally  for  the  forgiveness  of  mortal  sin ;  and 
every  mortal  sin  committed  after  Baptism  must 
be  submitted  to  the  power  of  the  keys,  must  be 
told  with  sorrow  in  the  confessional  for  purposes 
of  forgiveness.  This  is  so  true  that  there  is  no 
law  in  the  Church  which  commands  the  con- 
fession of  venial  sin,  even  though  it  is  praise- 
worthy and,  of  course,  permissible  to  confess 
venial  sins  that  they  may  thus  be  more  directly 
remitted;  it  is  so  true  that  the  precept  of  the 
Church  requiring  the  faithful  to  confess  at  least 
once  a  year  would  not  apply  to  one  who  has  com- 
mitted no  mortal  sin.  But  this  is  merely  theo- 
retical; for  one  who,  through  his  own  fault, 
is  so  careless  in  the  use  of  the  means  of  grace  as 
to  go  to  confession  but  once  a  year  can  hardly 
expect  to  keep  his  soul  from  mortal  sin,  as  ex- 
perience amply  demonstrates. 

But  what  we  may  call  devotional  confession, 
that  is  to  say,  confession  made  by  one  in  the 
state  of  grace,  confession  of  venial  sins,  faults, 
and  imperfections,  is  highly  recommended  by  the 
Church  and  is  a  great  means  of  Christian  per- 
fection. We  see  the  mind  of  the  Church  in  this 
matter  in  Canon  931,  for  instance,  wherein  we 
read:  "The  faithful  who  are  in  the  habit  to  con- 
fess at  least  twice  a  month  unless  legitimately 
impeded  .  .  .  can  gain  all  indulgences  without 
actual  confession,  for  which  otherwise  confession 
would  be  a  necessary  condition.  The  indulgences 
of  an  ordinary  or  extraordinary  jubilee,  and  those 
granted  in  the  form  of  a  jubilee,  are  excepted 
from  this  concession." 

The  assertion  that  devotional  confession  is  a 
great  means  of  Christian  perfection  is  supported 
by  the  following  considerations:     1.  For  one  not 


156         QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

in  mortal  sin  the  Sacrament  of  Penance  gives 
"second  sanctifying  grace,* '  that  is,  an  increase 
of  sanctifying  grace;  and  sanctifying  grace  is 
that  supernatural  gift  of  God,  bestowed  on  us 
through  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  makes 
the  soul  holy  and  pleasing  to  God.  So  here  we 
have  greater  holiness  at  once.  2.  The  venial 
sins  contritely  confessed  are  forgiven;  for,  as 
everybody  knows,  venial  sins  can  be  remitted  in 
confession,  since  Christ  did  not  make  any  dis- 
tinction when  He  said:  "Whose  sins  you  shall 
forgive,  they  are  forgiven."  3.  Sacramental 
grace  is  received,  which  is  that  special  help  which 
God  gives  to  attain  the  end  for  which  He  insti- 
tuted each  sacrament;  for  instance,  Penance 
gives  grace  to  detest  past  sins,  to  satisfy  for  them, 
and  to  avoid  their  proximate  occasions.  4.  In 
each  devotional  confession,  also,  there  must  be 
sorrow  for  sin,  and  if  no  sins  at  all  are  confessed 
as  having  been  committed  since  the  last  confes- 
sion, one  or  more  sins  of  the  past  life,  real,  de- 
liberate sins  even  if  only  venial,  should  be  specifi- 
cally mentioned  and  an  act  of  sorrow  made  for 
the  same.  For  sorrow  is  an  integral  part  of  con- 
fession and  not  even  God  can  forgive  sins  without 
sorrow.  So  that  unless  something  either  already 
confessed  or  not  yet  confessed  be  told,  and  unless 
there  be  real  sorrow  for  it,  the  Sacrament  cannot 
be  fruitfully  received.  Hence,  we  repeat,  it  is  a 
simple  case  of  telling  some  real  sin,  even  though 
already  confessed,  and  of  being  sorry  for  that  sin. 
And,  since  sorrow  is  so  utterly  important,  it  js 
well  to  recall  that  contrition  or  sorrow  for  sin  is 
a  hatred  of  sin  and  a  true  grief  of  the  soul  for 
having  offended  God,  with  a  firm  purpose  of 
sinning  no  more.  Or,  as  the  Council  of  Trent 
says  (and  this  applies  to  contrition  in  general, 
whether  perfect  or  imperfect):  "Contrition  is  a 
grief  of  the  soul  and  a  detestation  of  the  sin 
committed,  with  the  purpose  of  sinning  no  more." 


CONFESSION  157 


And  this  brings  us  to  a  very  easily  understood 
explanation  of  how  devotional  confession  is  a 
great  means  of  spiritual  progress.  Take  that 
purpose  of  amendment.  Suppose  that  in  your 
accusation  you  say  that  you  have  several  times 
been  impatient  and  unkind  towards  others,  and 
that  you  have  been  guilty  of  slight  detraction. 
Already  in  your  preparation  you  picked  out  just 
those  two  kinds  of  venial  sins  and  made  an  act 
of  sorrow  for  them  and  resolved  that  you  would 
watch  over  yourself  and  simply  avoid  them  in 
future.  You  keep  your  resolution  in  mind  after 
your  confession;  you  actually  do  better  yourself 
in  these  two  points;  and  you  make  just  that 
much  progress  in  virtue.  Due  to  this  watchful- 
ness, you  are  actually  striving  after  perfection 
day  by  day,  until  your  next  confession,  and  you 
actually  grow  in  holiness,  even  though  you  may 
not  realize  it.  Thus,  every  week  or  every  two 
weeks  you  approach  the  Sacrament  of  Penance, 
get  the  graces  and  helps  mentioned  above,  purify 
yourself  anew  in  Christ's  precious  Blood,  and 
fix  upon  one  or  the  other  sin  or  imperfection  that 
you  seek  to  eradicate.  Thus  your  whole  life  will 
be  a  constant  striving  after  greater  perfection; 
and,  if  it  has  no  greater  effect,  it  will  keep  you 
at  least  as  near  and  dear  to  God  as  you  are  now. 
It  will  keep  you  in  His  grace.  But  it  will  do  more: 
you  will  grow  in  His  love  and  His  grace.  You 
will  be  going  forward  on  the  path  of  holiness. 
He  that  does  not  go  forward  in  perfection, 
spiritual  writers  tell  us,  will  slip  backward. 
There  is  no  such  thing,  we  are  assured,  as  a  stand- 
still in  the  service  of  God. 

In  conclusion,  we  wish  to  say  that  since  sorrow 
is  so  necessary  for  a  fruitful  reception  of  the 
Sacrament  of  Penance,  even  in  devotional  con- 
fession, and  since  it  is  not  always  so  easy  to  be 
sorrowful  for  the  little  sins  and  imperfections  of 
everyday  life,  which  will  be  with  us  as  long  as 


158  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

we  live,  it  is  highly  advisable  always  to  include 
in  one's  confession  some  real,  deliberate,  sin  from 
the  past,  to  mention  it  by  name,  and  to  make 
one's  act  of  contrition  center  especially  around 
that  also. 

So  here  is  a  sort  of  a  model  of  a  devotional 
confession:  "Father,  my  last  confession  was  a 
week  ago.  Since  then  I  have  been  slightly  angry 
and  have  given  expression  to  my  feelings  in  un- 
kind words.  I  have  told  three  lies  in  unimportant 
matters,  just  to  elevate  myself  in  the  estimation 
of  others.  And  I  wish  to  include  in  this  confession 
all  the  sins  of  my  past  life,  especially  the  mortal 
sins  which  I  deliberately  committed  against  the 
sixth  commandment.  I  am  sorry  for  these  sins 
I  have  now  mentioned  and  I  propose  to  do  better." 

That  is  all  you  need  to  say,  changing  what  is 
to  be  changed.  It  is  not  necessary,  nor  even 
advisable  for  the  ordinary  weekly  confession,  to 
tell  all  your  venial  sins  and  imperfections.  Pick 
out  one  or  two  each  time  and  make  a  firm  purpose 
of  amendment  as  regards  the  same.  Then  let 
that  be  your  special  work  for  the  week  to  come. 
Thus  you  will  continually  advance  in  goodness 
before  God  and  man. 

Is  it  right  for  young  people  to  go  to  con- 
fession on  Saturday  night,  then  attend  a 
dance  until  two  or  three  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  and  then  go  to  Holy  Com- 
munion? Would  it  not  be  better  if  they 
would  go  to  Communion  less  often  and 
then  stay  quietly  at  home  the  evening 
before  they  do  go? 

Dancing  all  night  is  certainly  no  preparation 
for  Holy  Communion;  and  the  conduct  of  such 
young  people  as  you  mention  merits  the  severest 
condemnation.  We  are  inclined  to  think  that 
there  are  in  reality  few  Catholics  who  evince  such 
a  sad  lack  of  faith  and  piety  as  is  implied  in 
careless  conduct  of  this  nature. 


CONFESSION  159 


Though  we  are  so  much  in  favor  of  frequent 
Communion,  at  least  once  a  week,  and  though 
it  is  true  that  one  cannot  receive  Communion 
unworthily  if  one  is  in  the  state  of  grace,  we 
nevertheless  feel  that  the  dispositions  of  such 
Saturday  night  dancers  are  questionable.  We 
would  not,  however,  say  that  they  should  go  less 
often  to  Communion;  we  maintain  that  they 
should  eliminate  Saturday  night  dances  absolutely 
and  for  all  time  and  go  to  Holy  Communion 
every  Sunday  after  a  quiet  night  at  home,  spent 
in  part  at  least  in  good  reading,  and  after  a  de- 
vout and  recollected  preparation  in  the  morning. 
To  go  less  often  to  Communion  because  they 
wish  to  go  to  the  dance  would  certainly  be  play- 
ing into  the  hands  of  the  devil. 

Confession  Saturday  afternoon  or  evening,  a 
quiet  night  at  home,  falling  asleep  with  the 
thought  of  the  Guest  Who  is  coming  on  the  mor- 
row, loving  thought  of  and  desire  for  the 
Eucharistic  Savior  on  awakening  in  the  morning, 
doing  the  early  morning  tasks  in  a  spirit  of 
recollection  and  remote  preparation,  a  wide- 
awake attendance  at  Mass  and  a  fervent  im- 
mediate preparation  for  the  Bread  of  Life:  that 
is  the  beautiful,  ideal,  soul-satisfying,  and  sancti- 
fying way  of  receiving  Jesus.  Such  souls  taste 
and  see  how  sweet  is  the  Lord;  and  the  deep 
spiritual  peace  and  joy  that  is  theirs  is  more 
precious  than  all  the  amusements  in  the  world. 

I  wonder  whether  I  have  true  sorrow 
when  I  go  to  confession.  Can  you  give 
me  some  principles  in  this  matter? 

We  can.  Here  you  have  a  dozen  of  them. 
1.  The  state  of  the  soul  is  measured  not  by  feel- 
ings, but  by  the  attitude  of  the  mind  and  will. 
If  the  will  is  calmly  determined  to  do  the  right 
thing,  whatever  it  may  be,  it  is  not  only  in  a 
good  state  but  in  the  best  possible  state.     2.  Re- 


i6o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

ligion  essentially  consists  in  an  attitude  of  the 
mind  and  will,  and  not  in  feelings,  which  are  ac- 
cidental and  secondary.  3.  "You  may  be  as  dry 
as  bone,  and  you  may  feel  as  wicked  as  Old 
Nick  himself;  but  as  long  as  you  stick  to  what 
you  know  to  be  the  right  thing,  your  soul  is  as 
safe  as  a  house."  4.  Sorrow  for  sin  is  a  spiritual 
attitude  (regret)  of  the  mind  and  will,  based  upon 
the  realization  that  by  certain  acts  I  have  offended 
God  and  deserved  punishment.  5.  This  attitude 
once  formed  is  something  that  abides  in  the  soul. 

6.  Therefore,  one  who  is  in  ordinary  good  dis- 
position before  confession,  need  not  be  in  the 
least    degree    anxious    during    confession    itself. 

7.  The  very  fact  of  a  man's  sincerely  preparing 
for  confession  and  then  going  into  the  confessional 
is  proof  of  his  sorrow.  8.  To  repeat,  the  mere 
fact  of  seriously  coming  to  confession  after  a 
reasonable  amount  of  preparation  is  proof  posi- 
tive that  the  necessary  contrition  is  there,  though, 
of  course,  one  may  make  his  sorrow  as  explicit 
as  possible  at  the  moment  of  confession. 
9.  Scrupulous  people  who  think  their  confessions 
are  bad  for  want  of  sorrow  are  ignorant  of  the 
fact  that  contrition  is  simply  an  attitude  of  the 
mind  and  will,  and  not  a  feeling  at  all.  10.  The 
purpose  of  amendment  is  sorrow  reaching  out 
into  the  future.  A  man  must  remember  that 
every  effort  after  moral  improvement  is  a  virtue, 
that  the  very  essence  of  the  Christian  life  con- 
sists, not  precisely  in  what  we  achieve,  but  in 
trying  to  achieve  it.  11.  A  man  must  be  able 
to  say,  no  matter  how  sure  he  may  be  that  he 
will  fall  again,  "I  will  at  least  throw  my  good 
will  into  it,  and  try  again,  no  matter  whether  I 
succeed  or  not" — he  must  at  least  form  an  earnest 
purpose  of  trying.  12.  It  is  this  earnest  purpose 
to  do  what  one  can,  and  not  the  actual  success 
in  carrying  it  out  afterwards,  which  constitutes 
the  purpose  of  amendment. 


CONFESSION  161 


I  do  not  think  I  ever  felt  sorry  enough 
for  my  sins  to  make  an  act  of  perfect  con- 
trition. And  yet  they  say  it  is  not  difficult 
to  make  one.  Please  make  that  clear  to 
me.  My  contrition  seems  always  im- 
perfect. 

You  seem  to  have  an  incorrect  idea  of  the  dif- 
ference between  perfect  and  imperfect  contrition. 
You  apparently  think  that  perfect  contrition 
means  an  intense  and  emotional  contrition  and 
that  imperfect  contrition  means  a  state  of  wanting 
in  intensity  or  emotion.  This  is  not  correct. 
Perfect  contrition  is  just  as  independent  of  feeling 
as  imperfect  contrition  is.  The  real  difference  lies 
in  the  motive  that  gives  rise  to  that  act.  If  you 
are  sorry  for  your  sins  only  because  they  involve 
the  loss  of  heaven  and  the  pains  of  hell,  this  is 
imperfect  contrition,  no  matter  how  intense  and 
emotional  it  may  be.  If  you  are  sorry  for  sin 
because  it  is  an  offense  against  the  good  God  and 
contrary  to  His  will,  this  is  perfect  contrition,  no 
matter  how  devoid  of  emotion  it  may  be.  Both 
motives  can,  of  course,  exist  together  in  the  mind; 
and  the  presence  of  the  lower  motive  does  not 
spoil  the  higher  one,  so  long  as  the  higher  one  is 
really  there.  The  meaning  of  an  act  of  perfect 
contrition  is  really  very  simple.  The  following 
ordinary  formula,  whenever  it  is  said,  and  seri- 
ously meant,  is  an  act  of  perfect  contrition: 
"O  my  God,  I  am  heartily  sorry  for  my  sins 
because  Thou  are  infinitely  good  and  sin  is  dis- 
pleasing to  Thee." 

If  one  has  forgotten  what  the  priest  has 
given  him  for  penance,  would  it  be  all 
right  to  say  the  penance  that  is  usually 
given  him  ? 

If  you  forget  what  penance  was  imposed  upon 
you  in  the  confessional  and  you  think  the  con- 
fessor still  remembers  it,  you  are  obliged  to  go 


i6i  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

back  and  ask  him,  if  it  can  be  conveniently  done, 
since  the  performing  of  the  penance  is  still  morally 
possible.  If  this  cannot  be  done,  you  are  not  in 
any  case  obliged  to  repeat  the  confession  in  order 
to  get  another  penance.  The  obligation  of  the 
penance  then  ceases,  because  its  performance  be- 
comes morally  impossible.  Its  non-performance 
does  not  make  the  confession  invalid. 

You  cannot  impose  a  sacramental  penance 
upon  yourself,  nor  may  you  change  it  even  for 
something  greater  or  better.  But  you  may  add 
some  penance  of  your  own  to  it.  If  you  forget 
your  penance  and  cannot  go  back,  as  mentioned 
above,  you  may  say  the  penance  that  is  usually 
given  you  for  such  sins.  This  has  a  peculiar 
advantage,  inasmuch  as  if  a  penitent  forgets  the 
penance  and  then  out  of  devotion  by  chance 
says  the  prayers  or  performs  the  good  work 
enjoined  by  the  priest  the  obligation  is  satisfied, 
since  the  only  intention  of  performing  the  penance 
required  is  that  which  the  penitent  has  when 
accepting  the  penance. 

Going  to  confession  every  two  weeks 
seems  to  become  a  routine.  It  seems  use- 
less to  go  when  one  has  not  committed 
any  mortal  sin.  How  can  one  overcome 
this  feeling  and  have  more  satisfaction  in 
going  to  confession? 

Consider  what  frequent  confession  really  means 
for  you  and  you  will  always  find  deep  spiritual 
satisfaction  and  consolation  in  going.  Every  time 
you  receive  absolution  you  get  sanctifying  grace. 
If  you  were  in  mortal  sin  you  are  cleansed  from  it 
and  restored  to  God's  friendship.  If  you  were 
not  in  mortal  sin,  you  gain  an  increase  of  sancti- 
fying grace,  become  more  a  friend  of  God,  and 
have  a  right  to  a  higher  place  in  your  heavenly 
home.  So  even  if  you  have  no  mortal  sins,  con- 
fession always  has  a  lasting  and  most  precious 


CONFESSION  163 


effect.  It  gives  you  courage  to  continue  your 
good  life  and  to  live  up  to  your  duties.  It  keeps 
you  from  committing  sins  and  gives  you  actual 
graces  when  the  need  comes.  It  is  one  of  the 
most  powerful  means  for  perseverance  in  good- 
ness, for  the  attainment  of  Christian  perfection. 
A  fault  immediately  repaired  is  not  long  an 
obstacle  to  our  spiritual  progress;  it  hardly 
leaves  its  trace  upon  the  soul.  Hence  the  wisdom 
of  going  to  confession  even  every  week.  The 
Sacrament  of  Penance  always  purifies  our  souls 
in  the  Blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  provided  that  we 
be  well  disposed,  that  our  confession  be  sincere, 
and  that  our  contrition  be  true  and  genuine. 

It  is  not  a  question  of  mortal  sin  here,  as  you 
say.  Take  then,  deliberate  venial  faults.  Make 
a  full  avowal  in  confession  of  those  most  humili- 
ating to  you,  as  well  as  the  causes  that  make  you 
fall  into  such  sins.  Make  a  firm  resolution  to 
avoid  those  causes  entirely.  In  this  manner 
each  confession  will  be  a  step  forward  in  the  way 
of  perfection. 

Or  take  sins  of  frailty,  indeliberate  venial  sins, 
which  we  cannot  avoid  altogether,  though  we 
can  gradually  diminish  their  number.  You  may, 
of  course,  mention  all  you  can  remember,  though 
ordinarily  it  is  hardly  advisable  to  do  so,  and 
never  necessary,  but  even  if  you  do,  stress  some 
particular  fault.  Say,  for  instance,  "I  have  been 
distracted  or  careless"  during  such  or  such  a 
spiritual  exercise,  because  I  did  not  recollect  my- 
self beginning  it,  because  I  did  not  at  once  repel 
the  first  distractions,  because  of  attachment  to 
study,  to  a  friend,  because  of  some  petty  griev- 
ance, etc.  A  corresponding  resolution  will  then 
be  taken.  Then  in  your  next  confession  render 
an  account  of  your  efforts.  Say,  for  instance, 
"I  had  taken  such  a  resolution,  I  kept  it  so  many 
days,  or  kept  it  only  in  this  regard,  but  I  failed 
in  this  or  that  point." 


164  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

It  is  evident  that  confession,  practised  in  this 
manner,  will  not  be  a  matter  of  routine.  It  will, 
on  the  contrary,  be  taking  constant  steps  forward 
in  the  spiritual  life.  The  grace  of  absolution  will 
confirm  the  resolutions  taken  and  will  not  only 
increase  sanctifying  grace  within  us,  but  will 
multiply  our  energies,  causing  us  to  avoid  in  the 
future  a  certain  number  of  venial  faults  and  to 
grow  in  virtue  with  a  greater  measure  of  success. 

We  may  add  that  also  in  frequent  confession 
stress  must  be  laid  on  contrition  and  a  purpose 
of  amendment.  Excite  these  dispositions  by  the 
consideration  of  supernatural  motives.  Reflect 
that  every  sin,  no  matter  how  trivial,  is  an  offence 
againstGod,  an  act  of  hurtful  ingratitude  towards 
our  most  loving  Father  and  Benefactor;  that 
venial  sin  cools  the  intimacy  of  the  soul  with 
God,  hampers  its  spiritual  activity,  weakens  its 
power  for  good,  and,  if  deliberate,  predisposes  to 
mortal  sin.  It  is  thus  not  difficult  to  conceive 
sincere  regret  and  desire  to  do  better.  Let  the 
good  purpose  take  an  actual,  definite  form. 

In  order  to  insure  still  further  the  presence  of 
contrition,  it  is  a  good  practice  to  include  one  of 
the  more  serious  faults  of  the  past  for  which  we 
are  surely  sorry,  especially  a  fault  that  is  of  the 
same  species  as  the  venial  sin  we  deplore.  Here 
we  must  be  on  our  guard  against  two  defects: 
routine  and  negligence.  The  first  would  make 
this  accusation  a  mere  empty  formula  devoid  of 
any  real  sentiment  of  sorrow;  the  other  would 
render  us  unmindful  of  any  actual  regret  for  the 
venial  sins  of  which  we  have  just  accused  our- 
selves. 

We  repeat  that  the  practice  of  confession  in 
the  manner  described,  the  advice  of  the  con- 
fessor, and,  above  all,  the  cleansing  power  of  ab- 
solution are  effectual  means  of  disentangling  our- 
selves from  the  meshes  of  sin  and  advancing  in 
virtue.     (Cf.  Tanquerey:    The  Spiritual  Life.) 


CONFESSION  165 


How  would  you  make  a  general  con- 
fession? I  have  some  friends  that  haven't 
been  to  confession  and  Communion  for 
about  two  years.  Would  it  be  all  right  for 
them  to  make  a  general  confession? 

A  general  confession  is  the  necessary  or  de- 
votional repetition  of  the  (mortal)  sins  of  one's 
whole  past  life,  or  of  a  certain  period  of  one's 
life.  It  is  necessary  when  one  is  sure  that  one's 
confession  or  confessions  have  been  unworthy 
and  consequently  invalid,  in  which  case  one 
must  cover  again  the  entire  period  comprised 
by  those  null  confessions,  telling  all  one's  mortal 
sins  according  to  kind,  number,  and  circum- 
stances that  involve  additional  mortal  sins,  to- 
gether with  the  sacrileges  of  unworthy  con- 
fessions and  Communions.  If  one  is  not  sure, 
but  only  in  doubt,  regarding  the  validity  of  one's 
past  confessions,  one  need  not  repeat  them  or 
mention  a  word  about  them  in  one's  next  con- 
fession, since  they  are  included  in  one's  ordinary 
recital  of  sins.  However,  if  one  is  not  inclined  to 
scrupulosity,  one  may  make  a  devotional,  i.  e., 
unnecessary,  general  confession.  It  is  often 
spiritually  helpful. 

What  your  friends  need,  and  need  badly,  is 
not  a  general  confession,  as  we  will  suppose, 
but  a  confession  extending  over  the  past  two 
years.  This  will  not  be  as  difficult  as  they  may 
imagine.  With  good  will  on  their  part,  prayer, 
the  table  of  questions  for  the  examination  of 
conscience  as  found  in  prayerbooks,  sincere  re- 
pentance, and  a  desire  of  amendment,  they  can 
happily  come  back  to  God.  The  confessor  will 
help  them  to  supply  anything  that  may  still  be 
wanting. — Be  an  apostle  and  get  them  to  go  and 
show  themselves  to  the  priest. 

In  conferring  upon  the  Apostles  and 
their  successors  the  power  to  forgive  sins 


166  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Christ  said:  "Whose  sins  you  shall  for- 
give, they  are  forgiven  them;  and  whose 
sins  you  shall  retain,  they  are  retained.'" 
What  does  this  mean — to  retain  sins? 
When  does  the  priest  do  that? 

The  confessor  forgives  sins  through  sacra- 
mental absolution,  that  act  whereby  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ,  by  pronouncing  the  proper  form 
of  words,  he  remits  the  sins  duly  and  with  true 
sorrow  confessed  by  the  penitent.  He  retains 
sins  when  he  refuses  or  defers  sacramental  abso- 
lution. A  confessor  can  and  ought  to  refuse 
absolution  only  when  he  arrives  at  the  prudent 
decision  that  it  is  not  certain  that  the  penitent 
has  the  requisite  dispositions.  Sometimes,  too, 
he  can  for  a  good  reason  defer  absolution  for  a 
time,  especially  if  the  penitent  agrees  to  this  with 
a  view  to  preparing  himself  better. 

Whose  sins  are  to  be  retained?  The  Roman 
Ritual,  III,  1,  23,  says:  "Those  are  incapable  of 
absolution  who  give  no  sign  of  sorrow  for  their 
sins,  who  refuse  to  lay  aside  some  hatred  or 
enmity,  to  restore  when  they  can  someone  else's 
property,  to  avoid  some  proximate  occasion  of 
sin,  or  who  are  unwilling  to  give  up  their  sinful 
lives  and  amend  them;  those  again  who  have 
given  public  scandal  but  refuse  to  make  public 
reparation  and  remove  the  scandal.  Finally,  a 
confessor  should  refuse  to  absolve  sins  reserved 
to  a  higher  authority." 

If  a  priest  tells  a  person  in  the  con- 
fessional to  go  to  confession  once  a  month, 
is  that  person  obliged  to  do  so? 

If  he  imposes  this  salutary  practice  upon  you  as 
your  sacramental  penance — and  this  is  not  of 
frequent  occurrence — you  are,  of  course,  strictly 
obliged  to  perform  your  penance  for  the  length 
of  time  mentioned.  Otherwise  there  is  no  obli- 
gation arising  from  the  fact  itself  that  he  tells 


CONFESSION  167 


you  to  go  once  a  month.  However,  since  the 
priest,  after  hearing  your  confession,  frequently 
considers  it  necessary  or  advisable  to  give  you 
some  good  advice  or  an  admonition,  you  will 
listen  to  it  with  attention  and  accept  it  with 
docility.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  all  Catholics  will 
benefit  immensely  by  monthly,  and  even  more 
frequent,  confession;  and  many  positively  need 
it  in  order  to  keep  themselves  in  the  grace  of 
God.  Why  not  listen  to  the  physician  of  your 
soul  when  he  tells  you  of  a  remedy  that  will  in- 
crease your  spiritual  well-being  or  preserve  you 
from  spiritual  death?  If  it  were  a  case  of  a  phy- 
sician of  the  body  and  physical  life,  no  one  would 
think  of  asking:  "Am  I  obliged  to  do  so?"  All 
would  scrupulously  obey  the  doctor's  orders.  No 
one  would  dream  of  talking  about  obligations. 
The  object  is  to  save  one's  life.  Apply  this  to 
the  case  under  discussion. 


PERTAINING  TO  COURTSHIP 

Is  it  a  sin  to  keep  company  with  a  man 
without  any  intention  to  marriage? 

We  give  a  number  of  guiding  principles,  re- 
peating one  for  the  sake  of  emphasis: 

1.  Young  people  should  not  be  in  too  great  a 
hurry  to  start  regular  company-keeping.  Begun 
too  early  and  unduly  protracted,  courtship  is 
fraught  with  great  dangers  to  the  innocence  and 
virtue  of  the  parties  concerned  and  not  seldom 
ends  in  a  non-marriage  and  consequent  unhappi- 
ness  and  hard  feelings. 

2.  Without  any  intention  of  marriage  regular 
company-keeping  is  quite  senseless,  always  out 
of  place,  usually  wrong,  and  often  sinful. 

3.  But  young  people  in  their  later  teens  need 
not  avoid  all  society  and  company  of  the  oppo- 
site sex.  A  wise  and  well  supervised  mingling 
of  the  sexes  in  a  social  way  is  helpful  to  both — 
decidedly  and  variously  so.  But  it  is  one  thing 
for  boys  and  girls  to  meet  in  wholesome  and  pru- 
dently chaperoned  frolic  and  pastime,  and  an- 
other thing  for  a  boy  and  a  girl  to  yield,  wit- 
tingly or  unwittingly,  to  a  sexual  attraction  for 
each  other,  and  start  an  actual  courtship,  formally 
or  informally.  Marriage  is  a  full-grown  man's 
and  woman's  job;  and  courtship  is  a  preliminary 
to  marriage  and  should  be  properly  conducted 
by  those  who  are  old  enough  and  sensible  enough 
and  virtuous  enough  to  know  what  they  are 
doing  and  how  to  do  it. 

4.  Hence  we  repeat  that  company-keeping,  or 
courtship,  is  permissible  only  when  there  is  at 
least  a  possibility  and  some  prospect  of  a  mar- 
riage ensuing  between  the  partners  of  the  court- 
ship. When  marriage  is  out  of  question  entirely, 
company-keeping  is  an  unjustifiable  exposure  of 

168 


COURTSHIP  169 


oneself  to  moral  dangers,  and  consequently  repre- 
hensible and  forbidden  in  every  instance.  When 
marriage  is  excluded  it  is  not  in  keeping  with  the 
standard  of  Christian  virtue  and  decency  for  a 
young  man  and  a  young  lady  "to  go  together" 
merely  for  the  sake  of  company  in  social  diversion 
and  pleasure. 

5.  Once  or  again  for  a  girl  to  be  honorably 
escorted  to  a  party  or  a  theatre  by  a  young  man 
does  not  fall  under  the  caption  of  company-keep- 
ing, and  is  of  itself  not  wrong.  But  even  this 
should  not  be  of  frequent  occurrence  with  the 
same  person  when  there  is  no  thought  of  marriage 
between  them.  Near  relatives  who  know  that 
they  cannot  or  will  never  be  married  have  no 
privileges  in  this  matter.  Only  too  often,  under 
the  cover  of  relationship,  they  are  beguiled  into 
lewd  and  incestuous  thoughts,  desires,  and 
practices. 

6.  You  may  not  keep  company  with  a  person 
who  is  married  to  another  or,  what  amounts  to 
the  same  thing,  with  a  divorced  person.  This  is 
self-evident,  but  not  always  observed,  to  the 
unspeakable  ruination  of  many. 

Is  company-keeping  wrong?  If  so,  how 
is  it  that  so  many  Catholic  boys  and  girls 
indulge  in  this  pastime? 

What  is  company-keeping?  It  is  association 
between  young  men  and  young  women  who  con- 
template entering  the  state  of  Holy  Matrimony 
and  who  wish  to  learn  each  other's  character 
and  to  ascertain  whether  they  will  make 
suitable  partners  for  life.  As  such  it  is  quite 
lawful,  of  course;  but  even  as  such  it  should 
not  be  protracted  too  long,  because  of  the  grave 
dangers  of  sin  that  easily  spring  up  in  this  familiar 
association.  Six  months,  or,  at  most,  a  year,  is 
considered  a  sufficiently  long  time. 

But  unnecessary  company-keeping,  that  is,  be- 


x7o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

tween  those  who  have  not  the  intention  of  marry- 
ing or  who  are  too  young  to  think  of  marriage, 
is  wrong.  To  repeat,  company-keeping  just  for 
the  fun  of  it,  for  the  pleasure  that  is  in  it,  is  sinful. 
For,  in  view  of  the  facts  that  human  nature, 
weakened  by  original  sin,  is  exceedingly  prone  to 
the  sin  of  impurity,  and  that  this  proneness  is 
exceedingly  strong  in  the  years  of  youth  when 
the  passions  are  developing, — we  say  that,  in 
view  of  these  facts,  unnecessary  company-keep- 
ing is  a  wilful  near  occasion  of  mortal  sin. 

We  are  well  aware  that  many  Catholic  boys 
and  girls  do  indulge  in  this  pastime,  as  you  call 
it.  But  because  others  wilfully  get  too  near  the 
chained  dog  that  is  the  devil  is  no  reason  why 
you  should  do  so. 

This  may  seem  severe;  but  it  is  not  a  fraction 
as  severe  as  Our  Lord's  doctrine  about  avoiding 
the  occasions  of  sin.  He  says,  "And  if  thy  eye 
scandalize  thee,  pluck  it  out.  It  is  better  for 
thee  with  one  eye  to  enter  the  Kingdom  of  heaven, 
than  having  two  eyes  to  be  cast  into  the  hell  of 
fire,  where  their  worm  dieth  not  and  the  fire  is 
not  extinguished.  For  every  one  shall  be  salted 
with  fire."     (Mark  5:46-48.) 

In  other  words,  to  apply  this  passage  to  the 
matter  under  discussion,  even  if  keeping  away 
from  a  certain  person  that  is  a  proximate  occa- 
sion of  mortal  sin  to  you  should  be  as  hard  and 
painful  as  tearing  out  your  eye  would  be,  you 
must  make  the  sacrifice  in  order  not  to  incur 
the  risk  of  being  condemned  to  suffer  the  eternal 
pains  of  hell. 

How  about  kissing?  Will  you  kindly 
explain  why  it  is  so  dangerous  and  all  that  ? 

A  woman  has  written  this  article  on  a  subject 
that  is  of  interest  to  young  men  as  well  as  to 
young  women,  and  it  is  so  sensible,  so  clear,  so 


COURTSHIP 


instructive,  that  it  deserves  to  be  widely  circu- 
lated : 

I  get  a  great  many  letters  from  young  girls 
who  want  to  know  what  they  shall  do  about  the 
kissing  proposition.  They  say  that  it  is  prac- 
tically a  case  of  no  kiss,  no  beau,  for  the  young 
men  who  take  them  about  demand  a  good-night 
kiss  as  pay  for  their  courtesies,  and  if  they  refuse 
it  is,  indeed,  good-night,  in  the  slang  phrase,  for 
they  never  see  these  osculatory  youths  again. 

Now  the  innate  modesty  and  delicacy  of  those 
girls  revolt  at  yielding  their  lips  to  men  to  whom 
they  are  not  even  engaged;  to  men  who  do  not 
even  pretend  to  be  in  love  with  them.  It  violates 
their  sense  of  what  is  proper,  but,  at  the  same 
time,  they  do  not  want  to  be  regarded  as  prudes 
or  Puritans.  Still  less  do  they  desire  to  be  wall 
flowers  left  out  of  all  the  fun  and  parties,  and 
numbered  with  those  forlorn  damsels  who  never 
have  any  attention  from  men. 

So  the  girl  is  torn  between  her  instinctive 
sense  of  what  is  right  and  her  knowledge  of  ex- 
pediency, and  she  wants  to  know  what  she  shall 
do  and  how  she  shall  answer  the  eternal  argument 
of  man  when  he  is  trying  to  persuade  a  woman 
into  doing  the  thing  that  he  knows  she  should 
not  do.  To  kiss  or  not  to  kiss,  that's  the  question 
that  troubles  her. 

There  can  be  but  one  answer  to  give  a  girl  to 
this  problem.  It  is  no,  no,  no!  A  maiden's  lips 
should  be  kept  inviolate,  and  the  first  man's  kiss 
that  is  pressed  upon  them  should  be  the  kiss  of 
love  from  the  man  she  expects  to  marry.  For 
a  girl  to  give  her  lips  to  every  Tom,  Dick  and 
Harry  who  takes  her  to  a  moving  picture  show 
or  escorts  her  home  from  a  dance  is  something 
unthinkable.  It  is  as  much  of  a  desecration  as 
if  she  trailed  a  white  rosebud  through  a  sewer. 

It  is  a  pity  that  girls  can  never  be  made  to 
realize  that  the  most  alluring  and  attractive  thing 


1 72-  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

about  them  is  the  aura  of  innocence  and  un- 
sophistication  that  surrounds  them.  It  is  the 
whiteness,  the  untrodden  snowness  of  their  souls 
that  is  their  chief  charm,  and  they  never  make 
so  fatal  a  mistake  as  when  they  throw  this  away. 

If  girls  were  only  wise  enough  to  realize  how 
fascinating  aloofness  is,  and  what  an  appeal 
unsullied  purity  makes  to  the  masculine  imagina- 
tion, they  would  keep  every  man  at  arm's  length 
at  least  until  he  had  come  out  and  popped  the 
question.  They  would  not  think  for  a  minute 
of  putting  up  with  cheap  familiarities  from  men 
that  rob  them  of  their  freshness  and  make  them 
little  shop-worn  bits  of  humanity  that  have  been 
pawed  over  like  the  goods  on  a  bargain  table. 
Girls  should  never  forget  that  it  is  the  shy  and 
shrinking  violet  that  is  man's  favorite  flower, 
not  the  brazen  sunflower. 

My  girl  correspondent  says  that  she  does  not 
knowT  how  to  answer  a  man  when  he  begs  her 
to  kiss  him  and  tells  her  that  there  is  no  harm 
in  it,  and  that  his  arguments  make  her  feel  foolish 
because  she  seems  to  be  making  a  great  ado  over 
a  very  little  matter.  There  is  one  answer  that 
every  girl  can  make  to  a  man's  request  for  a  kiss. 

She  can  ask  him  if  he  would  like  his  sister  to 
kiss  any  man  good-night  who  happened  to  call 
on  her.  She  can  ask  him  what  he  would  advise 
his  sister  to  do  if  his  sister  were  in  her  place.  And 
she  can  ask  him  if  he  would  like  to  think  that  the 
girl  that  he  is  going  to  marry  some  day  had  kissed 
a  hundred  men  who  were  mere  casual  ac- 
quaintances. 

Such  questions  will  make  any  decent  man 
writhe.  A  man  will  tell  his  own  sister  quickly 
enough  what  he  thinks  on  the  subject,  and  his 
own  lips  would  grow  cold  and  stiff  on  his  sweet- 
heart's if  he  remembered  that  her  soft  young 
mouth  had  belonged  to  a  long  procession  of  men 
before  him. 


COURTSHIP  173 


Girls  can  never  bear  in  mind  too  constantly 
the  fact  that  men  never  play  fair  with  women, 
and  are  never  just  or  logical  in  judging  them. 
A  man  will  spend  hours,  days  and  months  per- 
suading a  girl  to  do  something  that  is  wrong,  and 
have  a  contempt  for  her  ever  afterwards  for 
yielding  to  him.  He  will  argue  down  her  every 
instinct  and  scruple  and  principle  against  kissing 
him,  and  the  minute  she  does  he  will  lose  his 
reverence  for  her  as  for  something  utterly  fine 
and  delicate.  It  has  been  his  hand  that  has 
brushed  the  dew  off  the  bud,  but,  none  the  less, 
it  is  henceforth  a  shattered  rose  for  him. 

Girls  should  also  bear  in  mind  that  a  wedding 
ring  on  the  hand  is  worth  a  peck  of  them  in  the 
dim  distance,  and  that  the  girls  who  have  the 
most  beaux  generally  get  the  fewest  and  the 
poorest  makeshifts  of  husbands.  A  girl  observes 
that  those  girls  who  are  free  and  easy  in  their 
manners,  who  exact  no  sort  of  respect  from  men 
and  permit  them  to  indulge  in  familiarities  and 
take  liberties  with  them,  girls  who  drink  and 
smoke  with  men,  and  listen  to  and  tell  off-colored 
stories,  girls  who  are  good  sports,  are  what  we 
call  popular,  and  are  generally  surrounded  by 
a  horde  of  men.  Especially  while  they  are  young 
and  good  looking,  and  full  of  high  spirits. 

But  what  the  girl  does  not  notice  is  that  this 
type  of  young  girl  very  seldom  marries,  and  when 
she  does  she  almost  invariably  marries  a  crooked 
stick  who  wasn't  worth  picking  up.  The  fast 
girl,  the  girl  without  modesty  or  delicate  womanly 
reserve,  may  be  the  kind  of  a  girl  that  men  like 
to  play  with,  but  she  isn't  the  sort  of  woman  that 
they  want  for  a  wife  and  for  the  mother  of  their 
children. 

That  is  why  you  are  so  often  surprised  at  the 
marriages  that  men  make.  Men  whom  you  have 
known  of  as  gay  rounders  bob  up  with  a  wife 
who  is  a  Sunday  school  teacher.    Men  who  have 


i74  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

been  noted  as  chorus  girl  chasers  go  to  some 
country  village  and  marry  girls  who  never  saw 
a  brighter  lamp  than  a  kerosene  lamp.  They 
don't  want  the  lips  on  which  a  thousand  kisses 
have  rained.  They  want  the  lips  that  have  never 
been  kissed  at  all. 

And  don't  be  misled,  girls,  into  making  the 
mistake  of  believing  that  because  a  man  asks 
you  to  kiss  him  it  is  any  indication  of  his  being 
in  love  with  you.  A  kiss  is  no  guarantee  of  affec- 
tion. Judas  betrayed  his  Lord  with  a  kiss,  and 
every  black-hearted  traitor  of  a  man  who  ever 
betrayed  the  faith  of  an  innocent  and  trusting 
young  girl  began  his  devil's  work  in  the  same 
way  with  a  kiss. 

The  primrose  path  that  leads  to  perdition  for 
women  is  paved  with  the  kisses  of  men.  The 
thing  that  no  money  could  have  hired  them  to 
do,  that  no  arguments  could  have  persuaded  them 
to  do,  they  have  been  kissed  into  doing.  For  it 
is  no  flight  of  the  poet's  fancy  when  he  speaks 
about  women  being  made  drunk  on  kisses.  It 
is  a  literal  fact,  and  that  is  why  no  girl  is  safe 
who  permits  men  to  kiss  her. 

Can  a  girl  be  too  strict  as  regards  kisses, 
caresses,  and  other  familiarities  with  the 
young  man  she  is  keeping  company  with? 
Are  long  courtships  forbidden? 

First  of  all,  here  is  a  big,  general  rule  for 
company  keeping.  Such  things  as  holding  one 
another's  hands,  sitting  on  one  another's  lap, 
kissing,  caressing,  fondling,  embracing,  and  other 
familiarities,  are  very  dangerous.  Such  actions 
work  slyly  though  directly  on  the  nerves  of  the 
body  and  render  them  morbidly  sensitive;  they 
arouse  emotions  and  passions  that  are  anything 
but  proper,  but  waken  and  stimulate  thoughts, 
instincts,  feelings,  desires  and,  but  too  often,  even 
actions  that  are  positively  indecent.    It  is  a  clear 


COURTSHIP  175 


case  of  leading  oneself  into  serious  temptations, 
which  frequently  end  in  a  fall.  That  is  why  these 
things  are  usually  sinful,  that  is  why  there  is  no 
truth  in  the  assertion  that:  "There  is  no  harm  in 
it."    Now,  that  is  the  big,  general  rule. 

That  is  why  it  is  clear  that  no  girl  can  be  too 
strict  in  these  things.  If  a  young  man  is  dis- 
satisfied with  the  maidenly  modesty  and  prudence 
of  a  good  girl  and  insists  upon  tokens  of  affection 
of  the  kind  mentioned  above  and  will  break  off 
his  friendship  if  he  does  not  get  them,  then 
simply  let  him  go.  The  true  Christian  gentleman 
will  admire  and  love  a  g..i  all  the  more  for  her 
firm  stand  in  matters  of  modesty.  And  such  a 
one  will  be  an  ideal  husband.  It  is  perfectly 
right  for  you  to  be  very  strict.  May  God  bless 
such  girls!    They  are  truly  wise. 

However,  we  would  make  a  little  exception. 
If  a  couple  are  engaged  to  be  married, 
some  modest  familiarities  are  allowed.  For 
them  a  gentle  kiss  is  allowed  as  a  little  token 
of  special  affection.  Also  the  light  embrace  you 
mention,  sitting  with  arms  lightly  thrown  round 
each  other's  neck.  But  nothing  more  than  things 
like  that,  and  with  no  intention  of  forbidden 
pleasure  and  no  consent  should  it  arise. 

Courtships  that  last  for  several  years  are  to  be 
condemned  as  dangerous  and  improper.  But  also 
here  there  are  exceptions.  It  happens  sometimes 
that  with  the  best  will  in  the  world  a  young  man 
cannot  offer  a  real  home  to  the  girl  he  loves.  And 
it  takes  years  before  he  is  in  a  position  to  do  so. 
In  such  a  case,  if  the  young  man  is  a  practical 
Catholic  and  if  he  makes  no  improper  advances, 
they  may  just  wait,  not  seeing  each  other  too 
often  in  the  meantime.  Here  each  girl  must 
decide  for  herself,  from  the  circumstances  that 
she  alone  knows  best. 

When  a  young  man  is  keeping  company 


176  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

with  a  girl  with  the  intention  of  marriage, 
does  he  do  wrong  in  kissing  her?  Is  it  a 
mortal  sin  to  kiss  in  a  passionate  way 
when  keeping  company?  When  is  a  kiss 
a  sin  and  when  is  it  not?  Will  you  kindly 
give  your  views,  from  all  angles,  on  this 
subject  of  kissing  in  company  keeping? 

When  a  person  asks  whether  lovers  are  allowed 
to  kiss  one  another,  that  asking  at  least  indicates 
a  certain  delicacy  of  conscience.  You  seem  to 
want  to  do  the  right  thing;  and  for  this  you  are 
to  be  commended.  We  will  answer  your  question 
briefly,  yet  clearly. 

Lovers  who  are  engaged  to  be  married  may 
exchange  respectable  marks  of  affection  and  love, 
in  a  moderate  degree.  A  modest  kiss  is  one  such 
mark  of  affection.  But  it  must  remain  modest, 
and  must  not  become  wilfully  passionate  and 
sensual,  and,  hence,  grievously  sinful.  It  will 
easily  become  thus  sinful,  if  repeated  often  at 
the  same  meeting.  One  friendly  and  pure  good- 
night kiss  is  not  dangerous  for  engaged  couples. 
But  it  ought  to  be  sufficient.  The  passionate 
and  lingering  kiss,  or  the  so-called  soul  kiss  be- 
tween lovers,  is  a  mortal  sin,  because  it  offers 
the  occasion  and  inducement  to  grievous  sensual 
emotions  and  gratifications. 

Relative  to  the  question  as  to  when  kissing  is 
sinful  and  when  it  is  not,  it  may  in  general  be 
said  that  whatever  conduct  exposes  you  or  your 
partner  to  the  proximate  danger  of  yielding  to 
impurity  in  thought,  desire,  feeling,  or  action,  is  a 
mortal  sin.  And  if  you  say  that  passionate  kisses 
do  not  involve  this  danger  for  you  or  your  com- 
panion you  are  grossly  deceiving  yourself.  Such 
an  assertion  makes  one  think  of  a  dulled  con- 
science and  a  blinded  soul. 

Incipient  or  advanced  lovers  who  are  not  yet 
engaged  to  be  married  should  not  at  all  indulge 
in  kissing  and  similar  demonstrations  of  intimate 


COURTSHIP  177 


and  ardent  love,  since  their  relations  are  not  close 
enough  to  warrant  it.  If  they  embark  at  so  early 
a  stage  upon  these  amorous  practices,  there  is 
every  danger  that  they  will  proceed  from  what 
appears  innocent  and  modest  to  what  they  know 
is  not,  and  the  magnitude  of  the  harm  and 
disaster  that  will  ensue  to  both  parties  will  prob- 
ably outrun  all  their  calculations. 

We  believe  that  the  above  treats  of  our  subject 
from  all  necessary  angles  and  gives  principles  that 
will  enable  you  to  act  rightly  in  all  circumstances 
that  may  arise.  We  add,  however,  as  a  serious 
warning,  that,  though  there  may  be  some  who 
have  no  evil  thoughts  or  desires  whatsoever  in 
kissing,  and  petting,  they  may  be  the  occasion  of 
gross  sins  of  immoral  thoughts,  desires,  and  emo- 
tions to  their  partners.  Remember  this  safe  and 
simple  rule:  "Never  do  anything,  when  the  two 
of  you  are  alone,  which  you  would  be  ashamed 
to  do  in  the  presence  of  your  parents;  or  which 
you  would  be  ashamed  to  reveal  to  your  parents." 

Is  it  a  sin  to  give  a  boy  friend  a  good- 
night kiss  after  you  have  spent  a  pleasant 
evening  together? 

That  depends  upon  many  things.  If  it  is  a 
pure,  modest,  friendly,  passing  kiss  and  does 
not  give  rise  in  either  party  to  impure  thoughts, 
desires,  or  feelings  that  are  consented  to,  it  is 
not  a  sin.  But  those  who  are  not  yet  engaged 
to  be  married  should  not  indulge  at  all  in  kissing 
or  in  similar  demonstrations  of  intimate  love. 
Don't,  don't!  It  is  dangerous.  Protect  your- 
self and  the  young  man  you  love  by  refraining 
from  all  undue  familiarities.  If  not  sinful  now, 
it  may  soon  become  so  and  lead  to  harm  and 
disaster  that  will  far  outrun  all  your  calculations. 
Don't!  A  young  man  with  the  proper  sense  of 
virtue  and  honor  will  always  respect  his  girl 
friend's  concern  for  her  modesty  and  innocence 


178  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

as  manifested  in  the  observance  of  this  important 
"Don't!"  He  will  love  her  all  the  more  for  it. 
He  will  look  upon  her  declining  even  "a  mere 
kiss"  as  a  convincing  sign  of  her  great  shyness 
and  fear  of  being  gradually  beguiled  into  the  loss 
of  what  she  considers — and  what  he  also  considers 
— her  greatest  treasure.  Be  sure  of  this:  a  girl 
who  is  easy  and  ready  to  grant  unmaidenly 
privileges  to  a  young  man  loses  just  that  much 
of  his  respect — and  rightly  so.  Such  a  young 
man  will  just  naturally  conclude  that  she  is  ready 
to  lend  her  lips  to  anybody  who  comes  along — and 
has  doubtless  already  done  so.  No  good  Catholic 
gentleman  wants  such  a  girl. 

Is  a  girl  allowed,  without  sin,  to  go  with 
a  boy  to  dances,  if  she  doesn't  intend  to 
get  married  to  him? 

Of  course,  she  may  go  to  a  dance  with  him 
without  committing  sin,  as  far  as  the  fact  of  her 
going  is  concerned.  But  whether  it  is  advisable 
to  go  with  him  is  another  question.  Certainly 
a  girl  should  not  go  out  regularly  with  any  young 
man  if  she  has  no  intention  of  marrying  him. 
Where  there  is  no  intention  of  marriage  steady 
company  keeping  is  never  right  and  is  usually 
wrong  and  sinful.  But  going  out  in  a  respectable 
way  from  time  to  time  with  a  respectable  young 
man,  or  even  different  young  men,  to  respectable 
places  and  wholesome,  innocent  amusements,  is 
not  wrong.  Young  people  must,  of  course,  meet 
and  learn  to  know  and  appreciate  each  other's 
characters  before  they  can  love  each  other. 

In  our  day  and  country  it  is  hard  to  be  precise 
in  this  matter.  Our  Catholic  young  people  are 
facing  many  new  and  perplexing  questions  as 
regards  courtship  and  marriage.  One  thing, 
however,  in  spite  of  its  being  so  out-of-date  and 
sometimes  almost  or  wholly  impossible,  is  much 
to  be  desired,  namely,  that  young  people  meet  and 


COURTSHIP  179 


enjoy  each  other's  company  at  home.  And  one 
thing  a  wise  and  prudent  Catholic  girl  will  never 
do  is  this:  she  will  never  "go  out,"  not  even  once, 
with  a  young  man  who  is  not  a  Catholic. 

Is  it  necessary  for  those  who  enter  the 
married  state  to  love  each  other? 

Yes,  absolutely,  if  they  wish  to  be  happy. 
Marriage  should  never  be  entered  into  hastily, 
but  only  after  mature  deliberation  and  prayer. 
Those  who  embrace  the  married  state  should 
realize  full  well  what  they  are  doing.  It  is  not 
for  a  few  years,  until  they  want  a  change,  as  the 
neopagan  world  would  have  it,  but  until  death. 
They  must,  accordingly,  love  each  other;  and 
the  love  must  be  mutual,  not  one-sided.  They 
must,  however,  be  truly  in  love  with  each  other; 
for  only  that  love  will  enable  them  to  be  what 
they  ought  to  be  in  the  state  on  which  they  are 
entering.  "A  loveless  marriage,"  says  a  learned 
author,  "is  a  ghastly  horror."  So  be  sure,  quite 
sure,  that  it  is  love  and  not  some  passing  emotion, 
some  transitory  fascination,  or  sudden  welling 
up  of  passion.  Be  sure  that  it  is  true  love;  and 
true  love  is  the  unchanging  direction  of  heart  and 
will  to  one  single  person.  True  love  is  something 
that  cannot  be  mistaken;  it  is  the  electric  action, 
so  to  speak,  set  up  between  two,  which  draws 
them  to  unity.  The  two  who  are  really  in  love 
come  more  and  more  to  see  everything  through 
the  eyes  of  each  other. 

Remember  well  that  it  is  not  enough  to  love; 
you  must  be  loved  in  return.  This  mutual  love 
must  last  a  lifetime.  If  you  have  it,  no  matter 
what  sufferings  may  befall  you  in  the  future,  this 
love  will  carry  you  triumphantly  through  all. 
The  married  life  is  indeed  a  life  of  sacrifice,  but 
it  is  sacrifice  made  sweet  by  love.  That  is  why 
love  is  essential  to  its  success.  If  you  have  not 
true  and  mutual  love,  all  the  wealth  in  the 
universe  cannot  make  up  for  its  absence. 


r8o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

I  am  keeping  company  with  another. 
We  are  soon  to  be  married.  I  used  to  go 
with  others.  Must  I  tell  my  partner  every 
detail  about  my  former  company-keep- 
ing? 

Courtship  must,  above  all,  be  sincere.  The 
parties  to  it  should  be  mutually  frank  and  candid 
in  apprising  one  another  of  their  true  status  re- 
garding their  health,  religion,  economical  con- 
dition, freedom  from  encumbering  obligations  of 
a  personal  or  financial  nature.  (We  take  for 
granted  that  marriage  is  seriously  intended, 
otherwise  regular  company-keeping  is  simply  not 
allowed.)  A  person  who  would  hide  from  the 
partner  the  fact  of  a  serious  secret  illness,  of  a 
social  nature,  for  instance,  or  of  an  important 
disability  referring  to  sexual  life,  or  of  heavy 
debts  clamoring  for  payment,  or  of  previous 
convictions  in  court  on  criminal  charges  involving 
considerable  dishonor,  or  of  a  breach  of  promise 
of  marriage  to  another,  entailing  possible  ar- 
raignment in  court  or  other  very  unpleasant 
after  effects,  would  be  unfair,  dishonest,  and 
unjust.  It  might  even  happen  that,  owing  to 
the  concealment  of  a  diriment  impediment,  the 
subsequent  marriage  would  be  invalid,  and  a 
serious  injury  to  the  innocent  party. 

But  (attention,  please!)  this  does  not  mean 
that  every  personal  and  intimate  revelation  is 
mutually  required  or  desirable  on  the  part  of 
lovers.  For  them,  too,  before  and  after  marriage, 
there  remains  a  hallowed  domain  of  personal 
secrets,  the  revelation  of  which  is  made  only  to 
God  and  His  personal  representative.  This 
refers  to  secret  individual  lapses  and  sins  which 
are  past  and,  presumably,  through  a  good  con- 
fession, forgiven  and  forgotten  by  God,  and  which 
should  consequently  be  forgotten  by  the  perpe- 
trators themselves  and  never  be  individually 
recalled   or  referred   to   again.      Girls   are   more 


COURTSHIP 


prone  than  men  to  err  in  this  regard.  (Men  are 
wise  enough  to  keep  their  secrets.)  When  they 
are  in  love  some  girls  grow  too  confidential  and 
trusting  and,  to  show  their  lover  that  they  are 
hiding  nothing  whatsoever  from  him,  they  tell 
him  of  their  more  or  less  serious  transgressions 
with  one  or  more  other  men,  or  even  alone. 
These  are  most  unwise  and  altogether  unnecessary 
revelations,  imprudent  confidences,  and  may  lead 
to  a  breaking  off  of  courtship  or  at  least  a  marring 
of  the  bliss  of  the  ensuing  marriage.  Thus,  too, 
some  women  who  are  already  married  are  so 
utterly  unwise  and  foolish  as  to  manifest  their 
sexual  transgressions,  committed  before  or  after 
marriage,  to  their  husbands  (who  are  wise  enough 
not  to  do  the  like).  By  these  uncalled-for  mani- 
festations they  jeopardize  what  marital  love  and 
well-being  they  possess.  Some  women  are  so 
stupid!  Sins  of  a  personal  nature,  without  damag- 
ing consequences  to  the  other  party,  are  to  be 
revealed  only  to  God  and  His  official  delegate  for 
purposes  of  forgiveness. 

I  am  a  lonely  girl  working  out  with  very 
nice  people.  I  am  not  quite  satisfied.  I 
never  go  out  much,  and  when  I  go  to  a 
show  now  and  then,  I  always  have  to  go 
alone.  I  have  no  friends,  neither  girls 
nor  boys.  I  don't  know  why,  except  that 
they  seem  to  lead  a  more  fast  life  than  I 
ever  care  to  lead.  They  seem  to  snub  me 
because  I  seem  old-fashioned  to  them. 
And  I  have  no  desire  to  be  a  Sister,  though 
I  have  prayed  and  prayed.  Now,  is  it  true 
that  if  I  sit  at  home  every  day  and  never 
go  out  the  right  young  man  will  come  to 
me  just  the  same  ?  Is  it  true  that  there  is 
a  partner  for  everyone?  Must  I  go  half 
way  in  finding  a  good  Catholic  boy?  Is  it 
right  to  pray  for  a  good  Catholic  husband  ? 


i  to.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

One  often  hears  it  said  nowadays,  by  those 
who  know,  that  marriage  "is  not  such  an  easy 
job"  as  some  people  seem  to  think.  It  is  full  of 
hardships  and  disappointments,  burdens  and 
responsibilities.  In  the  light  of  such  assertions, 
it  ought  not  to  be  difficult  for  a  girl  to  reconcile 
herself  with  that  state  of  life  which  the  Church 
calls  single  blessedness  in  the  world,  if  that  state 
seems  to  be  the  holy  will  of  God  for  her.  After 
all,  a  good  Catholic  life,  a  life  of  virtue  and  holi- 
ness and  prayer  is  the  best  thing  in  the  world, 
no  matter  in  which  state  it  is  lived. 

If  you  sit  at  home  and  never  go  out  it  is  quite 
probable  that  the  right  young  man  will  never 
come  along.  A  girl  who  wishes  to  enter  the  mar- 
ried state  must  ordinarily,  to  some  extent  at 
least,  associate  with  others  in  an  honorable  way; 
and  she  must  endeavor  to  attract  others  to  her, 
without,  however,  in  any  way  paying  the  dreadful 
price  of  impropriety  in  order  to  do  so.  In  this 
sense  a  girl  must  indeed  go  half  way  in  finding  a 
good  Catholic  boy,  always  with  the  modesty 
that  attracts  more  than  anything  else. 

It  is,  of  course,  not  true  that  there  is  a  destined 
partner  for  everyone.  Many  God  calls  to  His 
special  service  in  a  life  of  consecrated  virginity. 
Many  more  live  a  single  life  in  the  world,  either 
out  of  personal  preference,  from  selfish  or  un- 
selfish motives,  as  the  case  may  be,  or  out  of 
simple  necessity.  In  the  latter  case,  it  is  but 
wise  to  make  a  virtue  of  necessity,  to  offer  one's 
virginity  to  God,  and  to  devote  oneself  to  some 
useful  career  for  God  and  the  good  of  human 
society. 

It  is  quite  right  and  most  praiseworthy  to  pray 
for  a  good  Catholic  husband;  and  it  were  to  be 
wished  that  more  girls  would  thus  pray  and  con- 
sult and,  in  general,  proceed  wisely  in  a  matter 
as  highly  important  as  marriage.  Marriage  means 
much  more  for  a  woman  than  it  does  for  a  man. 


COURTSHIP  183 


In  the  life  of  the  Little  Flower's  mother  we  read 
that,  after  she  had  been  told  by  spiritual  advisers 
that  it  was  not  her  vocation  to  become  a  Sister, 
she  turned  her  thoughts  towards  holy  matrimony 
and  constantly  prayed  to  God  that  He  would 
send  her  not  only  a  good,  but  a  fervent  Catholic 
husband.     And  God  answered  her  prayer. 

Keep  the  golden  mean.  Don't  be  a  frivolous 
gadabout,  like  so  many  of  our  girls,  and  don't 
be  a  recluse  either.  But  if  you  must  do  either 
the  one  or  the  other,  then  choose  to  be  more  a 
home  girl  than  anything  else.  And  just  quietly 
pray,  trusting  that,  if  it  be  for  your  good  and  for 
His  glory,  God  will  in  due  time  provide. 

I  am  keeping  company  with  a  young 
man  who  becomes  intoxicated  from  time 
to  time.  I  told  him  if  he  does  that  I  won't 
keep  company  with  him  any  longer.  He 
never  promised  me  he  wouldn't  drink 
any  more  and  yet  he  don't  want  to  break 
up  our  company-keeping.  What  shall  I  do? 

Dismiss  him  for  good.  Have  nothing  more  to 
do  with  him.  Marriage  is  not  a  reformatory, 
and  he  will  be  worse  afterwards  than  before.  The 
life  of  a  drunkard's  wife  is  one  of  untold  misery. 
It  is  a  hideous  nightmare.  A  young  woman 
should  study  the  man  who  offers  her  attentions. 
She  should  study  him  more  carefully  than  any 
other  matter  in  life,  remembering  that  there  is 
more  camouflage  in  courtship  than  in  anything 
else,  not  even  excepting  war.  When  a  girl  has 
found,  as  you  surely  have,  that  a  man  is  unde- 
sirable she  should  absolutely  and  resolutely  dis- 
continue to  accept  his  attentions.  If  all  girls 
would  follow  this  rule  we  would  not  hear  so  many 
married  women  exclaim:  "Oh,  if  I  had  only 
known  him,  I  never  would  have  married  him!'* 
All  of  which  advice,  with  the  necessary  changes, 
may  also  be  given  to  young  men. 


184  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Is  it  wrong  for  a  Catholic  party  to  keep 
steady  company  with  a  non-Catholic? 

Yes;  it  is  wrong.  Canon  1060  of  the  Church 
law  says:  "The  Church  most  strictly  forbids 
mixed  marriages  everywhere."  And  if  explic- 
itly she  "most  strictly  forbids  mixed  marriages," 
she  implicitly  forbids  courtship  between  Cath- 
olics and  non-Catholics.  Such  courtship  on 
the  part  of  a  Catholic  is  the  wilful  and 
unwarranted  exposure  of  self  to  the  loss  of  the 
faith;  and,  since  the  Catholic  faith  is  divine, 
any  such  exposure  of  it  to  the  danger  of  loss  is 
forbidden  by  divine  and,  we  may  add,  by  the 
natural  law,  which  latter  commands  us  to  strive 
for  our  last  end  by  employing  means  propor- 
tionate to  it,  which  end  can  be  obtained  in  the 
supernatural  order  only  by  divine  faith.  Hence, 
needlessly  to  endanger  this  bulwark  of  salvation 
is  contrary  to  the  divine  and  to  the  natural  law. 
Such  company-keeping  is,  accordingly,  against 
the  First  Commandment  of  God.  That  com- 
mandment enjoins  upon  us  the  worship  of  God; 
whatever  contravenes  the  true  worship  of  God 
is  a  sin  against  the  First  Commandment. 

This  is  a  practical  matter  the  importance  of 
which  is  apparently  only  too  often  not  fully 
realized  by  our  Catholic  young  people  and  their 
parents.  We  therefore  repeat  that  the  Church 
earnestly  warns  her  children  against  mixed  mar- 
riages and  even  strictly  forbids  them.  No  sensi- 
ble Catholic  will  marry  a  person  belonging  to 
another  religion.  The  nature  and  purpose  of 
marriage  demand  true  piety  and  virtue  in  both 
parties,  in  order  that  they  may  assist  and  sanctify 
each  other.  Therefore,  the  Catholic  who  know- 
ingly and  willingly  marries  a  person  having  no 
religious  or  moral  convictions,  or  professing  a 
false  religion,  does  wrong.  There  can  be  no  true 
unity  of  mind  and  heart,  no  harmony  between 
husband  and  wife,  least  of  all  in  the  up-bringing 


COURTSHIP  185 


of  children,  if  they  differ  in  this  most  essential 
matter  of  religious  belief.  But  the  Church's 
opposition  to  mixed  marriages  rests  upon  a  more 
important  consideration  even  than  that.  She 
regards  the  Sacrament  of  Matrimony  as  a  sym- 
bol of  Christ's  union  with  His  Church  and  a 
nursery  of  souls.  Hence  she  is  perfectly  justified 
in  disapproving  of  mixed  marriages  and  for- 
bidding them.  When  she  does  permit  them  by 
granting  special  dispensation,  it  is  only  with  the 
greatest  sorrow  and  reluctance  and  under  certain 
well  defined  conditions.  We  say:  only  under 
certain  well  defined  conditions;  for  the  divine 
law  forbidding  these  marriages  when  there  is 
proximate  danger  to  the  faith  of  the  Catholic 
party  or  the  children  cannot  be  dispensed  by 
any  human  authority  whatsoever. 

Mixed  marriages  being  so  serious  and  deplorable 
an  evil — how  serious  and  deplorable  it  would 
take  whole  pages  to  tell — it  can  be  easily  under- 
stood that  the  Catholic  person  who  listlessly  and 
wantonly  keeps  company  with  a  non-Catholic, 
caring  little  or  nothing  about  the  jeopardy  in 
which  his  or  her  own  faith  is  thereby  placed,  is 
often  guilty  of  a  mortal  sin  against  the  faith  by 
starting  and  nursing  such  a  dangerous  association 
which  very  likely,  developing  into  a  mixed  mar- 
riage, will  ultimately  destroy  the  faith,  as  it  is 
known  to  do  in  so  many  sad  cases.  Not  only  the 
final  apostasy  is  a  sin,  but  also  the  incipient 
dallying  with  the  danger  of  it  by  thoughtlessly 
or  frivolously  courting  or  encouraging  one  not 
of  the  faith  towards  a  dangerous  and  baneful 
mixed  marriage.  It  must  be  admitted  that  not 
all  mixed  marriages  are  of  this  stamp;  some, 
though  comparatively  very,  very  few,  develop 
fortunately  for  both  parties;  but  for  the  luke- 
warm and  heedless  Catholic  a  mixed  marriage 
is  usually  synonymous  with  the  Catholic  party's 
defection  from  the  faith.     This  defection  practi- 


1 86  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

cally  begins  the  first  day  of  the  ill-fated  courtship. 
It  is,  therefore,  ordinarily  wrong  and  sinful  for 
a  Catholic  party  to  keep  company  with  a  non- 
Catholic;  and  such  company -keeping  is  matter 
for  the  confessional.  If  all  Catholics,  as  soon  as 
\'A  they  are  aware  that  they  are  keeping  company 
with  a  non-Catholic,  would  mention  this  in  the 
confessional,  whether  they  feel  guilty  of  sin  or  not, 
many  a  fatal  mixed  marriage  would  be  nipped  in 
the  bud  through  the  kindly  advice  of  the  experi- 
enced priest,  to  the  temporal  and  eternal  welfare 
of  the  penitent. 

A  certain  man  made  this  statement: 
"A  young  man  that  cannot  look  at  a  young 
lady  without  experiencing  some  lustful  or 
sexual  attractions,  whether  this  be  on  the 
street  or  otherwise — with  that  man  there 
is  something  wrong,  abnormal."  Is  this 
statement  correct?  Would  you  kindly 
give  me  complete  information  on  this 
question  ? 

In  answer  to  this  we  would  say  that  the  state- 
ment is  not  exactly  correct.  God,  you  know,  has 
given  certain  instincts  and  passions  for  a  wise 
purpose.  Man  is  drawn  strongly  and  agreeably 
towards  woman  (and  woman  towards  man)  for 
the  purpose  of  honorable  marriage.  Were  a 
man  without  these  passions  and  instincts  he 
would  never  marry — and  the  human  family 
would  perish.  Man  is  supposed  to  master  his 
passions  in  accordance  with  God's  law;  and  no 
man  is  tempted  beyond  his  strength.  God  has 
said  it.  The  sexual  instinct  is  so  strong  in  man 
generally  because  it  is  God's  way  in  bringing  man 
and  woman  to  be  husband  and  wife.  The  sexual 
instinct  in  man  goes  out  to  woman  generally, 
just  as  in  woman  it  goes  out  to  man  generally. 
But  it  may  be  indulged  only  towards  the  one 
woman  who  is  his  wife  and  has  won  his  love  in 


COURTSHIP  187 


honorable  marriage.  Any  sexual  indulgence  out- 
side matrimony  is  condemned  by  the  Almighty 
God.  To  employ  it  otherwise  is  to  disobey  the 
orders  of  nature's  God. 

Is  it  sinful,  if  I  like  a  person  of  the  op- 
posite sex,  to  pray  that  that  person  will 
keep  company  with  me?  I  am  single  and 
feel  that  marriage  is  my  vocation. 

No;  it  is  not  sinful.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  a 
good  and  a  virtuous  thing  to  do.  We  should 
turn  to  God  for  everything,  in  everything,  just 
as  a  child  turns  to  its  father.  Of  course,  we 
take  it  for  granted  that  the  person  you  refer  to 
is  a  good  Catholic.  We  cannot  utter  too  many 
solemn  warnings  against  mixed  marriages  and 
all  associations  that  lead  thereto.  Here  especially 
the  principle  holds  good,  "Resist  the  beginnings." 
Love  makes  blind.  Pray  that  God  may  let  you 
contract  a  good  Catholic  marriage  and  that  He 
may  preserve  you  from  the  great  evil  of  a  mixed 
marriage. 

Must  a  girl  obey  her  parents  as  to  whom 
she  marries  if  the  man  is  a  Catholic? 

Parents  and  other  superiors  may  exceed  the 
limits  of  their  lawful  authority  by  interfering  with 
their  children's  vocation,  namely,  by  forcing  or 
unduly  urging  their  sons  to  enter  the  priesthood  or 
a  religious  community,  or  their  daughters  to  enter 
a  convent,  or  both  the  one  and  the  other  to  enter 
the  married  state;  or  by  preventing  their  sons  and 
daughters  from  embracing  a  state  of  life  to  which 
their  vocation  leads  them,  be  it  the  priesthood, 
the  religious  life,  virginity  in  the  world,  or  the 
married  state.  In  this,  children  are  not  obliged 
to  obey  anyone,  for  it  belongs  to  them  by  right  to 
choose  that  vocation  which,  according  to  their 
judgment  and  inclination,  may  best  help  them  to 
become  useful  members  of  society  and.  what  is 


1 88  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

more  important  than  all,  to  make  sure  of  their 
eternal  destiny. 

Of  course,  as  in  the  case  in  question,  it  is  only 
the  part  of  prudence  to  consult  the  parents. 
Two  heads  are  better  than  one. 

Would  a  girl  do  wrong  by  keeping  up 
correspondence  with  a  boy  against  her 
mother's  wishes? 

Of  course,  she  would.  The  fourth  Command- 
ment, "Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother,"  com- 
mands, among  other  things,  obedience  to  parents. 
Children  must  obey  their  parents  in  all  that  is 
not  sin;  and  in  this  obedience  must  be  included 
a  prompt  and  willing  desire  to  do,  not  only  what 
is  explicitly  commanded,  but  also  what  the 
parents  desire  and  what  the  children  know  would 
please  them.  Parents  take  the  place  of  God 
Himself,  and,  therefore,  to  disobey  them  is  to 
disobey  the  Father  in  heaven.  Hence,  when  the 
parents'  will  is  made  known  by  command  or  by 
prohibition  (as  in  your  case),  the  children  should 
consider  it  as  sacred  as  if  God  had  commanded 
it  by  an  angel  from  heaven.  If  they  truly  love 
their  parents,  and  esteem  them  as  representatives 
of  God,  they  will  hold  nothing  more  sacred  than 
to  follow  all  their  parents'  wishes  and  avoid  what 
would  displease  them,  whether  the  parents  be 
present  or  absent.  Such  is  the  will  of  God.  God 
never  blesses  a  disobedient  child. 

Is  it  a  sin  if  when  a  young  man  takes 
you  out  he  puts  his  arm  around  your 
waist  feelingly  against  your  will? 

In  this  connection  we  would  say  that,  generally, 
a  young  man  will  take  all  the  liberties  a  girl  will 
allow,  but  the  more  she  gives  in  the  less  he  will 
think  of  her.  We  often  hear  it  said,  "I  would 
never  marry  a  girl  that  allows  undue  familiar- 
ities." 

A   girl   should   remember  that   true   love   and 


COURTSHIP  189 


willingness  to  take  liberties  rarely  go  together. 
At  the  first  attempt  to  take  liberties  a  girl  should 
put  her  foot  down  hard.  A  man  never  loves  a 
girl  so  much  and  so  truly  as  when  she  keeps  him 
at  the  proper  distance  and  makes  him  respect  and 
reverence  her — makes  him  feel  that  when  he  is 
in  her  presence  he  is  in  the  presence  of  something 
almost  sacred.  A  girl  should  never  make  con- 
cessions to  her  lover.  By  this  we  mean  that  she 
should  never  do  anything  that  she  would  hesitate 
to  do  in  the  presence  of  her  sister  or  her  mother. 

With  this  all  sensible  girls — and  there  are 
many  such — will  wholly  agree;  according  to  this 
they  will  conduct  themselves. 

Those  that  foolishly  scorn  such  sane  advice, 
because  of  girlish  silliness  and  giddiness  must 
needs  pay  for  their  rashness  with  misery — misery 
that,  so  to  speak,  exacts  compound  interest, 
often  for  life. 

As  regards  the  question — no;  it  is  not  a  sin 
if  it  is  really  against  her  will  and  she  emphati- 
cally lets  it  be  known  as  such.  She  should  see  to 
it  that  it  does  not  happen  again. 

A  Catholic  girl  intends  to  marry  a  non- 
Catholic  man.  Ought  she  to  take  this 
non-Catholic  to  the  priest  a  while  before 
the  marriage  or  wait  until  just  before 
the  marriage?  He  does  not  intend  to  join 
the  Church. 

She  should,  of  course,  take  him  to  the  priest 
at  least  six  weeks  before  the  marriage,  that  there 
may  be  ample  time  to  give  him  those  instructions 
so  important  even  if  he  does  not  intend  to  become 
a  Catholic.  He  must  at  least  know  what  his 
future  wife  believes,  that  is  to  say,  something 
about  the  Catholic  religion,  what  promises  he 
must  make,  the  nature  of  marriage,  its  duties, 
responsibilities,  and  privileges. 

But  so  many  girls  seem  to  think  they  can  just 


i9o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 


pick  out  their  non-Catholic  friend  and  take  him 
to  the  priest  with  a  brazen:  "Well,  here  we  are; 
marry  us  quick!"  What  folly!  What  right  has 
a  girl  to  do  anything  like  that  when  mixed 
marriages  are  strictly  forbidden  by  the  Church? 
If  she  thinks  she  simply  must  have  that  non- 
Catholic  for  her  husband,  she  should  first  go  alone 
to  see  the  priest,  without  taking  her  friend  along 
and  before  making  him  any  promises;  and, 
having  stated  the  case  to  her  priest  or  confessor, 
she  should  unhesitatingly  and  generously  follow 
his  advice.  That  will  mean  much  for  her  happi- 
ness,— everything,  in  fact.  And  that  is  what 
every  good  Catholic  girl  will  do. 

Would  it  be  wrong  for  a  Catholic  girl  to 
keep  company  with  a  non-Catholic  man 
with  the  intention  of  marriage,  if  she 
knows  that  she  can  persuade  him  to  turn 
Catholic   before  marriage? 

If  experience  teaches  us  aright,  those  con- 
versions before  marriage  are  often  more  or  less 
pretended.  Often  enough  they  are  due  only  to 
a  desire  of  contracting  the  marriage;  and  they 
would  never  be  as  much  as  thought  of  apart  from 
it.  Hence,  not  being  the  fruit  of  sincere  convic- 
tion, the  products  of  the  conversion  are  usually 
far  below  par.  We  admit  that  there  are  excep- 
tions, but  these  merely  confirm  the  rule.  While 
some  of  these  matrimonial  converts  become 
veritable  saints  and  even  put  to  shame  the 
Catholic  party,  many  of  them — if  we  are  to 
believe  those  who  know — are  no  credit  to  the 
religion  they  espouse  merely  to  obtain  a  certain 
partner  in  matrimony.  Surely,  between  a  mixed 
marriage  and  a  convert  marriage  there  is  a 
world  of  difference:  the  latter  is  by  far  the  lesser 
evil;  but  the  best  and  only  thing  is  for  Catholics 
to  marry  their  own.  This  may  be  stating  the  mat- 
ter rather  plainly  and  boldly;    but  it  is  for  the 


COURTSHIP  191 


instruction  of  our  young  people,  whose  life  is 
still  before  them  and  whose  happiness  is  yet  in 
the  making.  Only  some  time  ago  we  inquired 
about  a  good  Catholic  girl  who,  about  fifteen 
years  back,  entered  a  convert-before-marriage 
matrimonial  contract.  We  learnt  that  neither 
she  nor  her  husband  nor  her  children  are  known 
as  Catholic.  They  are  all  irreligious  to  the  core. 
It  is  but  one  case  of  thousands. 

He  is*  an  excellent  young  man  in  every 
other  way.  Drinking  is  his  only  fault. 
He  has  even  been  drunk  once  that  I  know 
of.  But  I  think  the  world  of  him.  Would 
you  advise  me  to  marry  him?  I  think  I 
could  reform  him  easily. 

Absolutely  no!  On  the  contrary,  we  strongly 
advise  you  to  break  with  him  at  once.  Marriage 
is  no  reformatory,  as  you  may  learn  to  your 
lifelong  regret.  It  is  hard  to  conceive  of  any 
creature  on  earth  more  miserable  than  the  wife 
of  a  drunkard.  The  late  saintly  Father  Elliott, 
of  the  Paulist  Fathers,  in  one  of  his  mission 
sermons  on  intemperance,  lets  such  a  wife  speak 
to  us.  Her  words  are  the  best  answer  to  your 
question: 

"Listen  to  my  sermon.  Once  I  was  free;  I 
was  a  pure  and  affectionate  girl  and  my  com- 
panions said  I  was  handsome.  I  loved  God  and 
kept  the  rules  of  His  Holy  Church.  Oh,  how 
happy  I  was!  I  had  the  happiness  of  religion, 
the  happiness  of  home  and  of  loving  friends; 
all  peace  and  joy  were  mine.  And  now  look  at 
me;  I  am  a  drunkard's  wife.  Notice  how  shame- 
faced I  am.  The  name  I  bear  is  a  badge  of  infamy; 
and  I  could  show  you  scars  and  bruises  that  are 
the  badges  of  my  slavery.  Oh,  what  a  fool  I 
was!  When  that  man  asked  me  to  marry  him. 
my  father  turned  him  out  of  doors,  for  he  smelled 
drink  upon  him.     My  mother's  very  tears  pro- 


i$i  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

tested  against  him;  my  priest  warned  me  to  give 
him  up.  But  he  deceived  me.  He  swore  to  me 
that  if  I  married  him,  he  would  never  drink 
again,  and  he  swore  that  he  loved  me  and  would 
be  a  true,  a  loving  husband.  Was  there  ever  a 
lie  so  deadly  as  his  lie  to  me?  He  never  really 
loved  anything  as  he  loved  drink;  he  has  never 
loved  wife  or  child  or  his  own  immortal  soul 
half  as  much  as  he  always  has  loved  drink." 

"Thus  far  the  drunkard's  wife,"  says  Father 
Elliott.  "See  her  as  she  slouches  away,  bent  with 
premature  age,  shrinking  from  the  sight  of  men, 
and  looking  forward  to  her  early  and  miserable 
death." 

A  girl  who  would  take  such  a  step  as  you  are 
contemplating  is  not  only  consummately  silly; 
she  is,  in  the  expressive  slang  of  the  day,  positively 
crazy. 

Of  the  modern  world's  amusements 
and  entertainments  for  young  people, 
which  ones  would  you  consider  all  right 
and  clean  for  Catholic  young  folks  to  at- 
tend? 

Young  people  must  have  their  amusement; 
and  it  is  often  quite  puzzling  in  our  day  to  de- 
termine the  character  of  that  amusement.  How- 
ever, the  question  has  been  asked,  and  we  pur- 
pose to  give  a  brief  answer.  But  first  of  all  we 
must  say  that  it  is  difficult  to  be  precise  about 
amusements.  A  safe  rule  to  follow  is  this:  if 
after  any  amusement  you  feel  less  like  looking 
into  the  face  of  God  or,  let  us  say,  into  the  face 
of  a  good  and  loving  mother,  abstain  from  that 
amusement  thereafter. 

Though  dancing  always  contains  an  element  of 
danger  for  the  angelic  virtue  and  each  one  must 
know  whether  for  him  or  her  it  is  an  occasion  of 
sin  which  necessitates  abstaining  from  it  at  times 
or  always,  still  our  Catholic  young  folks  may  go 


COURTSHIP  193 


to  dances  of  the  right  kind,  under  the  right 
auspices,  at  the  right  time.  Since  young  people 
will  dance,  home  dances,  or  dances  in  private 
halls,  under  good  supervision,  are  greatly  to  be 
encouraged.  They  can  be  quite  innocent  and 
socially  beneficial. 

Wholesome  movies  that  are  or  could  be  on  the 
"white  list"  may  be  attended,  though  it  is  a 
deplorable  fact  that  the  majority  of  motion 
pictures  have  been  unwholesome,  to  say  the  very 
least, — nay,  a  soul-killing  plague.  Great  care 
must  be  exercised  in  the  selection  of  only  good 
shows. 

Parish  "sociables"  and  entertainments  and 
plays  are  among  the  very  best  forms  of  amuse- 
ment for  our  Catholic  young  people.  There  they 
meet  each  other  and  get  acquainted;  and  the 
result  is  an  increased  number  of  good  Catholic 
marriages,  to  the  most  desirable  decrease  of  the 
number  of  mixed  marriages  and  broken  lives. 

One  of  the  best  places  for  amusements  is  the 
home,  the  Catholic  family  circle.  Parents  should 
encourage  and  provide  for  amusements  there. 
We  enumerate  a  few:  music,  books,  various 
games,  conversations,  the  visits  and  entertain- 
ment of  Catholic  friends  and  neighbors.  Ail 
such  amusements  can  be  made  joyous,  beautiful, 
and  never-to-be-forgotten  in  their  salutary  in- 
fluence on  mind  and  heart,  when  indulged  in 
with  Christian  restraint  and  virtue. 

Playing  cards  at  home  or  in  the  parish  hall  for 
amusement  and  competition  in  skill  is  a  perfectly 
innocent  and  proper  social  entertainment,  even 
on  Sunday.  Nor  is  there  anything  wrong  in 
playing  for  small  sums.  It  lends  interest  to  the 
game.  Of  course,  moderation  is  necessary.  One 
can  go  to  excess  in  everything.  Gambling,  by 
the  way,  might  be  defined  as  playing  for  stakes 
at  the  risk  of  losing  what  may  be  required  for  the 
maintenance  of  oneself  and  family. 


i94  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

St.  Aloysius  was  once  engaged  in  a  game  of 
checkers  when  he  was  asked  what  he  would  do 
if  he  knew  he  were  to  die  in  five  minutes.  "I 
would  keep  right  on  playing,"  he  answered.  He 
was  doing  it  in  the  right  way,  with  a  good  inten- 
tion, for  God;  for  even  amusement  of  the  right 
kind  in  due  season  may  help  us  save  our  souls. 
We  can  make  everything,  even  our  innocent  good 
times  prayer.  "Whether  you  eat  or  drink,  or 
whatever  you  do,  do  all  for  the  glory  of  God," 
says  Holy  Writ. 

What  is  the  proper  age  for  a  girl  to  go 
with  boys?  At  what  time  should  she  re- 
turn home? 

To  go  out  with  boys  occasionally  under  proper 
auspices  is  one  thing  and  to  keep  steady  company 
with  a  boy  with  the  intention  of  marriage  is 
another.  In  both  cases  it  is  highly  advisable  to 
meet  your  company  in  your  own  home  and  in 
the  presence  of  the  family, — not  to  "go  out"  at 
all  or  very  rarely  Any  other  way  savors  of 
recklessness,  to  say  the  least.  When  going  out 
such  should  always  return  at  a  reasonable  hour, 
say,  ten  o'clock. 

But  you  wish  to  know  when.  No  girl  should 
accept    the   attentions    of   a   young    man    until 

(1)  she  has  become  a  good  housekeeper,   until 

(2)  she  has  become  a  fairly  good  seamstress,  until 

(3)  she  has  acquired  the  virtue  of  staying  at 
home,  until  (4)  the  young  man  is  able  to  support 
a  family  and  has  saved  at  least  something  to 
start  with,  and,  finally,  unless  (5)  there  is  some 
intention  of  marrying  him. 

It  may  be,  however,  that  you  want  the  exact 
age.  That  is  difficult  to  determine,  since  it 
depends  upon  so  many  circumstances.  We  might 
say,  for  the  sake  of  definiteness,  that  since  in 
this  country  girls  rarely  marry  before  the  age  of 
eighteen  and  boys  are  usually  a  few  years  older, 


COURTSHIP  r95 


and  since  steady  company-keeping,  or  courtship, 
should  ordinarily  not  be  longer  than  six  months 
or  a  year,  the  proper  age  for  going  with  a  boy  is 
about  eighteen  at  the  very  earliest.  But  even 
that  is  rather  too  early.  The  longer  a  girl  under 
twenty  keeps  her  heart  and  mind  love-proof, 
that  is,  in  easy  possession  and  full  control,  the 
better  for  her  present  and  future  happiness. 

The  above  is  about  regular  and  honorable 
courtships.  The  irregular  courtships  of  young 
people  in  their  teens  are  usually  nothing  else 
than  sinful  flirtations.  Such  "puppy  love"  ought 
rather  to  be  called  "the  devil's  game,"  since  it 
is  one  of  the  most  common  and  crafty  ruses  by 
which  Satan  gradually  and  insensibly  lures  inno- 
cent boys  and  girls  into  ugly  sin  and  filthy  vice 
under  the  guise  of  love. 

Could  a  dispensation  for  first  cousins 
to  marry  be  obtained  if  there  were  danger 
to  the  man's  soul  on  account  of  this 
disappointment  in  love,  e.  g.,  if  the  young 
man  would  resume  his  courtship  with  a 
non-Catholic  girl  after  his  cousin  gave 
him  up,  or  if  he  would  take  to  drink  and 
get  reckless  and  not  care  what  happened? 

These  reasons  for  dispensation  might  be  suf- 
ficient for  presentation  to  the  proper  ecclesiastical 
authorities.  If  they  are  accepted  as  sufficient, 
steps  may  then  be  taken  to  obtain  the  necessary 
dispensation. 

We  may  remark,  however,  that  it  is  to  be  de- 
plored whenever  the  above  mentioned  dispensa- 
tion must  be  obtained.  St.  Thomas  gives  a  num- 
ber of  reasons  why  the  Church  has  enacted  re- 
strictive laws  against  marriages  between  blood 
relations.  1.  The  reverence  which  kindred  owe 
to  each  other,  being  offspring  of  one  common 
stock  or  progenitor.  If  relatives  could  freely 
intermarry,  the  feeling  of  respect  which  now  exists 


196  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

between  near  relatives  would  soon  change  to 
indifference.  2.  Charity  is  another  reason;  for 
good  Catholics  by  marrying  those  of  their  own 
religion,  but  of  different  families,  extend  the 
influence  of  Catholic  principles,  the  natural 
consequence  of  a  virtuous  and  holy  wedlock. 
3.  Free  and  common  intermarriage  would  un- 
doubtedly open  the  door  to  a  frightful  laxity  of 
morals  among  relatives;  if  they  lived  under  the 
same  roof  or  exchanged  frequent  and  unrestricted 
visits,  an  undue  and  dangerous  familiarity  would 
necessarily  spring  up.  This  is  the  natural  out- 
come of  the  loss  of  respect,  mentioned  as  the 
first  motive.  4.  Intermarriages  between  persons 
of  the  same  blood  are,  according  to  physicians  of 
high  standing,  fraught  with  dire  consequences  to 
the  health  of  their  children.  (Cf.  St.  Thos.  II. 
2,  q.  154,  a.  9.) 

I  am  a  married  woman,  but  I  have  been 
separated  (not  divorced)  from  my  husband 
for  some  years,  with  the  permission  of 
the  proper  ecclesiastical  authorities.  I 
have  a  very  dear  man  friend.  He  under- 
stands my  situation  in  life  and  knows 
we  can  never  be  anything  more  than 
friends;  and  he  respects  me  in  every  way. 
Is  it  a  sin  for  us  to  kiss? 

Such  conduct  and  that  whole  "honorable  and 
platonic"  friendship  which  you  question  implies  is 
absolutely  and  utterly  to  be  condemned.  You 
are  a  married  woman.  A  learned  author,  speak- 
ing of  the  heinous  crime  of  adultery,  says:  "When 
David  cast  that  one  wanton  look  and  nursed  the 
thoughts  and  imaginations  it  engendered,  he  did 
not  suspect  that  within  a  short  time  he  would 
be  both  an  adulterer  and  a  homicide.  It  would 
have  been  easy  for  him  to  resist  the  temptation 
from  the  very  start;  but  once  he  allowed  his  low 
passion  to   be   inflamed,   resistance  was   out   of 


COURTSHIP  197 


question.  From  this  reflection  you  will  learn  to 
be  as  cautious  against  danger  as  you  must  be 
distrustful  of  yourself  in  it.  Resist  manfully  and 
decidedly  at  the  beginning,  and  the  sequel  will 
create  no  difficulty." — You  are  playing  with  fire. 

I  am  keeping  company  with  a  good 
young  man  and  would  like  to  marry  him. 
I  am  sure  he  would  make  me  happy  and 
I  could  make  him  a  happy  home.  But  he 
is  not  a  Catholic.     What  should  I  do? 

What  are  you  to  do!  The  answer  is  obvious. 
Keep  this  commandment  of  the  Church:  "Not 
to  marry  persons  who  are  not  Catholics  ..." 
And  remember  that  it  is  already  an  initial  break- 
ing of  that  commandment  to  keep  company  with 
a  non-Catholic  and  a  matter  for  advice  in  the  con- 
fessional. 

What  are  you  to  do?  When  he  calls  on  you 
again  say  something  to  this  effect:  "John,  I  have 
been  acting  wrongly  all  the  while.  I  cannot  and 
I  may  not  marry  you,  so  I  should  not  have  been 
keeping  company  with  you.  You  are  not  a  Catho- 
lic, you  see.  So  it  must  all  be  over  between  us. 
You  may  not  come  to  see  me  any  more.  If  I 
ever  marry,  that  man  must  be  a  devout  and  prac- 
tical Catholic.  So  please  go.  This  is  final. 
But  if  you  wish  to  study  the  Catholic  religion, 
here  are  some  books  I  got  for  you.  In  case  you 
are  interested  and  wish  to  take  instructions  with 
a  view  to  embracing  the  Catholic  religion  out 
of  conviction  that  it  is  the  true  religion.  I  can  refer 
you  to  Father  Brown.  He  would  be  glad  to  ex- 
plain everything  to  you.  And,  John,  after  you 
have  joined  the  Church  and  faithfully  practiced 
your  new  religion  and  received  the  Sacraments 
frequently,  I  will  be  glad  to  see  you  again;  for, 
you  know,  I  hope  to  marry  a  good  Catholic  man 
some  day.  So  good-bye,  and — I  hope  it  will  not 
be  forever,  John." 


i98  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

If  two  Catholic  persons  are  divorced, 
but  do  not  marry  again,  are  they  excom- 
municated from  the  Church? 

We  know  (Canon  11 28)  that  there  is  a  grave 
obligation  for  the  married  couple  to  live  together, 
unless  there  be  a  legitimate  reason  for  the  con- 
trary. Sometimes  it  becomes  simply  impossible 
to  live  together  and  a  temporary  or  perpetual 
separation  must  be  effected,  in  which  case  the 
matter  should  be  submitted  to  the  proper  pastor, 
who  will  refer  it  to  the  bishop  should  circum- 
stances so  demand  or  permit.  Sometimes  even 
a  so-called  divorce  may  be  secured,  with  the 
parties'  understanding  that  they  are  still  married 
none  the  less,  only  living  apart,  and  provided 
scandal  is  removed.  However,  before  applying 
for  divorce  it  is  well  for  such  Catholics  to  remem- 
ber that  mere  separation  can  give  them,  from  the 
civil  point  of  view,  the  same  advantages,  and  that 
it  safeguards  the  demands  of  Catholic  teaching. 

Having  thus  explained  away  any  misunder- 
standing about  divorced  Catholics,  we  answer  your 
question  by  saying  that  divorced  Catholics  are 
not  excommunicated  unless  they  attempt  to 
marry  again.  They  are  not  excommunicated 
because  of  the  divorce.  But  the  Plenary  Council 
of  Baltimore  III,  124,  places  under  excommuni- 
cation reserved  to  the  Ordinary  "Catholics  who, 
after  a  civil  divorce,  shall  have  attempted  to 
contract  a  new  marriage,  the  legitimate  consort 
still  living." 

Can  a  non-Catholic  man  and  a  Catholic 
girl  contract  a  mixed  marriage  before  a 
priest  if  the  man  cannot  produce  a  bap- 
tismal certificate  but  knows  he  was  bap- 
tized? 

The  baptismal  certificate  is  the  most  important 
document  to  be  furnished  before  the  celebration 
of   marriage.     As  occasion   requires,  the  pastor 


COURTSHIP  1 99 


should  also  demand  the  baptismal  certificate  of 
the  non-Catholic  party.  In  case  it  cannot  be 
secured  because  the  records  have  been  lost,  or 
if  in  that  case  parents  or  sponsors  or  some  trust- 
worthy witness  refuse  to  give  their  testimony  as 
to  the  moral  certainty  that  baptism  was  ad- 
ministered, or  unless  the  man  was  baptized  as 
an  adult  and  can  take  an  oath  to  that  effect,  a 
dispensation  must  be  secured  ad  cautelam  (to 
make  sure)  for  disparity  of  worship  at  the  same 
time  as  for  mixed  religion.  This  should  be  done 
in  every  case  of  serious  doubt,  since  many  of  the 
Protestant  sects  no  longer  believe  in  baptism  or, 
if  they  do,  they  administer  it  in  a  very  doubtful 
manner. 

Is  it  dangerous  or  wrong  to  correspond 
with  a  non-Catholic  boy,  just  for  friend- 
ship's sake,  nothing  more,  or  is  it  classed 
under  company-keeping? 

Your  question  implies  that  you  know  what 
many  seem  to  forget,  namely,  that,  since  mixed 
marriages  are  forbidden,  mixed  company-keep- 
ing is  forbidden  also.  We  might  classify  such 
letter-writing  as  you  mention  as  incipient  com- 
pany-keeping. We  cannot  exactly  see  the  why 
and  the  wherefore  of  this  correspondence.  If 
it  is  to  instruct  him  in  the  Catholic  faith,  it  were 
better  to  send  him  Catholic  books  of  instruction. 
Then  follow  those  up  by  sending  him — to  the 
pastor. 


PERTAINING  TO  DUTIES  OF  PARENTS 

Are  we  obliged  to  send  our  children  to  a 
Catholic  school?  Has  the  priest  a  right 
to  refuse  parents  absolution  just  because 
they  send  their  children  to  a  public  school  ? 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  over  two  and  a  half 
million  Catholic  pupils  attend  our  public  elemen- 
tary schools  and  higher  institutions  of  learning,  it 
is  well  to  recall  a  number  of  things  regarding  the 
Catholic  school.  And  first  of  all  come  to  our 
mind  the  pronouncements  of  the  Church  with  re- 
gard to  the  obligations  of  Catholic  parents  to  pro- 
vide for  the  religious  and  moral  training  of  their 
children  in  schools  approved  by  the  local  authori- 
ties of  the  Church.  In  this  matter  Holy  Church 
takes  a  positive  and  unchanging  stand;  it  is  an 
unswerving  position  taken  in  a  concern  of  vital 
importance.  It  may  be  briefly  summarized  thus: 
"Every  Catholic  child  in  a  Catholic  school!" 

What  those  obligations  are  regarding  the 
Catholic  education  of  their  children  is  clearly 
defined  in  the  New  Code  of  Canon  Law  (Canon 
1113):  "Parents  are  bound  by  a  most  grave 
obligation  to  provide  to  the  best  of  their  ability 
for  the  religious  and  moral  as  well  as  for  the 
physical  and  civil  education  of  their  children, 
and  for  their  temporal  well-being." 

Religious  and  moral  training  is  here  stressed; 
for  therein  lies  the  potency  and  the  necessity  of 
the  Catholic  school.  Strange  that  parents  should 
so  often  forget  their  sacred  trust  and  duty  of 
guiding  their  children  heavenward;  strange  that 
they  should  forget  the  value  and  destiny  of  the 
human  soul;  strange  that  they  should  forget 
that  they  must  render  to  God  an  account  of  the 
souls  entrusted  to  their  care!  And  yet  only  too 
often  they  do-    So  serious  is  this  neglect  of  duty 

ZOO 


DUTIES  OF  PARENTS  101 

that,  as  we  read  in  the  Instruction  of  Pope  Pius 
IX,  issued  in  1864,  and  restated  again  and  again 
since,  and  that  with  the  greatest  emphasis:  "All 
parents  who  neglect  to  give  their  children  this 
necessary  training  and  education,  or  who  permit 
their  children  to  frequent  schools  in  which  the 
ruin  of  souls  cannot  be  avoided,  or,  finally,  who, 
having  in  their  locality  a  good  Catholic  school, 
properly  appointed  to  teach  their  children,  or  hav- 
ing an  opportunity  of  educating  their  offspring  in 
another  place,  nevertheless  send  them  to  public 
schools,  without  sufficient  reasons  and  without  the 
necessary  precautions  by  which  the  approximate 
danger  may  be  made  remote — these,  as  is  evident 
from  Catholic  moral  teaching,  if  they  are  con- 
tumacious cannot  be  absolved  in  the  Sacrament 
of  Penance." 

And  yet  there  are  those  who  wonder  why  ab- 
solution is  denied  them,  seeing  that  the  public 
school  is  "more  convenient  for  the  children,  you 
know!"  What  a  strange  misconception  of  life's 
serious  purpose:  "To  know  God,  to  love  Him,  to 
serve  Him,  and  so  to  reach  heaven." 

They  "cannot  be  absolved."  The  Instruction 
does  not  say  that  they  "may  not  be  absolved." 
Why  blame  the  priest?  Contumacious  persever- 
ance in  grievous  sin  makes  absolution  out  of  the 
question.  They  "cannot  be  absolved."  In  vain 
to  go  elsewhere,  then;  in  vain  to  pass  the  matter 
over  in  sacrilegious  silence.  God's  holy  Church 
must  be  obeyed.  To  repeat,  in  the  words  of  the 
New  Code  of  Canon  Law  (Canon  1374),  "Cath- 
olic children  must  not  attend  non-Catholic,  neu- 
tral, or  mixed  schools,  that  is,  such  as  are  also 
open  to  non-Catholics.  It  is  for  the  Bishop  of 
the  place  alone  to  decide,  according  to  the  in- 
structions of  the  Apostolic  See,  in  what  circum- 
stances and  with  what  precautions  attendance  at 
such  schools  may  be  tolerated,  without  danger  of 
perversion  to  the  pupils."    Says  the  Code,  "It  is 


loi.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

for  the  Bishop  of  the  place  alone  to  decide."  And 
that  decision  is  ordinarily  made  known  to  the 
people  through  or  by  the  pastor.  From  which  it 
is  easy  to  see  the  error  of  the  laity  who  would 
take  upon  themselves  the  making  of  such  de- 
cision— often  with  an  ignorance  and  arrogance 
that  is  disgusting  in  the  extreme.  Yes;  it's 
another  case  of  the  parents'  three  I's:  Ignorance, 
Indifference,   and   Incompetence. 

But  why  all  this  insistence  upon  the  erection 
and  maintenance  of  Catholic  schools,  as  thus  ex- 
pressed by  the  First  Plenary  Council  of  Balti- 
more, "We  exhort  the  Bishops  that  they  take 
steps  to  establish  a  parish  school  in  connection 
with  every  church  in  their  diocese!"  Why  this 
insistence  upon  the  sacred  duty  of  Catholic 
parents  to  send  their  children  to  Catholic  schools? 

The  reasons  are  concisely  given  thus  in  the  N. 
C.  W.  C.  Catechism  of  Catholic  Education: 
"Because  the  Catholic  Church  is  the  divinely 
appointed  custodian  of  the  whole  body  of  re- 
vealed religious  truth  and  is  charged  with  the 
duty  of  teaching  it  to  all  men  and  to  all  nations, 
'Going,  therefore,  teach  all  nations.'  To  do  this 
adequately,  a  separate  system  of  schools  in  our 
country  is  necessary.  Because  the  child  is  a 
moral  agent,  and  his  education  must  therefore 
be  moral  in  the  sense  that  it  must  recognize  the 
fact  that  the  child  is  endowed  with  an  immortal 
soul  and  is  answerable  to  God  for  all  his  actions. 
Because  will-training  is  looked  upon  by  the  Church 
as  no  less  important  in  the  educative  process  than 
physical  or  intellectual  training.  Because  re- 
ligious knowledge  is  itself  intrinsically  valuable 
in  the  process  of  education.  Because  religious 
training  is  the  best  training  for  a  citizen.  Because 
the  Church  has,  by  positive  law,  made  the 
establishment  of  schools  a  matter  of  religious 
policy." 

Cogent  reasons  these.     They  speak  for  them- 


DUTIES  OF  PARENTS  103 

selves  and  must  needs  be  all-convincing  to  men 
of  good  will. 

We  add  that  no  charge  could  be  more  unjust 
than  to  say  that  Catholic  schools  are  un-Ameri- 
can, that  they  are  inimical  to  the  spirit  of  Ameri- 
can citizenship.  "Our  Catholic  schools,"  we  read 
in  the  1919  Pastoral  Letter  of  the  Archbishops 
and  Bishops  of  the  Catholic  Church  in  the 
United  States,  "are  not  established  and  main- 
tained with  any  idea  of  holding  our  children 
apart  from  the  general  body  and  spirit  of  Ameri- 
can citizenship.  They  are  simply  the  concrete 
form  in  which  we  exercise  our  rights  as  free  citi- 
zens in  conformity  with  the  dictates  of  conscience. 
Their  very  existence  is  a  great  moral  fact  in 
American  life.  For,  while  they  aim,  openly  and 
avowedly,  to  preserve  our  Catholic  faith,  they 
offer  to  all  our  people  an  example  of  the  use  of 
freedom  for  the  advancement  of  morality  and 
religion." 

That  Catholic  schools  have  also  a  legal  right 
to  exist  is  manifest  anew  from  the  decision  ren- 
dered by  the  United  States  Supreme  Court  in- 
validating the  Oregon  anti-private  school  law. 
By  way  of  a  conclusion  to  our  remarks  we  quote 
from  this  decision:  "The  fundamental  theory  of 
liberty  upon  which  all  governments  in  this  union 
repose  excludes  any  general  power  of  the  state 
to  standardize  its  children  by  forcing  them  to  ac- 
cept instruction  from  public  teachers  only.  The 
child  is  not  the  mere  creature  of  the  state;  those 
who  nurture  him  and  direct  his  destiny  have  the 
right,  coupled  with  the  high  duty,  to  recognize 
and  prepare  him  for  additional  obligations." 

Even  the  United  States  Supreme  Court,  it 
would  seem,  must  admonish  some  of  our  parents 
of  their  "high  duty  to  recognize  and  prepare  him 
for  additional  obligations"! 

Are  Catholic  parents  bound  under  griev- 


2.o4  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

ous  sin  to  send  their  children  to  a  Catholic 
school  ? 

Yes;  a  positive  and  grave  obligation  rests 
upon  Catholic  parents  to  send  their  children  to 
a  Catholic  school.  Of  this  obligation  there  can 
be  no  doubt.  The  legislation  of  the  Church  in 
this  matter  is  cleanly  expressed  in  Canon  Law. 

Canon  1113  says,  "Parents  are  bound  by  a 
most  grave  obligation  to  provide  to  the  best  of 
their  ability  for  the  religious  and  moral  as  well  as 
for  the  physical  and  civil  education  of  their 
children,   and  for  their  temporal  well-being." 

The  obligation  under  consideration  is  ex- 
pressed more  clearly  still  by  Canon  1372,  which 
states,  "From  childhood  all  the  faithful  must  be 
so  educated  that  not  only  are  they  taught  nothing 
contrary  to  faith  or  morals,  but  that  religious  and 
moral  training  takes  the  chief  place." 

And  Canon  1374  is  more  definite  still.  It  de- 
clares, "Catholic  children  must  not  attend  non- 
Catholic,  neutral,  or  mixed  schools,  that  is,  such 
as  are  also  open  to  non-Catholics.  It  is  for  the 
Bishop  of  the  place  to  decide,  according  to  the 
instructions  of  the  Apostolic  See,  in  what  cir- 
cumstances and  with  what  precautions  attend- 
ance at  such  schools  may  be  tolerated,  without 
danger  of  perversion  to  the  pupils." 

Such  is  the  general  legislation  of  the  Church. 
However,  conditions  vary  so  much  in  the  United 
States  that  no  general  legislation  fits  the  needs 
of  every  diocese.  We  note,  by  way  of  illustra- 
tion, that  the  Most  Rev.  Hugh  C.  Boyle,  the 
Bishop  of  Pittsburgh,  once  issued  the  following 
regulations  for  the  conduct  of  the  people  of  his 
diocese  relative  to  Catholic  education.  We  quote 
them  at  length  because  they  serve  to  bring  out 
most  clearly  the  gravity  of  the  obligation  in 
question : 

"I.  In  places  where  there  is  a  Catholic  school 
within  two  miles,  with  buildings,  grades,  teachers 


DUTIES  OF  PARENTS  zo5 

and  discipline  up  to  the  standard  required  by 
the  Diocesan  School  Board,  parents  and  guar- 
dians are  forbidden  under  pain  of  mortal  sin  to 
send  their  children  to  any  non-Catholic  school; 
and  confessors  are  forbidden  to  absolve  those 
who  do  not  obey. 

"II.  In  places  where  there  is  no  Catholic 
school  within  two  miles,  and  parents  are  obliged 
to  send  their  children  to  a  non-Catholic  school, 
the  loss  of  religious  training  must,  as  far  as 
possible,  be  counteracted  by  diligent  instruction 
at  home,  and  regular  attendance  at  catechism 
on  Sundays  and  one  other  day  during  each  week, 
at  the  place  and  hour  appointed  by  the  pastor. 

"III.  Parents  and  guardians  who  neglect  these 
regulations  concerning  the  religious  education  of 
children  for  whom  they  are  responsible,  and  who 
send  any  of  their  children  of  school  age  to  a  non- 
Catholic  school  when  a  Catholic  school  can  be 
reached  without  great  expense  or  hardships,  or 
who  neglect  to  send  all  children  of  school  age  to 
catechism  as  prescribed  above,  can  not  be  ab- 
solved by  any  confessor  until  they  are  ready  to 
obey  the  Church. 

"No  pastor  can  make  an  exception  to  these 
rules,  and  every  person  who  believes  he  has  suf- 
ficient reasons  to  send  his  child  to  a  non-Catholic 
school  must  submit  his  reasons  in  writing  to  the 
Bishop." 

My  niece  is  ten  years  old,  and  she  has 
asked  me  about  the  origin  of  life  two  or 
three  times  during  the  past  three  years. 
I  have  told  her  how  she  was  born;  but  in 
order  to  answer  any  further  questions  of 
hers  that  might  be  of  a  more  delicate 
nature,  will  you  please  recommend  a  book 
that  I  might  buy  which  would  help  me 
to  convey  to  her  any  such  information  in 
the  proper  light. 


loS  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

"Watchful  Elders"  is  the  title  of  one  such  book. 
It  can  be  obtained  from  the  Bruce  Publishing 
Co.,  Milwaukee,  Wis.  The  author  is  the  Rev. 
Kilian  J.  Hennrich,  O.  M.  Cap.,  M.  A. 

This  is  a  book  that  each  and  every  Catholic 
parent  in  the  country  should  have  and  read  and 
prudently  use.  Father  Kilian  gives  them  the 
exact  words  to  use  in  explaining  to  children  the 
mystery  of  procreation,  the  secrets  of  sex,  and 
the  beauty  of  the  holy  virtue  of  purity.  It  con- 
tains everything  average  children  and  adolescents 
might  be  told  until  the  time  comes  when  they 
earnestly  consider  the  establishment  of  a  family. 
The  author  sees  everything  God  made  as  good 
and  holy,  and  his  booklet  presents  the  subject  of 
sex  from  that  point  of  view.  It  is  not  a  physician's 
scientific  discussion  of  sex,  nor  is  it  a  parent's 
evasive  answer  to  an  adolescent's  queries.  It  is 
a  straightforward,  gentle  treatment  of  this  deli- 
cate subject,  and  one  that  any  parent  can  give 
his  children  without  embarrassment.  (The  book, 
however,  is  for  parents  only.)  It  will  lead 
Catholic  youth  on  to  grasp  the  supernatural  and 
also  material  significance  of  cultivating  clean 
habits  preparatory  to  the  all-important  gradua- 
tion into  manhood  and  womanhood. 

Two  other  books  of  this  nature  are  "Safe- 
guards of  Chastity"  (instructions  for  young  men) 
and  "Helps  to  Purity"  (instructions  for  adoles- 
cent girls).  They  can  be  obtained  from  St. 
Francis  Book  Shop,  1615  Republic  St.,  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio.  The  author  is  the  Rev.  Fulgence 
Meyer,  O.  F.  M. 

Parents  who  find  it  their  sacred  duty  at  the 
right  time  to  impart  pure  Catholic  sex  instruction 
to  their  children,  as  well  as  adolescent  boys  and 
girls  who  feel  the  need  of  salutary  instruction  in 
this  regard,  will  surely  be  forever  grateful  to 
Father  Fulgence  for  placing  within  their  reach 
this  delicately  chaste  and  pure  and  wholesome, 


DUTIES  OF  PARENTS  2.07 

and  at  the  same  time  plain  and  open,  exposition 
of  the  mysteries  of  life  and  the  preservation  or 
recovery  of  the  pearl  of  virtues.  There  are  two 
books,  one  for  the  young  men  and  the  other  for 
adolescent  girls. 

We  believe  no  books  have  ever  been  published 
for  our  times  that  can  excel  or  even  compare 
with  the  above-mentioned  volumes  in  imparting 
chaste  Catholic  sex  instruction.  A  careful 
perusal  of  one  of  these  books  cannot  but  inflame 
every  noble  and  generous  heart  with  a  love  for 
holy  purity.  It  is,  in  the  last  analysis,  a  book  of 
purity;  and  after  reading  it  one  is  filled  with 
the  holy  sentiments  thus  expressed  in  the  Book 
of  Wisdom  (4:1,  2):  "O  how  beautiful  is  the 
chaste  generation  with  glory;  for  the  memory 
thereof  is  immortal:  Because  it  is  known  both 
with  God  and  with  men.  When  it  is  present  they 
imitate  it;  and  they  desire  it  when  it  hath  with- 
drawn itself;  and  it  triumpheth  crowned  for- 
ever, winning  the  reward  of  undefiled  conflicts." 

Our  young  people,  sooner  or  later,  as  they 
grow  up,  need  and  want  just  the  information  that 
Father  Fulgence  imparts  with  matchless  skill  and 
candor.  If  they  do  not  get  it  from  sources  pure 
and  undefiled  they  will  procure  it  elsewhere,  to 
their  own  corruption  in  all  probability.  Hence 
our  sincere  recommendation  that  these  books  be 
read  by  those  for  whom  they  are  intended  and 
our  urgent  request  that  they  be  ordered  by  the 
same. 

I  had  a  good  mother  and  I  do  not  want 
to  think  anything  wrong  about  her,  but  I 
have  learnt  much  from  good,  elderly 
people  that  mother  never  taught  me. 
Mother  never  had  a  heart-to-heart  talk 
with  us  as  we  grew  up  to  be  girls  and  young 
women.  And  now  I  realize  that  we  were 
ignorant  of  many  things  that  we  should 


2.o8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

have  been  told  about.  I  think  that  many 
girls,  as  they  grow  up,  should  have  more 
instruction  from  their  mothers  on  matters 
that  may  greatly  influence  their  future 
lives.    Am  I  right  or  wrong? 

You  are  right.  Mothers  should  be  the  visible 
guardian  angels  of  the  home  and  of  their  children. 
They  should  be  the  constant  teachers  of  their 
boys  and  girls  (and  what  we  say  here  applies  to 
fathers,  too,  though  perhaps  to  a  lesser  extent). 
Catholic  mothers  should  be  able  to  give  and,  at 
the  right  time,  should  actually  give  pure  Catholic 
sex  instruction  to  their  children.  The  school  is 
ordinarily  not  the  place  for  such  instruction. 
And  when  the  children  reach  the  age  of  puberty 
practical  and  helpful  instructions  should  be  given; 
still  later  they  should  be  given  good,  saving 
advice  as  regards  courtship  and  marriage.  Many 
warnings  will  be  in  place;  and  they  may  save 
from  physical  and  moral  contamination,  or  at 
least  from  misery  and  unhappiness.  This  is 
surely  not  an  easy  subject  nor  a  pleasant  one. 
Yet  this  part  of  the  parents'  duty  cannot  be 
avoided  without  neglecting  one  of  the  most 
sacred  of  their  obligations.  It  is  sad  indeed  that 
in  after  years  many  must  think  back  with  useless 
regret,  "Oh,  why  didn't  they  warn  me?" 

A  mother  should  be  her  child's  confidante  from 
its  earliest  years.  When  questions  are  asked  in 
childish  simplicity  she  should  not  rebuke  the 
child  but  take  a  little  time  to  think  of  the  best 
answer  and  then  instruct  the  little  one  in  the 
matter,  treating  it  as  something  secret  and  sacred, 
but  nothing  to  be  ashamed  of,  and  telling  no 
fibs.  The  instruction  should  be  adapted  to  and 
follow  the  development  of  the  growing  child. 
As  children  grow  older  parents  need  not  expect 
them  to  ask  for  advice  in  delicate  matters.  They 
must  be  on  the  alert  and  give  the  proper  in- 
struction at  the  proper  time,   before  it  is  per- 


DUTIES  OF  PARENTS  zo9 

haps  wrongly  given  by  their  companions.  Such 
instruction  should  always  be  given  without  a 
third  person  present. 

But  so  many  parents  know  not  what  to  do  nor 
how!    They  should  inform  themselves. 

In  the  Gospel  for  the  last  Sunday  after 
Pentecost  we  read,  "Woe  to  them  that 
are  with  child  and  that  give  suck."  Being 
a  Catholic  mother,  I  do  not  see  why  woe 
should  be  foretold  to  those  trying  their 
best  to  do  their  duty.  Will  you  please 
explain  ? 

"Woe  to  them  that  are  with  child,  and  that 
give  suck,  in  those  days."  These  words  from 
the  Gospel  of  the  last  Sunday  after  Pentecost 
seem  to  puzzle  you.  You  were  apparently  so 
struck  by  the  first  words  of  the  text  that  you 
paid  no  attention  to  the  last  ones,  "in  those  days." 
But  the  greatest  stress  is  to  be  placed  by  you 
upon  just  those  words. 

In  this  solemn  Gospel  the  Savior  speaks  both 
of  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  by  the  Romans 
in  the  year  70  and  of  the  last  day.  The  above 
words  of  Holy  Writ  have  particular  reference  to 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem. 

Alas  for  those  women  who  were  with  child  or 
who  were  nursing  children  in  those  days.  They 
could  not  flee  away  when  the  enemy  came.  Hence 
they  were  captured  by  the  Romans,  who  were 
furious  and  savage  because  of  the  stubborn  re- 
sistance offered  by  the  Jews,  and  they  were 
cruelly  put  to  death.  Thus  St.  Chrysostom,  St. 
Hilary,  and  others  explain  the  passage.  The- 
ophylactus  adds  that  allusion  is  here  made  to 
the  fearful  famine  that  came  upon  the  besieged 
city  of  Jerusalem.  The  historian  Josephus  re- 
lates in  detail  of  one  woman  in  particular  (and 
there  were  doubtless  other  similar  cases)  who, 
driven  to  desperation  by  the  pitiable   moans  of 


no  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

her  suffering  babe  and  almost  maddened  by  tne 
hunger  that  tortured  her,  killed  and  roasted  the 
infant,  ate  of  it,  and  offered  some  of  it  to  the 
brutal  soldiers,  who,  however,  turned  away  in 
horror  at  such  an  unnatural  deed.  It  is  revolting 
to  think  of;  but  unutterably  fearful  was  the 
destruction  of  the  city  that  had  crucified  its 
God. 

In  the  passage  you  mention  the  Savior  declares 
the  dreadf  ulness  of  the  punishment  and  slaughter 
at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  so  dreadful  that 
not  even  pregnant  and  nursing  women  were 
spared,  not  even  children, — for  usually  mothers, 
women,  and  children  are  spared  in  war. 

So  you  see  that  the  passage  you  mention  does 
not  at  all  refer  to  the  mothers  we  see  around  us. 
Indeed,  God  has  abundant  blessings  for  the  brave 
and  dutiful  wife  and  mother.  And  no  wonder: 
she  is  co-operating  with  Him  in  a  most  intimate 
way  in  His  all-wise  designs  for  the  peopling  of 
heaven  with  immortal  souls.  God  has  a  high 
place  in  heaven  for  the  good  Catholic  wife  and 
mother. 

I  have  been  told  that  a  child  dedicated 
to  the  Blessed  Virgin  must  be  dressed  in 
blue  and  white  for  seven  years.  Is  this 
correct?    If  so,  what  is  the  reason? 

This  is  nothing  more  than  a  pious  fancy, 
beautiful  indeed,  since  white  and  blue  are  Mary's 
colors,  symbolizing  purity  and  modesty,  but  not  at 
all  practical  and  rarely,  if  ever,  done.  A  child 
can  be  consecrated  to  our  Lady  in  the  most  perfect 
way  without  any  of  the  sentimentality  (silly  or 
otherwise)  suggested  by  your  question.  The 
only  special  Marian  garment  the  child  needs  is 
the  scapular  of  Our  Lady  of  Mt.  Carmel.  Mothers 
should  have  their  children  invested  with  it  and 
insist  upon  their  wearing  it.    Mary  has  attached 


DUTIES  OF  PARENTS 


numberless  graces  to  the  wearing  of  this  privileged 
scapular. 

A  mother,  desiring  to  consecrate  her  child  to 
Mary,  simply  goes  to  the  altar  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin.  There  she  offers,  consecrates,  and  gives 
her  child  to  our  dear  heavenly  Mother  that  she 
may  accept  it  as  her  own  property ;  and  she  prays 
and  beseeches  the  Queen  of  Heaven  to  take  this 
child  under  her  special  protection  and  lead  it  to 
life  eternal.  The  pious  mother  promises  Mary  to 
raise  the  child  conscientiously  and  early  to 
instil  into  its  heart  a  tender  love  for  its  heavenly 
Mother.  On  the  day  of  the  consecration  the 
mother,  if  she  has  the  means,  may  give  an  alms 
or  have  a  Mass  offered  for  her  child  in  honor  of 
Mary. 

That  is  all  that  is  necessary.  And,  of  course, 
boys  may  be  consecrated  to  the  Blessed  Virgin  as 
well  as  girls.  It  is  a  most  praiseworthy  practice, 
and  we  may  be  sure  that  a  child  consecrated  to 
the  Mother  of  God  has  its  soul  and  body  placed 
under  her  special  care  during  life  and  in  death. 
There  are  numerous  examples  to  show  that 
such  children  do  not  easily  lose  their  innocence, 
or,  if  they  fall,  they  do  not  fall  so  deeply  and 
sooner  or  later  return  to  true  repentance.  Mary 
has  ways  and  means  of  saving  her  own. 

In  a  word,  the  most  sublime  means,  the  best 
way  for  a  mother  to  make  sure  of  the  temporal 
and  eternal  happiness  of  her  children,  consists 
in  consecrating  them  to  their  heavenly  Mother — 
and  then  bringing  them  up  accordingly.  "En- 
deavor to  make  thy  children  become  also  my 
children"  was  the  advice  given  by  the  Blessed 
Virgin  to  St.  Bridget. 

Just  what  is  meant  by  the  ceremony  of 
churching  ? 

The  month  of  February  is  introduced  by  the 
feast  of  the  Presentation  of  Jesus  and  the  Purifi- 


rii  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

cation  of  His  Blessed  Mother.  With  this  feast 
the  ceremony  of  churching  has  an  intimate  and 
significant   connection. 

Everybody  loves  to  recall  the  joyful  events  of 
his  life.  Such  events  in  the  life  of  a  Christian 
mother  are  the  hour  in  which  her  child  was  born; 
the  hour,  too,  in  which  that  child  was,  by  Baptism, 
made  an  heir  of  heaven  and  a  child  of  God; 
and  such  is  also  the  day  and  the  hour  in  which 
the  mother  brings  her  child  to  church  for  the 
first  time,  to  be  blessed  herself  and  to  offer  to 
God  that  which  He  entrusted  to  her  care.  And 
as  she  stands  before  the  altar  of  the  Most  High 
she  may  truly  call  upon  Mary,  with  the  beautiful 
and  consoling  prayer  of  the  Church:  "Mother  of 
Perpetual  Help,  pray  for  us." 

Sorrow  and  pain  have  turned  into  joy.  Does 
not  God  in  His  inspired  book  tell  us  that  such 
should  be  the  reward  for  a  duty  fulfilled?  The 
happy  mother  rejoices  because  her  sufferings  are 
over.  And  because  she  has  a  heart  filled  with 
joy  she  is  thankful,  brings  her  child  to  the  temple 
of  her  Lord,  there  to  thank  Him  for  having  given 
it.  The  priest  approaches  her  and  gives  into  her 
hand  a  lighted  candle.  "Our  help  is  in  the  Lord; 
Who  created  heaven  and  the  earth,"  he  prays. 
Having  recited  one  of  the  psalms  of  joy,  he  leads 
mother  and  child  to  the  altar,  bidding  her  adore 
the  Son  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary:  "Who  hath 
given  thee  fruitfulness  of  offspring."  Having 
reached  the  altar  the  priest  continues  the  beauti- 
ful prayers  of  Holy  Mother  the  Church,  con- 
cluding as  follows:  "Almighty,  Everlasting  God. 
Who,  through  the  Delivery  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin  Mary,  hast  turned  the  pains  of  the  faith- 
ful at  childbirth  into  joy,  look  mercifully  on  this 
Thy  handmaid,  who  cometh  in  gladness  to  Thy 
holy  temple  to  offer  up  her  thanks,  and  grant 
that  after  this  life,  through  the  merits  and  inter- 
cession  of  this   same   Blessed   Virgin,   she   may 


DUTIES  OF  PARENTS 


prove  worthy  to  obtain  together  with  her  off- 
spring the  joys  of  everlasting  happiness.  Through 
Christ  our  Lord.     Amen." 

In  some  places  the  child  is  then  placed  upon 
the  altar  of  Mary  and  both  mother  and  priest 
pray  that  God  deign  to  give  Mary  a  special 
charge  over  this  child. 

Such  a  ceremony  took  place  in  the  life  of  our 
Lord,  when  His  Blessed  Mother  took  Him  into 
the  temple  after  forty  days.  Remember  the 
scene.  The  child  Jesus,  Mary,  Joseph,  the 
offering — a  pair  of  turtle  doves,  the  Prophet 
Simeon  foretelling  the  Sorrows  of  Mary.  The 
Christian  mother  only  follows  this  beautiful 
example  when  she  brings  her  child  at  the  church- 
ing. And  as  she  follows  the  external  example  of 
this  good  Mother,  how  can  she  help  but  be  ani- 
mated with  the  same  lofty  sentiments  that  filled 
the  heart  of  Mary  on  that  memorable  occasion? 
Mary  gave  thanks  for  the  priceless  treasure 
confided  to  her  care.  The  Christian  mother 
gives  thanks  because  God  has  entrusted  to  her 
care  a  soul  created  by  Himself  and  consecrated 
to  Him  in  Baptism.  The  Christian  mother 
realizes  that  it  is  only  Mary  who  can  help  her 
to  be  true  to  this  trust,  and  it  must  be  the  Mother 
of  Perpetual  Help,  because  constant  watchfulness 
is  necessary.  Hence  she  will  repeat  time  and 
again:  "Mother  of  Perpetual  Help,  pray  for  us." 
In  her  days  of  expectation  she  called  upon  Mary 
for  aid  and  protection.  Now  she  calls  upon  Mary 
in  order  that  her  mother-joy  may  be  full. 

Is  it  well  to  pray  that  the  good  God  may 
take  one's  children  to  heaven,  as  the  world 
is  getting  so  bad? 

Such  a  prayer  is  allowed  and  is  certainly  not 
wrong,  if  it  springs  from  a  spirit  of  charity  such 
as  the  question  suggests.  At  least,  parents 
should  be  most  resigned  to  the  will  of  God  when 


ii4  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

their  children  die  young  in  His  grace  and  in  His 
love,  or  in  their  baptismal  innocence.  How  true 
it  is  that  many  die  to  earth  and  live  to  heaven 
who,  were  they  to  live  to  earth  for  life's  short 
span,  would  die  to  heaven  for  the  endless  ages 
of  eternity.  But  let  us  not  forget  that  a  long 
life  spent  in  the  loyal  service  of  God  means 
eternal  treasures  of  merit  in  heaven.  Each  act 
of  virtue  means  an  increase  of  everlasting  bliss. 
A  long  and  holy  life  is,  accordingly,  the  greatest 
blessing. 

Is  it  enough  to  warn  our  children  to  be 
good  and  not  to  do  wrong,  or  must  parents 
pry  into  their  affairs  to  see  that  they 
really  do  right?  They  are  all  out  of  school. 
One  of  them  is  seventeen  years  old  and 
ought  to  know  what  to  do.  They  were 
told  of  things  in  school. 

Some  young  people  keep  late  hours,  frequent 
questionable  places,  spend  all  their  money  on 
pleasures,  ignore  their  parents  and  treat  them  in 
a  harsh  and  sulky  manner,  and  live  as  though 
there  were  no  Fourth  Commandment.  They 
even  add  to  their  blameworthy  and  sinful  conduct 
by  not  going  to  Mass  on  Sunday  and  by  neglect- 
ing Holy  Communion.  If  these  and  many 
similar  things  constitute  "their  affairs"  parents 
must  indeed  pry  into  them  and  never  cease  by 
word  and  by  example  to  instruct  and  correct 
them.  Such  young  people  are  inviting  the  just 
judgments  of  God  upon  themselves;  and  for 
parents  to  pass  over  these  things  is  to  be  negli- 
gent in  their  sacred  duty  and  guilty  of  co-opera- 
tion in  evil. 

"They  were  told  of  things  in  school."  This. 
we  presume,  is  an  explanation,  not  an  excuse. 
And  yet  we  know  that  there  is  a  tendency  among 
many  parents  to  leave  everything  to  the  school; 
they  simply  will  forget  that  home-training  comes 


DUTIES  OF  PARENTS  2.15 

before  school-training  and  lasts  long  after  the 
latter  has  ceased;  they  forget  that  the  school 
does  not  supplant  the  home  but  only  aids  it 
(a  few  hours  each  day  for  some  days  each  week 
for  some  months  of  a  number  of  years)  in  its 
paramount  duty  of  educating  the  child.  A  grave 
responsibility  rests  upon  parents  of  pointing  out 
to  their  children,  young  and  old,  from  the  sacred 
citadel  of  the  home,  the  road  that  leads  to 
heaven.  In  a  thousand  and  one  ways,  by  correc- 
tion, exhortation,  admonition,  dissuasion,  en- 
couragement, instruction,  good  example,  pious 
reading,  family  prayers,  frequentation  of  the 
Sacraments,  perusal  of  Catholic  books  and  papers, 
etc.,  etc.,  etc.,  it  must  be  unceasingly  impressed 
upon  them  that  they  are  here  on  earth  to  know 
God,  to  love  Him,  to  serve  Him,  and  so  at  last 
to  reach  heaven. 

We  wonder  whether  Catholic  parents  suffici- 
ently realize  the  value  of  a  human  soul,  particu- 
larly the  value  of  those  souls  whom  God  has  so 
wondrously  confided  to  their  care?  And  do  they 
realize  their  primal  responsibility  in  their  regard? 

A  mother  has  an  eleven-year-old  boy. 
Once  in  a  while  she  goes  to  a  show  and 
takes  him  along,  since  she  does  not  want 
to  bother  the  neighbors  by  leaving  him 
with  them.  The  boy  goes  to  confession 
every  week  and  to  Communion  daily. 
Is  it  a  sin  for  him  to  attend  the  show  like 
that  and  must  he  confess  it? 

No.  If  the  play  is  decent  in  every  way  it  is 
not  sinful  for  the  boy  nor  for  his  mother  to 
attend.  If  the  play  is  objectionable,  the  boy  is 
hardly  at  fault,  since  he  is  simply  taken  along; 
the  responsibility  rests  upon  the  mother. 

Very  probably  the  shows  here  mentioned  are 
the  movies.  See  to  it  that  they  are  really  fit  for 
children  to  see.     If  they  go  to  the  movies  it  is 


zi6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

surely  the  ideal  thing  for  parents  who  are  good 
and  sensible  enough  to  patronize  only  what  is 
worthy  of  their  patronage  to  accompany  them. 
This  letting  the  little  ones  run  indiscriminately  to 
the  movies  is  the  bane  of  childhood  in  our  country. 
No  wonder  that  American  children  are  only  too 
often  so  sadly  premature,  that  child  marriages 
are  so  numerous,  that  the  juvenile  courts  are  full 
of  child  delinquents,  that  we  are  beginning  to 
read  about  boy  bandits,  too!  The  silver  screen 
is  a  mighty  eloquent  and  effective  teacher,  as 
Catholic  parents  learn  to  their  sorrow  when  they 
neglect  the  sacred  duty  of  prudently  supervising 
their  children's  amusements. 

The  indifference  of  most  Catholic  parents  in 
this  regard  has  been  shocking.  Instead  of  writ- 
ing the  name  of  God  deep  in  the  plastic  hearts 
of  their  little  ones  by  sound  Catholic  training 
and  truly  Christian  vigilance,  they  have  calmly 
let  those  hearts  be  saturated  with  the  malodorous 
spirit  of  the  world  as  depicted  on  the  screen. 

Yes;  there  are  good  films.  But  choose  from 
these  the  number  of  those  that  are  good  for 
children.  Such  selection  will  keep  parents  busy 
in  a  matter  in  which  "busyness"  is  of  the  utmost 
importance. 

I  have  a  boy  of  eighteen  who  stays  out 
nights  until  12 :30  or  1 :00,  and  sometimes 
until  two  o'clock.  All  our  pleading  is  in 
vain.  When  he  comes  home  he  has  to 
ring  the  bell,  for  his  father  won't  give 
him  a  key.  Is  it  wrong  for  me  to  go  to 
bed  and  rest  or  must  I  stay  up  and  wait 
for  him?  Do  you  think  I  am  too  easy 
about  his  welfare? 

The  father  does  not  give  him  the  key,  but  we 
feel  that  he  ought  to  give  him  something  else, — 
nothing  less  than  the  strap.  In  case  he  is  reluctant 
to  do  so,  you  yourself  might  play  the  man  of  the 


DUTIES  OF  PARENTS 


117 


house  by  a  seasonable  and  vigorous  application 
of  the  slipper!  "But  oh,  that  would  never  do," 
you  say.  "Why,  he  would — "  So  what  is  to  be 
done?  There  does  seem  to  be  a  trace  of  parental 
overfondness.  Misguided  affection  is  very  subtle. 
May  it  not  be  that  a  lack  of  home  training  is 
at  the  bottom  of  it  again?  Still,  even  the  very 
best  of  parents  must  sometimes  endure  much  at 
the  hands  of  the  most  disobedient  of  children. 
Such  is  the  spirit  of  the  times.  Children  forget 
the  Commandment  that  God  gave  amid  the 
lightnings  and  thunders  of  Mt.  Sinai:  "Honor 
thy  father  and  thy  mother,  that  thou  mayest  be 
long-lived  upon  the  land  which  the  Lord  thy 
God  will  give  thee."  They  forget  that  in  Holy 
Writ  God  curses  disobedient  children  in  no  less 
than  thirty-three  different  passages.  This  is 
the  Commandment  with  a  curse  for  its  violators. 
There  is  no  escaping  the  inspired  words:  "He  is 
cursed  of  God  that  angereth  his  mother."  "He 
that  afflicteth  his  father,  and  chaseth  away  his 
mother,  is  infamous  and  unhappy." 

Is  it  a  sin  for  children  to  go  to  school 
on  a  holyday  of  obligation,  if  they  attend 
Mass  before  going  to  school?  We  have 
no  Catholic  school  here. 

Generally  speaking  and  under  the  circum- 
stances here  mentioned  it  is  no  sin  for  the  children. 
They  have  attended  to  the  strict  obligation  of 
hearing  Mass.  And  study,  not  being  servile 
work,  is  not  forbidden  on  Sundays  and  holy  days 
of  obligation. 

Two  things,  however,  ought  to  be  taken  into 
consideration.  The  first  is  the  danger  of  scandal 
to  others  and  to  the  little  ones  themselves;  the 
second  is  the  peculiar  impression  that  attendance 
at  a  non-Catholic  school  on  the  big  feast  days  of 
the  year  may  give  them.  For  both  these  reasons 
we  would  suggest  that  whenever  possible,  if  it 


zi8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

does  not  cause  grave  inconvenience,  the  children 
be  kept  at  home.  They  will  thus  learn  from 
their  youth  not  only  to  do  what  they  must  do, 
i.  e.,  attend  Mass,  but  also  otherwise  to  keep 
holy  the  Sundays  and  festivals  of  the  Church. 

In  the  Gospel  of  St.  Matthew  (Chapter 
XV)  we  read  of  a  woman  of  Chanaan  who 
asked  Our  Lord  to  have  mercy  on  her  and 
cure  her  daughter,  who  was  grievously 
troubled  by  a  devil.  But  the  Savior  said 
to  her:  "It  is  not  good  to  take  the  bread 
of  the  children  and  to  cast  it  to  the  dogs." 
To  which  she  replied:  "Yea,  Lord;  for 
the  whelps  also  eat  of  the  crumbs  that  fall 
from  the  table  of  their  masters.' '  And 
then  Jesus  said:  "O  woman,  great  is 
thy  faith ;  be  it  done  to  thee  as  thou  wilt." 
And  from  that  hour  her  daughter  was 
cured.     What  does  all  this  mean? 

That  woman  was  not  of  the  Jewish  race.  She 
was  a  Gentile  and  a  Phoenician.  Our  Lord's 
words  to  her  were  only  apparently  harsh  and 
discouraging:  He  wished  to  elicit  a  strong  proof 
of  her  great  faith  and  humility.  And  His  words 
came  to  this:  Is  it  fair  for  Me  Who  am  sent 
especially  to  the  Jews,  the  chosen  children  of 
God,  to  transfer  My  miracles,  until  the  Jews  are 
fully  satisfied,  to  the  Gentiles,  who  hold  no  other 
place  than  that  of  dogs  in  the  family  or  house- 
hold of  God?  Not  to  be  baffled,  the  woman 
replied,  so  to  say:  You  call  me  a  whelp,  a  worth- 
less dog,  and  I  know  that  the  bread  of  the  children 
is  not  to  be  cast  to  me;  but  however  mean  I  am, 
I  have  some  claim  of  attention.  You  call  me  a 
whelp;  and  so  I  am;  nourish  me,  therefore,  as 
whelps  are  nourished,  with  a  crumb  of  the  bread 
that  falls  from  my  master's  table.  Great  was  her 
faith,  great  her  profound  humility,  and  great  her 
reward. 


DUTIES  OF  PARENTS  2.19 

From  this  bit  of  Bible  history  we  can  clearly  see 
how  parents  should  have  recourse  to  the  Savior 
in  all  the  necessities  of  their  children  and  should 
implore  His  divine  assistance  in  their  favor.  We 
are  also  taught  how  our  Lord  frequently  puts  off 
hearing  us  in  the  first  instance,  in  order  to  test 
our  humility,  our  faith,  and  our  perseverance  and 
thus  to  render  His  gifts  more  acceptable  in  the 
end.  From  it  we  also  see  the  efficacy  of  persever- 
ing importunity  in  prayer,  of  firm,  unfaltering 
faith,  confidence,  and  humility. 

Is  it  the  duty  of  a  teacher  to  help,  outside 
of  school  time,  children  who  are  slow  in 
learning  or  who  do  not  apply  themselves 
while  at  school? 

Teachers  are  obliged  (the  fourth  command- 
ment) in  loving  service,  or  dutifulness,  to  instruct 
and  educate  their  pupils,  inasmuch  as  they  take 
this  obligation  upon  themselves  in  the  parents' 
place;  and  they  are  obliged  to  do  so  in  justice 
both  by  reason  of  their  office  and  of  the  salary 
which  they  receive.  There  is  thus  a  mutual  rela- 
tion and  contract  between  parents  and  teachers. 
But  this  relation  and  contract,  unless  it  were 
otherwise  expressly  specified,  holds  good  for  the 
appointed  school  time  only  as  regards  actual 
supervising  and  teaching  of  the  children.  It  is, 
accordingly,  not  of  obligation  for  the  teachers  to 
instruct  backward  or  lazy  children  outside  of 
school  hours.  Indeed,  since  teachers  must  also 
perfect  themselves  in  knowledge  as  well  as  pre- 
pare for  their  classes  as  a  whole,  such  additional 
attention  to  the  few  would  be  of  detriment  to  the 
many;  and  thus  the  common  good  would  no 
longer  prevail  over  the  individual  good.  After 
school  hours  the  children  are  again  returned  to 
the  parents,  whose  duty  it  then  is  to  attend  as 
best  they  can  to  backward  and  indolent  children. 

Are  parents  allowed  to  let  their  children 


xro  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

look  at  the  daily  newspapers?  Sometimes 
there  are  objectionable  pictures — not  ex- 
actly what  you  would  call  immodest,  but 
yet  indecent.  What  should  we  do  about 
it? 

Good  Catholic  parents  are  confronted  with 
many  such  questions  in  our  day  and  are  often 
puzzled.  Though  they  cannot  altogether  prevent 
the  children  from  seeing  and  reading  things  that 
are  not  really  good  for  them,  they  can  do  much 
by  making  everything  in  the  home  thoroughly 
Catholic, — also  the  reading  matter.  A  secular 
daily  is  not  at  all  indispensable  in  the  Catholic 
home,  though  one  would  almost  think  so  from 
the  way  Catholics  only  too  often  cling  to  the 
same,  to  the  utter  neglect  of  Catholic  papers. 
Subscribe  to  a  Catholic  daily  newspaper,  to 
Catholic  weeklies  and  other  periodicals;  have 
Catholic  books  in  the  house;  accustom  the  chil- 
dren from  their  earliest  school  days  to  reading 
and  appreciating  Catholic  literature.  Why,  for 
instance,  must  the  trashy  Sunday  paper  be  the 
bible  not  only  of  non-Catholics  but  also  of  so 
many  Catholics?  It  is  really  deplorable.  Much 
can  be  done  by  early  training  and  the  good  ex- 
ample of  Catholic  parents. 

Can  parents  be  refused  the  Sacraments 
for  neglecting  to  send  their  children  to 
a  Catholic  school? 

To  begin  with,  we  may  say  that  absolution 
must  be  denied  to  all  who  are  unwilling  to 
comply  with  some  serious  obligation.  Further- 
more, if  it  is  a  sin  that  makes  the  case  reserved 
to  higher  authority,  the  priest  needs  special 
faculties  in  order  to  absolve,  even  if  the  penitent 
is  properly  disposed  and  capable  of  receiving 
absolution. 

Each  bishop  generally  has  his  own  ordinances 
regarding  this  matter.    It  is  for  him  to  determine 


DUTIES  OF  PARENTS  ixi 

under  which  circumstances  Catholic  parents 
may  send  their  children  to  the  public  school. 
If  parents  are  acting  within  their  rights,  accord- 
ing to  the  laws  of  the  diocese,  they  cannot  for 
this  reason  justly  be  refused  absolution,  much 
less  may  the  children  be  refused  absolution.  If, 
however,  the  parents  are  manifestly  disregarding 
the  laws  of  the  Church  and  the  diocese  it  is  left 
to  the  priest  prudently  to  determine  the  guilt  of 
those  parents  by  reason  of  disobedience,  scandal, 
and  the  danger  to  which  they  expose  their 
children;  having  determined  this,  it  is  up  to  him 
to  ascertain  their  disposition  and,  with  all  due 
deference  to  the  mind  of  the  bishop,  to  gather 
from  thence  whether  absolution  is  to  be  given 
or  withheld. 

We  consider  it  rather  deplorable  that  questions 
of  this  kind  should  be  asked  at  all.  They  imply 
that  there  is  at  least  a  possibility  of  sending  the 
children  to  a  Catholic  school;  and  where  there 
is  even  a  remote  possibility  Catholic  parents 
should  have  the  faith  and  the  sound  common 
sense  to  send  them  there,  no  matter  what  the 
sacrifices.  The  shocking  indifference  of  so  many 
Catholic  parents  in  this  matter  is  proof  positive 
that  they  little  realize  their  tremendous  responsi- 
bility before  God.  They  must  one  day  give  an 
account  of  the  souls  of  their  children  and  woe 
to  them  if  they  did  not  do  all  they  could  to  give 
them  a  good  Catholic  start  in  life,  to  form  and 
inform  them  aright,  to  show  them  the  way  to 
heaven  from  the  Catholic  home  and  the  Catholic 
school.  How  terrible  if  they  would  have  to  hear: 
"As  long  as  you  did  it  not  to  one  of  these  least, 
neither  did  you  do  it  to  Me."     (Matt.  25:45.) 

Is  a  mother  too  easy  with  her  children 
if  she  allows  a  boy  of  fourteen  to  remain 
out  until  9:30  or  10:00  o'clock  in  the 
evening?  He  is  hard  to  manage  if  we  do 
not  let  him  go  out. 


2.2.2.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

A  boy  should  not  be  permitted  regularly  to 
be  out  until  such  a  late  hour.  It  may  be  permitted 
by  way  of  exception  from  time  to  time,  but  in 
this  case  his  parents  should  know  where  and  with 
whom  he  is  and  what  he  is  doing.  This  is  the  most 
dangerous  time  of  youth,  when  evil  associates 
only  too  often  corrupt  good  manners,  when,  in 
other  words,  bad  companions  are  the  living  snares 
of  the  devil.  It  is  above  all  at  this  time,  when  the 
boy  changes  into  the  man,  that  he  needs  the 
shelter  of  a  good  Catholic  home  and  the  guidance 
of  prudent  and  watchful  elders.  If  he  is  hard  to 
manage,  parental  authority  must  nevertheless 
be  upheld  with  kindly  yet  firm  and  unyielding 
hand.  We  are  not  saying  that  a  boy  of  that  age 
must  be  in  bed  by  nine  o'clock,  though  even  this 
were  to  be  recommended,  but  that  he  should 
find  his  pleasure  at  home  in  music,  reading,  recre- 
ation, and  happy  association  with  the  members 
of  the  family. 

All  of  which  holds  good,  word  for  word,  for 
girls  at  a  similar  age — at  all  ages,  really,  up  to  at 
least  eighteen  and  twenty-one.  To  the  wise 
this  is  sufficient. 

A  Catholic  mother  is  in  great  trouble. 
Her  only  child,  her  lovely  daughter,  mar- 
ried a  non-Catholic  boy  before  a  Justice 
of  Peace.  They  were  never  married  over 
by  a  priest.  Now  they  have  had  a  quarrel 
because  he  doesn't  support  her  but  drinks 
up  all  his  money.  He  is  living  up  north 
and  she  is  staying  at  home.  The  mother 
wants  to  know  if  anything  can  be  done 
for  her.  Can  she  get  a  divorce?  And  can 
she  later  be  married  to  another  in  the 
Catholic  Church?  She  was  born  and 
raised  a  Catholic  and  is  really  a  well- 
meaning  girl.  She  now  bitterly  regrets 
the  step  she  took  when  she  listened  to 
his  deceitful  promises. 


DUTIES  OF  PARENTS  113 

The  girl  was  not  married  by  a  priest.  Hence 
it  was  (present  legislation)  no  valid  marriage  in 
the  eyes  of  the  Church.  But,  of  course,  she  is 
married  in  the  eyes  of  the  state  because  of  the 
civil  contract.  To  avoid  various  dangers  she  may 
(and  on  good  grounds,  according  to  your  question) 
get  a  divorce  and  thus  extricate  herself  from  the 
mess  into  which  her  folly  precipitated  her.  But 
she  should  do  nothing  without  first  consulting 
the  pastor  and  having  the  matter  properly  sub- 
ordinated to  ecclesiastical  authority.  It  is  some- 
times necessary  to  proceed  with  great  prudence, 
lest  manifold  scandal  be  given  and  misunder- 
standings arise.  We  hope  this  is  quite  clear. 
In  order  to  preclude  any  misunderstanding  even 
here,  we  repeat:  The  Church  does  not  recognize 
divorce,  strictly  so  called.  But  from  the  beginning 
that  marriage  was  null  and  void  before  the 
Church.  When  the  girl  gets  a  divorce  their 
legal  marriage  will  be  legally  dissolved  by  the 
state  and  she  will  be  legally  free  to  marry  (again) . 

Do  you  think  God  will  hear  my  prayer 
if  I  pray  for  priestly  or  religious  vocations 
for  my  children? 

Such  prayers  are  surely  most  pleasing  to  God. 
Will  He  answer  them?  Who  could  doubt  it. 
The  following  examples  are  exceedingly  interest- 
ing and  truly  encouraging.  They  constitute  our 
answer. 

In  the  "Life  of  Cardinal  Vaughan"  we  read: 
"It  was  a  favorite  saying  of  Mrs.  Vaughan  that 
she  had  received  all  from  God,  and  so  must  be 
ready  to  give  everything  back  to  Him.  And 
what  more  precious  had  she  to  give  and  surrender 
than  her  own  children?  She  wanted  them  all  to 
become  priests  and  nuns.  She  besought  God  to 
send  vocations  to  them  all.  For  nearly  twenty 
years  it  was  her  daily  practice  to  spend  an  hour — 
from   five   to   six   in   the   afternoon — before   the 


zi4  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Blessed  Sacrament  asking  this  favor,  that  God 
would  call  everyone  of  her  children  to  serve  Him 
in  the  Choir  or  in  the  Sanctuary.  In  the  event 
all  her  five  daughters  entered  convents,  and  of 
her  eight  sons  six  became  priests.  Of  these  six 
three  also  became  bishops."    Examples  teach. 

Again,  even  before  her  marriage  to  the  saintly 
Louis  Martin  the  Little  Flower's  mother  was 
wont  to  pray  thus:  4'0  my  God,  since  I  am  un- 
worthy to  be  Thy  spouse,  like  my  dear  sister,  I 
shall  enter  the  married  state  to  fulfill  Thy  hoJd 
will;  and  I  beseech  Thee  to  make  me  the  moth^f 
of  many  children,  and  to  grant  that  all  of  them 
may  be  dedicated  to  Thee."  The  holy  couple 
were  blessed  with  nine  children.  Four  of  them 
died  in  infancy,  two  boys  and  two  girls.  The 
remaining  five,  all  girls,  entered  convents.  The 
last  of  these  girls,  the  ninth  child,  was  St.  Teresa 
of  the  Child  Jesus,  the  Little  Flower.  Examples 
speak  louder  than  words. 

And  yet  again,  that  authoritative  Catholic 
newspaper,  the  Osservatore  Romano,  in  its  issue 
of  August  29,  1930,  tells  of  a  certain  district  in 
Italy,  called  Lu,  in  the  diocese  of  Casale  Mon- 
ferrato,  which  district  has  a  population  of  4,000. 
From  this  district  with  the  aforesaid  population 
500  priests  or  religious  of  both  sexes  have  gone 
forth  (12.5  per  cent)  during  the  past  fifty  years 
or  so.  How  are  we  to  account  for  this  extra- 
ordinary fecundity  in  vocations?  The  answer 
is:  Prayer.  In  1870,  we  are  told,  ten  or  twelve 
mothers  began  to  get  together  once  a  month  on 
Sunday  afternoon  and  pray  to  God  that  He  give 
many  good  priests  and  religious  to  His  Church. 
For  eleven  years,  up  to  1881,  though  the  place 
did  not  have  a  pastor  of  its  own,  those  good 
mothers  continued  their  monthly  supplication. 
Then  their  regular  pastors  fostered  the  move- 
ment and  got  all  the  mothers  of  the  place  to 
attend  the  monthly  conference  and  prayers  for 


DUTIES  OF  PARENTS  1x5 

vocation.  This  assembly  always  took  place  on 
the  first  Sunday  of  the  month,  after  Communion 
had  been  received  and  Mass  and  other  prayer 
offered  for  the  same  intention  in  the  morning. 
It  is  to  be  noted  that  in  Lu  frequent  Communion 
was  already  practiced  in  1870,  so  that  forty 
Communions  were  given  daily.  Today  there  are 
70,000  Communions  in  a  year;  there  are  160 
daily  communicants.  God  has  blessed  this 
parish  abundantly  indeed.  Five  hundred  priests 
and  religious! 

In  the  face  of  such  facts,  who  can  for  a  moment 
doubt  the  efficacy,  nay,  even  the  necessity  of 
prayer  in  the  matter  of  vocation? 

My  little  boy  is  now  seven  years  of  age. 
He  has  not  yet  made  his  first  confession 
and  Communion.  Do  I  commit  a  sin  if 
I  keep  him  away  from  Mass  on  a  Sunday 
or  holyday  of  obligation? 

According  to  Canon  Law  (Canon  88,  No.  3) 
the  use  of  reason  is  to  be  presumed  in  children 
at  the  age  of  seven  years  completed.  This  was 
the  rule  formulated  in  the  decree  Quam  singulari 
(Aug.  8,  1910)  on  the  age  for  the  Communion  of 
children.  "The  age  of  discretion,"  we  read 
therein,  "both  for  confession  and  for  Communion, 
is  that  at  which  the  child  begins  to  reason,  that 
is,  about  seven  years.  It  is  at  this  moment  that 
the  obligation  begins  to  bind  concerning  the  ful- 
fillment of  the  two-fold  precept  of  confession  and 
Communion."  However,  so  long  as  children 
have  not  reached  the  age  of  puberty  (fourteen 
years  for  boys  and  twelve  for  girls)  the  obligation 
of  the  precept  of  Communion  (and  confession) 
binds  also  and  in  a  special  manner  those  who 
have  charge  of  them,  that  is,  parents,  guardians, 
confessors,  teachers,  and  the  pastor  (Canon  860). 
In  your  case,  accordingly,  as  regards  your  boy's 
observing  the  precepts  of  annual  confession  and 


ix6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

paschal  Communion,  the  boy  himself  would  sin 
only  in  the  measure  in  which  he  would  evince 
malice  by  his  abstention,  which  would  ordinarily 
not  be  grave;  whereas  the  parents,  in  neglecting 
to  see,  either  on  their  own  behalf  or  through 
someone  else,  that  he  does  his  duty,  would  sin 
mortally  against  natural  piety,  except,  of  course, 
when  there  are  excusing  circumstances ,  ignorance, 
prejudice,  etc. 

The  same  holds  good  with  regard  to  your  boy's 
going  to  Mass  on  Sundays  and  holydays  of 
obligation. 


PERTAINING  TO  FAST  AND  ABSTINENCE 

When  is  a  person  excused  from  the  law 
of  abstinence  on  Friday? 

Your  question  is  very  practical.  Since  this 
law  binds  all  Catholics  under  pain  of  mortal  sin, 
except  children  under  seven  years  of  age,  it  is 
important  to  know  when  you  are  considered 
excused  by  Holy  Church.  We  will  briefly  mention 
some  cases: 

1.  All  those  are  excused  who,  on  account  of 
serious  infirmity  or  natural  weakness,  cannot 
digest  their  food  when  it  is  prepared  without 
meat.  Such,  if  they  are  fully  convinced  that  they 
cannot  abstain  without  serious  injury  to  their 
health,  do  not  need  any  dispensation;  they  are 
exempt,  excused.  But  if  it  is  not  quite  clear  that 
they  are  exempt,  it  is  advisable  that  they  consult 
their  confessors,  to  get  a  safe  assurance  of  their 
exemption  or  to  procure  a  dispensation.  Gener- 
ally speaking,  a  more  serious  reason  is  required 
to  be  excused  from  abstinence  than  from  fasting. 

2.  Likewise  all  travelers  who  cannot  find  a 
sufficiency  of  other  substantial  food  than  meats 
are  excused  from  the  law  of  abstinence.  But 
they  should  abstain  if  without  much  difficulty 
they  can  find  a  hotel  or  restaurant  where  fish  or 
eggs  can  be  procured. 

3.  On  Fridays  or  other  days  of  abstinence 
Catholics  should  not,  as  a  rule,  accept  invitations 
to  dine  out  with  non-Catholics.  But  if  from  some 
unexpected  cause  they  are  at  a  table  on  which 
no  other  substantial  food  than  meat  is  served 
they  may  consider  themselves  excused  from 
abstinence,  provided  they  do  not  thereby  scandalize 
their  neighbor,  as  religious  or  priests  surely  would, 
and  provided  that  they  be  not  on  sufficiently  familiar 
terms  with  their  host  to  ask  that  lawful  food  be  pre- 

«.7 


lz8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

pared  for  them.  From  this  can  be  deduced  the 
falsity  of  the  absurd  assertion  that  just  because 
you  happen  to  be  with  a  non-Catholic  family 
you  may  eat  meat  on  Friday! 

4  In  many  isolated  places  in  the  United 
States  it  is  practically  impossible  to  procure 
substantial  food  other  than  meat.  In  such  a 
locality  workmen  and  their  families,  like  miners, 
wood-cutters,  loggers,  and  those  working  in  saw- 
mills, etc.,  may  freely  eat  whatever  can  be  bought. 
They,  too,  are  excused. 

5.  Other  extraordinary  cases  may  arise  in 
which  the  good  sense  of  the  Catholic  household 
will  give  assurance  of  exemption.  But  the  loyal 
child  of  Holy  Mother  Church  is  ever  slow  to 
avail  himself  of  freedom  from  a  practice  of 
penance  that  is  actually  dear  to  the  Catholic 
heart. 

May  one  use  bacon  grease  in  preparing 
food  on  Friday? 

Yes.  But  all  noticeable  particles  of  meat 
should  be  removed. 

It  might  be  well  to  mention  the  new  Canon 
Law  of  the  Church,  as  touching  upon  this  point: 
"The  law  of  abstinence  forbids  the  eating  of 
flesh-meat  and  broth  or  soup  made  of  meat;  but 
it  does  not  forbid  eggs,  lacticinia,  and  seasoning 
with  fat  of  animals."  The  term  lacticinia  in- 
cludes everything  that  is  produced  from  milk  as 
well  as  the  milk  itself;  cheese,  butter,  margarine, 
etc.  These  may  therefore  be  used  even  on  days 
of  abstinence.  Fat  of  animals  was  defined  as  the 
fat,  grease,  or  lard  of  any  animal,  not  only  of  hogs. 

In  order  to  settle  an  argument  will  you 
please  answer  the  following  question:  If 
people  are  exempt  from  fast  at  sixty  years 
of  age,  are  they  also  exempted  from  ab- 
staining from  meat  on  Ember  Days  or  on 
other  fast  days  throughout  the  year? 


FAST  AND  ABSTINENCE  2.2.9 

The  law  of  fast,  which  obliges  one  to  control 
one's  appetite  for  food  by  eating  only  one  full 
meal  a  day,  binds  all  adults  between  the  ages  of 
21  and  59,  who  are  neither  exempt,  excused,  nor 
dispensed  from  the  law.  The  law  of  abstinence, 
which  commands  one  to  abstain  from  flesh-meat 
on  certain  days,  binds  all  those  who  have  arrived 
at  the  age  of  seven  years,  no  matter  how  old 
they  may  be.  Old  age  does  not  give  any  special 
privilege  in  the  matter  of  abstinence,  with  the 
exception  of  the  following  exemption:  On  days 
when  meat  is  allowed  all  under  21  years  of  age 
and  all  over  59  years  of  age  may  eat  meat  as 
often  as  they  choose.  This  exception  has  reference 
to  the  fact  that  on  fast  days  those  who  are  actually 
bound  to  fast  are  allowed  to  eat  meat  only  once 
on  such  a  day  and  that  only  at  the  full  meal. 

Who  are  excused  from  fasting? 

The  law  of  fasting  binds  the  faithful  only  after 
they  have  attained  the  age  of  twenty-one  and 
until  the  beginning  of  the  sixtieth  year,  that  is, 
until  one  is  fully  fifty-nine  years  old.  But  many 
who  would  be  bound  to  fast  are  excused  by  virtue 
of  a  dispensation.  Dispensations  from  fasting  as 
well  as  abstinence  may  be  obtained  for  any  good 
reason  from  the  bishop,  or  the  pastor,  or  some 
other  priest  having  ordinary,  quasi-ordinary,  or 
delegated  jurisdiction. 

Inability  to  fast  may  be  physical  or  moral.  It 
excuses  the  sick,  convalescents,  pregnant  and 
nursing  women,  all  who  are  in  delicate  health, 
the  poor  who  cannot  obtain  enough  food  at  any 
time  to  eat  a  full  meal,  as  well  as  those  who  are 
obliged  to  perform  hard  bodily  labor  in  fields, 
mines  or  workshops,  or  severe  mental  work,  such 
as  teaching,  frequent  preaching  or  hearing  con- 
fessions; also  physicians,  judges,  travelers  (under 
certain  circumstances),  and  those  whom  fasting 
would  hinder  in  the  performance  of  pious  and 


i3o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

charitable  works.  The  Church  imposes  fasting 
and  abstinence  as  a  means  of  furthering  good 
works,  and  therefore  does  not  wish  this  law  to 
stand  in  the  way  of  anything  that  is  better  or 
more  necessary. 

It  may  be  further  remarked  that  if  the  reasons 
why  one  is  excused  are  clear  and  undeniable,  for 
instance,  serious  injury  to  his  health;  or  that  if, 
on  account  of  physical  or  mental  labor  or  his 
peculiar  constitution,  one  is  fully  convinced  that 
he  cannot  fast;  or  if,  on  account  of  his  exertions 
for  the  spiritual  or  temporal  welfare  of  his  neigh- 
bor, he  would  be  forced  by  fasting  to  abandon 
his  duties  or  could  not  perform  them  properly; 
such  a  one  does  not  need  a  dispensation,  does 
not  need  express  permission;  he  is  by  that  very 
fact  excused.  Nevertheless,  unless  he  is  clearly 
exempt  from  the  fast,  it  is  advisable  that  he 
consult  his  pastor  or  confessor  and  lay  the  case 
before  him  and  get  either  a  declaration  of  exemp- 
tion or  a  dispensation.  The  priest  may — but 
is  ordinarily  not  obliged  to — impose  upon  him 
some  other  good  work  of  supererogation,  such  as 
alms,  prayers,  Stations  of  the  Cross,  etc. 

Speaking  of  abstinence,  will  you  kindly 
answer  the  question,  "Why  isn't  fish 
meat?" 

Simply  because  in  the  common  estimation  of 
men  it  is  not  considered  so.  As  regards  the  law 
of  abstinence,  the  flesh  of  animals  is  divided  into 
meat  and  fish.  Meat  is  forbidden  on  days  of 
abstinence,  but  it  is  allowed  to  eat  fish,  because 
the  flesh  of  fish  is  less  nourishing  and  less  tasty 
than  meat.  Thus  the  taste  is  mortified  and  the 
body  is  weakened  through  the  deprivation  of  a 
bit  of  nourishment,  making  it  easier  for  the 
soul  to  handle  it. 

The  ecclesiastical  distinction  between  meat  and 
fish  is  not  based  on  the  theories  of  the  medical 


FAST  AND  ABSTINENCE  rii 

profession.  To  know  what  is  fish  and  what  is 
meat  we  must  have  recourse  to  custom  and  com- 
mon consent  among  the  faithful. 

The  flesh  of  mammals  and  birds  is  meat,  with 
the  exception  of  those  that  ordinarily  live  in 
water  and  are,  at  least  presumably,  nourished  by 
fish.  The  flesh  of  all  animals  that  have  cold 
blood  is  called  fish,  for  example,  fish  strictly  so 
called,  frogs,  turtles,  snails,  oysters,  crabs. 

When  an  animal  falls  under  the  class  of  meat, 
all  parts  of  that  animal  are  included  in  the  law 
of  abstinence,  e.  g.,  the  blood,  the  marrow  of  the 
bones,  etc.,  unless  through  custom  or  special  in- 
dult  the  use  of  some  part  is  permitted.  However, 
the  fat  of  these  animals  (when  melted,  as  lard 
is  in  preparing  food)  and  things  produced  by 
them,  such  as  eggs,  milk,  butter,  are  not  for- 
bidden on  days  of  abstinence.  Likewise  mar- 
garine is  not  forbidden. 

When  in  doubt  as  to  whether  a  thing  is  meat 
or  fish,  it  is  allowed  to  eat  it.  Only  that  is  for- 
bidden which  is  with  certainty  known  to  be  meat. 

Is  it  allowed  on  a  day  of  abstinence  to 
partake  of  food  of  which  you  have  a  doubt 
whether  little  particles  of  meat  are  in  it? 
For  instance,  while  preparing  a  meal  little 
pieces  of  meat  will  sometimes  get  mixed 
up  with  the  other  food  that  is  afterwards 
eaten  on  a  day  of  abstinence? 

Theologians  distinguish  between  positive  and 
negative  doubt.  When  there  are  no  reasons,  or 
very  slight  reasons,  on  either  side,  there  is  a 
negat've  doubt.  Such  doubts,  which  calm  con- 
sideration generally  shows  to  be  unfounded, 
must  be  treated  like  temptations  and  quietly 
dismissed  from  the  mind. 

We  are  here  confronted  with  a  case  of  negative 
doubt.  "Am  I  eating  meat  or  not?"  That  is 
the  doubt;    and  it  is  negative  because  there  is 


132.         QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

no  reason  for  thinking  that  you  are — the  reason 
that  you  give  being  so  small  as  to  be  equivalent 
to  nothing. 

If  you  have  a  doubt  of  this  kind  in  matters 
such  as  the  one  brought  out  in  your  question, 
remember  that,  in  spite  of  the  doubt,  you  can 
always  say,  "I  am  sure  in  conscience  that  it  is 
not  wrong."  No  attention  is  to  be  paid  to  such 
doubts.  Indeed,  he  would  act  most  imprudently 
who  for  no  reason  or  for  a  very  light  reason 
would  let  himself  be  determined  to  do  or  not  to 
do  a  thing.  Hence  in  a  case  like  the  above  you 
should  calmly  act  as  though  there  were  no  doubt 
at  all. 

It  is  most  certainly  allowed  to  partake  of  such 
food  as  you  mention  on  days  of  abstinence. 

Is  it  allowed  to  eat  marshmallows  on 
Friday  and  other  days  of  abstinence?  As 
marshmallows  contain  gelatine,  what 
about  desserts  containing  gelatine  on  the 
days  mentioned? 

A  marshmallow  is  a  confection  in  the  form  of 
a  sweetened  paste;  also,  a  similar  confection 
made  from  gum  arabic  or  gelatine,  confectioners' 
sugar,  and  white  of  egg.  Even  though  gelatine 
goes  into  the  composition  of  this  delicacy  it  is 
permitted  to  eat  it  on  Fridays;  for  gelatine, 
according  to  reputable  authority,  is  not  for- 
bidden on  days  of  abstinence. 

Gelatine,  by  the  way,  is  animal  jelly,  a  glutin- 
ous material  obtained  from  animal  tissues  by 
prolonged  boiling.  A  similar  preparation  can  be 
made  from  fruit  only,  by  boiling  down  fruit  juice 
with  sugar,  and  we  then,  as  a  rule,  simply  call  it 
jelly.  The  question  here  is  about  gelatine,  or 
animal  jelly. 

Desserts  containing  gelatine  may,  accordingly, 
be  eaten  on  Fridays  and  days  of  abstinence. 

If  the  hired  help,  such  as  those  working 


FAST  AND  ABSTINENCE  z33 

in  the  fields,  are  Protestant  men,  is  it  a 
sin  to  serve  meat  for  them  on  Fridays  and 
other  days  of  abstinence? 

Strictly  speaking,  all  who  are  baptized,  whether 
they  be  heretics,  schismatics,  non-Catholics,  or 
anything  else  whatsoever,  are  bound  by  the  laws 
of  the  Church.  But  in  view  of  the  strange  mix- 
ture of  crass  ignorance  in  religious  matters  among 
those  not  actually  Catholics,  the  vast  numbers  of 
unbaptized,  the  questionable  validity  of  baptism 
in  the  sects,  and  the  merely  material  heresy  in 
which  the  majority  of  sincere  Protestants  find 
themselves,  we  may  say  that,  as  regards  certain 
ecclesiastical  laws  that  pertain  to  the  sanctifi- 
cation  of  souls,  for  instance,  the  laws  of  fast, 
abstinence,  keeping  holy  the  Sunday,  the  Church 
does  not  wish  them  to  be  so  bound. 

Hence  it  may  be  reasonably  supposed  that 
Holy  Church,  being  a  good  Mother,  and  most 
wise  and  prudent,  though  she  could,  does  not 
wish  to  bind  the  baptized  outside  her  communion 
by  the  law  of  abstinence. 

This  being  the  case,  it  is  no  sin  for  Protestants 
to  eat  meat  on  Friday. 

Therefore  it  is  no  sin  to  serve  meat  for  them 
on  Fridays  and  other  days  of  abstinence. 

May  gelatine  be  eaten  on  a  day  of  absti- 
nence ? 

Gelatine  is  formed  by  the  hydrating  action  of 
boiling  water  on  the  collagen  of  tendons,  bones, 
ligaments,  etc.  As  a  food  its  use  is  permitted  on 
days  of  abstinence,  despite  the  fact  that  many 
who  are  misinformed  hesitate  to  eat  or  serve  it 
on  such  days.  While  the  original  substance  is 
taken  from  animals,  scientific  analysis  of  the 
food  produc  called  gelatine  shows  that  a  chemical 
change  is  effected  and  a  new  substance  results 
which  cannot  be  included  in  the  abstinence  pro- 
hibition.    (Various  food  products  that  boast  of 


x34  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

some   patented   name   with   the   syllable   "Jell" 
are  simply  gelatine  dessert  preparations.) 

Gelatine  and  similar  preparations  may  be  eaten 
on  days  of  abstinence.  "Substances  that  are  not 
commonly  regarded  as  meat  and  have  no  taste 
of  meat  do  not  seem  to  fall  under  the  Church's 
prohibition  to  eat  meat."  (Vermeersch-Creusen, 
Epit.  Juris  Can.  II,  p.  330.)  We  are  under  no 
obligation  to  inquire  how  such  substances  are 
prepared. 

Why  is  it  a  sin  to  eat  meat  on  Fridays  ? 

Because  the  Church  commands  us  not  to  do 
so.  The  second  commandment  of  the  Church  is 
this:  "To  fast  and  abstain  on  the  days  ap- 
pointed." And  one  of  those  days  is  the  Friday 
of  each  week.  The  Church  commands  us  to 
abstain  from  flesh-meat  on  Fridays  in  honor  of 
the  day  on  which  our  Savior  died — as  a  little 
sacrifice  on  the  day  on  which  the  God-Man 
sacrificed  His  life  for  us. 

Is  it  a  mortal  sin  for  one  who  is  fasting 
to  eat  two  full  meals  a  day? 

One  who  is  obliged  by  the  law  of  the  Church 
to  fast  and  who  is  not  excused  from  fasting  for 
some  reason  or  who  has  not  obtained  a  dispen- 
sation therefrom  commits  a  mortal  sin  by  wilfully 
and  knowingly  eating  two  full  meals  on  a  fastday. 
Only  one  full  meal  is  allowed. 

It  were  well  to  recall  from  time  to  time  that 
the  Church  commands  us  to  fast  and  abstain  in 
order  that  we  may  mortify  our  passions  and 
satisfy  for  our  sins.  Take,  for  instance,  the 
sensual  appetites,  called  the  concupiscence  of  the 
flesh.  They  often  enough  revolt  against  reason; 
and  often  enough  it  becomes  a  necessity  and  a 
duty  to  chastise  the  body  and  bring  it  under 
subjection  by  fasting  and  abstinence. 

The  fellows  at  the  shop  say  that  a  hard- 


FAST  AND  ABSTINENCE  135 

working  man  may   eat  meat  on  Friday. 
I  say  they  are  dreaming.    How  about  it? 

If  the  individual  in  question  has  received  a 
dispensation  from  his  pastor  or  confessor  he  may 
eat  meat  on  Friday.  Otherwise  he  is  bound  by 
the  law  of  abstinence,  unless  perchance  he  should 
be  in  a  locality  where  it  is  practically  impossible 
to  secure  substantial  food  other  than  meat,  in 
which  case  he  is  by  that  very  fact  excused. 

Are  brains  and  frog  legs  classed  as  fish, 
or  meat? 

The  brains  of  animals  whose  flesh  is  forbidden 
on  days  of  abstinence  are  classed  as  meat.  Frog 
legs  are  classed  as  fish. 

May  beans  baked  with  pork  be  eaten 
on  Friday,  if  the  pork  is  removed  before 
eating?  May  sauerkraut  that  has  been 
cooked  with  meat  be  eaten  on  Fridays,  if 
the  meat  is  removed? 

Canon  1250  of  the  Code  of  Canon  Law  states 
that  soup  or  broth  made  of  meat  is  forbidden 
on  days  of  abstinence.  The  same  Canon  Law 
allows  the  seasoning  of  food  with  animal  fats. 
In  all  animals  we  find  layers  of  tissues  or  lumps 
of  fat  distinct  from  the  flesh  itself.  Out  of  these 
lard  and  other  animal  fats  are  gained.  The  white 
flesh  of  animals,  which  is  also  called  fat,  is  flesh 
just  the  same  as  the  lean  or  muscular  tissues. 
When  meat  is  fried  (especially  if  it  contains  layers 
of  the  white  or  fatty  flesh,  e.  g.,  in  bacon),  grease 
flows  from  it,  usually  called  drippings.  Drippings, 
lard,  and  other  animal  fats  may  be  used  in  frying 
potatoes  and  in  cooking  other  foods  on  days  of 
abstinence.  But  the  eating  of  food  on  days  of 
abstinence  in  which  flesh  meat  has  been  cooked 
is  not  allowed,  even  if  the  particles  not  "cooked 
up"  have  been  removed;  for  we  nevertheless 
have  much  of  the  juice  of  meat  in  the  food,  which 


j.36  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

juice,  as  said  above,  makes  it  unlawful  to  eat  meat 
soup  on  Fridays. 

Hence,  it  is  not  correct  to  say  that  preparing 
foods  in  this  way  seems  to  be  no  more  than 
seasoning  them  with  the  meat  flavor;  for  a  great 
part  of  the  substance  of  the  meat  has  been  cooked 
into  the  beans,  sauerkraut,  etc.  And  Canon 
1250  certainly  forbids  us  to  eat  the  juice  of  meat 
as  strictly  as  it  forbids  the  eating  of  meat  itself. 
Even  those  who  cannot  fully  see  the  reasoning 
that  leads  to  the  above  answer  must  at  least  ad- 
mit that  the  eating  on  Fridays  of  such  food  as 
mentioned  in  the  above  question  is  an  abuse  and 
surely  does  not  give  evidence  of  the  spirit  of 
mortification  implied  by  abstinence. 

I  am  twenty-one  and  thus  bound  in 
conscience  to  fast  on  the  days  appointed. 
Now,  the  parish  I  belong  to  is  a  mission, 
the  priest  coming  only  once  in  two  weeks. 
Should  fast  days  come  when  one  is  not 
able  to  ask  for  a  dispensation,  what 
penance  should  a  person  do  or  say  to 
dispense  himself  from  fasting? 

You  cannot  dispense  yourself  from  fasting, 
even  though  there  is  no  priest  at  hand.  But  it 
may  be  that  you  are  excused  from  fasting  be- 
cause of  illness,  weakness,  hard  work,  or  some 
of  the  many  other  reasons.  Those  who  are  thus 
excused  from  fasting  need  no  dispensation.  If 
you  are  in  doubt  as  to  whether  you  are  excused 
or  not,  ask  your  confessor.  No  special  obligatory 
prayers  are  prescribed  for  those  who  are  simply 
excused  from  fasting  or  dispensed  from  it  by  the 
priest.  But  it  is  well  to  do  some  extra  good  work 
to  show  God  one's  good  will  and  to  do  penance 
for  one's  sins. 

Nowfthat  Christmas  is  coming  again  I 
have  a  hard  question  to  ask.  On  the  vigil 
of  Easter  Sunday  the  law  of  fast  and  absti- 


FAST  AND  ABSTINENCE  2.37 

nence  binds  only  until  12:00  o'clock  noon. 
Does  the  vigil  of  Christmas  continue  until 
midnight?  Or  may  one  partake  of  a 
lunch,  including  meat,  before  twelve 
o'clock  midnight?  You  see,  we  consider 
Christmas  as  beginning  during  the  night 
and  have  our  little  family  festivities  begin 
around  9:00  or  10:00  o'clock.  And  one  of 
our  Christmas  dishes  is  a  meat-pie. 

The  vigil  of  Easter  is  anticipated  and  hence  is 
liturgically  all  over  by  twelve  o'clock  noon.  As 
regards  the  vigil  of  Christmas,  it  is  an  entire 
day  of  fast  and  abstinence,  unless  it  falls  on  a 
Sunday.  The  regular  fast  is  to  be  observed,  i.  e., 
only  about  two  ounces  of  solid  food  in  the  morn- 
ing, a  full  meal  at  noon,  and  a  collation  of  about 
eight  ounces  in  the  evening.  But  for  the  vigil 
of  Christmas  a  universal  custom  permits  the 
taking  of  double  the  usual  amount,  about  sixteen 
ounces,  at  the  evening  collation.  This  is  called 
the  ieunium  gaudiosum,  the  joyful  fast.  How- 
ever, this  joyful  fast  does  not  dispense  one  from 
abstinence  on  this  day.  Hence,  meat  may  not 
be  eaten  unless  one  is  dispensed  or  excused  from 
abstinence  on  other  grounds.  Even  those  who 
are  benefited  by  the  Workingmen's  Indult,  which 
has  reference  to  abstinence  only,  may  not  par- 
take of  meat  on  the  vigil  of  Christmas.  How- 
ever, we  refrain  from  entering  further  into  this 
matter  and  refer  you  to  the  respective  (Lenten) 
regulations  issued  by  your  Bishop.  You  might, 
by  the  way,  have  your  collation  at  noon  and  take 
your  full  meal  at  any  time  in  the  evening,  when 
you  have  your  Christmas  festivities.  That  is 
quite  permissible  and  is  a  convenient  solution 
in  this  and  many  similar  circumstances.  When 
all  is  said,  we  ought  joyfully  to  embrace  every 
opportunity  for  self-abnegation,  in  the  spirit  of 
Holy  Church.  Fasting  may  at  times  be  well- 
nigh  impossible;    abstinence  is  rarely  so. 


138  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Does  chewing  gum  break  the  fast  before 
Holy  Communion  when  all  the  sweets 
have  been  extracted  by  long  chewing.  I 
have  heard  "Yes"  and  "No." 

The  fast  is  not  broken  by  what  comes  from 
within  the  mouth  (e.  g.,  blood  from  the  gums, 
food  remaining  between  the  teeth  from  the  previ- 
ous day)  or  by  what  is  taken  into  the  stomach  in 
the  way  of  saliva  (e.  g.,  the  accidental  remnants 
of  a  mouth  wash  or  of  brushing  the  teeth  or  of  a 
throat  gargle  or  spray  or  of  a  chew  of  tobacco 
or  gum,  when  one  has  spit  out  the  contents  as 
much  as  possible,  though  it  is  not  necessary  to 
spit  out  the  saliva  caused  by  chewing  gum  from 
which  absolutely  nothing  more  can  be  extracted, 
provided  care  be  taken  not  to  swallow  any  pieces 
of  the  gum);  nor  is  the  fast  broken  by  what  is 
taken  in  the  way  of  breathing  (e.  g.,  snuff,  tobacco 
smoke  inhaled,  an  insect  or  raindrop  blown 
into  the  mouth). 

The  *'Yes"  you  mention  no  doubt  refers  to  the 
swallowing  of  the  sweets  extracted  from  a  new 
piece  of  gum  or  to  swallowing  fragments  of  the 
gum.  The  "No"  is  our  answer  given  above. 
But,  after  all,  why  chew  gum  before  receiving 
Holy  Communion? 

Please  answer  the  following  questions 
about  the  Eucharistic  fast:  (1)  Does  one 
who  accidentally  swallows  a  mouthful  of 
water  when  brushing  the  teeth  break  the 
required  fast  for  Holy  Communion?  (2) 
Suppose  one  has  a  very  special  intention 
for  receiving  Communion  and  forgetfully 
takes  a  swallow  of  water,  just  how  grave  a 
matter  is  it  to  receive  that  morning?  (3) 
Suppose  one  accidentally  swallows  a  drop 
or  two  of  water  while  cleaning  the  teeth, 
is  that  considered  as  breaking  the  fast? 
(4)   To  receive  Communion  at  Midnight 


FAST  AND  ABSTINENCE  z39 

Mass  what  fast  must  be  observed  before- 
hand? 

Since  we  have  answered  similar  questions  re- 
peatedly before,  we  merely  give  a  concise  reply 
to  them  now.  (1)  Yes;  such  a  one  has  certainly 
broken  the  fast.  (2)  The  special  intention  makes 
no  difference.  It  would  be  a  grave  matter,  a 
mortal  sin,  to  receive  that  morning.  (3)  In 
order  to  break  the  fast  the  act  of  eating  or  drink- 
ing is  required  and  not  merely  aspiration  or  simple 
swallowing  of  saliva  which  may  have  entailed, 
without  any  intention  of  taking  nourishment,  the 
absorption  of  some  slight  amount  of  solid  or 
liquid  substance.  When  the  quantity  is  so  in- 
significant, it  is  the  intention  alone  which  would 
make  the  absorption  a  separate  act.  Barring 
such  intention,  it  is  identical  with  a  mere  swallow- 
ing by  way  of  saliva,  and  a  drop  or  two  thus 
accidentally  swallowed  does  not  break  the  fast. 
Naturally,  that  would  not  hold  with  a  consider- 
able quantity  of  food  or  drink  which  is  absorbed 
even  involuntarily,  since  that  is  a  vital  act  in 
which  it  is  impossible  to  see  a  simple  swallowing 
of  saliva.  (4)  The  person  must  be  fasting  from 
twelve  o'clock  midnight  on.  It  is,  however, 
proper  and  reverential  to  fast  from  8:00  or  9:00 
P.  M.  on,  unless  there  is  some  reason  for  the 
contrary,  in  which  case  no  sin  is,  of  course,  com- 
mitted. 

If  a  Catholic  is  at  a  picnic  where  non- 
Catholics  are  present,  :s  it  a  sin  for  him 
to  eat  meat  sandwiches  on  Friday,  if  they 
are  passed  to  him? 

In  commanding  us  to  abstain  from  flesh-meat 
on  Fridays  the  Church  asks  but  a  little  sacrifice 
on  the  day  on  which  the  God-Man  sacrificed  his 
life  for  us,  dying  upon  the  cross  in  untold  agony. 
Therefore,  only  absolute  necessity  that  knows  no 
law  should  be  invoked  as  a  valid  excuse  for  not 


i4o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

observing  abstinence  on  Friday,  unless  it  ceases 
to  be  a  day  of  abstinence  because  a  feast  of 
obligation  (except  within  the  Lenten  season) 
falls  on  it  or  because  a  general  dispensation  has 
been  given  or  a  particular  dispensation  obtained. 

It  is  hard  to  imagine  a  case  of  absolute  necessity 
in  the  above  question.  If  a  cheese  sandwich  or 
some  other  lawful  refreshment  cannot  be  obtained 
then  and  there,  it  surely  would  not  be  an  un- 
endurable sacrifice  to  wait  until  it  could  be  pro- 
cured. In  case  of  actual  necessity  he  could  eat 
the  bread,  putting  the  meat  aside.  By  thus  show- 
ing his  loyalty  to  the  Church  he  would  merit  the 
respect  of  all  right-minded  non-Catholics,  whereas 
by  showing  himself  a  coward  and  a  traitor  he 
would  rightly  deserve  (and  probably  get)  their 
scorn  and  contempt.  A  man  who  stands  up  for 
his  principles  in  the  face  of  possible  ridicule  is  a 
hero  every  time. 

Catholics  should  make  it  a  point  not  to  dine 
out,  on  Fridays  and  days  of  abstinence,  with 
non-Catholic  friends  that  do  not  understand. 
But  if  for  some  unexpected  cause  they  are  at  a 
table  on  which  no  other  substantial  food  than 
meat  is  served,  they  may  be  dispensed  from 
abstinence,  provided  they  do  not  thereby  scan- 
dalize their  neighbor,  as  religious  and  priests 
surely  would,  and  provided  they  are  not  on 
sufficiently  familiar  terms  with  their  host  to  ask 
that  licit  food  be  prepared  for  them. 

On  the  whole  we  are  inclined  to  think  that  some 
Catholics  take  this  matter  of  abstinence  too  easily. 
Is  the  law  of  abstinence  to  be  observed  only 
unless  some  one  hands  me  a  meat  sandwich? 
After  all,  in  case  of  necessity,  the  pangs  of  hunger 
can  be  stilled  for  twenty-four  hours  by  dry  bread 
alone,  if  there  is  any  real  spirit  of  mortification 
and  self-denial  in  a  man.  There  are  millions  of 
people  in  the  world  at  all  times  who  would  be 
happy  if  they  were  sure  of  their  daily  bread. 


FAST  AND  ABSTINENCE  z4i 

If  a  person  were  to  forget  that  it  is 
Friday  and  sitting  down  to  a  meal  would 
take  a  bite  of  meat  into  his  mouth,  then 
suddenly  remember  that  it  is  a  day  of 
abstinence,  how  should  he  proceed?  a) 
May  he  finish  the  meat  he  has  started  to 
eat?  b)  Is  he  allowed  to  finish  the  piece 
of  meat  on  his  plate? 

What  would  a  good  Catholic  instinctively  do? 
He  would  quietly  remove  the  bit  of  meat  from 
his  mouth  and  leave  the  rest  untouched  on  his 
plate.  Nor  would  he  find  this  little  mortification 
so  crushingly  hard.  Even  if  he  were  not  at  home 
but  at  table  somewhere  with  non-Catholics,  he 
would  leave  the  meat  uneaten  and  remark  with 
a  quiet  smile:  "I  had  almost  forgotten  that  this 
is  Friday."  All  would  understand  and  honor 
him  for  his  steadfast  observance  of  the  Second 
Precept  of  the  Church. 

That  is  what  he  would  do.  What  could  he  do? 
He  could  without  any  sin  swallow  the  bit  of  meat 
he  has  in  his  mouth;  for,  since  such  a  small 
amount  (anything  less  than  two  ounces)  is  for- 
bidden only  under  pain  of  venial  sin,  a  reasonable 
cause  would  make  it  entirely  licit  to  eat  the  same : 
and  here  the  reasonable  cause  is  the  slight  in- 
decency of  spitting  out  a  mouthful  of  food.  He 
could  without  sin  finish  the  piece  of  meat  on  his 
plate  if  (when  away  from  home)  that  flesh  meat 
were  the  only  food  he  had  before  him  and  he 
could  neither  procure  other  food  nor  leave  with- 
out grave  inconvenience;  or  if  (when  at  home) 
it  were  the  only  food  and  no  other  could  be  pre- 
pared, or  the  meat  could  not  be  kept  until  the 
following  day  without  notable  detriment. 

Catholics  must  be  on  their  guard  not  to  take 
the  matter  of  Friday  abstinence  too  lightly.  It 
should  be  a  mortification.  Still,  if  it  is  impossible 
to  abstain,  if  one  is  morally  forced  to  eat  meat, 
but  not  as  a  sign  of  contempt  of  the  law,  one  is 


142-  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

excused  for  that  time  from  the  observance  of 
the  Second  Precept  of  the  Church. 

I  have  a  non-Catholic  friend  who  asks 
me  many  questions.  Among  others  he 
once  asked:  "How  is  it  that  on  days  of 
abstinence  you  may  use  drippings  for 
cooking  and  may  not  eat  soup  made  from 
meat?''     I  could  not  answer. 

The  answer  is  simple  enough.  We  are  per- 
mitted by  Canon  Law  to  use  drippings  but  not 
to  eat  meat  soup.  In  virtue  of  Canon  1250 
(formerly  by  Apostolic  Indult)  lard  and  drippings 
of  the  fat  of  any  animal  are  allowed  in  the  prepa- 
ration of  food  on  all  fastdays;  but  in  this  permis- 
sion is  not  included  the  use  of  meat -juice  or  soups 
made  from  flesh -meat  on  days  when  meat  is  not 
allowed.  Here  we  again  see  the  considerateness 
of  Holy  Mother  Church.  She  realizes  how 
difficult  it  would  be  to  prepare  food  without 
drippings  and  allows  their  use.  The  Canon 
mentioned  is  substantially  as  follows:  "The  law 
of  abstinence  forbids  the  eating  of  flesh-meat  and 
broth  or  soup  made  of  meats;  but  it  does  not 
forbid  eggs,  lacticinia  (milk  and  its  products), 
and  seasoning  with  fat  of  animals." 

On  Fridays  and  fastdays  may  I  eat: 
doughnuts  or  fried  cakes,  ice  cream, 
French  fried  potatoes,  German  fried  pota- 
toes, potato  chips,  fried  fish,  shortcake, 
jello,  mayonnaise?  May  I  use  tooth  paste 
and  cold  cream? 

Yes;  you  may,  of  course,  eat  or  use  all  these 
things  on  Fridays  and  fastdays.  The  foods  you 
mention  are  all  abstinence  foods.  The  quantity, 
however,  may  have  to  be  limited  on  fastdays, 
as  you  are  aware.  You  also  know  that  the  fat 
of  animals  may  be  used  in  the  preparation  of 
abstinence  foods ;  and  the  fat  of  animals  has  been 
defined  as  the  fat,  grease,  or  lard  of  any  animal, 


FAST  AND  ABSTINENCE  143 

not  only  of  hogs.  The  use  of  tooth  paste  does 
not  break  even  the  strict  fast  to  be  observed 
before  receiving  Holy  Communion,  provided  you 
are  reasonably  careful  to  spit  out  everything 
while  brushing  the  teeth.  The  preparation  known 
as  cold  cream,  for  use  on  the  face,  hands  etc., 
is  quite  outside  the  question  here. 

Since  you  are  inclined  to  be  overanxious  in  this 
matter,  we  give  the  following  rule:  In  doubt 
whether  a  food  is  fish  or  flesh  (abstinence  food  or 
not),  it  may  be  judged  to  be  fish,  for  in  doubts  laws 
are  to  be  interpreted  benignly. 

When  a  Catholic  man  marries  a  Protes- 
tant woman  and  never  goes  to  his  church 
again  but  to  her  church,  is  he  still  con- 
sidered a  Catholic?  Is  he  still  bound  to 
fast  and  abstain  on  the  prescribed  days 
and  to  keep  the  holy  days? 

Such  a  person  is,  to  use  a  general  term,  a  fallen- 
away  Catholic;  he  belongs  to  a  class  for  whose 
salvation  we  may  well  fear.  Canon  1325,  n.  2, 
defines  three  classes  of  Catholics  who  have  suf- 
fered "shipwreck  in  the  faith."  Those  who, 
having  been  baptized,  retain  the  name  of  Chris- 
tians, but  obstinately  deny  or  doubt  some  of  the 
truths  that  must  be  believed  by  divine  or  Catholic 
faith  are  heretics.  Those  who  have  given  up  the 
Christian  faith  entirely  and  fallen  away  from  it 
are  apostates.  Those  who  refuse  to  obey  the 
Sovereign  Pontiff  or  to  live  in  union  with  those 
who  submit  to  him  are  schismatics.  (Schism 
hardly  ever  occurs  without  heresy.) 

A  fallen-away  Catholic  is  bound  to  observe 
the  laws  you  mention,  also  in  case  he  is  excom- 
municated, with  the  exception  of  acts  that  may 
then  be  forbidden  him.  And  apostates,  heretics, 
and  schismatics  from  the  faith  incur  by  that 
very  fact  excommunication  reserved  in  a  special 
manner  to  the   Holy   See.      (Canon   2314.)      In 


144  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

order  that  a  delict  be  established,  the  adherence 
to  a  doctrine  at  variance  with  the  teaching  of 
the  Church,  or  an  obstinate  doubt,  must  be  mani- 
fested externally  by  speech,  writing,  conclusive 
action,  as  by  formal  communication.  Since  an 
excommunicated  person  loses,  among  many  other 
things,  the  right  of  active  and  passive  participa- 
tion in  the  divine  service,  he  is  of  course  not 
bound  to  assist  thereat;  but  things  that  are  not 
forbidden  him,  such  as  fast  and  abstinence,  are 
binding  still.  Otherwise  such  a  one  would  derive 
advantage  from  his  delict. 

In  the  Calendar  section  of  a  Catholic 
magazine  for  January  after  the  feast  of 
the  Epiphany,  we  read  the  words,  put  in 
parenthesis,  "Abstinence  dispensed."  The 
feast  fell  on  Friday  that  year.  Did  this 
mean  that  we  could  eat  meat  on  that 
Friday  ? 

Canon  1252,  n.  4,  says  that  on  Sundays  and 
holydays  of  obligation  the  law  of  abstinence,  or 
of  abstinence  and  fasting,  or  of  fasting  alone, 
ceases,  except  on  holydays  in  Lent;  nor  need 
vigils  that  fall  on  a  Sunday  be  observed  on  a 
preceding  day.  And  the  Lenten  fast  and  absti- 
nence cease  on  Holy  Saturday  at  12  o'clock  noon. 

Now,  the  holydays  of  obligation  for  the  uni- 
versal Church  are  ten  in  number:  Christmas,  the 
Circumcision,  the  Epiphany,  the  Ascension, 
Corpus  Christi,  the  Immaculate  Conception,  the 
Assumption,  St.  Joseph's  Day  (March  19),  the 
feast  of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul,  and  All  Saints'  Day. 
(Canon  1247.)  But  in  the  United  States  there 
are  only  six  holydays  of  obligation,  by  special 
decree  of  the  Holy  See:  the  Immaculate  Con- 
ception, Christmas,  the  Circumcision,  the  Ascen- 
sion, the  Assumption,  and  All  Saints'  Day. 
The  others  are  suppressed,  as  we  say. 

The  exception  made  at  the  beginning  of  this 


FAST  AND  ABSTINENCE  145 

answer  is  restricted  to  those  days  which  are 
really  days  of  obligation  in  the  respective  place, 
so  that  neither  the  law  of  fasting  nor  of  absti- 
nence ceases  in  places  where  a  holyday  of  obli- 
gation is  suppressed.  (AAS,  X  (1918),  p.  170.) 
The  feast  of  the  Epiphany  is  suppressed  in  the 
United  States.  Hence  one  may  not,  in  the 
United  States,  eat  meat  on  that  day  if  it  occurs 
on  a  Friday. 

The  words  to  which  you  refer,  "Abstinence 
dispensed,"  simply  meant,  "Abstinence  dis- 
pensed in  countries  where  this  is  a  holyday  of 
obligation."  The  parenthetical  reminder  may 
have  been  put  in  especially  for  readers  in  Canada, 
where  the  Epiphany  is  a  holyday  of  obligation. 


PERTAINING  TO  INDULGENCES 

What  is  meant  by  gaining  an  in- 
dulgence ? 

An  indulgence  is  a  remission  in  whole  or  in 
part  of  the  temporal  punishment  due  to  sin. 
Often  temporal  punishment  remains  due  to  a 
sinner  after  eternal  punishment  has  been  re- 
mitted. That  temporal  punishment  consists  in 
sufferings  which  God  will  inflict  upon  the  soul  in 
this  life  or  in  purgatory,  until  it  has  paid  all  its 
debts  and  is  quite  free  from  stain. 

But  this  debt  of  temporal  punishment  can  also 
be  paid  by  gaining  indulgences.  Indulgences  are 
plenary  or  partial  and  can  be  gained  by  perform- 
ing certain  good  works  under  certain  conditions, 
as  prescribed  by  the  Church. 

The  following  excellent  quotation  beautifully 
brings  out  the  great  utility  of  the  consoling 
doctrine  of  indulgences:  "Today  more  than  ever, 
people  love  comfort  and  ease,  and  shrink  from 
all  kinds  of  sacrifices,  such  as  fasts,  macerations 
of  the  body,  hair-shirts  and  all  other  mortifica- 
tions, and  notwithstanding  they  are  not  more 
God-fearing,  nor  freer  from  sin,  nor  more  pious, 
charitable  and  devoted  to  God's  service.  How 
then  can  we  hope  to  satisfy  for  the  temporal 
punishments  due  to  our  mortal  and  venial  sins, 
even  if  we  may  trust  in  God's  mercy,  that  our 
mortal  sins  have  been  forgiven  as  to  the  eternal 
punishment  due  to  them?  The  Church  offers 
numerous  indulgences  both  plenary  and  partial 
to  remit  all  or  a  part  of  the  temporal  punishment 
due  to  our  sins,  and  if  we  shrink  from  bodily  pains, 
the  Church  aims  to  make  us  more  spiritual, 
although  not  less  perfect,  by  exciting  in  our 
hearts  an  ardent  love  of  God,  devotedness  in  His 
service  and  perfect  conformity  to  His  holy  will 

246 


INDULGENCES  2.47 


For  the  pious  works,  exercises,  prayers  and 
practices  to  which  rich  indulgences  are  attached, 
tend  to  render  Christians  more  fervent  and  de- 
voted in  their  filial  piety  towards  their  infinitely 
bountiful  God,  as  well  as  more  holy  and  perfect; 
for,  if  in  this  world  we  wish  to  be  free  from  great 
afflictions  and  tribulations,  pains  and  mortifica- 
tions— and  God  so  disposes  it — we  are  bound 
to  make  up  for  the  defects  of  our  past  by  the 
sanctity  of  our  lives." 

Kindly  tell  me  what  is  meant  by  an  in- 
dulgence of  one  hundred  days. 

An  indulgence  is  the  remission,  in  whole  or  in 
part,  of  the  temporal  punishment  due  to  sin, 
that  punishment  which  remains  after  the  eternal 
punishment  has  been  remitted.  How  much  such 
punishment  is  remitted  by  an  indulgence  of  one 
hundred  days?  We  give  the  following  popular 
explanation : 

In  the  early  ages  of  the  Church  the  penances 
imposed  for  sin  were  much  more  severe  than 
are  those  now  usually  given.  There  were  public 
penances,  severe  fasts,  wearing  of  sackcloth  and 
ashes,  and  such  like  severities.  Some  penances 
were  called  canonical,  because  they  were  imposed, 
not  at  the  mere  will  of  the  confessor,  but  ac- 
cording to  certain  canons,  or  laws,  of  the  Church. 
So,  for  instance,  for  breaking  the  Sabbath  one 
had  to  fast  three  days  on  bread  and  water;  ten 
days  for  talking  in  church.  A  penance  of  from 
three  to  ten  years  was  imposed  for  disobedience; 
of  ten  years  for  adulterers;  of  a  lifetime  for 
murderers.  Such  penitents  were,  moreover, 
excluded  from  church  or  made  to  stand  at  the 
door  in  penitential  garb.  By  doing  this  penance 
they  obtained  remission  of  temporal  punishments 
due  to  their  sins.  Now,  when  we  say  that  one 
gains  an  indulgence  of  one  hundred  days  we  mean 
that  as  much  temporal  punishment  is  remitted 


z48  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

by  God  as  would  have  been  remitted  by  one 
hundred  days  of  the  severe  canonical  penance 
of  the  early  ages  of  the  Church. 

This  being  so,  what  a  treasure  indulgences 
really  are!  Those  are,  indeed,  wise  in  the  Holy 
Ghost  who  strive  to  gain  as  many  as  they  can. 

What  is  the  difference  between  a  plenary 
indulgence  and  an  indulgence  of  days  (a 
partial  indulgence)? 

We  all  know  what  an  indulgence  is.  It  is  not 
a  pardon  of  sin  or  a  license  to  commit  sin,  but  a 
remission  in  whole  or  part  of  the  temporal 
punishment  due  to  sin. 

Now,  an  indulgence  is  plenary  when  all  punish- 
ment due  to  sin  may  be  remitted  by  it.  Not- 
withstanding the  enormity  of  our  indebtedness 
to  God  for  our  sins,  even  for  mortal  sins  already 
forgiven,  if  we  gain  one  single  plenary  indulgence 
all  the  temporal  punishment  due  to  our  sins  is 
remitted.  Hence,  in  case  one  would  die  immedi- 
ately after  gaining  a  plenary  indulgence,  he  would 
go  directly  to  heaven;  he  would  not  have  to  pass 
through  purgatory  to  make  any  further  satis- 
faction. 

A  partial  indulgence,  on  the  other  hand,  is  a 
remission  of  a  part  of  the  temporal  punishment 
due  to  sin.  This  means  that,  as  a  plenary  in- 
dulgence cancels  all  our  indebtedness  to  God,  so 
a  partial  indulgence  cancels  only  a  certain  amount 
of  our  indebtedness.  But  nevertheless — as  a 
little  reflection  shows — the  partial  indulgence 
gained  may  be  sufficient  or  more  than  sufficient 
to  pay  one's  entire  debt.  Suppose  you  owe 
someone  a  thousand  dollars.  And  because  of 
your  pleading  a  friend  sends  you  a  check  for 
$900.00  or  $1,000.00  or  $1,500.00  with  which  to 
pay  your  debts.  The  first  sum  would  leave  your 
debt  unpaid  to  the  amount  of  $100.00;  the 
second  would  pay  the  full  debt;   the  third  would 


INDULGENCES  149 


leave  a  surplus  of  $500.00.  This  is  just  an  illus- 
tration. By  means  of  it  we  see  that  a  partial 
indulgence  may  pay  all  our  debts  to  God,  whereas 
we  know  that  a  plenary  indulgence,  if  gained, 
does  pay  them  in  full.  Plenary  means  full, 
complete. 

If  a  person  is  saying  the  rosary  is  it 
necessary,  before  saying  each  Our  Father 
and  Hail  Mary,  to  think  or  to  say,  "I 
want  to  gain  the  indulgences  attached  to 
this  prayer"? 

No;  such  an  explicit  intention  is  not  necessary 
to  gain  the  indulgences  attached  to  rosaries. 
But  an  implicit  and  virtual  intention,  what  you 
might  call  a  general  intention,  is  required.  Hence, 
it  is  advisable  to  make  an  intention  to  gain  the 
indulgences  in  the  beginning  of  the  recitation  of 
the  prayers.  It  is  also  to  be  recommended  that 
every  morning  we  make  the  intention  to  gain  all 
the  indulgences  attached  to  the  prayers  and  de- 
votions and  good  works  of  the  whole  day. 

Suppose  I  be  eligible  in  various  ways 
to  gain,  we  will  say,  six  plenary  in- 
dulgences in  one  day ;  all  other  conditions 
being  fulfilled  must  I  pray  six  different 
times  for  the  intention  of  the  Holy  Father 
or  does  once  suffice  in  this  regard? 

Once  does  not  suffice,  nor  does  one  visit  to  a 
church  or  public  oratory.  To  gain  a  number 
of  plenary  indulgences  for  which  a  visit  to  a 
church  is  prescribed,  it  does  not  suffice  to  repeat 
the  prayers  as  many  times  as  there  are  indulgences 
to  be  gained,  but  you  must  also  make  as  many 
visits  as  there  are  indulgences  to  be  gained,  that 
is,  just  that  often  must  you  leave  the  church  and 
enter  it  again.   (S.  C.  Indulg.,  Feb.  29, 1864,  n.  399.) 

You  seem  to  be  under  the  impression  that  for 
gaining  any  plenary  indulgence  one  must  pray 
for  the  intentions  of  the  Holy  Father.     That  is 


i5o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

a  wrong  impression.  This  condition  must  be 
fulfilled  whenever  prescribed,  of  course,  but  it 
is  not  always  prescribed.  Thus,  for  example, 
by  a  Brief  of  Sept.  4,  1927,  the  Holy  Father  has 
granted  to  those  who  recite  a  third  part  of  the 
rosary  (five  decades)  before  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment, either  publicly  exposed  or  prese  ved  in 
the  tabernacle,  as  often  as  they  recite  it,  a  plenary 
indulgence  if,  in  addition,  they  have  gone  to 
confession  and  received  Holy  Communion.  There 
are  no  other  conditions  prescribed.  This,  by  the 
way,  is  an  extraordinary  privilege  that  the  faith- 
ful should  know. 

What  prayers  and  how  many  must  be 
said  for  the  gaining  of  a  plenary  in- 
dulgence which  is  granted  on  certain 
occasions  as  often  as  one  visits  a  church 
and  prays  for  the  intentions  of  the  Holy 
Father? 

This  is  a  matter  that  has  now  been  definitely 
settled.  For  a  long  time  there  was  a  considerable 
difference  of  opinion,  inasmuch  as  Canon  Law 
does  not  specify  the  prayers  to  be  said.  As  regards 
the  Portiuncula  indulgence  the  question  was 
settled  July  10,  1924,  when  the  Sacred  Peni- 
tentiary, Office  of  Indulgences,  authentically  de- 
clared that  at  least  six  Our  Fathers,  Hail  Marys, 
and  Glorys  are  required.  As  regards  all  other 
similar  indulgences  to  be  gained  as  often  as 
(toties  quoties)  a  church  is  visited,  the  Holy 
Father,  Pope  Pius  XI,  on  July  4,  1930,  for  the 
sake  of  uniformity  and  to  remove  all  doubt  about 
the  matter,  deigned  to  decree  that  in  future  at 
least  six  Our  Fathers,  Hail  Marys,  and  Glorys 
are  required  and  sufficient  for  all  indulgences  to 
be  gained  toties  quoties  for  which  a  visit  to  some 
church  is  prescribed.  And  these  prayers  must  be 
said  anew  in  each  single  visit. 

This     decree     was     published     in     the     Acta 


INDULGENCES  151 


Apostolicae  Sedis,  the  Official  Commentary  of 
the  Holy  See,  for  August   7,   1930. 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  at  least  the  above- 
mentioned  prayers  are  required  and  sufficient 
for  plenary  indulgences  to  be  gained  as  often  as 
a  church  is  visited,  e.  g.,  the  Fortiuncula  in- 
dulgence and  the  indulgences  that  can  be  gained 
on  All  Souls'  Day. 

As  regards  other  plenary  indulgences  the  fol- 
lowing holds  good: 

Sacred  Apostolic  Penitentiary  (Office  of  In- 
dulgences). Decree  of  September  20,  1933,  de- 
termining the  exact  meaning  of  the  conditions 
often  annexed  to  a  decree  granting  indulgences, 
viz.,  "to  visit  a  church  or  public  or  (in  the  case  of 
those  enjoying  that  right)  semi-public  oratory/* 
and  "to  pray  for  the  intentions  of  the  Sovereign 
Pontiff:' 

The  first  condition  is  fulfilled  by  "entering  the 
church  or  oratory  with  the  general  or  implicit 
intention  of  worshiping  God  either  in  Himself 
or  in  His  Saints  (in  se  vel  in  Sanctis  suis),  by  the 
recitation  of  some  prayer — that  prescribed,  if 
one  has  been  imposed  by  him  who  granted  the 
indulgence  or  any  other  prayer  whether  vocal  or 
mental  according  to  each  one's  piety  and  devo- 
tion." The  second  condition  "is  fully  satisfied 
by  adding  to  the  other  works  prescribed,  one 
Our  Father,  Hail  Mary  and  Glory  be  to  the  Father 
for  the  intentions  of  the  Sovereign  Pontiff, 
everyone  being  free,  however,  conformably  with 
Can.  934,  n.  1,  to  recite  any  other  prayer  according 
as  his  piety  and  devotion  toward  the  Supreme 
Pontiff  may  suggest." 

In  offering  up  Communion  for  a  living 
person,  who  gains  the  plenary  indulgence 
for  saying  the  prescribed  prayers? 

When  you  offer  up  Holy  Communion  for  a 
living  person  you  simply  apply  to  that  person 


i52-  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

the  impetratory  fruits  which  this  good  work 
produces  in  virtue  of  your  dispositions.  The 
meritorious  fruits  are  always  personal  and  can- 
not be  given  away.  The  satisfactory  fruits  can 
be  applied  to  the  dead. 

No  indulgence  can  be  gained  for  the  living. 
Canon  930  of  the  Church  law  expressly  says  that 
no  one  who  gains  indulgences  can  apply  them  to 
other  living  persons;  but  he  may  apply  all  in- 
dulgences granted  by  the  Roman  Pontiff  to  the 
poor  souls  in  Purgatory,  unless  a  contrary  pro- 
vision has  been  made. 

Can  a  daily  communicant  who  is  en- 
titled to  numerous  plenary  indulgences 
each  day  (from  various  scapulars,  sodali- 
ties, etc.)  gain  all  these  indulgences  by 
simply  making  the  intention  each  day  to 
gain  them  and  saying  a  certain  prayer, 
for  instance,  the  rosary,  according  to  the 
intentions  of  the  Holy  Father? 

To  gain  an  indulgence  the  state  of  grace,  at 
least  a  general  intention  of  gaining  it,  and  the 
performance  of  the  good  works  enjoined  are 
necessary.  To  gain  a  plenary  indulgence,  con- 
fession, Communion,  a  visit  to  some  church  or 
public  oratory,  and  pious  prayers  are  usually 
prescribed. 

Regarding  confession,  be  it  noted  that  accord- 
ing to  Canon  Law  those  who  are  accustomed  to 
go  to  confession  at  least  twice  a  month,  or  to 
communicate  daily  in  the  state  of  grace  and  with 
an  upright  and  holy  intention,  although  they  do 
not  receive  one  or  the  other  time  a  week,  may 
without  confession  gain  all  the  indulgences  for 
wh  ch  confession  is  prescribed  as  a  necessary 
cordition.  From  this  favor  are  excluded  in- 
du'gences  of  the  ordinary  and  the  extraordinary 
Julilee.     (Canon  931,  3.) 

Regarding  Communion,  be  it  noted  that  one 


INDULGENCES  153 


Communion  will  serve  for  many  plenary  indul- 
gences that  may  be  gained  on  the  same  day,  even 
though  Holy  Communion  be  prescribed  for  each 
one  of  them,  provided,  however,  that  all  the  other 
conditions  assigned  for  each  indulgence  be  com- 
plied with. 

A  common  condition  is  a  visit  to  a  church  or 
public  oratory  and  prayer,  vocal,  not  mental, 
prayer,  for  the  intentions  of  the  Pope. 

One  visit  with  long  prayer  for  the  usual  in- 
tentions would  serve  for  one  indulgence;  but  the 
longer  prayer  would  not  replace  the  visit  required 
for  the  other  indulgences,  if  that  is  what  you 
mean.  Conditions  prescribed  for  gaining  a 
plenary  indulgence  must  be  strictly  complied 
with.  If  a  visit  is  prescribed  for  gaining  a  certain 
indulgence,  the  visit  must  be  made. 

A  magazine  agent,  for  example,  a 
Brother  getting  subscriptions,  offers  me 
from  a  supply  he  carries  with  him  a  blessed 
rosary,  highly  enriched  with  indulgences, 
as  a  premium  if  I  subscribe.  In  a  former 
reply  you  said  that  indulgenced  articles 
lose  their  indulgences  when  sold.  Isn't 
this  the  same  as  selling?  I  would  not  get 
the  rosary  if  I  would  not  subscribe. 

No;  it  is  not  a  case  of  selling,  and  the  in- 
dulgences are  not  lost. 

Not  long  ago  some  doubt  was  raised  as  to  this 
important  matter.  This  doubt  was  caused  by 
the  following  question  submitted  to  the  Sacred 
Congregation  of  Indulgences  and  its  answer: 
"Whether  (1)  objects  enriched  with  indulgences 
are  to  be  given  to  the  faithful  entirely  gratis; 
so  that  (2)  the  indulgences  would  be  lost  if  under 
any  title  whatsoever,  whether  of  price,  or  ex- 
change, or  gift,  or  alms,  anything  would  be  de- 
manded?"     The    Congregation    of    Indulgences 


2.54  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

answered   "Yes"  to  both  parts,  July   16,    1887. 
(Beringer.) 

To  settle  this  question  definitely,  we  wrote  to 
the  Procurator  General  of  the  Society  of  the 
Divine  Savior,  in  Rome,  asking  him  to  ascertain 
authoritatively  whether  the  giving  of  rosaries  as 
premiums  in  the  manner  mentioned  above  is 
included  in  the  question  and  response  of  July  16, 
1887,  or  whether  we  may  look  upon  that  decree 
as  to  some  extent  revoked  by  section  2  of  Canon 
924  of  the  New  Code  of  Canon  Law,  which  states : 
"Indulgences  attached  to  rosaries  or  other  ob- 
jects then  only  cease  when  the  rosaries  or  other 
objects  entirely  cease  to  be  or  are  sold." 

The  question  thus  put  was  submitted  by  the 
Procurator  General  to  the  proper  Congregation 
(Office  of  Indulgences)  and  he  got  as  reply: 
"Tuto  fieri  potest  quia  rosaria  non  venduntur." 
Literally  translated,  the  answer  is:  "It  may  be 
safely  done  because  the  rosaries  are  not  sold." 
This,  of  course,  applies  also  to  other  indulgenced 
articles  thus  given  as  premiums. 

We  are  pleased  to  be  able  to  communicate  this 
information  to  you.  It  was  our  anxiety  to  insure 
to  our  friends  the  spiritual  benefits  of  indulgenced 
articles  that  prompted  the  question;  and  we  are 
glad  that  every  vestige  of  doubt  has  been  re- 
moved. 

I  often  say  my  rosary  in  parts,  a  decade 
at  a  time,  so  that  I  finish  the  five  mysteries 
some  time  during  the  day.  Can  I  gain  the 
rosary  indulgences  by  saying  my  beads 
in  this  disjointed  manner? 

Yes;  you  can;  but  you  should  say  at  least 
one  complete  decade  at  a  time.  In  order  to 
gain  the  rosary  indulgences  it  is  now  not  neces- 
sary, as  formerly,  to  recite  five  or  fifteen  decades 
in  continuity.  One  may  separate  the  decades 
at  pleasure,  provided  at  least  five  decades,  which 


INDULGENCES  155 


we  ordinarily  call  the  rosary,  are  recited  within 
the  same  day.  Pope  Pius  X  so  decreed,  July  8, 
1908. 

It  may  be  remarked  here  that  the  Creed,  Glory, 
Our  Father,  and  the  three  Hail  Marys  for  the 
three  theological  virtues  are  not  necessary  for 
gaining  the  indulgences.  However,  it  is  praise- 
worthy to  begin  the  rosary  in  this  way.  Of 
course,  the  indulgences  are  not  lost  thereby. 
The  same  is  to  be  said  of  the  Glory  at  the  end  of 
each  decade  or  the  words,  "Eternal  rest  give 
unto  them,  O  Lord,"  etc.,  when  the  beads  are 
recited  for  the  departed.  Indeed,  as  can  be  seen 
from  the  above,  at  the  end  of  a  decade  any  prayer 
or  prayers  may  be  said  without  the  indulgences 
being  therefore  lost. 

Must  a  crucifix  contain  wood  or  have  a 
certain  size  in  order  to  receive  the  indul- 
gences of  the  stations  or  the  indulgence 
for  the  dying? 

No;  in  order  to  be  enriched  with  the  above- 
mentioned  indulgences  a  crucifix  need  not  be 
inlaid  with  wood  nor  need  it  have  a  determined 
size.  It  may  be  made  of  any  solid  material  and 
be  of  any  size.  Also  the  crucifixes  attached  to 
rosaries  may  be  so  enriched.  It  may  be  well  to 
mention  that,  as  regards  the  indulgences  of  the 
stations,  the  crucifix  must  be  a  real  crucifix,  not 
merely  a  cross.  It  must  bear  an  image  of  the 
Crucified,  not  necessarily  detachable,  but  yet 
standing  out  somewhat  in  relief.  A  mere  en- 
graving or  painting  on  the  cross  would  not 
suffice. 

As  regards  the  indulgence  for  the  dying,  either 
a  cross  or  a  crucifix  strictly  so-called  may  be  en- 
riched therewith;  a  crucifix  only,  when  the  par- 
ticular toties-quoties  indulgence  is  applied;  both 
crucifix  and  cross,  when  the  papal  blessing,  now 
practically  equivalent  to  the  special  toties-quoties 


156  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

indulgence  for  the  dying,  according  to  Canon  No. 
924,  Section  No.  2  and  Acta  Ap.  Sedis,  1921, 
page  164,  is  bestowed.  The  Apostolic  Indulgence 
which  can  be  attached  to  cross  or  crucifix  (and  to 
other  objects,  which  one  must  at  least  have  near 
oneself  when  dying)  reads,  "Whosoever  at  the 
point  of  death  devoutly  commends  his  soul  to 
God,  and  being  ready  to  accept  death  peacefully 
and  willingly  from  the  hands  of  God,  and  truly 
penitent,  and  having  been  refreshed,  after  con- 
fession, with  Holy  Communion,  or,  if  this  be  not 
possible,  at  least  contrite,  shall  invoke  the  name 
of  Jesus  with  the  lips  if  possible,  or,  if  not,  at 
least  with  the  heart  shall  receive  the  fruit  of  a 
plenary  indulgence."  It  can  be  attached  to  a 
cross  or  crucifix  of  any  size  of  any  solid  material. 
Both  the  blessings  in  question  can  be  given  to 
one  and  the  same  crucifix. 

How  about  blessed  rosaries  that  are 
received  as  gifts  from  such  places  as  your 
Seminary,  magazines,  etc.  Do  they  lose 
the  indulgences  by  being  given  in  this 
way? 

First  of  all  you  ought  always  to  ascertain 
whether  they  are  blessed  or  not.  If  they  are 
blessed  the  indulgences  are  certainly  not  lost. 
Here  are  some  guiding  principles. 

1.  Dealers  in  church  goods  cannot  have  cruci- 
fixes, rosaries,  medals,  etc.,  enriched  with  in- 
dulgences and  then  sell  them,  even  if  they  sell 
them  at  cost.  The  indulgences  are  lost  and  the 
one  who  buys  such  articles  cannot  gain  them  but 
must  have  the  objects  blessed  anew.  Remember 
that  the  indulgences  are  lost,  not  necessarily  the 
blessing;  for  blessed  articles  may  be  sold,  provided 
no  higher  price  is  charged  because  of  the  blessing. 

2.  If  anyone  buys  crucifixes,  rosaries,  etc.,  and 
requests  the  seller  to  have  them  blessed  and  en- 
riched with  indulgences,  the  indulgences  are  not 


INDULGENCES  z57 


lost,  even  if  the  buyer  pays  the  price  and  carriage 
for  the  same  only  upon  the  delivery  of  the  blessed 
articles.  The  Sacred  Congregation  so  declared 
July  10,  1896. 

3.  The  difference  between  1  and  2  above  is 
quite  plain.  In  the  first  case  the  articles  are 
sold  after  having  been  enriched  with  indulgences; 
in  the  second  case  the  buying  and  selling  takes 
place  before  the  objects  are  so  enriched. 

4.  If  one  would  have  an  indulgenced  rosary 
newly  chained,  for  instance,  the  indulgences  would 
remain,  even  if  one  would  pay  the  price  for  the 
work  done. 

I  was  presented  with  a  rosary  as  highly 
indulgenced  as  possible.  Could  others 
receive  those  indulgences  by  praying  on 
my  rosary  if  I  were  willing  to  lend  it  to 
them  to  gain  the  indulgences? 

Before  the  New  Code  of  Canon  Law  (May 
19,  1918)  indulgences  on  religious  articles  could 
not  be  transferred  from  the  persons  to  whom 
those  articles  were  first  distributed  to  others. 
Such  articles  could  not  be  lent  to  others  to  enable 
them  to  gain  the  indulgences  thereon.  When 
so  lent  the  indulgences  were  simply  lost,  and  the 
articles  had  to  be  blessed  over  again. 

But  it  is  not  so  now.  Canon  924,  section  2, 
states:  "Indulgences  attached  to  rosaries  [beads] 
and  other  objects  are  lost  only  if  the  beads  or 
objects  are  entirely  destroyed  or  sold."  From 
this  it  follows  that  such  indulgences  cease  when 
the  objects  to  which  they  are  attached  are  en- 
tirely destroyed  or  sold  (or  traded) ;  but  they  do 
not  cease  when  the  object  is  lent,  or  lost,  or  given 
as  a  present,  or  inherited.  Hence,  since  they  do 
not  cease  in  these  last-mentioned  cases,  they  may  be 
gained  by  those  who  use  the  articles  as  well  as  by 
the  former  owner,  should  he  get  them  back  again. 

However,    there    is    perhaps    one    exception: 


i5  8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

when  an  article  together  with  the  indulgences  is 
the  exclusive  property  of  any  one  person;  when 
the  indulgences  are  of  a  personal  nature,  such  as 
those  one  may  gain  because  of  membership  in 
some  confraternity,  etc.  As  can  easily  be  under- 
stood, in  such  a  case,  though  not  gained  by 
another,  they  are  not  lost  and  can  be  gained 
again  by  the  owner. 

From  what  we  have  said  it  is  evident  that 
blessed  articles  do  not  lose  their  indulgences  by 
passing  through  the  hands  of  others  before  be- 
coming the  property  of  a  definite  person. 

The  Code  says,  "entirely  destroyed."  Hence, 
if  a  small  portion  is  destroyed,  this  part  may  be 
renewed  without  losing  the  indulgences.  Take 
beads,  for  instance.  If  the  single  beads  are  torn 
asunder  but  collected  again  and  put  on  a  new 
string  or  chain,  the  indulgences  are  not  lost, 
even  if  four  or  five  new  beads  would  have  to  be 
added. 

When  a  group  is  praying  the  rosary 
together  and  the  leader  has  a  highly  in- 
dulgenced  rosary,  do  all  who  are  praying 
receive  the  indulgences  or  only  the  leader, 
if  the  others  aren't  holding  rosaries? 

In  order  to  gain  rosary  indulgences  it  is  ordi- 
narily necessary,  when  one  recites  the  rosary 
alone  to  hold  the  blessed  beads  in  the  hand  and 
use  them  in  the  customary  way.  But  when  two 
or  more  persons  say  the  rosary  together  it  is 
sufficient,  according  to  a  concession  made  by 
Pope  Pius  IX  (Jan.  22,  1858),  if  one  of  them  hold 
the  beads  in  order  to  regulate  the  prayer,  and 
the  others,  after  discontinuing  all  occupation 
that  hinders  interior  recollection,  unite  in  prayer 
with  the  person  who  holds  the  rosary.  Hence 
when  the  rosary  is  said  in  common,  for  instance, 
in  the  family  or  in  church,  all  those  who  pray 
along,  even  without  rosaries,  may  gain  the  in- 


INDULGENCES  159 


dulgences,  provided  one  person,  the  leader  at 
home,  the  priest  in  church,  etc.,  uses  his  blessed 
rosary  for  the  regulation  of  the  prayer. 

Still  it  is  better  to  have  your  own  blessed 
rosary;  for  what  we  have  said  does  not  hold  for 
all  indulgences.  A  special  concession  is  neces- 
sary; and  it  has  been  given  for  the  Dominican 
rosary  indulgences,  for  the  rosary  of  the  Seven 
Sorrows  and  for  the  rosary  of  the  Seven  Joys; 
the  same  concession  has  been  granted  for  the 
crucifix  enriched  with  the  indulgences  of  the  way 
of  the  cross.  But  it  has  not  been  given  for  all, 
though  there  is  also  a  decision  which  says  that 
those  who  thus  recite  the  rosary  in  common  can 
gain  other  indulgences,  in  addition  to  the  Do- 
minican rosary  indulgences. 

Some  imagine  they  must  whisper  the  leader's 
part  of  the  prayer  also,  and  vice  versa.  This, 
however,  is  not  the  case.  Canon  932,  section  3, 
says:  "To  gain  an  indulgence  it  is  enough  to 
recite  the  prescribed  prayers  alternately  with  a 
companion  or  to  follow  it  in  one's  mind  while 
another  recites  it."  Thus  by  reciting  the  rosary 
or  the  Angelus  in  common  or  together  with 
others  the  indulgences  may  be  gained  by  all 
who  participate  in  the  recitation,  and  even  by 
those  who  follow  only  mentally,  not  orally,  the 
one  who  recites  the  prayers.  Thus,  too,  with  the 
prayer  after  Communion,  "Behold,  O  good  and 
most  sweet  Jesus"  .  .  .  .,  sometimes  recited 
aloud  by  one  for  all  after  general  Communion. 

At  the  beginning  of  this  answer  we  say  ordi- 
narily. But  the  following  generous  concession  is 
to  be  noted.  The  Office  of  Indulgences  of  the 
Sacred  Apostolic  Penitentiary  (Nov.  9,  1933) 
decrees  that  the  faithful  may  gain  the  rosary 
indulgences  or  the  indulgences  of  the  Way  of 
the  Cross  attached  to  a  crucifix  blessed  for 
Stations  (on  condition  of  reciting  the  Our  Father, 
Hail  Mary,  and  Glory  be  to  t  he  Father  twenty 


2.6o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

times)  without  holding  the  rosary  beads  or  crucifix 
in  their  hands,  provided  that  they  have  the  beads 
or  crucifix  on  their  person  during  the  recitation 
of  the  prayers,  and  provided  they  are  hindered 
from  holding  in  their  hands  the  beads  or  crucifix 
on  account  of  some  manual  occupation  or  other 
reasonable  cause. 

Can  a  person  know  for  sure  whether  he 
gains  an  indulgence  or  not?  Or  may  one 
simply  take  it  for  granted  that  one  gains 
the  indulgence  if  all  the  conditions  have 
been  properly  complied  with?  A  friend 
said  to  me  that  I  may  pray  to  the  end  of 
my  life  and  not  know  whether  I  gained  a 
single  indulgence.     Is  he  right? 

We  cannot,  indeed,  be  absolutely  certain  that 
we  gain  the  indulgences  for  which  we  place  the 
prescribed  good  works,  but  we  can  have  moral 
certainty,  i.  e.,  certainty  supported  by  reason 
and  having  a  high  degree  of  probability.  If  we 
do  our  best  to  fulfill  the  conditions  we  may 
simply  take  it  for  granted  that  we  gain  the  in- 
dulgences granted  by  Holy  Church.  If  a  certain 
indulgence  is  not  gained,  it  is  due  to  deficiency 
on  our  part.  The  Church  says  that  for  such  and 
such  a  good  work,  performed  as  prescribed,  such 
and  such  an  indulgence  can  be  gained.  But  now, 
the  Church,  in  the  person  of  her  Supreme  Head, 
has  the  power  to  grant  indulgences;  for  to  Peter 
and  his  successors,  and  to  them  alone,  did  Christ 
give  that  power  when  He  said:  "I  will  give  thee 
the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ....  what- 
soever thou  shalt  loose  on  earth,  it  shall  be  loosed 
also  in  heaven."  (Matt.  16 :19.)  And  the  Church 
cannot  err  or  fail  in  matters  practiced  at  all 
times  with  her  consent.  In  the  person  of  St. 
Peter  she  received  infallibility:  "I  have  prayed 
for  thee,  that  thy  faith  fail  not."  (Luke  22:32.) 
And,  therefore,  the  granting  of  indulgences  can- 


INDULGENCES  Ui 


not  be  a  useless  practice  and  the  indulgences 
granted  are  truly  received  if  the  prescribed  con- 
ditions are  fully  complied  with.  As  St.  Thomas 
says,  speaking  of  the  validity  of  an  indulgence: 
"It  must  be  said  that  indulgences  are  simply 
worth  what  they  are  proclaimed  to  be,  provided 
that  on  the  part  of  the  giver  there  be  authority, 
on  the  part  of  the  recipient  there  be  charity,  and 
on  the  part  of  the  cause  there  be  piety,  which 
includes  the  honor  of  God,  and  the  spiritual 
welfare  of  the  members  of  the  Church."  (Supp., 
q.  25,  a.  2.)  In  other  words,  we  are  taught  that 
if  the  Holy  Father  proclaims  a  plenary  indulgence, 
it  is  plenary;  if  he  or  one  that  has  been  delegated 
thereto  by  him  proclaims  a  partial  indulgence, 
it  is  partial;  provided  always  that  the  recipient 
be  in  the  state  of  sanctifying  grace  and,  in  case 
of  a  plenary  indulgence  which  the  recipient  de- 
sires to  gain  fully  and  absolutely  for  himself,  free 
from  the  guilt  of  all  sin,  even  of  venial  sin,  which 
sins  are  forgiven,  not  by  the  indulgence  of  course, 
for  an  indulgence  is  not  a  pardon  of  sin,  but  by 
the  good  works  and  exercises  of  piety  that  precede 
it;  and  provided,  too,  that  for  the  gaining  of 
both  plenary  and  partial  indulgences  the  recipient 
comply  with  all  the  conditions  of  the  indulgence 
as  to  time,  manner,  or  place. 

How  true  is  it  that  by  abstaining  from 
eating  meat  on  every  Wednesday,  Friday, 
and  Saturday,  a  person  can  escape  purga- 
tory and  go  directly  to  heaven? 

There  is  no  truth  in  it.  However,  the  some- 
what strange  assertion  suggested  by  the  question 
may  have  "the  first  Saturday"  as  a  foundation; 
it  may  be  a  distortion  of  that  promise.  The 
Blessed  Virgin  promised  Pope  John  XXII  "that 
she  would  rescue  from  purgatory  as  speedily  as 
possible,  and  especially  on  the  first  Saturday 
after  their   decease,   the   members   of  the   Con- 


l6i  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

fraternity  of  the  Scapular,"  that  is,  those  who 
have  been  properly  enrolled  in  and  who  wear  the 
scapular  (or  blessed  scapular  medal)  of  Our  Lady 
of  Mt.  Carmel.  But  to  obtain  the  privilege  of 
"the  first  Saturday,"  according  to  the  "Bulla 
Sabbatina,"  it  is  requisite  that  you  should 
practice  the  virtue  of  chastity  according  to  your 
state,  and  recite  every  day  the  Little  Office  of 
the  Blessed  Virgin,  if  not  bound  to  the  Divine 
Office.  Those  who  cannot  read  must  abstain  on 
Wednesdays  and  Saturdays,  unless  the  rule  be 
dispensed  with,  or  commuted  for  other  works  of 
piety  by  a  duly  qualified  superior.  We  have  an 
inkling  that  the  words  we  have  italicized  above 
have  in  some  way  given  rise  to  your  question. 

What,  then,  are  the  more  ordinary  advantages 
to  be  derived  from  wearing  the  scapular?  They 
are  enumerated  in  these  words  that  Our  Lady 
addressed  to  Blessed  Simon  Stock  when  she  gave 
him  the  scapular,  July  16,  1251:  "Receive,  my 
dear  son,  this  scapular  of  your  order,  in  token  of 
the  privilege  which  I  have  obtained  for  you  and 
for  the  children  of  Carmel;  he  who  at  his  death 
shall  be  found  clothed  in  this  habit  shall  be  pre- 
served from  eternal  flames:  it  is  a  sign  of  salva- 
tion, a  safeguard  in  time  of  danger,  and  a  pledge 
of  special  protection." 

The  learned  and  illustrious  Pontiff,  Benedict 
XIV,  in  his  Treatise  on  the  Feasts  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  declares  that  he  fully  believes  in  the  vision 
of  Blessed  Simon  as  well  as  in  the  above-men- 
tioned revelation  to  Pope  John  XXII,  made 
half  a  century  later. 

If  a  child  does  not  attain  the  use  of 
reason  until  its  seventh  year,  are  then  the 
prayers  which  it  says  before  this  age  of 
no  value?  Can  it  gain  no  indulgences 
granted  for  such  prayers  as  " Jesus,  Mary. 
Joseph"? 


INDULGENCES  x63 


The  Code  of  Canon  Law  states  that  to  be 
capable  of  gaining  an  indulgence  for  oneself  one 
must  be  baptized,  not  excommunicated,  in  the 
state  of  grace  at  least  when  he  complies  with  the 
last  work  prescribed,  and  a  subject  of  the  grantor. 

To  really  gain  the  indulgences  the  capable  sub- 
ject must  have  at  least  the  general  intention  of 
gaining  them  and  comply  with  the  conditions 
prescribed  at  the  t  me  and  in  the  manner  pre- 
scribed by  the  grant. 

Your  question  seems  to  imply  that  a  child  does 
not  attain  the  use  of  reason  until  its  seventh 
year.  It  would  be  better  to  say  that  a  child 
ordinarily  does  not  reach  the  use  of  reason  be- 
fore the  seventh  year.  Some  children  reach  the 
use  of  reason  before  that  time,  others  perhaps 
after  that  time.  In  canonical  legislation  the 
Church  has  taken  seven  years  as  the  fixed  time. 

Are  the  prayers  it  says  before  this  age  of  no 
value?  Why,  they  are  of  supreme  value!  Good 
authorities  on  child  psychology  and  pedagogy 
have  made  the  statement  that  the  main  part  of 
a  child's  education  is  achieved  from  its  birth 
unto  its  sixth  year.  In  this  period  the  child's 
mind  is  most  observant,  plastic,  acceptive, 
formative,  and  imitative.  For  this  reason  it  is 
so  important  in  the  child's  presence  to  avoid 
everything  that  might  exert  a  harmful  influence 
upon  it,  such  as  cursing,  swearing,  abusive  and 
immodest  language,  violent  anger,  quarreling, 
fighting,  drunkenness,  and  the  like;  and  on  the 
other  hand  to  provide  it  with  the  best  elements 
of  discipline  by  word  and  especially  by  example. 
The  child  learns  its  religion  and  morality  in  the 
best,  quietest,  and  most  lasting  way  by  sight-seeing, 
namely,  by  receiving  practical  demonstrations 
of  them  from  its  parents,  early  and  continuously. 

By  all  means  teach  the  child  to  pray.  Its 
prayers  are  truly  pleasing  to  God.  Write  the 
name  of  God  deep  in  its  plastic  heart  and  that 


r64  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

name  will  never  be  effaced.  "As  the  twig  is  bent 
the  tree's  inclined,"  says  the  proverb.  The  first 
things  the  little  one  learns  by  heart  should  be 
the  names  of  God,  of  Jesus  and  Mary,  the  Sign 
of  the  Cross,  the  Our  Father  and  the  Hail  Mary. 

Is  it  true  that  Pope  Eugenius  III,  at  the 
request  of  St.  Bernard,  granted  an  in- 
dulgence of  three  thousand  years  to  all 
who  with  contrite  heart  recite  the  Lord's 
prayer  and  the  Hail  Mary  three  times  in 
honor  of  the  wound  in  the  shoulder  of 
our  Blessed  Redeemer? 

This  is  a  spurious  indulgence,  one  that  has 
been  specifically  rejected  during  the  last  centuries, 
but  which  in  some  way  or  other  is  still  being 
published.  This  so-called  indulgence  was  again 
condemned  by  a  Decree  of  the  Congregation  of 
Indulgences  of  May  26,  1898  (Acta  S.  Sed. 
XXXI,  727  sqq.). 

In  general,  we  may  remember  that  all  indul- 
gences of  a  thousand  or  several  thousand  years 
are  either  false  or  have  been  revoked,  so  that  they 
no  longer  hold  good.  We  are  also  to  look  with 
suspicion  upon  indulgences  granted  for  an  un- 
usual number  of  days  or  years.  Some  numbers 
and  periods  of  time  at  once  strike  us  as  out  of 
the  ordinary. 

I  often  say  the  Litany  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  found  in  all  prayer-books.  This 
litany  is,  of  course,  approved  and  indul- 
genced  (300  days,  every  time).  In  saying 
this  litany  I  always  add  the  invocation: 
41  Queen  of  love,  pray  for  us."  Am  I  doing 
wrong  ? 

There  is  nothing  wrong  about  it,  though  it 
might  be  better  to  add  your  private  prayers  after 
the  officially  approved  prayers.  In  reply  to  the 
question  put  to  the  Sacred  Penitentiary  Apos- 
tolic:  Whether  the  words  of  Canon  934,  n.  2,  of 


INDULGENCES  165 


the  Code  of  Canon  Law,  indulgences  (annexed  to 
prayers)  entirely  cease  because  of  any  addition, 
subtraction,  or  interpolation  whatsoever,  are  to  be 
understood  rigorously  of  any  kind  of  additions, 
subtractions,  or  interpolations  or  rather  of  those 
only  which  alter  the  substance  of  the  prayers, 
the  Sacred  Penintentiary  replied,  on  Nov.  26, 
1934,  that  those  words  of  Canon  Law  are  not  to 
be  understood  rigorously  of  any  additions,  sub- 
tractions, or  interpolations  whatsoever,  but 
rather  only  of  those  which  alter  the  substance  of 
the  prayers. 

I  have  been  told  by  a  friend  that  I  can- 
not gain  a  plenary  indulgence  unless  I 
go  to  a  church  and  make  a  perfect  visit. 
What  he  means  by  a  perfect  visit  is  that, 
if  while  I  am  praying,  even  though  I  have 
my  mind  on  the  Lord  and  the  saints,  I 
happen  to  think  of  something  else  just 
for  a  moment,  I  do  not  gain  the  plenary 
indulgence.     Is  that  true? 

There  are  some  plenary  indulgences  that  can 
be  gained  without  a  visit  to  a  church.  One  must 
always  attend  carefully  to  the  conditions  pre- 
scribed for  gaining  a  certain  plenary  indulgence. 
Those  conditions  must  be  fulfilled  just  as  pre- 
scribed. 

For  many  plenary  indulgences  the  reception  of 
the  Sacraments,  a  visit  to  a  church,  and  prayers 
for  the  intentions  of  the  Holy  Father  are  pre- 
scribed. It  is  in  regard  to  the  way  in  which  you 
say  these  prayers  that  you  are  in  doubt.  Must 
they  be  just  perfect,  without  the  least  little  dis- 
traction? That  were  impossible.  For  who  can 
say  a  number  of  Our  Fathers,  Hail  Marys,  and 
Glorys  without  the  least  involuntary  distraction? 

Hence,  we  must  say  that  prayer  is  the  lifting 
up  of  the  mind  and  heart  to  God.  It  is  vocal  or 
mental,  words  being  used  in  the  former,  the  mind 


2.66  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

in  the  latter.  Essentially  prayer  consists  of  two 
things:  the  intention,  or  will,  to  pray  and  due 
attention.  When  it  is  a  case  of  vocal  prayer,  this 
attention  may  be  directed  (a)  either  to  the  mere 
correct  pronunciation  of  the  words,  or  (b)  to  the 
meaning  of  the  words,  or  (c)  to  the  object  of  the 
prayer,  namely,  to  God  or  to  the  thing  prayed 
for.  Each  one  of  these  three  modes  of  attention 
is  sufficient  for  good  prayer. 

When  it  is  said  that  devout  prayer  is  necessary 
for  the  gaining  of  an  indulgence,  it  is  not  meant 
that  any  new  or  special  obligation  is  thereby 
imposed.  All  that  is  required  is  that  one  pray 
with  the  above-mentioned  intention  and  atten- 
tion, in  other  words,  that  one  pray  from  the 
heart  and  try  to  avoid  distracting  thoughts. 

So  your  friend  is  not  at  all  right  when  he  so 
positively  assures  you  that  you  may  pray  all 
your  life  long  thinking  that  you  are  gaining  in- 
dulgences and  you  do  not  gain  a  single  one.  He 
still  has  to  learn  sentire  cum  Ecclesia — to  think 
with  the  Church. 

You  also  wish  to  know  whether  the  same 
holds  good  with  respect  to  partial  indulgences. 
(A  partial  indulgence  is  the  remission  in  part  of 
the  temporal  punishments  due  to  our  sins.  A 
plenary  indulgence  is  the  full  remission  of  the 
temporal  punishments  due  to  our  sins.)     It  does. 

In  conclusion  we  wish  to  make  these  important 
remarks  as  to  whether  one  may  use  either  mental 
or  vocal  prayer  in  the  matter  of  gaining  in- 
dulgences. Canon  934,  1,  states:  "If  prayer  in 
general  for  the  intention  of  the  Supreme  Pontiff 
is  required,  mental  prayer  only  does  not  suffice.'* 
In  this  case  vocal  prayer  is  clearly  required,  at 
least  in  part,  that  is,  the  words  must  be  uttered 
exteriorly,  though  they  need  not  be  audible, — 
one  need  not  even  hear  oneself. 

A  very  generous  concession  was  made  by  the 
Office    of    Indulgences   of   the   Sacred    Apostolic 


INDULGENCES  167 


Penitentiary  (reply  of  Dec.  7,  1933)  to  the  effect 
that  the  indulgences  attached  to  the  recitation  of 
invocations  and  of  so-called  ejaculatory  prayers 
may  be  gained  by  all  the  faithful,  even  when  only 
repeated  mentally,  provided  the  other  conditions 
are  fulfilled. 

What  is  the  requirement  of  the  Church 
as  regards  the  gaining  of  the  Plenary  In- 
dulgences on  All  Souls'  Day  in  reference 
to  the  making  of  visits  to  a  church?  In 
making  a  succession  of  visits  is  it  required 
to  go  off  the  church  grounds,  or  is  it  suf- 
ficient to  go  down  the  steps  that  are 
usually  in  front  of  the  church,  or  is  it 
enough  to  go  just  outside  of  the  door  and 
then  turn  round  and  go  back  for  another 
visit? 

The  requirement,  as  regards  the  visit,  is  that 
you  step  out  of  the  church  and  then  enter  it 
again.  You  need  not  leave  the  church  grounds 
and  you  need  not  descend  the  steps.  It  is 
sufficient  to  step  outside  the  door.  If  you  then 
turn  round  and  go  in  again  you  make  another 
visit. 

The  visit  to  the  church  should  be  made  from 
motives  of  faith  and  to  render  due  homage  to 
God.  You  should  have  the  intention  of  honoring 
either  God  Himself  or  God  in  His  saints.  When 
other  conditions  are  prescribed  (on  All  Souls' 
Day  Confession,  Communion,  and  prayer  for  the 
Holy  Father's  intentions)  they  must  be  complied 
with. 

The  above  also  holds  good,  for  instance,  for  the 
Portiuncula  Indulgence,  in  churches  where  it 
can  be  gained. 

Must  the  brown  scapular  of  Mount 
Carmel  be  blessed? 

The  scapular  with  which  one  is  enrolled  must 
be  blessed.    Also  the  first  scapular  you  wear  must 


2.68  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

be  blessed.  When  you  replace  that  first  scapular 
by  others  they  need  not  be  blessed,  though,  of 
course,  they  may  be.  A  scapular  medal,  however, 
worn  by  those  who,  having  been  properly  en- 
rolled with  the  cloth  scapular,  wish  to  wear  a 
medal  instead,  must  be  blessed  by  a  priest  having 
the  faculty  to  enroll  you  in  the  confraternity  of 
the  scapular.  And  each  time  you  get  a  new 
medal  it  must  be  blessed,  if  you  wish  to  partici- 
pate in  the  benefits  of  the  confraternity. 

Does  it  make  any  difference  regarding 
the  indulgences  whether  a  scapular  be 
worn  round  the  neck  or  pinned  onto  the 
clothing  ? 

A  scapular  is  really  a  habit  of  a  religious  order, 
in  diminutive  form.  Therefore,  as  to  the  mode  of 
wearing  it,  one  piece  of  cloth  must  hang  from  the 
shoulders  on  the  back  and  one  in  front.  How- 
ever, it  is  not  necessary  that  the  scapular  should 
touch  the  body;  it  may  be  worn  over  other 
garments.  It  would  not  do  to  pin  both  pieces  of 
cloth  on  your  breast,  as  you  would  a  Sacred 
Heart  badge,  for  instance.  But  a  scapular  medal 
may  be  pinned  onto  the  clothing;  it  need  not  be 
worn  around  the  neck. 

Kindly  mention  what  indulgences  are 
attached  to  a  rosary  enriched  with  the 
following  blessings:  Brigittine,  Crosier, 
Dominican,  and  Papal. 

We  reply  to  this  question  with  the  utmost 
brevity,  giving  the  chief  and  more  general 
partial  indulgences  only.  Space  forbids  us  to 
enter  into  detail.  Moreover,  it  is  quite  unneces- 
sary to  do  so.  The  pious  mind  would  soon  be 
weakened,  we  fear,  were  it  to  attempt  to  add  up 
all  the  indulgences  gained.  WTe  accordingly  re- 
peat that  a  specific  knowledge  of  the  indulgences 
is  not  necessary  for  their  acquisition.  Make  the 
intention,  each  morning,  for  instance,  to  gain  all 


INDULGENCES  2.69 


that  you  can,  and  you  will  gain  them,  all  other 
conditions  being  fulfilled.  But,  to  show  what  a 
treasure  a  rosary  enriched  with  the  four  greatest 
rosary  blessings  really  is,  we  will  mention  the 
chief   partial   indulgences   attached   thereto. 

1.  Brigittine:  One  hundred  days  for  every 
Our  Father,  Hail  Mary,  and  Glory  be  to  the  Father, 
when  saying  the  rosary.  Not  only  the  special 
Brigittine  rosary  of  six  decades,  but  also  the 
ordinary  rosary  of  five  or  fifteen  decades  can  be 
enriched  with  this  indulgence. 

2.  Crosier:  Five  hundred  days  for  every  Oar 
Father  and  Bail  Mary,  when  holding  the  beads 
in  your  hand.  One  need  not  be  saying  the  rosary 
nor  meditating  on  its  mysteries. 

3.  Dominican:  One  hundred  days  for  every 
Our  Father  and  Hail  Mary,  when  reciting  the 
rosary  with  meditation  on  the  mysteries,  provided 
one  says  at  least  five  decades  on  the  same  day, 
even  though  they  be  disjointed. 

4.  Papal:  One  hundred  days  for  each  recita- 
tion, if  it  is  said  at  least  once  a  week. 

We  add  that  in  1907  the  extraordinary  privilege 
was  granted  that  both  Dominican  and  Crosier 
indulgences  can  be  gained  at  one  and  the  same 
recitation  of  a  rosary  which  has  these  two  preci- 
ous blessings. 

Is  it  allowed  to  buy  or  sell  blessed 
articles  such  as  rosaries,  medals,  etc.  ? 

To  sell  an  object  for  a  greater  price,  on  account 
of  the  blessing  or  consecration  attached  to  it, 
for  instance,  to  sell  rosaries  or  medals  above 
their  material  value,  simple  because  they  are 
indulgenced,  is  simony.  And  simony,  which,  as 
St.  Thomas  defines  it,  is  a  deliberate  intention 
to  buy  or  sell  something  spiritual  or  annexed  to 
something  spiritual,  is  a  sin  against  the  First 
Commandment.  But  it  would  not  be  simony  to 
sell  a  rosary  already  blessed,  at  its  material  worth, 
though  the  indulgences  are  lost  by  so  doing. 


2.7c  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Are  all  indulgences  applicable  to  the 
Souls  in  Purgatory? 

Yes;  unless  otherwise  stated  in  the  decree 
whereby  the  Roman  Pontiff  grants  them.  Need- 
less to  say,  the  intention  of  applying  them  to  the 
Poor  Souls  is  also  necessary.  When  we  thus 
gain  indulgences  for  the  Souls  in  Purgatory,  we 
beg  of  God  to  apply  those  indulgences  to  them  if 
He  sees  fit. 

We  may  add  that  those  who  have  made  the 
Heroic  Act  in  Favor  of  the  Holy  Souls  in  Pur- 
gatory have  a  special  privilege  here.  All  in- 
dulgences granted  or  to  be  granted,  even  though 
not  applicable  to  the  dead,  gained  by  the  faith- 
ful who  have  made  this  offering,  may  be  applied 
to  the  Holy  Souls  in  Purgatory. 

Has  the  Jubilee  Indulgence  the  same 
effect  as  Baptism,  provided  the  person 
who  intends  to  gain  it  has  the  proper  dis- 
position? 

You  mean  "provided  the  person  gains  it." 
No;  it  has  not  the  same  effect  as  Baptism.  An 
indulgence  is  not  a  remission  of  sins,  whereas  in 
Baptism  all  sins  are  actually  remitted,  blotted 
out  forever. 

What  you  are  thinking  of  is  that  the  Jubilee 
Indulgence  is  something  extraordinary.  So  it  is, 
to  a  certain  extent.  We  cannot  better  enlighten 
you,  however,  than  by  quoting  Father  E.  J. 
Mahoney,  D.  D.,  writing  in  the  Homiletic  and 
Pastoral  Review  on  the  Holy  Year  of  Jubilee. 

".  .  .  An  indulgence  is  a  remission  not  of 
sin,  but  of  the  temporal  punishment  which  re- 
mains due  after  the  guilt  has  been  forgiven.  We 
cannot  enter  now  on  the  doctrine  of  indulgences. 
The  doctrine  is  based  on  the  fact  that  all  the 
faithful  are  bound  together  as  one  body  in  Christ; 
He  is  the  Head,  we  are  the  members;  He  is  the 
Vine,     we     are     the     branches.      Through     this 


INDULGENCES  171 


mystical  union,  the  merits  of  Christ  and  the 
saints  are  applied  to  our  souls;  and  the  Church, 
the  dispenser  of  the  mysteries  of  God,  uses  the 
power  of  binding  and  loosing  by  applying  these 
merits  to  us,  authoritatively  remitting  the  punish- 
ment due  to  our  sins.  The  Jubilee  indulgence 
is  a  plenary  one  entailing  a  full,  not  merely  a 
partial  remission  of  the  punishment  due  to  for- 
given  sin. 

"To  any  Catholic  the  meaning  of  indulgences 
is  quite  familiar,  but  to  most  of  us  a  certain 
difficulty  will  arise  with  regard  to  the  Jubilee 
remission.  Why,  you  will  ask,  all  this  unusual 
commotion  and  ceremony  over  the  indulgence 
of  the  holy  year,  since  a  plenary  indulgence  can 
be  gained  practically  at  any  time  and  on  far  less 
arduous  conditions?  The  answer  is  simple.  The 
doctrine  is  clear  and  positive,  and  it  is  the  in- 
tention of  the  Church  in  the  grant  of  all  plenary 
indulgences,  that  the  penitent  should  obtain  full 
remission  of  punishment.  But  it  is  extremely 
uncertain,  and  a  matter  of  speculation  to  what 
extent  the  individual  actually  benefits.  In  the 
first  place  the  indulgence  is  only  absolutely 
plenary  when  a  person  is  contrite  for  all  the  sins 
he  has  committed.  In  the  second  place — and 
far  more  to  our  present  question — every  indul- 
gence depends  on  definite  conditions  being  ob- 
served; these  conditions  are  always  human 
actions,  such  as  prayers  or  the  reception  of  the 
sacraments,  which  can  be  performed  with  more 
or  less  fervor  and  with  varying  degrees  of  per- 
fection; the  way  in  which  these  conditions  are 
observed  must  evidently  have  a  great  deal  to  do 
with  gaining  the  favor  promised  on  their  observ- 
ance. So  the  average  Catholic  is  content  to  gain 
indulgences  to  the  extent  intended  by  the  Church 
in  the  divine  plan  of  our  salvation,  and  he  knows 
that  if  his  fulfillment   of  the  conditions   is  not 


171  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

sufficiently  fervent,  he  will  benefit  according  to 
his  dispositions. 

"The  ordinary  plenary  indulgence  may  perhaps 
be  gained  by  comparatively  few  people,  owing 
to  the  imperfection  of  their  dispositions,  but  on 
the  unique  occasion  of  the  Jubilee  conditions  are 
imposed,  which  are  sufficiently  penitential  in 
character  to  bring  the  full  effect  of  the  remission 
within  the  reach  of  the  majority  of  the  faithful 
who  will  fulfill  them.  .  .  ." 

I  was  told  that  if  there  is  a  bead  missing 
from  an  indulgenced  rosary  the  indul- 
gences are  gone.     Is  that  true? 

You  were  wrongly  informed.  The  indulgences 
do  not  cease  even  if  a  few  beads,  say  four  or  five, 
are  entirely  lost,  since  the  rosary  remains  morally 
the  same;  and  these  beads  may  be  replaced  by 
others,  the  rosary  nevertheless  retaining  its  in- 
dulgences and  not  requiring  a  new  blessing. 
Similarly  the  beads  may  be  put  on  a  new  chain 
without  prejudice  to  the  indulgences. 

I  have  heard  that  now  we  know  what 
indulgences  can  be  gained  for  making  the 
Way  of  the  Cross.  Will  you  please  en- 
lighten me? 

Heretofore  it  was  neither  permissible  nor 
possible  to  give  the  number  of  indulgences  at- 
tached to  this  pious  practice,  because  certain 
authentic  documents  had  perished.  But  the 
matter  is  clarified  now.  By  a  decree  of  October 
2,  1931,  of  the  Sacred  Apostolic  Penitentiary 
(Office  of  Indulgences)  the  Sovereign  Pontiff, 
exercising  his  supreme  authority,  abrogated  each 
and  eve  y  indulgence  granted  up  to  that  day  for 
the  pious  practice  of  the  Way  of  the  Cross  and 
replaced  them  by  the  following  concessions: 

The  faithful  who,  individually  or  in  group, 
and  at  least  with  contrite  heart,  perform,  accord- 
ing  to  the  instructions  laid  down  by  the  Holy 


INDULGENCES 


173 


See,  the  Way  of  the  Cross,  provided  it  has  been 
lawfully  erected,  may  gain:  (a)  one  plenary 
indulgence  each  time;  (b)  another  plenary  in- 
dulgence if  they  have  received  Holy  Communion 
on  the  very  day  on  which  they  make  the  Way  of 
the  Cross,  or  if  they  have  received  it  in  the  month 
after  performing  the  exercise  ten  times;  (c)  a 
partial  indulgence  of  ten  years  for  each  station, 
if  after  having  begun  the  Way  of  the  Cross, 
they  are,  for  some  reason,  unable  to  continue 
to  the  end. 

The  indulgences  may  be  gained  by  those  also 
who  cannot  visit  a  place  where  the  Stations  are 
erected,  if  they  say  twenty  Our  Fathers,  Hail 
Marys,  and  Glorys  while  holding  in  their  hands  a 
crucifix  especially  blessed  to  that  effect  (Decree 
of  August  8,  September  16,  1859,  and  of  March 
25,  1931);  in  such  a  way,  however,  that,  whoever, 
for  some  reasonable  motive,  cannot  recite  all 
the  (twenty)  Our  Fathers,  Hail  Marys  and  Glory 
be  to  the  Fathers  prescribed,  shall  gain,  instead 
of  the  plenary  indulgence,  a  partial  indulgence  of 
ten  years  for  each  Our  Father,  Hail  Mary 
and  Glory  be  to  the  Father  he  recites. 
Nevertheless,  they  who,  because  of  the  gravity 
of  their  illness,  can  only  kiss  or  even  only  gaze  at 
their  crucifix,  without  any  ejaculatory  prayer, 
are  not  excluded  from  the  gaining  of  the  plenary 
indulgence. 

So  now  the  matter  is  quite  clear.  The  old 
indulgences,  whatever  they  may  have  been,  are 
entirely  abrogated.  The  above-mentioned  in- 
dulgences can  be  gained,  if  the  prescribed  con- 
ditions are  fulfilled. 

Some  difficulties  regarding  these  indulgences 
are  now  solved  as  follows  (Cf.  The  Ecclesiastical 
Review  for  March,  1932):  1.  It  is  now  certain 
that  those  who  repeat  this  devotion  on  one  and 
the  same  day  gain  the  plenary  indulgence  men- 
tioned in  the  first  section  each  time.    2.    To  gain 


174  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

the  plenary  indulgence  mentioned  in  the  second 
section  (as  also  the  one  mentioned  in  the  first) 
neither  a  special  visit  to  a  church  nor  a  special 
prayer  according  to  the  intention  of  the  Pope  is 
required.  3.  One  who  for  a  reasonable  cause 
does  not  complete  the  devotion  gains  the  partial 
indulgence  mentioned  for  every  station  made. 
but  one  who  interrupts  the  Way  of  the  Cross 
but  later  continues  and  completes  it,  need  not 
begin  the  stations  afresh  to  gain  the  plenary  in- 
dulgence, but  may  continue  where  interrupted, 
provided  the  break  was  only  for  a  short  time, 
e.  g.,  to  hear  Mass,  receive  Communion,  go  to 
confession  (former  decision,  which  still  holds 
good).  4.  Those  who  lawfully  make  use  of  the 
two  concessions  previously  made  in  favor  of  the 
sick  and  certain  other  persons  gain,  not  the  in- 
dulgences formerly  attached  to  the  Way  of  the 
Cross,  but  those  granted  by  the  new  decree  (meant 
are  those  who  cannot  make  the  stations  in  the 
usual  way  and  who,  holding  a  specially  blessed 
crucifix,  say  twenty  Our  Fathers,  Hail  Marys 
and  Glorys — and  those  too  sick  to  say  even  these 
prayers).  5.  In  virtue  of  the  concession  of 
March  25,  1931,  in  favor  of  those  who  are  so 
sick  that  they  cannot  recite  the  twenty  Our 
Fathers,  Hail  Marys,  and  Glorys  without  grave 
inconvenience  or  difficulty,  those  thus  sick  can 
gain  all  the  indulgences  of  the  Way  of  the  Cross, 
if  they  kiss  or  even  gaze  upon  a  crucifix  enriched 
with  the  blessings  of  the  Stations  of  the  Cross 
and  which  is  offered  them  by  a  priest  or  other 
person,  provided  they  add  a  prayer  or  short 
ejaculation  in  honor  of  the  passion  and  death  of 
Christ.  This  new  decree  allows  even  greater 
relaxation  of  the  latter  condition.  The  in- 
dulgences of  the  Way  of  the  Cross  may  be  gained 
by  those  who  are  so  weak  that  they  cannot 
recite  even  an  ejaculatory  prayer,  provided  they 


INDULGENCES  2.75 


kiss  or  at  least  gaze  upon  a  crucifix  that  is  enriched 
with  the  blessing  of  the  Way  of  the  Cross. 

Thus  also  the  very  sick  can  more  easily  gain 
these  rich  treasures  of  indulgences. 

What  is  the  Crosier  Rosary  Indulgence? 

It  is  an  indulgence  of  five  hundred  days  for 
each  Our  Father  and  Hail  Mary  that  are  counted 
on  the  rosary.  The  ordinary  rosary  is  meant; 
but  it  must  be  enriched  with  this  most  precious 
indulgence  by  one  having  the  special  faculty  to 
do  so.  To  gain  these  indulgences  it  is  not  required 
that  one  say  the  whole  rosary  or  have  the  inten- 
tion of  doing  so;  it  is  not  required  that  one 
meditate  on  the  mysteries;  it  is  not  required  that 
the  rosary  be  said  as  is  usually  done.  All  that 
is  required  is  that  Our  Fathers  and  Hail  Marys 
are  recited  and  counted  on  the  rosary  held  in  the 
hand.  Of  course,  these  indulgences  are  also  gained 
when  a  part  or  the  whole  of  the  rosary  is  said  in 
the  ordinary  way,  in  which  case,  if  duly  blessed, 
both  the  Crosier  and  the  Dominican  indulgence 
can  be  gained  for  one  and  the  same  recitation. 
(Dominican  indulgences:  100  days  for  each  Our 
Father  and  Hail  Mary,  and  five  years  and  five 
quarantines  for  the  five  decades  said  privately, 
and,  if  said  in  common,  ten  years  and  ten  quaran- 
tines additional  to  be  gained  once  a  day.  Greater 
still  can  be  gained  if  said  by  members  of  the 
rosary  confraternity.) 

Can  I  gain  a  plenary  indulgence  more 
than  once  a  day  for  reciting  the  rosary 
before  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  if  I  fulfill 
the  requisite  conditions? 

Yes;  this  is  h  plenary  toties-quoties  indulgence 
and  can  be  gained  as  often  as  the  rosary  is  there 
recited.  The  "Collection  of  Prayers  and  Good 
Works"  states:  "To  those  who  recite  a  third 
part  of  the  rosary  (five  decades)  before  the  Most 
Holy  Eucharist  publicly  exposed  or  even  reserved 


i76  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

in  the  tabernacle,  as  often  as  they  do  so:  Plenary 
indulgence,  if  they  have  also  confessed  and  ap- 
proached the  Holy  Table." 

We  may  note  (1)  that  those  who  confess  at 
least  twice  a  month  or  who  are  daily  communi- 
cants fulfil  the  condition  of  confession  here 
mentioned  (Communion  must,  it  seems,  be  re- 
ceived each  day  you  wish  to  gain  the  indulgences), 
and  (2)  that  the  decades  may  be  separated,  pro- 
vided the  chaplet  of  five  decades  be  recited  within 
the  same  day. 

How  often  can  I  gain  the  indulgence 
attached  to  the  prayer  "My  Lord  and  my 
God,"  when  looking  upon  the  Sacred 
Host? 

This  is  a  very  precious  ejaculatory  prayer. 
It  is  highly  indulgenced.  The  faithful  who  with 
faith  and  loving  devotion,  at  the  time  when  the 
Sacred  Host  is  elevated  at  Mass,  or  when  it  is 
solemnly  exposed,  e.  g.,  at  Benediction,  during 
the  Forty  Hours'  Adoration,  recite  the  ejacula- 
tion, "My  Lord  and  my  God!"  can  gain  an  in- 
dulgence of  seven  years.  This  partial  indulgence 
can  be  gained  each  time  they  say  the  prayer  under 
the  circumstances  mentioned. 

A  plenary  indulgence  under  the  conditions  of 
confession,  Communion,  and  prayer  for  the  Pope's 
intentions  can  be  gained  once  a  week  if  the 
above-mentioned  practice  had  been  adhered  to 
every  day. 

It  is  to  be  noted  that,  as  can  be  seen  from  the 
above  revised  explanation,  nothing  is  said  about 
looking  upon  the  Host  while  saying  the  prayer. 
This  change  appears  in  the  new  official  Raccolta, 
issued  by  the  Holy  See  on  Dec.  31,  1937. 

Can  anybody  gain  the  plenary  indul- 
gence on  All  Souls'  Day  by  visiting  the 
chapel  in  a  Sisters'  convent,  or  even  the 


INDULGENCES  2.77 


chapel  in  the  house  of  the  Sisters  teaching 
at  the  parish  school? 

Not  anybody;  but  the  Sisters  themselves  can 
certainly  gain  it  by  visiting  their  chapel,  even  if 
it  is  only  a  little  chapel  in  the  Sisters'  house; 
and  it  does  not  matter  how  near  the  church  may 
be  to  the  convent.  The  concession  states  that 
the  plenary  indulgence  is  granted  to  the  faithful 
each  time  they  visit  any  church,  public  oratory 
or  (for  those  who  have  a  right  to  use  it)  semi- 
public  oratory,  on  the  second  of  November  for 
the  purpose  of  helping  the  faithful  departed.  So 
we  may  say  that  anybody  who  has  the  right  to 
use  the  Sisters'  chapel,  which  is  a  semi-public 
oratory,  can  gain  the  indulgence  there,  under 
the  prescribed  conditions  of  confession,  Com- 
munion, and  six  Our  Fathers,  Hail  Marys,  and 
Glorys.  To  repeat,  in  semi-public  oratories  only 
the  inmates  of  the  institution  (and  those  who 
stay  there  at  least  overnight)  can  gain  the  in- 
dulgence. (See  "The  Pastoral  Companion," 
page  132.) 

As  regards  other  indulgences,  it  is  sufficient 
to  note  that,  according  to  Canon  929,  the  faith- 
ful of  either  sex,  who,  either  for  the  sake  of  re- 
ligious perfection,  or  study  and  education,  or 
for  the  sake  of  health,  lead  a  community  life  in 
houses  established  with  the  consent  of  the  Ordi- 
nary of  the  diocese,  and  all  other  persons  living 
there  to  do  service,  can  gain  the  indulgences  for 
which  the  visit  to  some  church  or  public  oratory 
in  general  is  required  by  visiting  the  chapel  in 
the  house,  where  they  can  by  law  satisfy  their 
obligation  of  hearing  Mass  on  Sundays  and 
holydays  of  obligation,  if  this  house  has  no  public 
oratory  or  church  attached.  If  a  special  church 
is  designated,  the  visit  must  be  made  in  the 
specified  church,  unless  by  a  special  concession 
an  exception  has  been  made  or  the  confessor  has 
dispensed  according  to  Canon  935. 


178  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

An  indulgence  is  not  a  remission  of 
sins  but  of  the  temporal  punishment  due 
to  them.  If  one  dies  in  mortal  sin  he  goes 
to  hell.  If  one  dies  in  venial  sin  he  goes 
to  purgatory.  When  and  how  will  his 
venial  sins  be  forgiven  then?  They  must 
be  forgiven  somehow,  it  seems,  before  the 
temporal  punishment  due  to  these  for- 
given sins  can  be  remitted. 

Just  as  soon  as  the  soul  of  the  just  is  freed  from 
the  body,  it  is  drawn  towards  God  by  a  most 
vehement  love,  thus  all  the  inordinate  affections 
it  may  have  are  straightway  extinguished.  There- 
fore all  venial  sins  are  instantaneously  forgiven, 
but  in  such  a  manner  that  the  soul  must  still 
suffer  the  punishment  due  to  them.  This  is  quite 
evident;  for  if  God  can  forgive  venial  sins  with- 
out any  act  on  the  part  of  man,  how  much  more 
can  He  do  so  for  a  soul  that  is  thus  drawn  towards 
Him.  St.  Thomas  says:  "Venial  sins  are  forgiven 
them  also  after  this  life  in  the  same  way,  as  re- 
gards guilt,  as  they  are  forgiven  in  this  life, 
namely,  through  an  act  of  the  love  of  God  in- 
consistent with  the  venial  sins  committed  in  this 
life.  Nevertheless,  because  after  this  life  there 
is  no  condition  of  merit,  that  movement  of  love 
in  them  does  indeed  remove  the  impediment  of 
venial  fault,  but  does  not  merit  absolution  or 
diminution  of  the  culpability  as  in  this  life.'* 
(Cf.  Hurter,  Twelfth  Edition.  Varia  de  pur- 
gatorio.     Vol.  Ill,  n.  672,  9.) 

Is  one  plenary  indulgence,  gained  by 
me  and  applied  to  a  soul  in  purgatory , 
sufficient  to  release  that  soul  from  pur- 
gatory ? 

First  of  all  we  wish  again  to  define  an  in- 
dulgence. It  is  not  the  forgiveness  of  sin,  but 
the  remission  of  the  temporal  punishment  we 
have  to  suffer  for  our  sins  that  are  already  for- 


INDULGENCES  179 


given;  it  is  a  remission  granted  us  on  account 
of  the  penitential  works  of  the  Savior  and  the 
saints.  Indulgences  are  plenary  and  partial. 
When  we  gain  a  plenary  indulgence  the  Church 
gives  us  as  much  of  the  satisfactory  works  of 
Christ  and  the  saints  as  is  sufficient  fully  to 
satisfy  God  for  all  our  sins;  when  we  gain  a 
partial  indulgence  she  gives  us  as  much  as  will 
satisfy  God  for  our  sins  in  part.  Thus,  for  ex- 
ample, an  indulgence  of  three  hundred  days  will 
give  to  God  the  same  satisfaction  for  our  sins  as 
three  hundred  days  of  those  severe  penances 
would  have  done  that  used  to  be  imposed  upon 
sinners  in  the  early  ages  of  the  Church. 

Accordingly,  a  man  who  dies  at  the  moment 
when  he  fully  gains  a  plenary  indulgence  goes 
directly  to  heaven.  If  nothing  to  the  contrary 
is  stated  in  the  decree  that  grants  an  indulgence, 
all  indulgences  can  be  applied  to  the  suffering 
souls  in  purgatory.  We  may  apply  them  either 
to  all  the  poor  souls  in  general  or  to  any  soul  or 
souls  in  particular.  But — and  now  we  are  getting 
to  the  direct  answer  to  your  question — though 
it  is  sure  that  the  punishment  for  our  sins  is 
lessened  or  entirely  taken  away  if  we  gain  in- 
dulgences for  ourselves,  it  may  not  be  so  sure  as 
regards  indulgences  for  the  poor  souls;  for  the 
Church  has  no  longer  that  power  over  those 
souls  which  she  has  over  us.  But  it  is  the  teaching 
of  the  Church  that  the  indulgences  we  offer  for  them 
will  also  help  them.  We  know  that  assisting  the 
poor  souls  is  one  of  the  greatest  acts  of  charity. 
Performing  it,  we  have  nothing  to  lose  and  every- 
thing to  gain.  Be  zealous  always  in  the  gaining 
of  indulgences. 

Can  one  who  has  made  the  Heroic  Act 
in  favor  of  the  poor  souls  gain  for  himself 
the  plenary  indulgence  which  Holy  Mother 
Church  grants  to  the  faithful  at  the  hour 


2.8o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

of  death  or  does  this  also  go  to  the  poor 
souls,  even  though  this  is  an  indulgence 
which  cannot  ordinarily  be  applied  to 
the  dead? 

This  cannot  be  definitely  answered  but  must  be 
left  to  Divine  Providence.  The  Sacred  Congre- 
gation of  Indulgences,  asked  about  this,  declined 
to  give  a  decision  (Jan.  23,  1901). 

What  is  really  necessary  in  the  way  of 
the  cross,  as  regards  construction,  in 
order  that  the  indulgences  may  be  gained  ? 

Fourteen  crosses  (not  crucifixes)  of  wood  are 
necessary.  To  these  alone  the  indulgences  are 
attached.  The  pictures  or  representations  are 
not  necessary  for  the  gaining  of  the  indulgences; 
but  they  are  customary  and  very  helpful  in  medi- 
tating on  the  passion  and  hence  should  not  be 
dispensed  wTith  except  for  serious  reasons.  The 
crosses  may  be  on  the  picture  (on  the  frame) 
or  on  the  wall.  It  is  perhaps  better  to  put  them 
above  the  pictures.  If  the  blessed  crosses  are  all 
or  more  than  half  broken  or  taken  away,  either 
at  one  time  or  gradually,  the  stations  must  be 
newly  erected,  otherwise  the  indulgences  are  not 
gained.  But  if  not  more  than  six  are  broken  or 
taken  away,  they  may  be  replaced  by  others, 
without  loss  of  indulgences  and  without  a  new 
erection.     (Cf.  Beringer,  Vol.  1,  1922  Ed.) 

What  indulgences  can  be  gained  for 
visits  to  the  Blessed  Sacrament? 

"All  the  faithful,  who  are  at  least  contrite  of 
heart,  may  gain  an  indulgence  of  10  years  every 
time  they  pay  a  visit  to  the  Blessed  Sacrament  and 
recite  the  Our  Father,  Hail  Mary  and  Glory  be  to 
the  Father  five  times  and  add  one  Our  Father, 
Hail  Mary  and  Glory  be  to  the  Father  for  the 
intention  of  the  Holy  Father.  Furthermore,  a 
plenary  indulgence  can  be  gained  once   a  week 


INDULGENCES  181 


by  those  who  are  truly  penitent  and  have  received 
the  Sacraments  of  Confession  and  Communion 
and  have  visited  the  Blessed  Sacrament  daily 
throughout  the  week  and  said  the  prayers 
mentioned  above."     (Pius  XI,  June  3,  1932.) 

Will  you  please  tell  me  all  about  in- 
dulgences? 

It  would  take  whole  volumes  to  tell  you  all 
about  indulgences.  But  what  you  perhaps  want 
is  a  brief  summary  of  the  doctrine  of  indulgences. 
We  will  present  that  according  to  The  Catholic 
Catechism  (English  translation  published  by  P.  J. 
Kenedy  Bnd  Sons,  New  York): 

When  absolution  has  been  given  and  the 
penance  performed  the  whole  debt  of  temporal 
punishment  for  sin  is  not  always  paid;  but  it 
may  be  paid  by  other  voluntary  penances, 
especially  by  gaining  Indulgences. 

By  an  Indulgence  we  mean  the  remission  by 
God  of  the  temporal  punishment  due  to  sins 
whose  guilt  has  already  been  forgiven;  such 
remission  the  Church  grants  apart  from  the 
Sacrament   of   Penance. 

The  Church  by  means  of  Indulgences  remits 
the  temporal  punishment  due  to  sin  by  applying 
to  the  living,  by  way  of  absolution,  and  to  the 
dead,  by  way  of  suffrage,  the  infinite  satisfaction 
paid  by  Jesus  Christ  as  well  as  the  super-abun- 
dant satisfaction  wrought  by  the  Blessed  Virgin 
Mary  and  the  Saints;  these  constitute  the 
spiritual  treasury  of  the  Church. 

The  Roman  Pontiff  can  grant  Indulgences, 
since  to  him  was  committed  by  Christ  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  entire  spiritual  treasury  of 
the  Church ;  others,  too — for  example  the  Bishops 
— have  this  power  conceded  to  them  either  by 
the  Roman  Pontiff  or  by  Canon  Law. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  Indulgences:  (1) 
plenary,   whereby  the  entire   debt   of  temporal 


2.82.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

punishment  is  remitted;  (2)  partial,  whereby  a 
portion  only  of  the  debt  is  remitted. 

A  Plenary  Indulgence  is  said  to  be  granted  in 
the  sense  that  if  a  person  cannot  gain  it  in  full  or 
plenary  fashion,  he  can  yet  gain  it  partially, 
according  to  his  dispositions. 

The  conditions  for  gaining  an  Indulgence  are: 
(1)  the  person  must  be  baptized  and  not  ex- 
communicated; (2)  he  must  have  at  least  the 
general  intention  of  gaining  Indulgences;  (3) 
he  must  duly  perform  the  good  works  demanded; 
(4)  he  must  be  in  a  state  of  grace,  at  least  when 
he  finishes  the  works  prescribed,  and — if  it  is  a 
question  of  gaining  a  Plenary  Indulgence — he 
must  not  have  his  affections  set  on  any  venial  sin. 

Unless  the  contrary  is  stated  we  can  apply  the 
Indulgences  we  gain  to  the  souls  detained  in 
Purgatory  when  such  Indulgences  have  been 
granted  by  the  Roman  Pontiff;  but  no  In- 
dulgences can  be  applied  by  us  to  other  people 
still  living. 

Does  a  plenary  indulgence,  when  ap- 
plied to  a  soul  in  purgatory,  have  the 
same  efficacy  for  that  soul  as  a  plenary 
indulgence  has  for  a  living  person,  e.  g., 
when  one  gains  a  plenary  indulgence  for 
oneself,  that  is,  does  it  in  both  cases 
mean  the  complete  remission  of  the 
temporal  punishment  due  to  sin? 

We  may  believe  that  it  does  have  the  same 
efficacy.  However,  we  add  the  following  ex- 
planation. To  the  living  an  indulgence  is  granted 
by  way  of  absolution,  but  to  the  dead  by  way  of 
suffrage,  or  supplication;  for  the  living  are  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  Pope  and  he  can,  therefore, 
in  virtue  of  the  power  of  the  keys,  absolve  them 
from  temporal  punishment,  paying  their  debt  by 
drawing  from  the  spiritual  treasury  of  the  Church. 
Hence   an   indulgence   granted   to   the   living   is 


INDULGENCES 


essentially  an  absolution  to  which  is  annexed  pay- 
ment from  the  spiritual  treasury  of  the  Church. 
But  the  dead  are  not  the  Pope's  subjects;  and 
hence  he  can  apply  indulgences  to  them  only 
inasmuch  as  he  offers  to  God  the  satisfactions  of 
Christ  and  the  saints  and  begs  and  confidently 
hopes  that  God  in  His  mercy  and  liberality  will 
kindly  accept  them.  Thus  an  indulgence  granted 
to  the  dead  is  essentially  a  payment  made  by 
offering  to  God  the  price  of  their  debts. 

The  following  illustration,  used  in  substance 
by  some  theologians,  may  serve  as  an  explana- 
tion. Suppose  that  the  Governor  of  the  State 
of  Wisconsin  wished  to  pardon  two  brothers, 
both  his  subjects,  both  imprisoned  for  the  mis- 
appropriation of  entrusted  funds,  but  one  legally 
detained  in  his  own  state  and  the  other  in  the 
Federal  District,  Washington.  If  the  former  re- 
paired by  himself  or  through  others  all  the  in- 
justice done  by  both,  the  Governor  of  his  state 
has  the  best  of  right  to  pardon  him;  but  the  case 
is  different  with  the  latter  culprit,  over  whom 
the  President  of  the  United  States  has  jurisdic- 
tion. What  can  be  done?  The  Governor  can 
petition  the  President  to  free  him,  and,  offering 
satisfaction  for  his  subject's  indebtedness,  he 
can  try  to  obtain  by  supplication  what  he  cannot 
do  by  his  own  authority. 

As  regards  the  efficacy  of  indulgences  applied 
to  the  poor  souls,  the  eminent  theologian  Suarez, 
appealing  to  the  authority  of  the  greatest  and 
most  ancient  princes  of  science,  does  not  hesitate 
to  affirm:  "I  believe  that  this  satisfaction  of  the 
living  for  the  dead  is  a  matter  of  simple  justice, 
and  that  it  is  infallibly  accepted  with  its  full 
value,  and  according  to  the  intention  of  him 
who  applies  it.  Thus,  for  instance,  if  the  satis- 
faction I  make  would,  if  kept  for  myself,  avail 
me  in  strict  justice  for  the  remission  of  four 
degrees   of  purgatory,   it   will   remit  exactly   the 


2.84  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

same  amount  to  the  soul  for  whom  I  choose  to 
offer  it"  (De  Suffrages,  Sectio  VI).  Elsewhere 
he  again  says  that  an  indulgence  ceded  to  the 
dead  loses  nothing  either  of  the  security  or  of  the 
value  it  would  have  had  for  ourselves  who  are 
still  militant. 

Must  a  dying  person  be  conscious  of 
the  fact  that  he  is  holding  a  crucifix  with 
a  plenary  indulgence  attached  to  it? 

One  plenary  indulgence  which  can  be  gained 
at  the  point  of  death  is  that  attached  to  the 
ritual  Apostolic  Blessing.  Canon  Law  (Canon 
468,  n.  2)  gives  to  the  pastor  or  to  any  other 
priest  who  assists  the  sick  the  faculty  of  impart- 
ing the  apostolic  benediction  with  plenary  in- 
dulgence at  the  point  of  death,  according  to  the 
form  given  in  approved  liturgical  books,  which 
benediction  he  should  not  omit. 

To  gain  this  indulgence  the  dying  person  must 
renew  his  sorrow  for  sin  and  fervent  love  of  God; 
and  especially  he  must  accept  death  from  the 
hands  of  God  with  resignation  and  in  conformity 
with  the  divine  pleasure,  invoking  the  holy  name 
of  Jesus  at  least  in  his  heart,  if  unable  to  do  so 
with  his  lips.  This  indulgence  is  not  suspended 
in  the  year  of  Jubilee.  It  is  usually  conferred 
after  the  Sacrament  of  Penance,  Holy  Eucharist, 
and  Extreme  Unction,  to  those  who  ask  or  would 
ask  for  it  if  they  could,  or  who  show  signs  of  con- 
trition, and  should  be  imparted  to  such  even 
if  they  have  lost  consciousness  or  the  use  of 
speech.  The  priest  always  gives  this  precious 
blessing  to  the  dying,  unless  they  are  excom- 
municated, impenitent,  or  dying  in  manifest 
mortal  sin.  It  is  not  necessary  to  have  or  to 
hold  a  crucifix  for  this  indulgence  when  imparted 
by  the  priest. 

This  indulgence,  imparted  in  solemn  form  by 
priests  who  attend  sick  persons  on  their  death- 


INDULGENCES  2.85 


bed  can  also  be  gained  at  the  hour  of  death  even 
if  there  is  no  priest  present  by  those  who  have  an 
article  enriched  with  the  Papal  indulgences,  be 
it  a  cross,  medal,  rosary,  or  statue,  near  their 
person.  They  need  not  be  holding  it  in  the  hand 
at  all.  The  conditions  are  that  with  at  least  a 
contrite  heart  they  be  resigned  to  God's  holy 
will  and  piously  pronounce  with  the  lips,  or  if 
that  is  not  possible,  at  least  in  the  heart,  the  holy 
name  of  Jesus.  There  is  no  priest  nor  anything 
else  needed  to  obtain  this  indulgence.  Hence 
one  should  never  fail  to  pronounce  the  holy 
name  of  Jesus  over  and  over  again  to  the  dying, 
even  if  they  are  seemingly  unconscious.  They 
may  hear  it  still  and  repeat  it  in  their  hearts, 
as  we  should  ask  them  to  do. 

From  this  you  may  gather  that  the  dying 
person  need  not  be  conscious  that  he  is  holding  a 
crucifix  enriched  with  the  Papal  indulgences, 
since  he  need  not  hold  it  at  all.  It  should  at 
least  be  near  him. 

In  connection  with  the  above  we  may  add  that 
to  the  faithful  who,  at  any  time  during  life, 
with  true  love  of  God,  having  fulfilled  the  usual 
conditions  (confession,  Communion,  visit  to  a 
church,  and  prayer  for  the  Pope's  intentions), 
express  the  purpose  of  accepting  from  the  hand  of 
God  willingly  and  cheerfully  whatever  kind  of 
death  it  may  please  Him  to  send,  with  all  its 
anguish,  sorrow  and  pain,  is  given  a  plenary  in- 
dulgence to  be  gained  at  the  moment  of  death. 
(S.  C.  Indulg.,  March  9,  1904.)  Do  this  and  have 
that  precious  indulgence  in  reserve,  so  to  speak 


PERTAINING  TO  MARRIAGE 

Ours  was  a  Catholic  marriage — my  hus- 
band was  a  Catholic  also,  and  we  were 
married  in  church,  but  in  the  afternoon. 
So  I  did  not  get  the  nuptial  blessing. 
Can  I  get  it  now?  We  have  been  married 
several  years. 

Yes;  you  may  still  receive  the  nuptial  blessing. 
It  is  very  praiseworthy  and  much  to  be  recom- 
mended that  you  do,  although  the  Church  does 
not  make  this  a  strict  obligation.  How  im- 
portant the  Church  considers  this  blessing  can 
be  seen  from  Canon  1101  of  Church  law,  where 
it  is  stated  that  this  blessing  may  be  imparted 
to  a  couple  that  never  received  it,  no  matter 
how  long  the  parties  have  lived  in  the  married 
state.  But  in  such  a  case  the  couple  should  re- 
member that  this  has  nothing  to  do  with  the 
validity  of  their  marriage  and  they  need  not 
renew  their  marital  consent.  Hence,  the  question, 
"Wilt  thou  take  .  .  ."  etc.,  and  the  "I  unite 
you,"  etc.,  must  be  omitted  by  the  priest. 

Three  other  points  are  to  be  noted  as  regards 
the  giving  of  this  blessing  to  a  couple  already 
married.  1.  This  blessing  may  not  be  bestowed 
upon  such  a  couple  during  the  forbidden  seasons 
of  Advent  and  Lent.  2.  The  blessing  may  be 
given  only  during  Mass  (except  by  virtue  of  a 
special  indult),  with  both  parties  present.  3.  It 
may  be  imparted  only  by  the  priest  or  his  dele- 
gate who  is  validly  and  licitly  authorized  to  as- 
sist at  the  marriage — also  when  the  blessing  is  to 
be  imparted  to  a  couple  already  married. 

When  the  parties  receive  this  blessing  after 
their  marriage  (even  several  years  after),  the 
priest  may  say  the  Nuptial  Mass  in  their  pres- 
ence, which  enjoys  the  same  privileges  as  on  the 

z86 


MARRIAGE  2.87 


day  of  their  marriage.  You  will  find  how  beau- 
tiful and  appropriate  the  Nuptial  Mass  is  if  you 
read  through  the  various  proper  parts  in  your 
English  missal.  After  the  "Pater  Noster"  the 
priest  stands  at  the  Epistle  corner  of  the  altar 
and,  turning  towards  the  kneeling  couple,  says 
over  them  the    Nuptial  Blessing  as  follows: 

"Let  us  pray 
"Favorably  attend  to  our  supplications,  O 
Lord,  and  graciously  favor  Thy  institution,  by 
which  Thou  hast  provided  for  the  propagation 
of  mankind;  that  what  is  joined  together  by 
Thy  authority,  may  be  preserved  by  Thy  help. 
Through  our  Lord  .  .  .  Amen. 

"Let  us  pray 

"O  God,  Who  by  Thy  mighty  power  hast  made 
all  things  out  of  nothing;  Who,  in  the  begin- 
ning, having  set  up  the  world,  didst  bestow  on 
man,  whom  Thou  hadst  created  in  Thine  own 
likeness,  the  inseparable  help  of  woman,  fashion- 
ing her  body  from  his  very  flesh,  and  thereby 
teaching  us  that  it  is  never  lawful  to  put  asunder 
what  it  has  pleased  Thee  to  make  of  one  sub- 
stance; O  God,  Who  hast  consecrated  the  bond 
of  matrimony  by  a  surpassing  mystery,  since  in 
the  nuptial  contract  Thou  didst  foreshow  the 
union  of  Christ  with  the  Church;  O  God,  by 
Whom  woman  is  joined  to  man,  and  that  alliance 
which  Thou  didst  ordain  from  the  beginning  is 
endowed  with  a  blessing,  which  alone  was  not 
taken  away,  either  in  punishment  of  original 
sin  or  by  the  sentence  of  the  flood,  look  down  in 
mercy  upon  this  Thy  handmaid  who,  being 
about  to  enter  upon  wedded  life,  seeks  to  be 
strengthened  by  Thy  protection;  may  the  yoke 
she  has  to  bear  be  one  of  love  and  peace;  true 
and  chaste  may  she  marry  in  Christ,  and  be  a  fol- 
lower of  holy  women;  may  she  be  pleasing  to 
her  husband  like  Rachel;   prudent  like  Rebecca; 


2.88  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLTCS  ANSWERED 

long-lived  and  faithful  like  Sara;  may  the  author 
of  sin  have  no  share  in  any  of  her  actions;  may 
she  remain  firmly  attached  to  the  faith  and  the 
commandments,  and  being  joined  to  one  in  wed- 
lock, may  she  fly  all  unlawful  addresses;  may 
she  fortify  her  weakness  by  strong  discipline; 
may  she  be  respected  for  her  seriousness  and 
venerated  for  her  modesty;  may  she  be  well 
versed  in  heavenly  lore;  may  she  be  fruitful  in 
offspring.  May  her  life  be  pure  and  blameless; 
and  may  she  attain  to  the  rest  of  the  blessed  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  May  they  both  see  their 
children's  children  even  to  the  third  and  fourth 
generation  and  arrive  at  a  happy  old  age;  through 
our  Lord  .  .  .  Amen." 

Near  the  end  of  the  Mass,  before  he  blesses 
the  people,  the  priest  turns  to  the  couple  and 
blesses  them  in  particular,  saying: 

"May  the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac, 
and  the  God  of  Jacob  be  with  you,  and  may  He 
fulfil  His  blessing  in  you;  that  you  may  see 
your  children's  children  even  to  the  third  and 
fourth  generation,  and  thereafter  without  end 
have  life  everlasting  by  the  help  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  Who,  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  liveth  and  reigneth  God  for  ever  and 
ever.    Amen." 

The  priest  then  sprinkles  them  with  holy 
water  and  gives  the  usual  blessing  of  the  Mass. 

If  the  Catholic  Church  is  against  di- 
vorce, and  she  is,  what  remedy  can  she 
suggest  in  the  case  where  after  marriage 
a  couple  are  found  to  be  ill-matched  and 
living  an  unharmonious  life? 

Christ  raised  the  marriage  contract  to  the 
dignity,  and  gave  it  the  efficacy,  of  a  Sacrament. 
It  is  only  under  the  dominion  of  grace  that  the 
beautiful  ideal,  the  true  Christian  conception  of 
marriage,  can  be  realized.    It  is  the  supernatural 


MARRIAGE  189 


element  that  solves  all  those  problems  (or  rather 
leaves  none  to  be  solved)  that  agitate  the  un- 
believer in  his  practical  study  of  human  nature. 
Fixing  his  gaze  exclusively  on  human  nature 
with  all  its  imperfections,  he  considers  a  uni- 
versal law  of  permanence  for  the  marriage  bond 
an  unnatural  and  rigorous  condition  under  which 
to  live,  and  regards  it  as  the  source  of  so  many 
evils  that  the  possible  enacting  of  it  cannot  be 
worthy  of  the  Divine  Wisdom.  He  forgets  that 
it  is  precisely  Divine  Wisdom  that  has  supplied 
a  remedy  for  human  imperfections  by  a  special 
sanctification  of  matrimony.  He  knows  nothing 
of  sacramental  grace. 

But  how  about  those  who  know  nothing  of 
Sacraments  or  their  effects?  Are  such,  when 
conjugal  happiness  ceases,  to  remain  the  victims 
of  an  unnatural  union?  True,  the  fullest  measure 
of  grace  is  given  to  those  within  the  pale  of  the 
Church.  But  the  divine  aid  is  always  at  hand 
to  assist  the  wedded  in  overcoming  the  difficulties 
of  married  life;  and  to  those  who  live  according 
to  their  lights  and  observe  the  natural  law, 
which  is  written  in  every  human  heart,  grace  is 
given  in  exceptional  abundance.  Not  even  for 
anyone  outside  the  Church  is  there  any  excuse 
for  breaking  the  marriage  bond. 

And  yet  the  cry  comes:  Is  there  no  means  of 
escape  from  their  unhappy  lot  when  some  are 
the  innocent  victims  of  an  unnatural  or  an  un- 
happy marriage?  We  answer  that  both  divine 
and  human  law  provide  for  separation,  without 
divorce,  in  cases  where  exceptional  suffering, 
guiltily  inflicted,  is  endured  by  either  of  the 
parties  at  the  hands  of  the  other.  This  should 
be  a  satisfactory  solution  of  the  difficulty  to  all 
right-minded  persons.  It  secures  the  happiness 
of  the  innocent  party  and  is  no  injustice  to  the 
guilty.  The  Catholic  Church  forbids  divorce, 
strictly  so-called  in  all  cases,  when   both   parties 


i9o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

are  baptized  and  have  lived  together  as  husband 
and  wife. 

A  is  in  love  with  B,  a  Protestant  girl,  and 
expects  to  marry  her.  She  will  not  give 
up  her  religion.  Having  been  going  with 
her  for  two  years,  he  has  gradually  drifted 
away  from  his  own  religion  (Catholic), 
much  to  the  distress  and  sorrow  of  his 
family.  They  have  done  everything  in 
their  power  to  persuade  him  not  to  take 
such  a  dangerous  step,  but  he  will  not 
heed.  What  would  you  advise  them  to 
do  or  say  to  him? 

It  is  probably  too  late  to  do  anything  now. 
Such  friendship  should  be  nipped  in  the  bud, 
utterly  discouraged  and  forbidden  from  the  first, 
before  the  two  are  head  over  heels  in  what 
they  call  love  and  before  (as  in  this  case)  faith, 
already  weak  enough  perhaps,  has  become  still 
weaker  by  association  with  a  determined  non- 
Catholic. 

It  seems  that  the  best  thing  in  the  case  is  to 
try  to  have  them  at  least  get  married  before  a 
priest,  in  a  mixed  marriage.  That  would  neces- 
sitate the  girl's  coming  to  instructions  for  a  cer- 
tain number  of  times  and  her  signing  of  the  re- 
quisite promises  as  regards  the  children,  etc.  But 
even  then,  from  the  state  of  the  question,  we  see 
more  misery  than  anything  else  ahead  for  the 
couple  so  married.  We  cannot  help  our  pes- 
simism.    Experience  teaches. 

What  is  a  companionate  marriage,  of 
which  one  sometimes  reads? 

A  companionate  marriage  may  be  defined  as 
an  agreement  to  live  together  as  man  and  wife 
for  a  time;  and,  if  the  arrangement  proves 
satisfactory,  the  illicit  union  is  to  be  followed 
by  formal  marriage.  If  unsatisfactory  to  one  or 
both  parties,  they  simply  go  their  own  way  and 


MARRIAGE  r9i 


form  a  more  agreeable  union  if  they  can  find 
fellows  in  folly,  which  is  easy  enough  these  days. 
A  companionate  marriage  is,  therefore,  no  real 
marriage  at  all,  but  just  a  modern  way  of  trying 
to  make  shameful  living  together  in  grievous  sin 
respectable.  The  devil,  always  active,  seems  to 
be  unusually  active  and  successful  in  these  days. 
We  must  all  condemn  such  practices.  They  tend 
to  the  demoralization  and  destruction  of  the 
home,  the  state,  and  of  all  Christian  society. 

Can  a  Catholic  party  marry  a  non- 
Catholic  party  who  has  been  divorced  and 
still  remain  a  Catholic? 

We  give  but  a  general  answer.  A  Catholic 
can  licitly  and  validly  marry  a  divorced  non- 
Catholic  only  if  (1)  the  divorced  partner  no 
longer  lives  or  it  can  be  proven  beyond  a  doubt 
that  the  marriage  was  for  some  reason  invalid, 
and  if  (2),  the  necessary  instructions  having  been 
given,  the  promises  made,  and  the  dispensations 
obtained,  they  are  duly  married  before  a  priest. 
The  Catholic  partner  of  such  a  mixed  marriage 
would  still  be  a  Catholic.  But  how  long?  Not 
very  long,  we  sadly  fear.  Would  to  God  that  our 
Catholic  young  people  could  realize,  without 
first  getting  the  personal  experience  of  ruined, 
unhappy,  miserable  lives,  the  evils  of  mixed 
marriages!  Of  all  the  blind  folly,  this  is  the 
blindest. 

If  a  Catholic  girl  marries  an  unbaptized 
man  before  a  priest  in  a  parish  rectory,  a 
dispensation  for  the  impediment  of  dis- 
parity of  worship  having  been  obtained, 
and  has  a  Catholic  girl  and  an  unbaptized 
man  for  witnesses,  is  the  marriage  recog- 
nized as  valid  by  the  Catholic  Church? 

This  question  has  reference  to  the  witnesses 
in  their  relation  to  the  validity  of  marriage. 
In  addition  to  the  proper  priest  two  witnesses 


2.91  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

are  required  for  a  valid  marriage  where  at  least 
one  party  is  a  Catholic.  Anyone  who  is  able  to 
testify  concerning  the  act  accomplished  may  be 
a  witness.  Hence  it  makes  no  difference  as  re- 
gards the  validity  of  the  marriage  whether  the 
witnesses  are  male  or  female,  Christians  or  in- 
fidels, relatives  or  strangers,  whether  they  have 
reached  the  age  of  puberty  or  not,  if  only  they 
have  the  use  of  reason  and  can  testify  concerning 
the  marriage  contracted.  However,  though  non- 
Catholic  witnesses  do  not  make  the  marriage 
invalid,  it  is  not  allowed  to  use  them  where 
Catholics  can  be  had,  unless  serious  inconvenience 
would  result  from  a  refusal  to  admit  them. 

The  marriage  mentioned  in  your  question  was 
accordingly  valid  as  far  as  the  witnesses  were 
concerned.  Moreover,  it  having  been  performed 
in  a  rectory,  no  additional  scandal  was  given  by 
the  presence  of  a  non-Catholic  as  witness. 

I  have  heard  that  a  divorced  person 
cannot  be  married  in  the  Catholic  Church. 
But  I  know  of  a  woman  who  married  a 
divorced  man.  The  priest  got  a  dispen- 
sation from  the  Bishop  and  married  them. 
The  man's  first  wife  is  still  living.  This 
first  wife  was  a  Protestant  woman  and 
they  were  married  by  a  Protestant  minis- 
ter about  ten  years  ago.  He  was  a  Catholic. 
Shall  I  tell  this  second  wife  to  leave  him 
because  she  is  living  in  sin,  her  marriage 
being  null  and  void? 

You  may  do  nothing  of  the  kind!  Here  is  an 
example  of  how  much  harm  can  be  done  by 
interference  in  matters  that  do  not  concern  you. 
What  a  blunder  you  would  make  were  you  to  tell 
that  lady  to  leave  her  husband  because  they  are 
not  validly  married!  The  fact  is,  their  marriage 
is  valid, — a  thing  that  you  ought  not  for  a  moment 
to  doubt  when  you  know  they  were  married  by  a 


MARRIAGE  2.93 


priest.  You  may  always  be  sure  that  the  priest 
knows  what  he  is  about. 

How  is  it  to  be  explained?  You  say  that  he 
was  a  Catholic  and  she  a  Protestant  and  they 
were  married  by  a  Protestant  minister.  But  a 
Catholic  cannot  now  be  validly  married  except 
before  a  priest.  Hence  that  marriage  was  null 
and  void  before  the  Church,  though  legally 
recognized  as  valid  by  the  state.  Then  those 
two  got  a  divorce:  their  legal  marriage  was 
legally  dissolved  by  the  state  and  ceased  to  exist. 
So  the  man,  never  married  before  the  Church, 
ceased  also  to  be  married  before  the  state.  He 
was  legally  free  to  marry  (again).  In  the  eyes  of 
the  Church  he  was  not  a  divorced  man,  having 
never  been  really  married.  So  when  you  read 
that  a  Catholic  cannot  marry  a  divorced  person, 
always  make  the  proper  distinctions.  When  it 
comes  to  contracting  another  marriage  there  is 
a  great  difference,  for  a  Catholic,  between  an 
actual  divorce  and  a  seeming  divorce.  Consul- 
tation is  important. 

You  say  the  priest  got  a  dispensation  from  the 
Bishop  and  then  married  them.  He  did  not  get 
a  dispensation  properly  so  called.  He  ascertained 
the  facts  of  the  case,  saw  that  the  former  mar- 
riage had  doubtless  been  null  and  void  and  that 
a  legal  divorce  had  fortunately  made  the  man  free, 
and  then  prudently  referred  the  case  to  the 
Bishop  and  the  matrimonial  court  of  the  diocese. 
The  case  was  then  carefully  examined  by  experts 
who  verified  the  facts,  found  that  the  man  was 
free  to  marry,  and  gave  a  declaration  of  nullity 
regarding  the  first  marriage.  The  priest  having 
given  due  attention  to  the  avoidance  or  the 
reparation  of  scandal,  was  then  free  to  officiate 
at  the  marriage  ceremony,  there  being  no  ob- 
stacles in  the  way. 

It  was  a  good  Catholic  marriage,  albeit  after  a 
sad  lapse  on  the  part  of  one.     But  God  is  good; 


2.94  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

He  forgives  and  forgets  if  we  turn  to  Him  in  true 
sorrow  and  repentance. 

So  let's  remember  that  babbling  is  bad  enough, 
but  meddling  is  often  worse. 

A  Catholic  friend  of  mine  goes  with  a 
Protestant  divorced  woman  whose  Protes- 
tant husband  is  still  living.  Will  he  under 
any  conditions  be  allowed  to  marry  her  in 
the  Catholic  Church?  Will  he  still  be  a 
Catholic  if  he  marries  her  outside  the 
Catholic  Church? 

The  Catholic  Church  does  not  acknowledge 
such  a  thing  as  divorce.  Hence  this  question 
naturally  resolves  itself  into  that  diriment 
(diriment — making  null  and  void)  impediment 
known  as  the  bond  of  previous  marriage.  Hence 
we  need  only  say  that  as  long  as  the  bond  of  a 
previous  marriage,  even  though  not  consum- 
mated, persists,  the  contracting  parties  can  not 
validly  conclude  a  second  marriage.  This  im- 
pediment is  based  on  the  unity  and  the  indis- 
solubility of  marriage,  both  of  which  are  of  divine 
right. 

As  regards  the  second  part  of  your  question, 
we  regret  to  give  the  following  answer:  Yes; 
he  will  still  be  a  Catholic  and  one  of  the  worst 
kind  imaginable:  a  f alien-away  Catholic!  Not 
only  will  he  get  a  woman  to  live  with  (not  a 
wife)  but  in  all  probability  eternal  hell  fire  be- 
sides. These  endless  queries  about  Catholics 
marrying  married  ("divorced")  persons  positively 
sicken  us.  We  would  suggest  that  all  such  persons 
call  at  the  houses  of  suffering  and  the  homes  of 
the  dying  or  that  they  visit  the  abodes  of  the 
dead,  e.  g.,  the  morgue,  the  graveyard;  and  then 
let  them  ask  themselves  why  it  is,  after  all,  that 
people  make  such  a  fuss  about  living  this  life 
in  sin.  The  only  true  life  is  a  holy  preparation 
for  the  everlasting  life  to  come.  But  talking  is 
of  no  use  where  faith  is  dead  and  gone! 


MARRIAGE 


-95 


Can  a  Catholic  girl  marry  a  man  who  is 
a  non-Catholic  and  is  divorced,  providing 
he  joins  the  Catholic  Church?  And  can 
a  Catholic  man  that  married  a  non- 
Catholic  girl  and  is  now  divorced  from 
her  go  back  to  his  Church  and  marry  a 
Catholic  girl?  I  know  several  people  that 
have  married  in  cases  such  as  this;  and 
still  they  say  they  are  doing  the  right 
thing  according  to  the  laws  of  the  Church. 

It  is  impossible  to  answer  these  questions 
categorically  with  a  "Yes"  or  "No".  You  are 
well  aware  that  the  Catholic  Church  does  not 
acknowledge  divorce,  strictly  so  called.  If  the 
couples  mentioned  above  as  divorced  were  validly 
married,  they  are  married  until  death  do  them 
part;  and  even  if  the  civil  law  grants  them  a 
divorce,  the  one  cannot,  in  the  eyes  of  the  Church, 
enter  validly  into  a  second  marriage  during  the 
lifetime  of  the  other. 

But  this  is  all  on  the  supposition  that  the  mar- 
riages were  valid.  On  that  supposition  the 
answer  to  the  above  two  questions  would  simply 
be  "No!" 

However,  for  one  or  more  of  a  variety  of 
reasons  (impediments,  etc.),  the  marriages  above 
alluded  to  may  have  been  invalid,  no  real  mar- 
riages at  all,  at  least  not  in  the  eyes  of  the  Church. 
Then,  of  course,  the  divorce  obtained  just  legally 
places  them  where  they  ought  to  be — apart — and 
makes  them  what  they  really  are — free.  In  that 
case,  being  free  to  marry  they  may  seek  a  Catholic 
marriage.  If  all  is  well  and  there  is  nothing 
else  in  the  way  and  the  necessary  steps  have  been 
taken  (all  of  which  the  priest  who  witnesses  their 
marriage  will  duly  attend  to  beforehand),  they 
can  be  married  in  the  Catholic  Church. 

So  it  is  quite  possible  that  the  people  you  refer 
to  are  doing  the  right  thing  according  to  the  laws 


t96  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

of  the  Church.     Certainly  everything  is  in  order 
if  they  were  married  by  a  priest. 

They  are  a  Catholic  couple,  married  in 
the  Catholic  Church.  But  the  husband 
has  repeatedly  deserted  her,  obliging  her 
to  work  for  the  support  of  the  children. 
At  times  he  returns  and  causes  trouble 
in  the  home,  etc.,  etc.  The  wife  feels 
it  is  impossible  (also  for  moral  reasons) 
to  live  with  him  again.  May  she  secure  a 
divorce  ? 

She  may  not  secure  a  divorce  strictly  so  called. 
Before  God  two  who  are  validly  married  are 
married  until  death  separates  them.  In  case 
they  should  separate  neither  may  marry  again 
during  the  lifetime  of  the  other. 

We  must  now  speak  of  this  separation  of  the 
body,  or  separation  from  bed  and  board,  as  it  is 
sometimes  called.  Canon  Law  says  that  there  is 
a  grave  obligation  for  the  married  to  live  together, 
unless  for  a  legitimate  cause.  When  it  has  be- 
come impossible  to  live  together,  as  in  the  case 
in  question,  the  parties,  who  may  be  tempted  to 
apply  for  a  divorce,  should  remember  that  mere 
separation  can  give  them,  from  the  civil  point  of 
view,  the  same  advantages,  while  at  the  same 
time  it  safeguards  the  demands  of  Catholic 
teaching. 

The  chief  cause  of  perpetual  separation  results 
from  the  adultery  of  one  of  the  parties.  After 
the  separation  because  of  adultery,  the  innocent 
party  is  not  bound  ever  (but  has  the  right)  to 
take  back  the  guilty  party  and  resume  their 
common  life. 

There  are  other  causes  of  separation  which  per- 
mit the  injured  party  to  have  recourse  to  the 
Ordinary  (Bishop)  to  obtain  a  separation  or  even 
to  leave  the  offending  party  by  his  or  her  own 
authority,  if  the  reasons  are  evident  and  there  is 


MARRIAGE  2.97 


danger  in  waiting  for  a  decision  from  the  Ordi- 
nary. The  Code  of  Canon  Law  mentions  the  fol- 
lowing. We  give  it  concisely.  1.  Affiliation  of 
the  other  party  with  a  non-Catholic  sect.  2. 
Criminal  and  shameful  conduct,  such  as  habitual 
drunkenness,  adulterous  actions,  theft.  3.  Edu- 
cation of  children  in  schism  or  heresy.  4.  Grave 
peril  of  soul  or  body.  5.  Harsh  treatment  that 
makes  the  common  life  too  difficult,  such  as  hard 
work,  continual  bickering,  compelling  the  inno- 
cent party  to  remain  shut  up  in  the  house,  re- 
fusing to  furnish  the  necessaries  of  life,  etc.,  etc. 
But  in  all  these  five  cases  the  separation  is  only 
temporary  and  must  cease  with  the  cause  which 
justifies  it,  unless  the  separation  has  been  pro- 
nounced by  the  ecclesiastical  judge.  In  that  case 
the  innocent  party  cannot  be  compelled  to  resume 
the  common  life  except  by  a  decision  of  the 
Ordinary,  or  by  the  expiration  of  the  time  that 
was  specified  for  the  separation. 

However,  we  wish  strongly  to  emphasize  that 
the  proper  method  of  procedure  is  for  the  married 
in  question  to  state  their  grievances  to  their  pas- 
tor. If  the  subject  of  disagreement  is  an  adultery 
that  is  certain,  the  pastor  can  declare  that  there 
is  a  cause  for  separation.  If  another  motive  is 
in  question  the  matter  should  be  submitted  to  the 
Ordinary,  unless  there  be  grave  danger  in  await- 
ing his  decision. 

Since,  in  our  country,  the  decision  of  the  Ordi- 
nary has  no  effects  in  the  civil  forum,  the  Church 
permits  the  securing  of  a  separation  from  the 
civil  courts,  when  there  are  serious  causes  for  it 
and  the  judgment  allows  only  a  separation 
properly  so  called. 

But  in  this  matter  we  should  always  urge 
charity,  patience,  forgiveness  whenever  possible, 
and  more  strongly  still  if  there  are  children.  If 
there  are  children,  in  case  of  separation,  their 
education    must    be   entrusted   to   the    innocent 


2.98  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

party,  or  to  the  Catholic  party  if  the  other  party 
is  not  a  Catholic.  The  Ordinary,  however,  may 
impose  another  solution,  if  the  welfare  of  the 
children  demands  it,  provided  that  it  safeguards 
the  education  of  the  children. 

Why  does  the  Church  object  to  mixed 
marriages  ? 

The  Church  does  not  merely  object  to  them; 
she  strictly  forbids  her  children  to  marry  one  who 
is  not  of  the  true  faith.  When  she  almost  must, 
she  sometimes  gives  a  dispensation,  under  certain 
strict  conditions,  trying  to  save  what  may  be 
saved. 

It  is  easy  to  understand  the  attitude  taken  by 
Mother  Church  in  this  matter.  How  can  a  Cath- 
olic live  with  a  non-Catholic  in  that  perfect  unity 
required  for  a  happy  marriage?  "How  shall  two 
dwell  together  except  they  be  agreed?"  True  of 
natural  things,  this  is  still  more  true  of  the  super- 
natural. Unless  both  have  the  same  faith,  there 
is  little  hope  of  unity;  for  nq^n^_u^ites_and 
nothing  djyides^so  much  asfdoes  religion.  Cath- 
olic marriages  are  sometimes  unhappy,  but  mixed 
marriages  are  almost  invariably  so.  As  the  years 
pass  the  gap  between  the  two  widens  rather  than 
lessens.  Religious  unity  is  more  necessary  than 
anything  else  in  the  married  state;  the  upbring- 
ing of  the  children  and  the  unity  of  the  family 
depend  upon  it.  The  Church  realizes  this  well 
and  therefore  looks  askance  upon  a  union  between 
those  who  are  divided  in  the  most  essential  thing 
of  all. 

Catholics  who  marry  non-Catholics  prepare  for 
themselves  dreary,  heartbreaking  periods  of  lone- 
liness. They  must  keep  all  the  joys  of  their  re- 
ligion to  themselves.  To  a  certain  extent  they 
cannot  move  freely  in  Catholic  circles.  New  trials 
and  miseries  come  with  the  coming  of  children. 
They,  too,  are  divided. 


MARRIAGE  z99 


But  it  is  not  only  religion  that  divides  the  minds 
and  hearts  of  the  parties  to  a  mixed  marriage. 
The  very  nature  and  meaning  of  marriage  is  a 
subject  for  disagreement.  To  the  Catholic  mar- 
riage is  a  Sacrament;  to  the  non-Catholic  it  is 
merely  a  civil  contract.  To  the  Catholic  it  is  a 
union  that  can  be  broken  by  death  alone;  to  the 
non-Catholic  it  can  be  dissolved  by  the  simple  act 
of  the  divorce  court.  To  the  Catholic  the  primary 
object  of  marriage  is  to  bring  children  into  the 
world,  and  the  unlawful  frustration  of  this  pur- 
pose is  grievously  sinful;  to  the  non-Catholic 
what  we  know  to  be  sinful  birth  control  is  simply 
an  indifferent  matter  of  choice  and  circumstances. 
One  wants  children  and  the  other  does  not;  and 
bitterness,  misunderstandings,  quarrels  without 
end  are  the  result.  And  the  pangs  of  a  tortured 
conscience  add  to  the  complicated  misery  of  this 
little  hell  upon  earth. 

No  wonder  Holy  Church  forbids  mixed  mar- 
riages; and  when  she  must  witness  them  does  so 
in  mourning,  as  it  were,  without  even  a  blessing. 
We  think  that  for  a  Catholic  to  contract  a  mixed 
marriage  is  an  act  of  consummate  folly. 

A  Protestant  girl  who  is  a  very  dear 
friend  of  mine  expects  to  be  married  soon 
and  has  asked  me  to  be  her  bridesmaid. 
The  wedding  will  take  place  at  the  bride's 
home.  Would  I  be  committing  a  sin  if 
I  acted  as  her  bridesmaid,  as  I  would  not 
have  to  enter  the  church? 

Your  question  shows  that  you  have  the  proper 
Catholic  consciousness,  the  feeling  that  you 
should  have  nothing  to  do  with  what  concerns 
the  Protestant  religion.  This  is  very  praise- 
worthy. In  our  day  and  country  (when,  for  in- 
stance, the  radio  brings  non-Catholic  preachers 
even  into  our  very  homes)  we  Catholics  cannot 
be    too    careful    in    preserving    untarnished    the 


3oo  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

purity  and  freshness  of  our  faith.  There  is 
constant  danger  of  that  fatal  broadmindedness 
which  would  make  one  religion  as  good  as  another. 

Holy  Mother  Church  is  very  solicitous  in  this 
regard.  In  Canon  1258  we  read,  "It  is  unlawful 
for  Catholics  to  assist  actively  in  any  way  at,  or 
to  take  part  in,  the  religious  services  of  non- 
Catholics.  A  passive  or  merely  material  presence 
may  be  tolerated,  for  reasons  of  civil  duty  or 
honor,  at  funerals,  weddings,  and  similar  celebra- 
tions, provided  no  danger  of  perversion  or  scandal 
arises  from  this  assistance.  In  doubtful  cases  the 
reason  for  assisting  must  be  grave,  and  recognized 
as  such  by  the  bishop." 

From  this  law  of  the  Church  it  can  be  seen 
that  a  passive  or  merely  material  presence  may  be 
tolerated  on  certain  occasions.  One  such  occasion 
is  the  case  in  question.  Provided  there  be  no 
danger  of  scandal  or  perversion,  you  would  not 
be  committing  any  sin  by  acting  as  your  friend's 
bridesmaid.  This  would  be  true  even  if  the  wed- 
ding were  held  in  church.  However,  the  fact  that 
the  wedding  is  to  take  place  at  the  bride's  home 
is  an  extenuating  circumstance. 

Accordingly,  with  the  modifications  mentioned 
above,  it  is  no  sin.  But  Holy  Church,  even  while 
tolerating  it,  frowns  upon  all  such  participation, 
and  so  do  we.  Catholics  should  be  so  trained 
as  to  feel  uneasy  and  unhappy  at  anything  like 
a  Protestant  service  and  hence  never  participate 
in  it. 

We  believe  that  this  breaking  down  of  barriers, 
this  ultrabroadmindedness,  this  meeting  each 
other  half  way,  is  the  cause  of  many  of  our  mixed 
marriages  with  their  attendant  train  of  miseries 
and  defections  from  the  true  Church.  This  is 
one  way  of  explaining  our  lamentable  "leakage," 
which  is  perhaps  greater  than  our  gains. 

Is  birth  control  a  mortal  sin? 


MARRIAGE  301 


We  have  repeatedly  answered  this  question. 
In  his  great  Encylical  on  Christian  Marriage, 
issued  Dec.  31,  1930,  Pope  Pius  XI  also  treats  of 
this  matter  and  declares  to  the  whole  world  that 
those  who  indulge  in  such  use  "are  branded  with 
the  guilt  of  a  grave  sin."  This  answers  your 
question  with  a  plain  "Yes." 

We  here  give  that  part  of  the  Encyclical  in 
which  the  Holy  Father  speaks  of  birth  control. 
It  is  a  complete  treatise  in  itself — and  none  could 
be  better: 

And  now,  Venerable  Brethren,  We  shall  explain 
in  detail  the  evils  opposed  to  each  of  the  benefits 
of  matrimony. 

First  consideration  is  due  to  the  offspring, 
which  many  have  the  boldness  to  call  the  dis- 
agreeable burden  of  matrimony  and  which,  they 
say,  is  to  be  carefully  avoided  by  married  people 
not  through  virtuous  continence  (which  Christian 
law  permits  in  matrimony  when  both  parties 
consent)  but  by  frustrating  the  marriage  act. 
Some  justify  this  criminal  abuse  on  the  ground 
that  they  are  weary  of  children  and  wish  to 
gratify  their  desires  without  their  consequent 
burden.  Others  say  that  they  cannot  on  the  one 
hand  remain  continent  nor,  on  the  other,  can 
they  have  children  because  of  the  difficulties, 
whether  on  the  part  of  the  mother  or  on  the  part 
of  family  circumstances. 

But  no  reason,  however  grave,  may  be  put 
forward  by  which  anything  intrinsically  against 
nature  may  become  conformable  to  nature  and 
morally  good.  Since,  therefore,  the  conjugal 
act  is  destined  primarily  by  nature  for  the  be- 
getting of  children,  those  who  in  exercising  it 
deliberately  frustrate  its  natural  power  and  pur- 
pose sin  against  nature  and  commit  a  deed  which 
is  shameful  and  intrinsically  vicious. 

Small  wonder,  therefore,  if  Holy  Writ  bears 
witness  that  the  Divine  Majesty  regards  with 


3ox  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

greatest  detestation  this  horrible  crime  and  at 
times  has  punished  it  with  death,  as  St.  Augustine 
notes.  Intercourse  even  with  one's  legitimate 
wife  is  unlawful  and  wicked  where  the  concep- 
tion of  offspring  is  prevented.  Onan,  the  son  of 
Juda,  did  this  and  the  Lord  killed  him  for  it. 

Since,  therefore,  openly  departing  from  the 
uninterrupted  Christian  tradition,  some  recently 
have  judged  it  possible  solemnly  to  declare 
another  doctrine  regarding  this  question,  the 
Catholic  Church,  to  whom  God  has  entrusted 
the  defense  of  the  integrity  and  purity  of  morals, 
standing  erect  in  the  midst  of  the  moral  ruin 
which  surrounds  her,  in  order  that  she  may  pre- 
serve the  chastity  of  the  nuptial  union  from  being 
defiled  by  this  foul  stain,  raises  her  voice  in  token 
of  Divine  ambassadorship  and  through  Our 
mouth  proclaims  anew:  Any  use  whatsoever  of 
matrimony  exercised  in  such  a  way  that  the  act 
is  deliberately  frustrated  in  its  natural  power  to 
generate  life  is  an  offense  against  the  law  of  God 
and  of  nature,  and  those  who  indulge  in  such  are 
branded  with  the  guilt  of  a  grave  sin.  We 
admonish,  therefore,  priests  who  hear  confessions, 
and  others  who  have  the  care  of  souls,  in  virtue 
of  Our  supreme  authority  and  in  Our  solicitude 
for  the  salvation  of  souls,  not  to  allow  the  Faith- 
ful entrusted  to  them  to  err  regarding  this  most 
grave  law  of  God;  much  more,  that  they  keep 
themselves  immune  from  such  false  opinions,  in 
no  way  conniving  in  them.  If  any  confessor  or 
pastor  of  souls,  which  may  God  forbid,  lead  the 
Faithful  entrusted  to  him  into  these  errors  or 
should^at  least  confirm  them  by  approval  or  by 
guilty  silence,  let  him  be  mindful  of  the  fact 
that  he  must  render  a  strict  account  to  God,  the 
Supreme  Judge,  for  the  betrayal  of  his  sacred 
trust,"  and  let  him  take  to  himself  the  words  of 
Christ:     "They  are   blind  leaders  of  the   blind. 


MARRIAGE  303 


And  if  the  blind  lead  the  blind,  both  fall  into  the 
pit"  (Matt,  xv,  14). 

As  regards  the  evil  use  of  matrimony, — to  pass 
over  the  arguments  which  are  shameful  ones, — 
not  infrequently, — others  that  are  false  and 
exaggerated  are  put  forward.  Holy  Mother 
Church  very  well  understands  and  clearly  ap- 
preciates all  that  is  said  regarding  the  health  of 
the  mother  and  the  danger  to  her  life;  and  who 
would  not  grieve  to  think  of  these  things;  who 
is  not  filled  with  the  greatest  admiration  when  he 
sees  a  mother  risking  her  life  with  heroic  fortitude, 
that  she  may  preserve  the  life  of  the  offspring 
which  she  has  conceived?  God  alone,  all  bounti- 
ful and  all  merciful  as  He  is,  can  reward  her  for 
the  fulfillment  of  the  office  allotted  to  her  by 
nature,  and  will  assuredly  repay  her  in  a  measure 
full  to  overflowing  (Luke  vi,  38). 

Holy  Church  knows  well  that  not  infrequently 
one  of  the  parties  is  sinned  against  rather  than 
sinning  when  for  a  grave  cause  he  or  she  re- 
luctantly allows  the  perversion  of  the  right  order. 
In  such  a  case,  there  is  no  sin,  provided  that, 
mindful  of  the  law  of  charity  he  or  she  does  not 
neglect  to  seek  to  dissuade  and  to  deter  the  part- 
ner from  sin.  Nor  are  those  considered  as  acting 
against  nature  who  in  the  married  state  use  their 
right  in  the  proper  manner  although  on  account 
of  natural  reasons  either  of  time  or  of  certain  de- 
fects, new  life  cannot  be  brought  forth.  For  in 
matrimony  as  well  as  in  the  use  of  the  matri- 
monial rights  there  are  also  secondary  ends,  such 
as  mutual  aid,  the  cultivating  of  mutual  love,  and 
the  quieting  of  concupiscence  which  husband  and 
wife  are  not  forbidden  to  consider  so  long  as  they 
are  subordinated  to  the  primary  end  and  so  long 
as  the  intrinsic  nature  of  the  act  is  preserved. 

We  are  deeply  touched  by  the  sufferings  of 
those  parents  who,  in  extreme  want,  experience 
great  difficulty  in  rearing  their  children.     How- 


304  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

ever,  they  should  take  care  lest  the  calamitous 
state  of  their  external  affairs  should  be  the 
occasion  for  a  much  more  calamitous  error.  No 
difficulty  can  arise  that  justifies  the  putting  aside 
of  the  law  of  God  which  forbids  all  acts  intrinsi- 
cally evil.  There  is  no  possible  circumstance  in 
which  husband  and  wife  cannot,  strengthened  by 
the  grace  of  God,  fulfill  faithfully  their  duties  and 
preserve  in  wedlock  their  chastity  unspotted. 

This  truth  of  Christian  faith  is  expressed  by 
the  teaching  of  the  Council  of  Trent  (Trid. 
Cone,  sess.  vi,  chap.  11). 

Let  none  be  so  rash  as  to  assert  that  which  the 
Fathers  of  the  Council  have  placed  under  ana- 
thema, namely,  that  there  are  precepts  of  God 
impossible  for  the  just  to  observe.  God  does  not 
ask  the  impossible,  but  by  His  commands,  in- 
structs you  to  do  what  you  are  able,  to  pray  for 
what  you  are  not  able,  that  He  may  help  you. 

This  same  doctrine  was  again  solemnly  re- 
peated and  confirmed  by  the  Church  in  the  con- 
demnation of  the  Jansenist  heresy  which  dared  to 
utter  this  blasphemy  against  the  goodness  of 
God:  "Some  precepts  of  God  are,  when  one  con- 
siders the  powers  which  man  possesses,  impossible 
of  fulfillment  even  to  the  just  who  wish  to  keep 
the  law  and  strive  to  do  so:  grace  is  lacking 
whereby  these  laws  could  be  fulfilled. " 

At  what  age  does  the  Church  consider 
it  the  proper  time  to  marry? 

The  express  law  of  the  Church  (Canon  1067) 
states  that  a  boy  cannot  validly  contract  marriage 
before  he  has  completed  his  sixteenth  year,  and  a 
girl  before  she  has  completed  her  fourteenth  year. 
Although  marriage  contracted  after  the  aforesaid 
age  is  valid,  pastors  of  souls  should  deter  from  it 
young  people  who  have  not  reached  the  age  at 
which,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  country y 


MARRIAGE  305 


marriage  is  usually  contracted.     Such  is  the  law 
of  the  Church. 

In  this  country  girls  rarely  marry  before  the 
age  of  eighteen,  and  boys  are  usually  a  few  years 
older. 

How  soon  does  God  create  a  soul  in  a 
baby  ?  I  was  told  four  or  five  months  be- 
fore birth. 

The  human  soul  is  created  directly  by  God. 
God  gives  existence  to  the  soul  at  the  very 
moment  when  it  is  to  be  united  to  the  body 
produced  by  generation,  because  it  is  designed 
by  God  to  form  with  that  body  one  human  nature. 
The  Council  of  Vienne  in  1311  defined  that  "the 
rational  or  intellectual  soul  is  directly  and  es- 
sentially the  form — i.  e.,  the  life-giving  principle 
of  the  body."  This  is  a  fundamental  doctrine. 
It  gives  the  lie  direct  to  the  theory  of  atheistic 
evolution,  and  invests  paternal  authority  with  a 
religious  and  a  sacred  character. 

The  soul  is  created  at  the  very  moment  when 
it  is  to  be  infused  into  the  body.  Just  when  is 
that?  The  medieval  theologians  generally  fol- 
lowed the  physiological  teachings  of  Aristotle, 
who  held  that  the  human  embryo  during  the 
early  history  of  its  existence  passes  through  a 
series  of  transitional  stages  in  which  it  is  suc- 
cessively informed  by  the  vegetative,  the  sentient, 
and,  finally,  by  the  rational  soul.  It  may  be  this 
ancient  theory  which  caused  others  to  tell  you 
"four  or  five  months  before  birth."  However, 
that  theory  is  abandoned  by  many  modern 
theologians;  they  maintain  that  a  fully  rational 
(immortal)  soul  is  infused  into  the  embryo  at 
the  first  moment  of  its  existence.  The  opinion 
which  prevails  today,  and  which  is  theologically 
"certain,"  is  that  the  rational  soul  is  created  and 
infused  at  the  moment  of  conception;  and  con- 
ception, the  union  of  male  and  female  elements  of 


3o6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

generation,  may  take  place  at  any  moment  after 
the  marriage  act.  From  this  something  very  im- 
portant follows.  As  Holy  Church  teaches,  "it 
follows  that  married  persons  who,  to  prevent 
conception  or  procure  abortion,  have  recourse  to 
medicine"  or  other  means,  "are  guilty  of  a  most 
heinous  crime,  nothing  less  than  premeditated 
murder." 

A  and  B  get  married  to  each  other.  A 
is  a  baptized  non-Catholic,  B  was  never 
baptized.  They  are  married  before  a 
Justice  of  the  Peace.  Is  their  marriage 
valid?  Would  it  be  valid  if  both  were 
baptized  non-Catholics?  If  both  were 
unbaptized  ? 

If  one  is  baptized  or  if  both  are  baptized  and 
there  are  no  impediments  (for  example,  the  bond 
of  a  previous  marriage  still  existing,  very  close 
relationship,  etc.),  the  marriage  is  valid.  After 
they  have  lived  together  (consummated  marriage) 
it  can  be  dissolved  only  by  death.  This  answers 
your  first  and  second  questions. 

Now  we  come  to  the  third.  If  both  are  un- 
baptized the  marriage  is  likewise  valid — a  valid, 
natural  contract.  But  it  can  be  dissolved  if  one 
of  the  partners  becomes  a  Catholic  and  the  other 
will  not  live  peaceably  with  that  partner.  Then 
the  Catholic  may  make  use  of  the  Pauline  Privi- 
lege and  marry  in  the  Catholic  Church.  Of 
course,  each  case  of  this  kind  (and  such  cases 
can  easily  arise  in  our  day  and  land  of  innumer- 
able unbaptized  persons)  must  be  properly  sub- 
mitted to  the  Bishop's  matrimonial  court.  It  is 
to  be  noted  that  the  Pauline  Privilege  can  be  in- 
voked only  when  the  two  were  unbaptized  at  the 
time  of  their  marriage. 

Would  the  fact  that  one  of  the  con- 
tracting parties,  in  a  Catholic  marriage, 
was  never  baptized  be  sufficient  grounds 


MARRIAGE  307 


to  have  the  marriage  annulled  and  to 
permit  a  remarriage  of  either  to  another 
party  in  the  Church? 

Yes;  the  grounds  would  be  sufficient,  according 
to  the  present  marriage  legislation  of  the  Church; 
for  the  case  as  it  stands  would  be  equivalent  to 
the  impediment  of  disparity  of  worship  from 
which  no  dispensation  had  been  obtained. 

This  impediment  of  disparity  of  worship  exists 
when  one  of  the  parties  has  not  been  baptized, 
and  the  other  was  either  baptized  in  the  Catholic 
Church  or  was  converted  to  the  Catholic  faith 
from  schism  or  heresy. 

Now,  if  at  the  time  of  the  marriage  the  parties 
were  commonly  regarded  as  baptized,  or  even 
if  their  baptism  was  doubtful,  their  marriage  is 
to  be  regarded  as  valid.  There  is  a  presumption 
in  favor  of  its  validity  until  certain  proof  is  ad- 
duced of  the  disparity  of  worship.  (This,  in- 
cidentally, explains  why  the  certificate  of  one's 
baptism  is  required  before  marriage.)  But  if, 
after  the  marriage,  the  disparity  of  worship  is 
duly  proven,  the  marriage  is  to  be  regarded  as 
null  and  void  and  must  be  revalidated. 

Above  we  used  the  words,  according  to  the 
present  marriage  legislation.  Marriage  legisla- 
tion is  rather  complicated,  and  present  discipline 
differs  in  many  cases  from  former  discipline. 
We  do  not  presume  in  this  answer  to  decide  any 
particular  case.  All  matters  of  this  kind  must 
be  placed  before  the  proper  pastor,  who  will 
institute  the  requisite  inquiries  and  see  to  it  that 
the  proper  mode  of  procedure  be  followed.  No 
one  should  be  so  rash  as  to  attempt  in  any  way 
independently  to  solve  cases  such  as  the  above. 

I  would  like  to  know  under  what  con- 
ditions a  Catholic  can  marry  a  divorced 
Protestant  that  has  not  been  baptized. 

From  the  frequency  with  which  this  question 


3o8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

is  asked  in  a  variety  of  different  ways,  we  are  led 
to  make  a  number  of  sad  conclusions: 

First — As  everybody  knows,  there  are  divorced 
Protestants,  baptized  and  unbaptized,  though 
only  with  difficulty  can  we  understand  how  they 
can  be  unbaptized  and  yet  Protestants.  Their, 
number  is  legion. 

Second — There  are,  strange  to  say,  Catholics 
to  whom  marriage  with  such  a  one  would  seem 
desirable. 

Third — These  Catholics  are  apparently  so 
ignorant  of  the  teachings  of  their  religion  as  not 
even  to  know  that  the  Church  recognizes  no  such 
thing  as  divorce.  Once  lawfully  married  means, 
in  the  eyes  of  God  and  the  Church,  "until" death 
do  us  part,"  no  matter  what  the  state  may  say. 

Fourth — These  Catholics  are  likewise  alto- 
gether forgetful  of  the  fact  that  a  Catholic  is 
absolutely  forbidden  by  ecclesiastical  law  (not  to 
mention  divine  law,  in  case  of  danger  of  perver- 
sion) to  marry  anyone  who  is  not  a  Catholic. 

Fifth — They  apparently  imagine  that  all  that 
is  necessary  is  just  to  "get  a  dispensation,"  for- 
getting that,  in  cases  where  a  dispensation  can  be 
given  or  is  wont  to  be  given,  the  Pope  alone,  or 
his  delegates  by  virtue  of  common  law  or  of  an 
apostolic  indult,  can,  as  a  general  rule,  dispense 
from  matrimonial  impediments. 

But  be  it  remembered  that  an  anterior  and  still 
existing  marriage  bond  is  one  of  the  three  impedi- 
ments from  which  the  Church  never  dispenses. 

And  this  is  the  case  in  question. 

Must  a  non-baptized  Protestant  be 
baptized  before  a  priest  is  allowed^  to 
marry  him  or  her  to  a  Catholic  in  the 
priest's  parlor? 

A  non-baptized  Protestant  is  an  anomaly  in- 
deed! But  what  is  here  meant  is  simply  an  un- 
baptized person,  an  infidel. 


MARRIAGE  309 


A  marriage  contracted  by  a  non-baptized  per- 
son with  a  person  baptized  in  the  Catholic  Church 
or  converted  to  it  from  heresy  or  schism  is  no 
marriage.  Such  is  the  law  of  the  Church.  This 
is  what  is  known  as  the  diriment  impediment  of 
disparity  of  worship.  To  contract  such  a  mar- 
riage a  dispensation  is  absolutely  necessary. 

Everything  that  is  prescribed  for  mixed  mar- 
riages is  likewise  to  be  applied  to  marriages  that 
are  under  the  impediment  of  disparity  or  worship. 

A  dispensation  must  accordingly  be  obtained. 
And  the  conditions  on  which  the  Church  dis- 
penses from  these  two  impediments  are: 

1.  There  must  be  just  and  serious  reasons. 

2.  The  non-Catholic  party  must  promise  to 
shield  the  Catholic  party  from  all  danger  of  per- 
version, and  both  must  promise  that  their  chil- 
dren shall  be  baptized  and  brought  up  in  the 
Catholic  faith  alone. 

3.  There  must  be  a  moral  certainty  that  these 
promises  will  be  kept. 

No;  the  non-baptized  party  need  not  be  bap- 
tized before  the  priest  witnesses  their  marriage 
in  his  office;  but  the  Catholic  party  is  bound  to 
labor  prudently  for  the  conversion  of  the  non- 
Catholic  party. 

Such  marriages  are  highly  to  be  deplored.  The 
Church  performs  them  in  mourning,  as  it  were, 
trying  to  save  what  can  be  saved. 

Suppose  I  and  the  girl  to  whom  I  am 
engaged  act  as  groomsman  and  brides- 
maid at  the  marriage  of  a  young  couple  of 
our  acquaintance.  Will  we  contract  a 
spiritual  relationship  that  will  prevent  us 
two  from  getting  married? 

No  spiritual  relationship  whatsoever  is  con- 
tracted in  this  way.  Hence  there  is  no  objection 
to  your  thus  assisting  at  your  friends'  wedding. 
Spiritual   relationship    results   from    Baptism   or 


3io  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Confirmation,  and  is  similar  to  the  bonds  of 
relationship  resulting  from  community  of  blood. 

As  a  consequence  of  Baptism  spiritual  rela- 
tionship exists  between  the  one  baptizing  and  the 
baptized,  between  the  godfather  and  his  god- 
daughter, between  the  godmother  and  her  god- 
son. As  a  consequence  of  Confirmation  spiritual 
relationship  exists  between  the  person  confirmed 
and  his  sponsor. 

Spiritual  relationship,  since  the  New  Code, 
constitutes  a  diriment  matrimonial  impediment 
only  when  it  is  the  result  of  Baptism,  that  is,  be- 
tween the  one  baptizing  and  the  person  baptized, 
between  the  godfather  and  his  goddaughter,  be- 
tween the  godmother  and  her  godson. 

You  are  probably  wondering  whether  this 
spiritual  relationship  is  contracted  by  private 
Baptism.    Yes,  it  is. 

If  second  cousins  should  marry  and  be 
blessed  with  children,  is  there  a  possible 
danger  of  the  children  being  unhealthy 
or  deformed  in  any  way? 

To  begin  with,  it  is  understood,  of  course,  that 
second  cousins  cannot  marry  without  a  lawful 
dispensation  from  the  diriment  impediment  of 
consanguinity.  The  law  of  the  Church  declares 
that  marriage  within  the  third  collateral  degree 
of  kinship,  inclusive,  is  null  and  void.  The  re- 
lationship known  as  second  cousins  is  the  third 
degree. 

If  we  search  for  the  reasons  for  the  Church's 
legislation  in  this  matter  we  find  three  that  strike 
us  as  very  clear  and  important.  (1)  The  wel- 
fare of  the  social  order,  according  to  St.  Augustine 
and  St.  Thomas,  demands  the  widest  possible 
extension  of  love  and  friendship  among  all  human- 
kind, to  which  desirable  aim  the  inter-marriage 
of  close  blood-relations  is  manifestly  opposed 
(2)  In  the  moral  order  the  prohibition  of  marriage 


MARRIAGE  311 


between  near  relations  serves  as  a  barrier  against 
early  corruption  among  young  persons  of  both 
sexes  brought  habitually  into  close  intimacy 
with  each  other,  as  it  also  tends  to  strengthen 
the  natural  feeling  of  respect  for  closely  related 
persons.  (3)  Nature  itself  seems  to  abhor  the 
marriage  of  close  kin,  since  such  unions  are  often 
childless  and  their  offspring  seem  subject  to 
grave  physical  and  mental  weakness  (epilepsy, 
deaf -muteness,  weak  eyes,  nervous  diseases),  and 
incur  easily  and  transmit  the  defects,  physical 
or  moral,  of  their  parents,  especially  when  the 
interbreeding  of  blood-relations  is  repeated.  Note 
the  emphasis  we  place  on  these  last  words. 

The  answer  to  your  question  accordingly  is: 
Yes;  there  is  a  possible  danger,  greater  or  lesser, 
according  to  the  circumstances. 

Will  you  kindly  tell  me  if  the  Church 
would  consider  as  valid  a  marriage  per- 
formed by  a  priest,  in  a  case  where  one  of 
the  parties  had  previously  been  a  Protes- 
tant, and  had  been  married  to  a  Protes- 
tant, and  then  divorced,  and  then  had 
become  a  Catholic,  and  wanted  to  marry 
a  Catholic.  This  is  not  being  recited  as 
a  case  in  point,  but  just  a  supposition, 
for  I  have  no  record  that  such  a  marriage 
has  ever  been  performed.  However,  I 
would  appreciate  it  very  much  if  you 
would  be  kind  enough  to  advise  me  of 
the  Catholic  Church's  ruling  in  a  matter 
of  this  kind. 

If  a  Protestant  person  is  validly  married  to 
another  Protestant,  said  person  cannot  validly 
marry  a  Catholic  (nor  anyone  else,  for  that  mat- 
ter) during  the  lifetime  of  the  other  party  in  the 
marriage  contract.  And  neither  so-called  di- 
vorce nor  conversion  can  alter  matters.  Previous 
marriage  that  is  a  sacrament  and  has  been  con- 


3  ix  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

summated  by  conjugal  intercourse,  is  a  diriment 
impediment  of  the  most  absolute  kind  and  no 
such  thing  as  a  dispensation  is  possible. 

This  question  seems  to  be  based  on  the  false 
supposition  that  the  marriages  of  non-Catholics 
among  themselves  are  not  valid  before  the 
Church.  This  is  an  utterly  wrong  notion  which 
only  too  many  people  still  have.  Hence  we  would 
repeat  that  marriages  of  non-Catholics  among 
themselves  are  valid,  real  marriages;  also  in  the 
eyes  of  the  Church.  And  they  bind  the  parties 
until  death  parts  them.  In  Canon  1099  the  law 
of  the  Church  clearly  states  that  "non-Catholics, 
whether  baptized  or  not,  who  marry  among  them- 
selves are  nowhere  bound  to  observe  the  Catholic 
form  of  marriage."  The  oft -repeated  assertion 
that  "the  Church  brands  Protestant  marriages  as 
invalid"  is  a  base  slander  and  a  lie  of  the  blackest 
kind. 

But  as  regards  Catholics,  even  if  only  one  party 
is  a  Catholic  (and  even  this  seems  to  be  often 
forgotten),  Canon  1094  states  that  only  such 
marriages  are  valid  as  are  contracted  before  the 
pastor,  or  the  Ordinary  of  the  diocese,  or  before 
a  priest  delegated  by  either  the  pastor  or  the 
Ordinary,  and  at  least  two  witnesses,  in  con- 
formity, however,  with  the  rules  laid  down  in 
the  two  following  Canons,  and  with  the  exceptions 
(e.  g.,  danger  of  death,  when  pastor  cannot  be 
had)  mentioned  in  Canons  1098  and  1099. 

I  have  a  very  complicated  question 
which  I  am  unable  to  solve.  I'm  sure 
you  will  help  me  out  of  my  trouble.  If 
Adam  and  Eve  were  the  first  two  people 
created  by  God,  and  Eve  conceived  and 
bore  two  sons,  Cain  and  Abel,  and  it  came 
to  pass  that  when  they  were  in  the  field 
Cain  rose  up  against  his  brother  Abel  and 
slew  him:     how  did  Cain  know  his  wife 


MARRIAGE  313 


in  the  land  of  Nod,  when  Adam  and  Eve 
were  the  first  two  people  on  earth?  How 
did  Cain  get  his  wife?  When  Abel  was  no 
more  there  were  only  Adam,  Eve,  and 
Cain. 

The  difficulty  is  not  so  great  after  all,  nor  is 
the  question  so  complicated.  Cain  and  Abel 
were  not  the  only  children  of  Adam  and  Eve. 
Had  you  read  a  little  further  in  Genesis  you 
would  have  found  (Genesis  5:  3,  4)  the  following: 
"And  Adam  lived  a  hundred  and  thirty  years, 
and  begot  a  son  to  his  own  image  and  likeness, 
and  called  his  name  Seth.  And  the  days  of  Adam, 
after  he  begot  Seth,  were  eight  hundred  years: 
and  he  begot  sons  and  daughters."  Hence,  after 
the  death  of  Abel  there  were  others  besides 
Adam,  Eve,  and  Cain.  Who  was  Cain's  wife? 
Manifestly,  she  was  a  daughter  of  Adam  and 
Cain's  own  sister,  God  dispensing  with  such 
marriages  in  the  beginning  of  the  world,  as  man- 
kind could  not  otherwise  be  propagated. 

A  Catholic  girl  friend  of  mine  has  just 
married  a  non-Catholic  before  a  minister. 
Would  it  be  wrong  for  me  to  give  her  a 
wedding  present?  Would  that  be  giving 
scandal  ? 

Good  Catholic  sense  ought  at  once  to  tell  you 
that  such  an  action,  if  it  in  any  way  manifests 
approval  of  her  rash  conduct,  is  a  species  of  co- 
operation in  evil  and  of  scandal,  more  or  less  grave 
according  to  circumstances.  To  us  it  is  unthink- 
able that  a  good  Catholic  should  wish  to  give  a 
wedding  present,  that  is,  a  token  of  esteem  and 
congratulation,  to  one  who  has  thus  shamelessly 
and  openly  flouted  the  laws  of  the  Catholic 
Church  and  is  living  in  sin  and  under  sentence  of 
excommunication.  Such  a  one  is  not  validly 
married  in  the  eyes  of  Holy  Church.  What 
cause   for   congratulation   then?     To   lend  even 


314  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 


seeming  approval  to  such  flagrant  disobedience  is 
a  thing  no  Catholic  may  do. 

Manifestly,  we  cannot  bring  ourselves  to  think 
that  this  would  be  formal  co-operation,  that  in 
which  the  sin  itself  is  willed.  But  is  it  not  material 
co-operation?  Material  co-operation  is  that 
which  takes  place  when  a  person  participates  in 
a  wicked  deed  without  sharing  the  evil  intention 
of  the  principal.  Such  co-operation  is  permitted, 
however,  only  if  the  act  co-operated  in  is  in  itself 
good,  or  at  least  objectively  indifferent,  or  when 
it  is  dictated  by  a  just  cause,  e.  g.,  great  utility, 
necessity,  avoidance  of  serious  inconvenience. 
All  of  which  it  is  difficult  to  imagine  here. 

A  Catholic  should  have  the  courage  of  his 
convictions  and  stand  resolutely  on  the  side  of 
God  and  His  holy  Church.  It  is  all  very  well 
to  be  tolerant  and  broadminded,  but  we  must 
avoid  that  false  tolerance  which  is  synonymous 
with  indifference  to  error.  It  is  a  Christian  duty 
to  pity  the  erring  and  the  sinful  and  treat  them 
charitably,  yes;  but  it  is  equally  a  Christian 
duty  to  hate  and  combat  error  and  sin.  However, 
in  the  case  at  hand  it  is  a  question  whether  this 
particular  and  altogether  unnecessary  charity 
towards  the  sinner  is  consonant  with  the  combat- 
ing of  sin. 

Two  parties,  both  Catholics,  were  mar- 
ried in  court  less  than  two  years  ago. 
Now  they  wish  to  have  their  marriage 
blessed  by  a  Catholic  priest.  Just  how 
should  they  go  about  it?  Will  they  have 
to  get  a  new  license?  Will  the  priest  re- 
fuse to  bless  such  a  marriage?  Will  they 
have  to  be  married  in  the  church?  Please 
give  all  the  details. 

All  the  details  will  be  given  them  by  their 
pastor,  to  whom  they  should  present  themselves 
without    delay.      Those    who    are    sincerely    re- 


MARRIAGE  315 


pentant  and  anxious  to  come  back  to  God  and 
to  do  the  right  thing  will  not  be  refused.  Christ, 
Whose  representative  the  priest  is,  ever  wel- 
comes back  the  sorrowful  sinner.  A  new  license 
need  not  be  obtained,  nor  need  the  priest  neces- 
sarily witness  the  marriage  in  church.  He  will 
prudently  handle  the  whole  matter  as  circum- 
stances dictate. 

This  is  another  instance  of  shameless  folly 
that  cannot  be  too  soundly  condemned,  an  out- 
growth of  crass  ignorance  or  unexcusable  weak- 
ness of  faith.  But  would  to  God  that  such  parties 
would  always  come  to  their  senses  before  it  is 
too  late  and  would  make  haste  to  manifest  the 
sincere  good  will  suggested  by  the  above  question! 

Supposing  a  Catholic  woman  is  now 
married  to  a  Protestant  man  by  a  Justice 
of  the  Peace  or  a  minister,  may  she  then 
obtain  a  divorce  and  marry  a  Catholic 
man  in  a  Catholic  church? 

Yes;  in  the  eyes  of  the  Church  she  is  not 
validly  married.  Hence  the  so-called  divorce 
grants  her  legal  freedom  and  fortunately  frees 
her  from  what  the  rightly  formed  Catholic 
conscience  must  needs  call  sinful  cohabitation. 
She  will,  of  course,  consult  her  pastor  about  the 
matter  before  acting.  And  she  will  make  her 
peace  with  God  through  a  contrite  confession  be- 
fore she  receives  the  holy  Sacrament  of  Matri- 
mony. 

Some  years  ago  a  Catholic  girl  kept 
company  with  and  married  her  uncle,  her 
mother's  brother,  who  was  also  a  Catholic. 
I  was  a  friend  of  hers  at  the  time  and 
knew  of  her  friendship  for  this  man; 
but  I  kept  silent.  Should  I  have  tried  to 
break  their  company  keeping?  Recently 
I  visited  them  once  or  twice,  and  my 
relatives  say  that  it  is  bad  luck  for  me  to 


3i6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

go  near  them  or  have  anything  to  do  with 
them.    What  would  you  advise? 

They  weie  related  to  each  other  in  the  second 
degree  of  blood  relationship,  collateral  line.  This 
they  doubtless  knew;  hence  there  was  no  real 
obligation  of  your  telling  them.  They  also  knew 
we  will  suppose,  that  consanguinity  is  a  diriment 
impediment  up  to  and  including  the  third  degree 
in  the  collateral  line.  We  further  presume  that 
they  obtained  a  dispensation  from  this  impedi- 
ment. If  they  were  married  by  a  priest  they, 
of  course,  did;  otherwise  he  would  not  have 
married  them.  If  things  are  as  here  supposed 
(for  the  question  is  rather  general),  then  pay 
no  attention  whatsoever  to  the  wagging  tongues 
of  babblers  who  would  question  the  right  of  the 
Church  to  grant  dispensations  and  would  thus, 
to  use  a  telling  expression,  "be  more  Catholic 
than  the  Catholic  Church." 

Is  it  possible  for  a  priest  to  perform  the 
marriage  ceremony  in  the  home  of  a 
Catholic  girl,  the  groom  being  a  non- 
Catholic? 

Usually  the  priest  witnesses  such  a  mixed 
marriage  in  the  rectory  and  not  in  the  church. 
And  there  really  is  no  ceremony.  The  priest  is 
simply  a  necessary  official  witness  for  validity. 
The  Church  witnesses  such  marriages  in  mourn- 
ing, as  it  were.  The  priest  is  not  vested  and  gives 
no  blessing.  He  merely  witnesses  the  mutual 
consent.  Hence,  under  certain  circumstances, 
if  he  so  wishes  and  it  is  not  forbidden  by  Diocesan 
Statutes,  he  may  go  to  the  home  of  the  Catholic 
girl,  though  he  will  rarely  do  this — and  properly 
so. 

A  certain  girl  intends  to  marry  a 
widower,  and  people  tell  her  not  to. 
Both  are  good  Catholics.  But  people  tell 
her  that  if  they  get  married,  when  both 


MARRIAGE  317 


die  and  go  to  heaven  her  husband  will  go 
to  his  first  wife  and  she  will  get  left. 
What  would  you  advise  the  girl  to  do  ? 

If  she  loves  this  man  and  feels  that  he  will  be 
a  good  husband  to  her,  and  if  there  is  no  impedi- 
ment in  the  way  she  ought  to  disregard  entirely 
the  silly  tongues  and  senseless  chatter  of  those 
"people." 

Perhaps  the  best  answer  to  this  question  is  the 
following  from  the  Gospel  of  St.  Luke,  Chapter 
20,  Verses  27 — 36.  "And  there  came  to  Him 
some  of  the  Sadducees,  who  deny  that  there  is 
any  resurrection,  and  they  asked  Him,  saying: 
'Master,  Moses  wrote  unto  us,  that  if  any  man's 
brother  die,  having  a  wife,  and  he  leave  no 
children,  his  brother  should  take  her  to  wife  and 
raise  up  seed  unto  his  brother.  There  were, 
therefore,  seven  brothers;  and  the  first  took  a 
wife,  and  died  without  children.  And  the  next 
took  her  to  wife,  and  he  also  died  childless.  And 
the  third  took  her.  And  in  like  manner  all  the 
seven,  and  they  left  no  children,  and  died.  Last 
of  all  the  woman  died  also.  In  the  resurrection, 
therefore,  whose  wife  of  them  shall  she  be?  For 
all  the  seven  had  her  to  wife.'  And  Jesus  said  to 
them,  'The  children  of  this  world  marry,  and 
are  given  in  marriage;  but  they  that  shall  be 
accounted  worthy  of  that  world,  and  of  the 
resurrection  from  the  dead,  shall  neither  be  mar- 
ried, nor  take  wives.  Neither  can  they  die  any 
more;  for  they  are  equal  to  the  angels,  and  are 
the  children  of  God,  being  the  children  of  the 
resurrection'." 

"And  after  that,"  says  Verse  40,  "they  durst 
not  ask  Him  any  more  questions." 

Has  a  Catholic  divorcee  a  chance  of 
heaven  ? 

A  divorcee  is  a  divorced  person. 

Your  questions  seems,    from  your  letter,   to 


318  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

consider  a  woman  who  is  divorced.  We  answei 
with  this  in  mind,  merely  remarking  that  what 
we  say  applies  to  a  man  as  well  as  to  a  woman. 

Of  course  she  can  save  her  soul.  She  must, 
however,  be  repentant  for  any  sins  she  may  have 
committed,  receive  the  Sacrament  of  Penance 
worthily,  and  try  her  best  to  make  good  the 
wrong  she  may  have  done  and  the  scandal  she 
may  have  given,  being  guided  in  this  by  her  con- 
fessor. From  the  wording  of  the  preceding 
sentence  one  might  gather  that  perhaps  no  sin 
was  committed  by  her  and  no  wrong  done  and 
no  scandal  given.  Such  would  be  the  case  where 
her  husband  procured  a  divorce  from  her  against 
her  will  and  without  her  fault.  She  is  then  but 
an  innocent  sufferer. 

If  the  divorcee  is  truly  repentant,  she  will  be 
willing  to  resume  the  common  life  with  her 
husband.  But  since  this  is  often  out  of  the 
question,  she  will  remember  that  he  is  still  her 
lawful  husband  before  God  and  that  she  may 
not  marry  another  during  his  lifetime. 

If  two  persons  are  first  cousins,  what 
relation  are  their  children  to  each  other? 
What  degree  of  relationship  would  that 
be?  And  what  degree  does  it  have  to  be 
before  they  can  be  married  in  the  Catholic 
Church  ? 

The  children  of  first  cousins  are  second  cousins 
to  each  other.  They  are  related  to  each  other  in 
the  third  degree  of  blood  relationship.  By  the 
laws  of  the  Church  Catholics  are  forbidden  to 
contract  marriage  within  and  including  the  third 
degree  of  blood  relationship.  However,  a  dis- 
pensation could  be  obtained  for  serious  reasons, 
particularly  from   the  degree   in   question. 

May  a  non-Catholic  be  the  best  man  at 
a  Catholic  marriage? 

He  may  be,  if  he  is  not  also  one  of  the  witnesses. 


MARRIAGE 


319 


The  witnesses  at  a  Catholic  marriage  must  be 
Catholics,  abstracting  from  certain  exceptional 
circumstances.  However,  it  is  most  fitting  and 
generally  to  be  insisted  upon  that  the  best  man 
at  a  Catholic  marriage,  as  well  as  all  others 
taking  an  intimate  part  in  the  sacred  ceremony, 
be  good  Catholics.  It  is  easy  to  give  scandal  in 
this  matter. 

Is  it  wrong  for  a  girl  to  marry  a  man 
who  was  baptized  a  Catholic  but  who 
never  went  to  confession  or  Holy  Com- 
munion? How  can  such  a  girl  get  him  to 
go  to  confession  and  Communion? 

It  would  undoubtedly  be  very  wrong  and  sur- 
passingly silly  and  the  greatest  folly  for  a  girl  to 
marry  such  a  man.  She  should  have  nothing  at 
all  to  do  with  him  before  he  has  taken  instructions 
and  received  the  Sacraments  and  faithfully 
practiced  his  religion  for  a  good  length  of  time. 
Indeed,  how  can  they  be  married  by  a  Catholic 
priest  before  he  has  done  so?  Perhaps  the  best 
way  in  which  a  girl  can  get  him  to  practice  his 
religion  is  to  tell  him  plainly  that  until  he  is  a 
practical  Catholic  in  every  way  she  cannot  even 
think  of  marrying  him. 

Marriage  is  not  a  reformatory;  and  any  young 
woman  who  marries  a  man,  thinking  that  she  will 
reform  him,  is  foolish  and  is  blindly  wrecking 
her  happiness.  It  is  not  true  that  if  we  save 
another's  soul  we  save  our  own.  If  young  girls 
would  take  the  advice  of  a  prudent  confessor 
before  marriage,  there  would  be  much  less  un- 
happiness  and  misery  in  the  world. 

Under  what  circumstances,  if  any,  may 
second  cousins  (blood  relations)  be  mar- 
ried in  the  Church? 

This  question  concerns  the  matrimonial  im- 
pediment of  consanguinity,  or  blood  relationship. 
This  is  a  diriment  impediment,  one  that  makes 


32.o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

marriage  null  and  void,  within  the  limits  in  which 
it  is  applied.  According  to  the  law  of  the  Church, 
consanguinity  constitutes  a  diriment  impedi- 
ment in  the  direct  line  (when  one  person  derives 
life  from  another)  between  all  ascendants  or  de- 
scendants, either  legitimate  or  natural,  that  is, 
in  all  degrees.  And  it  constitutes  a  diriment 
impediment  in  the  collateral  line  (when  the  two 
have  a  common  ancestor)  up  to  and  including  the 
third  degree.  It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  new 
Canon  Law  makes  a  change  here:  formerly  it 
was  up  to  and  including  the  fourth  degree.  It  is 
not  so  now. 

It  is  only  with  the  impediment  of  blood  rela- 
tionship in  the  collateral  line  that  we  are  con- 
cerned here.  Brothers  and  sisters  are  related  in 
the  first  degree;  first  cousins  are  related  in  the 
second  degree;  second  cousins  are  related  in  the 
third  degree.  Hence,  this  impediment  extends  as 
far  as,  and  includes,  second  cousins.  Third 
cousins  are  no  longer  included  in  it. 

For  grave  reasons  a  dispensation  may  be  ob- 
tained from  the  impediment  in  question.  It 
falls  to  the  respective  pastor,  under  ordinary  cir- 
cumstances, to  decide  whether  such  reasons  exist 
or  not  and  to  apply  to  the  proper  ecclesiastical 
authorities  for  a  dispensation.  The  couple  con- 
cerned should  call  upon  the  pastor  and  place  the 
matter  before  him. 

In  conclusion  we  may  say  that,  as  far  as  is 
possible,  the  faithful  are  to  be  dissuaded  from 
contracting  such  marriages.  Those  marriages 
are  naturally  to  be  preferred  for  which  no  dis- 
pensation is  necessary. 

Is  a  f  alien-away  Catholic  validly  married 
to  a  Protestant  girl  when  they  are  only 
married  by  a  Protestant  minister? 

No ;  in  the  eyes  of  the  Church  he  is  not  validly 
married — that   marriage   is   null   and   void,   the 


MARRIAGE  3zi 


Catholic  form  of  marriage  not  having  been  ob- 
served. The  legislation  of  the  Church  is  very  ex- 
plicit on  this  point,  as  can  be  seen  from  Canon 
1099  of  Canon  Law.  Also  fallen-away  Catholics 
are  bound  to  observe  the  Catholic  form  of  mar- 
riage. 

I  have  a  friend  who  married  a  Russian 
from  the  Russian  Church.  But  they  were 
married  in  the  Roman  Catholic  Church. 
Now  people  tell  her  that  if  the  priest  had 
known  that  he  was  from  the  Russian 
Church  he  would  not  have  married  them. 
People  claim  that  the  Russian  Church  is 
not  Catholic;  but  he  claims  it  is.  Please 
give  me  some  information  about  this. 

In  order  to  give  a  satisfactory  answer  to  your 
question  we  think  it  best  first  to  give  a  bit  of  in- 
formation about  certain  Churches. 

Speaking  of  the  Russian  Church,  we  must  dis- 
tinguish between  the  Orthodox  Church  and  the 
Uniate  Church.  The  Orthodox  Churches  are  the 
national  churches  of  the  Near  East  which  fol- 
lowed the  Patriarch  of  Constantinople  out  of  the 
Church  of  Rome  in  the  year  1054.  Of  these  the 
Russian  Church,  now  in  a  state  of  disorganiza- 
tion, is  the  largest  body.  The  Orthodox  believe 
almost  all  the  articles  of  Christian  Faith,  but  do 
not  acknowledge  the  Holy  Father  as  the  Vicar 
of  Christ.  They  use  the  same  rite  as  the  Uniate 
Church,  which  is  in  communion  with  Rome.  Ac- 
cording to  recent  statistics,  the  Orthodox  number 
about  150  million,  while  the  Eastern  Catholics 
with  rites  other  than  the  Latin  rite  are  only  a 
little  over  seven  million  in  number.  A  vast  work 
of  reunion  has  been  planned  and  is  now  under 
fair  headway,  for  the  success  of  which  we  should 
all  pray. 

Now,  to  come  closer  to  your  question,  a  Rus- 
sian of  the  Uniate  Church  is  really  a  Catholic, 


32.i  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

though  of  a  different  rite  from  the  Latin  rite. 
And  since  the  person  you  refer  to  was  from  a 
Russian  Church  and  was  married  in  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church,  that  person  was  doubtless  a 
member  of  the  Uniate  Church.  You  may  be  sure 
that  such  was  the  case,  otherwise  the  priest  would 
never  have  performed  the  ceremony. 

The  point  to  bear  in  mind  is  that  the  Uniate 
Church  is  strictly  Catholic.  Only  the  rite  is 
different  from  the  Latin  rite,  that  is  to  say,  there 
are  differences  as  regards  liturgy,  ceremony,  ritual, 
vestments,  language.  But  the  Uniate  Church  is 
of  the  same  faith  and  is  in  communion  with  Rome. 

How  could  the  Pope  declare  the  nullity 
of  the  marriage  of  Consuelo  Vanderbilt 
when  she  is  not  a  Catholic? 

The  matter  becomes  quite  clear  when  you 
read  the  following:  "It  is  an  indisputable  fact," 
said  Msgr.  Massimi,  Dean  of  the  Rota,  the 
Roman  tribunal  that  gives  final  decision  of  these 
matters,  when  told  that  Bishop  Manning  insisted 
that  Consuelo  Vanderbilt  willingly  agreed  to 
marry  the  Duke  of  Marlborough,  "that  at  the 
nullification  proceedings  the  mother  testified  that 
she  compelled  her  daughter,  in  spite  of  all  objec- 
tions, to  marry  the  duke,  and  she  confirmed  her 
mother's  statements." 

"Why  was  it  after  a  lapse  of  thirty-one  years 
she  applied  for  a  nullification?"  Msgr.  Burke 
asked. 

"Because  she  only  recently  learned  that  women 
forced  against  their  will  to  marry  could  have  the 
marriage  cancelled  by  the  Rota.  Desiring  to 
become  a  Catholic,  she  instituted  the  proceed- 
ings," replied  Msgr.  Massimi. 

"How  is  it  possible  for  the  Rota  to  nullify  a 
Protestant  marriage?" 

"The  holy  Rota,"  replied  Msgr.  Massimi,  "can 
cancel  any  marriage,  Jewish,  Mohammedan,  or 


MARRIAGE 


32-3 


Protestant,  when  a  principal  applies  and  supplies 
convincing  evidence  such  as  insanity,  use  of 
force,  or  unfitness  for  the  married  state. 

"The  Rota  is  finished  with  the  Vanderbilt  case. 
The  action  was  taken  in  the  interest  of  justice  to 
a  woman  entitled  to  justice.  No  attacks  of  pre- 
lates outside  the  Church  can  prevent  it  from 
doing  justice." 

1.  Can  a  priest  marry  two  non-Catholic 
people  validly?  2.  Can  he  marry  any  two 
people  without  witnesses? 

1.  Yes;  he  can  (notice  that  I  place  emphasis 
on  the  word);  for  if  he  has  duly  filed  his  creden- 
tials of  ordination  at  the  office  of  the  proper 
state  or  county  official  he  is  a  recognized  minister 
of  marriage  and  can  officiate  at  the  ceremony 
just  as  can  any  Protestant  preacher  or  any 
Justice  of  the  Peace  or  other  officer.  We  say 
he  can;  but,  of  course,  he  won't — except  perhaps 
in  very  exceptional  and  very  extraordinary  cir- 
cumstances. 2.  A  priest  cannot  marry  Catho- 
lics without  witnesses.  If  we  suppose  him  to 
be  acting  merely  as  a  civil  officer  in  marriages  of 
non-Catholics,  as  suggested  above,  it*  depends  to 
a  great  extent  upon  what  the  respective  civil 
law  demands  for  a  lawful  and  valid  civil  marriage. 

Which  is  the  best  way  for  a  girl  to  handle 
her  money  after  she  marries?  Is  it  best 
for  her  to  furnish  her  home  with  it,  or  to 
give  it  to  her  husband  and  use  it  together, 
or  to  keep  it  and  have  an  account  of  her 
own? 

Between  husband  and  wife  there  should  be 
perfect  union,  which  means  that  there  should  be 
nothing  between  them  to  separate  them  in  the 
least.  Husband  and  wife,  having  been  made 
one,  there  should  be  no  more  "mine"  or  "yours" 
between  them;  everything  should  be  "ours,"  for 
they  are  equal  partners.     A  married  man  has  no 


3M  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

right  to  look  upon  his  earnings  as  "my  money," 
and  the  same  is  true  as  regards  the  earnings  or 
inheritance  of  the  wife.  All  real  estate  should 
ordinarily  be  owned  by  both  of  them  jointly. 
As  to  money,  neither  one  should  have  a  private 
bank  account  without  the  knowledge  and  consent 
of  the  other.  It  should  be  banked  or  invested  to 
the  satisfaction  of  both  parties.  With  regard  to 
small  amounts,  each  one  should  have  the  right 
to  spend  them  according  to  their  best  judgment. 
But  it  is  highly  proper  to  report  such  small 
matters  to  each  other.  But  when  it  comes  to 
buying  furniture,  clothing,  supplies  for  the 
season,  property,  or  to  make  investments  and 
fhe  like,  when  larger  sums  are  in  question,  neither 
thould  act  without  consulting  and  obtaining  the 
sull  approval  of  the  other. 

Having  given  the  above  general  principles,  we 
answer  that  the  girl  should  talk  the  matter  over 
with  him  and  handle  her  money  in  a  way  that  is 
satisfactory  both  to  him  and  to  her.  We  take  it 
for  granted,  of  course,  that  the  girl  is  not  marry- 
ing a  spendthrift,  or  a  lazy,  shiftless,  good-for- 
nothing  fellow,  or  a  drunkard.  In  that  case 
she  would  be  very  wise  were  she  carefully  to  invest 
her  money  in  her  own  name  and  likewise  so  re- 
tain her  property. 

Is  there  a  special  saint  I  can  pray  to  for 
overcoming  nervousness  and  great  fear  of 
approaching   motherhood? 

Why  not  have  recourse  to  Mary,  the  Mother 
of  God?  "Endeavor  to  make  thy  children  be- 
come also  my  children,"  was  the  advice  given 
by  the  Blessed  Virgin  to  St.  Bridget.  Christian 
mothers  should  consecrate  their  children  to  the 
Mother  of  God  even  before  birth.  We  read  in 
the  lives  of  many  saints  that  before  their  birth 
their  pious  mothers  consecrated  them  to  God  and 
to  the  Blessed  Virgin.    Mary  will  take  care  that 


MARRIAGE  32.5 


a  child  consecrated  to  her  be  not  robbed  of  the 
inestimable  grace  of  holy  Baptism.  When  St. 
Aloysius  was  born  his  mother's  life  was  imperiled. 
She  then  made  a  vow  to  take  the  child  with  her 
on  a  pilgrimage  to  Loretto,  if  safely  delivered. 
Mary  granted  her  special  assistance.  In  these 
dangers  a  mother  should  always  take  her  refuge 
to  Mary.  This  heavenly  Mother  revealed  that 
mothers  would  be  protected  from  danger  who, 
before  childbirth,  say  the  Hail  Mary  nine  times 
daily  in  honor  of  the  nine  months  during  which 
she  bore  her  divine  Child  in  her  virginal  womb. 

St.  Anna,  the  Mother  of  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
also  obtains  great  favors  for  Christian  mothers. 
She  protects  the  birth  of  children  in  an  extra- 
ordinary manner. 

If  a  family  having  a  large  number  of 
children  would  give  a  child  to  a  good 
Catholic  childless  couple,  would  the 
parents  of  the  child  be  to  blame  if  the 
child  would  not  be  saved? 

Perhaps.  Only  the  gravest  reasons  would 
justify  parents  in  thus  shifting  their  solemn 
parental  obligations  (the  duties  they  owe  to 
their  children's  bodies  and,  above  all,  to  their 
souls)  upon  others.  And  we  are  convinced  that 
this  unnatural  proceeding  is  rarely  resorted  to. 
Some  time  ago,  when  visiting  a  family  consisting 
of  father,  mother,  and  seven  boys  and  girls,  we 
were  quite  delighted  with  the  wonderful  home 
atmosphere  that  prevailed  among  that  happy 
group.  Being  so  fond  of  children,  we  playfully 
remarked  to  the  parents:  "Think  we'll  take  one 
of  these  along;  you  have  so  many  that  you'll 
never  miss  one."  The  mother's  answer  was 
quick  and  striking  "No,  no!  If  we  had  seven 
more  you  couldn't  have  one  for  all  the  money  in 
the  world!"  And  much  as  they  loved  us,  the 
little  ones  were  frightened  at  the  thought  that 


3z6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

we  might  take  one  of  them  along.  Naturally, 
flesh  and  blood  are  stronger  ties  than  bonds  of 
strongest  steel. 

When,  if  ever,  are  Catholic  married 
people  excused  from  bringing  children 
into  this  world?  Under  what  conditions, 
if  ever,  may  conception  be  prevented? 
These  questions  were  a  source  of  argument 
among  a  houseful  of  people  recently  and 
I  would  gladly  know  the  correct  answer. 

Frequent,  plain,  and  pertinent  instructions  to 
the  married  on  the  above  questions  are  certainly 
imperatively  called  for  under  existing  conditions. 
And,  what  is  more,  such  is  the  growing  corrup- 
tion that  something  of  the  kind  is  also  necessary 
for  the  unmarried  of  both  sexes.  For  them  the 
practice  is  no  secret,  as  you  yourself  demonstrate 
when  you  speak  of  an  "argument  among  a  house- 
ful of  people."  Deplorable  as  it  may  be,  they 
discuss  it;  they  justify  it;  they  tell  one  another 
how  they  intend  to  act  when  married.  These 
should  be  taught  with  all  authority  the  inevitable 
obligations  of  the  married  state,  and  that  unless 
they  are  ready  to  fulfill  them  they  had  better 
remain  single. 

Let  all  remember  and  take  well  to  heart  that 
to  give  children  to  be  regenerated  to  Christ  in 
the  Church  is  the  glory  of  Christian  marriage. 
The  thought  of  using  it  and  of  preventing  its 
fruit  fills  the  true  Catholic  husband  and  wife 
with  horror.  "Is  it  possible,"  they  ask,  "to  turn 
to  mere  carnal  pleasure  this  Sacrament  which 
carries  grace  for  the  performance  of  every  con- 
jugal duty?  Can  the  creature  dare  to  frustrate 
the  Creator's  processes  of  life?"  How  will  such 
bear  the  awful  reproach  of  the  great  Judge: 
"Again  and  again  you  robbed  Me  of  those  I 
would  have  created,  redeemed,  sanctified,  and 
saved  to  swell  the  number  of  heaven's  citizens 


MARRIAGE  317 


rejoicing  in  the  light  of  My  presence  forever! 
Soul,  give  an  account  of  your  stewardship! 
Answer  Me!" 

The  crime  of  contraception  denounced  by  Holy 
Church  is  grievous  from  every  point  of  view. 
It  is  grievous  in  its  unnatural  commission.  It  is 
grievous  in  its  lamentable  consequences.  It  dries 
up  natural  affection  by  depriving  it  of  its  object. 
It  obscures  the  natural  perception  of  the  Creator 
by  frustrating  His  institution  for  the  perpetua- 
tion of  the  creature.  In  strangling  the  primary 
parental  instinct  it  confuses  the  whole  field  of 
conscience.  It  generates  a  hardness  of  heart, 
despising  the  supernatural  life,  in  those  who  re- 
fuse to  minister  to  the  new  natural  life.  It  builds 
up  a  wall  to  separate  from  their  Savior  those  who 
wantonly  impede  His  work  of  redemption.  In  a 
word,  it  blinds  the  understanding  to  the  malice 
of  evil  and  hardens  the  heart  against  the  call  to 
good.  Alas  that  there  should  be  Catholics  who 
dare  even  to  think  of  such  a  crime!  We  recall 
the  words  of  St.  Peter:  "Be  sober  and  watch: 
because  your  adversary,  the  devil,  as  a  roaring 
lion,  goeth  about  seeking  whom  he  may  devour. 
Whom  resist  ye,  strong  in  faith."     (I  Peter  5:8.) 

We  have  said  that  this  crime  is  grievous  in  its 
commission.  It  is  a  sin  of  many  names;  birth 
control,  contraception,  prevention,  and  the  like; 
and  it  is  perpetrated  in  various  ways.  Suffice  it 
to  say  that  whatever  is  done  and  howsoever  it  is 
done,  when  nature  is  purposely  defeated  of  its 
design  in  marriage,  whilst  the  privileges  of 
matrimony  are  being  enjoyed,  the  parties  con- 
cerned are  guilty  of  mortal  sin  every  time  they 
thus  wantonly  waste  the  God-given  powers  of 
nature.  Every  timel  there  can  be  no  justifica- 
tion for  this  act  under  any  circumstances  imagin- 
able. It  is  an  unnatural  act,  or  a  sin  against 
nature,  and  hence  of  itself  and  in  its  very  essence 
abominable  and  wicked — in  the  eyes  of  God  and 


3i8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

His  Church  "a  detestable  thing"  forever!  Under 
what  conditions,  if  ever,  may  this  crime  be  com- 
mitted?   Under  no  conditions  and  never! 

You  ask,  "When,  if  ever,  are  Catholic  mar- 
ried people  excused  from  bringing  children  into 
this  world?"  This  query  might  also  be  put  in 
the  way  it  is  often  asked  in  utter  perplexity  and 
distress  by  married  people:  "But  what  are  we 
to  do?  To  have  more  children  is  out  of  question 
in  our  present  circumstances." 

Here  we  must  remark  that  it  is  quite  a  wrong 
notion  to  say  that  the  Catholic  Church  insists 
that  the  married  must  have  as  many  children  as 
possible.  That  is  not  what  the  Church  means 
when  she  denounces  contraception.  Hence,  to 
the  anxious  query,  "What  are  we  to  do?"  we 
can  sincerely  say,  "Do  what  many  other  couples, 
similarly  situated  as  you  are,  are  doing  and  have 
been  doing,  with  the  help  of  God's  grace,  for  a 
long  time:  practice  self-control — at  certain 
times,  or  for  a  definite  time,  or  for  an  indefinite 
time.  Sacrifice  courageously  accepted  for  the 
love  of  God  leads  to  charity  that  is  more 
generous  and  more  constant.  Self-control  is  the 
only  virtuous  birth  control.  If  the  flesh  is 
weak,  remember  that  God  never  asks  the 
impossible,  but  always  supplies  the  grace  to 
do  what  He  asks  you  to  do,  and  that  you 
can  do  all  things  in  Him  Who  strengthens 
you.  If  others  can  do  it,  why  not  you?  St. 
Augustine,  who  was,  no  doubt,  as  well  acquainted 
with  the  weakness  of  human  nature  as  any  other 
Father  of  the  Church,  declares  that  unquestion- 
ably those  are  the  happier  marriages,  the  parties 
of  which  either  live  in  virginity,  by  mutual  con- 
sent, or,  after  having  procreated  children,  agree  to 
live  together  in  virtuous  continency.  The  union 
of  spirits  and  minds  in  true  friendship  and  love 
is  much  dearer  and  more  satisfying  than  the  union 
of  bodies.     Hence  we   repeat   that  in  itself  it  is 


MARRIAGE  32.9 


not  wrong  for  the  married  not  to  have  children, 
or  not  to  have  more  children,  or  even,  with  due 
resignation  to  God's  will,  to  pray  that  there  be 
no  more,  as  long  as  nothing  sinful  is  done  to  pre- 
vent their  coming.  It  is,  however,  to  be  remarked 
that  ordinarily  it  will  be  advisable  to  let  nature 
take  its  course  and  to  trust  in  the  Fatherly 
providence  of  God,  Who  watches  over  His  own, 
filled  with  an  ideal  Christian  sense  of  the  in- 
estimable distinction  of  the  stupendous  and 
almost  divine  privilege  of  parenthood. 

Why  is  the  Church  against  birth  control 
when    oftentimes    one    sees    a    destitute 
family    burdened    with    as    many    as    ten 
children? 

This  question  seems  to  imply  that  the  Catholic 
Church  advocates  what  her  enemies  call  the  reck- 
less propagation  of  children.  The  Catholic 
Church  does  not  advocate,  much  less  demand, 
any  such  thing.  She  teaches  Catholic  parents 
that  conjugal  abstinence  is  the  only  virtuous 
method  of  birth  control.  Birth  control  by  con- 
traceptive methods  is  for  the  Catholic  a  nasty 
thing, — a  stench  in  the  nostrils.  It  is  more  than 
that.  It  is  a  sin  against  nature;  it  is  a  sin  against 
the  state  of  matrimony;  and  for  the  Catholic  it  is  a 
sin  against  the  Sacrament  of  Matrimony  as  well. 

The  Catholic  position  on  the  question  of  birth 
control  is  a  clear-cut  one.  No  apology  is  needed 
for  dealing  frankly  with  an  unpleasant  subject, 
which  has  passed  from  the  phase  when  it  was 
whispered  about  in  secret,  and  in  shame,  by  those 
to  whom  it  was  an  experiment  for  which  apology 
or  denial  was  publicly  expected.  The  Catholic 
Church  has  ever  spoken  with  a  certain  voice  on 
this  as  on  every  other  moral  or  ethical  question. 
Consequently,  now  that  birth  control  has  become 
a  subject  of  public  discussion,  apology  would 
rather  be  in  order  if  we  kept  silent. 


330  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

First  of  all,  let  us  define  our  terms.  What  is 
"Birth  Control"?  Properly  speaking,  birth  con- 
trol is  that  form  of  self-control  on  the  part  of 
husband  and  wife,  whereby  they  mutually  and 
voluntarily  refrain  from  the  marital  relation  for 
any  time,  whether  short  or  long,  and,  by  ob- 
serving continence,  limit  or  control  the  procre- 
ation of  children.  To  this  form  of  birth  control, 
properly  so-called,  we  will  return  for  further 
explanation  of  the  Church's  view  in  its  regard. 
But,  we  will  say  now,  it  is  obvious  that  no 
interference  with  conception  arises  from  this 
self-controlled  birth  control,  as  conception  is  not 
in  contemplation,  since  the  act  by  which  concep- 
tion becomes  possible  is  wholly  refrained  from. 
Nor,  it  follows,  can  intentional  frustration  of 
the  effects  of  that  act  be  in  contemplation,  since 
the  act  itself  is  not  performed. 

Secondly,  "Birth  Control"  in  the  popular  mean- 
ing of  that  term  is  a  negation  of  words.  By  it,  is 
meant  indulgence  in  the  sex  relation,  while,  at  the 
same  time,  chemical,  mechanical,  instrumental  or 
other  means  are  employed  to  prevent  the  concep- 
tion that  is  a  normal  consequence  of  sex  relations. 
In  the  first  place,  births  are  not  so  controlled,  but 
are  actively  and  intentionally  prevented.  Again, 
the  individual  practitioners  of  this  form  of  birth- 
prevention,  indulge  their  sex  functions  without 
any  control  at  all,  since  they,  by  the  very  fact  of 
their  employing  means  to  remove  every  limit  of 
indulgence,  are  thereby  uncontrolled  in  their  indi- 
vidual sex-relations.  For  purposes  of  clarity,  we 
will  refer  to  this  form  of  "Birth  Control"  as 
"Contraception,"  and  thereby  eliminate  one  of 
the  various  means  of  camouflage  with  which  sin 
is  disguised. 

The  Catholic  Church  provides  a  sane  system 
of  human  conduct,  as  she  provides  suitable  and 
effective  means  to  enable  the  indivudual  to  deal 
with  the  problems  and  difficulties  of  life:   a  prac- 


MARRIAGE  531 


tical  working  programme,  whereby  each  man  or 
woman  can,  with  reasonable  diligence,  save  his 
soul  from  sin,  lead  a  pure  and  honest  life,  and 
thus  secure  eternal  salvation.  Christian  marriage 
is  an  indissoluble  state  of  life  wherein  a  man  and 
woman  agree  to  give  each  other  power  over  their 
bodies  for  the  begetting,  birth,  and  upbringing  of 
children.  The  essence  of  marriage  as  St.  Thomas 
teaches,  is  in  the  indissoluble  union,  and,  second- 
arily, in  the  begetting  of  offspring.  Now,  what  is 
freely  given  by  mutual  agreement  can  be  with- 
held only  by  a  like  agreement.  Therefore, 
voluntary  continence  by  mutual  consent  is  per- 
missible; this  form  of  controlling  births  is  neither 
contrary  to  the  law  of  God  nor  an  infringement  of 
the  rights  of  the  parties  to  the  marriage  union. 
It  follows  that  the  husband  and  wife,  with  such 
mutual  consent,  may  abstain  from  the  marriage 
act  during  periods  wherein  conception  is  possible, 
or  for  longer  terms.  But,  it  must  be  noted,  this 
is  not  a  frustration  of  the  purpose  or  the  con- 
sequence of  such  act.  It  is  a  logical  exercise  of 
the  joint  rights  of  the  parties.  In  St.  Paul's 
words,  it  is  a  use  of  marriage,  "honorable  and 
undefiled." 

While  living  a  normal  married  life,  self-restraint 
of  the  kind  mentioned  may  be  found  difficult  by 
husband  or  wife,  or  by  both.  (We  here  are 
taking  no  cognizance  of  the  strengthening  effects 
of  supernatural  grace.)  But  all  self-restraint  is 
difficult,  even  if  no  moral  purpose  is  the  incen- 
tive. That  is  not  to  say  that  self-restraint  is 
impossible:  to  admit  this,  would  be  to  admit 
that  moral  and  social  self-indulgence,  or  that 
moral  and  social  anarchy,  are  normal  conditions. 
They  become  abnormal,  only  when  the  individual 
or  the  community  throws  self-restraint  to  the 
winds. 

Nor  is  this  mutual  forbearance  from  the  exercise 
of  mutual  marital  rights  harmful.     To  regard  it 


33i  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

as  such,  is  to  proclaim  that  any  form  of  conti- 
nence is  harmful.  To  regard  it  as  impossible,  is 
to  deny  the  possibility  of  any  sexual  morality. 
Everyday  human  experience  revolts  at  such  a 
conclusion. 

The  obligation  to  exercise  such  self-control 
rests  on  all  unmarried  persons:  that  is  but  the 
proclamation  of  one  of  the  common  standards  of 
human  conduct.  Since  many  remain  single 
throughout  their  lives,  this  obligation  of  conti- 
nence is  for  them  life-long.  No  one  will  deny 
this  elementary  expression  of  everyday  morality. 
For  the  married,  too,  there  is  often  a  similar  obli- 
gation, as  when  the  parties  are  separated  through 
the  exigencies  of  business,  illness,  war,  and  other 
circumstances.  No  sane  person  will  suggest  thai 
adultery  in  these  cases  is  a  necessary  alternative. 

Consequently,  in  the  light  of  purely  human 
reasoning  and  experience,  the  Catholic  Church 
is  completely  logical  when  she  considers  that, 
when  married  persons  desire  to  limit  their  families 
for  reasons  that  seem  advisable  to  them,  they 
may  freely  do  so  by  abstaining  by  mutual  con- 
sent from  the  act  whereby  conception  becomes 
probable,  as  this  is  a  natural  consequence  from 
mutually-given  rights.  What  is  freely  and 
mutually  granted  as  a  right,  may  be  freely  and 
mutually  abstained  from  whenever  the  parties 
so  wish,  and  mutually  agree. 

The  Catholic  Church  looks  on  contraception, 
or  birth  control  in  the  contra-conception  sense, 
as  always  and  without  any  exception  morally 
wrong.  The  Church  in  this  matter  is  not  ad- 
ministering ecclesiastical  (or  Church-made)  law, 
but  applying  Divine  Natural  Law.  Her  attitude 
in  condemning  contraception  is  not  parallel  with 
her  condemnation  of  the  eating  of  meat  on  Friday, 
for  example.  The  latter  is  a  matter  of  Church 
legislation  only;  in  individual  instances,  or  under 
certain  circumstances,  the  Church  can  dispense 


MARRIAGE  333 


from  the  prohibition  against  the  eating  of  meat 
on  Fridays.  Theoretically,  she  could  repeal  the 
law  in  its  entirety.  But  the  Church  cannot  re- 
peal the  Commandment  against  theft  or  that 
against  murder;  she  cannot  dispense  individuals 
from  the  sin  of  adultery.  Neither  can  she  make 
any  exceptions  and  permit  the  practice  of  con- 
traception or  the  use  of  contraceptive  media  on 
account  of  circumstances  of  personal  hardship, 
or  for  any  other  reason  at  all.  She  must  uphold 
the  Divine  law,  come  what  may. 

Every  human  law  for  the  public  welfare  is 
hard  on  some  individual  or  another.  If  any 
such  human  law  could  be  set  aside  because  of  its 
hardship  in  individual  cases,  there  would  be  no 
law  or  order  in  the  universe  or  in  the  nation. 
There  is  no  law  on  the  statute  book  that  does  net 
cause  individual  suffering  occasionally  or  fre- 
quently. But  if  law  permitted  exemption  when- 
ever individual  hardship  were  pleaded,  there 
would  soon  be  no  law  left  to  administer.  When 
the  Catholic  Church  condemns  contraception  as 
a  mortal  sin,  the  gravest  form  of  infringement  of 
the  Divine  law,  her  condemnation  is  absolute; 
there  are  no  exceptions  possible.  To  permit  the 
individual  Catholic  to  apply  his  own  standards 
of  exemption,  is  unthinkable  in  so  serious  a 
matter. 

When  the  Church  condemus  contraception  as 
a  mortal  sin,  for  the  Catholic  that  is  the  end  of 
the  matter.  If  a  Catholic  wants  to  practice  con- 
traception, he  can  assuredly  do  so;  but  he  there- 
by deliberately  takes  the  law  into  his  own  hands, 
just  as  he  would  do  if  he  committed  adultery  or 
premeditated  murder.  And,  in  the  case  of  contra- 
ception, as  in  the  others  mentioned,  he  incurs 
the  penalties  attached  to  the  commission  of 
mortal  sin:  and  he  sets  himself  up  in  the  place  of 
God,  the  eternal  Lawgiver.     (The  Month.) 


}34  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

At  a  Parent  and  Teacher  Association 
Meeting  held  at  a  Public  School  where 
my  two  children  attend  the  kindergarten 
they  had  a  young  lady  sent  out  by  the 
Board  of  Education  to  discuss  affairs  con- 
cerning the  welfare  of  children.  When 
our  meeting  came  to  a  close  the  speaker 
asked  whether  there  were  any  Catholic 
mothers  present.  I  was  the  only  Catholic 
mother  that  stood  up,  and  she  asked  me 
this  question:  "If  a  mother  were  in  danger 
of  death,  the  Church  would  not  allow  an 
abortion  to  save  her  life,  but  would  save 
the  life  of  the  child.  Is  that  true?"  She 
said  she  had  read  an  article  to  that  effect 
in  the  morning  paper,  which  the  Pope 
had  written.  And  she  said  that  she  did 
not  agree  with  him.  I  said  I  had  not  read 
the  article  and  really  could  not  say  much 
about  it.  Then  she  said:  "Please  find  out 
about  this  subject  and  let  me  know  at 
our  next  meeting."  Will  you  be  kind 
enough  to  answer  this  question  for  me? 

We  can  hardly  expect  those  outside  the  Church 
to  agree  with  us  to  any  great  extent  in  matters 
of  faith  and  morals.  There  is  a  wide  gulf  between 
us  Catholics  and  the  rest  of  the  world  and,  some 
say,  it  is  widening  continually.  So,  of  course, 
non-Catholics  for  the  most  part  are  at  variance 
with  the  Pope  in  the  teachings  of  the  Church  as 
expressed  in  that  sublime  and  immortal  Ency- 
clical on  Christian  Marriage  issued  in  January, 
1931.  But  to  reject  such  teaching  without 
deep  study  and  reflection  seems  to  show  a  vast 
amount  of  disgustingly  shallow  self-sufficiency 
and  self-conceit. 

No  less  than  twenty  scholars,  theologians, 
canonists,  etc.  collaborated  in  making  the  first 
rough  draft  of  the  Encyclical  on  Christian  Mar- 


MARRIAGE 


335 


riage,  and  it  required  two  full  months  for  the  re- 
search division  at  the  Vatican  to  prepare  it.  The 
Holy  Father  had  outlined  to  his  staff  the  tone  and 
general  tenor  on  each  point  to  be  included,  and  a 
mass  of  material  was  assembled  and  digested. 
This  was  studied  by  the  Pontiff  who  then  gave 
specific  instructions  to  his  assistants.  Eventually, 
the  work  prepared  by  individual  staff  members 
was  put  together  under  the  direction  of  the 
Secretary  of  Letters  to  the  Princes,  and  thus  a 
long  Latin  document  was  presented  to  the  Pope. 
He  himself  then  worked  it  over,  and  reworked  it, 
editing  and  writing  in  his  study  until  a  few  days 
before  the  Encyclical  was  issued.  Yet,  there  are 
persons  with  "little  Latin  and  less  Greek"  who 
think  they  can  tear  it  to  pieces  in  five  minutes, — 
like  the  young  lady  mentioned  in  your  question. 

We  here  give  that  part  of  the  Encyclical  which 
directly  pertains  to  the  question  asked.  It  speaks 
for  itself  in  words  of  supreme  authority: 

But  another  very  grave  crime  is  to  be  noted, 
Venerable  Brethren,  which  regards  the  taking  of 
the  life  of  the  offspring  hidden  in  the  mother's 
womb.  Some  wish  it  to  be  allowed  and  left  to 
the  will  of  the  father  or  the  mother;  others  say 
it  is  unlawful  unless  there  are  weighty  reasons 
which  they  call  by  the  name  of  medical,  social 
or  eugenic  "indication."  Because  this  matter 
falls  under  the  penal  laws  of  the  State  by  which 
the  destruction  of  the  offspring  begotten  but 
unborn  is  forbidden,  these  people  demand  that 
the  "indication,"  which  in  one  form  or  another 
they  defend,  be  recognized  as  such  by  the  public 
law  and  in  no  way  penalized.  There  are  those, 
moreover,  who  ask  that  the  public  authorities 
provide  aid  for  these  death-dealing  operations; 
a  thing  which,  sad  to  say,  everyone  knows  is  of 
very  frequent  occurrence,  in  some  places. 

As  to  the  "medical  and  therapeutic  indication" 
to  which,  using  their  own  words,  We  have  made 


336  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

reference,  Venerable  Brethren,  however  much  we 
may  pity  the  mother  whose  health  and  even  life 
is  gravely  imperiled  in  the  performance  of  the 
duty  allotted  to  her  by  nature,  nevertheless  what 
could  ever  be  a  sufficient  reason  for  excusing  in 
any  way  the  direct  murder  of  the  innocent? 
This  is  precisely  what  we  are  dealing  with  here. 
Whether  inflicted  upon  the  mother  or  upon  the 
child  it  is  against  the  precept  of  God  and  the  law 
of  nature:  "Thou  shalt  not  kill."  The  life  of  each 
is  equally  sacred,  and  no  one  has  the  power, 
not  even  the  public  authority,  to  destroy  it. 

It  is  of  no  use  to  appeal  to  the  right  of  taking 
away  life,  for  here  it  is  a  question  of  the  innocent, 
whereas  that  right  has  regard  only  to  the  guilty. 
nor  is  there  here  question  of  defence  by  bloodshed 
against  an  unjust  aggressor  (for  who  would  call 
an  innocent  child  an  unjust  aggressor!). 

Again,  there  is  no  question  here  of  what  is 
called  the  "law  of  extreme  necessity"  which 
could  ever  extend  to  the  direct  killing  of  the  in- 
nocent. Upright  and  skilful  doctors  strive  most 
praiseworthily  to  guard  and  preserve  the  lives  of 
both  mother  and  child;  on  the  contrary,  those 
show  themselves  most  unworthy  of  the  noble 
medical  profession  who  encompass  the  death  of 
one  or  the  other,  through  a  pretence  of  practising 
medicine  or  through  motives  of  misguided  pity. 

All  of  which  agrees  with  the  stern  words  of  the 
Bishop  of  Hippo  in  denouncing  those  wicked 
parents  who  seek  to  remain  childless  and  failing 
in  t.6  is  are  not  ashamed  to  put  their  offspring  to 
death.  (St.  Aug.,  de  Nupt.  et  Concup.  cap.  XV.) 

Sometimes  this  lustful  cruelty  or  cruel  lust  goes 
so  far  as  to  seek  to  procure  a  baneful  sterility, 
and  if  this  fails  the  fetus  conceived  in  the  womb 
is  in  one  way  or  another  smothered  or  evacuated, 
in  the  desire  to  destroy  the  offspring  before  it 
has  life,  or  if  it  already  lives  in  the  womb,  to  kill 
it  before  it  is  born.    If  both  man  and  woman  are 


MARRIAGE  337 


party  to  such  practices  they  are  not  spouses  at 
all;  and  if  from  the  first  they  have  carried  on 
thus  they  have  come  together  not  for  honest 
wedlock,  but  for  impure  gratification.  If  both 
are  not  party  to  these  deeds,  I  make  bold  to  say 
that  either  the  one  makes  herself  a  mistress  of 
the  husband,  or  the  other  simply  the  paramour  of 
his  wife. 

What  is  asserted  in  favor  of  the  social  and 
eugenic  ''indication"  may  and  must  be  accepted, 
provided  lawful  and  upright  methods  are  em- 
ployed within  the  proper  limits;  but  to  wish  to 
put  forward  reasons  based  upon  them  for  the 
killing  of  the  innocent  is  unthinkable  and  contrary 
to  the  divine  precept  promulgated  in  the  words 
of  the  Apostle:  "Evil  is  not  to  be  done  that  good 
may  come  of  it."     (Rom.  3:8.) 

Those  who  hold  the  reins  of  government  should 
not  forget  that  it  is  the  duty  of  public  authority 
by  appropriate  laws  and  sanctions  to  defend  the 
lives  of  the  innocent,  and  this  all  the  more  so 
since  those  whose  lives  are  endangered  and 
assailed  cannot  defend  themselves:  among  whom 
we  must  mention  in  the  first  place  infants  hidden 
in  the  mother's  womb.  And  if  the  public  magis- 
trates not  only  do  not  defend  them,  but  by  their 
laws  and  ordinances  betray  them  to  death  at  the 
hands  of  doctors  or  of  others,  let  them  remember 
that  God  is  the  judge  and  avenger  of  innocent 
blood  which  cries  from  earth  to  heaven.  (Gen. 
4:16.) 

The  above  eight  paragraphs  are  from  the  Holy 
Father's  Encyclical  on  Christian  Marriage.  To 
answer  your  question  still  more  fully,  we  give  the 
following  paragraphs  from  the  splendid  Moral 
Theology,  A  Complete  Course,  by  Fathers 
McHugh  and  Callan,  O.  P.  (Joseph  F.  Wagner, 
New  York): 

Destruction  of  the  Unborn. —  (a)  Direct  and  in- 
tentional  destruction    of   this   kind    is   unlawful 


338  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 


and  homicidal,  if  done  after  animation,  which 
according  to  many  today  is  simultaneous  with 
conception.  Hence,  even  the  reputation  of  a 
girl  who  has  been  seduced,  or  the  health  or  life 
of  a  mother,  does  not  justify  the  killing  of  the 
embryo  or  fetus  within  the  womb  (e.  g.,  by 
craniotomy),  nor  the  ejection  or  abortion  or 
miscarriage  of  an  immature  fetus  (i.  e.,  one  which 
is  not  six  or  seven  months  old  and  which  will  die 
if  ejected).  This  applies  to  ectopic  or  extra- 
uterine, as  well  as  to  normal  fetuses. 

(b)  Indirect  and  unintentional  killing,  or  rather 
permission  of  death,  is  not  unlawful  in  such  a 
case,  when  there  is  a  proportionate  grave  reason, 
such  as  the  life  of  the  mother.  Thus,  it  is  permis- 
sible to  give  the  mother  a  remedy  necessary  to 
cure  a  mortal  disease  (e.  g.,  medicinal  drugs, 
baths,  injections,  or  operations  on  the  uterus), 
even  though  this  will  bring  on  abortion  or  the 
death  of  the  fetus;  for  the  mother  is  not  obliged 
to  prefer  the  temporal  life  of  the  child  to  her  own 
life.  But  the  baptism  of  the  child  must  be  at- 
tended to,  for  its  salvation  depends  on  the  Sacra- 
ment, and  the  eternal  life  of  the  child  is  to  be 
preferred  to  the  temporal  life  of  the  mother,  if 
the  conditions  of  1166  are  verified. 

It  is  unlawful  positively  to  kill  the  mother  in 
order  that  the  unborn  child  may  be  saved  or 
baptized.  Thus,  it  is  not  lawful  to  perform  the 
Caesarean  operation,  when  it  is  likely  that  the 
mother  will  die  from  it.  Indeed  it  seems  that 
the  mother  is  not  obliged  to  undergo  this  opera- 
tion for  the  sake  of  saving  her  own  life,  since  it 
appears  to  be  an  extraordinary  remedy,  not  even 
for  the  sake  of  the  child's  baptism,  since  the  hope 
that  the  child  will  be  able  to  receive  baptism  and 
will  be  saved  is  doubtful,  to  say  the  least. 

Direction  in  Cases  of  Doubt,  Ignorance,  or 
Error. — (a)  In  case  of  doubt,  if  there  are  positive 
and  solid  reasons  for  believing  that  an  operation 


MARRIAGE 


339 


performed  to  save  a  woman's  life  will  not  be 
destructive  of  the  life  of  a  fetus  (e.  g.,  if  it  seems 
that  the  source  of  her  trouble  is  not  an  ectopic 
fetus  but  a  tumor,  or  if  it  is  more  probable  that 
a  fetus  is  already  dead),  the  operation  seems 
lawful;  for  in  doubt,  the  woman,  as  the  certain 
possessor  of  life,  has  the  presumption. 

(b)  In  case  of  ignorance  or  error  (e.  g.,  when  a 
penitent  asks  whether  a  certain  operation  is 
permissible,  or  a  surgeon  in  good  faith  performs 
an  operation  that  is  not  lawful),  either  a  truthful 
answer  should  be  given  to  questions,  or  silence 
should  be  observed  when  an  admonition  would 
only  be  harmful  (e.  g.,  if  to  require  the  Caesarean 
operation  from  a  dying  mother  would  have  no 
result  than  to  make  her  die  in  bad  faith  instead 
of  good  faith). 

A  Catholic  woman  married  a  non- 
Catholic  man,  a  dispensation  having  been 
properly  secured.  Now  her  husband  can- 
not understand  why  it  would  be  wrong 
for  her  to  go  to  his  church  after  she  has 
fulfilled  her  obligation  by  attending  Mass 
in  the  morning  in  her  church.  Her 
husband  is  a  very  fine  young  man;  but 
he  simply  cannot  see  why  his  religion  is 
not  as  good  as  hers  and  why  she  cannot  go 
to  his  church  as  well  as  he  can  go  to  hers. 
Of  course,  as  a  Catholic  I  feel  that  she  may 
not  go  to  his  church;  but  I  cannot  say 
just  why.    Will  you  enlighten  me? 

It  is  a  Protestant  principle  that  one  religion  is 
as  good  as  another;  no  Protestant  claims  that  his 
church  is  the  only  true  church.  According  to 
principle  every  honest  Protestant  must  admit 
that  the  Catholic  Church  is  as  good  as  the 
Protestant  church.  Therefore,  according  to  his 
own  principle,  he  can  with  a  good  conscience  go 


34o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

to   Catholic   services.     This  explains   why   that 
husband  may  go  to  his  wife's  church. 

But  the  Catholic  Church  does  not  and  cannot 
admit  that  one  religion  is  as  good  as  another. 
In  fact,  the  assertion  that  one  religion  is  as  good 
as  another  is  irrational.  It  is  a  first  principle  of 
reason  that  two  contradictory  statements  cannot 
both  be  true.  If  one  is  true,  the  other  is  un- 
doubtedly false.  For  example,  either  there  are 
many  gods  or  one  God;  either  Jesus  Christ  is 
God  or  He  is  not;  divorce  is  either  allowed  or 
prohibited  by  Christ;  either  the  living  Jesus  is 
in  the  Eucharist  or  it  is  mere  bread. 

To  say  that  one  religion  is  as  good  as  another, 
is  to  say  that  a  false  guide  is  as  good  as  a  true 
guide.  It  is  manifest  and  as  clear  and  plain  as 
that  two  plus  two  make  four,  that  if  one  religion 
in  the  world  is  true,  every  religion  that  differs 
from  it  is  false.  But  now,  the  only  religion  in  the 
world  which  even  claims  to  be  exclusively  true  is 
the  Catholic  religion.  Christ  established  a  Church 
and  guaranteed  it  against  error;  and  the  only 
Church  which  claims  not  to  err  is  the  Catholic 
Church,  which  is,  therefore,  the  one  true  Church 
of  Christ.  (Of  course,  numerous  other  proofs  can 
be  adduced.)  Thus  we  see  that  every  Catholic 
must  hold  that  the  Catholic  Church  is  the  only 
true  Church  and  all  other  religions  are  false  and 
that  it  is  accordingly  sinful  actively  to  partici- 
pate in  non-Catholic  religious  services. 

It  is  well  to  bear  in  mind  here  that  when  we 
say  that  all  other  religions  are  false  we  are  not 
necessarily  condemning  the  adherents  of  such 
religions.  We  must  distinguish  between  a  creed 
and  the  believer  in  a  creed.  A  creed  may  be 
wrong,  but  a  believer  in  it  may  be  very  sincere. 
To  illustrate  further,  the  Republican  party  for 
instance,  may  be  wrong,  but  the  individual 
Republican  may  be  most  worthy  of  our  esteem 


MARRIAGE 


341 


and   respect.      We   may   condemn   idol   worship 
without  condemning  the  poor  idolater. 

But  to  return  to  your  question.  That  Catholic 
wife  may  not  actively  participate  in  the  religious 
services  of  her  husband's  church  because  to'  do 
so  would  be,  according  to  Catholic  teaching  and 
her  own  personal  conviction,  to  participate  in 
false  worship. 

All  of  which  is  unmistakably  clear  in  Canon 
Law.  Canon  1258  says  that  "it  is  unlawful  foi 
Catholics  to  assist  actively  in  any  way  at,  or 
take  part  in,  the  religious  services  of  non-Catho- 
lics. A  passive  or  merely  material  presence  may 
be  tolerated,  for  reasons  of  civil  duty  or  honor 
at  funerals,  weddings,  and  similar  celebrations, 
provided  no  danger  of  perversion  or  scan  dal 
arises  from  this  assistance.  In  doubtful  ca  es 
the  reason  for  assisting  must  be  grave,  and  rec  g- 
nized  as  such  by  the  bishop." 

Great  stress  must  be  placed  on  the  words 
"provided  no  danger  of  perversion  or  scandal 
arises." 

We  would  like  to  have  a  quiet  wedding 
with  a  Nuptial  Mass.  We  neither  want 
nor  can  we  afford  much  outward  show. 
Would  that  be  all  right  ? 

Certainly.  No  lavish  expenditure  is  necessary 
or  even  desirable.  The  garments  of  both  bride 
and  groom  should  be  in  harmony  with  the  solemn 
occasion.  Even  when  they  wish  to  have  some- 
thing a  little  better,  they  should  remember  that 
anything  loud  or  silly  or  unbecoming  is  clearly 
out  of  place  in  the  church.  Let  the  bride  wear  a 
respectable  hat,  or,  if  she  prefers,  especially  if 
the  marriage  is  not  of  the  quietest,  a  veil,  which 
is  more  solemn  and  becoming.  The  wedding 
party  should  bring  their  prayer  books  and  beads 
and  make  good  use  of  them  during  the  Nuptial 


342.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Mass.     The  best  attire  of  all  consists  in  a  good 
reputation,  a  pure  heart,  and  the  grace  of  God. 

Follow  the  directions  of  the  pastor  as  regards 
what  is  to  be  done  and  how,  and  do  not  attempt 
or  let  anyone  else  attempt  to  introduce  any  new 
and  foolish  frills.  Says  a  wise  and  experienced 
author:  "The  people  who  allow  themselves  to 
be  foolishly  on  exhibition  and  cater  to  silly 
novelties  at  their  wedding  are  most  liable  to 
make  a  more  serious  exhibition  of  themselves 
later  on;  for  freaks  will  be  freaks  both  at  and 
after  the  marriage  feast." 

May  a  Catholic  girl  be  a  bridesmaid  for 
a  non-Catholic  couple  married  in  a  Protes- 
tant church? 

If  a  non-Catholic  marriage  is  a  religious  rite, 
it  is  not  lawful  for  Catholics  to  take  part  therein 
as  groomsman  or  bridesmaid.  If  it  is  not  a  re- 
ligious affair,  but  rather  a  mere  civil  contract, 
to  assist  at  it  in  this  capacity  is  not  unlawful 
for  Catholics  on  the  ground  of  participation  in 
false  worship.  But  there  may,  even  in  that 
case,  be  other  grounds  that  make  it  unlawful  thus 
to  take  part,  for  instance,  if  such  conduct  gives 
scandal  (as  it  easily  does),  if  it  creates  danger  for 
the  Catholic's  faith,  if  it  has  been  forbidden  by 
the  diocesan  authorities.  Hence  each  case  must 
be  considered  on  its  own  merits.  In  any  case, 
to  come  more  directly  to  the  answer  to  your 
question,  we  would  strongly  advise  against  such 
participation  and  would  tolerate  it  only  when 
there  is  a  serious  reason  for  a  Catholic  girl  to  act 
as  bridesmaid  at  such  a  marriage,  when  she 
cannot  decline  without  serious  inconvenience  to 
herself  and  to  others,  and  when  she  has  consulted 
her  pastor  and  obtained  his  approval. 

1.  If  a  widow  remarries  is  she  supposed 
to  wear  a  white  dress  and  a  veil  or  just  an 
ordinary  dress  and  hat?     2.  Is  she  sup- 


MARRIAGE  343 


posed    to    have    bridesmaids?      3.  Can    a 
wedding  ring  that  is  lost  be  replaced? 

1.  As  regards  the  dress  and  head  covering,  that 
is  at  most  a  matter  of  local  custom,  not  a  matter  of 
rule.  However,  the  use  of  the  veil  goes  back  to 
the  days  of  the  early  Christians  when  a  veil  was 
extended  over  the  heads  of  the  couple  during  the 
nuptial  blessing.  Both  parties  were  also  crowned 
with  flowers  when  they  left  the  church  after  the 
marriage.  There  is  a  special  ceremony  for  this 
"coronation''  in  some  old  liturgies;  and  a  week 
after  the  marriage  the  couple  brought  back  their 
crowns  to  the  church  and  the  priest  recited  other 
special  prayers.  Among  the  early  Christians 
there  was  a  strong  aversion  to  second  marriages 
and  when  they  were  performed  the  marriage 
rites  were  shortened.  It  may  be  that  the  custom 
prevailing  in  some  places  of  widows  who  marry 
again  wearing  a  hat  instead  of  a  bridal  veil  and 
floral  crown  is  a  survival  of  the  ancient  customs. 

2.  There  is  no  liturgical  ruling  on  the  subject 
of  bridesmaids.  All  that  the  Church  requires  is 
two  witnesses,  and  these  are  necessary  both  at 
first  and  subsequent  marriages. 

3.  If  the  wedding  ring  is  lost  or  destroyed,  a 
new  ring  may  be  blessed  privately  with  the  same 
form  as  the  one  used  in  the  course  of  the  marriage 
ceremony. 

Just  what  is  meant  by  saying  that  birth 
control  is  an  unnatural,  irrational,  and 
moral  evil? 

People  do  sometimes  wonder  just  what  this 
means,  even  when  they  do  not  question  the  truth 
of  the  assertion.  Father  H.  Davis,  S.  J.,  in  the 
Bombay  Examiner  for  January  25,  1930,  explains 
this  in  an  argument  that  is  irrefutable  and  that, 
as  a  matter  of  fact,  birth  controllers  have  never 
attempted   to   refute.     This   argument   requires 


344  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

careful  thought;  but  to  the  thoughtful  it  carries 
conviction.    We  quote  as  follows: 

"This  article  undertakes  to  show  that  birth 
control  is  an  evil  against  human  nature,  i.  e.,  a 
moral  evil.  It  does  not  concern  itself  with 
economic  evil,  nor  physical,  nor  hygienic,  nor 
social  evils.  These  aspects  of  the  matter  are 
altogether  outside  the  purpose  of  the  writer. 
Widespread  birth  control  would  doubtless  be  all 
of  these,  but  a  particular  act  of  birth  control 
might  not  be  an  economic  evil,  just  as  any  other 
immoral  act  might  conceivably  not  be  such  an 
evil.  Indeed,  medical  science  might  progress  so 
far  as  to  secure  that  no  great  physical  harm 
should  arise  from  even  repeated  acts  of  birth 
control.  Even  if  it  proved  to  be  generally  ad- 
vantageous to  a  nation  by  reducing  the  popula- 
tion and  thus  adding  to  the  comfort  of  the  rem- 
nant, it  is  still  true  to  say,  and  this  is  the  con- 
tention of  this  article,  that  even  one  act  of  birth 
control  is  an  immoral  act,  a  moral  evil,  unnatural 
and  therefore  contrary  to  rational  nature. 

"Now,  it  is  important  to  say  at  once  that  we 
cannot  suppose  that  anyone  is  willing  to  regard 
an  irrational  act  as  of  no  consequence,  for  in  the 
first  place,  by  so  regarding  it,  a  man  would  render 
himself  the  slave  of  appetite  or  caprice,  a  pro- 
cedure that  is  both  unworthy  of  a  human  being, 
and  is  an  offense  against  God,  Who  necessarily 
wishes  us  to  act  in  accordance  with  the  rational 
nature  that  He  has  given  us;  and  secondly,  if  he 
elected  to  act  against  his  rational  nature,  he  would 
have  to  extend  the  same  license  to  others,  with 
appalling  consequences  to  himself,  the  human 
race  and  all  ordered  society. 

"In  what  sense,  then,  must  we  say  birth  con- 
trol is  unnatural,  irrational  and  a  moral  evil? 

"We  may  answer  the  question  by  considering 
two  examples. 

"The  natural  purpose  of  the  faculty  of  speech 


MARRIAGE  ^45 


is  to  express  one's  interior  conviction  to  others, 
just  as  the  natural  purpose  of  the  eye  is  to  see. 
If  speech  be  employed  to  express  what  we  believe 
to  be  false,  the  faculty  is  then  used  unnaturally 
and  irrationally,  and  the  action  is  morally  bad, 
precisely  bee  ause  it  is  irrational.  The  reader  will 
not,  it  is  hoped,  object  that  certain  conventional 
expressions  such  as,  'Not  at  home,'  are  used  every 
day,  and  that  therefore  a  lie  is  permissible  on 
occasion,  for  these  expressions  are  employed  in 
a  definite  and  intelligible  and  true  sense. 

"The  second  example  is  that  of  suicide.  Every 
appetite  and  capacity  in  man  tends  to  the  main- 
tenance and  perfection  of  the  agent,  and  man's 
rational  nature  prompts  him  to  use  all  his  facul- 
ties for  his  own  preservation  and  perfection.  It 
is  natural  and  rational  that  this  should  be  so. 
The  suicide  uses  the  faculties  of  his  body  and  will 
to  destroy  himself.  This  is  a  moral  evil,  because 
it  is  unnatural,  irrational  and  an  offense  against 
God  who  has  given  us  life  for  the  achieving  of  our 
perfection. 

"Now  the  sexual  faculty  is  on  an  exact  level 
with  the  faculty  of  speech  and  the  general  capacity 
of  maintaining  life.  The  sexual  faculty  has  a 
purpose.  That  purpose,  in  the  last  analysis,  is 
one  only,  namely  procreation.  No  other  purpose 
can  be  imagined  as  final  and  primary.  No  other 
purpose  is  implied,  in  point  of  fact,  in  the  sexual 
act.  If  anyone  were  to  say  that  the  purpose  of 
the  act  is  the  expression  of  love,  or  of  natural 
sexuality,  that  is,  the  alleviation  of  concupiscence, 
he  must  admit  that  these  purposes  are  secondary, 
they  presuppose  the  other  purpose,  and  without 
it  they  simply  do  not  exist  and  cannot  be  con- 
ceived to  have  any  raison  d'etre.  If  then  the 
faculty  is  used  in  such  a  way  that  in  the  actual 
exercise  of  it  on  a  given  occasion,  the  primary 
purpose  of  the  act,  where  that  purpose  is  realiz- 
able, is  frustrated,  however  much  the  secondary 


346  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

purposes  may  be  achieved,  we  must  say  that 
nature  is  frustrated,  that  such  an  act  is  irrational, 
unnatural,  a  moral  evil  and  an  offense  against 
God,  for  it  is  a  cutting  out  from  the  act  the  very 
purpose  for  which  the  capacity  for  the  act  is 
given. 

"If  any  man  defended  the  act  of  contraception, 
even  on  one  occasion,  he  would  have  to  con- 
done the  act  of  unnatural  vice  between  two  men, 
for  in  this  latter  case,  precisely  the  same  purposes, 
namely  love  and  the  alleviation  of  sexuality,  may 
be  expressed  just  as  readily  and  as  effectually  as 
they  are  expressed  between  man  and  wife.  No 
one  could  defend  unnatural  vice.  Why  not? 
Because  the  vice,  that  is  the  vicious  act,  does 
exactly  what  the  contraceptive  act  between  man 
and  wife  does,  namely,  it  frustrates  the  very 
purpose  for  which  the  sexual  function  is  given 
and  for  which  the  sexual  act  itself  is  seen  to  be 
natural.  If  the  immorality  in  the  case  of  un- 
natural vice  is  what  it  is,  is  the  contraceptive 
act  between  a  man  and  his  wife  different  in  any 
way?  The  man  and  wife  who  practice  birth 
control  in  whatever  form,  and  even  if  on  one 
only  occasion,  are  doing  precisely  the  same  as 
those  who  do  an  unnatural  act  of  sexual  per- 
version. They  are  acting  unnaturally,  they  are 
frustrating  nature,  they  are  acting  irrationally, 
they  are  guilty  of  moral  evil. 

"The  birth  controller  will  not,  we  trust,  appeal 
to  cases  of  sterility,  and  maintain  that  man  and 
wife  may  then  exercise  their  function,  though  the 
primary  purpose  of  the  act  is  impossible  of 
realization.  Married  persons  who  are  sterile  may 
indeed  have  intercourse,  but  it  is  not  they  who 
cut  out  the  primary  purpose  of  the  act;  nature 
does  so.  They  put  no  positive  obstacle  in  the 
way  of  nature  realizing  those  purposes  and  effects 
that  can  be  realized.  The  failure  is  here  natural; 
the  failure  achieved  by  a  contraceptive  method  is 


MARRIAGE  ^47 


imposed  on  nature,  it  is  unnatural  in  the  moral 
sense.  It  may  be  said  that  one  act  of  contracep- 
tion does  no  great  harm,  and  that  in  the  sterile  it 
does  no  harm  at  all,  in  respect  of  the  primary 
purpose  of  the  sexual  act.  That  is  true;  but 
such  a  way  of  looking  at  the  matter  is  to  appeal 
to  results,  and  it  would  have  to  be  admitted  that, 
provided  no  great  harm  results  from  one  lie  or 
one  act  of  theft  or  of  unnatural  vice,  there  is 
no  moral  evil  in  any  of  these.  Furthermore,  we 
could  imagine  circumstances  in  which  no  harm 
at  all  in  the  social  or  physical  orders  would  result 
from  a  single  act  of  lying  or  theft.  But  are  we 
to  say,  therefore,  that  the  one  act  of  lying  or 
theft  is  not  irrational  and  is  not  an  offense  against 
nature?  We  do  not,  therefore,  judge  of  the  moral 
evil  of  birth  control  by  the  evil  results  it  has, 
though  these  results  show  the  magnitude  of  its 
unnaturalness ;  we  judge  of  its  moral  turpitude 
by  looking  at  the  act  itself  before  any  result  at 
all  has  ensued.  Is  the  act  unnatural  or  is  it  not? 
Is  it  contrary  to  right  reason?  Is  it  the  frustration 
of  an  act  and  the  misuse  or  rather  the  abuse  of 
a  function?  If  it  is  not  all  of  these  in  the  married, 
neither  is  it  in  the  unmarried.  But  in  truth  it 
is  all  of  these  even  in  the  married,  and  therefore 
it  is  always  and  under  every  circumstance  and 
even  in  a  solitary  case  essentially  evil. 

"The  state  of  marriage  does  not  give  man  or 
woman  any  right  to  abuse  their  faculties;  they 
do  not  possess  their  sexual  powers  for  their  own 
sakes,  but  for  the  sake  of  the  race,  and  it  is  con- 
trary to  reason  and  to  nature  to  seek  pleasure  in 
the  functioning  of  sex  except  in  the  due  func- 
tioning of  it  between  man  and  wife  without  let 
or  artificial  hindrance  or  outside  true  sexual 
union.  Contraception  in  the  married  cannot  be 
less  unnatural  than  it  is  in  the  unmarried;  the 
contraceptive  act  is  unnatural  of  its  very  nature. 
No  extrinsic  circumstance  can  possibly  change 


348  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

its  nature.  Therefore,  to  express  love,  to  safe- 
guard a  wife's  life,  to  make  provision  for  children 
already  existing,  to  avoid  probable  death  in  a 
subsequent  case  of  childbirth,  all  of  these  are 
laudable  motives  for  continence,  but  none  of 
them  can  justify  that  which  is  unnatural.  It  is 
true  that  it  is  natural  for  a  man  and  wife  to  have 
an  outlet  for  their  sexual  urge;  the  God  who 
made  man  and  woman  has  supplied  them  with 
the  outlet,  namely  natural  and  untrammeled 
sexual  union  in  marriage.  He  impresses  the 
human  mind  with  the  conviction  that  the  union 
is  good  and  honorable,  but  the  human  mind  does 
violence  to  itself  when  it  tries  to  blind  itself  to 
the  palpable  facts  of  nature,  when  it  becomes  so 
far  sophisticated  as  to  pretend  that  what  is 
immoral  and  irrational  is  good  and  virtuous  and 
true. 

"We  have  presented  a  valid  argument  against 
birth  control  without  appealing  to  authority. 
If  any  non-Catholic  or  non-Christian  reader,  who 
chances  to  read  these  lines,  wishes  to  attempt  to 
refute  it,  he  will  be  making  the  first  attempt  that 
has  ever  been  made,  for  birth  controllers  shirk 
this  argument." 

Can  a  woman  marry  her  deceased  sis- 
ter's husband  if  she  is  godmother  in 
Baptism  and  sponsor  in  Confirmation  for 
that  sister's  child? 

The  diriment  impediment  of  spiritual  relation- 
ship, now  resulting  from  Baptism  only  and  not 
from  Confirmation,  forbids  marriage  only  be- 
tween (1)  the  baptized  and  the  person  who 
baptizes,  and  (2)  the  baptized  male  and  his 
godmother  or  the  baptized  female  and  her  god- 
father. This  impediment  also  results  from  private 
Baptism  in  case  of  necessity;  but  for  this  it  is 
necessary  that  the  person  who  holds  the  child 
shall  truly  assume  the  role  of  sponsor.    When  the 


MARRIAGE  349 


office  of  sponsor  is  discharged  by  a  proxy,  not 
the  proxy,  but  the  sponsor  contracts  the  impedi- 
ment, provided  he  accepted  the  function  in  ad- 
vance and  personally  designated  the  proxy.  The 
most  common  kind  of  impediment  in  former 
times,  that  between  the  sponsors  and  the  parents 
of  the  baptized  person,  no  longer  exists.  So  this 
is  no  obstacle  to  the  marriage. 

But  there  is  here  present  the  diriment  impedi- 
ment of  affinity.  This  impediment  is  the  alliance 
established  between  the  husband  and  the  blood 
relations  of  his  wife  or  between  the  wife  and  the 
blood  relations  of  her  husband.  It  makes  mar- 
riage null  in  any  degree  in  the  direct  line,  and  in 
the  first  and  second  degree  in  the  collateral  line. 
Here  we  have  the  first  degree  in  the  collateral 
line,  the  husband  being  thus  related  to  the  sister 
of  his  wife. 

A  dispensation  is  needed.  But  the  Holy  See 
quite  readily  grants  dispensation  from  the  im- 
pediment of  affinity  in  the  collateral  line,  even 
for  the  first  degree.    See  the  pastor. 


PERTAINING  TO  MASS 

I  was  told  that  at  Mass  you  have  to  read 
Mass  in  a  prayerbook  in  order  to  hear 
Mass.     Is  that  true? 

Questions  such  ,as  this  are  being  asked  more 
frequently  now  than  ever  before.  It  may  be 
that  such  misunderstandings  are  caused  by  over- 
emphasis in  instructions  and  sermons  on  the  use 
of  the  missal  by  the  faithful  during  Mass.  Thus 
some  good,  simple  souls  actually  come  to  believe 
that  they  must  use  a  prayerbook  and  even  a 
missal  in  order  to  satisfy  the  obligation  of  hear- 
ing Mass.  This  is,  of  course,  not  true.  No 
prayerbook  of  any  kind  need  be  used.  As  a 
matter  of  fact  there  were  few  books  in  the  first 
centuries  of  Christianity,  and  even  up  to  the 
invention  of  printing,  and  fewer  still  could  read 
them;  and  in  our  day  there  are  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  Catholics  throughout  the  world, 
chiefly  in  mission  countries,  but  also  elsewhere, 
who  do  not  use  a  prayerbook  because  they  never 
learnt  to  read.  Yet  they  hear  Mass  and  hear  it 
well. 

Assist  at  Mass  in  that  way  in  which,  according 
to  your  experience,  circumstances,  training,  edu- 
cation, custom,  you  can  do  so  best;  whether  you 
say  the  rosary  or  other  vocal  prayers,  meditate 
on  the  passion  or  on  the  four  ends  of  sacrifice,  use 
an  ordinary  prayerbook  or  a  missal,  matters  little, 
provided  that  at  the  beginning  of  the  Mass  and 
at  the  principal  parts,  Offertory,  Consecration, 
and  Communion,  you  devoutly  unite  yourself 
with  the  priest  who  is  offering  his  sacrifice  and 
yours  at  the  holy  altar. 

Bear  in  mind  what  we  have  just  said  and  then 
always  assist  at  Mass  according  to  this  teaching 
of  the  Church  as  expressed  in  the  Council  of 


MASS  351 

Trent,  Sess.  22:  "If  we  must  needs  confess  that 
no  other  work  can  be  performed  by  the  faithful 
so  holy  and  divine  as  this  tremendous  mystery 
...  it  is  also  sufficiently  clear  that  all  industry 
and  diligence  is  to  be  applied  to  this  end,  that  it 
be  performed  with  the  greatest  possible  inward 
cleanness  and  purity  of  heart,  and  outward 
show  of  devotion  and  piety."  Golden  words 
these,  that  ought  to  be  enshrined  in  the  hearts  of 
all  the  faithful!  If  they  are  observed  our  Catholic 
people,  letting  themselves  be  guided  by  the  in- 
structions of  their  pastors,  will  naturally  find 
themselves  hearing  Mass  in  the  manner  best 
suited  to  each  one's  abilities. 

Why  are  the  hosts  for  Mass  and  Com- 
munion always  round?  Of  what  size  are 
they? 

This  circular  form  has  always  been  used  in 
the  Latin  Church.  It  is  significative  of  the 
infinite  and  eternal  God.  We  say  "significative," 
inasmuch  as  a  circle  has  no  beginning  and  no  end. 
The  hosts  for  Mass  and  for  the  monstrance  are 
from  two  to  three  inches  in  diameter;  those  for 
distribution  in  Holy  Communion  about  one  inch 
in  diameter. 

They  say  that  when  a  priest  says  two 
Masses  he  does  not  receive  Communion 
at  the  first  one.  Why  is  it,  then,  that  he 
consumes  the  host  and  drinks  the  wine 
and  only  puts  away  until  the  next  day  the 
water  that  he  washes  the  chalice  and  his 
fingers  with,  instead  of  the  host  and  wine 
also? 

What  a  strange  question!  And  how  poorly 
instructed  those  who  say  such  things!  There  is 
a  twofold  consecration  in  each  Mass;  this  is  the 
very  essence  of  the  Sacrifice;  and  hence  the  priest 
receives  Communion  under  both  kinds  (under 
the  species  of  bread  and  under  the  species  of 


352.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

wine)  in  each  Mass.  That  is  necessary  for  the 
completion  of  the  Sacrifice.  The  priest  may,  with 
due  permission,  say  two  Masses  (binate)  on 
Sundays  and  holydays  of  obligation  in  order  to 
enable  the  faithful  to  fulfill  their  obligation  of 
hearing  Mass.  Moreover,  on  Christmas  Day,  as 
well  as  on  the  feast  of  All  Souls,  all  priests  may 
(but  are  not  in  any  way  obliged  to)  celebrate 
three  Masses. 

Whether  he  says  one,  two,  or  three  Masses, 
the  priest  receives  Communion  in  each  and  every 
Mass.  He  partakes,  not  of  bread  and  wine,  but 
of  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ  under  the  ap- 
pearances of  bread  and  wine.  After  the  first 
Communion  when  he  celebrates  two  Masses 
(and  also  after  the  second,  if  he  offers  three 
Masses)  he  does  not  purify  the  chalice  and  his 
fingers  with  wine  and  water  and  then  drink  the 
ablutions  as  he  does  when  he  says  only  one  Mass 
or  at  the  last  Mass,  because  that  would  be  break- 
ing his  fast,  since  those  ablutions  after  Com- 
munion are  merely  wine  and  water.  When  a 
priest  says  two  or  three  Masses  in  the  same 
church  he  usually  does  not  purify  the  chalice 
after  the  first  and  second  Masses  but  merely 
washes  his  fingers  in  a  little  vessel  of  water  near 
the  tabernacle;  but  when  he  is  going  to  say 
another  Mass  in  another  church  he  pours  some 
water  into  the  chalice  after  Communion,  then 
tips  the  chalice  from  side  to  side,  causing  the 
water  to  flow  over  all  the  parts  of  the  cup  which 
the  sacred  species  had  touched,  and  then  pours 
the  water  into  a  vessel  that  has  been  prepared 
beforehand.  Then  he  wipes  the  chalice  with  the 
purificator  and  covers  it  as  usual.  The  water  he 
may  take  along  and  consume  after  the  Com- 
munion of  the  last  Mass,  when  he  would  not  be 
breaking  his  fast,  or  he  may  leave  it  there  for 
after  the  Communion  the  next  day,  or  it  may  be 
poured  into  the  sacrariumf  a  special  place,  usually 


MASS  353 

in  the  sacristy.  We  hope  we  have  made  this 
very  clear.  People  often  have  the  queerest  ideas 
of  things  they  see  so  frequently  but  do  not 
understand. 

Is  it  permissible  for  a  Catholic  to  have 
Masses  offered  for  the  soul  of  a  deceased 
non-Catholic?  May  one  offer  his  prayers 
and  indulgences  for  a  deceased  non- 
Catholic? 

As  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  may  be  offered 
for  living  non-Catholics,  either  for  the  purpose 
of  imploring  their  conversion,  or  to  obtain  for 
them  useful  spiritual  and  temporal  helps,  so,  too, 
it  is  permitted  to  offer  Mass  for  them  even  after 
their  death,  and  even  if  they  gave  no  signs  of 
repentance  or  conversion.  But  in  this  case 
the  priest  will  probably  refrain  from  saying  a 
Requiem  Mass,  or  at  least  the  special  oration 
for  the  dead.  In  both  cases  he  may  accept  a 
stipend.  In  both  cases  the  danger  of  scandal  on 
the  part  of  the  faithful  must  be  avoided  and  also 
all  danger  of  error  or  superstition  on  the  part 
of  unbelievers.  Moreover,  the  celebration  of  the 
Mass  must  be  private;  and  it  is  private,  or  occult, 
when  the  priest  accepts  the  stipend  and  promises 
to  say  Mass  for  the  person  named,  without 
making  the  intention  known  publicly. 

As  regards  these  Masses  for  the  dead,  all  should 
know  that  they  can  be  of  service  to  the  souls 
for  whom  they  are  offered  only  if  those  persons 
died  in  the  state  of  grace,  and  if  God  deigns  to 
permit  the  fruits  of  the  sacrifice  to  be  applied 
to  them. 

As  regards  your  second  question,  the  answer 
is  a  simple  "Yes."  Pray  much  for  all  the  souls  in 
purgatory. 

Is  a  High  Mass  for  the  dead  better  than 
a  Low  Mass? 

Father  Augustine,  0.  S.  B.,  in  his  Liturgical 


354  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Law  (Herder),  says:  "The  answer  is  intimated 
by  the  Psalmist  when  he  says:  'The  sacrifice  of 
praise  shall  glorify  me:  and  there  is  the  way  by 
which  I  will  show  him  the  salvation  of  God* 
(Ps.  49:23).  The  more  God  is  honored  and 
praised,  the  readier  He  is  to  grant  mercy  and 
bestow  blessings.  Hence  a  High  Mass,  in  which 
God  is  more  eminently  glorified,  should  bring 
more  abundant  fruits  to  the  departed  soul  than 
a  Low  Mass.  The  essence  of  the  Sacrifice  is,  of 
course,  the  same;  yet  the  additional  accidental 
honor  voluntarily  and  cheerfully  offered  must 
needs  be  acceptable  to  God." 

Which  is  the  better  way  of  attending 
Mass,  using  the  missal  and  saying  the 
same  prayers  as  the  priest  or  listening  to 
the  choir  and  watching  the  priest? 

Let  us  remember,  first  of  all,  that  the  duty  of 
hearing  Mass,  of  satisfying  the  obligation  of  the 
first  commandment  of  the  Church,  requires  a 
bodily  presence  that  is  both  moral  and  con- 
tinuous. It  should  be  continuous.  One  should 
assist  at  a  whole  Mass.  He  who  is  unable  to  hear 
a  whole  Mass,  should  try  to  be  present  at  least 
at  the  essential  and  integral  parts  of  the  Holy 
Sacrifice,  namely,  consecration  and  communion. 
If  he  is  legitimately  prevented  from  being  present 
at  these  essential  portions,  he  is  under  no  obliga- 
tion to  assist  at  the  remaining  ceremonies.  A 
person  is  morally  present  if  he  is  morally  united 
with  the  priest  or  if  he  kneels,  stands,  or  sits 
somewhere  within  the  church  or  near  it  in  a  place 
from  which  he  is  able  either  to  see  or  hear  the 
celebrant,  or  at  least  to  follow  the  sacred  rite 
by  watching  those  who  can  see  or  hear  the  priest 
at  the  altar.  This  last  sentence  contains  the 
solution  of  many  cases,  the  answer  to  many 
questions.  Its  every  word  must  be  taken  into 
consideration. 


MASS  355 

In  the  second  place,  Mass  must  be  heard  with 
a  right  intention,  that  is,  at  least  religiously,  with 
a  view  to  worship  (one  need  not  have  the  formal 
intention  of  complying  with  the  commandment 
of  the  Church);  and  it  must  be  heard  with  due 
attention.  External  attention  at  least  is  neces- 
sary to  hear  Mass,  that  is,  the  avoidance  of  every 
activity  incompatible  with  internal  attention,  or, 
positively,  a  certain  vague  consciousness  at 
least  that  one  is  assisting  at  the  Holy  Sacrifice. 
The  ecclesiastical  precept  does  not  demand 
internal  attention.  Hence  one  would  satisfy  his 
obligation  under  the  law  even  if  he  were,  either 
voluntarily  or  involuntarily,  distracted  during 
Mass. 

This  is  the  assistance  required  at  Mass,  that  is 
to  say,  this  is  all  that  is  commanded  under  pain 
of  the  sin  of  not  hearing  Mass.  The  Church  does 
not  prescribe  any  particular  prayers  to  be  recited 
by  the  people  during  the  sacred  ceremony.  But 
every  Catholic  will  endeavor  to  assist  at  Holy 
Mass  with  the  utmost  recollection  and  devotion. 
In  the  following  answer  we  shall  outline  the 
various  good,  better,  and  best  ways  of  assisting 
at  the  adorable  Sacrifice.  We  need  not  repeat 
them  here.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  there  are  many 
ways  of  hearing  Mass  well,  and  none  are  to  be 
ridiculed  or  belittled,  since  it  were  to  be  wished 
that  all  would  hear  Mass  at  least  in  a  good  way. 
But  the  best  of  all  ways  is  joining  the  Savior 
Himself  in  all  the  sentiments  that  prompted  Him 
to  renew  the  Sacrifice  of  the  cross  upon  our  altars, 
and  to  go  to  Holy  Communion,  which  partaking 
of  the  sacrificial  banquet  is  the  most  perfect 
manner  of  identifying  ourselves  with  the  priest 
at  the  altar,  Christ's  visible  representative  and 
the  secondary  offerer,  and  through  Him  with 
Christ,  the  High  Priest,  Principal  Offerer,  and 
Victim. 

Yes;  the  use  of  the  missal  by  the  faithful  (and 


35 fr  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

first  the  gradual  learning  of  its  use)  is  highly  to 
be  recommended.  Our  presence  at  Mass  should 
be  official;  it  should  have  the  character  of  a 
celebration.  Saying  irrelevant  prayers  indeed 
suffices  for  fulfilling  the  obligation;  but  the  best 
way  to  celebrate  is  to  follow  the  liturgy  closely, 
with  Mass  prayerbook  or  missal.  Thus  the 
altar  will  be  brought  nearer  to  us;  we  shall 
become  instructed  in  the  mysteries  of  faith; 
we  shall  learn  to  pray;  we  shall  hold  ourselves 
in  honor  as  sacrificers  and  victims.  But  (where 
this  is  done)  the  very  best  attendance  is  at  High 
Mass  where  the  members  must  openly  assume 
the  office  of  co-celebrant  by  chanting  the  responses 
to  the  priest's  petitions  and  salutations  and  by 
singing  the  sacred  formularies  with  the  congre- 
gation. 

"The  missal  is  the  eminently  liturgical  book," 
says  Dom  Gueranger.  It  should  be  one  of  the 
prayerbooks  most  esteemed  and  loved  by  Catho- 
lics. 

In  conclusion,  we  cannot  refrain  from  giving  the 
following  beautiful  passage  on  the  missal  from 
"Catholic  Liturgy,"  by  the  Very  Rev.  Gaspar 
Lefebvre,  O.  S.  B.:  "Let  this  golden  book, 
therefore,  from  some  points  of  view  the  most 
beautiful  in  existence,  be  our  friend,  the  book 
always  beside  us,  which  we  read  with  holy 
eagerness  every  day  of  our  exile,  for  in  it  the 
Church,  with  the  infallibility  she  possesses  in 
matters  of  faith  and  morals,  points  out  to  us  the 
way  to  heaven.  There  will  then  be  continuity 
in  our  spiritual  life;  we  shall  have  greater  esteem 
for  our  holy  Mother  the  Church,  who  gives  us 
the  missal  and  speaks  to  us  through  it;  we  shall 
drink  in  the  Christian  spirit  from  its  primary  and 
indispensable  source;  we  shall  love  the  Holy 
Eucharist,  set  before  us  every  day  in  a  new  light, 
and  our  devotion  will  accord  more  and  more  with 
that  of  our  priests.    Thus  we  shall  be  fully  united 


MASS  357 

with  the  whole  of  Christ's  mystical  Body  in  the 
infinite  worship  given  by  its  Head  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  to  His  Father,  and  after  beginning 
this  worship  in  this  present  life,  we  shall  take 
part  in  it  forever  in  eternity." 

When  assisting  at  Mass  is  it  necessary 
to  use  a  prayerbook  all  the  time?  And 
will  a  rosary  do? 

No;  you  need  not  use  a  prayerbook  all  the 
time;  in  fact,  you  need  not  use  one  at  all.  One 
method  of  hearing  Mass  is  that  of  using  any 
vocal  prayers  such  as  litanies,  the  rosary,  etc. 
But  such  should  unite  their  intention,  their  mind 
and  heart  with  the  priest  who  is  celebrating  Mass, 
taking  care  always  to  make  an  explicit  act  of 
union  with  the  Sacrifice  at  the  Consecration  and 
at  least  a  spiritual  communion  at  the  priest's 
Communion.  They  thus  become  united  with 
Jesus  Christ,  the  invisible  Priest  and  Chief 
Offerer. 

Another  and  a  better  method  is  to  use  your 
prayerbook,  saying  the  prayers  for  Mass  and  thus 
following  the  prayers  said  by  the  priest,  at  the 
same  time  dividing  your  attention  between  the 
prayers  and  the  progress  of  the  ceremonial  of 
the  Mass.  This  is  a  very  good  way  of  hearing 
Mass,  even  though  it  may  be  somewhat  fatiguing. 
But  if  the  prayerbook  you  use  is  a  translation 
of  the  missal  (the  book  the  priest  uses  at  the 
altar),  and  if  you  know  how  to  use  it  properly 
and  can  understandingly  say  the  very  same 
prayers  that  the  priest  is  saying  and  at  the  same 
time  when  he  is  saying  them,  you  are  assisting 
at  Mass  in  a  still  better  way.  Indeed,  your  as- 
sistance is  then  perfect,  if  you  also  receive  Com- 
munion during  the  Mass.  However,  if  you 
cannot  receive  Communion  the  intelligent  use 
of  the  missal  is  still  a  truly  excellent  way.  Good 
missals  can  now  be  procured  everywhere  at  the 


353  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

price  of  other  good  prayerbooks.  Those  who 
procure  a  missal  should  read  all  the  instructions 
contained  therein  both  in  the  general  introduc- 
tion and  for  particular  parts  and  festivals. 

There  is  another  way  which  some  call  still  more 
perfect.  It  is  to  fix  the  mind  upon  what  the 
Mass  really  is,  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Passion  and 
Death  of  Our  Lord.  That  is  what  the  Savior 
desired  when  He  demanded  that  the  Mass  should 
be  offered  "in  remembrance"  of  Himself.  In 
this  method  you  read  three  letters  as  it  were 
during  Mass.  The  first  letter  is  black.  You 
occupy  yourself  with  the  consideration  of  your 
sins  and  make  acts  of  humility  and  contrition 
until  the  Offertory.  The  second  letter  is  red. 
The  passion  of  Jesus  Christ  then  forms  the  sub- 
ject of  your  contemplation  and  prayers  from  the 
Offertory  to  the  Communion.  The  third  letter 
is  white.  From  the  Communion  to  the  end  of 
the  Mass  you  unite  yourself  in  mind  and  heart 
with  the  infinite  purity  and  holiness  of  Jesus 
Christ,  beseeching  the  Divine  Victim  to  take 
possession  of  your  soul;  and  you  place  your 
petitions  before  Him,  especially  the  petition 
that  after  death  He  may  give  you  eternal  glory 
as  the  fruit  of  the  Holy  Sacrifice. 

St.  Alphonsus  and  Blessed  Leonard  of  Port 
Maurice  say  that  the  best  method  of  hearing 
Mass  is  to  divide  it  into  four  parts,  devoting 
each  part  to  one  of  the  four  ends  of  sacrifice. 
You  may  make  the  following  division: 

1.  From  the  beginning  of  the  Mass  to  the 
Gospel  employ  yourself  in  acts  of  propitiation: 
sorrow  for  sins — fear  of  punishment — begging  God 
to  accept  the  innocence  of  Jesus  in  atonement 
for  them,  to  wipe  out  the  punishment  due  to  them, 
not  to  afflict  you  or  withdraw  graces  from  you 
because  of  them,  etc.  All  this  you  ask  in  virtue 
of  the  passion  of  Christ. 

2.  From  the  Gospel  to  the  Consecration  em- 


MASS  359 

ploy  yourself  in  thanksgiving.  Thank  God  for 
the  benefits  of  creation,  redemption,  sanctifica- 
tion —  for  the  gift  of  faith — for  the  benefits  de- 
rived from  the  Savior's  sufferings — for  temporal 
and  spiritual  favors  and  graces  granted  to  you 
and  your  loved  ones.  Thank  Him  again  and 
again.  And  offer  up  Jesus  Christ,  the  Victim  of 
the  Mass,  as  the  only  worthy  thanksgiving  you 
can  make  to  God. 

3.  From  the  Elevation  to  the  Communion 
occupy  yourself  in  adoration.  Adore  the  infinite 
majesty  of  God  hidden  under  the  sacred  Species. 
Say  the  Glory  be  to  the  Father,  etc.,  over  and 
over  again  in  honor  of  the  Blessed  Trinity.  Adore 
the  sacred  Humanity  of  Jesus  Christ  your  Savior. 
In  spirit  kiss  His  sacred  feet.  Beseech  Him  to 
offer  your  feeble  adoration  with  His  and  thus 
obtain  its  acceptance  before  the  throne  of  God. 

4.  From  the  Communion  to  the  Last  Gospel 
occupy  yourself  in  supplication,  remembering  that 
we  can  obtain  all  things  through  Holy  Mass. 
To  make  your  petitions  more  graciously  heard, 
receive  Holy  Communion  or  at  least  make  a 
spiritual  communion.  Then  implore  the  Savior's 
human  nature  to  make  intercession  for  you  with 
the  Father.  Ask  Him  for  virtues,  graces,  blessings 
— for  anything  and  everything  that  you  want 
for  yourself  or  for  others. 

By  hearing  Mass  in  this  way  you  will  discharge, 
in  union  with  the  Divine  Savior,  your  four  great 
obligations  to  God. 

What  parts  of  the  Mass  does  the  choir 
sing  and  when  may  it  sing? 

1.  The  choir  sings  the  Introit,  the  Kyrie 
eleison,  the  Gloria,  the  Gradual,  the  Alleluia,  the 
Tract,  the  Sequence,  the  Credo,  the  Offertory, 
the  Sanctus,  the  Agnus  Dei,  the  Communion, 
and  whatever  is  to  be  sung  in  response  to  the 
Celebrant.     Some  of  these  parts,  e.  g.,  Gradual, 


360  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Offertory,  Communion,  when  not  sung  are  to  be 
distinctly  recited. 

2.  The  choir  should  not  begin  the  Introit  be- 
fore the  priest  has  reached  the  altar  to  begin  the 
Mass;  and  the  Communion  is  not  to  be  begun 
before  the  priest  has  taken  the  Precious  Blood. 

3.  In  Requiem  Masses,  if  only  a  part  of  the 
Sequence  is  sung,  the  rest  must  be  recited.  The 
whole  of  the  Offertory  is  to  be  sung. 

4.  The  Sanctus  should  be  finished  and  there 
should  be  no  singing  at  the  Elevation.  Immedi- 
ately thereafter  the  Benedictus  is  sung. 

5.  After  the  Offertory  as  well  as  after  the 
Benedictus  some  appropriate  hymn  (in  Latin) 
may  be  sung,  provided  that  nothing  prescribed 
by  the  Liturgy  is  on  that  account  omitted. 

6.  It  is  not  allowed  to  sing  anything  in  the 
vernacular  during  High  Mass,  nor  during  a 
lengthy  distribution  of  Holy  Communion  in  that 
Mass.  This  is  expressly  forbidden.  From  this 
ruling  one  may  deduct  that  it  is  allowed  to  sing 
Latin  hymns  during  the  distribution  of  Holy 
Communion  in  High  Mass,  and  also  that  it  is 
allowed  to  sing  hymns  in  the  vernacular  during 
Low  Masses  and  during  the  distribution  of  Com- 
munion in  the  same. 

7.  The  choir  is  forbidden  to  omit  in  the  least 
part  the  words  that  are  to  be  sung.  Excessive 
repetition  of  words  (for  instance,  Amen)  is  to 
be  avoided. 

The  rules  concisely  given  above  have  reference 
chiefly  to  Solemn  Masses  and  High  Masses.  Out- 
side of  strictly  liturgical  functions  the  custom  of 
the  place  should  be  followed. 

When  may  the  organ  be  played  during 
Mass  ? 

1.  The  organ  may  be  played  during  Mass  on 
all  the  Sundays  and  feast  days  of  the  year,  except 
the  Sundays  of  Advent  and  Lent.     But  on  the 


MASS  361 

third  Sunday  of  Advent,  the  fourth  Sunday  of 
Lent,  and  in  both  Vespers  of  these  Sundays,  on 
the  vigil  of  Christmas  and  on  Holy  Thursday  up 
to  the  end  of  the  Gloria,  as  also  on  feasts  and 
ferias  celebrated  with  solemnity  by  the  Church 
in  Advent  and  Lent,  the  organ  may  be  played. 

2.  In  Requiem  Masses  the  organ  may  be 
played  only  during  the  singing  or  recitation  of 
the  choir.  The  same  is  to  be  recommended  for 
ordinary  weekday  Masses  in  Advent  and  Lent. 

3.  The  organ  may  not  be  played  in  accom- 
paniment to  the  priest's  singing  of  the  Gospel, 
Orations,  etc.,  at  the  altar.  In  the  Masses  where 
the  organ  may  be  played  (excepting  No.  2  above) 
those  are  really  the  only  times  when  it  must  be 
silent.  It  may  even  be  played  at  the  Elevation 
"with  harmony  more  sweet  and  solemn,"  as  the 
Caeremoniale  Episcoporum  says,  from  which  it 
is  easy  to  deduce  that  it  may  be  played  during 
the  distribution  of  Holy  Communion. 

4.  In  case  of  necessity,  to  support  and  sustain 
the  choir,  the  organ  may  even  be  played  on  the 
days  in  which  it  is  forbidden  as  mentioned  in 
No.  1  above,  excepting  the  last  three  days  of 
Holy  Week. 

5.  All  playing  of  a  profane,  worldly,  dance- 
music,  jazzy,  ridiculous  kind  should  be  carefully 
avoided.  All  semblance  of  the  theatrical  must 
be  shunned  in  church. 

What  should  one  do  at  Mass  when  the 
bell  is  rung  and  the  priest  elevates  the 
Host? 

One  should  look  upon  it  and  also  upon  the 
chalice  when  the  priest  elevates  that.  The 
purpose  of  the  elevation  of  the  Host  and  of  the 
chalice  after  consecration  is  plainly  expressed  in 
the  rubric  of  the  Missal:  "Ostendit  populo," 
"The  priest  shows  it  to  the  people/'  This  rubric 
is  given  both  after  the  consecration  of  the  Host 


361  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

and  after  the  consecration  of  the  chalice.  But, 
surely,  if  the  priest  is  directed  to  show  both  the 
Host  and  the  chalice  to  the  people,  they  are  to 
look  at  them. 

The  manner  in  which  this  rubric  was  introduced 
may  help  us  to  understand  it  better.  We  are  in- 
formed that  up  to  the  eleventh  century  the  eleva- 
tion did  not  take  place  until  about  the  end  of  the 
Canon.  But,  towards  the  year  1047,  Berengarius 
began  to  preach  his  heresy  concerning  the  Real 
Presence,  that  Christ  was  not  in  the  Host  or  in 
the  chalice.  As  an  answer  to  this  false  teaching 
the  people  demanded  that  the  Host  and  the 
chalice  should  be  shown  to  them  immediately 
after  the  consecration  for  their  adoration.  Then 
was  introduced  our  present  rubric. 

Thus  in  a  little  chapel  on  the  west  coast  of 
Ireland  a  visitor  once  noticed  that,  immediately 
after  the  consecration,  the  whole  congregation 
saluted  their  Lord  in  the  beautiful  Gaelic  tongue : 
"A  hundred  thousand  welcomes,  O  Lord!*' 

In  a  letter  written  by  the  great  Cardinal 
Mercier  to  his  priests  we  read  the  following  ex- 
cellent instructions  as  regards  this  matter.  And 
what  we  here  quote  for  the  elevation  of  the  Host 
is  to  be  repeated  at  the  elevation  of  the  chalice: 

"When  the  celebrant  has  accomplished  the 
liturgical  act  of  highest  excellence,  the  consecra- 
tion, and  when,  according  to  the  rubrics,  he  ele- 
vates the  Sacred  Host  in  a  manner  so  as  to  ren- 
der it  visible  to  the  assemblage  of  Christians,  it 
is  not  fitting  that  they  should  remain  with  heads 
bowed  to  the  earth.  The  elevation  is  made  for 
them — tell  them,  therefore,  that  they  should 
humbly  follow  with  their  eyes  the  Sacred  Species, 
at  the  elevation  of  the  Sacred  Host  and  of  the 
chalice  containing  the  Precious  Blood  as  well. 

"The  faithful  should  incline  the  head  as  long 
as  the  priest,  with  knees  bent  and  eyes  lowered, 


MASS  363 

is  engaged  in  his  first  adoration,  but  when  he 
lifts  his  head  and  elevates  above  him  the  Body  of 
the  Lord,  all  should  gaze  with  loving  looks  upon 
the  Savior  of  mankind,  repeating  with  great 
fervor  the  words  of  the  Apostle  Thomas,  'My 
Lord  and  my  God!'  after  which  they  may  again 
incline  the  head  during  the  second  genuflection 
of  the  priest." 

We  may  here  mention  that  it  is  also  a  false 
custom  to  bow  the  head  when  before  the  Com- 
munion of  the  faithful  the  priest,  holding  a  Host 
above  the  ciborium  says,  "Ecce  Agnus  Dei" 
"Behold  the  Lamb  of  God!"  This  is  clearly  an 
invitation  and  a  command  to  see  and  adore. 
And  yet  it  is  a  common  custom  to  bow  pro- 
foundly and  refuse  to  see!  Look  at  the  Lord! 
And  then  bow  your  head  slightly  in  adoration 
and  strike  your  breast  in  humble  contrition,  as 
the  words  suggest,  when  the  priest  pronounces 
the  "Domine,  non  sum  dignus."  ("O  Lord,  I  am 
not  worthy!")  It  is  quite  proper  to  bow  then; 
but  not  so  when  you  are  bidden  to  behold. 

And  how  about  the  actual  reception  of  Holy 
Communion?  Then,  too,  the  communicant 
should  keep  his  eyes  fixed  lovingly  on  the  Sacred 
Host.  That  too  general  custom  of  closing  the 
eyes  when  receiving  is  said  to  be  based  on  "rever- 
ence" for  our  Lord.  But  why  should  it  be  ir- 
reverent to  see  and  adore  the  Body  of  Christ  and 
to  acknowledge  Him  with  our  noblest  sense,  the 
eyes?  It  is  no  more  irreverent  to  look  at  the 
Sacred  Host  when  presented  to  us  at  the  moment 
of  Holy  Communion  than  at  the  moment  of  con- 
secration or  during  exposition,  when  we  are  even 
earnestly  exhorted  to  gaze  upon  it,  as  we  have 
seen. 

And  if  the  expression  "to  keep  your  eyes 
closed"  means  simply  "to  keep  your  eyes  cast 
down,"  it  is  still  not  the  best  thing  to  do.  The 
best  thing  is  to  look  at  the  Host.     (We  mention, 


364  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

by  the  way,  that  one  must  not  look  up  at  the 
priest.)  In  the  "Larger  Catechism,  Part  Second, 
for  Higher  Classes,  Prescribed  by  His  Holiness, 
Pope  Pius  X,  for  All  the  Dioceses  of  the  Pro- 
vince of  Rome,"  we  find  the  following  question 
and  answer:  "Q.  How  should  we  go  to  receive 
Holy  Communion?  A.  In  the  act  of  receiving 
Holy  Communion  we  should  be  kneeling,  have 
the  head  slightly  raised,  the  eyes  modest  or  fixed 
on  the  Sacred  Host,  and  the  tongue  slightly  over 
the  lip."  Here  we  have  Pope  Pius  X  as  our 
authority  that  the  eyes  should  be  "fixed  on  the 
Sacred  Host"  at  the  moment  of  reception;  for 
by  "eyes  modest"  is  not  here  meant  eyes  closed, 
but  rather  what  religious  call  "custody  of  the 
eyes,"  a  modest  demeanor;  and,  surely,  it  is  the 
very  perfection  of  modest  demeanor  at  the  altar  rail 
if  the  eyes  are  "fixed  on  the  Sacred  Host,"  on  God. 

As  regards  the  moment  of  Benediction  with 
the  monstrance,  it  would  seem  most  proper  to 
gaze  reverently  upon  the  Host  while  the  priest 
blesses  the  faithful  therewith,  making  the  sign 
of  the  cross,  and  then  bow  the  head  moderately 
in  adoration  and  thanksgiving.  Striking  the 
breast  is  required  neither  at  the  elevation  nor  at 
Benediction. 

Here  on  earth  we  see  God  "through  a  glass 
and  in  a  dark  manner,"  as  St.  Paul  expresses  it. 
But  in  heaven  we  shall  see  Him  "face  to  face." 
We  ought  to  accustom  ourselves  to  look  upon 
Him  now  hidden  under  the  Sacred  Species,  while 
we  wait  for  the  time  when  "we  shall  see  Him 
as  He  is." 

Why  does  the  priest  wear  vestments  at 
Mass?  What  are  the  vestments  called? 
What  do  they  signify? 

Just  as  kings  and  magistrates  (the  judges  of 
the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  for 
instance)  do  not  wear  their  common,  everyday 


MASS  365 

garments  in  solemn  public  functions,  but  other 
more  striking,  more  distinctive  robes,  so  priests, 
when  offering  up  the  Adorable  Sacrifice,  wear 
the  sacred  sacerdotal  garments,  called  vestments. 
They  have  come  down  to  us  from  Apostolic 
discipline  and  tradition.  Thus  the  August 
Sacrifice  is  fittingly  presented;  and  by  these 
visible  tokens  of  religion  and  piety  the  minds 
of  the  faithful  are  raised  to  the  contemplation 
of  the  sublime  mysteries  hidden  in  this  holy 
oblation. 

During  Holy  Mass  the  priest  wears  six  dif- 
ferent vestments. 

1.  The  amice,  or  shoulder-cloth,  which  is  first 
laid  upon  the  head  and  then  upon  the  neck  and 
shoulders  of  the  priest.  It  signifies  the  crown 
of  thorns,  or,  in  a  moral  sense,  the  "helmet  of 
salvation,"  with  which  the  priest  arms  himself 
against  the  assaults  of  the  evil  spirit. 

2.  The  alb,  so  called  from  its  color,  white; 
it  signifies  the  white  robe  with  which  Herod 
clothed  the  Savior.  It  is  a  symbol  of  the  spot- 
less innocence  and  perfect  purity  of  soul  with 
which  the  priest  should  approach  the  altar.  Its 
length  also  denotes  perseverance. 

3.  The  cincture,  the  cord  around  the  waist, 
signifies  the  ropes  with  which  Jesus  was  bound. 
It  is  a  symbol  of  priestly  continence  and  chastity. 

4.  The  maniple,  worn  on  the  left  arm,  signi- 
fies the  cords  with  which  Christ's  hands  were 
tied.  It  is  a  symbol  of  sorrow  and  penance,  of 
labor  and  of  good  works. 

5.  The  stole,  suspended  from  the  shoulders 
and  crossed  upon  the  breast,  signifies  the  cross 
placed  upon  the  shoulders  of  the  Savior.  Being 
a  beautiful  vestment,  it  signifies  the  sweet  yoke 
of  the  Lord,  and  obedience.  It  is  fastened  with 
the  extremities  of  the  cincture,  signifying  chastity, 
to  denote  that  virtues  are  all  associated  with  each 
other. 


3 66  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

6.  The  chasuble,  the  splendid  outer  garment, 
signifies  the  purple  robe  which  Pilate  put  onto 
Jesus.  It  is  a  symbol  of  holy  love  and  of  the 
yoke  of  the  Lord  which  the  priest  joyfully  bears. 

The  covering  for  the  head  often  worn  by  the 
priest  when  approaching  or  leaving  the  altar  at 
Mass  is  called  the  biretta.  It  is  not  a  strictly 
liturgical  vestment,  as  are  the  others  used  at 
Mass,  and  is  not  destined  for  sacred  functions 
only. 

When  permission  is  granted  that  Mass 
may  be  said  in  a  private  home,  why  may 
it  not  be  said  in  a  bedroom? 

The  Canon  Law  of  the  Church  says  that  the 
local  Ordinary,  or,  in  the  case  of  an  exempt  re- 
ligious house,  the  higher  superior,  may  grant 
permission  to  say  Mass  outside  a  church  or  ora- 
tory, upon  a  consecrated  altar  stone,  provided 
the  place  is  decent,  but  never  in  a  bedroom. 
The  answer  to  your  question,  accordingly,  is: 
"Because  the  Church  forbids  it."  Manifestly,  a 
bedroom  is  not  considered  a  decent  place  for 
saying  Mass,  as  a  little  reflection  will  show.  In 
a  case  of  this  kind  the  living  room  or  the  sitting 
room  should  be  used  for  saying  Mass.  When 
permission  is  granted  to  say  Mass  in  the  bedroom 
of  the  sick,  everything  must  be  arranged  accord- 
ing to  special  instructions.  But  this  permission 
is  granted  only  for  quite  exceptional  reasons. 

Why  is  the  Kyrie  of  the  Mass  said  in 
Greek? 

Greek  and  Hebrew  words  are  retained  in  the 
Roman  liturgies  in  order  to  signify  that  there  is 
but  one  Church,  originally  formed  out  of  three 
different  nations,  namely,  the  Latin,  the  Greek, 
and  the  Hebrew.  In  those  three  languages  were 
the  Sacred  Mysteries  first  celebrated.  Those 
three  languages  were  hallowed  by  being  used  to 


MASS  367 

inscribe  the  title  on  the  cross.     "It  was  written 
in  Hebrew,  in  Greek,  and  in  Latin." 

What  is  the  special  good  of  offering  a 
Mass,  either  said  or  heard,  in  honor  of  a 
particular  saint? 

Holy  Mass  gives  to  God  infinite  honor,  because 
therein  a  God  offers  Himself  to  God.  All  the 
prayers  and  good  works  that  have  ever  been  or 
that  ever  will  be  are  as  nothing  in  comparison 
with  one  Holy  Mass.  Now,  how  unspeakably 
it  must  honor  a  saint  to  be  made  the  indirect 
cause  of  one  more  such  sacrifice  being  made  to 
God!  And  will  not  such  a  saint,  in  the  bliss  of 
seeing  infinite  adoration,  thanksgiving,  repara- 
tion, and  impetration  given  to  the  Almighty  in 
connection  with  his  or  her  name,  obtain  for  the 
offerer  an  abundance  of  heavenly  blessings  in 
return? 

Is  a  High  Mass  of  greater  assistance  to 
the  departed  than  a  Low  Mass? 

The  fruits  of  the  Mass  offered  up  by  Christ  as 
Priest  and  Victim  are  always  infinite  and  always 
the  same,  whether  the  Mass  be  a  High  Mass  or 
a  Low  Mass. 

But  we  must  remember  that  the  Mass  is  like- 
wise a  Sacrifice  of  praise,  thanksgiving,  propitia- 
tion, and  petition  offered  up  by  the  priest  in  the 
name  of  the  united  Church.  The  nature  of  the 
sublime  prayers  of  the  Mass  and  the  whole  rite 
of  that  sacred  action  naturally  exert  an  influence 
upon  the  measure  and  the  nature  of  these  peti- 
tionary fruits  of  the  Sacrifice.  It  accordingly 
follows  that,  on  the  part  of  the  Church,  a  High  Mass 
has  greater  value  and  efficacy  than  a  Low  Mass. 
This  more  solemn  celebration  of  the  Sacrifice, 
with  its  greater  outward  liturgical  splendor,  is 
more  acceptable  to  God;  and  it  is,  therefore, 
better  calculated  to  prevail  upon  God,  in  His 
mercy,  to  grant  the  favor  asked.    In  plain  words, 


368  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

that  greater  external  solemnity  will  impart  greater 
efficacy  to  the  prayers  and  supplications  of  the 
Church. 

That  is  why  it  has  always  been  the  spirit  of 
the  Church  to  have  also  High  Masses  offered  up 
for  the  dead — and  likewise  for  other  intentions. 
The  custom  of  having  High  Masses  sung  is  in 
itself  a  proof  of  Catholic  sense  and  instinct  in 
this  matter.  Everyone  feels  that  there  is  cer- 
tainly some  (though  non-essential)  difference  be- 
tween a  High  Mass  and  a  Low  Mass;  for  in  the 
Mass,  as  St.  Thomas  says  (Suppl.,  q.  71,  a.  9), 
we  are  to  consider  not  only  the  Sacrifice,  but 
also  the  prayers — and,  we  add,  the  external 
solemnity.  Hence,  if  the  giver  of  a  stipend  has 
asked  for  a  solemn  or  sung  Mass,  the  application 
of  a  simple  Mass  would  certainly  be  valid;  but 
the  priest  would  not  satisfy  his  obligations.  And 
ihe  priest  would  subsequently  have  to  celebrate 
a  solemn  or  sung  Mass  and  apply  to  the  intention 
of  the  giver  of  the  stipend  the  special  fruit  result- 
ing from  the  solemnity. 

What  is  the  difference  between  High 
Mass  and  Low  Mass?  What  changes  are 
made? 

High  Mass  is  celebrated  with  greater  external 
solemnity  than  Low  Mass.  In  the  latter  all 
parts  are  merely  recited  by  the  priest,  whereas 
in  the  former  some  parts  are  sung  by  the  priest 
as  well  as  by  the  choir.  The  prayers  are  the 
same  and  the  Mass  is  the  same.  No  changes  are 
made  therein. 

This  gives  rise  to  the  question  whether  all 
Masses  are  of  equal  value.  In  answering  this 
question  we  must  distinguish  between  the  Victim 
and  the  sacrificial  act  as  such.  The  Victim  is  the 
same  in  all  Masses,  none  other  than  Jesus  Christ 
Himself,  and  so  far  all  Masses  are  equally  good, 
equally  precious,  of  infinite  value.    But  as  regards 


MASS  369 

the  sacrificial  act,  the  offering  of  the  Victim, 
the  more  devoutly  the  priest  says  Mass  the  more 
acceptable  to  God  is  the  Sacrifice  he  offers,  and 
the  more  abundant  are  the  graces  it  brings  down 
from  above,  both  upon  the  priest  who  celebrates 
the  Mass  and  the  person  for  whom  he  offers  it. 
That  is  the  reason  why  the  priest,  in  the  Mass, 
frequently  beseeches  God  graciously  to  accept 
his  oblation  and  to  vouchsafe  that  it  may  be  con- 
ductive to  his  own  salvation  and  that  of  the 
people.  Cardinal  Bona  says,  "Just  as  other  good 
works  performed  by  a  pious  man  gain  merit  in 
proportion  to  the  zeal  and  devotion  wherewith 
they  are  performed,  so  Holy  Mass  is  more  or  less 
profitable  both  to  the  priest  who  says  it  and  the 
persons  for  whom  it  is  said  according  as  it  is 
celebrated  with  more  or  less  fervor." 

Again,  relative  to  the  sacrificial  act  as  such,  a 
High  Mass  gives  additional  external  honor  to 
God  and  it  is  in  that  way  more  precious  than  a 
Low  Mass. 

Must  the  priest  always  wear  black 
vestments  when  he  says  Mass  for  a  de- 
ceased person? 

No;  he  need  not  wear  black  vestments.  In 
fact,  he  is  not  always  allowed  to  do  so.  The 
greater  part  of  Mass  intentions  are,  no  doubt, 
for  deceased  persons,  and  quite  properly  so,  since 
Holy  Church  teaches  that  the  souls  in  purgatory 
are  especially  aided  by  the  most  efficacious 
Sacrifice  of  the  altar.  But  there  are  many  days 
on  which  the  rubrics  do  not  permit  a  Requiem 
Mass.  The  priest  then  offers  the  Mass  of  the 
day,  of  whatever  color  the  vestments  may  be, 
for  the  deceased  person,  if  such  is  the  application. 
It  is  really  the  same,  as  far  as  the  substance  of 
the  Mass  is  concerned,  viewing  its  efficacy  as  a 
Sacrifice;  but  we  may  say  that  there  are  acci- 
dental advantages  in  a  Requiem  Mass  derived 


37o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

from  its  special  prayers  and  particular  orations. 
But  the  devotion  of  the  priest  can  supply  the 
defect  of  those  special  prayers.  When  Mass  is 
asked  for  a  dead  person  the  Church  recommends, 
but  in  no  way  commands,  the  saying  of  a  Requiem 
Mass,  when  the  rubrics  permit  it.  Since,  there- 
fore, the  Church  leaves  it  to  the  priest  to  de- 
termine, within  the  rubrics,  the  quality  of  the 
Mass,  the  faithful  should  do  the  same  and  should 
not  insist  upon  having  just  such  and  such  a  Mass 
said. 

Holy  Mass  is  in  substance  always  the  same 
renewal  and  continuation  of  the  one  all-availing 
Sacrifice  of  the  cross,  no  matter  what  the  quality 
of  the  Mass  may  be.  The  quality  of  the  Mass, 
though  equally  sacred  in  all  the  various  festive, 
ferial,  and  votive  Masses,  is  only  accidental  com- 
pared with  the  essence  of  the  Sacrifice.  This  is 
well  brought  out  by  the  fact  that  a  Requiem  Mass 
in  black  vestments  may  (though  this  is  seldom 
done)  be  offered  for  the  living,  provided  the  one 
who  gives  the  offering  does  not  expressly  request 
the  opposite. 

Please  explain  what  is  meant  by  the 
Gregorian  Masses. 

The  Gregorian  Masses  are  a  series  of  thirty 
Masses  celebrated  without  interruption  of  days 
for  the  soul  of  one  specified  dead  person. 

From  this  it  follows  that  these  Masses  cannot 
be  said  for  the  living,  though  the  living  may 
arrange  to  have  the  Gregorian  Masses  said  for 
themselves  after  their  death.  It  also  follows  that 
these  Masses  must  be  said  for  one  specified  dead 
person,  not  for  two  or  more. 

The  name  of  St.  Gregory  the  Great  became 
attached  to  this  practice  in  the  following  way. 
At  the  death  of  one  of  his  monks,  who  was  named 
Justus,  he  requested  another  monk,  named  Pre- 
tiosus,  to  say  thirty  Masses  in  succession  for  the 


MASS  371 

dead  man.  At  the  end  of  thirty  days,  Justus  ap- 
peared to  one  of  his  brothers  in  religion  and  told 
him  that  he  was  delivered  from  the  flames  of 
Purgatory.  "The  religious,"  said  St.  Gregory, 
"remarked  that  this  deliverance  took  place  on 
the  day  when  the  thirtieth  Mass  was  celebrated." 
Such  is  the  origin  of  the  Gregorian  Masses. 

No  indulgence  is  attached  to  the  Gregorian 
Masses  as  such.  The  faithful  who  ask  to  have 
them  said  feel  confident  that  these  Masses,  either 
by  the  repetition  of  the  expiatory  power  of  the 
Holy  Sacrifice,  or  through  the  intercession  of  St. 
Gregory,  have  a  special  efficacy  to  secure  the 
immediate  deliverance  of  a  soul  from  Purgatory. 

The  Church  does  not  condemn  this  belief,  and 
the  Congregation  of  Indulgences  (March  11,  1884) 
has  declared  "pious  and  reasonable"  this  con- 
fidence of  the  faithful.  However,  this  declara- 
tion does  not,  of  course,  justify  the  considering 
of  the  Gregorian  Masses  as  an  infallible  means  of 
freeing  the  soul.  Good  Catholics  will  avoid  all 
such  exaggeration. 

The  Gregorian  Masses  are  ordinary  Masses, 
without  any  special  commemoration  of  St. 
Gregory.  The  Requiem  Mass  is  not  at  all  obli- 
gatory, but  is  fitting,  on  days  when  it  is  permitted. 
Nor  is  it  required  that  the  Masses  be  said  at  the 
same  altar. 

The  special  nature  of  the  Gregorian  series  de- 
mands that  the  Masses  shall  be  celebrated  in 
thirty  days,  without  interruption  and  on  thirty 
different  days  (one  Mass  each  day)y  whether  by 
the  same  priest  or  by  different  priests.  Hence  a 
priest  cannot  say  more  than  one  of  the  Gregorian 
Masses  on  the  same  day;  nor  can  he,  on  Christ- 
mas, say  two  or  three  Masses  of  the  Gregorian 
series.  However,  during  the  last  three  days  of 
Holy  Week,  the  series  may  be  interrupted,  pro- 
vided that  it  is  resumed  on  Easter  Sunday. 

The  stipend  is  either  the  usual  stipend  for  each 


372-  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Mass  or  a  special  compensation  is  given  in  the 
form  of  a  larger  stipend,  due  to  the  fact  that  the 
binding  obligation  of  the  Gregorian  series  entails 
considerable  inconvenience.  In  this  matter,  the 
diocesan  regulations  of  the  respective  locality  are 
to  be  duly  observed. 

The  above  is  a  reliable  summary  of  all  the 
practical  information  available  on  the  Gregorian 
Masses. 

If  a  Catholic  is  excommunicated,  may 
he  still  assist  at  divine  services  in  a 
Catholic  church? 

Canon  2259  clearly  says  that  no  excommuni- 
cated person  has  the  ri^ht  to  assist  at  divine 
services,  the  only  exception  being  the  hearing  of 
sermons,  which  is  not  forbidden.  By  divine 
services  we  mean,  for  example,  Holy  Mass,  the 
canonical  office  publicly  recited,  public  prayers, 
processions,  blessings  and  consecrations  performed 
according  to  the  liturgical  books  of  the  Church. 
Many  popular  devotions,  like  the  Rosary,  the 
Stations  of  the  Cross,  etc.,  even  if  recited  under 
the  leadership  of  a  priest,  are  not  divine  services 
in  the  sense  of  the  canon  mentioned,  and  there- 
fore an  excommunicated  person  is  not  debarred 
from  them. 

Yes;  excommunicated  persons  may  enter  a 
church  privately  to  pray  there.  But  how  strik- 
ingly this  simple  sentence  brings  out  the  sad  con- 
dition of  one  punished  with  the  inseparable 
effects  of  excommunication, — the  total  exclusion 
from  the  communion  of  the  faithful. 

What  is  the  usual  offering  for  having 
Mass  read?  Can  one  have  Mass  read  for 
oneself? 

The  offering  differs  in  different  countries  and 
sometimes  even  in  different  dioceses  of  the  same 
country.  It  is  determined  by  diocesan  regula- 
tions.   A  larger  offering  is  given  for  a  High  Mass. 


MASS  373 

Let  it  be  remembered  that  the  offering  of  a 
stipend  is  a  disciplinary  regulation;  for  if  a  Mass 
could  as  a  rule  be  had  for  the  mere  asking  there 
would  be  endless  requests  and  consequent  con- 
fusion. 

And  as  an  admonition  to  our  readers  we  make 
bold  to  say  that  there  are  still  Catholics  up  and 
down  the  country  so  rudely  thoughtless  as  to  put 
the  offensive  question,  "How  much  does  it  cost?" 
when  requesting  a  Mass.  The  Holy  Mass  is  of 
infinite  value,  not  to  be  purchased  by  the  treas- 
ures of  a  billion  worlds  like  ours.  By  the  disci- 
pline and  practice  of  the  Church  a  Mass  offer- 
ing is  required  of  those  who  are  able  to  make  it, 
which  offering  obligates  the  priest  in  strict  justice 
to  apply  the  ministerial  fruits  of  the  Mass  for  the 
intention  of  the  donor.  The  Mass  stipend  is  a 
contribution  towards  the  support  of  the  priest; 
and  in  mission  districts  it  is  often  their  only  sup- 
port and  one  for  which  they  plead  continually. 

Certainly  one  may  have  a  Mass  read  for  oneself. 
Mass  may  be  offered  for  the  living  or  the  dead, 
or  for  any  special  intention.  Many  Catholics 
would  do  well  oftener  to  secure  for  themselves 
the  ministerial  fruits  of  the  Adorable  Sacrifice. 

I  am  looking  for  a  little  information 
about  High  Masses.  A  larger  stipend  is 
always  given  for  a  High  Mass  than  for  a 
Low  Mass.  Why  is  that?  Is  a  High  Mass 
of  greater  value  than  a  Low  Mass? 

Larger  Mass  offerings  are  usually  requested  for 
High  Masses  than  for  Low  Masses  because  this 
surplus  is  intended  to  serve  as  a  compensation 
for  what  is  called  the  extrinsic  labor  of  the  Mass. 
We  may  consider  such  extrinsic  labor  the  special 
fatigue  which  is  entailed  by  singing  the  Mass, 
or  by  saying  it  at  a  later  hour,  or  by  enduring 
some  other  inconvenience. 

The  amount  of  the  Mass  stipend  is  variously 


374  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

fixed  by  episcopal  decree  or,  where  there  is  no 
such  decree,  by  legitimate  custom. 

Of  course,  a  High  Mass  has  greater  value  and 
efficacy  than  a  Low  Mass.  The  fruits  of  the  Mass, 
as  offered  by  Christ  as  Priest  and  Victim,  are 
always  the  same  and  always  infinite;  but  on 
the  part  of  the  Church  the  more  solemn  celebra- 
tion of  the  Sacrifice,  with  its  greater  outward 
liturgical  splendor,  is  more  acceptable  to  God  and 
is  more  calculated  to  prevail  upon  Him  to  grant 
the  favor  asked.  That  is  why  Catholics  like  to 
have  High  Masses  and  gladly  give  larger  stipends 
therefor. 

When  a  priest  says  two  Masses  is  he 
allowed  to  eat  lunch  after  his  first  Mass  ? 

In  this  country  it  frequently  happens  that  the 
priest  must  say  two  Masses  on  Sundays  and 
holydays  of  obligation  or  must  celebrate  Mass  at 
a  late  hour,  and  that  for  the  spiritual  welfare 
of  the  faithful.  Fasting  is  then  often  attended 
with  great  hardship.  Accordingly,  Holy  Church 
has  (since  March  22,  1923)  made  it  possible  for 
such  priests  to  obtain  a  dispensation  from  the 
strict  Eucharistic  fast,  for  reasons  of  poor  health, 
strenuous  work,  and  for  other  weighty  reasons. 
This  dispensation  can  be  obtained  by  the  indi- 
vidual priest  through  his  bishop. 

Hence,  a  priest  who  has  received  such  a  dis- 
pensation may  take  a  little  lunch,  by  way  of 
liquid  food,  between  his  two  Masses  or  before  a 
late  Mass.  He  may  also  consume  the  ablution 
after  the  first  Mass. 

It  is  well  for  the  faithful  to  know  this,  lest  they 
be  scandalized  at  a  thing  that  the  priest  may 
lawfully  do,  having  special  dispensation  from  the 
Holy  See. 

Nor  is  it  correct  for  the  faithful  to  argue  that 
the  same  privilege  should  be  theirs,  when  they 
receive   Holy   Communion   at   a   late   hour,   for 


MASS  375 

instance;  for  this  dispensation  is  given  to  the 
priest,  not  that  he  may  satisfy  his  private  de- 
votion, but  that  the  faithful  may  have  an  op- 
portunity of  satisfying  their  obligation  of  hearing 
Mass  on  Sundays  and  holydays. 

If  a  Catholic  is  excommunicated  is  he 
still  bound  under  pain  of  mortal  sin  to 
attend  Mass  on  Sundays  and  holy  days  of 
obligation? 

Canon  Law  says  that  no  excommunicated 
person  has  the  right  of  assisting  at  divine  services. 
The  first  of  all  divine  services  is  the  adorable 
Sacrifice  of  the  Mass. 

There  is,  accordingly,  no  obligation  for  an 
excommunicated  person  to  hear  Mass  on  Sundays 
and  holydays  of  obligation.  The  most  that  can 
be  said  is  that  such  a  person  might  be  guilty  of 
the  sin  in  causa,  that  is,  if  he  should  refuse  to 
ask  for  absolution  for  a  considerable  length  of 
time. 

Those  who  are  in  the  sad  state  of  excommuni- 
cation should  have  no  rest  until  they  have  made 
their  peace  with  God  through  absolution  from 
censure  and  sin  and  are  again  in  the  ranks  of  the 
faithful. 

Is  there  a  special  dispensation  from 
hearing  Mass  or  being  late  at  Mass  for 
those  living  in  the  country  at  a  great 
distance  from  a  church? 

There  is  no  special  dispensation.  But  great 
distance  is  one  of  the  causes  which  simply  excuse 
a  person  from  the  obligation  of  hearing  Mass. 
Just  how  great  the  distance  must  be  cannot  be 
absolutely  said.  It  depends  upon  persons,  places, 
times,  means  of  conveyance,  etc.  Many  theo- 
logians call  a  trip  of  one  hour  by  foot  an  ex- 
cusing distance;  and  we  might  say:  if  you  must 
walk,  an  hour's  walk;  if  you  have  a  horse,  an 
hour's  drive;    if  you  have  a  car,  an  hour's  ride 


376  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

etc.  Of  course,  in  case  of  stormy  weather,  bad 
roads,  rain,  snow,  bitter  cold,  etc.,  a  lesser  dis- 
tance would  already  excuse  one  from  the  obliga- 
tion in  question. 

Since  we  are  speaking  of  the  obligation  of 
hearing  Mass,  we  think  it  useful  here  to  add  the 
following  practical  remarks: 

1.  Physical  inability  or  impossibility  excuses 
from  that  obligation  the  sick,  the  lame,  sailors  or 
passengers  on  ships  where  no  Mass  is  said, 
prisoners  and  all  those  who  live  in  communities 
or  localities  where  no  Mass  is  said,  provided  the 
latter  have  a  good  reason  for  dwelling  there. 

2.  Moral  inability  excuses  those  who  live  so 
far  from  church  that  it  would  be  considered  a 
serious  hardship  to  be  obliged  to  go  to  Mass,  on 
account  of  the  distance,  the  heat,  the  bad  weather, 
or  other  serious  reasons. 

3.  Charity  excuses  in  many  instances.  Thus 
those  are  excused  from  hearing  Mass  who  have 
to  take  care  of  the  sick;  likewise  mothers  with 
young  children  they  cannot  leave  alone.  Even 
wives  may  be  excused  if  their  husbands  become 
furiously  angry  when  they  go  to  church.  Danger 
of  serious  loss  to  ourselves  or  to  others  excuses 
those  who  help  put  out  fires,  etc.,  etc. 

4.  There  are  also  certain  occupations  which 
often  make  attendance  at  Mass  impossible  and 
thus  excuse  one  from  going. 

However,  in  our  day  it  is  easier  to  satisfy  this 
obligation  than  ever  before;  and  every  Catholic 
should  try  to  make  it  his  boast  that  he  never 
misses  Mass. 

Does  a  fever  excuse  one  from  attending 
Mass  on  Sunday  ?  In  general,  what  degree 
of  sickness  dispenses  one  from  this  obli- 
gation ? 

We  answer  this  question  briefly  and  in  a  general 
way,  including  fever  and  all  other  ailments! 


MASS  377 

The  sick  or  convalescent  are  excused  from 
hearing  Mass  when  they  fear  that  such  attendance 
would  cause  serious  injury  to  their  health  or 
retard  their  recovery.  It  is  clear  that  if  the 
physician,  the  confessor,  the  nurse,  superiors,  or 
such  like  responsible  persons  advise  against 
going  to  Mass  or  say  it  is  out  of  the  question, 
the  matter  is  settled  and  the  patient  in  question 
may  be  at  ease.  But,  of  course,  the  sick  person 
may  judge  the  case  for  himself,  if  he  is  capable 
of  passing  prudent  judgment. 

The  simplest,  most  helpful,  most  general  rule 
to  follow  is  this:  Are  you  so  unwell  that,  fearing 
serious  consequences  or  grave  inconveniences, 
you  omit  other  affairs  that  would  require  about 
as  much  exertion  as  assisting  at  Mass,  for  instance, 
going  out  to  transact  business,  to  do  shopping, 
to  spend  an  hour  in  the  class  room,  etc.?  Then 
you  are  excused  from  going  to  Mass.  You  may 
remain  away  without  sin. 

Kindly  explain  what  would  have  to  be 
done  should  a  priest  take  sick  or  fall 
dead  while  saying  Mass. 

If  a  priest  takes  sick  or  has  a  stroke  or  dies 
suddenly  while  saying  Mass,  nothing  at  all  need 
be  done  regarding  his  Mass,  if  he  has  not  yet 
reached  the  Consecration.  The  Mass  is  simply 
not  said.  But  if  the  priest  has  already  spoken 
the  words  of  the  Consecration  over  the  bread  or 
over  the  bread  and  the  wine,  the  Mass  must  be 
finished  by  another  priest  beginning  at  the  place 
where  the  first  one  left  off.  And  this  is  so  im- 
portant that  in  case  of  necessity  the  Mass  may 
even  be  continued  and  finished  by  a  priest  who 
is  not  fasting. 

Is  it  a  sin  to  miss  Mass  when  it  really 
takes  an  effort  to  avoid  hearing  it? 

To  the  casual  reader  your  question  is  a  puzzle. 
But  all  grows  clear  when  we  understand  that 


378  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

you  mean  a  Mass  that  is  not  of  obligation.  Let 
us  take  a  weekday  Mass.  You  are  in  an  immense 
crowd,  and  the  surging  mass  of  devout  worship- 
pers bears  you  along  towards  the  doors  of  the 
Church  in  which  the  famous  Cardinal  is  about 
to  offer  up  the  Holy  Sacrifice.  With  difficulty 
you  extricate  yourself  from  the  throng  and  go 
your  way,  with  nothing  particular  to  do.  That 
is  your  case,  oddly  stated.  Do  you  sin  thereby? 
No;  not  in  the  case  outlined  above,  unless  you 
sin  by  laziness,  spiritual  sloth,  in  which  sup- 
position it  is  nothing  grievous.  Similar  situ- 
ations are  easily  conceivable  in  which  a  person 
could  sin  by  omitting  good  works  that  are  not  of 
precept,  by  giving  scandal,  for  instance. 

Must  one  make  a  double  genuflection 
when  passing  an  altar  where  Holy  Mass 
is  celebrated? 

No;  unless  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  exposed 
you  should  make  the  simple  genuflection,  with 
one  knee,  even  though  it  be  after  the  Consecration 
and  before  the  Communion.  The  same  holds 
good  for  those  who  for  any  reason  leave  the 
sanctuary  (or  church)  or  return  to  it  during 
Mass,  e.  g.,  torch-bearers. 

Why  does  the  priest  mix  a  small  amount 
of  water  with  the  wine  to  be  consecrated 
at  Mass? 

This  mingling  signifies  the  union  of  the  divine 
and  human  natures  in  Christ,  as  is  beautifully 
expressed  in  the  prayer  then  said  by  the  priest, 
"O  God,  Who  in  creating  man  didst  exalt  his 
nature  very  wonderfully  and  yet  more  wonder- 
fully didst  establish  it  anew;  by  the  mystery 
signified  in  the  mingling  of  this  water  and  wine 
grant  us  to  have  part  in  the  Godhead  of  Him 
Who  hath  vouchsafed  to  share  our  manhood, 
Jesus  Christ  Thy  Son,  Our  Lord,  Who  liveth 
and  reigneth  with  Thee  in  the  unity  of  the  Holy 


MASS  379 

Ghost ;  world  without  end.  Amen."  This 
mingling  also  signifies  our  union  with  Him  in 
Holy  Communion. 

I  have  missed  Mass  for  some  of  the 
reasons  you  mentioned  as  excusing 
reasons,  and  I  have  confessed  those  omis- 
sions as  sins.  Is  it  not  necessary  to 
confess  them  as  sins? 

If  for  a  good  reason  such  as  those  mentioned 
above,  to  which  you  refer,  you  cannot  attend 
Mass  on  Sundays  and  holidays  of  obligation  you 
commit  no  sin.  And  what  is  not  a  sin  you  need  not 
confess.  If  you  are  in  doubt  as  to  the  sufficiency 
of  the  reason,  we  recommend  you  to  mention  the 
omission  in  confession  and  the  reason.  How 
often  the  confessor  may  ask,  "Did  you  miss 
Mass  through  your  own  fault?"  And  how  often 
the  answer  is  truthfully,  "No,  Father."  If  you 
were  simply  excused,  as  in  sickness  and  many 
other  cases,  there  is  nothing  to  be  mentioned. 
If  you  mention  it,  say  how  it  was,  whether  it  was 
wilful,  or  whether  you  had  some  good  reason. 

What  is  a  privileged  altar? 

A  privileged  altar  is  one  to  which,  by  Apostolic 
Indult,  a  plenary  indulgence  is  annexed  in  favor 
of  the  souls  in  purgatory.  In  other  words,  when 
Mass  is  said  at  such  an  altar  for  a  certain  deceased 
person,  a  plenary  indulgence  is  likewise  gained 
for  that  person,  that  is,  the  full  remission  of  the 
temporal  punishment  due  to  that  person's  sins. 
In  order  that  this  indulgence  may  be  gained  it 
is  not  necessary  that  a  Requiem  Mass  be  said; 
any  Mass  said  at  such  an  altar  carries  with  it 
this  great  privilege.  Some  priests  have  what  is 
called  an  indult  of  a  privileged  altar,  personally, 
every  day  in  the  year.  Every  day  when  such 
say  Mass,  no  matter  where  it  may  be,  the  altar 
is  privileged  for  them.  This  privilege  is  enjoyed, 
for  instance,   by  those  priests  who  have  made 


380  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

the  heroic  act,  by  offering,  through  the  hands 
of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  all  their  satisfactory 
merits  for  the  poor  souls  in  purgatory.  It  does 
not  require  much  reflection  to  convince  us  what 
a  blessed  privilege  a  privileged  altar  really  is. 

A  little  over  a  year  ago  an  infant  of  only 
five  weeks  died.  She  was  baptized  before 
she  died.  Her  parents  were  both  Catho- 
lics. A  Mass  was  said  for  her  on  the 
anniversary  of  her  death.  I  would  like  to 
know  if  it  was  right  for  those  parents  to 
have  the  Mass  said. 

We  are  sure  you  are  mistaken  when  you  say 
that  a  Mass  was  said  for  her.  She  needed  no 
Mass;  for  her  lily-like  soul,  clad  in  the  fair  robe 
of  baptismal  innocence,  went  straight  to  God. 
When  baptized  infants  die  a  Mass  is  said  at  their 
burial,  called  the  Mass  of  the  Angels.  This  Mass 
is  said  in  white  vestments,  and  the  whole  service, 
as  well  as  the  funeral  prayers,  breathe  of  joy, 
not  sadness.  And,  surely,  there  is  nothing  wrong, 
rather  it  is  most  praiseworthy  and  consoling,  to 
honor  God  by  having  such  Masses  said  later  on 
in  remembrance  of  the  blessed  little  one>. 

Is  there  a  greater  effect  at  the  Mementos 
during  Mass  for  the  living  and  the  dead 
than  on  other  occasions,  i.  e.,  will  the 
persons  prayed  for  be  more  helped? 

They  most  assuredly  will  be  more  greatly 
benefited;  for  everything  in  connection  with 
Holy  Mass  is  of  the  highest  possible  efficacy. 
Catholics,  by  the  way,  should  always  include  by 
name,  at  the  Memento  for  the  Living  during 
Mass,  the  living  for  whom  they  wish  especially 
to  pray;  and  at  the  Memento  for  the  dead  they 
should  in  the  same  way  include  their  dear  de- 
parted. At  these  two  parts  of  the  Mass  the 
priest  pauses  to  include  special  intentions;  each 
and  every  one  of  the  faithful  should  do  the  same. 


MASS  j8i 

It  is  especially  during  Mass  that  God  can  refuse 
us  nothing;  for  Jesus,  His  only -begotten  Son,  is 
pleading  for  us  in  the  humility  of  oblation. 

Would  it  be  sinful  if  one  did  not  take 
the  proper  posture  during  certain  parts 
of  the  Mass,  for  instance,  if  one  remained 
kneeling  during  the  Gospel? 

If  there  is  any  reason  for  not  taking  such 
posture,  it  is  not  sinful  to  take  some  other.  If 
there  is  no  reason,  it  is  not  in  itself  sinful  either, 
inasmuch  as  we  might  call  these  merely  directive 
regulations.  It  might  be  sinful  if  done  out  of 
stubbornness,  contempt,  or  any  such  like  motives, 
or  if  it  would  give  scandal  to  others.  Always 
adapt  yourself  as  far  as  possible  to  the  practices 
prevailing  in  the  church  where  you  happen  to  be. 

A  person  of  much  authority  in  such 
matters  says  that  a  young  couple  who  are 
about  to  be  married  are  not  obliged  to 
attend  Mass  on  the  three  Sundays  on 
which  the  banns  are  proclaimed.  Is  that 
true? 

Simply  to  say  they  are  not  obliged  to  attend 
Mass  on  those  days  is  rather  too  general  a  state- 
ment. We  must  distinguish.  If  there  is  only  one 
Mass  at  the  church  and  their  names  are  announced 
during  the  same,  they  are  excused  by  legitimate 
custom  from  attending  that  Mass.  If  there  are 
more  Masses  than  one  they  will,  of  course,  arrange 
to  go  to  one  of  the  others.  If  there  are  no  others, 
they  could  probably  easily  arrange  to  go  to  some 
other  church  for  Mass.  This  is  often  done. 
Some  time  ago  a  young  lady  wrote  to  us:  "The 
banns  of  marriage  will  be  published  for  us  on  the 
next  three  Sundays.  Edmund  and  I  have  ar- 
ranged to  go  to  Mass  elsewhere  on  those  days." 
That  was  very  sensible.  '   i. 

If  such  arrangements  as  mentioned  cannot  b 
made    without    considerable    inconvenience,    the 


381  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

persons  may  remain  away  from  Mass  without 
committing  sin.  Why?  Because  of  legitimate 
custom,  which  is  one  of  the  things  that  excuse 
one  from  hearing  Mass.  Other  and  more  com- 
mon excuses  are  moral  impossibility,  charity, 
duty. 

When  I  was  visiting  my  aunt  last  sum- 
mer during  vacation  I  could  not  go  to 
Mass  on  Sunday,  because  the  family  is 
very  large  and  I  had  to  stay  home.  Was 
it  a  mortal  sin  for  me  to  miss  Mass  that 
Sunday  ? 

Wilfully  to  miss  Mass  on  Sundays  and  holy- 
days  of  obligation  is  a  mortal  sin.  But  there  are 
certain  reasons  that  excuse  one  from  going  to 
Mass  on  those  days.  When  so  excused,  no  sin 
is  committed.  But  who  are  excused?  We  have 
not  space  to  enter  into  this  matter  here;  but, 
to  answer  your  question,  we  give  four  classes  of 
persons  excused,  though  there  are  many  others. 

1.  The  sick,  the  infirm,  the  convalescent,  and 
those  who  must  care  for  them. 

2.  Those  who  have  to  keep  house  while  the 
others  are  away,  prepare  dinner,  and  do  other 
necessary  things  at  home. 

3.  Mothers  and  nurses  who  have  no  one  to 
leave  the  children  with  and  cannot  take  them  to 
church, 

4.  Often  those  who  are  very  far  from  church 
and  have  no  way  of  getting  there  without  great 
difficulty,  as  when  they  have  to  walk  a  long 
distance,  especially  in  bad  weather  or  when  the 
roads  are  bad. 

Now,  from  your  question  I  must  conclude  that 
you  either  (1)  had  to  care  for  some  one  at  your 
aunt's  place;  or  (2)  you  had  to  "watch  the 
house"  or  get  dinner  or  do  some  such  thing;  or 
(3)  you  had  to  stay  with  the  children;  or  (4) 
there  was  no  room  for  you  in  the  car,  and  it  was 


MASS  383 

too  far  or  too  hard  for  you  to  walk.  If  for  any 
of  these  reasons  you  stayed  home  that  day  you 
were  excused  and  committed  no  sin  at  all. 

I  was  visiting  at  a  Catholic  friend's 
home  one  Sunday  when  the  whole  family 
was  reverently  hearing  a  High  Mass  broad- 
casted over  the  radio.  They  were  very  de- 
vout about  it,  even  kneeling  down  and 
making  the  sign  of  the  cross  at  the  Conse- 
cration. Can  Catholics  hear  their  Sunday 
Mass  over  the  radio? 

No;  a  Catholic  cannot  satisfy  his  obligation 
of  hearing  Mass  on  Sunday  or  on  a  holyday  of 
obligation  over  the  radio.  There  must  be  a 
moral  unity  between  the  celebrating  priest  and 
the  faithful  assisting  at  the  Mass;  and  this  moral 
unity  is  not  present  between,  let  us  say,  a  priest 
celebrating  Mass  in  New  York  and  a  man  who 
listens  to  the  service  over  the  radio,  while  seated 
in  an  easy  chair  in  San  Francisco.  It  is  well  to 
bear  this  in  mind,  as  many  poorly  instructed 
Catholics  may  have  or  acquire  erroneous  notions 
in  this  regard. 

Parenthetically,  we  may  remark  that  still  less 
may  one  receive  sacramental  absolution  by  radio, 
since  this  cannot  be  given  even  by  telephone. 

Does  one  derive  any  benefit  from  at- 
tending a  Mass  that  is  being  said  for  the 
repose  of  a  certain  soul? 

Why,  certainly.  Without  mentioning  the  fact 
that  when  assisting  at  Mass  you  offer  to  God  the 
glory  that  is  due  Him  by  virtue  of  His  sovereign 
dominion  and  give  Him  infinite  thanks  for  His 
many  blessings  and  the  merciful  pardon  of  your 
sins, — without  mentioning  these  things,  we  say, 
but  considering  only  the  many  blessings  which 
Holy  Mass  procures  for  us,  we  state  that  the 
fruits  of  the  Mass,  considered  in  themselves,  are 
impetration    (obtaining   of   blessings),    propitia- 


384  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

tion  (appeasing  the  wrath  of  God),  and  satis- 
faction (blotting  out,  both  for  the  living  and  the 
dead,  the  temporal  punishment  due  to  their  sins). 
But  if  we  consider  the  fruits  of  the  Mass  in 
relation  to  the  persons  who  receive  them,  we  may 
make  a  fourfold  division. 

1.  The  general  fruit  goes  to  all  the  members  of 
the  mystical  body,  the  Church,  living  or  dead, 
who  are  not  unworthy.  This  is  the  will  of  the 
Church  and  the  contrary  will  of  the  celebrant 
can  in  no  wise  change  it. 

2.  Though  all  those  mentioned  above  share 
in  the  general  fruit,  nevertheless  those  who 
assist  at  Mass  or  co-operate  in  any  fashion 
whatsoever  are  the  most  highly  favored;  and  their 
participation  in  the  fruits  of  the  Sacrifice  is  in 
proportion  to  their  co-operation  and  to  their 
dispositions.  They  enjoy  the  special  fruit  of  the 
Mass.  So  those  who  assist  at  Mass  do  indeed 
benefit  in  a  special  way,  no  matter  for  whom  the 
Mass  is  being  offered  in  particular. 

3.  But  more  abundant  still  is  the  fruit  which 
accrues  to  the  priest  who  says  the  Mass.  This  is 
called  the  personal  or  very  special  fruit. 

4.  Then  there  is  the  ministerial  fruit,  which 
accrues  to  those  for  whom  the  Sacrifice  is  in 
particular  offered  and  for  whom  the  celebrant 
applies  the  Mass.  This  power  of  applying  the 
fruits  of  the  Mass  is  inherent  to  the  sacerdotal 
character,  as  is  plain  from  the  words  of  ordina- 
tion: "Receive  the  power  of  offering  sacrifice 
both  for  the  living  and  for  the  dead."  The 
application  made  by  the  priest  is,  therefore, 
always  valid,  and  no  one  on  earth  has  the  power 
to  prevent  its  efficacy.  This  precious  ministerial 
fruit  is  satisfactory  for  the  temporal  punishments 
due  to  sin,  propitiatory  for  sins,  and  impetratory 
for  spiritual  and  temporal  blessings.  But  that 
it  may  accrue  to  certain  persons  it  is  absolutely 
necessary  that  the  celebrant  make  that  intention, 


MASS  385 

which  we  call  the  application  of  the  Mass.  It  is 
this  application  of  the  ministerial  fruit  which  the 
priest  promises  when  he  accepts  a  stipend  for  a 
certain  intention. 

Is  it  true  that  when  a  priest  reads  his 
first  Mass  the  angels  in  heaven  weave  a 
wreath  of  myrtle  for  him? 

We  wouldn't  be  a  bit  surprised.  This  pious 
and  quite  legitimate  fancy  reminds  us  of  the 
beautiful  words  of  St.  John  Chrysostom.  With 
astonishment  he  praises  the  dignity  of  the 
Christian  priesthood,  which,  "not  a  man,  not  an 
angel,  nor  an  archangel,  nor  any  other  power 
than  the  Holy  Ghost  Himself  instituted."  He 
shows  what  purity  and  fear  of  God  are  required 
in  order  that  the  priest  may  worthily  celebrate 
the  holy  and  tremendous  sacrifice.  "When  you 
behold  how  the  Lord  is  sacrificed  and  laid  there," 
he  says,  "and  how  the  priest  stands  and  prays 
during  the  Sacrifice,  do  you  still  imagine  your- 
self to  be  among  men  and  on  this  earth?" 

Is  it  a  sin  if  we  come  to  Mass  after  the 
priest  is  at  the  altar  on  Sunday? 

If  this  coming  late  for  Mass  is  not  at  all  your 
fault,  you  do  not  commit  any  sin.  But  since  the 
church  commands  us  to  hear  Mass  on  Sundays  and 
holidays  of  obligation  and  not  to  hear  a  part  of 
Mass,  one  who  wilfully  omits  a  portion  of  it 
commits  a  sin,  venial  or  mortal.  You  commit  a 
mortal  sin  if  you  thus  omit  a  third  part  of  your 
Mass  of  obligation,  for  instance,  everything  up  to 
and  including  the  Offertory;  you  commit  a 
venial  sin  if  you  thus  omit  a  small  part  of  that 
Mass,  for  instance,  from  the  beginning  to  the 
Gospel  or  from  the  Communion  to  the  end.  To 
leave  the  church  after  the  Ite  missa  est  is  not 
considered  a  sin;  but,  unless  there  is  a  good 
reason,  it  is  very  impolite  and  a  shame,  just  as 
coming  a  moment  late  to  Mass  is  likewise  dis- 


3  86  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

graceful.  When  the  priest  ascends  the  altar  for 
the  Adorable  Sacrifice  everybody  should  be  in 
church;  and  no  one  should  be  so  inconsiderate 
as  to  move  from  the  pew  before  the  priest  has 
disappeared  into  the  sacristy. 

How  can  one  show  a  non-Catholic  the 
difference   between  High  Mass   and  Low 

Mass? 

Essentially  the  Mass  is  always  the  same, 
whether  it  be  a  High  Mass,  a  Missa  Cantata 
(sung  Mass),  or  a  Low  Mass.  The  difference  is 
merely  accidental — i.  e.,  non-essential. 

The  High  Mass,  also  called  the  Solemn  Mass,  is 
the  complete  rite  of  the  Mass,  in  which  the  priest 
is  assisted  by  a  deacon  and  subdeacon,  and  all 
the  rubrics  of  the  Order  of  Mass  are  observed, 
such  as  chanting  the  Gospel,  incensing  the  altar, 
the  ministers  and  the  people.  It  is  now  usually  cele- 
brated only  on  more  solemn  or  festive  occasions. 

The  Missa  Cantata  (sung  Mass),  generally, 
though  less  correctly  perhaps,  called  a  High 
Mass,  is  celebrated  by  the  priest  without  the 
sacred  ministers,  and  parts  of  the  Mass  are  sung 
by  him  and  by  the  choir  or  the  people. 

The  Low  Mass  is  a  shortened  and  simplified 
form  of  the  High  Mass,  said  by  the  priest  with 
one  or  two  servers  only.  No  parts  of  the  Mass 
are  sung. 

Is  it  a  sin  if  one  wilfully  avoids  hearing 
the  Sunday  sermon,  for  instance,  by  going 
to  an  earlier  Mass  at  which  a  sermon  is 
not  preached? 

We  must  distinguish.  For  some  Catholics 
the  hearing  of  sermons  is  a  matter  of  strict  obli- 
gation, for  others  it  is  not.  It  is  a  duty  in  the 
strict  sense  of  the  word  for  those  who  do  not 
possess  the  knowledge  necessary  for  the  leading 
of  a  Christian  life,  as  well  as  for  those  who  need 
instruction  and  encouragement  because  of  their 


MASS  387 

necessary  intercourse  with  non-Catholics  or  their 
ina voidable  association  with  men  of  bad  mora 
character.  Such  should  be  regular  in  their  at-1 
tendance  at  sermons  and  explanations  of  Christian 
doctrine.  If  they  have  not  the  time  or  the  op- 
portunity for  the  hearing  of  sermons,  they  should 
read  religious  books  and  Catholic  papers.  In 
fact,  in  our  day  they  ought  to  do  both  the  one 
and  the  other.  We  might  also  remark  that  the 
more  educated  a  man  is,  the  more  he  should 
know  about  his  faith. 

There  are  many  careless  and  fallen-away 
Catholics,  and  many  who  have  fallen  into  sin 
and  are  living  without  the  grace  of  God.  who 
would  be  practical  Catholics  and  living  in  the 
state  of  grace,  had  they  listened  with  eager  at- 
tention to  the  sermons  that  are  preached  on 
Sundays  with  the  intention  to  profit  thereby. 

There  may  also  be  cases  where  one  is  obliged  to 
hear  sermons  in  order  to  avoid  giving  scandal. 
This  is  especially  the  case  in  small  parishes. 
The  Savior  tells  us:  "He  that  is  of  God,  heareth 
the  words  of  God.  Therefore  you  hear  them  not, 
because  you  are  not  of  God."     (John  8:47.) 

Is  it  a  sin  for  a  lay  person  to  touch  the 
tabernacle  on  the  outside,  for  example, 
when  decorating  the  altar? 

No;  it  is  not  a  sin.  There  can  be  no  question 
of  sin  here.  So,  too,  it  is  ordinarily  quite  proper 
and  even  a  matter  of  duty  for  sacristans  to  re- 
move the  key  from  the  tabernacle  door  in  case 
it  was  forgotten.  In  this  case  it  is  well  to  make 
sure  that  the  tabernacle  is  locked. 

We  may  here  repeat,  for  the  sake  of  general 
information,  that  the  Code  of  Canon  Law  re- 
quires that  the  necessary  precautions  be  taken 
to  see  that  the  sacred  vessels  and  the  sacred 
linens  which  have  been  used  in  the  Holy  Sacrifice 
shall  not  be  touched  except  by  clerics  (at  least 


3 88  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

tonsured)    and    by   those   entrusted    with   their 
care.     (Canon  1306,  No.  1.) 

For  the  sake  of  clearness  we  divide  our  expla- 
nation as  follows: 

1.  Without  any  special  permission  from  the 
Ordinary  all  clerics  as  well  as  persons  (lay  or 
religious)  who  have  been  given  charge  of  the 
sacristy  have  the  right  to  touch  the  sacred  vessels, 
when  they  do  not  contain  the  Holy  Eucharist  and 
when  they  have  been  purified. 

2.  Said  persons  have  the  right  to  touch  the 
sacred  linens,  even  though  not  yet  purified. 

3.  However,  lay  sacristans  and  religious  not 
clerics  should  in  all  cases  refrain  from  publicly 
touching  the  sacred  vessels  and  the  sacred  linens 
with  bare  hands.  Let  them  (as  some  do)  then 
wear  white  gloves  reserved  for  such  use  only,  or 
let  them  use  a  clean  linen  cloth  always  kept  at 
hand  for  just  that  purpose.  And  if  the  sacristan 
is  a  layman,  he  should  (in  case  of  handling 
publicly)  first  put  on  cassock  and  surplice. 

4.  However,  if  persons  not  mentioned  in  Nos. 
1,  2  and  3  above  were  to  touch  what  the  persons 
mentioned  have  the  right  to  touch,  they  would 
not  commit  any  sin,  except  in  case  of  scandal; 
but  reverence  for  the  objects  connected  with  the 
Holy  Sacrifice  should  make  them  respect  the 
wishes  of  the  Church. 

5.  It  is  not  wrong  for  anybody  to  touch  a 
corporal  which  has  served  for  the  exposition  of 
the  Blessed  Sacrament,  or  the  sacred  linens  after 
they  have  been  purified.  Nor  is  it  wrong  to  touch, 
even  without  a  linen  cloth,  the  monstrance  or 
the  ciborium  or  the  pyx  (custodia)  when  they  do 
not  contain  the  Blessed  Sacrament.  But  here, 
too,  reverence  should  lead  to  the  use  of  white 
gloves  or  linen  cloth  as  suggested  above,  for  all 
who  are  not  clerics. 

6.  On  the  other  hand,  when  the  sacred  vessels 
contain  the  Sacred  Species,  it  would  be  a  mortal 


MASS  389 

sin  for  anyone  who  has  not  received  the  order  of 
deaconship  to  touch  them.  (Without  necessity, 
of  course,  as  might  happen  in  case  of  accident, 
fire,  etc.  If  one  accidentally  touches  such  a 
sacred  vessel,  as  sometimes  happens  in  the  dis- 
tribution of  Holy  Communion,  no  sin  is  com- 
mitted.) 

7.  It  is  expressly  forbidden  (but  only  under 
pain  of  venial  sin)  to  permit  lay  persons,  even  re- 
ligious, unless  they  have  a  special  indult  from  the 
Holy  See,  to  wash  purificators,  palls,  and  corpo- 
rals which  have  been  used  in  Holy  Mass,  before 
they  have  been  purified  one  first  time,  that  is, 
given  the  first  ablution  or  rinsing,  by  a  cleric  who 
is  at  least  a  subdeacon.  Anyone  may  perform 
the  second  or  third  ablutions;  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  these  second  and  third  ablutions  are  not  in 
any  manner  prescribed.     (Canon  1306,  No.  2.) 

8.  The  above  precautions  about  touching  in 
no  way  refer  to  the  priestly  vestments,  the  altar 
cloths,  the  veils  for  the  ciborium  or  monstrance 
or  tabernacle,  the  antipendium,  the  cross,  the 
candles  and  candlesticks,  the  missal,  altar  cards, 
and  other  furnishings  of  the  altar,  though  all 
objects  necessary  for  the  Sacrifice  will  ever  be 
treated  with  due  reverence  by  the  good  Catholic. 

Sometimes  on  Sunday  one  priest  says 
Mass  and  another  priest  comes  out  to 
read  the  Gospel.  Then  the  celebrant  sits 
during  the  reading  of  the  Gospel.  How 
is  it  that  he  does  not  arise  when  the 
congregation  does  so? 

While  the  Gospel  is  read  by  another  priest  the 
priest  who  is  saying  the  Mass  sits.  During  the 
reading  of  the  Epistle  he  wears  his  biretta  (ecclesi- 
astical cap)  but  when  the  Gospel  is  read  he  un- 
covers his  head,  without,  however,  arising.  While 
the  sermon  is  being  preached  by  another  he  also 
sits  with  his  biretta  on,  removing  it  (as  is  the 


39o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

custom  in  many,  but  not  all  places)  whenever 
the  name  of  Jesus  is  pronounced.  The  priest 
thus  sits  because  that  is  prescribed  in  the  cere- 
monial books  of  approved  liturgical  writers  of 
the  Church.  (Cf.  J.  B.  Mueller,  S.  J.  Booh  of 
Ceremonies.) 

If  a  person  is  obliged  to  leave  the  church 
after  Consecration  and  before  Com- 
munion, must  one  make  a  "double  genu- 
flection," or  is  the  Blessed  Sacrament 
considered  covered  as  such  and  would  it 
be  the  same  as  if  it  were  in  the  tabernacle  ? 

There  are  two  kinds  of  genuflections,  namely, 
a  double  genuflection,  when  both  knees  are  bent 
to  the  floor  and  a  slight  bow  of  the  head  and 
shoulders  is  made;  and  a  simple  genuflection, 
when  only  the  right  knee  is  bent  to  the  ground 
without  being  accompanied  by  a  bow  of  the  head 
or  the  body.  The  faithful  should  make  a  double 
genuflection  on  entering  or  leaving  the  church 
when  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  exposed,  as  during 
Benediction  or  the  Forty  Hours.  Also  when 
Holy  Communion  is  being  distributed.  If  one 
should  enter  a  church  or  pass  an  altar  at  the 
Consecration  of  the  Mass,  one  should  make  a 
double  genuflection  and  remain  kneeling  until 
the  chalice  has  been  replaced  upon  the  altar. 
When  entering  the  church  between  the  Conse- 
cration and  the  Communion  only  a  simple  genu- 
flection is  made,  as  when  the  Blessed  Sacrament 
is  enclosed  in  the  tabernacle. 

Also  the  simple  genuflection,  being  an  act  of 
adoration,  should  be  devoutly  made.  The  body 
should  be  held  erect,  and  the  right  knee  should 
touch  the  floor  near  the  ankle  of  the  left  foot. 
The  genuflections  made  by  many  of  our  Catholics 
are  disgraceful.  Moreover,  during  the  Forty 
Hours,  for  instance,  many  of  our  people  simply 
will  forget  to  make  the  double  genuflection.    We 


MASS  391 

here  give  the  manner  of  making  it.  Bend  first 
the  right  knee  to  the  floor  and  then  the  left  (in 
other  words,  kneel  down),  make  a  medium  incli- 
nation of  the  head  and  shoulders;  then  arise, 
bringing  first  the  left  foot  into  position  and  then 
the  right.  Do  not  hold  on  to  anything  when 
making  a  genuflection,  unless  you  must  do  so 
because  of  some  infirmity  or  disability. 

If  there  are  two  Masses  at  the  same 
time,  one  at  the  high  altar  and  one  at 
the  side  altar,  can  you  hear  two  Masses 
at  the  same  time  or  only  one? 

Father  Cochem  thus  answers  this  question  in 
his  popular  Explanation  of  the  Mass: 

"The  reader  may  now  ask  what  it  behooves 
him  to  do  in  order  to  participate  in  many  Masses 
at  the  same  time.  Let  him  observe  that  it  does 
not  suffice  to  be  present  while  several  Masses  are 
being  said  unless  he  unites  his  intention  to  each 
one;  that  is  to  say,  he  must  adore  Christ  on  each 
altar,  and  offer  Him  to  God  the  Father  with  the 
desire  to  hear  each  Mass  severally.  When, 
therefore,  thou  seest  the  priest  go  up  to  the  altar, 
say  in  thy  heart :  'I  will  hear  this  Mass  and  offer 
it  as  an  oblation  to  God';  and  repeat  this  when- 
ever Mass  is  begun.  And  if,  when  thou  enterest 
the  church,  several  Masses  are  going  on,  make  a 
general  intention  to  assist  at  them  all. 

"At  the  commencement  of  the  Mass  one's  daily 
prayers,  the  Rosary,  or  confraternity  prayers 
may  be  said  up  to  the  time  of  the  consecration. 
Then  it  is  well  to  leave  those  orisons,  and  make 
an  act  of  faith  in  the  presence  of  Christ  upon  the 
altar,  to  adore  Him  in  all  humility  when  the  priest 
genuflects,  to  implore  His  mercy  at  the  elevation, 
and  during  the  consecration  of  the  chalice  de- 
voutly offer  to  God  the  sacrifice  of  His  Son.  The 
same  may  be  done  at  the  elevation  of  the  chalice. 
After  that  we  may  proceed  with  our  private  de- 


39i  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

votions  till  another  priest  comes  to  the  consecra- 
tion; they  should  then  be  again  broken  off,  to 
give  place  to  acts  of  adoration  and  oblation. 
This  should  be  done  whenever  the  sacred  elements 
are  consecrated  and  elevated  at  any  of  the  altars; 
for  our  bounden  duty  requires  that  we  should 
adore  our  God  present  on  the  altar,  and  our  own 
interest  demands  that  we  should  offer  to  God  the 
Father  this  precious  gift,  for  which  a  rich  rec- 
ompense awaits  us." 


PERTAINING  TO  PARTICIPATION  IN 
FALSE  WORSHIP 

May    Catholics    listen    to    Protestant 
radio  sermons? 

The  Church  has  not  as  yet  issued  any  special 
prohibition  against  Protestant  radio  sermons, 
but,  to  thinking  minds,  that  prohibition  is  self- 
understood.  Listening  to  such  sermons  is  surely 
a  grave  danger  to  the  faith  of  weak  or  poorly 
instructed  Catholics,  perturbs  the  minds  of  even 
the  well-instructed,  and  to  some  extent  spoils  the 
fair  freshness  of  Catholic  faith  in  every  Catholic 
listener.  In  such  a  sermon  we  may  find,  for 
instance,  great  eloquence,  artistic  form, — and 
much  talk  of  purely  interior  divine  worship,  and 
incidentally  ridicule  of  the  exterior  formalities 
such  as  Holy  Mass,  auricular  confession,  etc. 
Some  such  sermons,  indeed,  are  open  slurs  upon 
the  Church;  but  the  majority  hiddenly  contain 
the  insidious  poison  of  heresy  and  administer  it 
with  a  skillful  hand. 

Now,  under  pain  of  excommunication  the 
Church  forbids  Catholics  to  read  books  that 
defend  heresy,  or  apostasy,  or  schism,  if  they 
have  been  forbidden  by  name.  (Canon  2318.) 
And  with  full  right  the  Church  also  forbids  the 
reading  of  Protestant  books  which  treat  of  re- 
ligion, unless  it  is  certain  that  they  contain 
nothing  against  the  Catholic  faith.  (1399,  n.  4.) 
Does  she  not  by  these  same  Canons  logically 
and  implicitly  forbid  Catholics  to  listen  to 
Protestant  radio  sermons?  All  the  more  so,  one 
would  think  since  books  have  but  a  limited 
circulation  and  require  special  time  and  money, 
whereas  the  radio  sermon  (the  book  read  to  you, 
so  to  speak)  is  inexpensive,  always  at  hand, 
easily  and  comfortably  listened  to. 

393 


394  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Catholics  who  go  to  listen  to  Protestant 
sermons  in  their  churches  quickly  give  grave 
scandal  too.  Is  it  not  giving  scandal  to  the  mem- 
bers of  the  family,  especially  to  the  children,  and 
to  visitors,  to  listen  to  these  sermons  over  the 
radio?  Such  listening  will,  no  doubt,  lead  to  many 
a  defection  from  the  faith,  mixed  marriage,  etc. 

Hence,  it  may  be  set  down  as  a  rule  that  Catho- 
lics must  shut  off  broadcasting  stations  during 
Protestant  radio  sermons.  No  member  of  a 
Catholic  household  should  listen  to  such  sermons. 

"But,"  you  may  say,  "I  only  listen  out  of  curi- 
osity, just  for  fun,  just  to  see  how  they  talk,  just 
to  find  out  what  they  believe.  I  have  no  intention 
of  believing  what  Protestants  teach.' *  You  might 
say  the  same  about  reading  this  or  that  Protestant 
book  which  defends  error  or  attacks  Catholic 
faith;  and  yet  the  Church  forbids  such  reading, 
under  all  circumstances,  unless  you  have  ecclesi- 
astical permission  and  read  it  in  order,  at  a  given 
opportunity,  to  refute  its  views  and  defend  the 
Catholic  faith.  For  the  same  reason,  we  may 
add,  a  scientifically  educated  and  staunch 
Catholic  may  listen  to  a  Protestant  radio  sermon; 
but  a  large  proportion  of  Catholic  radio  listeners 
lack  such  scientific  theological  training  and 
firmness  of  faith.  To  them  the  prohibition  doubt- 
less applies:     "Listen  to  no  Protestant  sermons. " 

To  quote  Dominic  Pruemmer,  O.  P.,  S.  T.  D.. 
verbatim  now:  "A  much  milder  judgment  may 
be  pronounced  when,  not  Protestant  sermons, 
but  musical  programs  in  Protestant  churches  are 
being  broadcasted,  even  during  the  course  of 
Protestant  services.  For  such  musical  programs 
involve  no  serious  danger  for  the  Catholic  faith." 

Why  is  a  Catholic  not  allowed  to  take 
part  in  Protestant  services? 

By  taking  part  in  Protestant  church  services 
a  Catholic  participates  in  a  false  religion  and 


PARTICIPATION  IN  FALSE  WORSHIP  395 

therefore  sins  against  faith.  One  religion  is  not 
as  good  as  another.  There  is  only  one  true  re- 
ligion— the  Catholic  religion. 

The  law  of  the  Church  says  that  the  faithful 
may  never  take  active  part  in  the  religious  services 
of  non-Catholics.  However,  under  certain  con- 
ditions they  may  assist  passively  at  such  services : 

1.  At  funerals,  marriages,  and  other  cere- 
monies of  like  nature. 

2.  For  a  serious  reason  of  "courtesy,"  which, 
in  case  of  doubt,  should  be  submitted  to  the 
judgment  of  the  bishop. 

3.  On  condition  that  there  be  no  danger  of 
either  perversion  or  scandal. 

If  a  non-Catholic  church  gives  a  play 
for  the  benefit  of  their  church,  could  it 
be  called  charity  for  Catholics  to  attend 
that  play  during  Lent?  I,  for  one,  would 
call  it  very  wrong  to  help  another  church 
at  any  time. 

It  could  hardly  be  called  true  charity  at  any 
time.  That  would  be  helping  along  what  we  must 
needs  call  a  false  religion.  There  is  but  one 
true  Church  and  that  is  the  Catholic  Church. 
Hence,  non-Catholics  may  come  to  the  bazaars, 
suppers,  plays,  etc.,  which  we  give  for  the  benefit 
of  the  church,  but  we  may  not  go  to  theirs.  Our 
separated  brethren  sometimes  find  it  hard  to  un- 
derstand this,  and  yet  it  is  all  very  logical.  They 
claim  that  one  religion  is  as  good  as  another,  that 
the  Catholic  Church  is  therefore  just  as  true  as 
theirs.  So  they  may  support  it  as  much  as  they 
wish.  With  us,  however,  it  is  different.  We  know 
that  our  Church  is  the  one  true  Church;  hence 
to  aid  any  other  church  is  to  favor  heresy  and  to 
abet  error. 

You  take  the  right  stand  and  show  real  Catholic 
sense  in  the  matter  in  question.  However,  in  our 
country  we  come  into  such  intimate  and  constant 


396  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

social  contact  with  non-Catholics,  and  their  re- 
ligion, as  a  rule,  has  so  little  of  religion  left  in  it, 
that  when  it  is  manifest  from  the  various  circum- 
stances that  Catholics  by  attending  such  bazaars, 
fairs,  suppers,  plays,  etc.,  do  not  wish  to  show 
favor  to  any  sect  but  merely  wish  to  give  ex- 
pression to  their  good  will  and  general  social 
benevolence,  they  do  no  wrong. 

Much  depends  upon  local  circumstances,  the 
way  in  which  your  action  will  be  interpreted,  the 
danger  of  giving  scandal,  etc. 

Hence,  while  we  should  always  be  properly 
conservative  and  careful  in  this  regard,  we  should 
also  be  prudent  and  discriminating.  Above  all, 
let  us  not  be  too  quick  to  condemn  others  if  they 
find  they  can  conscientiously  go  a  little  farther 
than  we  would  care  to  go. 

Can  a  Mason  become  a  Catholic? 

Remaining  a  Mason,  he  can  never  become  a 
Catholic.  Fremasonry,  besides  being  a  secret 
society  condemned  by  the  Church,  is  likewise  a 
religious  body  having  a  religion  of  its  own.  As 
we  read  in  the  Masons'  own  words,  "The  right  to 
membership  in  the  Masonic  fraternity  is  very 
much  like  the  right  to  membership  in  a  church. 
Each  requires  a  candidate  for  admission  to 
subscribe  to  certain  articles  of  religious  belief  as 
an  essential  prerequisite  to  membership.  Each 
requires  a  member  to  conduct  himself  thereafter 
in  accordance  with  certain  religious  principles. 
Each  requires  its  members  to  adhere  to  certain 
doctrines  of  belief  and  action.'' 

A  Mason  can  become  a  Catholic  (or  can  return 
to  the  Catholic  religion)  only  if  he  renounces  all 
connection  with  freemasonry  and  is  duly  received 
by  the  Church. 

May  a  Catholic  woman  join  the  Royal 
Neighbors  of  America? 

This    Society,    the    female    auxiliary    to    the 


PARTICIPATION  IN  FALSE  WORSHIP  397 

Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  was  incorporated 
March  21,  1895.  In  1923  there  were  7,367  lodges, 
with  404,278  benefit  and  69,284  social  members 
in  almost  every  state  in  the  Union. 

Prayers  and  hymns  are  sung  at  the  meetings. 
A  careful  analysis  of  their  secret  ritual  (older 
edition)  shows  that  the  Royal  Neighbors  have  an 
altar,  a  religious  test,  a  chaplain;  that  a  divine 
blessing  is  asked  and  passages  from  Sacred  Scrip- 
ture are  read  at  the  meetings;  that  one  of  the 
basic  principles  of  the  organization  is  "Faith." 

From  this  it  seems  quite  evident  that  the  R.  N. 
of  A.  is  equivalent  to  a  religious  sect,  a  false 
religion,  with  which  no  Catholic  may  associate 
himself.  Its  religious  principles  are  seemingly 
Universalist  or  Utilitarian.  According  to  the 
burial  rite,  every  Royal  Neighbor  goes  to  heaven 
after  death,  whether  she  believes  in  Jesus  Christ 
or  not. 

At  the  initiation  all  members  take  upon  them- 
selves the  "obligation"  and  absolute  secrecy. 

In  addition  to  the  fact  that  it  constitutes  false 
religion  the  R.  N.  of  A.  is  likewise  forbidden  be- 
cause of  the  affiliation  with  or  imitation  of  the 
Freemasons.  In  1922,  Bishop  V.  Wehrle,  of 
Bismark,  N.  Dak.,  in  a  letter  published  in  the 
Volksfreund,  of  Richardson,  N.  Dak.,  warned  his 
flock  "against  joining  the  Royal  Neighbors,  the 
Modern  Woodmen,  and  all  other  organizations 
that  are  either  affiliated  with  the  Freemasons  or 
imitate  them." 

We  fear  that  many  Catholics  are  inclined  to 
fraternize  with  those  outside  the  Church  in  ways 
that  are  extremely  dangerous,  if  not  absolutely 
sinful  and  subversive  of  faith.  Catholics,  we  re- 
peat, should  join  Catholic  societies. 

May  a  Catholic  student  who  belongs  to 
a  graduating  class  attend  the  Bac- 
calaureate Service  held  in  a  Protestant 
church  ? 


398  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Where  there  is  a  good  reason  one  may  attend 
school  exercises  or  purely  civil  celebrations  held 
in  non-Catholic  churches,  provided  they  have  no 
religious  feature  attached.  Where  there  is  such 
relig  ous  feature  attached  we  must  be  guided  by 
Canon  1258,  which  says  that  it  is  unlawful  for 
Catholics  to  assist  actively  in  any  way  at,  or  to 
take  part  in  the  religious  services  of  non-Catholics. 
A  passive  or  merely  material  presence  may  be 
tolerated,  for  reasons  of  civil  duty  or  honor,  at 
funerals,  weddings,  and  similar  celebrations,  pro- 
vided no  danger  of  perversion  or  scandal  arises 
from  this  assistance.  In  doubtful  cases  the 
reason  for  assisting  must  be  grave,  and  recognized 
as  such  by  the  bishop. 

Whenever  a  passive  or  merely  material  presence 
may  be  tolerated,  it  is  understood  that  no  re- 
ligious act  or  ritual  participation  is  permitted 
and  that  there  is  no  danger  of  scandal  or  per- 
version. 

Can  a  Catholic  save  his  soul  in  a 
Protestant  religion  when  he  leaves  his 
Church? 

No.  And  God  pity  the  f alien-away  Catholic! 
If  'or  anyone  there  is  no  hope  of  salvation,  it  is 
surely  so  for  him.  He  is  a  dry  branch,  a  dead 
member  of  the  Church;  and  he  will  be  cut  off 
and  thrown  into  the  fire.  He  has  despised  and 
turned  his  back  upon  the  Mother  that  bore  him, 
— Holy  Mother  Church.  There  may,  of  course, 
be  extenuating  circumstances,  such  as  gross 
ignorance,  for  instance,  though  this  is  hard  to 
imagine  in  one  who  was  brought  up  a  Catholic. 
But,  generally  speaking,  such  a  one  will  be  lost 
if  he  does  not  come  back  to  God  before  he  dies. 
He  knew  the  truth  (deep  down  in  his  heart  he 
knows  it  still)  and  he  deliberately  closed  his 
eyes  to  it.  Let  us  pray  often  for  f alien-away 
Catholics,  of  whom  there  are  so  many,  that  God 


PARTICIPATION  IN  FALSE  WORSHIP  399 

in  His  mercy  may  give  them  the  grace  of  re- 
pentance before  they  die. 

If  a  Catholic  family  lives  in  a  city 
where  there  is  no  Catholic  church  or 
school,  is  it  better  for  the  children  of  that 
family  to  attend  a  Protestant  Sunday 
School  than  not  attend  any? 

Absolutely  no!  It  would  be  a  crime  against 
God  and  against  the  children  to  have  them 
thus  imbued  with  the  teachings  of  a  Protestant 
sect.  Such  a  proceeding  could  not  be  justified 
under  any  conditions  whatsoever. 

I  have  been  told  that  a  Catholic  may  be 
a  Mason  if  his  business  affairs  so  oblige. 
This  seems  hard  to  believe.  Please  en- 
lighten me  on  the  matter. 

Canon  Law  says  that  those  who  enlist  in 
Masonic  sects  or  other  associations  of  the  same 
kind,  which  plot  against  the  Church  or  against 
lawful  civil  authority,  by  that  very  fact  incur  ex- 
communication simply  reserved  to  the  Apostolic 
See. 

Your  question  shows  that  you  are  properly 
aware  of  this.  You  find  it  hard  to  believe  the 
contrary,  and  rightly  so.  Catholics  should  take 
this  matter  very  seriously.  They  should  neither 
enroll  in  secret  societies,  nor  frequent  the  meet- 
ings of  these  societies,  nor  favor  them  in  any  way. 

However  (and  this  is  doubtless  what  your  in- 
formant had  in  mind)  there  are  sometimes  diffi- 
culties in  abjuring  forbidden  secret  societies,  as 
Catholics  who  have  joined  them  must  do,  on  ac- 
count of  the  serious  temporal  disadvantages  in- 
volved. For  such  cases  the  Holy  Office  gives  the 
following  answer:  Repentant  members  of  such 
societies  may  be  admitted  to  the  Sacraments  if 
they  really  withdraw  from  the  secret  societies  in 
question;  if  they  promise  never  to  take  part  in 
any  secret  or  public  act  and  not  to  pay  the  dues 


400  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

or  fees;  if  they  repair  the  scandal  given  as  well 
as  they  can;  if  they  are  really  disposed  to  with- 
draw their  name  from  the  roster  as  soon  as  it  can 
be  done  without  serious  loss. 

A  careful  consideration  of  these  four  con- 
ditions makes  it  quite  clear  that  a  Catholic  can- 
not be  much  of  a  Mason  and  in  communion 
with  the  Church  at  the  same  time.  All  that 
remains  is  his  name  on  the  roster,  and  even  that 
must  be  withdrawn  as  soon  as  it  can  be  done 
without  serious  loss. 

Would  you  please  tell  me  what  a  Protes- 
tant woman  would  have  to  do  to  become 
a  Catholic? 

All  she  need  do,  as  a  preliminary,  is  to  call  on 
a  Catholic  priest  and  ask  to  be  given  instructions 
in  the  Catholic  faith  with  a  view  to  joining  the 
Church,  should  she  be  convinced  that  it  is  the 
true  Church  of  God.  She  will  be  kindly  received 
and  all  arrangements  will  be  made  for  regular 
instructions.  In  the  course  of  these  instructions 
she  will  learn  what  is  to  be  done  when  she  is  re- 
ceived. Such  a  person  should  not  cease  to  pray 
for  the  grace  of  faith.  "Lead,  kindly  Light, 
amid  the  encircling  gloom,  lead  Thou  me  on!" 
"I  was  not  ever  thus,  nor  prayed  that  Thou 
shouldst  lead  me  on." 

Is  it  wrong  to  attend  Protestant  services 
as  an  indifferent  onlooker  ?  I  have  a  friend 
who  gets  a  free  cup  of  wine  every  week  at 
the  last  supper  services  in  a  Protestant 
church.  He  takes  it  as  a  joke.  May  he 
do  that? 

Though  it  is  not  sinful  to  enter  a  Protestant 
church  out  of  mere  curiosity  when  no  services 
are  going  on,  provided  there  be  no  danger  of 
scandal  or  perversion  and  provided,  further- 
more, that  there  be  no  special  law  forbidding  it, 
it  is  generally  sinful  to  enter  such  a  church  out 


PARTICIPATION  IN  FALSE  WORSHIP  401 

of  mere  curiosity  when  services  are  going  on. 
Active  assistance  at  such  services  is  never  allowed 
to  Catholics,  and  passive  presence  is  allowed  only 
for  reasons  more  or  less  grave,  according  to  the 
prevailing  customs  and  interpretations  of  the 
place. 

To  partake  of  the  last  supper  as  your  friend 
does  is  far  from  the  joke  that  some  giddy  young 
men  imagine  it  to  be.  It  is  a  clear  case  of  active, 
formal,  and  implicit  communication  with  heretics. 
It  is  a  sin  against  faith. 

Is  it  a  sin  to  take  part  in  a  non-Catholic 
church  service  by  standing  when  the  other 
people  stand  and  by  taking  part  in  their 
prayers,  after  you  have  attended  Mass 
that  day? 

Yes;  it  is  a  sin,  nor  does  the  fact  that  one  first 
went  to  Mass  make  any  difference  in  the  case, 
unless  it  makes  the  sin  all  the  greater  because 
one  ought  to  know  all  the  better.  This  is  an 
inexcusable  case  of  participation  in  the  religious 
services  of  non-Catholics.  Such  participation  is 
a  sin  against  faith  and,  not  to  mention  the  danger 
of  perversion,  may  be  a  sin  against  charity,  too, 
because  of  the  scandal  given. 

It  is  allowed,  under  certain  circumstances  and 
for  a  good  reason,  to  attend  non-Catholic  burial 
services  and  weddings,  for  instance;  but  such 
attendance  must  be  passive,  not  active,  as  sug- 
gested by  the  question  here  asked. 

In  this  matter  the  simplest  and  safest  mode  of 
procedure  is  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  non- 
Catholic  religious  services.  The  vast  majority 
of  good  Catholics  have  probably  never  been  in- 
side a  Protestant  church  and  never  want  to  be. 

However,  we  ought  to  mention  that,  if  there 
be  no  danger  of  scandal  or  perversion,  there  is 
nothing  wrong  about  going  into  a  Protestant 
church  to  look  it  over  out  of  curiosity,  when  no 


*uz  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

religious  services  are  going  on.  That  is  just  an 
indifferent  act,  like  going  into  any  building,  and 
in  no  way  signifies  approbation  of  a  false  religion. 

Would  it  be  proper  to  go  to  a  church  of 
one  of  the  sects  just  to  see  how  things  go? 

No;  it  would  not  be  proper;  nor  would  you 
be  just  fied  in  going  for  that  reason.  As  regards 
this  matter  the  Canon  Law  of  the  Church  rules 
that  it  is  not  allowed  to  the  faithful  in  any  way 
actively  to  assist  at,  or  take  part  in,  the  religious 
services  of  non-Catholics.  But  Canon  Law 
states  that  mere  material  or  passive  presence  can 
be  tolerated  at  times,  that  is,  it  is  sometimes 
allowed  that  one  be  present,  without  participat- 
ing actively  in  any  way,  because  of  some  official 
capacity  or  to  show  honor.  But  even  then  all 
danger  of  perversion  or  scandal  must  be  obviated. 

May  a  Catholic  belong  to  a  secret  society 
such  as  the  Masons,  Odd  Fellows,  etc? 
If  it  is  forbidden  him,  under  what  penalty 
is  it  forbidden? 

We  give  the  following  plain,  comprehensive 
answer. 

A.  Societies  which  it  is  forbidden  to  join  under 
pain  of  excommunication  are  the  following: 

1.  Societies  of  Freemasons  and  of  Carbonari. 

2.  Societies  of  Fenians,  Nihilists,  and  Anar- 
chists. 

3.  All  societies  of  the  same  kind  as  Free- 
masons and  Carbonari,  i.  e.,  societies  that  have 
secret  statutes  and  secret  leaders,  and  the  aim 
to  attack  and  subvert  Church  and  state. 

4.  All  societies  that  are  known  to  have  as  their 
definite  aim  the  subversion  of  the  Church  and 
the  Catholic  religion  or  whose  aims  are  subver- 
sive of  legitimate  government,  whether  such 
societies  be  strictly  speaking  secret  or  not. 

5.  Societies  that  have  their  own  chaplain  or 
other  minister  of  religion,  and  that  make  use  of 


PARTICIPATION  IN  FALSE  WORSHIP  403 

a  ritual  and  religious  ceremonies  proper  to  them- 
selves.   Such  societies  are  simply  heretical  sects. 

B.  Societies  which  it  is  forbidden  to  oin  under 
pain  of  mortal  sin  are  the  following: 

1.  Odd  Fellows,  Knights  of  Pythias,  Sons  of 
Temperance. 

2.  The  Independent  Order  of  Good  Templars. 

3.  Biblical  societies. 

4.  Societies  whose  aim  it  is  to  promote  cre- 
mation. 

5.  Societies  which  through  oath  or  affirmation 
bind  their  members  to  such  secrecy  that  matters 
could  not  even  be  revealed  with  impunity  to  the 
proper  ecclesiastical  authority  upon  request,  as 
well  as  those  which  bind  their  members  to  un- 
limited,  blind  obedience. 

C.  Societies  which  are  not  in  themselves  for- 
bidden, but  the  joining  of  which  may  mean  more 
or  less  danger  to  faith  and  morals,  are: 

Societies  which,  though  having  none  of  the 
exclusive  objections  mentioned  above,  are  never- 
theless non-Catholic  and  accept  men  of  all  creeds 
and  of  no  creed.  There  are  innumerable  such 
societies  in  this  country.  They  aim  at  the  general 
betterment  of  society,  morality,  etc.  Because 
they  are  indifferent  in  matters  of  religion,  Catho- 
lics had  best  avoid  them.  There  are  many 
thoroughly  Catholic  organizations  doing  the  same 
things  and  doing  them  better.  Each  Catholic 
should  join  one  or  more  of  them. 

When  non-Catholics  are  selling  dinner 
or  entertainment  tickets  or  giving  food 
sales  for  money  to  benefit  their  churches, 
is  it  all  right  for  a  Catholic  to  buy  from 
them? 

It  is  ordinarily  not  all  right  but  all  wrong. 
Contributions  to  false  worship  are  unlawful  if 
there  is  a  bad  intention  on  the  part  of  the  con- 
tributor;    if  there  is  danger  of  scandal  or  per- 


4o4  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

version;  if,  on  account  of  the  circumstances,  the 
contributions  are  signs  of  sympathy  with  religious 
error;  if,  though  they  manifest  no  such  sympathy 
with  religious  error,  there  is  nevertheless  no 
reason  for  the  co-operation.  In  all  these  cases 
contributions  are  unlawful,  like  the  buying  of 
tickets  for  bazaars,  lawn  fetes,  oyster  suppers, 
dances,  picnics,  and  other  entertainments  held 
for  the  benefit  of  non-Catholic  churches. 

From  what  we  have  said  it  is  evident  that,  if 
there  is  no  bad  intention  on  the  part  of  the  con- 
tributor, and  if  the  danger  of  scandal  or  perversion 
is  excluded,  the  contributions  of  which  we  are 
speaking  may  be  permitted  under  the  following 
two  conditions,  both  of  which  must  be  present  at 
the  same  time:  1.  The  contribution  must  not 
be  a  mark  of  sympathy  with  religious  error. 
2.  There  must  be  sufficient  reason  for  making 
it,  such  as  the  common  good  or  great  private 
necessity. 

May  a  Catholic  who  is  a  member  of  a 
music  band  play  at  a  Protestant  open- 
air  church  service,  accompanying  their 
church  songs,  and  play  their  church 
music  ? 

It  can  hardly  be  called  permissible,  to  cite  a 
rather  lenient  view,  for  Catholics  in  this  country 
to  play  musical  instruments  or  to  sing  in  the 
churches  or  assemblies  of  non-Catholics,  except 
perhaps  in  very  rare  cases  and  on  condition  that 
(1)  there  be  nothing  in  the  hymns  which  is  op- 
posed to  the  true  faith,  that  (2)  no  scandal  be 
given  and  there  be  no  danger  of  perversion, 
that  (3)  there  be  a  very  grave  and  urgent  neces- 
sity. All  these  conditions  being  verified,  the  co- 
operation would  be  merely  material,  not  formal; 
and  material  (passive)  co-operation  may  be  per- 
mitted for  a  just  cause.  Such  is  the  more  lenient 
view  of  the  matter. 


PARTICIPATION  IN  FALSE  WORSHIP 


405 


To  come  to  the  stricter  opinion,  which  we  are 
inclined  to  favor,  we  must  say  that  for  Catholics 
to  play  or  sing  at  services  such  as  mentioned 
above  is  not  to  be  tolerated  at  all,  is  in  itself  un- 
lawful. For  to  sing  or  play  in  connection  with 
religious  services  in  churches  is  taking  an  active 
part  in  the  cult  of  that  particular  sect,  then  and 
there  worshipping  God  with  religious  rites;  and 
actively  to  participate  in  heretical  worship  is  in- 
trinsically evil.  In  the  minds  of  men  such  an  act 
is  looked  upon  as  approbation  of  the  cult.  More- 
over, singers  or  players  attract  people  to  these 
heretical  churches  and  thus  favor  heresy.  Hence, 
to  sing  or  play  in  non-Catholic  churches  during 
religious  services  is  intrinsically  evil  and  may 
never  be  permitted.  He  who  does  a  thing  that 
here  and  now,  intrinsically  and  of  its  own  nature, 
directly  and  immediately  tends  to  a  wrong  action, 
formally  co-operates  in  that  action.  Wherefore 
the  intention  of  the  one  who  thus  sings  or  plays 
does  no  change  the  significance  of  the  action 
then  and  there  placed  by  him. 

All  this  every  true  Catholic  feels — he  does  not 
feel  right  about  any  communication  in  heretical 
religious  rites.  It  was  perhaps  such  a  feeling  of 
uneasiness  which  prompted  the  above  question. 

Can  the  Catholic  Church  be  called 
narrow-minded  or  bigoted  because  she 
does  not  allow  her  children  to  attend 
Protestant  services? 

No;  the  Church  cannot  be  rightfully  so  called. 
The  Catholic,  as  you  know,  resting  not  on  the 
varying,  contradictory  human  and  fallible  views 
of  men,  but  on  the  uniform,  certain,  divine,  in- 
fallible witness  of  Christ's  Church,  is  possessed 
of  an  absolute  divine  certainty  that  his  Church 
alone  has  the  true  religion  that  Jesus  Christ  gave 
to  the  world.  A  Catholic  can  never  have  the 
slightest  doubt.     Catholics,  therefore,  could  not, 


406  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

without  violating  the  essential  principles  of  Chris- 
tianity, take  part  in  religious  services  they  know 
to  be   alse.    The  truth  is  but  one,  and  it  is  theirs. 

It  is  not  a  question  of  liberality  or  broad- 
mindedness;  for  Catholics  maintain  that  no  man 
can  without  sin  deny  the  doctrines  of  the  Savior. 
To  countenance  the  teaching  of  a  false  gospel  is 
practical  denial  of  the  Church;  to  take  part  in 
a  false  worship  is  sinfully  to  declare  all  worship 
equally  pleasing  to  God.  And  the  saying  that 
one  religion  is  as  good  as  another  must  be  abso- 
lutely rejected,  as  it  is  quite  manifest  that  two 
contradictory  statements  cannot  both  be  true; 
for  example,  Jesus  Christ  is  God,  or  He  is  not. 
One  statement  must  be  true,  the  other  false.  God 
is  one;  His  truth  is  one;  hence  the  true  religion 
is  one. 

Of  course,  our  spirit  is  one  of  kindliness  to 
all  and  hatred  towards  none,  and  utterly  devoid 
of  that  bigotry  which  implies  an  irrational  belief 
in  a  doctrine  one  cannot  prove,  together  with  the 
hatred  of  all  others  who  believe  differently. 
Catholics  hate  none  who  profess  a  false  religion, 
but  rather  compassionate  them  and  pray  for  them. 

But  one's  good  will  is  never  shown  by  the 
sacrifice  of  principle;  one's  kindliness  is  never 
manifest  by  declaring  that  essential  differences 
do  not  exist.  We  cannot  be  "liberal"  with  the 
doctrine  of  the  Savior;  for  it  is  God's  truth. 
We  would  not  call  that  man  liberal  who  is  lavishly 
spending  his  employer's  money. 

A  Catholic  girl  married  a  non-Catholic 
man.  Though  he  joined  the  Church  to 
please  her,  he  never  did  believe  all  that 
the  Church  requires  a  good  Catholic  to 
believe.  Now,  let  us  say  that  he  will 
continue  going  to  her  church  to  please 
her,  if  she  will  consent  to  his  also  going 
to  his  own  church  occasionally.     He  also 


PARTICIPATION  IN  FALSE  WORSHIP  407 

asks  her  to  accompany  him  to  his  church. 
Should  she  do  this?  Is  it  not  better  for 
her  to  go  with  him  once  in  a  while  than 
to  refuse  him,  in  which  case  he  may  not 
go  with  her?  This  will  make  their  home 
unhappy.  What  would  you  advise  that 
she  do? 

What  should  she  do?  First  of  all,  she  should 
never  consent  to  his  going  to  a  non-Catholic 
church  occasionally.  He  was,  presumably,  re- 
ceived into  the  Catholic  Church.  Being  a 
Catholic,  it  is  sinful  for  him  actively  to  take  part 
in  non-Catholic  church  services.  Above  all,  she 
should  absolutely  refuse  to  accompany  him,  as 
her  guilt  in  such  co-operation  would  be  greater 
still  and  would  only  confirm  him  in  that  utterly 
false  tenet  that  he  brought  over  with  him  from 
Protestantism:  "One  religion  is  as  good  as  an- 
other." As  you  know,  we  Catholics  cannot  for  a 
moment  admit  such  a  principle,  either  in  thought, 
word,  or  action;  for  us  there  is  but  one  true 
Church,  the  Catholic  Church,  and  all  others  must 
necessarily  be  false  religions. 

As  regards  this  matter,  the  Canon  Law  of  the 
Church  rule>  that  it  is  not  allowed  to  the  faith- 
ful in  any  way  actively  to  assist  at,  or  take  part 
in,  the  religious  services  of  non-Catholics.  But 
Canon  Law  states  that  mere  material  or  passive 
presence  can  be  tolerated  at  times,  that  is,  it  is 
sometimes  allowed  that  one  be  present,  without 
participating  actively  in  any  way,  because  of 
some  official  capacity  or  to  show  honor.  But 
even  then  all  danger  of  perversion  or  scandal  must 
be  obviated. 

Giving  in  to  him  in  any  way  will  not  make  their 
home  at  all  happier.  Indeed,  it  will  only  be 
getting  just  so  much  farther  from  that  thing  with- 
out which  true  happiness  is  unthinkable  in  the 
home:  oneness  of  faith  and  unity  in  the  practice 
thereof. 


4o8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

We  would  suggest  that  in  some  tactful  way  she 
get  him  to  study  his  (the  Catholic)  religion  and 
thus  learn  to  know  it  better  and  to  be  a  Catholic 
out  of  conviction  and  not  to  please  her.  How 
many  good  books  like  "The  Faith  of  Our 
Fathers,"  "The  Rebuilding  of  a  Lost  Faith," 
the  Paulist  "Question  Box,"  etc.,  has  she  at  home 
for  him  to  read? 

If  a  person  belongs  to  the  Catholic 
Church  and  gives  up  faith  in  it,  abandons 
it,  is  this  wrong? 

It  is  hard  to  think  of  a  more  grievous  sin  than 
that  of  one  who  has  thus  suffered  shipwreck  of 
the  faith.  Such  a  one  is  either  a  heretic,  an 
apostate,  or  a  schismatic.  A  heretic  is  one  who, 
having  been  baptized,  retains  the  name  of  a 
Christian,  but  obstinately  denies  or  doubts  some 
of  the  truths  that  must  be  believed  by  divine  or 
Catholic  faith.  An  apostate  is  one  who  has  given 
up  the  Catholic  faith  entirely  and  has  fallen 
away  from  it.  A  schismatic  is  one  who  refuses  to 
obey  the  Sovereign  Pontiff  or  to  live  in  union 
with  those  who  submit  to  him  and  who  is,  ac- 
cordingly, outside  the  communion  of  the  faithful. 
All  these  presuppose  valid  baptism. 

It  is  quite  natural  that  the  Catholic  Church, 
which  is  the  one  true  Church  instituted  by  Jesus 
Christ,  should  direct  severe  penalties  against 
crimes  that  subvert  its  very  foundation,  that  is, 
the  divine  and  Catholic  faith.  Hence,  all  apos- 
tates from  the  Christian  faith  and  all  heretics  and 
schismatics  by  that  very  fact  incur  excommuni- 
cation reserved  in  a  special  manner  to  the 
Apostolic  See. 

Moreover,  if  apostates  heretics,  or  schismatics 
have  joined  a  non-Catholic  sect,  or  publicly  pro- 
fessed themselves  members  thereof,  they  are  not 
only  excommunicated  but  are  also  by  this  very 
fact  infamous. 


PARTICIPATION  IN  FALSE  WORSHIP  409 

Unspeakably  sad  and  miserable  is  the  state  of 
a  Catholic  who  for  the  sake  of  marriage  joins  a 
non-Catholic  sect.  "Will  such  a  one  regret  the 
change?"  your  letter  asks.  Yes;  not  only  during 
an  unhappy,  guilty  life  on  earth  but  also  during 
an  eternity  of  regret,  remorse,  and  punishment, 
unless  such  a  one  sincerely  repents  and  comes 
back  to  God  and  to  God's  holy  Church. 

You  further  ask,  "Has  anyone  anything  to  say 
or  talk  against  a  Catholic  who  thus  changes  his 
Church  of  his  own  accord?"  Not  only  must  all 
Catholics  condemn  such  a  traitorous  desertion  of 
the  true  Church,  but  even  right-minded  non- 
Catholics  despise  such  perfidious  conduct.  We 
ask,  "Has  anyone  anything  to  say  or  talk  against 
Judas,  who  betrayed  his  Master?"  The  whole 
world  turns  from  him  in  disgust;  and  even  those 
who  erect  a  statue  in  his  honor  out  of  hatred  for 
the  name  of  Christ  detest  him  in  their  hearts. 

Is  it  not  better  to  serve  God  in  a  Protes- 
tant Church  than  not  to  serve  Him  at  all  ? 

Doubtless  many  of  our  separated  brethren  are 
serving  God  to  the  best  of  their  knowledge  and 
ability  and  pleasing  Him,  because  they  are  quite 
ignorant  of  their  error  and  are  acting  in  good 
faith.  If  they  knew  the  Catholic  Church  to  be 
the  one  true  Church  they  would  at  once  join  it. 
They  belong  to  the  soul  of  the  Church,  as  we  say. 
Surely  it  is  better  for  them  to  serve  God  thus 
than  not  to  serve  Him  at  all. 

But  that  can  never  be  said  of  one  who  knows 
the  Catholic  Church  to  be  the  true  Church — and 
every  one  brought  up  in  the  Church  knows  it  to 
be  true  and  can  never  eradicate  that  knowledge 
from  his  heart.  One  religion  is  not  as  good  as 
another.  If  one  is  true,  the  other  must  be  false. 
God  is  the  essential,  absolute,  and  eternal  truth. 
Of  necessity  he  must  hate  error  and  wickedness, 
and  those  who  knowingly  adhere  to  it  dishonor 


4io  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

and  blaspheme  God  and  merit  only  His  anger 
and  condemnation. 

Could  you  give  me  any  fundamental 
difference  between  a  Catholic  and  a 
Methodist? 

What  you  are  seeking  is  some  fundamental 
difference  between  the  Catholic  religion  and  the 
Methodist  religion.  There  are  many  fundamental 
differences.  It  suffices  to  enumerate  a  few  of 
them. 

First  of  all,  Methodism  is  a  man-made  religion; 
for  this  religious  movement  was  originated  in 
1739  by  John  Wesley.  The  Founder  of  the 
Catholic  religion,  which  is  the  only  true  religion, 
is  Jesus  Christ,  true  God  and  true  Man. 

Methodism,  originated  by  John  Wesley,  has  up 
to  the  present  day  given  rise  to  numerous  separate 
and  varying  denominations.  As  in  all  the  sects, 
it  may  be  difficult  to  find  just  what  it  does  teach 
and  what  it  holds. 

But,  just  to  show  the  'undamental  difference 
between  the  two  religions,  we  may  say  that  in 
Methodism  only  two  Sacraments  are  admitted: 
Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  as  it  is  called. 
As  you  are  aware,  the  Catholic  Church  teaches 
that  there  are  seven  Sacraments. 

But  even  of  the  two  that  Methodism  admits, 
it  has  quite  a  different  and  wrong  conception. 
Baptism,  it  teaches,  does  not  produce  sanctifying 
grace  in  the  soul,  but  strengthens  its  faith,  and  is 
the  sign  of  a  regeneration  which  has  already 
taken  place  in  the  recipient.  The  Eucharist,  it 
falsely  teaches,  is  merely  a  memorial  of  the 
Passion  and  Death  of  Jesus  Christ,  Who  is  not 
really  present  under  the  species  of  bread  and  wine, 
but  is  received  in  a  spiritual  manner  by  believers. 

Again  the  "witness  of  the  Spirit"  to  the  soul 
of  the   individual   believer   and  the  consequent 


PARTICIPATION  IN  FALSE  WORSHIP  411 

assurance  of  salvation  are  distinctive  doctrines 
of  Methodism. 

Furthermore,  Methodism  rejects  the  invoca- 
tion of  the  saints  and  the  veneration  of  relics  and 
images. 

Likewise,  the  existence  of  Purgatory  is  denied 
in  the  Twenty-five  Articles,  though  an  intermedi- 
ate state  of  purification  for  certain  persons  is  ad- 
mitted today  by  some  Methodists. 

There  are  numerous  other  differences,  among 
which  we  might  mention  the  absence  of  a  real 
priesthood  and  a  true  sacrifice,  but  we  believe 
that  the  above  is  a  sufficient  answer  to  your 
question. 

A  Protestant  argued  with  me  and  told 
me  that  the  very  first  church  was  the 
Lutheran  church.     Is  that  true? 

Every  Catholic,  and  every  student  of  history, 
knows  that  it  is  not  true.  Lutheranism,  the 
religious  belief  of  the  oldest  of  the  Protestant 
sects,  was  founded  by  Martin  Luther.  Lutherans 
keep  the  date  of  the  founding  of  their  church  as 
October  31,  1517.  The  Catholic  Church  was 
founded  in  the  beginning  of  the  first  century.  It 
was  founded  by  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God, 
Himself  and  propagated  by  His  Apostles.  But 
all  this  is  so  evident  that  we  need  not  dwell 
further  upon  the  matter. 

What  answer  should  be  given  if  asked, 
41  Why  are  you  a  Catholic  ?" 

This  question  can  be  answered  in  many  different 
ways.  You  might  say,  "I  am  a  Catholic  because 
I  know  that  the  Catholic  Church  is  the  true 
Church,  because  I  believe  all  that  the  Holy 
Catholic  Church  believes  and  teaches,  and  be- 
cause I  live  up  to  my  belief.,,  If  asked  just  what 
that  belief  is,  recite  the  Apostles'  Creed.  It  is  a 
splendid   summary  of  what  a  Catholic  believes, 


4ii  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

though  it  does  not  explicitly  mention  all  the 
articles  of  faith. 

The  following  words  from  the  pen  of  a  convert 
to  the  faith  contain  many  thoughts  for  an  answer 
to  the  question,  "Why  are  you  a  Catholic?" 

"When  I  am  asked  what  I  have  found  within 
the  Catholic  Church  superior  to  all  that  Protest- 
antism gave  me,  I  find  that  language  is  inade- 
quate to  express  it.  One  thinks  of  the  familiar 
metaphor  of  a  stained-glass  window  in  a  vast 
cathedral.  Seen  from  without  by  day,  this  seems 
to  be  an  unintelligible  mass  of  dusky  glass. 
Viewed  from  within,  however,  it  reveals  a  beauti- 
ful design,  where  sacred  story  glows  resplendently 
in  form  and  color.  So  is  it  with  the  Church  of 
Rome.  One  must  enter  it  to  understand  its 
sanctity  and  charm.  When  I  reflect  upon  that 
Church's  long,  unbroken  continuity  extending 
back  to  the  very  days  of  the  Apostles;  when  I 
recall  her  grand,  inspiring  traditions,  her  blessed 
Sacraments,  her  immemorial  language,  her 
changeless  creed,  her  noble  ritual,  her  stately 
ceremonies,  her  priceless  works  of  art,  her 
wondrous  unity  of  doctrine,  her  ancient  prayers, 
her  matchless  organization,  her  Apostolic  author- 
ity, her  splendid  roll  of  Saints  and  Martyrs  reach- 
ing up  like  Jacob's  ladder,  and  uniting  earth  and 
Heaven;  when  I  reflect  upon  the  intercession  for 
us  of  those  Saints  and  Martyrs,  enhanced  by  the 
petitions  of  the  Blessed  Mother  of  our  Lord;  and 
last  not  least,  when  I  consider  the  abiding  Pres- 
ence of  the  Savior  on  her  altars; — I  feel  that  this 
One,  Holy,  Apostolic  Church  has  given  me  cer- 
tainty for  doubt,  order  for  confusion,  sunlight 
for  darkness,  and  substance  for  shadow.  It  is  the 
Bread  of  Life  and  the  Wine  of  the  Soul,  instead 
of  the  unsatisfying  husks;  the  father's  welcome, 
with  the  ring  and  the  robe,  instead  of  the  weary 
exile  in  the  wilderness  of  doubt.  It  is  true,  the 
prodigal  must  retrace  the  homeward  road,  and 


PARTICIPATION  IN  FALSE  WORSHIP  413 

even  enter  the  doorway  of  the  mansion  on  his 
knees;  but,  within,  what  a  recompense!"  (Stod- 
dard, in  Rebuilding  a  Lost  Faith,  a  splendid  book, 
highly  to  be  recommended  to  anyone.  Published 
by  P.  J.  Kenedy  and  Sons,  New  York  City.) 

Do  you  think  that  associating  a  great 
deal  with  Protestants  is  harmful? 

It  all  depends  upon  your  own  character  and 
upon  the  character  of  such  association.  It  might 
be  harmful;  and  it  might  be  beneficial.  Ordi- 
narily it  would  tend  to  dim  the  fair  freshness  of 
faith.  By  way  of  analogy  we  may  take  reading. 
How  different  the  inner  spiritual  life  of  the  Catho- 
lic who  reads  only  Catholic  books,  periodicals,  and 
newspapers,  from  that  of  the  Catholic  who  is 
mostly  absorbed  in  books,  periodicals,  and  news- 
papers of  a  kind  not  Catholic,  even  though  con- 
sidered respectable  enough.  It  is  with  our  as- 
sociations as  with  our  reading,  to  a  great  extent. 
What  a  blessed  thing  if  all  were  Catholics!  We 
marvel  at  the  deep,  simple  faith  in  Catholics 
who  come  from  localities  where  Protestanism  is 
unknown. 

We  have  said  it  might  be  beneficial.  Catholics 
in  a  country  like  ours,  if  they  are  what  they  ought 
to  be,  through  study,  fair  example,  tolerance,  etc., 
will  be  able  to  stand  on  their  own  feet  and  quick 
to  give  courteous  reason  for  the  faith  that  is  in 
them. 


PERTAINING  TO  PRAYERS  AND 
DEVOTIONS 

In  a  recent  discussion  among  a  number 
of  friends  this  question  arose,  of  which 
everyone  seemed  to  have  a  different 
opinion:  Are  Catholics  allowed  to  read 
the  Bible? 

The  Bible  is  the  best  and  the  greatest  book  in 
the  world ;  and  of  all  people  in  the  world  Catholics 
ought  to  be  the  most  assiduous  in  their  perusal 
of  this  Book  ©f  books.  It  is  the  word  of  God  and 
a  revelation  of  everlasting  truth  and  life.  Inci- 
dentally, it  is  also  the  supreme  achievement  of 
all  literature. 

The  Catholic  Church  is  the  greatest  friend  and 
the  divine  custodian  of  the  Bible.  Her  first 
Leaders  wrote  the  New  Testament,  God  inspiring 
them  to  do  so.  She  spread  it.  She  protected  it 
from  errors  in  copying — and  from  the  persecutors. 
She  preserved  it  unchanged.  She  made  many 
translations  before  Protestantism  was  born.  In 
England  alone  between  the  years  700  and  1300 
there  were  at  least  ten  translations  in  whole  or 
in  part.  Between  1450,  the  date  of  the  invention 
of  printing,  and  1522,  the  date  of  Luther's  trans- 
lation of  the  New  Testament  into  German,  there 
were  printed  626  editions  of  the  Bible — all  Catho- 
lic— in  various  languages.  Of  this  number 
seventeen  were  in  German  prior  to  Luther's, 
— nine  before  Luther  was  born!  Parts  of  the  Bible 
are  read  daily  at  Mass.  Priests  have  to  read 
their  breviaries  (made  up  greatly  from  Holy  Writ) 
daily  for  from  one  to  two  hours.  Catholics 
usually  quote  Scripture  to  prove  their  doctrines. 

Yes  indeed;  Catholics  are  allowed  and  en- 
couraged to  read  the  Bible.  The  Church  has 
never    prohibited    the    reading    of   the    Catholic 

4i4 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS 


4i5 


Bible,  i.  e.,  those  versions  in  the  vernacular 
which  have  been  approved  by  the  Bishops  of  the 
various  countries  and  have  been  edited  with 
explanatory  notes  by  Catholic  scholars. 

On  the  title  page  of  some  English  Bibles  we  may 
read  the  letter  (April,  1778)  of  Pius  VI  to  the 
Archbishop  of  Florence,  wherein  he  urges  Catho- 
lics to  read  the  Bible.  He  writes:  "At  a  time 
when  a  great  many  books  which  grossly  attack 
the  Catholic  religion  are  being  circulated  even 
among  the  unlearned,  to  the  great  destruction  of 
souls,  you  judge  exceedingly  well  that  the  faithful 
should  be  urged  to  read  the  Holy  Scriptures;  for 
they  are  the  most  abundant  sources  which  ought 
to  be  left  open  to  everyone,  to  draw  from  them 
purity  of  morals  and  of  doctrine,  and  to  eradicate 
the  errors  which  are  so  widely  spread  in  these 
corrupt  times." 

Pope  Pius  VII,  a  few  years  later,  wrote  in  the 
same  strain.  So  did  Pope  Leo  XIII  in  his  Ency- 
clical on  the  Bible  in  1893.  So  did  Pope  Benedict 
XV  in  his  Encyclical  on  St.  Jerome,  in  which  he 
said  among  other  things:  "No  one  can  fail  to  see 
what  profit  and  sweet  tranquillity  must  result  in 
well  disposed  souls  from  a  devout  reading  of  the 
Bible.  Whoever  comes  to  it  in  piety,  faith  and 
humility,  and  with  a  determination  to  make 
progress  in  it,  will  assuredly  find  therein  and  will 
eat  'the  Bread  that  cometh  down  from  heaven'; 
he  will,  in  his  own  person,  experience  the  truth  of 
David's  words:  'The  hidden  and  the  uncertain 
things  of  Thy  wisdom  Thou  hast  made  manifest 
to  me.'  " 

All  Catholics  should  read  the  Bible.  It  should 
be  in  every  home.  Especially  to  be  recommended 
is  the  New  Testament,  which  is  easier  to  under- 
stand and  more  abundantly  gives  practical 
instructions  and  imparts  heavenly  wisdom.  An 
indulgence  of  three  hundred  days  is  granted  to 
all  the  faithful  who  read  the  books   of  Sacred 


4i6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Scripture  with  due  devotion  and  by  way  of 
spiritual  reading  for  at  least  a  quarter  of  an  hour. 
(See  Preces  et  Pia  Opera,  issued  Dec.  31,  1937. 
No.  645.) 

Is  there  a  special  feastday  in  honor  of 
God  the  Father? 

There  is  not;  and  Pope  Innocent  XII  abso- 
lutely refused  the  petition  of  those  who  desired 
a  special  festival  in  honor  of  God  the  Father. 
The  reason  is  evident.  "This  is  the  Catholic 
faith,  that  we  should  adore  one  God  in  Trinity 
and  Trinity  in  Unity."  The  dogma  of  the  Blessed 
Trinity  is  called  by  the  Doctors  of  the  Church 
"the  substance  of  the  New  Testament,"  that  is 
to  say,  the  greatest  of  all  mysteries,  since  it  is 
the  fountain  and  origin  of  them  all.  Our  holy 
religion  teaches  that  there  is  but  one  God;  and 
that  in  this  one  God  there  are  three  Divine 
Persons,  really  distinct  and  equal  in  all  things, 
the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost;  and 
that  the  three  Divine  Persons  are  one  and  the 
same  God,  having  one  and  the  same  divine  nature 
and  substance. 

Hence,  there  is  no  special  festival  in  honor  of 
God  the  Father  alone;  nor  is  there  a  special  feast 
in  which  God  the  Son  is  honored  according  to  His 
divine  nature  alone,  though  the  separate  mysteries 
connected  with  the  Incarnate  Word  are  celebrated 
on  certain  fixed  days;  nor  is  there  a  separate 
festival  in  honor  of  God  the  Holy  Ghost  alone, 
even  the  Feast  of  Pentecost  having  been  insti- 
tuted, not  simply  to  honor  the  Holy  Ghost  in 
Himself,  but  to  commemorate  His  coming,  or 
His  external  mission.  All  this  has  been  wisely  or- 
dained, lest  from  distinguishing  the  Persons  men 
should  be  led  to  distinguish  the  divine  essence. 
Thus  to  preserve  in  her  children  the  purity  of 
faith,  the  Church  has  likewise  established  the 
feast  of  the  Most  Holy  Trinity  and  has  in  every 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  417 

way  given  prominence  to  this  great  mystery  of 
one  God  in  three  Divine  Persons.  In  prayers  ad- 
dressed to  one  Person,  mention  is  also  made  of 
the  others;  in  the  litanies,  after  the  individual 
Persons  have  been  separately  invoked,  a  com- 
mon invocation  of  all  is  added;  all  psalms  and 
hymns  conclude  with  the  doxology  to  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost;  blessings,  sacred  rites,  and 
Sacraments  are  either  accompanied  or  concluded 
by  the  invocation  of  the  Blessed  Trinity. 

What  is  Easter  water  ?  Is  it  the  same  as 
holy  water? 

What  is  called  Easter  water  is  not  the  same  as 
what  we  know  as  holy  water.  We  have  been  asked 
this  question  so  often  that  we  think  it  well  to 
answer  it  more  fully  here. 

Easter  water  is  water  blessed  by  the  priest  on 
Holy  Saturday,  after  the  Prophecies  and  before 
the  Mass.  The  priest,  with  his  servers  bearing 
the  paschal  candle,  approaches  the  font,  or  vessel, 
containing  water.  Many  beautiful  prayers  are 
said  or  sung.  With  his  hand  the  priest  divides 
the  water  in  the  form  of  a  cross.  Again,  he 
touches  the  water  with  his  hand.  He  makes  a 
threefold  sign  of  the  cross  over  it.  He  parts 
the  water  with  his  hand  and  casts  it  to  the  north, 
south,  east,  and  west.  He  breathes  upon  it  three 
times  in  the  form  of  a  cross.  He  immerses  the 
paschal  candle  three  times  in  the  water  of  the 
font,  each  time  more  deeply.  Again  he  breathes 
thrice  upon  the  water  and  then  withdraws  the 
paschal  candle.  (Each  one  of  these  actions  is 
accompanied  by  prayers  of  a  most  sublime  and 
expressive  kind.) 

And  then — to  be  quite  clear — that  water  is 
Easter  water.  For  the  rubric  which  comes  next 
in  the  Roman  Missal  says,  "Thereupon  some  of 
that  blessed  water  is  sprinkled  upon  the  people. 
And  meanwhile  one  of  the  servers  of  the  church 


418  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

takes  some  of  that  same  water  into  a  vessel,  to  be 
sprinkled  in  homes  and  in  other  places."  So  we 
see  that  this  devout  use  of  Easter  water  has  the 
express  sanction  of  the  Church,  and  is  not  merely 
a  pious  custom. 

The  priest  then  pours  some  of  the  oil  of 
catechumens  and  some  of  the  consecrated  chrism 
into  the  font  (not  into  the  water  which  was  taken 
out  as  Easter  water)  and  it  becomes  baptismal 
water — that  which  is  used  in  Baptism. 

We  think  we  have  made  quite  clear  just  what 
Easter  water  is.  It  is  solemnly  blessed  and 
should  be  devoutly  used.  It  should  not  be  kept 
to  take  the  place  of  holy  water,  properly  so  called, 
because  it  is  not  such  holy  water.  Holy  water, 
which  is  blessed  by  the  priest  from  time  to  time, 
as  needed,  has  quite  a  different  blessing,  one 
most  efficacious  in  obtaining  God's  special  as- 
sistance and  in  protecting  us  against  the  wiles 
and  the  wickedness  of  the  devil. 

In  case  one's  novena  isn't  answered, 
may  one  renew  it  and  join  in  the  next  one? 

Certainly;  we  should  pray  with  perseverance. 
Our  good  Father  in  heaven  requires  perseverance 
in  prayer — not  that  He  is  unwilling  to  grant  our 
petitions,  but  that  He  often  delays  His  gifts 
because  He  wishes  to  test  our  patience,  our 
humility,  our  trust  in  His  goodness.  Or  He  may 
defer  granting  our  requests  in  order  that  He  may 
grant  us  what  we  desire  more  liberally  at  a  future 
time.  More  frequently,  too,  He  delays  granting 
our  request  because  what  we  ask  would  be 
prejudicial  to  our  spiritual  welfare. 

Persevere  in  prayer.  In  due  time  God  will 
give  you  what  you  ask  for  or  give  you  something 
better.  St.  Monica,  St.  Augustine's  mother, 
prayed  for  years  and  years  that  her  son  might 
become  a  Christian.  He  became  not  only  a 
Christian,    but    a    zealous    and    holy    bishop,    a 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  419 

religious,  and  one  of  the  greatest  lights  of  the 
Church.     Thus  God  hears  and  answers  prayers. 

Is  there  any  saint  I  could  pray  to  for  the 
conversion  of  someone  very  dear  to  me? 

Why  not  go  to  the  Blessed  Virgin,  omnipotent 
in  her  intercession?  She  is  more  powerful  in  her 
intercession  than  all  the  angels  and  saints  to- 
gether. It  sometimes  seems  to  us  that  this  truth 
is  often  forgotten.  And  go  to  St.  Joseph  next; 
for  after  Mary  he  is  the  greatest  saint  in  heaven; 
and  next  to  her  he  is  our  most  powerful  advocate 
at  the  throne  of  God.  We  do  not  wish  to  belittle 
the  veneration  of  the  other  saints;  but  let  us 
view  all  things  in  their  proper  light  and  not  seek 
anxiously  for  a  saint  to  help  us  when  we  have 
Mary  and  Joseph  ever  ready  to  assist  us  by  their 
most  powerful  intercession.  Let  every  Catholic's 
foremost  devotion,  after  God  and  the  Divine 
Savior,  of  course,  be  Mary  and  Joseph.  Then 
come  the  Apostles,  and  others. 

Many  people  are  easily  distracted,  even 
irritated,  when  during  Mass  some  people 
noisily  move  their  lips  in  praying.  Is  it 
not  better  to  recite  prayers  by  not  moving 
one's  lips? 

Often  it  would  indeed  be  better.  We  mean 
for  those  good  souls  who  in  their  great  fervor 
unknowingly  disturb  others  by  their  audible 
whispered  prayers.  We  should  never  disturb 
others  in  this  way  by  our  prayers.  Though  one 
may  say  vocal  prayer  (prayer  according  to  a 
fixed  formula,  as  distinguished  from  mental 
prayer)  without  using  the  tongue  and  lips  at  all, 
it  is  usually  better  and  an  aid  to  recollection  and 
devotion  to  pronounce  the  words  with  the  lips. 
But  this  can  and  should  be  done  so  gently  and 
softly  that  others  do  not  hear  us, — indeed,  we 
need  not  even  hear  ourselves.  It  is  quite  possible 
to  form  the  words  with  the  tongue  and  the  lips 


4xo  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

without  hearing  ourselves;  if  we  do  that  others 
will  scarcely  notice  that  we  are  praying  with  the 
lips,  even  if  they  watch  us.  It  is  important  in 
this  connection  to  remember  that  all  prayers 
that  are  indulgenced  (except  ejaculatory  prayers) 
must  be  said  in  the  strictly  vocal  way  (though 
we  need  not  even  hear  ourselves),  if  the  in- 
dulgences are  to  be  gained.  In  like  manner 
(Canon  934)  must  the  prayers  for  the  Holy 
Father's  intentions  be  vocal,  "mental  prayer 
alone  does  not  suffice." 

Hence  we  see  how  important  it  can  be  to  pray 
with  the  lips.  But  we  must  examine  ourselves 
and  catch  ourselves  often,  that  we  may  never 
disturb  others  in  the  least.  And  it  is  well  charitably 
sometimes  to  remind  others,  when  opportunity 
presents  itself,  of  how  noticeable  they  are  making 
themselves.    Usually  they  are  quite  unaware  of  it. 

What  prayers  should  be  said  on  entering 
a  church? 

No  particular  prayers  are  prescribed.  But  let 
your  whole  bearing  be  a  prayer,  showing  forth 
the  respect  and  reverence,  the  humility  and 
meekness  that  should  adorn  a  Catholic  in  an 
edifice  dedicated  to  the  worship  of  the  Most 
High  and  sanctified  by  the  presence  of  Jesus  in 
the  Blessed  Sacrament.  When  entering  the 
church  there  should  be  no  talking,  no  whispering, 
noise,  or  disturbance,  no  gazing  about,  no  greeting 
of  acquaintances.  Silence  should  reign  supreme 
and  a  devotional  bearing  should  be  manifested  by 
all.  Take  holy  water  at  the  entrance  and  de- 
voutly make  the  sign  of  the  cross.  Then  go 
quietly  to  your  pew.  Before  entering  it  make  a 
respectful  genuflection  by  touching  the  floor  with 
the  right  knee  near  the  heel  of  the  left  foot.  Do 
not  slight  our  Lord  by  that  joke  of  a  genuflection 
so  often  made.  The  genuflection  is  an  act  of 
adoration.     When  making  the  genuflection  you 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  411 

may  say  that  beautiful  indulgenced  prayer, 
"Jesus,  my  God,  I  adore  Thee  here  present  in 
the  Sacrament  of  Thy  love." 

Is  it  true  that  if  a  person  keeps  praying 
faithfully  and  earnestly  for  a  favor,  the 
person  will  receive  this  favor?  I  have 
been  praying  for  a  favor  for  a  long  time, 
but  it  seems  that  my  wish  will  never  be 
granted.  Should  I  stop  praying  or  con- 
tinue to  ask  for  this  favor? 

Our  good  Father  in  heaven  wants  us  to  perse- 
vere in  prayer;  not  that  He  is  unwilling  to  grant 
our  petitions,  but  because  He  often  delays  His 
gifts  in  order  to  test  our  patience,  our  humility, 
our  trust  in  His  goodness.  Or  He  defers  acceding 
to  our  requests  in  order  at  a  future  time  to  grant 
more  liberally  whatever  we  desire;  or,  as  is  more 
frequently  the  case,  He  delays  granting  our  re- 
quest because  what  we  ask  is  prejudicial  to  our 
spiritual  welfare.  It  is  indeed  true  that  Jesus 
has  said,  "If  you  ask  the  Father  anything  in  My 
name,  He  will  give  it  to  you."  But  it  must  be 
"in  My  name."  Anything  that  would  not  be 
for  our  spiritual  welfare  also,  would  not  be 
asked  in  the  name  of  the  Savior.  In  the  Savior's 
name  no  one  can  ask  for  a  thing  not  conducive  to 
salvation. 

Hence,  we  have  no  assurance  that  God  will 
hear  our  prayers  for  any  other  object  than  for 
our  spiritual  welfare,  if  it  be  good  for  us  spirit- 
ually also;  for,  as  we  have  seen,  the  Savior  has 
taught  us  to  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and 
His  justice,  or  justification  through  a  holy  life. 
Again,  nowhere  has  God  promised  to  hear  us  at 
once.  He  sometimes  concedes  what  we  ask  after 
our  first  prayer,  but  He  may  wait  days  and 
months  and  years.  He  acts  in  all  cases  according 
to  the  impenetrable  counsels  of  His  all- wise  Provi- 
dence.    He  seeks,  we  know,  in  all  that  He  does, 


4z2.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

His  own  glory  and  our  spiritual  welfare.  We 
should,  then,  remain  convinced  that  God  will 
never  fail  us  in  His  promises  and  will  grant  us, 
at  least  by  degrees  or  little  by  little,  all  that  is 
not  an  obstacle  to  our  salvation,  provided  we 
persevere  in  resigned,  attentive,  humble,  trust- 
ing, and  longing  prayer, — provided  we  ask  in 
the  Savior's  name. 

When  entering  a  church  and  kneeling 
down  and  striking  the  breast  thrice  what 
is  said?  Which  prayer  is  the  most  proper 
to  say? 

The  practice  is  not  prescribed  in  any  way  and 
hence  there  are  no  prescribed  prayers.  This 
practice  is  not  general  by  any  means;  and 
perhaps  most  of  those  who  practice  it  because 
they  were  taught  it  in  childhood  would  do  better 
to  omit  it — they  go  through  it  so  mechanically 
(while  gazing  around  the  church)  that  one  can 
easily  see  that  they  do  not  know  what  they  are 
doing.  Striking  the  breast  is  a  sign  of  humility, 
compunction,  admission  of  guilt,  a  plea  for  mercy. 
When  doing  so  as  mentioned  in  the  question, 
one  should  endeavor  to  be  imbued  with  the 
sentiments  of  the  humble  Publican  in  the  Gospel 
story  who  struck  his  breast,  exclaiming,  "O  God, 
be  merciful  to  me,  a  sinner!" 

Sometimes  one  says  prayers  and  almost 
all  the  while  one's  mind  is  on  one's  work. 
Are  such  prayers  any  good? 

Voluntary  distractions,  such  as  we  bring  on 
ourselves,  lessen  the  value  of  our  prayers  and 
often  destroy  it  altogether. 

But  involuntary  distractions  do  not  interfere 
with  the  efficacy  of  our  prayers.  Here  is  what 
St.  Francis  de  Sales  tells  us:  "If  we  were  doing 
nothing  else  during  our  prayers  but  fighting  dis- 
tractions and  temptations,  our  prayers  would 
nevertheless  be  good  ones,  for  the  Lord  is  pleased 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  42.3 

with  our  good  will."  And  St.  Augustine  assures 
us  that  sincere  sorrow  over  our  inability  to  pray 
well  is  in  itself  a  prayer.  "Dear  Lord,  I  simply 
cannot  pray!"  What  a  real  prayer  that  is, — one 
that  comes  right  from  the  heart! 

From  the  above  it  can  easily  be  seen  how  un- 
wise it  is  to  worry  because  of  those  crowds  of 
distracting  thoughts.  Never,  under  any  con- 
sideration give  up  prayer  because  of  distractions 
and  imperfections.  You  may  have  to  say  your 
prayers  while  going  to  work  or  while  at  work. 
In  that  case  you  will  not,  of  course,  be  able  to 
give  your  full  attention  to  prayer,  as  you  would 
like  to  do;  but,  nevertheless,  an  imperfect  prayer 
is  ever  so  much  better  than  no  prayer  at  all; 
and  involuntary  distractions  are  not  sinful. 

If  we  intend  to  remember  certain 
persons  at  our  daily  Communion  but 
occasionally  forget,  does  our  intention 
hold  good? 

You  cannot  really  say  that  you  remembered 
them  in  a  special  way  to  Our  Lord — not  on  the 
days  when  you  forgot  them  altogether.  It 
would  be  otherwise  were  you  to  say  a  little  prayer 
like  this  after  each  Holy  Communion,  "Dearest 
Savior,  bless  those  for  whom  I  promised  to  pray, 
for  whom  I  ought  to  pray,  for  whom  I  would 
like  to  pray,  for  whom  I  intended  to  pray." 
Some  similar  prayer  is  surely  to  be  recommended. 
In  Holy  Communion  the  Savior's  generosity 
knows  no  bounds. 

In  praying,  is  it  necessary  to  think  of 
the  exact  meaning  of  the  words  or  may 
one  meditate  on  some  mystery  of  the 
Faith,  as  in  saying  the  rosary?  I  am 
nervous  and  am  always  afraid  of  not 
saying  my  prayers  well  enough. 

No;  you  need  not  think  of  the  exact  meaning 
of  the  words  of  prayer.    Yes;   you  may  meditate 


414  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

as  you  say.     There  are  four  ways  in  which  you 
may  occupy  your  mind  in  vocal  prayer: 

1.  By  paying  attention  to  the  literal  sense  of 
the  words  of  prayer; 

2.  By  attention  to  the  mystical  sense; 

3.  By  concentrating  your  thoughts  upon  God ; 

4.  By  paying  attention  to  the  words  them- 
selves, inasmuch  as  they  contain  the  praises  of 
God  and  various  acts  of  virtue. 

For  this  you  will  see  there  is  no  reason  at  all 
to  worry  about  your  prayers.  Remember,  too, 
that  involuntary  distractions  do  not  deprive 
prayer  of  its  value  and  efficacy.  Pray  in  the 
darkness,  if  there  be  no  light.  When  distractions 
assail  us  we  should  recollect  ourselves  each  time 
and  place  ourselves  again  in  the  presence  of  God; 
and  by  this  means,  although  the  distraction  may 
come  back  a  hundred  times,  our  prayer  will  not 
be  the  less  acceptable  to  God. 

How  much  should  one  pray  for  morning 
and  evening  prayers? 

We  think  one  of  the  best  ways  of  saying 
morning  and  evening  prayers  is  to  use  some  good 
prayerbook.  Kneel  down  and  say  the  given 
prayers  with  devotion  and  recollection,  and  you 
will  be  performing  an  important  duty  in  an 
excellent  way.  You  will  likewise  have  made  all 
the  good  intentions  that  make  each  day  count 
for  heaven. 

Or  say  the  Our  Father,  Hail  Mary,  Apostles' 
Creed,  Acts  of  Faith,  Hope,  Charity,  and  Con- 
trition. Then  add  the  good  intention  to  do 
everything  and  to  suffer  everything,  during  the 
day  or  night,  in  honor  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of 
Jesus  through  the  immaculate  heart  of  Mary. 
Add  other  intentions,  if  you  have  any.  Also 
make  the  intention  to  gain  all  the  indulgences 
you  can  gain. 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  415 

Is  a  person  bound  in  conscience  to 
kneel  while  saying  morning  and  evening 
prayers  ?  Would  it  be  a  sin  to  say  them  in 
bed? 

No;  you  are  not  bound  in  conscience  to  say 
your  prayers  kneeling;  nor  would  it  be  a  sin  to 
say  them  in  bed  if  there  were  any  reason.  No 
person  who  really  wants  to  pray  would  say  the 
prescribed  prayers  in  bed  without  reason.  We 
say  prescribed  prayers,  meaning  formal  devotions; 
for  it  is  surely  a  good  thing  to  pray  in  bed  before 
falling  asleep  and  before  arising.  We  may  pray 
to  God  always  and  everywhere  and  in  every 
posture.  Prayer  is  the  raising  of  the  mind  and 
heart  to  God. 

Why  are  the  Angelus  bells  rung  morning 
noon,  and  night? 

In  most  places  the  world  over  the  Angelus 
bells  are  rung  three  times  a  day,  calling  upon  the 
faithful  to  recite  the  beautiful  prayer  known  as 
the  Angelus.  This  is  done  in  grateful  memory  of 
the  Incarnation.  It  reminds  us  of  how  the  Second 
Person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity,  Jesus  Christ, 
became  Man  in  the  womb  of  the  Blessed  Virgin 
Mary,  in  order  that,  as  God-Man,  He  might 
redeem  us.  It  was  in  1096,  in  the  Council  of 
Clermont,  that  Pope  Urban  XI  decreed  this 
practice.  Several  Sovereign  Pontiffs  have  since 
enriched  the  devotion  with  many  indulgences. 

Please  tell  me  what  is  the  best  thing 
to  do  with  old  religious  articles,  such  as 
broken  rosaries  and  statues,  tarnished 
medals,  etc. 

The  best  thing  to  do  with  such  articles  is  to 
burn  them,  if  they  can  be  burnt.  Otherwise 
one  may  throw  them  into  a  river  or  lake  or  some 
other  secluded  place  where  there  will  be  no 
danger   of   irreverence   being   shown   them.      Or 


4x6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

they  may  simply  be  buried.  There  is  no  irrever- 
ence in  thus  disposing  of  these  objects,  none 
being  intended.  We  once  saw  a  pious  person 
kiss  an  old  stained  picture  of  the  crucifixion  and 
then  regretfully  put  it  into  the  fire.  That  is  the 
proper  spirit;  we  naturally  love  these  sacred 
things. 

Is  there  any  merit  for  an  ordinary 
Catholic  in  reciting  the  Divine  Office. 

In  such  recitation  there  is  surely  great  merit  for 
anyone.  There  is  in  it  the  merit  of  prayer,  and 
not  of  ordinary  prayer  either.  It  is  the  Church's 
official  prayer,  truly  divine,  and  in  sacred 
sublimity  and  beauty  next  to  the  heavenly 
prayers  of  Holy  Mass,  with  which  it  is  intimately 
connected. 

If  we  pray  for  an  intention  and  it  is 
not  answered,  are  we  to  think  God  did 
not  hear  our  prayers? 

This  question  is  often  asked.  Many  favors  are 
asked  which  God  does  not  seem  to  grant.  What, 
then,  can  Jesus  mean  when  He  says,  "Ask  and 
it  shall  be  given  to  you?"  Holy  Church  gives  a 
perfect  answer  to  this  difficulty  in  the  Catechism 
of  the  Council  of  Trent:  "Our  prayers  are  some- 
times unheard.  True,  and  God  then  consults 
for  our  interests  in  a  special  manner,  bestowing 
on  us  other  gifts  of  higher  value  than  those  we 
asked,  and  in  greater  abundance;  or  with- 
holding what  we  ask,  because  far  from  being 
necessary  or  useful,  it  would  prove  not  only 
superfluous  but  even  injurious.  'God,'  says  St. 
Augustine,  'denies  some  things  in  His  mercy, 
which  He  could  only  grant  in  His  wrath'." 

Moreover,  we  must  always  remember  that  de- 
lay is  not  refusal.  We  must  be  patient.  As  the 
Rev.  Walter  Elliott,  of  the  Paulist  Fathers,  says: 
"This  patience  with  God  in  our  prayers  is  es- 
pecially proper  in  begging  for  the  salvation  of 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  4x7 

others.  This  high  duty,  this  primary  act  of 
brotherly  love,  often  seems  to  be  a  hopeless 
task,  years  and  years  passing  away  without  any 
visible  results.  But,  my  brethren,  a  soul's  sal- 
vation cost  Jesus  Christ  thirty-three  years  of  the 
prayer  of  patient  waiting,  and  then  the  infinite 
oblation  of  His  life  upon  Calvary.  Shall  not  you 
be  content  to  wait?" 

Kindly  explain  the  meaning  of  the 
blessing  the  priest  gives  fruits  and  herbs 
on  the  feast  of  the  Assumption.  What 
benefits  are  derived  from  the  same.  Please 
explain  in  like  manner  the  blessing  of 
eggs,  fruit,   etc.,  on  Easter  Sunday. 

The  power  to  bless  is  given  to  bishops  and 
priests,  and  is  exercised  by  them  in  general  and 
in  special  cases  to  produce  a  certain  efficacy  in- 
tended by  the  Church.  As  we  know,  the  blessing 
of  God's  priests  on  earth  is  ratified  by  God  in 
heaven. 

What  is  that  efficacy  in  the  blessing  of  herbs 
on  the  feast  of  the  Assumption?  The  priest  prays 
that  to  the  natural  good  and  healing  qualities 
of  the  fruits  and  herbs  there  may  be  added  a 
new  grace,  so  that  when  these  things  are  used  by 
man  or  beast,  they  may  be  a  safeguard  against 
disease  and  all  adversity,  against  poisonous 
things,  the  deceits  of  the  devil,  etc.  The  prayers 
are  most  beautiful.  The  blessing  takes  place  at 
this  time  of  the  year  because  then  the  fruits  are 
usually  gathered,  and  on  this  feast  because  they 
are  symbolical  of  the  communication  to  us  by 
God  of  Christ,  His  Son,  the  fruit  of  Mary's  womb. 

A  similar  answer  applies  to  bread,  eggs,  and  all 
other  things  that  are  made  holy  by  the  Church's 
special  blessing. 

Can  it  be  possible  that  the  robe  of  Christ 
at  Trier  is  really  His  robe?  How  is  it  pos- 
sible that  this  cloth  should  last  so  long  ? 


4i8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

It  is  a  fact  that  since  about  the  year  1100  the 
people  of  Treves,  Germany,  have  been  fully  con- 
vinced that  they  possess  the  seamless  garment  of 
Christ  and  that  it  came  to  them  from  St.  Helena. 
This,  of  course,  is  not  a  matter  of  faith  but  it  is 
a  very  venerable  and  reliable  tradition,  the  more 
so  because  an  ivory  tablet  bears  witness  to  it. 
This  tablet  is  preserved  in  the  cathedral  treasury 
of  Trier  and  dates  from  as  early  as  the  fifth  or 
sixth  century,  according  to  some. 

The  only  arguments  that  the  opponents  of  the 
relics  can  advance  are  their  own  opinions.  Ob- 
jectors can  furnish  no  substantial  proof  of  their 
contention.  Surely,  the  relic  itself  gives  no  one 
reason  to  doubt  its  genuineness,  regarding  which 
scientific,  archeological  investigations  were  made 
in  1890  and  1891.  They  proved  that  "the  ma- 
terial of  the  plain  brownish  colored  fabric  is  to 
all  appearances  linen  or  cotton."  It  was  not 
possible  to  discover  traces  of  any  original  seams 
on  the  relic,  "which  is  covered  on  both  sides  by 
protecting  veils."  This  investigation  furnished 
no  reason  at  all  to  doubt  the  ancient  tradition  of 
the  Holy  Coat  of  Treves. 

And  why  should  it  not  be  possible  that  the 
cloth  in  the  Holy  Coat  should  last  so  long? 
Always  esteemed  as  a  priceless  treasure,  was  it 
not  jealously  guarded  and  preserved  from  the 
elements?  Moreover,  those  who  see  the  relic  and 
its  apparent  newness  may  forget  that  it  "is 
covered  on  both  sides  by  protecting  veils." 

Is  it  a  good  practice  to  invoke  more 
than  one  saint  to  obtain  a  very  urgent 
request?  I  have  eight  saint  friends  whom 
I  invoke  every  day,  and  I  make  novenas 
to  each  of  them  every  now  and  then.  Is 
that  correct?  or  should  I  practice  de- 
votion to  only  one? 

Surely  it  is  correct.    You  may  invoke  as  many 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  42.9 

saints  as  you  please.  In  the  Litany  of  All  Saints 
we  invoke  them  all.  Many  of  us  have  a  special 
devotion  to  one  or  more,  just  as  you  have  eight 
to  whom  you  pray  in  a  special  way  for  their 
intercession  at  the  throne  of  God.  From  the 
wording  of  your  question  we  gather  that  you  are 
sensible  in  your  devotions.  You  "make  novenas 
to  each  one  of  them  every  now  and  then."  That 
sounds  good.  Were  you  to  make  novenas  to  all 
of  them  at  the  same  time  you  would  be  heaping 
up  practices  of  piety  in  a  way  that  would  not  be 
sensible,  but  rather  imprudent. 

Is  it  true  that  if  one  asks  St.  Gregory 
for  a  favor  he  goes  to  the  throne  of  the 
good  God  and  simply  remains  until  God 
grants  what  he  asks  for?  If  so,  when  is 
the  feast  of  this  St.  Gregory? 

That  is  just  a  pious  saying  of  a  somewhat  silly 
kind.  We  should  not  pay  too  much  attention  to 
such  oddities.  Our  piety  must  be  solid  and 
sensible.  But  by  all  means  let  us  honor  the 
saints:  because  they  are  the  friends  of  God, 
princes  of  the  heavenly  court,  benefactors  to  us. 
We  can  obtain  great  graces  from  God  through 
venerating  the  saints;  and  we  venerate  them  if 
we  entreat  their  intercession  with  God,  if  we 
celebrate  their  feasts,  reverence  their  images  and 
their  relics,  bear  their  name,  claim  their  protec- 
tion in  matters  of  importance,  and  praise  them 
in  word  and  song.  But  the  best  way  to  venerate 
the  saints  is  to  imitate  their  virtues.  "Imitation 
is  the  sincerest  flattery." 

However,  it  is  surely  commendable  and  ad- 
visable under  different  circumstances  of  life  to 
invoke  certain  saints.  Thus  we  invoke  St.  Joseph 
as  the  patron  of  a  happy  death,  St.  Blase  for 
diseases  of  the  throat,  St.  Ottilia  for  eye  diseases, 
St.  Anthony  for  lost  articles,  etc,  etc.  Since  we 
always  have  good  reason  for  such  special  invo- 


4}o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

cation,  some  certified  incident  from  the  lives  of 
those  saints,  for  instance,  such  particular  prac- 
tices belong  to  sound  and  sensible  piety. 

When  saying  prayers  before  and  after 
the  meal  at  a  large  reception,  e.  g.,  a 
wedding,  should  one  stand  while  praying  ? 
Who  should  say  the  prayers?  What 
prayers  should  be  said,  the  Our  Father  or 
the  regular  prayers  before  and  after  meals  ? 

It  would  be  more  proper  for  all  to  stand  at 
their  places;  but  since  it  is  in  so  many  places 
customary  to  say  table  prayers  when  seated  at 
table,  confusion  may  often  be  avoided  by  having 
the  guests  seat  themselves  and  then  having  the 
prayer  said.  The  one  who  says  the  prayer  should 
stand  at  his  place.  The  most  prominent  person- 
age present  is  usually  requested  to  say  the  prayer, 
or  the  one  at  the  head  of  the  table.  It  is  most 
appropriate  to  say  those  short  but  beautiful 
prayers  given  in  prayerbooks  and  catechisms; 
as  for  instance  before  meals:  "Bless  us,  O  Lord, 
and  these  Thy  gifts,  which  we  are  about  to  re- 
ceive from  Thy  bounty.  Through  Christ  our 
Lord.    Amen." 

Will  you  please  tell  me  why  non-Catho- 
lics have  no  saints,  but  only  the  Catholics? 
A  non-Catholic  friend  wants  to  know. 

The  true  Church  has  four  marks  by  which  it 
may  be  known:  it  is  one;  it  is  holy;  it  is  Catholic 
(universal);  it  is  apostolic.  The  Church  is  holy 
because  her  Founder,  Jesus  Christ,  is  holy;  be- 
cause she  teaches  a  holy  doctrine;  invites  all  to 
a  holy  life,  and  because  of  the  eminent  holiness  of 
so  many  thousands  of  her  children.  That  is  why 
the  Catholic  Church  alone  has  saints:  because 
the  Catholic  Church  alone  is  the  true  Church 
and  one  of  the  marks  by  which  the  true  Church 
may  be  known  is  holiness — and  the  eminent 
holiness  of  so  many  thousands  of  her  children. 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  431 

Protestant  churches,  of  course,  have  not  the 
four  marks  by  which  the  true  Church  may  be 
known.  Hence  they  have  no  saints.  If  we  con- 
sider the  Anglicans,  who  seem,  to  have  saints,  we 
must  remember  that  all  the  saints  whose  names 
are  mentioned  in  their  Prayer-Book  and  whose 
prayers  are  found  in  their  devotional  books, 
were  Catholics.  Since  the  date  of  their  with- 
drawal from  the  Mother  Church,  the  Protestants 
have  had  no  saints;  at  least  they  have  claimed 
none.  But  even  in  comparatively  modern  times 
the  Catholic  Church  has  numbered  in  her  fold 
such  holy  men  and  women  as  St.  Ignatius  Loyola, 
St.  Francis  Xavier,  St.  Vincent  de  Paul,  St. 
Philip  Neri,  St.  Aloysius,  St.  Charles  Borromeo, 
St.  Francis  of  Assisi,  St.  Theresa  of  Avila,  St. 
Catherine  of  Siena,  the  Little  Flower,  and  many 
more. 

Is  it  a  very  meritorious  custom  to  visit 
a  church  when  work  is  over? 

We  can  think  of  few  more  beautiful  and  more 
meritorious  customs  than  that.  But  alas!  it 
is  one  that  is  neglected  with  a  universality  that 
may  well  make  one  wonder  whether  or  not  it  is 
allowed  or,  at  least,  whether  it  is  proper.  It  is 
this  neglect  of  such  visits  to  our  best  Friend, 
Jesus  in  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  that  doubtless 
prompted  your  question. 

Why  is  it  that  we  make  the  sign  of  the 
cross? 

Our  Lord's  death  sanctified  the  symbol  of  the 
cross,  which,  from  being  regarded  with  horror 
as  an  instrument  of  ignominy,  became,  under  the 
teaching  of  the  Apostles,  the  symbol  of  the 
Savior's  triumph  and  victory  over  sin  and  a 
sign  of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  That  is  why  we 
make  the  sign  of  the  cross.  If  done  with  reverence 
and  thought,  the  holy  sign  of  the  cross  is  not 
only  a  protection  from  the  powers  of  darkness 


4}z         QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

but  it  is  also  a  reminder  of  the  power  of  our 
Faith.  "In  the  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the 
Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost'*  is  a  protestation  of 
our  belief  in  the  Trinity  and  the  Unity  of  God. 
In  this  "name"  is  a  declaration  of  the  Unity  of 
God  in  the  three  Persons.  The  signing  is  also 
important.  The  touching  of  the  forehead  is  to 
show  that  the  Son  proceeds  from  the  Father, 
and  that  the  Holy  Ghost  proceeds  from  both  the 
Father  and  the  Son  is  signified  by  touching  the 
heart  and  the  two  shoulders;  whilst  the  form  of 
the  cross  tells  us  of  the  redemption  by  the  cross. 
Make  it  well  and  devoutly  always.  It  is  one  of 
the  greatest  sacramentals  of  the  Church. 

In  the  evening  of  three  days  during 
Holy  Week  there  is  a  service  called 
Tenebrae,  which  word  I  know  means 
"darkness.1 '  But  why  are  the  candles 
put  out  one  by  one,  every  few  minutes? 

On  the  evening  of  Holy  Wednesday,  Holy 
Thursday,  and  Good  Friday,  Matins,  or  Tenebraey 
are  sung  as  an  evening  devotion.  This  service  is 
called  Tenebrae  (darkness)  because  formerly  it 
was  held  during  the  night  and  a  part  of  it  without 
light.  Tenebrae  consists  of  psalms  and  lamenta- 
tions and  lessons  having  reference  to  the  suffer- 
ings of  Christ. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  Tenebrae  fifteen  candles 
are  burning  on  a  triangular  candlestick  in  the 
sanctuary.  At  the  end  of  each  psalm  one  candle 
is  extinguished,  until  only  one  is  left  burning,  at 
the  point  of  the  triangle.  At  the  Benedictus  the 
candles  on  the  altar  are  extinguished  and  the  one 
remaining  burning  on  the  triangle  is  taken  by 
a  server,  lifted  on  high,  and  then  concealed  behind 
the  altar.  Suddenly  a  loud  noise  is  made  in  the 
darkness.  Then  the  server  returns  with  the 
candle  still  burning. 

Why  are  candles  put  out,  one  by  one?    This 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  433 

gradual  extinction  of  the  lights  has  a  beautiful 
meaning.  Light  bespeaks  joy,  darkness  sorrow. 
Our  sorrow  deepens  and  deepens  at  the  thought 
that  soon  the  Light  of  the  world  will  be  extin- 
guished upon  the  cross.  Christ,  the  Light  of  the 
world,  is  represented  by  the  one  candle  left 
burning.  Its  being  carried  behind  the  altar  re- 
minds us  how  Christ  in  His  bitter  sufferings  and 
death  concealed  His  power  and  majesty  from  the 
world.  The  noise  made  with  the  wooden  clappers 
represents  the  confusion  and  the  earthquake  that 
took  place  at  the  death  of  Christ.  The  bringing 
of  the  candle,  still  burning,  from  behind  the  altar 
reminds  us  of  how  the  Savior,  glorious  and  im- 
mortal, came  forth  from  the  tomb  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  third  day. 

In  saying  my  prayers  I  do  not  always 
concentrate  as  I  should.  Lots  of  times, 
without  my  really  wanting  it,  my  mind 
wanders  far,  far  away.  Do  I  gain  the  in- 
dulgences attached  to  prayers,  if  I  say 
them  that  way? 

Essentially,  prayer  consists  of  two  things: 
the  intention,  or  will  to  pray,  and  due  attention. 
This  attention  may  be  directed  (a)  either  to  the 
mere  correct  pronunciation  of  the  words,  or  (b) 
to  the  meaning  of  the  words,  or  (c)  to  the  object 
of  the  prayer,  namely,  to  God  or  to  the  thing 
prayed  for.  Each  one  of  these  three  modes  is 
sufficient  for  good  prayer.  Pray  thus  from  the 
heart  and  try  to  avoid  distracting  thoughts  and, 
other  conditions  being  fulfilled,  you  will  gain  the 
indulgences. 

I  often  have  opportunities  of  saying  the 
rosary  and  other  prayers  while  sitting 
down,  for  instance,  at  the  place  where  I 
work.  But  I  say  them  so  as  not  to  attract 
attention.  Then,  too,  while  driving  team 
or  while  working  I  say  several  litanies  that 


434  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

I  have  learned  by  heart.  I  say  these 
prayers  with  my  cap  on,  without  folding 
my  hands,  etc.  Sometimes  I  also  pray 
after  I  go  to  bed,  until  I  fall  asleep.  Is 
there  anything  wrong  in  praying  like  that  ? 

No;  to  pray  like  that  is  surely  commendable, 
pleasing  to  God,  and  good  for  the  soul,  provided 
it  does  not  cause  you  to  neglect  your  duties, 
provided,  too,  that  you  are  sensible  about  it 
and  prudent  and  do  not  go  to  harmful  extremes. 
We  can  pray  well  without  kneeling  down,  without 
folding  the  hands,  without  uncovering  the  head; 
and  surely  it  is  most  praiseworthy  to  fall  asleep 
in  bed  with  prayers  to  God  upon  the  lips.  Let's 
by  all  means  try  to  pray  always,  in  a  calm,  quiet, 
sensible  way,  especially  by  doing  what  we  do  for 
God,  by  making  the  good  intention  often,  thus 
transforming  our  work  and  our  meals  and  our  recre- 
ation and  everything  that  is  not  sinful  into  prayer. 

Are  you  supposed  to  pray  to  the  saint 
you  light  a  candle  to?  What  are  the 
prayers  ? 

Of  course  you  will  pray  to  that  saint.  Any 
prayers  may  be  said,  especially  approved  prayers 
to  that  particular  saint.  But  perhaps  the  very 
best  thing  to  do  is  to  tell  the  saint  in  your  own 
words  just  what  you  beg  his  or  her  intercession 
for.  The  light  you  burn  will  be  a  sort  of  a  con- 
tinuance of  your  prayer  after  you  have  gone. 

A  lamp,  a  light,  a  candle,  is  a  symbol  of  the 
Christian  soul.  Thus  the  sanctuary  lamp,  to 
adduce  the  best  example,  is  a  symbol  of  the  Chris- 
tian soul  consuming  itself  in  adoration  before  the 
tabernacle.  As  the  Abbe  Durand  says:  "In 
honor  of  Jesus  Christ,  a  lamp  burns  perpetually 
before  the  altar.  The  Christian  soul  longs  to 
remain  in  constant  adoration  at  the  feet  of  Our 
Lord,  there  to  be  consumed  by  gratitude  and  love. 
In  heaven  alone  will  this  happiness  be  given  us, 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS 


435 


but  here  below,  as  an  expression  of  our  devout 
desires,  we  place  a  lamp  in  the  sanctuary  to  take 
our  place.  In  this  little  light  St.  Augustine  shows 
us  the  image  of  the  three  Christian  virtues.  Its 
clearness  is  faith,  which  enlightens  our  mind; 
its  warmth  is  love,  which  fills  our  heart ;  its  flame, 
which,  trembling  and  agitated,  mounts  upward 
until  it  finds  rest  in  its  center,  is  hope,  with  its 
aspirations  towards  heaven,  and  its  troubles  out- 
side of  God." 

So  too,  in  a  similar  way,  do  "Vigil  Lights" 
symbolize  the  Christian  soul.  They  are  the  ex- 
pression of  the  devout  desires  of  the  one  who 
lights  them  or  has  them  lighted  by  another. 
They  take  the  devout  client's  place.  They  are, 
as  it  were,  a  continuance  of  the  pious  prayers 
made  at  the  shrine  or  altar.  Long  after  the 
worshipper  has  been  called  away  by  the  thronging 
demands  of  life  that  flickering  light  is  a  reminder 
to  the  Savior  or  His  saints  of  his  earnest  petition. 

What  prayers  should  one  say  when 
visiting  the  graves  of  the  dead? 

You  may  say  any  prayers  for  them,  for  instance, 
the  Our  Father,  the  Hail  Mary,  the  Rosary,  etc., 
etc.  But  perhaps  the  best  thing  to  do  is  to  say 
over  and  over  again  the  following  venerable 
prayer  of  the  Church:  "Eternal  rest  give  unto 
them,  O  Lord,  and  let  perpetual  light  shine  upon 
them.  May  they  rest  in  peace.  Amen."  This 
prayer  is  enriched  with  an  indulgence  of  300  days, 
every  time,  applicable,  however,  only  to  the  dead. 
(Pius  X,  February  13,  1908.)  You  can  thus 
scatter  the  flowers  of  peace-bringing  prayer  upon 
the  graves  of  your  dear  departed. 

I  saw  a  priest  bless  a  person  the  other 
day.  It  was  in  a  private  home  and  he 
didn't  bless  any  of  the  others  who  were 
present.     Did  he  bless  that  person  as  an 


436  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

encouragement  or  to  drive  the  devil  out? 
Why  does  a  priest  bless  a  person? 

When  a  priest  blesses  a  person  in  the  way  you 
mention  he  usually  says,  and  in  Latin,  "May  the 
blessing  of  Almighty  God,  the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost,  descend  upon  you  and  re- 
main with  you  always.  Amen."  This  is  a  short 
and  devout  prayer  said  while  he  makes  the  holy 
sign  of  the  cross.  By  it,  we  may  say,  he  places 
the  person  thus  blessed  under  the  special  protec- 
tion of  God  and  confidently  supplicates  Him, 
through  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  the  person 
blessed  may  be  preserved  from  all  harm  of  body 
and  soul  and  may  in  all  things  have  the  grace  of 
conformity  to  God's  holy  will.  The  blessing  is 
of  special  efficacy  since  it  comes  from  the  priest, 
who  has  been  given  special  power  to  bless. 

We  presuppose  that  the  devil  is  not  in  and  hence 
there  is  no  intention  to  drive  him  out.  But  the 
blessing  keeps  him  away;  and  we  know  that  he 
flees  in  fear  from  this  chief  sacramental  used  in 
the  Church — the  sign  of  the  cross. 

•I  received  a  long  prayer  which  begins 
like  this:  "The  following  is  a  copy  of  an 
oration  that  was  found  in  the  Holy  Sepul- 
cher  of  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  Jerusalem 
and  preserved  by  His  Holiness,  the  Pope, 
and  Charles  II."  It  then  goes  on  to  say 
that  Christ  has  revealed  certain  particu- 
lars regarding  His  passion  to  various 
saints  and  gives  all  the  particulars.  Then 
it  continues:  "The  drops  of  blood  I  lost 
were  38,430.  Whoever  will  repeat  7  Paters, 
7  Aves,  and  11  Glorias  for  fifteen  years  in 
succession  in  order  to  equal  the  drops  of 
blood  I  shed,  I  will  grant  their  prayers. 
First — There  is  a  plenary  indulgence  and 
full  remission  of  all  their  sins.  Second — 
They  will  be  free  from  the  pains  of  Purga- 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  437 

tory.  Third — If  they  die  before  complet- 
ing fifteen  years  they  will  have  the  same 
privileges  as  the  martyrs  who  shed  all 
their  blood  for  their  faith.  Fourth — I  will 
descend  from  heaven  to  take  their  kindred 
even.  Fifth — Whoever  carries  this  oration 
shall  not  be  drowned.  They  will  be  free 
from  all  contagious  diseases  and  pesti- 
lences, and  from  lightning.  They  shall 
not  die  without  a  confessor.  They  will  be 
free  from  all  enemies  and  from  the  power 
of  earthly  laws.  In  houses  where  this 
oration  is  kept  there  shall  be  concord 
amongst  them,  and  forty  days  before 
their  death  they  shall  see  the  Blessed 
Virgin  Mary."  Then  there  is  a  lot  more 
strange  and  terrible  talk  in  the  prayer, 
which  finally  comes  to  an  end  as  follows : 
"They  who  say  that  the  original  copy  of 
this  was  not  written  by  the  most  Sacred 
Mother  of  God,  and  they  who  maliciously 
and  willingly  keep  this  concealed  without 
publishing  it,  will  be  confounded  on  the 
last  day  of  judgment.  On  the  contrary, 
they  who  publish  it,  if  their  sins  were  as 
numerous  as  the  stars  in  heaven,  they 
shall  be  forgiven,  provided  they  are  sorry. 
Whoever  shall  copy  or  say  this  oration  in 
their  house  shall  not  perish.  Every  time 
it  is  recited,  it  will  be  the  means  of  de- 
livering a  soul  from  Purgatory.' '  I 
thought  I  would  tell  you  just  what  the 
letter  was  like.  Now,  what  shall  I  do 
with  it? 

This  is  a  typical  example  of  a  fake  chain- 
prayer — and  there  is  nothing  like  prayer  in  the 
whole  disgustingly  superstitious  conglomeration. 
Our  Lord  has  told  us  that  the  devil  is  the  father 
of  lies.  We  might,  accordingly,  say  that  such 
letters  as  this  are  the  work  of  the  devil,  here 


438  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

disguising  himself  as  an  angel  of  light.  Treat  all 
such  chain-prayers  with  the  contempt  they  de- 
serve. Destroy  them  as  soon  as  you  receive  them. 
Pay  no  heed  to  their  promises  and  none  to  their 
threats.  Burn  them  with  the  calm  assurance  that 
you  are  preventing  the  spread  of  an  evil  thing. 

When  saying  the  rosary  must  one 
always  have  one's  mind  on  the  respective 
mystery  ? 

One  should  endeavor  to  do  so  always.  It  is 
just  the  meditation  on  the  mysteries  in  the  life 
of  the  Savior  and  His  Mother  that  makes  the 
recitation  of  the  rosary  also  mental  prayer  and  so 
enhances  its  value.  The  saying  of  the  rosary  is 
thus  vocal  prayer  (the  Our  Fathers,  Hail  Marys, 
Glorys)  and  mental  prayer  (meditation  on  the 
mysteries).  Suppose  you  say  the  fifteen  decades 
of  the  rosary  and  quietly,  as  best  you  can, 
think  of  the  respective  mysteries,  the  joyful, 
the  sorrowful,  and  the  glorious:  the  Annunci- 
ation; the  Visitation;  the  Nativity;  the  Presen- 
tation; Jesus  with  the  Doctors  in  the  Temple; 
the  Agony;  the  Scourging;  the  Crowning  with 
Thorns ;  the  Carrying  of  the  Cross ;  the  Crucifixion ; 
the  Resurrection;  the  Ascension;  the  Descent  of 
the  Holy  Ghost;  the  Assumption;  the  Coronation 
of  the  Blessed  Virgin.  You  then  recall  briefly  the 
whole  life  of  Jesus  and  Mary.  No  wonder  that 
the  Blessed  Virgin  said  to  St.  Dominic,  "Thou 
shalt  inform  my  people  that  it  is  a  devotion  most 
acceptable  to  my  Son  and  me." 

Nor  is  it  difficult  to  say  the  rosary  thus.  It  is 
adapted  alike  to  the  learned  and  ignorant,  to  the 
cloister  and  to  the  world,  and  to  every  capacity, 
the  words  being  so  easy  that  the  most  illiterate 
may  learn  them  and  the  mysteries  so  sublime  as 
to  afford  matter  of  contemplation  and  enter- 
tainment to  even  the  highest  intellects.  Of 
course,  one  should  often  read  the  life  of  Christ 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  439 

and  other  spiritual  books  and  frequently  and 
gladly  listen  to  sermons  and  religious  instructions. 
The  mind  will  then  be  full  of  thoughts  for  medi- 
tation. 

I  was  never  enrolled  by  a  priest  in  the 
confraternity  of  the  scapular.  Where  and 
by  whom  can  I  be  enrolled?  Is  there  such 
a  thing  as  enrollment  through  the  mails? 

No;  there  is  no  such  thing  as  enrollment 
through  the  mails;  for  the  scapular  must  actually 
be  placed  upon  the  person  enrolled.  But  you  can 
be  enrolled  anywhere  and  at  any  time  by  a  priest 
who  has  the  faculty  to  receive  persons  into  the 
confraternity  of  the  scapular.  Do  not  hesitate 
to  be  enrolled.  Remember  our  Lady's  promise, 
"He  who,  at  the  hour  of  his  death,  shall  be  found 
clothed  in  this  habit  shall  be  preserved  from 
eternal  flames." 

What  about  the  Heroic  Act?  Some 
people  say  that  they  would  not  do  it  while 
others  speak  for  it.  I  made  it  some  thirty 
years  ago  and  I  feel  that  I  would  never 
want  to  take  it  back. 

The  Heroic  Act  of  charity  towards  the  poor 
souls  in  purgatory  consists  in  this,  that  Catholics 
offer  to  Almighty  God,  for  the  poor  souls,  either 
by  using  some  formula  or  by  merely  a  mental 
intention,  all  the  works  of  satisfaction  they  will 
perform  as  long  as  they  live  as  well  as  all  the 
prayers  that  will  be  offered  up  for  them  in  any 
way  after  their  death.  Many  (and  this  is  com- 
mendable, though  not  necessary)  make  this  act 
through  Our  Lady,  placing  all  their  satisfactory 
works  in  her  hands  that  she  may  distribute 
them  among  the  holy  souls  as  she,  in  her  merciful 
kindness,  sees  best.  The  Heroic  Act  has  been 
enriched  with  many  favors  by  the  Supreme  Pon- 
tiffs.    Some  of  the  favors  are  as  follows: 

A  plenary  indulgence  applicable  only  to  the 


440  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

departed,  is  granted  to  all  the  faithful  who  have 
made  this  offering,  whenever  they  go  to  Holy 
Communion,  provided  they  visit  a  church  or  a 
public  oratory  (or  semi-public  chapel  for  those 
who  have  the  right  to  use  it)  and  pray  for  the 
Pope's   intentions. 

A  plenary  indulgence  every  Monday  is  granted 
to  all  who  hear  Mass  in  suffrage  for  the  souls 
in  purgatory,  provided  they  moreover  fulfill  the 
usual  conditions. 

All  indulgences  granted  or  to  be  granted,  even 
though  not  applicable  to  the  dead,  gained  by  the 
faithful  who  have  made  this  offering,  may  be 
applied  to  the  holy  souls  in  purgatory. 

The  Heroic  Act  is  really  something  heroic. 
Even  good  souls  are  not  always  prepared  for  such 
heroism.  There  is  no  obligation.  And  those  who 
have  made  the  Heroic  Act  may,  without  any  sin, 
take  it  back  at  any  time.  We  think  you  are  quite 
right  in  feeling  as  you  do  about  never  taking  it 
back.  God  will  never  let  Himself  be  outdone  in 
generosity. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  death  bell? 
I  mean,  why  is  the  church  bell  rung  when 
someone  dies  ?  Is  it  also  rung  for  infants 
who  are  not  baptized? 

This  is  usually  called  the  passing  bell.  The 
Roman  Ritual  mentions  it  twice.  After  giving 
some  ejaculatory  prayers  to  be  said  when  a 
person  is  actually  dying,  it  states,  in  a  rubric, 
"Then  where  the  pious  custom  prevails,  the  bells 
of  the  parish  church  are  rung  a  number  of  times, 
to  let  the  faithful  know  that  the  sick  person  is 
now  dying,  that  they  may  pray  for  him  to  God." 
After  giving  the  prayers  to  be  said  when  the  soul 
has  left  the  body,  another  rubric  directs,  "Mean- 
while, if  it  be  the  custom  of  the  place,  the  bells 
are  rung  as  a  sign  of  the  passing  of  the  deceased, 
that  those  who  hear  may  offer  prayers  to  God  for 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  441 

his  soul."  The  Ritual  says,  "Where  the  pious 
custom  prevails. "  Where  the  practice  is  cus- 
tomary it  is  surely  praiseworthy  and  truly 
Catholic. 

Children  who  die  without  Baptism  do  not 
really  belong  to  the  Church  at  all.  It  is  Bap- 
tism that  makes  us  members  of  the  Church, 
Christians,  children  of  God,  and  heirs  of  heaven. 
Of  course,  no  bells  are  rung  when  such  children 
die.  Prayers  cannot  help  them.  They  should 
be  baptized! 

Speaking  of  the  funerals  of  baptized  children 
the  Roman  Ritual  says,  "At  the  funeral  of  chil- 
dren the  bells,  if  rung,  should  not  be  rung  in 
mournful  tones  but  rather  in  festive  manner." 
The  reason  is  evident:  these  little  ones  are  in 
heaven. 

Suppose  I  am  making  the  Way  of  the 
Cross  and  am  just  half  through,  at  the 
seventh  station,  when  I  am  called  from 
the  chapel  for  a  few  minutes.  Must  I,  in 
order  to  gain  the  indulgences,  begin  again 
at  the  first  station  or  may  I  continue 
where  I  left  off? 

For  gaining  the  indulgences  of  the  Way  of  the 
Cross,  where  the  stations  have  been  canonically 
erected,  the  following  conditions  must  be  fulfilled. 

1.  Each  single  station  must  be  visited,  that  is, 
you  must  actually  move  from  one  to  the  other, 
as  much  as  the  crowd  of  people  or  the  size  of  the 
place  permit.  Where  the  stations  are  made 
publicly,  so  that  there  would  be  too  much  dis- 
turbance if  all  were  to  move  around,  even  if  that 
were  possible,  it  suffices  if  the  priest  with  two 
servers  or  chanters  goes  from  station  to  station 
alone.  When  the  church  is  very  large,  one  priest 
may  go  around  and  another  read  the  prayers  from 
the  pulpit.  In  the  chapels  of  religious  houses  it 
suffices  if  one  person,  not  necessarily  a  priest, 


441  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

goes  from  station  to  station  and  says  the  prayers. 
The  rest  should  stand  and  kneel  or  genuflect  at 
each  station. 

2.  All  the  stations  must  be  visited  at  one  dura- 
tion of  time,  without  notable  interruption.  But 
if  a  rather  long  interruption  were  caused  by  some 
spiritual  exercise,  for  example,  by  hearing  Mass 
or  by  going  to  confession,  the  indulgences  could 
nevertheless  be  gained  without  beginning  over 
again.  The  same,  however,  can  not  be  said  of 
ordinary  actions  of  similar  length.  This  para- 
graph has  reference  to  the  plenary  indulgence 
that  can  be  gained.  A  partial  indulgence  can  be 
gained  for  each  station  made,  when  the  whole 
Way  of  the  Cross  cannot  be  completed. 

3.  At  each  station  you  must  meditate,  ac- 
cording to  your  ability,  no  matter  for  how  short 
a  time,  on  that  part  of  the  passion  corresponding 
to  each  station  or  on  some  phase  of  the  passion, 
or  on  the  passion  in  general.  So  you  must  think 
of  the  passion.  Vocal  prayers,  like  the  Our 
Father  and  Hail  Mary,  are  not  necessary,  though 
you  may  add  them  to  your  meditation.  Neither 
are  genuflecting  or  kneeling  necessary,  when  you 
yourself  move  from  station  to  station.  You  may 
stand  all  the  while  if  you  prefer. 

Besides  these,  there  are  no  other  conditions 
for  gaining  the  indulgences.  Of  course,  to  gain  any 
indulgence  you  must  be  in  the  state  of  grace. 
And  you  should  make  the  intention  to  gain  them. 
Confession  and  Communion  are  not  prescribed, 
nor  is  prayer  for  the  Holy  Father's  intentions, 
some    books    to    the    contrary    notwithstanding. 

The  indulgences  attached  to  the  Way  of  the 
Cross  are  very  precious.  (One  plenary  indulgence 
each  time,  etc.)  But  since  they  are  so  precious 
it  may  be  well  to  remark  here  that  priests  who 
have  the  special  faculty  can  enrich  crucifixes  of 
any  solid  material  with  all  the  indulgences  of  the 
Way  of  the  Cross,  so  that  those  indulgences  can 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  443 

be  gained  by  the  sick,  those  at  sea,  those  in  prison, 
those  in  heathen  lands,  and  by  all  others  who  are 
legitimately  prevented  (who  cannot  for  any  reason 
easily  go  to  church,  who  have  not  time  to  go 
during  the  week,  etc.,  a  moral  impossibility 
suffices)  from  visiting  the  stations  of  the  Way  of 
the  Cross,  provided  that  with  at  least  a  contrite 
and  devout  heart,  they  hold  the  crucifix  and  re- 
cite twenty  times  the  Our  Father,  Hail  Mary,  and 
Glory  (all  three) :  once  for  each  station,  five 
times  in  honor  of  the  five  wounds,  and  once  for 
the  Pope's  intentions.  If  one  member  of  the 
family,  for  instance,  holds  such  a  crucifix  and  the 
others  join  in  the  prayers  all  (if  they  are  legiti- 
mately prevented,  as  explained  above,  and  any 
good  reason  suffices)  can  gain  the  indulgences. 
Think  of  the  passion  while  saying  these  prayers. 

Should  one  kneel  or  stand  while  the 
Pater  Noster  is  being  sung  at  High  Mass? 

To  the  individual  we  must  here  say,  "Do 
what  the  rest  of  the  congregation  does,  follow  the 
custom  in  your  church."  The  rubrics  give  no 
directions  for  the  ceremonies  for  the  laity  during 
High  Mass.  According  to  Gervantus  and  Pouget, 
however,  to  mention  only  two  authorities,  the 
people  may  conform  to  the  rules  given  for  those 
who  are  in  choir,  that  is  to  say,  the  clergy  in  the 
sanctuary.  How  splendid  it  would  be  if  those 
rules  were  uniformly  observed  in  all  our  churches 
and  how  greatly  it  would  add  to  the  edification 
of  the  people  and  enhance  the  sacred  functions! 
We  deem  it  useless  to  mention  those  rules  here, 
since  you  can  do  little  or  nothing  to  introduce 
the  change.  These  ceremonies,  which  can  be 
found  given  in  detail  in  some  missals  and  in  other 
books,  could,  with  the  approval  and  by  the 
authority  of  the  pastor,  be  taught  in  school  and 
in  the  meetings  of  the  various  sodalities,  or  even 


444  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

printed  on  leaflets  and  placed  in  pews  for  the 
guidance  of  the  congregation. 

But  to  return  to  your  question,  in  a  High  Mass 
that  is  not  a  Requiem  or  Ferial  High  Mass,  all 
would,  according  to  the  above,  arise  when  the 
celebrant  has  placed  the  chalice  on  the  altar 
after  the  Elevation  and  remain  standing  until 
he  has  consumed  the  Precious  Blood,  and  even 
during  the  Confiteor,  except  those  about  to  re- 
ceive, who  then  kneel.  Hence  all  would  be  stand- 
ing at  the  Pater  Noster  also.  But  where  is  this 
done?  However,  it  would  be  as  impressive  as  it 
is  rare.  The  people  stand  in  the  offering  of  the 
Mass  together  with  the  priest  who  stands  at  the 
altar.  Standing  is  a  posture  of  sacrifice.  For- 
merly standing  was  more  in  vogue  during  divine 
services  than  it  is  today — for  the  laity. 

Do  not  let  yourself  be  confused  by  the  various 
different  rules  in  different  books.  Simply  do  as 
others  do.  Only  concerted  and  authoritative 
action  can  introduce  a  change.  Bear  in  mind 
that  these  rubrics  for  the  laity,  even  those  ex- 
pressly mentioned  for  a  low  Mass  in  the  Rubricae 
Generates,  Tit.  XVII,  n.  2,  namely,  that  the 
faithful  always  kneel  except  while  the  Gospel 
is  read,  are  not  preceptive,  but  directive  only, 
and  hence  do  not  of  themselves  bind  under  pain 
of  sin.    (De  Herdt,  Vol.  I,  No.  146.) 

How  can  a  person  know  whether  he  is 
receiving  the  Sacraments  in  the  proper 
way? 

Catholics  ought  to  be  well  instructed  in  their 
holy  religion  and  its  salutary  practices.  Both  old 
and  young  should  look  upon  it  as  their  sacred 
duty  often  to  read  the  catechism  through,  to  be 
present  and  attentive  at  sermons  and  instructions 
in  their  churches,  to  read  popular  books  on  re- 
ligion, to  read  their  prayer-books  and  the  splendid 
exhortations  continued  therein ;  and  they  ought  to 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  445 

subscribe  to  Catholic  periodicals  and  read  them 
from  cover  to  cover  each  time  they  come.  Then 
they  will  know  what  to  do  and  how  to  do  it. 

When  going  out  at  night,  knowing  that 
when  you  return  home  it  will  be  late  and 
you  will  be  tired,  is  it  all  right  to  say  your 
evening  prayers  before  leaving? 

It  is  a  most  commendable  practice  indeed. 
Say  your  prayers  slowly  and  devoutly  before 
going.  Examine  your  conscience  carefully.  If 
you  are  in  mortal  sin  make  acts  of  perfect  con- 
trition with  a  promise  to  go  to  confession  as  soon 
as  possible.  In  fact,  in  that  case  it  would  be  bet- 
ter to  go  to  confession  before  you  go  out.  In  our 
automobile  age,  with  its  shocking  toll  of  sudden 
deaths  (40,300  killed  in  U.  S.  in  1937),  it  is  sheer 
folly,  absolute  madness,  and  eternally  dangerous 
to  go  out  at  any  time  without  that  most  necessary 
of  all  things :  the  state  of  grace.  A  thousand  times 
rather  stay  home  and  spend  the  whole  night  in 
prayer  and  preparation  for  confession  than  rashly 
expose  yourself  to  the  loss  of  your  immortal  soul. 
The  dance  hall,  the  theater,  the  automobile,  etc., 
are  not  known  to  be  conductive  to  the  forgive- 
ness of  sins.  They  are  likewise  a  poor  preparation 
for  death.  But  they  are  the  only  preparation 
thousands  have  had. 

Is  the  book  called  " Confessions  of  St. 

Augustine"  fit  to  read?    I  read  a  little  of 

it  and  must  say  that  I  suffered  internally 

....  I    thought    maybe    it    was    fancy 

.   .   .  I  had  such  temptations! 

"The  Confessions  of  St.  Augustine"  is  an 
autobiography  supplemented  by  psychological 
and  theological  analyses,  written  by  St.  Augustine 
about  the  year  400  and  giving  an  account  of  his 
early  and  spiritual  development  until  shortly 
after  his  conversion.  For  candor  (also  as  regards 
the  sinful  part  of  his  life)  and  self -appreciation 


446  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

without  conceit  it  is  admirable;  it  contains  many 
sublime  passages  about  the  relation  of  the  soul 
with  God.  In  this  book  the  innermost  thoughts 
of  a  great  soul  are  laid  bare,  as  well  as  the  affec- 
tions of  his  heart,  both  good  and  evil.  All  this 
has  made  the  "Confessions"  one  of  the  most 
excellent,  instructive,  and  widely  read  spiritual 
books  of  all  the  Christian  centuries.  Earnest 
readers,  all  who  feel  the  need  of  doing  penance 
(and  who  does  not  feel  that  need?),  have  from 
time  immemorial  found  themselves  in  this  book  of 
St.  Augustine's:  their  aberrations  and  falls; 
their  own  helpless  strivings  after  peace  of  heart, 
satisfaction,  and  happiness  through  creatures; 
their  own  enervating  struggles  with  sinful  incli- 
nations and  the  spirit  of  worldliness — for  all  of 
which  there  was  no  victory  until  they  were  con- 
quered by  the  grace  of  a  merciful  God,  relent- 
lessly pursuing  them  like  the  "Hound  of  Heaven." 

Is  it  fit  to  read!  There  is  nothing  objectionable 
in  it  anywhere — quite  the  contrary,  as  stated 
above.  Of  course,  you  must  be  sure  that  you 
have  the  real  "Confessions,"  as  sold  by  Catholic 
publishers,  and  not  some  garbled  or  fake  edition, 
for  even  the  best  things  have  been  abused. 

We  can  only  account  for  the  terrible  things 
that  you  claim  to  have  experienced  in  reading  this 
book  (if  you  had  the  genuine  edition)  by  ascrib- 
ing it  to  some  unusual  pathological  or  sexually 
abnormal  mental  or  physical  condition.  Such 
may,  of  course,  place  the  book  aside  and  read 
something  else. 

Why  is  the  Angelus  to  be  said  standing 
on  Sundays?  Must  it  be  said  when  the 
bell  rings  in  order  to  gain  the  indulgences  ? 

As  a  rule  the  Angelus  is  to  be  said  kneeling; 
but  it  is  to  be  said  standing  every  Sunday  of  the 
year,  beginning  from  first  Vespers,  that  is,  from 
Saturday  evening.    On  Saturdays  in  Lent  (Pope 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  447 

Leo  XIII,  May  20,  1896)  the  Angelus  is  also  to 
be  said  standing  at  noon.  In  Eastertide,  that  is, 
from  Holy  Saturday  at  mid-day  to  mid-day  on 
Saturday  before  Trinity  Sunday  inclusive  (Pope 
Leo  XIII,  May  20,  1896),  the  Regina  Coeli  is 
said  instead  of  the  Angelus,  always  standing. 
The  Angelus  is  said  standing  on  Sunday  because  it 
was  so  prescribed  by  Pope  Benedict  XIV  in  1742 
and,  we  may  say,  because  of  the  resurrection  of 
our  Lord.  He  arose  from  the  dead  on  Easter  Sun- 
day; and  because  of  this  (and  also  because  on 
Sunday  the  Holy  Ghost  came  down  upon  the 
Apostles)  the  Sunday  was  made  to  supersede  the 
Sabbath.  Hence  every  Sunday  should  remind  us 
of  the  resurrection.  This  seems  to  be  the  natural 
explanation  of  the  above-mentioned  prescription. 
The  Angelus  need  not  be  said  when  the  bell 
rings  in  order  to  gain  the  indulgences.  The 
new  regulations  are  simply  these:  The  faithful 
who,  morning,  noon,  and  evening,  say  the 
Angelus  or  the  Regina  Coeli,  or  who  devoutly 
say  the  Hail  Mary  five  times,  gain  an  indulgence 
of  ten  years  every  time  they  do  this  and  a  plenary 
indulgence  once  a  month  under  the  usual  con- 
ditions, if  they  did  so  each  day.  (See  Preces  et 
Pia  Opera  Indulgentiis  Ditata,  issued  by  the 
Holy  See  Dec.  31,  1937.    No.  300.) 

What  are  the  effects  of  an  act  of  perfect 
charity  (and  consequently  an  act  of 
perfect  contrition)? 

Such  an  act  of  perfect  charity: 

1.  Induces  God  to  restore  the  sinner  to  His 
grace  and  friendship. 

2.  It  wins  pardon  for  the  mortal  sins  commited 
whatever  their  number  and  heinousness. 

3.  It  obtains  the  total  remission  of  eternal 
punishments,  sometimes  even  the  remission  of  the 
whole  temporal  punishment,  and  always  a  part 
of  it  at  least. 


448  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

4.  It  wins  all  this  in  an  instant  and  forever, 
without  any  possible  reviviscence  of  past  sins, 
even  in  case  of  another  fall,  and  no  matter  under 
what  circumstances  and  conditions  this  act  of 
perfect  charity  is  made. 

5.  It  restores  to  the  soul  all  its  merits;  and  if 
a  person  dies  in  this  state  of  grace  he  will  possess 
for  all  eternity  that  degree  of  glory  due  to  the 
merits  acquired  by  him  in  his  life.  It  restores  not 
only  all  the  sanctifying  grace  that  was  the  soul's 
before  the  sin,  but  something  more  besides. 

6.  It  effaces  venial  sins  entirely  if  the  sinner 
disowns  and  detests  them. 

And  all  the  effects  produced  in  a  soul  by  an 
act  of  perfect  charity  are  there  produced  in 
exactly  the  same  way  by  an  act  of  perfect  con- 
trition. Every  act  of  perfect  contrition  contains 
an  act  of  perfect  charity.  An  act  of  perfect  con- 
trition is  sorrow  for  sin  through  pure  love  of  God, 
on  account  of  God's  infinite  goodness.  It  has  three 
degrees  of  perfection:  a)  When  the  resolution  of 
amendment  is  confined  to  mortal  sins;  b)  when 
it  extends  to  venial  sins  also;  c)  when  for  God's 
sake  the  soul  would  embrace  every  kind  of  sacri- 
fice and  suffering,  even  though  there  may  not  be 
the  slightest  imperfection  in  avoiding  them.  The 
lowest  degree  suffices. 

What  is  an  act  of  perfect  contrition?  I 
know  it  is  an  act  of  sorrow  for  having 
offended  God  because  He  is  all  good  in 
Himself.  But  is  it  perfect  contrition  if  I 
am  sorry  merely  because  of  God's  good- 
ness to  me,  in  creating  me,  redeeming 
me,  giving  me  Himself  in  the  Blessed 
Sacrament,  etc.,  etc.? 

The  following,  when  seriously  meant,  is  an  act 
of  perfect  contrition:  "O  my  God,  I  am  heartily 
sorry  for  having  offended  Thee,  because  Thou  art 
so  very  goody  and  I  firmly  purpose  by  the  help  of 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  449 

Thy  grace  not  to  offend  Thee  again."  It  is 
highly  to  be  recommended  that  everyone  sincerely 
say  this  or  a  similar  prayer  many  times  each 
day. 

Now,  by  way  of  explanation,  we  must  begin  by 
saying  that  perfect  contrition  is  sorrow  out  of 
the  love  of  God  above  all  else.  There  are  two 
different  kinds  of  love.  There  is,  first  of  all,  the 
love  of  concupiscence,  or  of  desire,  also  called 
interested  love.  This  love,  in  which  interest  holds 
so  large  a  place,  is  the  one  that  leads  us  to  attach 
ourselves  to  some  person  or  thing  for  our  own 
ends,  that  is,  for  the  personal  advantage  we  hope 
to  derive  from  them.  The  second  kind  of  love  is 
the  love  of  benevolence,  or  of  friendship  where  this 
love  is  reciprocal.  And  this  perfectly  disinterested 
love  is  the  one  by  which  we  love  a  person,  no 
longer  for  our  own  advantage,  but  for  himself, 
consequently  not  for  anything  we  may  gain,  but 
solely  to  give  him  pleasure  or  honor  and  because 
of  the  beauty,  virtue,  perfection  to  be  admired  in 
him.  For  instance,  suppose  you  become  ac- 
quainted with  a  man  in  whom  you  see  many  good 
qualities;  you  admire  his  honest,  open  character, 
his  noble  mind,  and  the  wealth  and  fullness  of 
his  intellectual  gifts.  All  this  makes  such  a  deep 
impression  on  you  that  you  are  simply  constrained 
to  love  him.  You  may  have  received  no  favors, 
nor  do  you  look  for  any  advantages  from  your 
friendship  with  him;  you  merely  love  him  be- 
cause of  his  noble  qualities.  This  is  the  love  of 
benevolence. 

Well,  perfect  charity  is  the  love  of  benevolence, 
this  second  kind  of  love,  whereby  God  is  loved 
above  all  else  and  for  Himself  alone,  that  is,  be- 
cause of  His  infinite  perfections.  This  charity 
cannot,  therefore,  proceed  from  an  interested 
love,  which  were  too  unworthy  an  origin  for  such 
a  grace,  it  must  of  absolute  necessity  be  rooted 
in  the  love  of  benevolence  or  friendship.     (But 


45o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

interested  love  may  be  mingled  with  it.)  And 
sorrow  for  sin  out  of  this  perfect  charity  is  perfect 
contrition. 

You  ask  whether  it  is  perfect  contrition  if 
you  are  sorry  for  your  sins  merely  because  of 
God's  goodness  to  you,  in  creating  you,  redeem- 
ing you,  giving  Himself  to  you  in  the  Blessed 
Sacrament,  etc.  If  this  sorrow  proceeds  from  a 
motive  of  love — yes;  for  the  motive  of  love  is 
constituted  not  only  by  the  infinite  goodness  of 
God,  or  the  sum  of  all  His  infinite  perfections,  but 
also  by  His  single  perfections,  which  as  being 
infinite  are  not  distinguished  from  the  essence  of 
God,  but  are  the  very  essence  of  God  perceived 
in  some  certain  aspect.  For  God  is  supremely 
amiable  not  only  because  of  the  sum  of  His 
infinite  perfections,  but  also  because  of  any 
particular  perfection,  for  instance,  His  power 
(in  creating  you),  His  mercy  (in  redeeming  you), 
His  love  (in  giving  you  the  Blessed  Sacrament). 
So  if  you  are  sorry  for  your  sins  because  you  love 
the  almighty  God  who  created  you,  or  if  you  are 
sorry  out  of  love  of  friendship  for  the  merciful 
God  Who  died  on  the  cross  for  you,  or  out  of 
love  for  the  loving  God  who  gave  you  Himself  in 
the  Blessed  Sacrament,  or  for  any  such  like 
motives,  you  make  an  act  of  perfect  contrition. 
Thus  it  is  that  even  ordinary  people  can  make 
an  act  of  perfect  contrition.  In  this  way,  for 
instance,  it  is  really  easy  to  love  God  when  con- 
templating Jesus  dead  upon  the  cross  and  to  be 
sorry  for  sin  because  of  this  love  for  Him — be- 
cause He  is  the  Friend  who  died  for  you.  Of 
course,  to  love  God  because  of  the  sum  of  His 
infinite  perfections  is  a  greater  love,  but  it  can- 
not be  elicited  by  all.  The  lesser  love  just  men- 
tioned can,  on  the  other  hand,  be  elicited  by  all 
and  it  suffices  for  an  act  of  perfect  contrition. 
God  has  placed  this  treasure  within  the  reach  of 
all. 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  451 

We  have  said  that  to  love  God  perfectly  we 
must  love  Him  for  Himself  and  above  all  things. 
We  now  understand  what  it  means  to  love  Him 
for  Himself.  But  what  does  it  mean  to  love  God 
above  all  else?  It  does  not  mean  that  we  must 
love  Him  as  much  as  He  is  absolutely  capable  of 
being  loved;  it  does  not  mean  that  we  must  love 
Him  continually  and  without  intermission;  and 
it  does  not  mean  that  we  must  love  Him  with  all 
the  fervor  and  intensity  of  which  we  are  capable 
by  means  of  the  sanctifying  grace  and  the  actual 
graces  bestowed  upon  us.  No;  to  love  God  above 
all  things  means  so  to  love  Him  that  in  our  in- 
telligent appreciation  of  Him,  we  esteem  Him  for 
what  He  really  is,  the  sovereign,  the  supreme 
Good;  and  consequently  of  our  will  we  place 
Him  above  all  that  we  possess  on  earth,  and,  as 
a  result,  rather  than  to  lose  Him  by  committing 
a  mortal  sin  we  steadfastly  resolve  with  the  aid 
of  His  grace  to  sacrifice  all  we  possess.  Hence, 
to  love  God  above  all  things  is  essentially  an  act 
of  the  will,  and  it  matters  little  whether  this  act 
is  accompanied  by  any  interior  feeling. 

And  we  repeat  that  an  act  of  perfect  contrition 
is  an  act  of  sorrow  out  of  the  perfect  love  of  God 
defined  above. 

Why  must  one  confess  behind  the  con- 
fessional grate?  Why  can't  one  kneel  by 
the  priest  and  confess  that  way?  I  think 
I  would  like  that  better. 

Perhaps  you  would  like  it  better,  but  the  vast 
majority  of  Catholics  prefer  the  closed  confes- 
sional. Even  the  partly  open  confessional  is  not 
generally  popular.  The  present  arrangement  of 
the  confessional,  with  doors  or  curtains,  grate  or 
screen  or  cloth,  is  intended,  by  the  privacy  and 
secrecy  that  it  affords  the  individual,  to  render 
the  recital  of  sin  easier  than  it  would  be  if  it  had 
to  be  made  in  the  open,  or  face  to  face,  albeit  pri- 


452.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

vately,  as  was  the  case  in  olden  times  and  as  is 
still  the  case  in  the  confessions  of  men  in  some 
places — Rome,  for  instance.  The  Church  en- 
joins that  the  confessions  of  women,  outside  of 
cases  of  sickness  or  other  grave  necessity,  must 
be  heard  only  in  the  confessional  (furnished  with 
a  grate).  The  confessions  of  men  and  boys  may 
be  heard  in  any  respectable  place,  even  outside 
the  confessional. 

After  a  priest  gives  you  absolution T or 
just  before  you  leave  the  confessional  he 
says  "God  be  with  you,"  or  "God  bless 
you,  my  child,"  or  "Go  in  peace,"  or 
something  like  that.  What  am  I  to 
answer  him  before  I  leave? 

You  may  say  "Thank  you,  Father,"  or,  as 
many  do,  "God  reward  you,  Father."  Perhaps 
it  would  be  well  to  mention  here,  by  the  way, 
that  when,  in  speaking  the  words  of  absolution, 
the  priest  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross  over  you 
— a  solemn  reminder  that  all  the  divine  efficacy 
of  the  Sacrament  is  derived  from  the  Savior's 
death  upon  the  cross  for  you — it  is  quite  fitting 
that  you  devoutly  bless  yourself  by  making  the 
sign  of  the  cross.    Many  never  think  of  this. 

Is  it  hard  to  make  an  act  of  perfect 
contrition  ? 

Constant  prayer  gradually  makes  it  easy  for 
us  to  love  God  above  all  things,  to  keep  the  first 
and  greatest  commandment.  In  "Comfort  for 
the  Faint-Hearted,"  by  Ludovicus  Blosius,  we 
find  the  following  explanatory  note  to  Chapter 
VII,  where  he  speaks  of  perfect  contrition.  It 
is  so  excellent  and  helpful  that,  though  rather 
lengthy,  we  give  it  in  full.  The  note  includes  all 
that  follows  in  this  answer: 

This  comforting  doctrine  about  the  power  of 
contrition  to  obtain  from  God  the  perfect  for- 
giveness of  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  also  of  all  penalty 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  453 

of  sin,  and  also  of  all  penalty  due  to  it,  is  taught 
by  St.  Thomas  (Sum.  Ill,  qu.  30,  art.  1  and  4, 
and  Supplement  qu.  5,  art.  2). 

There  is  no  question  here  as  to  the  kind  and 
amount  of  sorrow  necessary  for  the  sacrament  of 
penance.  What  is  called  "attrition" — that  is, 
sincere  hatred  of  sin  for  some  supernatural  motive 
not  so  perfect  and  disinterested  as  the  love  of 
God  for  His  own  sake — is  sufficient  to  obtain 
pardon  of  mortal  sin  in  the  sacrament  of  penance. 
For  example,  if  a  man  sincerely  detested  sin 
because  it  would  deprive  him  of  heaven,  or  be- 
cause he  feared  hell  or  purgatory,  this  "attrition" 
would  be  sufficient  to  obtain  pardon  from  God 
in  the  merciful  tribunal  of  penance. 

But,  in  Chapter  VII,  Blosius  and  Tauler  are 
speaking  of  the  power  of  an  act  of  contrition  to 
obtain  from  the  merciful  and  loving  God  pardon 
of  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  at  the  same  time  of  all  the 
temporal  punishment  due  to  it.  Contrition  means 
the  sincere  hatred  of  sin  because  it  displeases  and 
opposes  God,  Who  is  good.  If  we  love  God's 
Will  and  hate  sin  because  it  is  contrary  to  God's 
Will,  then  we  hate  it  for  the  love  of  God,  and  we 
make  an  act  of  contrition.  This  act,  being  an  act 
of  supernatural  charity,  "obtains  at  once  from 
God  the  pardon  of  the  guilt  of  all  sin";  and,  if 
the  act  of  the  will  turning  from  sin  to  God  be 
sufficiently  intense,  it  obtains  also  the  pardon  of 
all  the  temporal  penalty  due  to  sin. 

In  this  matter  there  is  a  common  confusion  of 
ideas  which  does  considerable  practical  harm. 
People  do  not  distinguish  between  two  things 
that  are  widely  different — namely,  the  act  of 
contrition  and  the  act  of  intense  and  perfect 
contrition.  The  consequence  is  that  they  imagine 
it  to  be  exceedingly  difficult  to  make  an  act  of 
contrition,  and  therefore  consider  it  hopeless  to 
try  to  do  so. 

We  must  understand  therefore  that  an  act  of 


454  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

contrition,  however  remiss  and  imperfect  it  may 
be,  as  long  as  it  is  really  contrition,  is  sufficient 
to  obtain  forgiveness  of  mortal  sin.  Directly 
the  love  of  God  is  the  chief  and  predominant 
motive  of  our  hatred  of  sin,  God  forgives  it. 
We  may  at  the  same  time  have  many  other  less 
perfect  motives — desire  of  heaven  as  a  good  for 
ourselves,  a  fear  of  hell  as  an  evil  for  ourselves — 
but  immediately  the  love  of  God  is  the  chief  and 
predominant  motive,  His  mercy  forgives  us.  If 
we  are  able,  by  God's  grace,  to  say  to  Him 
sincerely:  "0  my  God,  even  without  thinking 
of  reward  or  punishment,  because  sin  is  contrary 
to  Thy  Will  a  nd  displeasingto  Thee,  I  hate  it 
and  turn  away  from  it,"  we  make  an  act  of  con- 
trition  and   the   guilt   is   immediately  forgiven. 

In  the  case  of  mortal  sin  the  obligation  of  con- 
fession remains,  though  the  guilt  of  the  sin  has 
been  forgiven  and  is  utterly  and  eternally  blotted 
out.  If  the  man  afterwards  refused  to  confess 
the  sin  he  would  commit  another  mortal  sin,  but 
the  guilt  of  the  one  blotted  out  by  contrition  can 
never  revive.  Such  is  the  mercy  of  God,  our 
Father. 

As  God's  grace  and  help  is  necessary  for  this  as 
for  every  other  supernatural  act,  before  making 
an  act  of  contrition  we  must  ask  God  to  help  us; 
but,  with  this  help,  who  can  think  that  for  a  man 
of  good  will  it  is  difficult  to  hate  sin,  and  to  turn 
the  will  from  it,  because  we  love  God? 

It  is,  no  doubt,  difficult  and  rare  for  a  soul  to 
make  so  pure  and  intense  an  act  of  contrition  as 
to  obtain  at  once  from  God  the  pardon  not  only 
of  all  guilt,  but  of  all  temporal  punishment  also; 
but  it  is  easy,  if  we  implore  God  to  help  us,  to 
make  an  act  of  contrition,  the  predominant  and 
real  motive  of  which  is  the  love  of  God,  Who  is 
so  infinitely  good,  though  this  act  of  contrition 
may  be  greatly  wanting  in  intensity  of  will.  St. 
Thomas  distinctly  teaches  that,  "however  remiss" 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  455 

may  be  the  charity  of  the  soul  to  God,  on  which 
the  contrition  is  founded,  the  soul  is  restored  to 
grace.  The  reason  is  that  charity  is  the  life  of 
the  soul;  if,  therefore,  there  is  real  charity  in  the 
soul  it  must  be  alive,  that  is,  in  grace.  The  soul 
cannot  be  alive  by  charity,  however  slight  and 
remiss,  and  at  the  same  time  dead  by  mortal  sin. 
If  contrition  can  thus  blot  out.  mortal  sin,  how 
much  more  easily  venial  sin! 

This  is  an  exceedingly  practical  point,  and  the 
common  confusion  of  ideas  produces  lamentable 
consequences. 

From  it  comes  (1)  the  idea  that  if  a  man  has 
unhappily  fallen  into  mortal  sin  he  must  live  in 
that  dreadful  state  till  he  can  get  to  confession.  He 
should  instantly  turn  to  God  by  acts  of  contrition. 

(2)  Constant  discouragement  arising  from  con- 
sidering God  to  be  a  hard  Master  instead  of  a 
tenderly  loving  Father,  and  imagining  it  to  be  so 
difficult  to  regain  His  grace  if  in  a  moment  of 
weakness  it  has  been  lost. 

(3)  Want  of  effort  to  cleanse  the  soul  by  acts 
of  contrition,  imagining  that  these  acts  can  only 
be  made  by  very  saintly  people. 

May  the  devotion  of  the  twelve  preroga- 
tives be  held  publicly  in  church  ? 

Canon  1259  tells  us  that  prayers  and  devotions 
are  not  to  be  permitted  in  churches  and  oratories 
without  previous  revision  by,  and  express  per- 
mission of,  the  local  Ordinary  (Bishop)  and  that 
the  local  Ordinaries  cannot  approve  new  litanies 
which  are  to  be  publicly  recited. 

The  Raccolta,  official  collection  of  indulgenced 
prayers  and  good  works,  contains  a  devotion  in 
honor  of  Mary's  twelve  prerogatives  under  the 
title  "The  Crown  of  Twelve  Stars."  This,  being 
approved,  could  be  recited  publicly. 

It  would  be  a  public  recitation  if  several  persons 
would  gather  in  a  church  or  public  oratory  to 


456  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

recite  a  prayer  together,  even  if  a  priest  were  to 
assist  only  as  a  private  person  and  not  as  a 
minister  of  the  Church.  (It  is  quite  evident  that 
it  would  be  public  recitation  if  the  priest  were 
officially  to  assist.) 

The  approved  litanies  at  present  are:  the 
Litany  of  All  Saints,  the  Litany  of  the  Holy  Name 
of  Jesus,  the  Litany  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  the 
Litany  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  the  Litany  of  St. 
Joseph,  and  the  Litany  for  the  Dying  (as  found 
in  the  official  prayers  for  a  departing  soul). 
Individual  persons  may  recite  other  litanies  for 
their  private  devotion  in  church  or  elsewhere, 
and  many  are  very  beautiful  and  devotional. 
But  in  church  only  the  approved  litanies  may  be 
recited  in  common. 

Is  there  any  special  saint  to  whom 
expectant  mothers  pray? 

The  patron  of  women  who  wish  to  have  children 
is  St.  Felicitas,  whose  feast  is  November  23. 
The  patron  for  women  in  labor  is  St.  Anne,  the 
mother  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  whose  feast  is 
July  26.  To  these  we  may  add  St.  Elizabeth,  the 
mother  of  John  the  Baptist,  whose  feast  is  No- 
venber  5.  And  above  all  the  saints  is  the  Blessed 
Mother  of  God,  our  Mediatrix  in  every  need.  The 
following  simple  prayers,  by  the  way,  are  to  be 
recommended.  They  have  ecclesiastical  appro- 
bation : 

PRAYER  FOR  A  HAPPY  DELIVERY 

St.  Elizabeth,  through  the  great  blessing  which, 
at  the  birth  of  thy  son  John,  thou  didst  receive 
from  God,  I  beseech  thee  to  obtain  for  me  the 
grace  that  I  may  be  preserved  from  all  danger, 
and  happily  bring  my  child  into  the  world.    Amen. 

Venerable  mother  St.  Anne,  obtain  for  me, 
through  thy  ever-blessed  child,  the  Blessed  Virgin 
Mary,  that  no  accident  may  befall  me,  but  that 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  457 

my  child  may  come  safe  and  sound  into  the  world. 
Amen. 

O  Mary,  Mother  of  my  Redeemer,  through  thy 
high  prerogative  and  thy  divine  Son,  I  pray  thee 
to  obtain  for  me  the  help  and  blessing  of  God, 
that  I  may  happily  survive  the  pains  of  delivery, 
and  that  my  child  may  receive  the  grace  of  holy 
Baptism.    Amen. 

THANKSGIVING  FOR  HAPPY  DELIVERY 

0  Most  Holy  Trinity,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  I,  Thy  unworthy  servant,  with  my  whole 
heart  and  soul  praise  and  thank  Thee  for  this, 
that  Thou  hast,  in  Thy  goodness  and  mercy, 
preserved  me  in  so  great  a  danger  and  rejoiced 
me  with  this  dear  little  babe.  I  magnify  Thy 
infinite  love  and  gracious  providence,  and  offer 
to  Thee,  for  the  dear  child  Thou  hast  given  me, 
all  the  pains  and  sufferings  that  I  have  endured. 
I  am  firmly  resolved  to  rear  it  for  Thee,  to  train 
it  in  the  faithful  observance  of  Thy  Command- 
ments. O  good  God,  bless  me  and  my  little  one! 
Preserve  us  from  all  evils  of  soul  and  body. 
May  it  ever  be  Thine,  and  may  we  love  Thee 
with  all  our  hearts!    Amen. 

Sometimes  when  reading  the  lives  of 
the  saints  we  are  told  that  such  and  such 
a  one  had  the  "gift  of  tears."  What 
does  that  mean? 

When  certain  pious  thoughts  cause  a  person 
to  weep  often  and  abundantly,  and  when  this 
facility  can  only  be  attributed  to  the  divine  action, 
that  person  is  said  to  have  the  gift  of  tears. 
This  has  been  the  case  with  many  saints. 

We  must  bear  well  in  mind  the  words  italicized 
in  the  definition  just  given.  Tears  may  come 
from  other  causes  than  the  divine  action.  In 
rare  cases  the  devil  may  produce  them  either  to 
enfeeble  the  health  or  to  give  rise  to  pride  or » 
as  St.  Teresa  says,  "to  weaken  them  so  that  they 


458  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

become  unable  to  pray  or  to  keep  the  Rule" 
(Interior  Castle,  Sixth  Mansion,  ch.  vi.  7).  Much 
more  frequently,  however,  they  may  be  the  result 
of  an  oversensitive  nature,  which  often  happens 
with  women  or  persons  of  a  neurotic  condition. 
Such  have  not  the  gift  of  tears  in  the  spiritual 
sense. 

If  these  tears  have  for  their  immediate  origin 
solely  the  emotions  produced  by  a  religious 
thought,  for  instance,  love,  joy,  sorrow  for  sins, 
gratitude,  compassion  for  our  Lord's  sufferings, 
then  they  are  tears  of  real  value.  Without  this 
circumstance  they  would  be  an  unimportant 
physiological  phenomenon. 

May  the  devotion  in  honor  of  the  twelve 
prerogatives  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  be  held 
privately  only?  May  one  practice  it,  for 
instance,  on  the  twelve  Saturdays  pre- 
ceding the  feast  of  the  Assumption  for 
the  grace  of  a  happy  death  and  entrance 
into  the  company  of  Jesus  and  Mary  in 
heaven  ? 

Our  Lady's  twelve  prerogatives,  symbolized 
by  the  crown  of  twelve  stars  on  the  head  of  the 
woman  mentioned  in  the  Apocalypse,  clothed 
with  the  sun  and  with  the  moon  beneath  her 
feet,  are  variously  enumerated.  They  are  usually 
mentioned  as  follows,  and  all  flow  from  that 
greatest  of  her  prerogatives,  the  divine  maternity, 
Mary's  being  the  Mother  of  God:  1.  Her 
Plenitude  of  Grace.  2.  Her  Immaculate  Con- 
ception. 3.  Her  Sinlessness.  4.  Her  Inability  to 
Sin  (Impeccability).  5.  Her  Freedom  from  Con- 
cupiscence. 6.  Her  Full  Use  of  Reason  from  the 
First  Moment  of  Her  Existence.  7.  Her  Vir- 
ginity at  the  Conception  of  Christ.  8.  Her 
Virginity  at  the  Birth  of  Christ.  9.  Her  Vir- 
ginity after  the  Birth  of  Christ.    10.  Her  Painless 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  459 

Death.     11.  The  Incorruptibility  of  Her  Body. 
12.  Her  Assumption  into  Heaven. 

This  beautiful  devotion  may  be  practiced 
privately  at  any  time  and  in  any  good  way; 
for  instance,  by  thinking  gratefully  of  each 
prerogative  and  saying  a  Hail  Mary  in  its  honor. 
This  may  assuredly  be  done  on  the  twelve 
Saturdays  preceding  the  feast  of  the  Assumption 
for  the  grace  mentioned  or  for  any  other  grace, 
though  this  particular  practice  is  not  indulgenced. 

I  have  a  statue  of  the  Sacred  Heart  and 
always  keep  a  vigil  light  burning  before 
it.  I  also  have  a  grotto  of  the  Little 
Flower  and  burn  a  light  while  making  a 
novena.  Is  it  just  as  well  to  burn  the 
light  at  home,  or  is  it  better  to  burn  one 
in  church? 

It  is  a  most  praiseworthy  practice  to  have 
statues,  grottoes,  or  little  altars  in  the  home  and 
to  keep  a  vigil  light  burning  there.  It  reminds 
you  so  much  of  the  Savior's  injunction:  "Watch 
and  pray."  The  nickering  flame  of  the  vigil  light 
is  a  constant  reminder  of  God  and  His  saints; 
it  is  an  incentive  to  prayer  and  recollection;  it 
is  a  reminder  that  we  should  often  renew  the 
good  intention.  In  this  sense  it  is  better  to  burn 
vigil  lights  at  home.  But  there  are  special 
shrines  where  we  would  like  to  pray,  or  special 
altars  in  the  house  of  God,  where  the  Lord  has 
been  pleased  to  answer  prayers  in  a  particular 
way.  Often  we  cannot  be  there  at  all,  or  we  can- 
not remain  long,  and  so  we  leave  a  burning  light 
to  signify  the  desires  of  our  heart  and  the  perse- 
verance of  our  prayers.  We  are  often  thrilled 
at  the  mere  sight  of  burning  vigil  lights.  What 
tales  they  could  tell!  How  humbly  they  seem 
to  plead.  May  God  hear  the  prayers  of  all  who 
thus  come  to  Him  in  simple,  trusting  piety! 


460  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Can  you  recommend  some  special  prayer 
for  nurses  to  say  each  day? 

The  following  prayer,  given  us  by  a  certain 
Mother  Superior  with  the  remark  that  it  is  daily 
recited  by  their  nurses,  is  much  to  be  recom- 
mended : 

The  Nurse's  Prayer 

I  offer  to  Thee,  O  Heavenly  Father,  all  the 
services  which  I  may  render  this  day  to  the  sick 
and  dying.  That  my  actions  may  be  more 
pleasing  to  Thee  I  unite  them  to  Thy  infinite 
merits.  I  humbly  implore  Thy  assistance  to 
overcome  every  obstacle,  such  as  self-love, 
vanity,  disgust,  sloth,  which  may  oppose  the 
fulfilment  of  my  duties.  I  wish  to  renew  my  con- 
secration to  serve  and  assist  the  sick  and  dying 
with  the  same  love  and  faith  as  if  I  saw  Thee 
really  present.  Give  me,  0  Lord,  strength  and 
courage  to  accomplish  my  desire.     Amen. 

0  Mary,  Immaculate  Mother  of  Jesus,  offer, 
I  beseech  thee,  to  the  Eternal  Father  the  Precious 
Blood  of  thy  Divine  Son,  to  prevent  at  least  one 
mortal  sin  from  being  committed  somewhere  in 
the  world  to-day.     Amen. 

1  read  in  the  Catholic  papers  last  year 
(1932)  that  the  Cardinal  Vicar  of  Rome 
forbade  the  use  of  vigil  lights  in  churches. 
Is  that  really  true? 

By  the  ruling  to  which  you  refer  the  Cardinal 
Vicar  of  Rome  did,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  virtually 
suppress  the  use  of  votive  candles  within  the 
limits  of  his  juristiction  (Rome).  But  this  pro- 
hibition does  not  extend  to  other  places;  it  does 
not,  for  instance,  forbid  their  use  in  our  churches 
in  this  country.  When  this  ruling  was  made  for 
Rome  the  Rev.  Herbert  Thurston,  S.  J.,  noted 
English  priest-historian,  contributed  an  article  on 
votive  candles  in  The  Month.  Among  other 
interesting  things  he  states  that  we  can  "affirm 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  461 

quite  definitely  that  votive  candles  in  the  modern 
sense  were  known  at  least  as  early  as  the  sixth 
century."  At  the  conclusion  of  his  article  Father 
Thurston  says:  "It  may  readily  be  admitted  that 
both  in  the  present  and  the  past  this  matter  of 
votive  candles  has  been  subject  to  many  abuses, 
and  it  would  be  in  the  highest  degree  presumptu- 
ous to  offer  any  criticism  upon  the  course  which 
the  Cardinal  Vicar,  knowing  the  local  conditions 
as  no  one  else  can  know  them,  has  adopted  by 
his  late  ordinance;  but  amid  all  the  tawdriness 
and  commercialism  and,  it  may  be,  the  unpleasant 
atmosphere  created  by  cheap  substitutes  for  the 
wax  of  the  'argumentosa  apis,*  there  is  a  certain 
pathos  associated  with  the  solitary  candle  breath- 
ing out  its  life  before  the  shrine  as  a  symbol  of 
prayer  and  self-sacrifice." 

What  are  the  best  motives  for  perfect 
contrition? 

There  is  only  one  motive  for  perfect  contrition 
and  that  is  charity,  or  the  love  of  benevolence  or 
of  friendship  towards  God.  This  love  is  had, 
whether  the  object  of  one's  affections  is  the  divine 
being  or  persons,  the  divine  and  infinite  perfec- 
tions, or  a  single  attribute;  for  all  these  are  really 
God  Himself.  So  for  instance,  if  you  are  sorry 
for  your  sins  because  you  love  the  almighty  God 
Who  created  you,  or  if  you  are  sorry  out  of  the 
love  of  friendship  for  the  merciful  God  Who  died 
on  the  cross  for  you,  or  out  of  love  for  the  loving 
God  Who  gave  Himself  to  you  in  the  Blessed 
Sacrament,  or  for  any  such  like  motives,  you 
make  an  act  of  perfect  contrition.  St.  Thomas 
distinctly  teaches  that  "however  remiss"  may  be 
the  charity  of  the  soul  to  God,  on  which  contrition 
is  founded,  the  soul  is  restored  to  grace;  for 
charity  is  the  life  of  the  soul.  All  the  guilt  of  sin 
is  pardoned.     And  the  greater  this  charity  is  in 


46x  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

intensity  of  will,  the  more  will  also  the  temporal 
punishment  due  to  sin  be  remitted. 

The  following  explanation  and  acts  of  contri- 
tion from  "The  Reign  of  Jesus,"  an  abridgment 
of  the  work  of  St.  John  Eudes,  will  prove  helpful: 

Perfect  contrition  is  a  hatred  and  horror,  a 
grief  and  repentance,  for  the  sin  one  has  com- 
mitted, because  it  is  displeasing  to  God.  It  is, 
therefore,  an  act  of  our  will,  by  which  we  protest 
to  God  that  we  desire  to  hate  and  detest  our  sins; 
that  we  are  grieved  at  having  committed  them; 
that  we  renounce  them,  and  that  we  mean  to 
forsake  them,  not  so  much  because  it  is  our  own 
interest  to  do  so,  but  for  the  love  of  God.  I 
mean,  not  so  much  on  account  of  the  harm, 
wrong,  and  injury  which  we  have  done  to  our- 
selves by  our  sins,  but  on  account  of  the  insult, 
the  dishonor,  the  torment,  and  the  cruel  death 
which  we  have  inflicted  on  our  Lord  by  these 
same  sins. 

It  is  well  to  notice  that,  in  order  to  have  a 
perfect  contrition,  it  is  not  necessary  to  shed 
tears,  or  to  feel  deep  grief  for  one's  sins;  for 
contrition,  being  a  spiritual  and  interior  act  of 
the  will — which  is  a  spiritual  power  of  the  soul 
independent  of  the  senses — one  can  make  an  act 
of  contrition  without  being  sensible  of  any  grief. 
It  is  sufficient  to  protest  to  our  Lord,  by  an  act 
of  the  will,  that  we  will  to  hate  and  detest  our 
sins  and  to  renounce  them  for  the  future  because 
they  are  displeasing  to  Him. 

ACTS  OF  CONTRITION 

O  my  most  love-worthy  Jesus,  my  will  is  to 
hate  and  detest  my  sins  for  love  of  Thee. 

O  my  Savior,  I  renounce  all  sin  for  ever  be- 
cause it  is  displeasing  to  Thee. 

O  my  Jesus,  my  will  is  to  hate  and  to  abhor 
my  sins,  because  of  the  insult  and  dishonor  which 
Thou  hast  endured  by  their  means. 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  463 

O  my  God,  would  that  I  had  never  offended 
Thee,  for  Thou  art  worthy  of  all  honor  and  love. 

O  my  Lord,  I  desire  to  have  all  the  contrition 
for  my  sins  which  it  shall  please  Thee  to  give  me. 

O  my  God,  I  would  that  I  could  have  in  my 
heart  all  the  grief  and  contrition  that  the  holy 
penitents  ever  had  for  their  sins. 

O  good  Jesus,  make  me  to  share  the  grief  which 
Thou  hast  for  my  sins;  for  I  desire  to  have  the 
same  grief  that  Thou  hast,  as  far  as  is  possible. 

O  Father  of  Jesus,  I  offer  Thee  the  contrition 
and  the  penitence  which  Thy  beloved  Son  had 
for  my  sins. 

O  most  love-worthy  Jesus,  grant  that  I  may 
detest  and  abhor  my  sins,  because  they  were  the 
cause  of  Thy  torments  and  of  the  death  Thou 
didst  suffer  on  the  Cross. 

O  my  God,  I  desire  to  hate  my  sins,  as  Thy 
Saints  and  Angels  hate  them. 

0  my  God,  I  desire  to  hate  and  detest  my  sins, 
as  Thou  dost  hate  and  detest  them. 

1  know  a  boy  who  wears  six  different 
kinds  of  medals  and  one  crucifix.  A  friend 
of  mine  said  he  is  crazy  for  wearing  so 
many  when  one  scapular  medal  with  one 
of  some  other  kind  would  be  enough.  He 
said  that  so  many  medals  make  a  person 
look  funny.  He  even  said  that  all  the 
priests  he  ever  saw  wore  two  medals  at  the 
most.    Please  explain. 

Perhaps  the  boy  wears  his  medals  too  ostenta- 
tiously, makes  too  much  of  a  show.  They  could, 
for  instance,  be  neatly  sewed  into  a  Sacred  Heart 
Badge  and  the  badge  pinned  under  the  vest. 
Many  devout  people  are,  no  doubt,  wearing  six 
or  more  medals  and  they  neither  are  nor  are  looked 
upon  as  funny  or  crazy.  They  are  simply  wise 
in  cherishing  these  blessed  objects.  But,  while 
not  in  the  least  ashamed  of  their  devotions  and 


464  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

medals,  they  yet  avoid  showing  off.  Your 
critical  friend  has,  apparently  seen  few  priests  or, 
rather,  has  not  seen  their  medals,  though  it  is 
quite  possible  that  there  are  holy  priests  and 
others  who  do  not  wear  even  "two  medals  at  the 
most." 

What  is  the  Rosary  of  St.  Bridget  and 
how  is  it  recited? 

This  Rosary  is  said  in  honor  of  the  sixty-three 
years  which,  it  is  said,  the  Blessed  Virgin  lived 
on  earth.  It  is  composed  of  six  divisions,  each 
division  consisting  of  the  Our  Father  once,  the 
Hail  Mary  ten  times,  and  the  Apostles'  Creed 
once;  after  this  one  Our  Father  more  is  said 
and  the  Hail  Mary  three  times.  Thus  in  all  the 
Our  Father  will  be  said  seven  times,  to  mark 
the  number  of  the  seven  dolors  and  the  seven 
joys;  and  the  Hail  Mary  sixty-three  times,  to 
make  up  the  full  number  of  sixty-three  years. 
Most  of  the  indulgences  can  be  gained  by  saying 
five  of  the  six  decades.  To  gain  the  indulgences, 
the  Rosary,  being  made  of  either  six  or  fiv« 
decades,  must  be  blessed  by  a  priest  of  the  Order 
of  St.  Savior,  or  by  another  priest  with  the 
necessary  faculties. 

No  meditation  is  necessary  to  gain  the  indul- 
gences of  this  Rosary.  The  indulgences  may  be 
attached  to  the  ordinary  rosary,  such  as  everyone 
has.  There  is  one  hundred  days'  indulgence  for 
each  Our  Father,  each  Hail  Mary,  and  each 
Apostles'  Creed,  for  those  who  say  at  least  five 
decades;    and  there  are  many  other  indulgences. 

We  have  mentioned  Our  Lady's  seven  joys. 
They  are:  the  Annunciation;  the  Visitation; 
the  Nativity  of  Christ;  the  Adoration  by  the 
Magi;  the  Finding  in  the  Temple;  the  Resur- 
rection;   and  the  Assumption. 

What  is  the  Rosary  of  the  Seven  Dolors 
and  how  is  it  recited? 


PRAYERS  AND  DEVOTIONS  465 

This  is  a  chaplet  of  special  form  (beads  for  the 
Hail  Marys  and  usually  medals  for  the  Our 
Fathers)  and  consists  of  seven  divisions,  in 
memory  of  Our  Lady's  seven  sorrows,  on  which 
we  are  to  meditate,  if  we  can,  saying  the  Our 
Father  once  and  the  Hail  Mary  seven  times  at 
each  division,  then  ending  with  the  Hail  Mary 
three  times  in  honor  of  Our  Lady's  tears. 

Most  of  the  indulgences  can  be  gained  by 
merely  reciting  the  above-mentioned  prayers,  if 
for  any  reason  one  cannot  meditate  on  the  mys- 
teries of  the  seven  dolors.  To  gain  the  indul- 
gences the  beads  must  be  used;  and  they  must 
have  been  blessed  by  a  Servite  Father  or  by 
another  with  special  faculties.  One  hundred  days 
for  each  Our  Father  and  each  Hail  Mary,  if  the 
entire  chaplet  is  said,  is  but  one  of  the  many 
precious  indulgences  attached  to  this  Rosary. 

The  seven  sorrows  are:  the  Presentation  of 
Jesus  in  the  Temple;  the  Flight  into  Egypt; 
the  Loss  of  Jesus  in  the  Temple  at  the  Age  of 
Twelve;  the  Meeting  of  Jesus  Carrying  His 
Cross;  the  Standing  Beneath  the  Cross;  Jesus 
Taken  Down  from  the  Cross  and  Placed  in  the 
Arms  of  Mary;   the  Burial  of  Jesus. 


PERTAINING  TO  PRIESTS 

When  doctors  disagree  men  die,  but 
when  priests  disagree  what  are  we  to  do? 

You  refer  to  advice  and  decisions  given  in  the 
confessional  and  to  pronouncements  made  in 
conversations,  from  the  pulpit  and  elsewhere. 
As  regards  advice,  decisions,  and  directions  given 
in  the  confessional  it  cannot  well  be  asserted  by 
anyone  that  there  is  disagreement,  for  the  simple 
reason  that  no  one  can  say  with  certainty  that 
there  is.  Only  the  priest  and  the  penitent  know 
what  is  there  revealed,  what  is  asked  and  how 
it  is  answered,  what  circumstances  are  or  are 
not  mentioned.  In  the  confessional  the  priest 
deals  with  the  individual  soul  as  it  is  laid  open 
to  him  and  with  no  other.  Hence  the  informa- 
tion and  direction  given  to  one  may  be  very 
different  from  that  given  to  another  in  a  seemingly 
similar  case.  No  two  souls  are  alike.  "He  said 
this,"  says  one  overtalkative  penitent.  "And 
he  said  that,"  says  another.  But  neither  of  the 
two  ever  tell  all  that  they  said  and  directly  or 
indirectly  revealed  concerning  themselves.  Lay 
people  simply  do  not  understand,  as  we  say. 
Most  people  have  doubtless  never  heard  of 
probabilism,  for  instance,  the  name  applied  by 
moralists  to  the  system  which  holds  that,  with 
the  exception  of  certain  cases,  whenever  a  doubt 
exists  concerning  the  licitness  or  illicitness  of 
an  act,  and  the  doubt  cannot  be  resolved,  one 
is  permitted,  but  not  obliged,  to  follow  a  solidly 
probable  opinion  in  favor  of  liberty,  even  if  the 
opposite  opinion  in  favor  of  the  law  is  more 
probable.  So  it  is  better  not  to  talk  in  matters 
where  talk  may  but  betray  ignorance  and  mani- 
fold incompetence. 

Again,  as  regards  disagreements  and  seeming 

466 


PRIESTS  467 

disagreements,  and  conflicting  and  seemingly 
conflicting  utterances,  made  in  the  pulpit  or 
elsewhere,  it  is  well  to  recall  how  various  are  the 
legitimate  opinions,  principles,  and  convictions 
of  men.  It  is,  of  course,  not  permissible  even  to 
distinguish  between  essential  and  non-essential 
dogmas.  That  were  an  absurdity.  Our  faith 
must  extend  to  everything  revealed  by  God; 
and  to  believe  some  of  the  truths  revealed  by 
God  and  to  reject  others  would  be  to  have  no 
faith  at  all,  because  the  motive  of  credibility  is 
the  authority  of  God,  Who  is  absolute  Truth. 
Hence  there  can  be  no  disagreement  or  doubt 
touching  those  things  of  which  God,  Who  is 
Truth  Itself,  is  the  Author. 

However,  as  regards  things  not  revealed  there 
is  and  has  always  been  great  diversity  of  opinion, 
even  of  theological  opinion,  among  Catholics, 
especially  Catholic  scholars.  In  one  sense  we 
may  truly  say  that  the  Catholic  is  an  investigator 
in  matters  of  faith.  He  does  not,  of  course,  seek 
to  discover  a  new  God,  a  new  Church,  or  a  new  re- 
ligion; but,  while  giving  his  absolute  adherence 
to  matters  of  faith,  he  seeks  to  discover,  if  possible, 
more  cogent  reasons  for  accepting  in  belief  and 
practice  the  truths  once  revealed  to  the  Apostles 
as  well  as  the  best  methods  of  expounding  re- 
ligious truth  and  making  it  vital  in  the  lives  of 
men.  The  works  of  Catholics  in  this  field  are 
numerous  and  scholarly,  and  they  contribute  to 
genuine  progress,  moral  and  spiritual.  But 
when  the  Church  has  spoken,  there  is  no  diversity 
of  belief  as  to  what  is  the  truth  revealed  by  God. 

And,  anyhow,  we  cannot  agree  with  your 
statement,  "When  doctors  disagree  men  die." 
Very  often  that  is  the  very  reason  why  they  live. 

Recently  everybody  was  talking  about 
a  certain  Catholic  priest  who  was  deliver- 
ing a  sermon  over  the  radio  every  Sunday 
afternoon.     A  friend  of  mine  who  loves 


468  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

his  pastor  much  and  appreciates  his 
simple  sermons  said  to  me  that,  in  his 
opinion,  these  high-class  Catholic  sermons 
do  more  harm  than  good.  What  could  he 
have  meant? 

Your  friend  was  rather  extreme  in  his  views. 
Catholic  sermons  over  the  radio,  especially  those 
that  take  the  form  of  instruction  and  exposition 
of  doctrine,  can  do  no  end  of  good;  and  just 
because  the  radio  is  such  an  important  factor  in 
education  it  is  being  utilized  more  and  more  by 
Catholic  bodies  and  selected  speakers, — and 
rightly  so.  Thus,  for  example,  we  have  the 
deservedly  popular  "Catholic  Radio  Hour."  It 
is  a  source  of  untold  good. 

Your  friend  doubtless  meant  to  say  that  even 
Catholic  and  absolutely  orthodox  radio  sermons 
may  be  indirectly  harmful.  It  is  true.  They 
may  exercise  a  prejudicial  influence.  We  our- 
selves have  observed  cases  where  people  would 
absent  themselves  from  the  simple  yet  so  salutary 
and  spiritually  practical  Sunday  sermon  of  the 
parish  priest  and  openly  express  their  preference 
for  the  renowned  and  eloquent  Catholic  radio 
preacher.  "He's  a  mighty  fine  speaker  and  I  can 
sit  comfortable  in  my  arm-chair  (and  take  a 
smoke)  while  I'm  listening.  What  should  I  go 
to  church  and  hear  our  priest  for?  He's  a  poor 
speaker  anyhow,  compared  with  this  man.  I 
can  get  my  sermons  right  here  at  home."  Such 
is  the  gist  of  many  a  thoughtless  one's  argument. 
Anyone  can  see  the  harm  that  can  follow  from 
such  a  state  of  mind:  unfair  criticism  based  on 
faulty  judgment,  strained  and  distant  relations 
between  the  pastor  and  his  flock,  the  impairment 
of  the  religious  life  of  the  parish,  the  uneradication 
of  abuses.  Catholic  sermons  over  the  radio  are 
good,  very  good  things  indeed;  but  they  are  not 
intended  to,  and  never  should,  replace  the  regular 
Sunday  sermon,  no  matter  how  simple  it  may  be. 


PRIESTS  469 

It  is  the  pastor  speaking  to  his  people,  to  whom 
no  one  can  speak  as  he.  Allowing  for  reasonable 
exceptions,  every  Catholic  should  hear  a  sermon 
every  Sunday  and  that  in  his  parish  church. 
Having  done  that,  let  him  get  all  the  Catholic 
sermons  he  can  over  the  radio — the  more  the 
better. 

Do  all  Order  priests  have  to  take  the 
vow  of  poverty? 

Yes;  all  priests  of  a  religious  Order  or  Congre- 
gation properly  so  called  must  make  a  vow  of 
poverty,  though  there  are  various  degrees  of 
strictness  in  its  observance,  according  to  each 
institute's  Constitutions.  The  religious  state, 
says  Canon  487,  is  a  permanent  mode  of  living 
in  common,  by  which  the  faithful,  besides  obey- 
ing the  commandments,  also  observe  the  evan- 
gelical counsels  through  the  vows  of  obedience, 
chastity,  and  poverty.  This  state  is  to  be  held 
in  honor  by  all,  says  the  Canon. 

I  am  the  only  Catholic  in  the  office, 
and  the  others  always  bring  up  some 
questions  for  me  to  answer.  Please  help 
me  answer  this  one.  A  young  man  goes  to 
the  Seminary  and  studies  for  the  priest- 
hood and  likes  his  studies  very  well.  After 
twelve  years  of  study  he  is  ordained. 
But  when  he  is  a  priest  he  does  not  feel 
happy  and  wishes  to  ask  for  permission 
to  leave  the  priesthood.  If  he  leaves,  does 
he  have  to  give  up  his  religion  or  can  he 
still  be  a  Catholic?    And  can  he  marry? 

He  cannot  leave  the  priesthood.  Once  a  priest > 
he  is  a  priest  forever.  Holy  Orders  is  a  Sacrament 
by  which  bishops,  priests  and  other  ministers  of 
the  Church  are  ordained  and  receive  the  power 
and  grace  to  perform  their  sacred  duties.  In 
addition  to  the  effects  of  sanctifying  grace  and 
sacramental  grace,  this  Sacrament  likewise  im- 


47o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

'prints  an  indelible  character  upon  the  soul.  Hence, 
one  who  is  validly  ordained  priest  cannot  be  de- 
prived of  his  priesthood,  even  though  he  can  be 
suspended  from  the  exercise  thereof;  nor  can  he 
by  his  own  free  will,  by  heresy  or  apostasy,  for 
example,  lose  the  character  imprinted  on  his 
soul.  Therefore,  he  who  attempts  to  give  up  his 
priesthood  and  accordingly  turns  his  back  on 
his  religion  and  the  Catholic  Church  is  the  most 
miserable  and  pitiable  of  creatures.  What  a 
terrible  thing:  a  f alien-away  priest  and  yet  a 
priest  forever!    And  no;   he  can  not  marry. 

This  may  seem  very  severe.  In  reality  it  is  not 
so.  Such  a  young  man  knows  perfectly  well  what 
he  is  doing.  He  has  twelve  long  years  in  which  to 
reflect  upon  his  vocation.  He  is  not  chosen 
lightly  for  his  sacred  office,  but  is  watched  over 
for  years  by  intelligent  and  pious  seminary  pro- 
fessors, who,  only  after  a  most  careful  judgment, 
declare  him  worthy  of  the  sacred  ministry.  As 
the  time  of  his  ordination  draws  near  he  is  again 
and  again  officially  reminded  of  the  seriousness 
of  the  step  he  is  taking,  of  the  fact  that  there  can 
be  no  going  back  afterwards;  and  he  is  solemnly 
asked  not  to  approach  for  Holy  Orders  without 
his  full  consent  ("attentively  to  consider,  again 
and  again,  what  a  burden  they  this  day  freely 
seek");  told  that  he  may  freely  turn  back  before 
it  is  too  late.  Surely,  if  such  a  one  proves  a 
traitor  to  his  sublime  calling  he  is  alone  to  blame. 
If  he  is  unhappy  afterwards,  as  you  say,  he  can- 
not do  better  than  give  heed  to  the  Apostle's 
admonition:  "Wherefore,  brethren,  labor  the 
more,  that  by  good  works  you  may  make  sure 
your  calling  and  election."     (2  St.  Peter  1:10.) 

May  a  priest  refuse  to  baptize  a  child  if 
the  parents  of  that  child  do  not  pay  any- 
thing towards  the  support  of  the  church, 
providing   the  godfather   and  godmother 


PRIESTS  471 

answering  for  the  child  are  good  Catholics  ? 
If  the  priest  refuses  and  the  child  dies 
without  baptism,  who  is  responsible,  the 
parents,  the  godparents,  or  the  priest? 

Canon  463,  §4,  says  that  parish  priests  should 
never  refuse  to  serve  the  poor  who  cannot  pay, 
free  of  charge.  That  same  Canon  states  that 
every  parish  priest  is  entitled  to  the  income 
established  by  approved  custom  and  legitimate 
taxation.  We  know,  too,  that  the  fifth  command- 
ment of  the  Church  is  this,  "To  contribute  to 
the  support  of  our  pastor."  Rights  connote 
duties. 

We  may  mention  that  already  the  Third 
Council  of  Baltimore  established  that  priests 
should  remember  that  ecclesiastical  services 
should  be  given  gratis  to  the  poor  and  that  this 
law  should  be  re-enforced  at  diocesan  synods. 
Surely,  no  one  can  be  poorer  than  the  poor  child 
mentioned  in  the  above  question.  It  has  not 
even  supernatural  life,  is  not  even  a  child  of 
God  and  an  heir  of  heaven.  We  cannot  think 
that  a  priest  would  punish  such  a  child  for  the 
sins  of  its  parents,  all  the  less  so  since  the  god- 
parents are  good  Catholics,  and,  as  we  suppose, 
fully  alive  to  their  obligations  as  regards  the 
child.  Were  a  priest  to  refuse  to  baptize  such  a 
child,  we  would  say  there  must  be  some  ex- 
ceptional and  weighty  circumstances  that  de- 
cide him  in  this  course  of  action. 

Who  would  be  responsible?  We  must  leave 
that  to  the  infallible  judgment  of  God.  How- 
ever, we  do  not  see  how  the  godparents-to-be 
could  be  held  responsible. 

Let  us  remember  that  we  are  obliged  to  con- 
tribute to  the  support  of  our  pastors  and  to  bear 
our  share  in  the  expenses  of  church  and  school. 
Public  worship  is  a  natural  consequence  of  our 
social  nature  and  our  dependence  upon  God;  and 
the  expenses  of  such  public  worship  must  be  de- 


472.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

frayed  by  the  contributions  of  the  people  at  large. 
In  the  Old  Law  God  commanded,  "Thou  shalt 
not  delay  to  pay  thy  tithes  and  thy  first  fruits." 
(Exod.  22:29.)  We  gather  from  different  other 
references  made  to  the  subject  that  the  Levites 
received  the  tithes,  or  tenth  part,  of  all  animals, 
crops  and  fruits  raised  by  the  Israelites,  as  well 
as  the  firstlings  of  their  flocks.  With  the  advent 
of  Christianity  this  law  (of  giving  tithes)  ceased 
to  be  binding,  except  in  as  far  as  the  Church  re- 
enacted  it  in  its  entirety  or  in  part.  As  a  matter 
of  fact  the  payment  of  tithes  was  observed  in 
nearly  all  Catholic  countries  from  the  first 
establishment  of  Christianity  until  the  French 
Revolution.  St.  Augustine  (d.  430  A.D.)  teaches 
that  tithes  should  be  paid  as  a  debt  and  that 
those  who  refuse  to  give  them  forcibly  enter  the 
property  of  others,  i.  e.,  they  steal  their  neighbor's 
goods,  or  rather,  they  steal  what  belongs  to  God. 
And  the  Council  of  Trent,  which  finished  its 
labors  December  4,  1563,  decreed  that  tithes  are 
to  be  paid  in  full,  "and  they  who  either  withhold 
them  or  hinder  their  payment  shall  be  excom- 
municated; nor  shall  they  be  absolved  from  this 
crime  until  full  restitution  has  been  made."  (Sess. 
25,  ch.  12.) 

In  our  day  Catholics  (except,  perhaps,  in 
certain  limited  localities)  are  no  longer  bound  to 
set  apart  for  the  support  of  religion  one-tenth  of 
their  income.  We  have,  indeed,  the  fifth  com- 
mandment of  the  Church,  but  the  amount  to  be 
given  is  not  mentioned.  The  Church  leaves  it  to 
the  ability  and  to  the  generous  religious  spirit 
of  the  Catholic,  guided  by  particular  needs  of 
time  and  place.  Surely,  each  should  give  in  pro- 
portion to  his  income.  All  should  help  to  defray 
the  expenses  of  all  that  regards  the  maintenance 
of  our  holy  religion.  Home  and  foreign  missions 
should  also  appeal  to  the  Catholic  spirit  of  each 
individual.     This  work  cannot  be  imposed  as  a 


PRIESTS  473 

duty  of  justice,  like  the  obligation  to  contribute 
towards  the  maintenance  of  the  public  worship 
and  of  the  parochial  school;  but  it  is  of  all  char- 
ities the  most  excellent  and  meritorious;  for 
there  can  be  nothing  more  acceptable  to  God  than 
to  co-operate  in  the  salvation  of  souls  for  which 
the  Savior  bled  and  died. 

Why  do  priests,  generally,  not  wear  a 
beard?     Is  it  forbidden  them? 

Since  this  question  has  been  asked  so  often  we 
here  give  a  brief  answer,  even  though  it  be  of 
little  practical  value.  In  the  Oriental  Church 
the  wearing  of  a  beard  by  priests  is  customary; 
in  the  Western  Church,  due  to  a  kind  of  unwritten 
law  prevailing  heretofore,  the  law  of  custom,  it  is 
not  customary,  with  the  exception  of  members  of 
certain  religious  orders.  This  custom  of  priests 
generally  not  wearing  a  beard  dates  from  the 
year  1700.  Today  the  wearing  of  the  beard  is 
not  forbidden  by  common  law,  that  is,  by  the 
New  Code  of  Canon  Law.  The  Code  does  not 
say  a  word  about  it.  Hence,  some  were  led  to 
think  that  the  matter  is  now  quite  optional. 
But  upon  a  certain  inquiry  made,  the  Sacred 
Congregation  of  the  Council  gave  an  answer 
(January  10,  1920),  which  was  expressly  confirmed 
by  the  Pope,  to  the  effect  that  the  Code  does  not 
without  more  ado  leave  the  secular  clergy  free  to 
wear  a  beard  and  that  it  is  within  the  province  of 
the  bishops  to  keep  in  force  in  their  respective 
dioceses  the  custom  heretofore  existing  of  not 
wearing  the  beard. 

But  strict  law  there  is  none.  Doubtless  the 
reason  why  the  Code  is  silent  in  the  matter  is  the 
fact  that  the  reason  for  the  former  law  no  longer 
exists.  This  prohibition,  like  the  prescriptions 
regarding  the  tonsure  and  clerical  dress,  had  for 
its  object  to  distinguish  priests  from  lay  people, 
among  whom  the  wearing  of  a  beard  was  quite 


474  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

common  in  former  times.  But  in  our  day,  as  is 
evident,  the  prohibition  no  longer  thus  dis- 
tinguishes, since  almost  every  man  shaves. 
Indeed,  just  the  contrary:  today  the  wearing  of 
a  beard  would  differentiate  the  priest  from  the 
layman.  Hence  the  Church  no  longer  formulates 
a  law  that  would  be  meaningless  in  view  of  the 
changed  times. 

May  priests  wear  rings?  It  seems  they 
never  do. 

No;  Canon  Law  expressly  forbids  it.  Rings, 
either  with  or  without  gems,  are  permitted  only 
to  those  whom  the  law  or  an  Apostolic  privilege 
has  endowed  with  the  right  of  wearing  them. 
Hence  only  cardinals,  bishops,  and  blessed 
abbots  are  allowed  to  wear  them  always,  also  at 
Holy  Mass,  while  non-participating  prothono- 
taries,  and  doctors,  and  other  abbots  are  allowed 
to  wear  them  except  at  Mass. 

I  have  often  seen  priests  saying  their 
Office,  and  while  saying  it  they  walked 
back  and  forth.  I  have  been  told  that 
priests  have  to  say  their  Office  walking 
back  and  forth.  If  they  have  to  do  this, 
what  does  it  signify? 

They  do  not  have  to  do  this.  It  is  a  matter  of 
choice  to  the  priest  whether  he  shall  say  his 
Breviary  kneeling,  sitting,  standing  or  walking. 
Priests  often  say  their  Office  while  slowly  walking 
to  and  fro.  Some  find  this  an  aid  to  devotion 
and  recollection,  and  at  the  same  time  it  gives 
the  busy  priest  an  opportunity  to  get  a  bit  of 
fresh  air  and  a  little  exercise  and  relaxation. 
That  is  what  it  signifies — and  nothing  more. 

Is  a  Catholic  bound  to  obey  his  pastor 
in  all  things  relating  to  the  church  or 
only  in  spiritual  affairs — affairs  of  the 
soul? 


PRIESTS  475 

The  catechism  asks  a  similar  question:  "Are 
we  bound  to  honor  and  obey  others  than  our 
parents?"  And  the  answer  is:  "We  are  bound 
to  honor  and  obey  our  bishops,  pastors,  magis- 
trates, teachers,  and  other  lawful  superiors." 

The  reason  for  this  answer  is  evident  to  anyr 
one  who  considers  that  superiors  should  be  in  ou^ 
eyes  what  they  are  in  the  eyes  of  God.  Goo 
order  demands  that  some  should  command,  other 
obey;  that  some  should  govern  and  others  b^ 
governed.  Some  govern  for  the  temporal  welfar' 
of  their  subjects  and  others  for  their  spiritua 
welfare.  The  Church  was  founded  by  Christ  to 
bring  all  her  members  to  their  ultimate  end. 
Hence  it  is  that  all  spiritual  authority  justly  de- 
mands from  its  subjects  co-operation  in  action 
for  the  individual  and  general  welfare  in  things 
spiritual.  The  Pope  and  the  bishops  are  the 
established  rulers  of  the  Church,  and  we  owe 
respect  and  obedience  to  them;  and  not  only  to 
them,  but  to  all  those  appointed  by  them,  such  as 
are  our  pastors.  To  all  so  appointed  by  them  over 
usy  we  owe  respect  and  obedience.  Of  course,  we 
must  honor  all  priests  because  they  are  Christ's 
ambassadors,  but  we  owe  them  no  obedience 
unless  they  be  our  lawfully  appointed  superiors. 

This  duty  of  respect  and  obedience  extends 
also  to  all  orders,  directions,  and  teachings, 
emanating  from  the  lawfully  established  author- 
ity, the  Pope  and  bishops  (and  the  pastor,  who 
represents  the  bishop),  and  that  not  only  in 
matters  strictly  spiritual,  but  also  in  matters  that 
are  in  any  way  connected  with  what  is  spiritual. 

How  does  the  Church  insure  the  in- 
fallible Word  of  God  being  given  to  us? 
When  and  how,  for  instance,  is  the  priest 
the  voice  of  the  Church? 

This  brings  us  to  another  attribute  of  the 
Church,  its  authority.     By  the  authority  of  the 


476  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Church  we  mean  the  right  and  power  which  the 
Pope  and  bishops,  as  successors  of  the  Apostles, 
have  to  teach  and  govern  the  faithful.  Priests 
are  the  assistants  of  the  bishops,  empowered  by 
them  to  preach  the  word  of  God  to  the  faithful. 
Inasmuch  as  they  announce  the  teachings  of  the 
infallible  Church  they  may  be  called  the  voice 
of  the  Church. 

Given  two  men,  one  a  religious  priest 
and  the  other  a  lay  Brother,  who  both  do 
work  relative  to  their  vocation  for  the 
same  length  of  time,  with  the  same  good 
intention,  the  same  love  and  ardor,  and 
who  both  make  sacrifices  of  the  same 
degree  of  heroism.  Will  they  both  receive 
the  same  reward  in  heaven  or  will  the  one 
receive  more  than  the  other? 

There  will  undoubtedly  be  many  a  surprise  in 
store  for  us  when  we  get  to  heaven.  We  will 
then  realize  the  folly  of  human  wisdom  and  how 
true  it  is  that  God's  ways  are  not  our  ways. 

Taking  your  question  as  it  stands,  we  must  say 
that  the  priest  will  receive  the  greater  reward; 
for  his  is  the  most  sacred  of  all  callings,  with 
most  sacred  duties  and  functions.  To  mention 
only  one  thing,  there  is  the  fructus  specialissimus 
of  the  Mass,  the  very  special  fruit  of  the  Mass, 
which  belongs  entirely  to  the  priest  who  offers 
the  August  Sacrifice. 

As  for  the  rest,  we  quote  St.  Paul.  Writing 
to  Timothy,  he  says,  "Let  the  priests  that  rule 
well  be  esteemed  worthy  of  double  honor ,  especially 
they  who  labor  in  the  word  and  doctrine." 

If  a  person  gives  nothing  to  the  church 
except  Mass  intentions  or  other  offerings 
promised  in  thanksgiving  for  favors  re- 
ceived, has  he  fulfilled  the  commandment 
of  the  Church  which  bids  us  contribute  to 
the  support  of  the  pastor? 


PRIESTS  477 

That  depends  upon  a  number  of  things,  the 
circumstances  of  the  person  concerned,  the 
circumstances  of  the  pastor,  of  the  parish,  etc. 
Generally  speaking,  we  would  say  it  is  hardly 
sufficient. 

We  believe  that  a  few  concise  remarks  about 
this  important  question  would  not  be  out  of 
place  here.  As  regards  supporting  the  Church, 
all  should  know  the  following: 

1.  The  Church  has  the  right  to  demand  that 
the  faithful  support  church  and  pastor. 

2.  Corresponding  to  this  right,  there  is  the 
duty  on  the  part  of  the  faithful  of  providing  the 
means  necessary  for  the  public  worship  of  God 
and  for  the  support  of  those  engaged  therein. 

3.  The  manner  of  complying  with  this  obliga- 
tion is  determined  by  the  Church  for  every  age 
and  country. 

4.  The  obligation  of  meeting  this  duty  is  one 
of  both  religion  and  justice.  The  obligation  is, 
accordingly,  grave,  though  it  is  not  easy  to  say 
just  when  a  mortal  sin  is  committed  by  failure 
to  meet  it.  Archbishop  Kenrick,  having  in  mind 
particularly  conditions  in  this  country,  says: 
"All  must  be  convinced  that  each  individual 
Catholic  is  in  duty  bound  to  contribute  some- 
thing on  his  part  towards  the  necessary  support 
of  the  clergy;  but  as  long  as  this  obligation  is 
not  enjoined  and  defined  by  any  definite  law, 
we  would  not  venture  to  condemn  anyone  as 
guilty  of  mortal  sin  who  neglects  to  contribute  a 
fair  share,  provided  there  is  no  danger  that  the 
clergy  suffer  want  and  provided  others  are  not 
unduly  burdened  on  this  account.  However, 
those  who,  in  the  circumstances  just  described, 
refuse  to  give  anything  out  of  avarice,  seem  to 
be  guilty  of  a  grave  fault  and  unworthy  of  sacra- 
mental absolution,  because  they  transgress  the 
law  of  Christ  our  Lord  concerning  the  support 
of  the  ministers  of  the  Gospel  and  endanger  their 


478  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

own  salvation  and  that  of  others."     (The  italics 
in  this  quotation  are  ours.) 

We  cannot  refrain  from  the  additional  remark, 
not  made  as  a  reflection  upon  the  questioner,  but 
for  the  enlightenment  of  the  general  public,  that 
to  be  "stingy  towards  the  church"  is  "mighty 
mean  stinginess." 

In  Catholic  magazines  I  have  often 
read  about  the  faults  of  the  people,  such 
as  using  the  name  of  God  in  vain,  etc. 
There  are  some  priests  who  have  such 
faults,  too.  I  hear  other  things.  I  read 
somewhere  that  once  a  priest,  forever  a 
priest.    Why  then  ask  a  pastor  to  resign? 

We  note  that  you  say  some  priests  have  such 
faults.  That,  after  all,  is  to  be  expected,  since 
the  priest  is  a  man,  taken  from  amongst  men. 
But  every  priest,  each  morning  at  the  foot  of  the 
altar,  in  the  Confiteor  of  the  Mass,  makes  a 
public,  spontaneous,  sincere,  and  honorable  con- 
fession that  he  is  a  sinner.  Then  the  people, 
represented  by  the  servers,  do  the  same.  And 
mutually  priest  and  people  pray  for  each  other — 
they  actually  do:  "May  the  almighty  God  have 
mercy  on  you,  and  forgive  you  your  sins,  and 
bring  you  to  life  everlasting.  Amen."  Since  you 
pray  for  him  thus  at  Mass,  why  does  the  echo  of 
those  words  already  die  away  at  the  very  entrance 
of  the  house  of  God,  perhaps,  to  give  place  to 
talk  that  scourges  the  poor  priest  and  drags  his 
sacred  person  in  the  dust?  Have  you,  for  instance, 
a  Miser eatur  for  him  when  in  your  presence 
others  speak  of  the  possible  sins  or  the  known 
failings  of  a  priest?  Do  you  defend  him  when 
devilish,  character-killing  calumnies  raise  their 
serpentine  heads  and  do  all  in  their  power  to 
strike  priest  and  Church  with  the  deadly  sting 
of  evil  suspicion?  When  you  hear  that  papers 
bring   hateful,   disgusting   articles   against   him? 


PRIESTS  479 

When  the  murderous  whisperings  of  evil  tongues 
hiss  in  your  ears?  When  evil  reports  brazenly 
besmirch  the  fair  name  of  the  representative  of 
Christ?  Others  simply  repeat  everything,  with- 
out worrying  in  the  least  whether  what  it  thus 
said  about  the  priest  is  true  or  not,  but  you — 
what  stand  do  you  take  in  this  matter?  Does 
your  answer  then  resemble  a  Miser eatur  or  is  it 
rather  like  a  fierce  Crucifigatur  ("Let  him  be  cruci- 
fied!"), inasmuch  as  you  join  in  with  the  others? 

And  what  happens  in  families?  We  will  not 
say  in  godless  families,  but  in  families  that  still 
wish  to  be  considered  as  sterling  Catholics  and, 
indeed,  very  religious — what  happens  there  when 
by  chance  the  conversation  turns  upon  a  priest 
who  unfortunately,  being  but  human,  has  made 
a  mistake,  or  who  has  laid  himself  open  to  re- 
proach, or  who  has  not  been  an  honor  to  his 
exalted  calling?  Alas!  how  roughly  the  priest  is 
treated  even  in  such  a  "genuinely  Catholic"  circle! 
What  harsh  judgments  are  passed  upon  him! 
How  sadly  he  is  torn  to  tatters;  and  that  often 
in  the  presence  of  guileless  little  ones!  What  is  the 
refrain  of  such  like  talk?  Is  it  the  soothing  music 
of  the  Misereatur  ("May  the  almighty  God  have 
mercy"  .  .  .  .)  or  the  hellish  discord  of  the 
blood-curdling  Tolle,  tolle,  crucifigatur!  ("Away 
with  him,  away  with  him,  let  him  be  crucified!")? 
Alas!  is  there  not  a  vestige  of  fraternal  charity 
anywhe  re? 

And  it  is  just  such  Christians  who  never  have 
a  word  of  sympathy  to  spare  for  the  priests;  it  is 
just  such  as  these  who  demand  that  everywhere 
and  at  all  times  he  manifest  the  most  heroic  spirit 
of  self-sacrifice;  that  he  live  on  fastings  and 
scourgings;  that  he  never  indulge  in  even  the 
most  innocent  pleasure;  that  he  possess  the  very 
highest  degree  of  perfection;  in  a  word,  that  he  be 
an  angel  and  not  a  man.  It  is  just  those  who  de- 
light the   most  in  robbing  him  of  his  good  name. 


480  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

who  criticize  his  every  little  fault  in  the  family 
circle — it  is  just  those  who  themselves  need  the 
Miser eatur  more  than  anyone  else!  And  for  their 
own  persons  they  are  the  very  first  to  demand  it 
from  the  lips  of  the  priest.  But  theirs  is  not  the 
magnanimity  to  pronounce  it  for  others — theirs  is 
not  even  the  common  politeness  to  do  so! 

But  early  in  the  morning  they  shall  hear  from 
the  lips  of  the  priest  whom  they  so  shamefully 
berated  in  their  talk  or  whom,  without  a  word  of 
protest,  they  permitted  others  to  malign — from 
his  lips  they  shall  hear  the  beautiful  lesson  of 
Christian  charity  that  gladly  forgives  and  forgets. 
Misereatur  vestri  .  .  .  Indulgentiam,  absolutionem 
.  .  .  "May  the  almighty  God  have  mercy  on 
you,"  he  will  say,  "may  He  grant  you  pardon, 
absolution,  and  remission  of  your  sins."  But 
they  will  not  understand  that  sweet  lesson  of 
brotherly  love.  When,  O  when  will  the  faithful 
finally  understand  the  far-reaching  lesson  of  these 
simple  words!  When  will  they  finally  take  to 
heart  the  wondrous  lessons  of  Holy  Mass  and 
make  practical  application? 

Of  course,  you  understand  that  a  priest  who 
resigns  is  still  a  priest;  resignation  is  usually  a 
transfer.  But  even  if  a  priest  were  suspended  or 
excommunicated,  forbidden  to  exercise  his  sacred 
office,  he  would  still  be  a  priest  with  the  indelible 
mark  of  the  priesthood  upon  his  soul.  "Thou  art 
a  priest  forever."  Moreover,  we  must  not  forget 
to  add  that  the  Savior  tells  us  scandals  are  sure 
to  come,  but  woe  to  him  by  whom  the  scandal 
cometh! 

I  was  told  that  one  cannot  go  to  con- 
fession to  a  priest  of  a  different  diocese 
until  he  first  receives  permission  from  his 
bishop  to  hear  confessions  of  those  out- 
side his  diocese.    Is  that  true? 

The   question   is   rather   confused   and   shows 


PRIESTS  481 

that  you  have  been  wrongly  informed.  First  of 
all,  this  matter  does  not  refer  to  the  faithful  at 
all — they  may  go  to  confession  anywhere;  it 
refers  to  the  priest.  Again  the  bishop  of  diocese 
A  cannot  give  permission  to  a  priest  to  hear  con- 
fessions in  diocese  B.  The  faculties  must  be 
obtained  from  the  bishop  of  that  diocese  in  which 
the  priest  hears  confessions.  The  faithful  need 
never  trouble  themselves  in  the  least  about  this. 
They  may  always  be  assured  that  the  priest  has 
all  ordinary  requisite  faculties,  otherwise  he  would 
not  be  hearing  confessions. 

Perhaps  a  little  explanation  may  be  repeated 
here.  Remember  that  the  priest  who  hears  con- 
fessions must  be  duly  authorized,  as  the  cate- 
chism says,  for  simple  ordination  confers  the 
power  only,  but  not  the  jurisdiction:  he  has  to 
exercise  his  power  over  others,  and  if  these  are 
not  subject  to  his  authority,  he  is  not  authorized 
to  pronounce  judgment  on  them;  and  if  he  does 
so,  his  absolution  is  invalid. 

By  Christ's  institution  there  are  in  the  Church 
two  kinds  of  jurisdiction,  taken  in  the  restricted 
sense,  of  exercising  the  priestly  functions:  one, 
general  and  supreme,  belonging  to  the  Pope,  the 
Vicar  of  Christ,  whose  jurisdiction  is  unlimited  as 
to  place  or  person;  and  the  other,  a  subordinate 
jurisdiction,  that  is,  one  limited  to  place  or 
persons,  belonging  to  the  bishops  within  their 
respective  dioceses.  The  Pope  can  subdelegate 
his  power  to  any  person  within  the  Church,  who 
is  capable  of  it,  and  likewise  the  bishop  can  sub- 
delegate  his  jurisdiction  to  any  one  of  his  subjects 
that  is  capable  of  it,  but  only  within  the  limits  of 
his  diocese.  The  Pope  may  except  from  the 
jurisdiction  of  any  priest  or  bishop  any  place, 
person,  act  or  sin,  and  the  bishops  also  have  the 
right  to  withhold  some  grave  sins  from  the  juris- 
diction of  their  priests,  but  their  power  is  sub- 
ordinate to  that  of  the  Supreme  Pontiff  and  to 


482.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

the  general  laws  and  dispositions  of  the  Church. 
Hence  the  priests  of  one  diocese  cannot  validly 
absolve  in  another  diocese  without  the  authoriza- 
tion of  the  bishop  of  the  diocese  wherein  the  priest 
hears  confessions.  But  in  danger  of  death,  the 
Church,  like  a  good  mother,  supplies  all  defects 
of  jurisdiction,  so  that  a  person  in  such  danger 
may  validly  be  absolved  by  any  priest,  not  even 
excepting  a  schismatic  or  excommunicated  priest. 

Yesterday  I  attended  a  Pontifical  Mass 
celebrated  by  a  Rt.  Rev.  Abbot  and  in  the 
afternoon  a  Benediction  at  which  a  Cardi- 
nal assisted.  On  both  occasions  I  noticed 
that  before  the  priest  preached  the  sermon 
he  knelt  down  and  kissed  the  hand  of  the 
Abbot  and  of  the  Cardinal.  Am  I  taking 
too  much  liberty  if  I  kiss  the  hand  of  a 
priest  when  I  meet  him?  I  did  it  once 
and  his  look  seemed  to  say:  "You  must 
not  do  that." 

In  the  cases  you  mention  about  the  Abbot 
and  the  Cardinal  it  was  a  part  of  the  ceremony 
that  the  preacher  ask  for  the  blessing  and  then 
kiss  the  ring  of  the  Abbot  or  Cardinal  respectively. 
Thus,  too,  it  is  customary  to  kiss  the  ring  of  a 
Bishop  when  meeting  him  personally.  We  may 
add  here,  by  way  of  instruction,  that  the  pontifical 
ring  conferred  at  the  consecration  of  a  Bishop  or 
the  blessing  of  an  Abbot,  indicates  the  recipient's 
betrothal  to  the  Church.  An  indulgence  is 
granted  to  the  faithful  who  devoutly  kiss  the  ring 
of  the  Pope,  a  Cardinal,  a  Patriarch,  an  Arch- 
bishop, or  a  Bishop.  (Cf.  Preces  et  Pia  Opera, 
issued  Dec.  31,  1937.) 

As  regards  kissing  the  consecrated  hand  (he 
wears  no  ring)  of  a  priest  out  of  reverence  for  his 
sacred  dignity,  instead  of  shaking  hands  in  the 
ordinary  way,  there  is  surely  nothing  wrong  about 
it.     It  is  a  truly  Catholic  custom,  where  it  is 


PRIESTS  483 

found.  In  some  countries  or  localities  it  is  the 
general  practice  to  kiss  the  priest's  hand  when 
meeting  him.  In  our  country  it  is  frequently 
done  by  those  who  are  accustomed  to  the  practice 
from  elsewhere.  However,  it  is  somewhat  un- 
usual and  hence  may  attract  too  much  attention 
and  thus  be  embarrassing  to  the  priest.  That  is 
doubtless  why  his  look  seemed  to  say:  "You 
must  not  do  that."  But  a  look  is  not  a  command 
in  this  case,  though  respect  and  appreciation 
will  naturally  result  in  such  conduct  towards  the 
priest  as  will  not  embarrass  him  or  be  open  to 
comment  or  misunderstanding.     | pKr7. 

A  friend  of  mine  told  me  that  Alexander 
VI  was  a  morally  bad  Pope  and  that  Julius 
II  was  a  rascal.  That  certainly  sounds 
rather  fantastic  to  me,  but,  nevertheless, 
I  would  appreciate  details  concerning  the 
above.  Also  tell  me,  is  the  "History  of 
the  Popes,"  by  Pastor,  authentic? 

There  was  a  Judas  among  the  Apostles,  and, 
therefore,  the  proportion  of  unworthy  Apostles 
was  one  out  of  twelve.  The  proportion  of  un- 
worthy Popes  is  much  less.  Out  of  an  illustrious 
line  of  two  hundred  and  sixty -two  Popes,  seventy- 
six  of  whom  are  reckoned  among  the  saints,  only 
a  few  were  unworthy  of  their  high  office,  such  as 
John  XII  (955-964),  Benedict  IX  (1024-1032), 
and  Alexander  VI  (1492-1503).  Pope  Julius  II 
is  not  enumerated  among  the  unworthy;  his  was 
an  illustrious  reign.  Some  historians  have  tried 
to  whitewash  Pope  Alexander  VI,  but  we  hold 
with  Pope  Leo  XIII:  "The  Church  has  no  need 
of  any  man's  lie."  The  most  scholarly  Catholic 
historian  of  the  Popes,  Ludwig  Pastor  (whose 
masterly  "History  of  the  Popes,"  now  translated 
into  English,  is  most  authentic  and  highly  to  be 
recommended),  grants  that  Alexander  lived  the 
immoral  life  of  a  secular  prince  of  his  day,  both 


484  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

as  Cardinal  and  Pope,  and  that  he  was  guilty  of 
simony  and  lack  of  moral  sense.  He  frees  him, 
however,  from  the  calumnious  charges  of  incest 
and  poisoning. 

Catholics  will  do  well  always  to  distinguish 
between  the  infallibility  of  the  Popes,  that  is, 
their  freedom  from  error  in  declaring  to  the 
world  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  and  impeccability, 
freedom  from  sin.  These  are  two  entirely  different 
things.  We  naturally  expect  the  Popes  to  be  of 
the  highest  moral  character — and,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  most  of  them  have  been;  and  yet  we  know 
that  the  prerogative  of  infallibility  has  nothing 
whatever  to  do  with  the  Pope's  personal  goodness 
or  wickedness. 

In  this  connection  it  might  also  be  well  to  recall 
that  the  Church  teaches  that  a  temporal  or  an 
ecclesiastical  superior  does  not  lose  his  authority 
whilst  he  is  in  a  state  of  mortal  sin.  It  may  also 
be  well  to  remark  that  Dean  Maitland,  an  honest 
non-Catholic  historian,  says:  "It  appears  to  be 
the  testimony  of  history  that  the  monks  and 
clergy  were  at  all  times  and  places  better  than 
the  people."  Voltaire,  archenemy  of  Christi- 
anity, makes  the  same  admission. 

We  sometimes  hear  it  said  in  sermons 
that  the  people  are  priests  too.  It  is 
rather  puzzling  and  I  do  not  understand. 
Can  you  explain? 

St.  Peter,  addressing  Christians  in  general, 
says:  "Be  you  also  ...  a  holy  priesthood,  to 
offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices,  acceptable  to  God  by 
Jesus  Christ"  (1  Peter  2:5).  These  words,  often 
quoted,  must  be  properly  understood.  The 
spiritual  sacrifices  here  mentioned,  to  give  an 
obvious  explanation  of  the  text,  are  all  the  actions 
we  perform  to  pay  to  God  the  homage  due  to 
Him.  As  St.  Augustine  says:  "Everything  that 
we  do  for  the  purpose  of  uniting  ourselves  to  God 


PRIESTS  485 

in  a  hallowed  union,  directing  our  attention  to 
Him,  the  sovereign  Good,  the  source  of  all  happi- 
ness, is  really  and  truly  a  sacrifice." 

Of  course,  the  faithful  are  not  priests  in  the 
sense  that  they  have  the  power  and  the  right  to 
celebrate  the  adorable  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass.  To 
assert  this  would  be  a  heresy,  since  that  privilege 
belongs  solely  to  those  who  have  received  Holy 
Orders.  But  the  faithful  are  "a  holy  priesthood" 
in  the  sense  that,  by  corresponding  faithfully  to 
the  grace  of  their  baptism,  they  sacrifice  them- 
selves continually  to  the  glory  of  God,  immolat- 
ing their  unruly  passions  by  perpetual  mortifica- 
tion and  giving  themselves,  of  their  own  free  will, 
to  be  consumed  in  a  furnace  of  ever-increasing 
charity. 

These  words  of  St.  Peter  are  often  used  in  ex- 
planations of  Holy  Mass,  especially  in  instruc- 
tions regarding  the  assistance,  the  active  partici- 
pation, of  the  faithful  at  Holy  Mass.  Christ  is 
the  Head  of  the  Mystical  Body  of  His  Church; 
we  are  the  members.  Christ  is  the  great  High 
Priest  and  Principal  Offerer  in  every  Mass; 
the  priest  we  see  at  the  altar  is  the  secondary 
offerer,  who  makes  Christ  visible,  so  to  speak. 
We  are  co-offerers  with  Christ,  inasmuch  as  the 
members  participate  in  the  action  of  the  Head. 
In  this  sense,  too,  we  are  "a  holy  priesthood." 
That  is  why  every  Mass  at  which  you  assist  is 
truly  your  Mass  also.  How  often  during  Mass 
the  priest  says  we,  us,  our.  "Pray,  brethren," 
he  says  at  the  Orate  Fr aires,  "that  my  sacrifice 
and  yours  may  be  acceptable  to  God  the  Father 
almighty."    Assist  at  Mass  in  this  spirit  always. 


PERTAINING  TO   PURGATORY, 
HEAVEN,  AND  HELL 

Why  is  there  so  much  writing  and 
preaching  on  subjects  that  tend  to  fill  the 
soul  with  fear?  I  believe  man's  worst 
enemy  is  fear.  Fear  weakens  the  mind 
and  body  and  makes  us  incompetent. 
I  sometimes  wonder  how  we  can  keep  well 
at  all  when  we  are  so  fearful :  fear  of  sick- 
ness, fear  of  sufferings,  fear  of  death,  fear 
of  purgatory,  and  fear  of  hell! 

Fear  of  death  and  purgatory  and  hell  does  not 
seem  to  disturb  people  overmuch,  to  judge  from 
the  fact  that  so  many  are  not  even  enough  afraid 
of  these  terrible  things  to  refrain  from  com- 
mitting grievous  sin.  An  increase  of  a  salutary 
fear  of  God  were,  indeed,  much  to  be  desired. 
Says  the  Savior:  "Fear  ye  not  them  that  kill 
the  body  and  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul:  but 
rather  fear  Him  Who  can  destroy  both  soul  and 
body  in  hell."  (St.  Matthew  10:23.)  The  love 
of  God  grows  mighty  weak  at  times,  and  only 
fear  can  save  us  then.  No  wonder  holy  men 
have  ever  prayed:  "O  God,  if  ever  my  love  for 
Thee  does  not  keep  me  from  sin,  grant  that  at 
least  the  fear  of  hell  may  do  so!"  It  is  surely 
better  to  serve  God  out  of  love.  "Perfect  charity 
casteth  out  fear."  (I  St.  John  4:18.)  But  even 
if  a  man  were  to  say,  "Were  it  not  for  the  punish- 
ment, I  would  not  restrain  myself  from  evil, 
nor  would  I  do  good,"  his  fear,  though  servile 
and  imperfect,  would  nevertheless  be  substantially 
good;  for  it  recognizes  infinite  justice.  Still, 
what  we  should  strive  after  is  filial  fear.  "For 
you  have  not  received  the  spirit  of  bondage 
again  in  fear;    but  you  have  received  the  spirit 

486 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL      487 

of  the  adoption  of  sons,  whereby  we  cry  Abba 
(Father)."     (Rom.  8:15.) 

And  yet  how  truly  we  should  fear!  Indeed, 
as  you  know,  the  fear  of  the  Lord  is  one  of  the 
seven  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  We  receive  this 
gift  in  order  that  we  may  be  filled"  with  a  dread 
of  sin.  "The  fear  of  the  Lord  driveth  out  sin." 
(Ecclus.  1:27.) 

We  enlarge  upon  this  subject  because  the 
ignorance  shown  by  the  above  question  is  only 
too  common — and  a  very  successful  trick  of  the 
devil  in  these  days.  "A  wise  man  feareth  and 
declineth  from  evil,"  says  Holy  Writ  (Pro v. 
14:16);  and,  "By  the  fear  of  the  Lord  every 
one  declineth  from  evil"  (Prov.  15:27).  From 
this  we  understand  that  the  first  step  by  which 
the  sinner  is  ordinarily  converted  from  his  evil 
ways  is  the  fear  of  God,  Who,  being  all-wise  and 
all-holy,  punishes  all  sin  in  justice  and  truth, 
that  is,  according  to  His  infinite  justice  and  His 
infinite  wisdom.  But  we  must  not  conclude  from 
this  that  anyone  may  abandon  all  fear  of  the 
Lord  when  he  has  abandoned  a  sinful  life.  The 
wise  man  continues  to  dread  the  great  evil  of 
sin,  in  order  to  expiate  it  the  more,  and  to  keep 
away  from  all  danger  of  it.  He  knows  full  well 
that  he  is  prone  to  evil;  he  is,  therefore,  diffident 
of  himself;  but  the  more  he  advances  in  wisdom 
the  more  he  confides  in  the  goodness  of  God. 
And  his  fear  of  God  is  tempered  by  a  firm  con- 
fidence in  his  Savior's  merits  and  by  a  sincere 
and  consoling  trust  in  God's  mercy.  The  fear  of 
the  Lord  is  then  what  it  should  be:  a  reverential 
fear,  by  which  we  subject  ourselves  to  the  will 
of  God  and,  as  a  consequence,  dread  sin,  which 
He  detests  and  abhors. 

Such  should  be  our  fear  of  the  Lord.  Such 
fear  leads  us  to  hate  and  avoid  the  occasions  of 
sin;  deepens  the  consciousness  of  our  frailty 
without  rendering  us  pusillanimous;    reminds  us 


488  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

of  past  failures  without  lessening  our  hope; 
warns  us  of  future  dangers  without  impairing  our 
spirit  of  holy  enterprise;  induces  us  to  guard  the 
senses,  to  mortify  the  flesh,  to  bridle  the  imagina- 
tion, and  to  keep  the  affections  of  the  heart  first 
and  last  for  God.  No;  there  is  no  danger  of 
arousing  too  much  of  this  salutary  fear  of  the 
Lord.    On  the  contrary,  there  is  not  enough  of  it. 

Heaven,  hell,  and  purgatory  are  con- 
ditions and  not  places,  are  they  not?  In 
that  case  they  may  be  anywhere  and  all 
around  us.  In  that  case  couldn't  spirits 
be  seen  or  heard,  or  am  I  right  in  my 
belief  that  a  soul  is  permitted  by  God  to 
return  to  this  earth  and  appear  only  for 
a  specific  reason  beneficial  to  the  one  to 
whom  that  soul  appears? 

As  regards  heaven,  we  may  say  that  it  is  not 
only  a  state  but  also  a  place,  the  dwelling  of 
God  and  the  blessed.  Some,  indeed,  are  of  the 
opinion  that  heaven  is  everywhere,  as  God  is 
everywhere.  According  to  this  view  the  blessed 
can  move  about  freely  in  every  part  of  the  uni- 
verse and  still  remain  with  God  and  see  Him 
everywhere.  In  general,  however,  theologians 
deem  it  more  appropriate  that  there  should  be  a 
special  and  glorious  abode,  in  which  the  blessed 
have  their  peculiar  home  and  where  they  usually 
abide,  even  though  they  be  free  to  go  about  in 
this  world.  Hence  there  seems  to  be  no  sufficient 
reason  for  attributing  a  metaphorical  sense  to 
those  numerous  utterances  of  Holy  Writ  which 
suggest  a  definite  dwelling-place  of  the  blessed. 
Theologians,  therefore,  generally  hold  that  the 
heaven  of  the  blessed  is  a  special  place  with 
definite  limits.  Naturally,  it  is  held  that  this 
place  exists,  not  within  the  earth,  but,  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  expressions  of  Scripture,  with- 
out and  beyond  its  limits.    All  further  details  as 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  489 

regards  its  location  are  quite  uncertain.  The 
Church  has  decided  nothing  on  this  subject. 

As  regards  hell,  it,  too,  is  not  only  a  state  but 
also  a  definite  place.  Some,  indeed,  were  of  the 
opinion  that  hell  is  everywhere,  that  the  damned 
are  at  liberty  to  roam  about  in  the  entire  universe, 
but  that  they  carry  their  punishment  with  them. 
However,  that  opinion  is  universally  and  de- 
servedly rejected.  As  to  its  locality,  Holy  Writ 
seems  to  indicate  in  many  passages  that  hell  is 
within  the  earth.  Nor  need  we  look  upon  these 
passages  as  merely  metaphors  to  illustrate  the 
state  of  separation  from  God,  of  being  hidden 
away  from  high  heaven  above  in  the  dark  abysses 
of  the  earth.  Hence,  some  theologians  accept 
the  opinion  that  hell  is  really  within  the 
earth.  The  Church  has  decided  nothing  on  this 
subject ;  and  so  we  may  say  that  hell  is  a  definite 
place;  but  where  it  is  we  do  not  know.  St. 
Chrysostom  reminds  us:  "We  must  not  ask 
where  hell  is,  but  how  we  are  to  escape  it." 

Relative  to  purgatory,  we  can  only  say  that  it 
is  a  place  or  condition  of  temporal  punishment 
for  those  who,  departing  this  life  in  God's  grace, 
are  not  entirely  free  from  venial  faults,  or  have 
not  fully  paid  the  satisfaction  due  to  their  trans- 
gressions. Regarding  the  place  we  may  distin- 
guish, according  to  St.  Thomas,  and  say  that 
purgatory  is  one  place  according  to  general  law, 
and  thus  the  location  of  purgatory  is  a  lower 
place  joined  to  hell,  so  that  one  and  the  same  is 
the  fire  that  torments  the  damned  in  hell  and 
purifies  the  just  in  purgatory.  But  another  is 
the  place  of  purgatory  according  to  dispensation; 
and  so  sometimes  we  read  of  those  who  are 
punished  in  diverse  places,  either  for  the  instruc- 
tion of  the  living  or  for  the  aid  of  the  dead, 
that  their  punishment  being  known  to  the  living 
it  may  be  mitigated  through  the  suffrages  of  the 
Church. 


490  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Of  course,  a  spirit  cannot  be  seen  or  heard, 
unless  God  permits  it  to  appear  upon  the  earth  or 
to  manifest  itself  in  some  way  that  we  cannot 
explain. 

Where  in  the  Bible  does  it  say  that 
there  is  a  Purgatory  ?  As  far  as  we  can  see 
it  only  speaks  of  a  Heaven  or  Hell.  Please 
give  us  references  in  the  Bible. 

Catholics  are  bound  to  believe  that  "there  is  a 
purgatory  and  that  the  souls  detained  therein 
are  helped  by  the  suffrages  of  the  faithful,  but 
principally  by  the  acceptable  Sacrifice  of  the 
Altar."  (Council  of  Trent,  Sess.  25,  On  Purga- 
tory.) This  doctrine  of  the  Church  is  also  the 
doctrine  of  Holy  Scripture  and  of  Tradition. 
You  ask  for  the  Scripture  texts. 

We  will  mention  but  two  such  passages.  In 
the  Second  Book  of  Machabees,  Chapter  12, 
Verses  43-46,  we  read:  "Judas  making  a  gather- 
ing sent  twelve  thousand  drachmas  of  silver  to 
Jerusalem  for  sacrifice  to  be  offered  for  sins  of 
the  dead,  thinking  well  and  religiously  concerning 
the  resurrection.  (For  if  he  had  not  hoped  that 
they  that  were  slain  should  rise  again,  it  would 
have  seemed  superfluous  and  vain  to  pray  for  the 
dead.)  And  because  he  considered  that  they  who 
had  fallen  asleep  with  godliness,  had  great  grace 
laid  up  for  them.  It  is,  therefore,  a  holy  and 
wholesome  thought  to  pray  for  the  dead,  that 
they  may  be  loosed  from  sins." 

And  St.  Paul  in  the  first  Epistle  to  the  Corin- 
thians, Chapter  3,  Verses  14-15,  says:  "If  any 
man's  work  abide,  which  he  has  built  thereupon, 
he  shall  receive  a  reward.  If  any  man's  work 
burn,  he  shall  suffer  loss;  but  he  himself  shall  be 
saved,  yet  so  as  by  fire." 

If  a  person  dies,  does  that  soul  see  what 
goes  on  on  earth?  It  has  been  said  that  if 
we  pray  for  a  soul,  it  in  turn  prays  for  us. 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL      491 

How  do  they  know  we  are  praying  for  them 
and  who  is  praying  for  them? 

We  answer  the  last  part  of  your  question  first. 
They  know  it  in  God's  way  and  as  God  lets  them 
know.  And  in  the  same  way  do  the  souls  in 
purgatory  know  what  is  going  on  on  earth. 

It  is  of  faith  that  we  can  help  the  souls  in 
purgatory  by  our  prayers  and  good  works  and 
especially  by  the  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass; 
and  we  may  piously  believe  that  they  can  pray 
for  us,  though  they  can  in  no  way  help  themselves. 

However,  of  the  other  life  we  know  few  par- 
ticulars, so  to  express  it.  God  finds  it  well  for 
us  not  to  know  them.  We  know  all  we  need  to 
know;  and  if  we  live  accordingly  we  shall  one 
day  be  blissfully  surprised. 

Do  the  poor  souls  know  what  the  other 
members  of  the  family  are  doing  on  earth  ? 

That  we  do  not  know.  Certainly  God  may  let 
them  know  many  things.  And  some  pious 
writers  give  it  as  their  private  opinion  that  the 
Guardian  Angels  of  the  holy  souls  have  wondrous 
ways  of  knowing  what  is  happening  on  earth  and 
of  communicating  that  knowledge  to  their  suffer- 
ing charges.  One  thing  is  comparatively  sure: 
the  poor  souls  know  when  we  pray  for  them  and 
when,  alas!   we  do  not. 

Is  it  right  to  sprinkle  holy  water  for  the 
souls  in  purgatory,  morning  and  night? 

Holy  water  is  a  sacramental  of  the  Church. 
It  might  be  well  to  recall  that  a  sacramental  is 
anything  set  apart  or  blessed  by  the  Church  to 
excite  good  thoughts  and  to  increase  devotion, 
and  through  these  movements  of  the  heart  to 
confer  grace  and  to  remit  venial  sin.  The  priest 
blesses  holy  water  with  prayers  that  are  strikingly 
beautiful  and  solemn.  Its  devout  use  brings 
down  upon  us  God's  blessings.     But  especially 


49^  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

does  it  protect  us  from  the  powers  of  darkness, 
the  powers  of  hell — from  the  devil.  No  Catholic 
family  should  be  without  holy  water  fonts  and 
holy  water.    And  it  should  be  frequently  used. 

"I  have  often  found  by  experience,"  says  St. 
Teresa,  "that  there  is  nothing  from  which  the 
devils  fly  more  quickly  and  return  not  again 
than  from  holy  water;  they  fly  also  from  a  cross, 
but  they  return  again  immediately.  Certainly, 
the  power  of  holy  water  must  be  great;  for  my 
part,  my  soul  feels  particular  comfort  in  taking 
it,  and  very  generally  a  refreshment  and  interior 
delight  which  I  cannot  express  and  which  com- 
forts my  soul." 

Yes;  it  is  a  beautiful  and  commendable  practice 
to  sprinkle  holy  water  for  the  souls  in  purgatory. 
We  sprinkle  them  with  it,  as  it  were;  and  the 
prayers  of  the  Church,  ascending  to  heaven, 
draw  down  blessings  upon  all  who  are  sprinkled 
with  holy  water.  This  sacramental  may  be  used, 
not  only  for  ourselves,  but  also  with  the  intention 
of  procuring  blessings  for  the  absent,  whether 
living  or  dead.  At  funerals,  for  instance,  we  may 
say  that  the  priest  sprinkles  the  soul  of  the  de- 
parted with  holy  water  when  he  blesses  the  mortal 
remains.  Use  holy  water  frequently  to  bless  the 
home  and  the  things  of  home  and  the  dwellers 
therein;  and  use  it  often  for  the  solace  of  the 
souls  in  purgatory. 

We  have  enlarged  upon  this  matter  purposely. 
It  is  sad  how,  in  our  days,  Catholics  are  drifting 
away  from  the  dear  old  pious  practices  which 
their  ancestors  learned  from  Holy  Mother  Church 
and  loved  so  well. 

After  the  General  Judgment  there  will 
be  but  heaven  and  hell.  How  about  those 
who  will  be  living  at  the  end  of  the  world 
and  who  will  not  have  blotted  out  the 
temporal  punishment  due  to  their  sins? 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  493 

It  is  certain  that  there  will  be  no  purgatory 
after  the  Last  Day.  As  regards  the  just  who  are 
living  then,  St.  Thomas  tells  us  there  are  three 
reasons  why  they  will  be  purified  quickly — sud- 
denly perhaps.  (1)  There  will  be  little  to  be 
cleansed  from,  inasmuch  as  they  will  have  been 
purified  by  the  dreadful  terrors  and  persecutions 
that  precede  the  Last  Day.  (2)  The  living  will 
voluntarily  endure  pains,  from  the  fire  that  will 
then  consume  the  earth,  for  instance.  But  pains 
voluntarily  suffered  in  this  life  purify  much  more 
than  those  inflicted  after  death.  (3)  The  purging 
fire  can  make  up  in  intensity  what  it  loses  in 
time. 

Do  spirits  appear  on  earth  after  death? 
If  so,  is  it  God's  wish? 

Spirits  can  and  sometimes  do  appear  on  earth 
after  death,  assuming  some  form  that  can  be 
seen  with  bodily  eyes.  If  they  are  good  spirits, 
as  in  the  apparition  of  angels  and  saints.,  of  which 
all  have  often  read  or  heard,  or  if  they  are  the 
souls  of  the  departed  in  purgatory,  of  whose 
appearance  there  are  numerous  well  authenticated 
instances,  it  is  surely  God's  wish  that  they  should 
appear.  He  wills  their  appearance  for  His  own 
wise  and  good  purposes. 

But  if  they  are  evil  spirits,  fallen  angels,  for 
instance,  it  would  perhaps  be  better  to  say  that 
they  appear  with  God's  concurrence  and  per- 
mission. The  Church  teaches  that  the  evil  spirits 
are  entirely  subject  to  God  and  can  do  nothing 
unless  He  permits  them.  The  Church  further- 
more teaches  that  the  evil  spirits  can  work  no 
miracles,  but  because  of  superior  insight  and  a 
certain  control  over  the  powers  of  nature,  they 
can  do  things  that  seem  to  us  wonderful;  she 
teaches  that  they  cannot,  by  themselves,  produce 
any  good  effects,  but  habitually  practice  false- 
hood and  deception. 


494  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Apropos  of  this,  we  add  that  if  spirits  some- 
times actually  appear  in  the  spiritistic  seances 
of  Spiritism,  despite  the  fact  that  most  of  those 
phenomena  are  trickery  and  deception,  they 
are  evil  spirits.  It  is  quite  incredible  that  God 
would  permit  angels  or  good  spirits  to  serve  for 
the  sinful  amusement  of  those  who  practice 
things  that  are  so  unlawful,  childish,  unbecoming, 
vainly  curious,  useless,  injurious,  and  all  that. 

Is  it  true  that  when  you  pray  for  the 
Poor  Souls  in  Purgatory  they  pray  for 
you  also? 

Yes;  such  is  the  pious  belief  of  the  Catholic 
faithful.  Though  in  their  sufferings  they  cannot 
help  themselves,  they  can  help  others,  even 
though  they  are  in  purgatory.  They  can  pray 
for  others;  for  they  are  in  the  grace  of  God.  In 
fact,  according  to  the  holy  Fathers,  that  is  one 
of  the  greatest  joys  and  consolations  of  the  Poor 
Souls  in  their  night  of  pain;  already  from 
purgatory  they  can  help  us  and  repay  us  by  their 
intercession.  St.  Catherine  of  Bologna,  says: 
"When  I  wish  to  be  sure  of  getting  a  favor  I  have 
recourse  to  these  suffering  souls,  that  they  may 
intercede  for  me  with  our  common  Father;  and 
usually  I  feel  that  I  have  them  to  thank  for  the 
answer  to  my  prayer."  "0  if  we  but  knew," 
says  the  sainted  Cure  of  Ars,  "the  power  that 
these  good  souls  have  over  the  heart  of  God  and 
what  graces  we  can  get  through  their  intercession, 
we  would  not  so  often  forget  them.  We  must 
pray  much  for  them  that  they  may  pray  much 
for  us."  This  is,  indeed,  a  Christian  thought  of 
olden  times,  one  that  is  brought  home  to  us  even 
from  the  inscriptions  in  the  Roman  catacombs. 

I  never  could  understand  where  the  soul 
of  Lazarus  was  between  the  time  of  his 
death  and  his  being  recalled  to  life  by  the 
Savior — and  the  souls  of  the  other  dead 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  495 

raised  to  life  by  Christ  and  the  saints. 
Will  you  please  enlighten  me? 

The  life  beyond  the  grave  is  full  of  mysteries 
which  we  seek  in  vain  to  fathom.  In  an  elegant 
poem  entitled  Phanuel,  published  some  time  ago 
in  The  Magnificat,  Lazarus  is  made  to  say,  "I 
died."  And  when  asked  to  state  what  happened 
then,  he  answers: 

"I  know  not,  cannot  tell. 
But  gladly  would  I  give  thy  longing  peace, 
And  tell  thee  what  thou  cravest;    but  if  aught 
I  saw  or  heard,  beyond  the  grave,  God  chose 
To  blot  it  out.     There's  nothing  in  my  memory. 
But  that  I  lay  upon  a  couch,  o'erwhelmed 
With  pain.     It  ceased — and  then  I  found  that  I 
Was  standing  in  a  tomb,  clad  as  the  dead, 
And  heard  Him  calling  me.     Yet  for  thy  peace, 
Take  courage,  and  remember,  Phanuel, 
He's  come  from  out  the  tomb  these  seven  days, 
As  He  had  said  He  would.     'Tis  not  too  late 
To  ask  Him.    He  hath  proved  Himself  the  Master 
Of  death  and  Lord  of  the  hereafter.    So 
'Tis  not  too  late  to  ask  Him.     For  He  lives." 

In  last  Sunday's  Gospel  we  heard  the 
words,  "Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away, 
but  My  words  shall  not  pass  away." 
What  does  this  mean?  Will  not  heaven 
always  remain? 

These  solemn  words  mean  that  the  heaven 
which  we  see,  the  firmament  above  us,  the  uni- 
verse, shall  pass  away  with  the  passing  of  this 
earth,  but  the  words  of  Christ,  the  truths  of  His 
pure  and  holy  Gospel,  shall  be  vindicated  on  the 
Last  Day  and  shall  be  effective  forever  and 
forever.  The  spiritual  heaven  is  not  meant  here, 
but  the  heaven  which  we  have  in  mind  when  we 
say,  for  instance,  "Behold  the  beautiful  heavens 
besprinkled  with  glowing  stars!" 


496  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

How  are  the  words,  "Many  are  called, 
but  few  are  chosen1 '  (Matth.  20:16),  to  be 
understood  ?  I  have  read  so  many  different 
explanations  of  them. 

This  text  has  been  much  discussed  by  exegetes 
of  all  times;  and  theological  discussion  is,  of 
course,  here  allowed,  since  these  words  do  not 
touch  upon  an  article  of  faith.  The  text  is  given 
diverse  applications  in  sermons  and  spiritual 
books,  all  of  them  undoubtedly  useful.  We 
select  one  that  is  very  probable  and  not  too  harsh. 
"Many  are  called"  to  the  Gospel  and  the  ob- 
servance of  God's  Commandments,  but  few  are 
chosen  for  extraordinary  graces  and  the  ob- 
servance of  the  Evangelical  counsels.  Or,  to 
cite  another  moderate  opinion,  based  on  Suarez, 
"It  is  no  wonder  that  of  those  who  are  called, 
some  do  not  obtain  the  first  place,  although  they 
receive  life  eternal;  since  even  of  those  who  are 
called  many  are  excluded  altogether." 

This,  however,  is  a  salutary  text.  It  has  a 
magic  way  of  reminding  us  of  the  "one  thing 
necessary,"  the  salvation  of  the  soul.  It  stimu- 
lates us  to  "work  out  our  salvation  with  fear  and 
trembling." 

If  I  were  to  die  a  martyr's  death,  could 
I  go  to  heaven  with  sins  on  my  soul? 

Nothing  impure  shall  enter  into  the  Kingdom 
of  heaven,  and  the  soul  that  is  stained  with  sin 
is  impure  in  the  eyes  of  the  all-holy  God.  Souls 
that  are  in  mortal  sin  at  death  shall  be  con- 
demned to  hell  forever.  Souls  that  appear  before 
the  judgment  seat  of  God  stained  with  venial 
sins  or  the  remains  of  sin  shall  be  purified  in  the 
cleansing  fires  of  purgatory  before  they  are  ad- 
mitted into  heaven. 

Accordingly,  no  matter  what  death  you  were 
to  die,  you  could  not  enter  heaven  with  sin  upon 
your  soul.    Your  question  is  rather  odd.    To  die 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  497 

a  martyr's  death  would  cleanse  your  soul  as 
efficaciously  as  the  Sacrament  of  Baptism;  for 
true  martyrdom  is  of  no  less  efficacy  than  Bap- 
tism. To  suffer  true  martyrdom  implies  perfect 
love  of  God  and  perfect  contrition  in  a  soul; 
hence  by  that  very  act  all  sin  and  punishment  due 
to  it  would  be  blotted  out  and  the  soul,  being 
thus  purified,  would  enter  directly  into  heaven. 

Who  were  created  first,  man  or  the 
angels  ?  By  man  I  refer  also  to  the  creation 
of  the  world.  I  have  heard  it  said  that 
angels  were  created  after  man. 

It  is  the  common  teaching  of  theologians  that 
angels  were  created  simultaneously  with  the 
material  universe,  though  even  that  is  uncertain. 
However,  it  would  be  unreasonable  to  assume 
that  an  immoderately  long  interval  of  time 
elapsed  between  the  creation  of  the  angels  and 
that  of  the  physical  universe.  The  only  thing 
we  know  positively  is  that  the  angels  existed  at 
the  time  of  Adam,  whence  it  follows  that  they 
were  created  no  later  than  the  sixth  "day." 

When  we  die  and  get  to  heaven  will  we 
find  out  why  things  happened  the  way 
they  did  on  this  earth? 

We  know  that  the  blessed  in  heaven  enjoy  the 
beatific  vision;  they  behold  the  divine  essence  and 
the  three  divine  Persons  and  their  essential  attri- 
butes. But  we  must  also  hold  that  they  see  and 
understand  many,  many  other  things,  especially 
those  things  which  they  first  believed  because  of 
God's  own  revelation,  and  created  things  in  which 
divine  perfections  shine  forth  more  resplendently, 
and  those  things  the  knowledge  of  which  is  of 
great  interest  to  these  blessed.  This  is  the  general 
teaching  of  theologians.  It  comprises  about  all 
we  can  say  about  the  knowledge  of  the  blessed 
regarding  things  that  happened  or  are  happening 
or  will  happen  on  earth. 


498  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

As  it  is  understood,  the  nature  of  the 
angels  is  such  that  they  can  have  no 
passions,  angers,  jealousies,  or  strife. 
How,  then,  did  it  happen  that  some  of 
the  angels  became  jealous  and  their 
leader,  Lucifer,  wished  to  make  himself 
like  God? 

We  must,  of  course,  exclude  from  the  angels 
the  idea  of  jealousy,  anger,  etc.,  as  found  in 
man,  with  whom  these  are  among  the  lower 
passions.  But  at  the  same  time  we  must  re- 
member St.  John  Damascene's  definition  of  an 
angel  as  "A  rational,  intelligent,  free  nature,  with 
a  mutable  will."  He  adds,  "Every  being  that  is 
endowed  with  reason  is  likewise  equipped  with 
free-will.  Consequently,  an  angel,  being  a  nature 
endowed  with  reason  and  intelligence,  is  also 
equipped  with  freedom  of  choice.  Being  a  crea- 
ture, he  is  mutable,  because  free  either  to  per- 
severe and  progress  in  what  is  good,  or  to  turn  to 
the  bad."  We  add,  "Unless  constituted  in  the 
state  of  glory;  for  then  his  will  cannot  turn  to 
what  is  bad."  We  must  keep  in  mind  the  dis- 
tinction between  "spirit  on  the  way"  and  "spirit 
at  the  terminus." 

The  sin  of  the  angels  is  an  article  of  faith,  but 
it  is  one  of  the  hardest  problems  of  theology  to 
explain  it,  as  Dom  Anscar  Vonier,  0.  S.  B.,  says 
in  a  chapter  on  angelic  sin.  Fathers  and  theolo- 
gians quite  generally  hold  that  it  was  a  sin  of 
pride.  This  one  sin  exceeds  in  guilt  millions  of 
sins  committed  by  men.  From  pride  followed 
jealousy;  and  jealousy,  with  Satan,  could  only 
mean  spiritual  sorrow  and  opposition  at  seeing 
beings  lower  than  himself,  such  as  man,  exalted 
above  himself  through  the  grace  of  God. 

A  non-Catholic  lady  asked  me  if  I  knew 
that  the  Bible  says  that  illegitimate 
children  can  never  enter  the  kingdom  of 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  499 

heaven.    I  told  her,  4 'No."    Will  you  please 
explain. 

This  is  nowhere  stated  in  the  Bible;  and  if 
certain  expressions  of  Holy  Writ  are  so  in- 
terpreted, the  interpretation  is  wrong;  and 
Catholics  do  not  admit  the  private  interpreta- 
tion of  the  Scriptures.  The  Catholic  Church  is 
divinely  instituted  expounder  of  the  Word  of 
God. 

Sad  indeed  is  the  lot  of  such  a  child.  Though 
an  innocent  victim  of  nefarious  sin,  it  may  suffer 
the  stigma  of  ignominy  and  social  ostracism  for 
life.  But  if  such  a  child  is  baptized  and  dies 
before  it  has  reached  the  use  of  reason,  it  will 
directly  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  just  as 
any  other  baptized  child. 

The  Church  is  willing  to  administer  to  the  child, 
even  as  to  any  other,  the  holy  Sacrament  of  Bap- 
tism, and  thereby  make  it.  in  spite  of  the  hideous 
brand  resting  upon  its  birth,  a  child  of  God,  a 
brother  or  sister  of  Jesus  Christ,  a  temple  of  the 
Most  Holy  Trinity,  and  an  heir  of  heaven.  Later 
on  the  Church  will  gladly  give  it  the  benefit  of 
the  other  Sacraments,  outside  the  priesthood; 
and  if  a  dispensation  is  warranted,  she  will  not 
withhold  the  priesthood. 

In  heaven  will  we  know  others  besides 
the  members  of  our  own  families? 

We  know  little  about  the  joys  of  heaven. 
"Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  hath  it 
entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  what  things  God 
hath  prepared  for  those  that  love  Him."  How- 
ever, we  may  say  that  among  all  the  joys  outside 
the  Beatific  Vision  there  will  certainly  be  none 
so  sweet  as  those  which  arise  from  our  social 
intercourse  with  the  blessed — the  social  joys 
of  heaven;  for  we  are  all  social  beings  by  nature. 
But  those  will  be  the  purest  and  most  perfect  of 
social  pleasures.     In  heaven  neither  selfishness, 


500  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

nor  uncharitableness,  nor  any  unruly  passion  can 
exist.  There  we  will  have  no  differences,  no  short- 
comings. We  will  be  loved  and  liked  by  all, 
even  as  we  will  love  and  like  all.  We  will  have 
no  differences;  for  all  shall  be  gazing  upon  In- 
finite Truth.  And  think  of  the  company  we  will 
be  in  in  heaven.  There  all  shall  be  of  exalted 
virtue;  all  of  great  knowledge;  all  of  rare  personal 
beauty;  all  of  most  cultivated  refinements;  all  of 
most  perfect,  most  amiable  character.  But  the 
greatest  social  joy  of  heaven  is  the  meeting  there 
of  those  whom  we  loved  so  well  here,  because  they 
were  bound  to  us  by  the  sacred  ties  of  kindred,  or 
of  true  friendship.  As  glory  does  not  destroy  our 
nature,  neither  does  it  destroy  our  natural  virtues, 
but  perfects  them.  Hence  we  shall  take  along  our 
natural  love  for  our  relatives  and  friends,  only 
elevated  and  ennobled  in  a  marvelous  way. 

It  is  hard  to  speak  fittingly  of  heaven.  But 
suppose  you  could  say  with  truth  here  on  earth: 
"Every  one  of  my  acquaintances  loves  me  with 
the  purest  charity;  and  every  stranger  who  is  in- 
troduced to  me  loves  me  immediately  with  the 
purest  affection.  I  have  no  enemies;  no,  not  one. 
No  one  is  ever  envious  or  jealous  of  me;  no  one 
ever  says  an  unkind  word  of  me,  nor  has  anyone 
even  an  unkind  thought  of  me.  All  seem  to 
take  a  singular  pleasure  in  speaking  well  of  me, 
and  in  doing  me  all  manner  of  kind  services; 
and,  in  return,  I  sincerely  love  all,  and  take  a 
singular  delight  in  doing  good  to  all."  How 
wonderful  that  would  be.  Well,  that,  and  in- 
finitely more,  is  the  blessedness  that  awaits  us  in 
heaven. 

Will  God  make  clear  the  mystery  of  the 
Holy  Trinity  and  the  other  mysteries  of 
our  Faith  to  the  souls  that  reach  heaven? 

Here  below  we  see  darkly,  obscurely.  In 
heaven  we  shall  see  God  face  to  face,  as  He  is. 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  501 

We  shall  be  enlightened  beyond  our  fondest  ex- 
pectations. But  the  finite  creature  can  never 
comprehend  the  infinite  Creator.  God  alone  can 
know  Himself  as  He  truly  is,  the  Supreme  Good, 
the  Beauty  ever  ancient  and  ever  new.  For  all 
eternity  we  shall  be  inundated  with  thrills  of  un- 
utterable rapture,  as  the  beauties  and  splendors 
of  the  Triune  God  unceasingly  reveal  themselves 
to  us.  "Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor 
hath  it  entered  into  the  heart  of  man." 

Will  tne  just  receive  their  own  bodies 
at  the  resurrection  on  the  last  day? 

The  just  shall  arise  with  their  own  bodies; 
but  those  bodies  will  then  be  spiritual,  immortal, 
agile,  impassible,  lucid.  Every  defect  and  im- 
perfection will  likewise  be  removed.  Theologians 
tell  us  that  the  just  shall  arise  in  the  perfection 
of  manhood  or  womanhood,  according  to  the 
promise  that  we  shall  arise  as  Christ  arose. 
According  to  this,  infancy  and  old  age  shall  arise 
in  the  bloom  and  beauty  of  life's  prime. 

But  when  speaking  of  heaven,  the  eternal  in- 
heritance of  the  just,  we  seek  in  vain  to  describe 
it.  St.  Paul,  who  was  taken  up  into  the  third 
heaven,  could  not  express  what  he  saw  there. 
"Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  hath  it 
entered  into  the  mind  of  man  what  things  God 
hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  Him." 

How  can  I  be  happy  in  heaven  if  I  know 
that  one  of  my  children  is  in  hell? 

It  is  hard  for  human  nature  to  be  convinced 
that  one  can  be  happy  in  heaven,  though  those 
near  and  dear  to  us  are  in  hell.  Let  this  help 
you :  When  you  are  in  heaven  you  will  see  things 
as  they  are;  you  will  have  all  the  gifts  of  a  glori- 
ous body  enabling  you  to  perceive  and  under- 
stand things  with  a  clearer  vision;  you  will  see 
things  from  God's  viewpoint.  Saturated  with 
the  love  of  God  and  devoid  of  all  other  attach- 


5o2.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

ment  you  will  love  what  He  loves  and  disdain 
what  He  disdains. 

I  have  reference  to  the  souls  of  the  just, 
who  are  with  God  in  heaven.  Are  they 
not  unhappy  because  they  are  without 
the  body? 

These  souls  have  indeed  a  desire  to  regain  the 
gifts  of  their  body.  But  this  does  not  make 
them  unhappy,  because  no  bliss  is  thereby  lack- 
ing to  them;  on  the  contrary,  they  rejoice  in 
tasting  the  desire,  from  the  certainty  they  feel 
of  having  it  fulfilled.  We  must  not  think  that 
the  bliss  of  the  body  after  the  resurrection  gives 
more  bliss  to  the  soul;  for  if  this  were  so  it  would 
follow  that,  until  they  have  the  body  they  have 
imperfect  bliss,  which  cannot  be  because  no  per- 
fection is  lacking  to  them.  So  it  is  not  the 
body  that  gives  bliss  to  the  soul,  but 
the  soul  will  give  bliss  to  the  body,  because 
the  soul  will  give  of  its  abundance,  and  will 
reclothe  itself  on  the  last  day  of  judgment  in  the 
garments  of  its  own  flesh  which  it  had  quitted. 
For  as  the  soul  is  made  immortal  and  stayed  and 
stabilized  in  God,  so  the  body  in  that  union 
becomes  immortal,  and  spiritual,  and  agile,  and 
bright. 

A  missionary  in  our  church  recently 
mentioned  that  a  good  non-Catholic  can 
be  saved  just  like  a  good  Catholic,  pro- 
viding he  were  baptized  and  performed 
his  duties  according  to  the  dictates  of  his 
church  and  conscience,  in  all  sincerity, 
and  if  he  believed  that  he  had  the  true 
faith  (not  having  been  given  the  gift  of 
true  faith).  In  that  case,  would  the  non- 
Catholic,  whose  life  had  been  an  easy  one 
in  comparison  with  that  of  the  Catholic 
duties,  experience  the  same  reward  in 
heaven  ?    If  not,  what  of  the  belief  that  in 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  503 

heaven    all    things    are    equal    and    that 
there  are  no  differences  of  any  kind? 

The  belief  mentioned  in  your  last  sentence  is 
not  Catholic  belief.  The  Catholic  belief  is  that, 
though  persons  in  heaven  of  very  inferior  virtue 
are  perfectly  happy  too,  they  enjoy  a  vastly 
inferior  degree  of  blessedness  than  the  more 
virtuous.  All  the  just  are  to  arise  in  glory,  but 
each  one  in  his  own  degree  of  perfection.  St. 
Paul  says:  "For,  one  is  the  glory  of  the  sun, 
another  the  glory  of  the  moon,  and  another  the 
glory  of  the  stars.  For  star  differeth  from  star 
in  glory.  So,  also,  in  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead."  Here  the  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles  teaches 
us,  in  the  plainest  manner  possible,  that  among 
the  saints  there  is  a  very  great  difference  in  the 
degrees  of  personal  beauty,  grace,  and  splendor. 
There  is  as  much  difference  between  the  beauty 
and  splendor  of  the  highest  and  those  of  the 
lowest,  as  we  now  see  between  the  dazzling 
splendor  of  the  sun  and  the  pale  light  of  the 
moon.  As  the  resurrection  is  a  portion  of  heaven's 
rewards,  it  follows  that  the  more  completely  we 
have  mortified  our  inordinate  passions  and  made 
our  life  conformable  to  that  of  Jesus  Christ,  the 
more  also  of  personal  beauty  and  splendor  shall 
we  possess  in  heaven,  and,  consequently,  the  more 
of  heaven's  happiness  we  shall  enjoy.  Each  one 
is  happy  in  the  degree  and  sphere  which  his  life 
has  deserved  for  him;  but  in  that  degree  each 
one  will  and  must  remain  forever. 

But,  you  may  ask,  will  not  these  different  de- 
grees cause  envy?  No;  there  is  no  envy  in 
heaven.  If  there  were  envy  there,  then  farewell 
to  the  happiness  of  heaven!  St.  Augustine  says: 
When  a  tall  man  and  a  little  boy  are  both  dressed 
in  a  suit  of  the  same  precious  cloth,  each  is  suited 
and  fitted  to  his  satisfaction.  The  little  boy  is 
neither  envious  nor  unhappy  because  the  tall  man 
has  more  cloth  than  he;    and  he  certainly  would 


504  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

not  exchange  with  him.  So  also  in  heaven. 
Everyone  is  there  satisfied  with  his  own  degree  of 
glory,  because  it  suits  himself  and  gratifies  all  the 
rational  cravings  of  his  nature.  Not  only  are 
the  lowliest  without  envy  and  perfectly  satisfied 
with  their  degree  of  glory,  but  they  even  rejoice 
at  the  higher  glory  of  others.  For  they  see  that 
those  who  enjoy  the  highest  glory  of  heaven  have 
deserved  it  by  the  heroic  virtues  they  practiced 
while  on  earth. 

Who  will  occupy  in  heaven  the  throne 
of  the  fallen  Lucifer? 

This  question  is  asked  on  the  supposition  that 
man  was  created  to  take  the  place  vacated  by 
the  fallen  angels.  This,  we  deem  it  well  to 
mention,  is  merely  a  theological  opinion.  To 
discourse  upon  the  probability  of  this  opinion 
would  lead  us  too  far.  Suffice  it  to  state  that, 
inasmuch  as  many  theologians  hold  the  opinion 
that  the  test  to  which  the  angels  were  put  was 
the  adoration  of  the  God-Man  Who  was  revealed 
to  them  as  the  Savior  of  fallen  man,  and  since 
this  implies  that  the  angels  were  created  before 
the  creation  of  man,  we  may  piously  say  that 
man's  destiny  is  to  inherit  the  thrones  the  angels 
lost  through  pride. 

Who,  then,  shall  occupy  the  throne  of  Lucifer? 
His  Eminence,  Alexis  Cardinal  Lepicier,  O.  S.  M., 
author  of  a  large  Latin  work  on  St.  Joseph  and 
numerous  other  excellent  books  and  who  for 
years  held  the  chair  of  dogmatic  theology  in  the 
college  of  Propaganda,  Rome,  answers  that  ques- 
tion in  this  beautiful  way:  "But  who  will  that 
favored  man  be  who  shall  merit  the  throne  of 
Lucifer,  and  possess  in  heaven  the  primacy  over 
men  and  angels?  Who  but  the  humble  St. 
Joseph,  the  chaste  spouse  of  Mary  and  foster- 
father  of  Jesus.  He  it  is  who,  after  Mary,  came 
nearer  than  any  other  creature  to  the  well-spring 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  505 

of  all  graces,  and  who  always  perfectly  corre- 
sponded with  the  graces  he  had  received.  Where- 
as Lucifer,  in  his  pride,  incited  his  partisans  to 
disloyalty  and  rebellion  against  their  God  and 
Maker,  St.  Joseph,  on  the  contrary,  by  his  shining 
example  invites  the  whole  world  to  follow  and 
revere  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  He  thus  deserves 
to  occupy  the  throne  left  vacant  by  that  proud 
spirit." 

My  brother  lost  a  baby  boy  by  death, 
fifteen  months  old.  We  were  always  told 
that  baptized  babies  were  angels  when 
they  died.  But  now  some  one  tells  us 
they  are  not  angels,  but  saints.  To  settle 
the  argument — which  is  right? 

The  baby  boy's  soul  is  in  heaven,  with  the 
angels  and  saints.  He  is  a  saint,  of  course,  and 
not  an  angel.  Angels  are  pure  spirits,  you  know, 
created  without  a  body.  They  are  spirits  without 
a  material  body  and  therefore  different  from 
man,  who  is  composed  of  body  and  soul.  They 
are  beings  superior  to  man,  beings  approaching 
nearer  to  God's  own  nature.  Men  will  always 
remain  men,  and  angels  always  angels. 

When  we  say  that  the  departed  little  one  is  now 
an  angel  we  merely  make  use  of  a  common  figure 
of  speech.  We  mean  he  is  now  with  the  angels 
and  saints  of  God.  On  the  last  day  that  body  will 
arise,  perfect  in  every  way,  and  then  body  and 
soul,  the  complete  man,  will  enjoy  eternal  bliss 
in  heaven.  We  often  use  that  same  expression 
when  denoting  great  goodness  in  others;  so 
nursing  Sisters  are  often  called  "Angels  of 
Mercy";  so  you  yourself  sometimes  press  a  child 
to  your  bosom  with  the  exclamation,  "Oh,  you 
little  angel!"  It  is  because  of  the  great  goodness 
or  happy  state  of  an  angel.  Force  is  lent  to  the 
expression,  doubtless,  by  the  fact  that  the  soul, 
by  nature  incorruptible,  like  the  angels,  is  without 


5o6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

the  body   after   death,   and   cannot   be  seen   or 
heard  or  felt. 

We  Catholics  believe  in  the  resurrection 
of  the  body.  However,  in  your  answer 
regarding  the  body  of  a  babe,  as  to  whether 
it  became  a  saint  or  angel,  you  mention 
that  uon  the  last  day  the  body  arises, 
perfect  in  every  way,  and  then  body  and 
soul,  the  complete  man,  will  enjoy  eternal 
bliss  in  heaven."  Further  on  you  state 
that  "the  soul,  by  nature  incorruptible 
like  the  angels,  is  without  the  body  after 
death,  and  cannot  be  seen  or  heard  or 
felt."  Isn't  that  contradictory?  Doesn't 
the  body  arise  until  the  last  day?  And  is 
it  only  the  soul  which  suffers  in  purgatory  ? 
What  of  a  soul,  lost,  which  immediately 
goes  to  hell? 

There  is  nothing  contradictory  in  the  answer 
you  refer  to.  After  death  the  soul  is  without 
the  body  until  the  last  day,  when  all  the  dead 
shall  rise  again,  when  the  body  and  soul  of  every 
man,  woman,  and  child  that  ever  lived  shall  be 
reunited.  Body  and  soul  shall  then  live  in  bliss 
forever  in  heaven  or  in  misery  in  hell.  After 
the  last  day  purgatory  will  no  longer  exist. 
Hence,  it  is  only  the  soul  which  suffers  in  purgatory. 

What  we  have  here  said  is  Catholic  teaching. 
It  is  succinctly  expressed  in  the  closing  words  of 
the  Athanasian  Creed:  "He  ascended  into 
heaven,  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God  the  Father 
almighty:  from  thence  He  shall  come  to  judge 
the  living  and  the  dead.  At  Whose  coming  all 
men  have  to  arise  with  their  bodies:  and  they 
shall  render  an  account  of  their  own  deeds. 
And  those  that  have  done  good  shall  go  into 
everlasting  life;  but  those  that  have  done  evil, 
into   everlasting   fire.      This    is    Catholic   faith: 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  507 

unless  each  one  faithfully  and  firmly  believes  it, 
he  cannot  be  saved." 

Do  we  know  whether  God  has  ever 
annihilated  any  souls? 

We  know  with  all  the  infallibility  of  revelation 
that  He  has  not  and  that  He  never  will.  No 
soul  will  ever  be  annihilated,  i.  e.,  absolutely 
destroyed,  so  that  it  ceases  to  be.  The  human 
soul  is  immortal:  it  shall  live  forever.  It  were  a 
waste  of  time  to  enlarge,  in  these  pages,  upon  the 
philosophical  and  theological  proofs  of  a  fact  so 
manifestly  revealed  by  God  and  one  that  is  the 
very  foundation  of  all  religion  and  all  morality. 

Can  a  Christian  become  possessed  by 
the  devil  and,  if  so,  what  are  the  signs? 

Let  us  first  give  a  few  definitions.  Obsession 
is  that  action  of  the  devil  whereby  he  assails 
the  body  of  a  man  from  without,  by  subjecting 
it  to  various  vexations  and  at  the  same  time 
troubles  the  soul  with  serious  temptations,  as  we 
read  in  the  life  of  St.  Anthony  the  hermit,  for 
instance.  Possession  is  that  action  of  the  devil 
whereby  he  enters  into  the  body  of  a  man, 
dwells  in  it,  and  acts  in  it,  using  the  senses  and 
the  members  thereof  for  the  production  of  un- 
usual actions. 

The  signs  of  diabolical  possession,  according  to 
the  Roman  Ritual,  are  "to  speak  many  words  in 
an  unknown  tongue  or  to  understand  one  who  so 
speaks,  to  make  known  things  distant  and  hidden, 
to  give  evidence  of  powers  surpassing  one's 
natural  age  or  condition,  and  other  such  like 
things.  The  more  of  such  things  occur,  the  greater 
the  signs."  But  the  Ritual  wisely  admonishes 
the  exorcist  "not  easily  to  believe  anyone  to  be 
obsessed  by  the  devil,  but  to  note  well  those 
signs  whereby  an  obsessed  person  is  distinguished 
from  those  who  are  suffering  from  atrabile 
[melancholy]  or  from  some  other  sickness." 


508  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Yes;  we  must  admit  the  reality  of  diabolical 
possessions,  not  only  before,  but  also  after  the 
time  of  Christ.     This  is  certain. 

In  the  Gospels  mention  is  often  made  of  pos- 
sessed persons,  as  distinguished  from  the  sick. 
(Read  Matt.  4:24;  8:16.)  Christ  addressed  the 
devils,  reproved  them,  commanded  them  to  go 
out.  (Mark  1:34;  9:24;  Luke  8:30.)  He  gave 
the  Apostles  power  to  cast  out  devils,  as  distinct 
from  the  curing  of  diseases.  (Matt.  10:1;  Mark 
16:17.) 

We  know  from  tradition,  the  innumerable  testi- 
monies of  the  Fathers,  that  there  were  numerous 
cases  of  diabolical  possession  in  the  first  centuries 
and  that  Christians  had  the  power  of  driving  out 
the  unclean  spirits.  All  of  which  is  confirmed  by 
the  practice  of  the  Church,  which  has  instituted  a 
special  order,  that  of  the  Exorcist,  and  has  special 
prayers  in  the  Ritual  for  freeing  the  possessed 
from  the  devil.  History,  too,  records  many  cases 
of  possession  of  which  one  cannot  well  doubt. 
And  there  are  cases  of  possession  today. 

Even  reason  shows  the  possibility  of  possession 
by  the  devil,  since  the  devil  exists.  Inasmuch  as 
the  devil,  a  fallen  angel,  possesses  great  sagacity 
and  power,  he  can  certainly  bring  about  far  more 
stupendous  phenomena  than  those  who  practice 
hypnotism,  for  instance.  But  we  know  that 
hypnotists  can  have  the  hypnotized  so  thoroughly 
in  their  power  that  they  are  able  to  direct  their 
physical  and  psychical  powers  at  will,  even 
contrary  to  their  inclinations.  All  the  more  so, 
then,  can  this  be  done  by  the  devil. 

You  may  ask  why  God  permits  this. — for  it 
can  be  done  only  with  the  permission  of  God. 
St.  Bonaventure  answers:  "God  permits  it, 
either  for  the  manifestation  of  His  glory  (John 
9:3),  or  in  punishment  of  sin,  or  for  the  correction 
of  the  sinner  (lCor.  5:3),  or  for  our  instruction." 
(We   suggest  that   you   take   your   Bible — there 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  509 

should  be  one  in  every  household — and  read  the 
various  passages  indicated  above.) 

It  is  really  a  terrible  thing;  and  we  shudder  at 
the  thought  of  those  who  freely  give  themselves 
to  the  devil  by  mortal  sin.  Let  us  make  diligent 
use  of  the  usual  means  of  keeping  the  devils  away : 
the  cleansing  of  conscience  by  sacramental  con- 
fession; the  frequent  reception  of  Holy  Com- 
munion; the  pious  use  of  the  sacramentals, 
especially  of  holy  water.  Exorcism  itself  is  to  be 
used  with  the  utmost  caution  and  only  with  the 
special  permission  of  the  Bishop,  when  it  is  pub- 
licly and  solemnly  performed. 

Are  there  bad  spirits  on  earth?  Who 
are  they? 

Yes;  there  are.  They  are  Lucifer  and  the 
fallen  angels,  the  devils.  As  faith  teaches  us, 
countless  angels  sinned  and  were  cast  into  hell. 
Many  roam  about  the  world  seeking  the  destruc- 
tion of  souls.  God,  in  His  inscrutable  providence, 
permits  them  the  use  of  certain  powers,  though, 
we  must  remember,  He  never  suffers  us  to  be 
tempted  above  that  which  we  are  able.  The 
invisible  world  is  more  real,  if  possible,  even  than 
the  visible  world.  It  were  well  to  remember  this 
and  keep  clear  of  the  infernal  powers. 

How  is  it  consistent  with  God's  infinite 
goodness  and  mercy  to  let  so  many  men 
(the  greater  part,  it  is  alleged)  perish  for- 
ever in  hell? 

You  believe  all  that  Holy  Church  believes  and 
teaches.  And  the  Catholic  Church  teaches  that 
God  in  no  way  wills  sin.  Human  ignorance 
cannot  explain  the  complete  working  out  of  the 
divine  plan.  We  are  here  face  to  face  with  what 
we  must  call,  in  the  last  analysis,  the  mystery 
of  the  existence  of  moral  evil, — evil,  however, 
that  is  in  no  way  referable  to  God.  The  pages 
of  Holy  Writ  abound  in  passages  that  show  how 


5io  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

God  detests  sin;  how  He  wills  the  salvation  of 
all  men;  how  great  is  His  infinite  goodness  and 
love.  And  if  you  wish  further  proof,  go  to  the 
cross,  go  to  the  tabernacle. 

Does  God  cease  to  be  infinitely  good  because 
the  creatures  He  endowed  with  free  will  in  order 
that  they  might  merit  heaven  and  to  all  of  whom 
He  gives  grace  sufficient  for  salvation  abuse  their 
free  will  and  reject  the  proffered  grace?  No  one 
is  obliged  to  sin.  He  who  freely  chooses  evil  and 
its  consequences  hereafter,  can  he  rightly  blame 
God? 

But  why,  then,  did  God  make  us  free?  We 
grant  that  He  could  have  created  a  world  free 
from  evil,  but,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  He  has  not 
done  so;  and  no  one  can  say  that  He  was  bound 
to  do  so. 

As  regards  the  suggestive  parenthesis  in  your 
question,  we  wish  to  point  out  that  there  are 
theologians  who  maintain  that  the  great  majority 
of  mankind  will  be  saved.  And  others  maintain 
that  the  great  majority  of  adult  Catholics,  perhaps 
nearly  all  of  them,  will  be  saved.  To  this  opinion 
the  gentle  Father  Faber  strongly  adhered.  We 
know,  too,  that  the  number  of  the  elect  is  in  itself 
great.  St.  John  saw  "a  great  multitude  which 
no  man  could  number"  (Apoc.  7:9).  We  know 
that  God  is  almighty,  "whereby  He  is  able  to 
save  for  ever  and  ever"  (Heb.  7:25).  We  know 
that  He  is  infinitely  just,  "wherefore  He  can 
condemn  no  one  without  guilt,"  as  St.  Augustine 
says. 

What  is  most  important,  however,  is  for  us  to 
bear  well  in  mind  that  "the  kingdom  of  heaven 
suffereth  violence  and  the  violent  bear  it  away" 
(Matt.   11:12). 

Why  do  Catholics  believe  in  eternal 
punishment  in  hell  ? 

Catholics    believe    in    eternal    punishment    in 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL      511 

hell  because  such  is  the  infallible  teaching  of  the 
Holy  Catholic  Church.  It  is  the  teaching  of  the 
Church  that  all  who  die  at  enmity  with  God, 
that  is,  with  mortal  sin,  unrepented  and  un- 
forgiven,  upon  the  soul,  are  going  to  hell.  The 
meek  and  forgiving  Jesus  proclaimed  this  doc- 
trine in  His  Gospels  no  less  than  fifteen  times; 
as  in  the  words,  "Depart  from  Me,  you  cursed, 
into  everlasting  fire,  which  was  prepared  for  the 
devil  and  his  angels." 

I  cannot  conceive  of  a  God  of  love  and 
mercy  torturing  His  children  in  hell.  Why 
do  you  tell  us  these  things?  Maybe  they 
are  so;  but  why  frighten  us  by  telling  us 
these  things? 

The  Catholic  dogma  teaches  that  there  is  a 
hell,  or  state  of  eternal  punishment.  Thus  we 
read  in  the  Athanasian  Creed:  "And  they  that 
have  done  good  shall  go  into  life  everlasting, 
and  they  that  have  done  evil,  into  everlasting 
fire."  The  proof  of  this  doctrine  is  found  in  the 
clear  texts  of  Holy  Writ  and  in  the  constant 
witness  of  the  Church  of  God  from  the  beginning. 

Without  any  knowledge  of  Christian  principles, 
it  would  seem  at  first  sight  that  infinite  goodness 
and  mercy  are  incompatible  with  eternal  punish- 
ment. Though  it  is  true  that  after  all  explana- 
tions the  element  of  mystery  must  remain  when 
finite  man  considers  the  infinite  counsels  of  God, 
still  reason  likewise  has  an  answer. 

You  say  that  you  "cannot  conceive,"  etc.  Can 
you,  then,  conceive  how  a  just  God,  Who  is  the 
Lawgiver  and  the  Lord  of  men,  can  give  His 
kingdom  to  one  guilty,  for  instance,  of  unrepented 
murder,  adultery,  seduction,  or  drunkenness? 
Can  you  conceive  of  a  just  God  Who  can  give 
eternal  happiness  to  one  who  all  his  life  long  has 
despised  and  set  at  naught  His  mercy  and  who 
has  died  obstinate  in  evil?     You  are  forgetting 


5ii  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

that  God  is  not  only  infinitely  lovable  and  merci- 
ful but  also  infinitely  just. 

Man,  you  must  remember,  is  not  a  mere  auto- 
maton, nor  a  mere  animal  of  sense  and  instinct, 
nor  an  independent,  self -ruling  being,  but  a  crea- 
ture created  after  God's  image  and  likeness,  with 
intellect  to  know  the  good  and  free  will  to  choose 
it;  and  with  sufficient  grace  always  to  know 
God's  revelation  and  to  do  God's  will.  If  such  a 
being  deliberately  refuses  these  gifts  and  graces, 
refusing  to  acknowledge  his  dependence  on  God 
his  Creator  and  Lawgiver,  freely  choosing  mere 
creatures  in  place  of  his  God,  and  dies  insolently 
refusing  to  fulfill  his  destiny — what  else  can  God 
do  to  this  adorer  of  self  than  to  leave  him  to  his 
choice  for  all  eternity?  It  is  easy  to  see  how 
utterly  out  of  place  the  unrepentent  sinner  would 
be  in  heaven.  A  son  has  rebelled  against  a  father; 
a  friend  has  turned  traitor  against  a  friend;  a 
creature  has  proved  false  to  a  Creator;  and  yet, 
forsooth,  Jesus  Christ,  the  God  of  all  justice, 
must  say  to  the  rebel  creature  that  still  hates 
Him:  "Come,  you  blessed  of  My  Father,  pos- 
sess you  the  kingdom!"  This  is  only  thoughtless 
sentimentality,  which,  having  altogether  lost  the 
conviction  of  the  malice  of  sin,  refuses  to  see 
God's  justice  in  punishing  the  sinner. 

"Very  well,"  you  say,  "it  is  true;  but  why 
frighten  us  by  telling  us  these  things?"  We  need 
that  terrible  sanction.  "Put  heaven  ahead  of  a 
man  and  hell  behind  him,"  someone  has  said,  "and 
you  can  get  him  to  do  anything  to  avoid  the  one 
and  obtain  the  other."  True,  the  fear  of  hell  is 
not  the  highest  motive  on  which  to  base  our 
moral  life;  the  highest  motive  is  service  of  God 
out  of  pure  love  for  Himself  alone.  But  all  men 
are  not  saints,  nor  are  all  striving  after  perfection. 
Hence  the  motive  of  fear  is  not  to  be  despised 
or  called  low  and  unworthy.  "The  fear  of  the 
Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom,"  says  Holy 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  513 

Writ.  (Prov.  9:10.)  So  in  the  Old  Law  God 
continually  appeals  to  this  motive.  And  the 
Savior  is  equally  explicit.  "Rather  fear  Him 
Who  can  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  hell," 
He  says.     fMatt.  10:28.) 

In  this  life  men  value  the  motive  of  fear  very 
highly,  as  is  evident  from  the  punishments  in 
every  law  code  of  the  world.  There  are  only  too 
many  who  are  law-abiding  only  because  they 
fear  the  punishments  resulting  from  the  violation 
of  the  law.  It  is  a  simple  matter  of  reason  to 
apply  this  motive  to  the  moral  order. 

What  do  souls  suffer  for  in  purgatory? 

If  your  question  means  on  what  account  do  they 
suffer,  we  reply  that  they  suffer  either  for  venial 
sins  that  are  not  repented  nor  forgiven  before 
death,  or  for  sins  whose  guilt  was  forgiven  in 
this  life  but  whose  punishment,  if  any  is  still 
due,  must  be  completed  after  death.  If  it  means 
why  do  they  suffer,  the  answer  is  that  they  suffer 
in  order  to  make  atonement  to  God  and  to  remake 
their  souls.  We  cannot  imagine  a  soul  that 
defies  its  Maker  basking  unrebuked  in  His  love — 
reason  rebels  against  the  thought.  There  must 
be  a  penalty,  punishment. — the  offence  must  in 
some  way  be  paid  for.  Reason  tells  us  that. 
A  reasonable  boy  who  is  punished  for  a  fault  by 
his  father  takes  the  punishment  understandingly, 
even  though  it  is  hard;  and  one  who  knows  that 
he  ought  to  be  punished  and  is  not  instinctively 
feels  that  something  is  not  in  order,  since  right 
is  not  being  done  and  wrong  is  being  let  go  free. 
Suffering  remakes  our  souls,  heals  them.  Let 
us  say  that  in  this  life  it  brings  back  the  bodily 
appetites,  overgrown  and  unhealthy,  to  their 
natural  limits,  restores  the  soul's  control  over  the 
body,  and  frees  the  soul  from  wrong  habits  and 
desires;  and  through  suffering,  willingly  endured, 
we  can  have  our  purgatory,  or  a  part  of  it,  in  this 


514  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

life.  If  at  the  hour  of  death  the  soul  is  not  pure 
enough  to  enter  heaven  at  once,  it  will  burn  out 
all  unworthiness  by  suffering  willingly  in  pur- 
gatory. Willingly,  we  say;  for  in  purgatory  the 
soul  realizes  what  is  due  to  God  and  desires 
wholly  to  repair  the  wrong  done  to  Him.  In 
its  great  love  it  longs  to  suffer  in  order  to  be  clean, 
in  order  to  reach  God,  in  order  to  make  amends 
to  Love.  This  willing  love  is  beautifully  expressed 
in  Newman's  "The  Dream  of  Gerontius"  in  which 
the  soul  "with  the  intemperate  energy  of  love, 
flies  to  the  feet  of  the  Emmanuel,"  but,  realizing 
its  unworthiness,  speaks  thus  to  the  Guardian 
Angel : 

"Take  me  away,  and  in  the  lowest  deep 

There  let  me  be, 
And  there  in  hope  the  lone  night-watches  keep, 

Told  out  for  me. 
There,  motionless  and  happy  in  my  pain, 

Lone,  not  forlorn, — 
There  will  I  sing  my  sad  perpetual  strain, 

Until  the  morn. 
There  will  I  sing,  and  soothe  my  stricken  breast. 

Which  ne'er  can  cease 
To  throb,  and  pine,  and  languish,  till  possest 

Of  its  Sole  Peace. 
There  will  I  sing  my  absent  Lord  and  Love: — 

Take  me  away, 
That  sooner  I  may  rise,  and  go  above, 
And  see  Him  in  the  truth  of  everlasting  day  " 

Is  not  the  Sacred  Heart  in  the  highest 
place  in  heaven  in  which  It  can  be? 

The  dogmatic  truth  of  the  Catholic  Church 
teaches  that  Jesus  Christ  is  God  Incarnate  and 
that  by  the  union  of  the  human  nature  with  the 
divine  in  the  one  Person  Christ,  Who  is  Man,  is 
adorable  as  being  divine.  It  further  teaches 
that  He  is  our  Savior  and  worthy  of  all  our  love 
and   gratitude.      Hence   arises   devotion   to   Our 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  515 

Lord;  and  under  whatever  name  it  is  called  it  is 
essentially  the  same  and  directed  to  the  same 
Person. 

Devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  is  that  worship 
in  which  we  honor  the  Person  of  Jesus  Christ  with 
that  same  worship  due  to  God  alone,  since  He 
is  God  and  adorable  in  all  that  is  united  to  His 
Person — especially  so  in  the  noblest  part  of  His 
sacred  humanity,  His  Heart,  the  natural  seat  of 
all  His  virtues  and  the  symbol  and  emblem  of 
His  love.  In  other  words,  it  is  an  intense  ap- 
preciation of  the  human  nature  of  Him  Who  is 
God,  recognizing  that  the  love  of  any  part  of 
Christ  is  the  love  of  the  God-Man  Himself.  This 
devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  rests  on  the  funda- 
mental dogma  of  all  Christianity,  the  Incarnation 
of  the  Son  of  God,  that  manifestation  of  divine 
love  which  rightly,  fittingly  and  justly  calls  for 
a  return  from  the  hearts  of  men. 

The  Sacred  Heart  is  inseparably  united  with 
the  adorable  humanity  of  Christ.  Christ  ascended 
into  heaven  and  "sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of 
God  the  Father  almighty,"  as  we  say  in  the 
Apostles'  Creed.  By  this  we  mean  that  Christ  as 
God  is  equal  to  the  Father  in  all  things,  being 
the  same  God  as  He  is,  and  that  as  man  He  is  in 
the  highest  place  in  heaven  next  to  God;  for 
God,  as  St.  Paul  says  (Eph.  1:20,  21),  raised  up 
Christ  from  the  dead  and  set  Him  at  his  right 
hand  in  the  highest  heaven,  above  all  celestial 
spirits  and  above  all  that  exists  on  earth  or  in 
heaven. 

Hence  the  Heart  of  Jesus,  inseparably  united 
with  His  sacred  humanity,  is  in  the  highest  place 
in  heaven  in  which  It  can  be. 

Does  a  person  who  receives  Extreme 
Unction  before  death  go  straight  to 
heaven? 

Yes;     if   he   receives   it    with    the   proper   dis- 


5i6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

positions.  As  confession  is  designed  by  God  to 
save  souls  from  hell,  so  Extreme  Unction  is  de- 
signed by  Him  to  enable  them  to  escape  purga- 
tory. But  let  us  take  a  concrete  case.  A  man  is 
seriously  sick.  The  priest  is  called.  He  finds 
him  sincere,  well-disposed,  and  able  to  make  a 
good  confession.  He  tells  his  sins  and  then 
finishes  with  an  act  of  imperfect  contrition 
directed  to  all  his  sins,  mortal  as  well  as  venial. 
He  then  receives  absolution.  So  the  guilt  of  his 
sins  has  been  removed.  Extreme  Unction  is 
then  administered,  not  to  remove  the  guilt  of  the 
sins,  for  they  have  already  been  forgiven,  but  to 
remove  the  remains  of  the  sins  of  his  whole  life, 
in  other  words,  to  blot  out  the  full  debt  of  tem- 
poral punishment  due  to  his  sins.  Thus  Extreme 
Unction  removes  the  only  obstacle  between  his 
soul  and  heaven.  That  is  what  we  mean  by 
saying  that,  administered  in  time  to  one  properly 
disposed,  Extreme  Unction  prepares  the  sick 
person  for  immediate  entrance  into  heaven. 
(Vide  Noldin,  Vol.  Ill,  430  [d],  1925.) 

Hence,  though  it  is  never  too  late  to  call  the 
priest  and  Extreme  Unction  can  be  given  even 
to  the  unconscious,  it  is  not  difficult  to  see  the 
great  advantages  of  having  this  Sacrament  ad- 
ministered in  time.  No  wonder,  than,  that 
Canon  Law  says:  "Great  care  and  solicitude 
must  be  used  to  have  the  sick  persons  receive 
Extreme  Unction  while  they  are  fully  conscious. " 
But  how  sick  must  one  be  in  order  to  receive 
this  sacrament?  "The  degree  of  the  danger  of 
death,"  says  Father  Woywod,  O.  F.  M.,  in  his 
Commentary  on  the  Code  of  Canon  Law,  "is  an 
element  which  is  incapable  of  precise  definition. 
It  is,  however,  certain  that  the  danger  need  not 
be  imminent,  nor  the  malady  so  serious  that 
there  is  little  or  no  hope  of  recovery.  The 
ancient  practice  of  the  Church  teaches  that  any 
ailment  which  may   be  fatal  to  the  patient  is 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  517 

sufficient  ground  for  administering  Extreme 
Unction,  and  one  need  not  wait  until  the  sick- 
ness takes  a  fatal  turn.  In  several  rituals  of  the 
ninth  and  following  centuries  we  read  that  the 
sick  person  should  stand  or  kneel,  or  recite  the 
Our  Father  and  answer  the  questions  addressed 
to  him,  all  of  which  supposes  that  the  sick  person 
was  not  so  close  to  death." 

By  all  means,  let  us  get  rid  of  the  silly  notion 
that  when  the  priest  comes  to  administer  Extreme 
Unction  it  is  a  sign  to  make  arrangements  for 
the  funeral.  And  the  best  way  to  get  this  non- 
sensical, superstitious,  ignorant  notion  out  of 
people's  (and  sick  persons')  heads  is  to  call  the 
priest  as  soon  as  there  is  a  serious  sickness,  thus 
making  Extreme  Unction  what  it  really  is,  the 
Sacrament  of  the  sick,  not  the  Sacrament  of  the 
dying.  "Is  anyone  sick  among  you?  Let  him 
call  in  the  priest." 

Moreover,  one  of  the  effects  of  Extreme  Unction 
is  to  restore  the  body  to  health,  if  God  sees  fit. 
Also,  this  effect  can  be  more  readily  expected  if 
the  priest  is  called  before  the  disease  has  made 
notable  progress.  Many,  even  non-Catholic, 
physicians  have  the  laudable  custom  of  sum- 
moning the  priest  at  once  when  a  Catholic  patient 
is  dangerously  ill;  and  their  experience  is  that 
then  the  largest  percentage  of  cases  get  well 
after  Extreme  Unction. 

Are  the  damned  in  hell  with  the  devils? 

It  is  an  article  of  Catholic  faith  that  the  demons 
and  men  who  die  in  the  state  of  mortal  sin  are 
punished  with  eternal  pains.  In  the  Athanasian 
Creed  it  is  said:  "Those  who  have  done  good 
shall  go  into  life  everlasting;  but  those  who  have 
done  evil,  into  eternal  fire."  And  the  Fourth 
Lateran  Council  expressly  teaches  "...  those 
receive  eternal  punishment  with  the  devil." 
Our  Lord  will  say:   "Depart  from  Me,  you  cursed 


5i8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

into  everlasting  fire,  which  was  prepared  for  the 
devil  and  his  angels."  The  best  thing  to  ask 
about  hell,  by  the  way,  is  not  where  it  is,  what  it 
is,  who  is  there,  etc.,  etc.,  but  "How  can  I  escape 
it?"  Let  us  at  least  have  the  spirit  of  the  saints, 
who  were  always  intent  upon  expiating  their 
sins  by  the  most  severe  penances. 

Could  you  give  me,  briefly,  the  Church's 
teaching  on  the  devil  and  diabolical 
possession? 

The  Catholic  Church  expressly  teaches  the 
existence  of  the  devil  and  of  evil  spirits.  They 
are  personal  beings,  spirits  without  a  body.  They 
were  created  by  God  as  good  angels,  in  the  state 
of  sanctifying  grace,  and  were  destined  for  ex- 
alted glory  in  heaven.  But  God,  Who  does  not 
crown  anyone  "except  he  strive  lawfully"  (2 
Tim.  2:5),  subjected  all  the  angels  to  a  test,  that 
they  might  merit  the  reward  of  everlasting  happi- 
ness. However,  many  angels  failed  in  that  test. 
They  wished  to  be  like  God;  and  through  their 
pride  they  lost  the  Holy  Ghost  and  sanctifying 
grace.  Their  sin  was  open  rebellion  against  God, 
a  formal  break  between  the  creature  and  the 
Creator.  That  sin  was  committed  with  the  full 
light  of  angelic  intelligence,  with  all  the  vigor 
of  angelic  free  will,  and  with  the  intention  of 
irrevocable  adhesion  to  their  deliberate  revolt; 
and  this  made  it  a  sin  of  purest  malice,  one  that 
could  not  be  excused  on  the  plea  of  ignorance  or 
weakness.  That  is  why  they  were  forthwith 
rejected  by  God,  without  being  given  any  op- 
portunity for  penance.  Their  whole  spirit-life 
was  utterly  corrupted  by  the  darkening  of  their 
understanding  and  the  hardening  of  their  will. 
To  this  was  added  the  loss  of  heavenly  bliss  and 
their  damnation  to  eternal  hell-fire.  As  the 
Apostle  St.  Peter  writes:  "God  spared  not  the 
angels  that  sinned,  but  delivered  them,  drawn 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  519 

down  by  infernal  ropes  to  the  lower  hell,  unto 
torments,  to  be  reserved  unto  judgment"  (2 
Peter  2:4). 

The  evil  spirits  are  our  enemies.  They  envy 
us:  for,  according  to  the  teaching  of  St.  Thomas, 
we  are  destined  to  take  their  places  in  the  realms 
of  everlasting  bliss.  And  since  they  can  do 
nothing  against  God  Himself,  they  try  to  lure 
us  into  temptation  and  sin  and  thus  separate  us 
from  God  for  time  and  eternity. 

They  began  this  nefarious  work  with  our  first 
parents  and  succeeded  in  leading  them  into  the 
sin  of  disobedience  to  God.  Through  this  sin 
Adam  and  Eve  and  all  their  descendants,  with 
the  sole  exception  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary, 
fell  into  the  power  and  servitude  of  the  devil, 
until  the  Divine  Savior,  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of 
God,  came  into  the  world  and  by  His  Incarnation 
and  His  death  upon  the  cross  destroyed  the  works 
of  Satan,  broke  his  power,  and  freed  fallen  man- 
kind from  the  chains  of  his  slavery.  So  now  it  is 
possible  for  man,  with  the  grace  of  God,  to  over- 
come all  the  temptations  of  the  devil  and  to  attain 
everlasting  happiness. 

Belief  in  the  existence  of  devils  is  as  old  and 
as  widespread  as  the  human  race  itself.  Even 
the  pagans  believed  in  the  existence  of  evil  spirits, 
though  they  distorted  this  truth  inasmuch  as 
they  generally  paid  them  divine  honors,  out  of 
fear.  In  the  Bible  history  of  the  Old  Testament 
we  find  very  frequent  mention  made  of  the  spirits 
of  hell,  their  fatal  influence  upon  man  is  pointed 
out,  and  their  wickedness  branded.  And  here, 
first  of  all,  one  naturally  thinks  of  the  history  of 
the  patient  Job  and  the  terrible  afflictions  that 
Satan  heaped  upon  him  with  the  permission  of 
God. 

At  the  time  of  Christ  the  faith  of  the  Jewish 
people  in  the  existence  of  the  devil  and  his  perni- 
cious doings  was  universal.     Jesus  Christ  and  His 


5io  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Apostles  confirmed  this  faith  by  word  and  deed. 
They  gave  instructions  as  to  how  to  resist  the 
temptations  of  the  evil  spirits;  and  they  drove 
the  devils  out  of  persons  who  were  possessed. 
The  Catholic  Church,  the  ground  and  pillar 
of  truth,  acts  likewise.  She  requires  of  all  Catho- 
lics belief  in  the  existence  of  these  fallen  angels. 
For  their  protection  she  gives  to  the  faithful 
special  weapons:  the  sign  of  the  cross,  holy 
water,  and  other  sacramentals.  She  prescribes 
exorcisms  to  be  pronounced  over  the  possessed 
and  gives  her  priests  the  authority  to  crush  the 
power  of  the  evil  spirits  and  to  drive  them  out 
of  the  bodies  of  possessed  persons. 

For  reasons  unknown  to  us,  God  sometimes 
permits  the  evil  spirits  to  injure  or  to  plague  man 
by  troublesome  or  painful  interference  in  his 
external  activities  or  to  inflict  damage  upon  him 
in  his  temporal  goods.  This  is  called  obsession. 
We  read  of  such  obsession  in  the  lives  of  Holy 
Job,  St.  Anthony  the  Hermit,  St.  Theresa,  St. 
John  Baptist  Vianney  of  Ars,  Mary  of  Moerl, 
Crescentia  of  Kaufbeuren,  etc.  Occasionally  it 
even  happens  that  God  permits  the  devil  to  enter 
the  body  of  a  man,  to  unite  himself  with  it,  and 
to  exercise  a  tyrannical  power  over  its  senses, 
limbs,  and  organs.  Because  of  this  mysterious 
indwelling  and  this  tyrannical  power  the  devil 
is  then  able  to  use  the  senses  of  a  man  for  his 
own  ends  and  to  confuse  the  spiritual  actions  of 
the  soul,  so  that  he  can  bring  about  the  most 
unusual  and  marvelous  manifestations  in  the 
individual.  This  is  called  possession,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  obsession,  mentioned  just  above. 

Signs   of   true   possession    are   the    following: 

1.  A  knowledge  of  foreign  languages  that  the 
possessed  had  never  learnt. 

2.  Scientific  insight  into  matters — striking 
facility  in  the  discussion  of  scientific  and  learned 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL     511 

questions — in  the  case  of  those  not  otherwise 
scientifically  trained. 

3.  The  knowledge  of  distant  and  mysterious 
things.    The  reading  of  the  thoughts  of  others. 

4.  Manifestations  of  physical  strength  that  are 
far  beyond  all  human  and  natural  powers. 

5.  The  deadening  of  certain  organs  (blindness, 
deafness,  or  dumbness). 

We  know  from  Holy  Writ  and  from  Church 
History  that  possession  was  very  frequent  in 
former  times.  Many  and  many  a  time  did  the 
Savior  deliver  men  from  their  evil  spirits.  "And 
He  cast  out  many  devils,  and  He  suffered  them 
not  to  speak"  (Mark  1:34). — "And  devils  went 
out  from  many,  crying  and  saying:  Thou  art 
the  Son  of  God"  (Luke  4:41).  Well  known  also 
is  the  history  of  the  two  possessed  of  Gerasa 
(see  Luke  8:27  sqq.)  and  of  the  possessed  man 
at  the  foot  of  Mt.  Thabor  (see  Matthew  9:32,  33). 
The  Divine  Master  gave  to  the  Apostles  the  power 
also  to  cast  out  devils  (Matth.  10:1).  The  Church 
in  unison  with  the  apostolic  Fathers  and  her 
Doctors  of  all  times,  has  retained  her  faith  in 
her  power  over  the  possessed.  This  we  can  see 
from  the  Church's  exorcisms,  solemn  commands 
to  the  devil,  given  in  the  holy  names  of  Jesus 
and  Mary,  that  he  depart  from  the  possessed  or 
refrain  from  all  attacks  upon  man.  The  Church 
has  instituted  a  special  order  of  clerks,  ordo 
exorcistatus,  or  exorcists,  to  practice  the  exorcism 
on  those  most  pitiable  of  mortals — the  possessed. 

Since  the  death  of  Christ  upon  the  cross  cases 
of  possession  occur  comparatively  seldom  in 
Christian  lands,  but  are  still  rather  frequent 
among  the  heathens,  as  the  missionaries  tell  us. 
But  though  rarely,  it  does  occasionally  happen 
that  God  permits  the  infernal  enemy  to  take 
possession  of  the  body  of  an  individual  and  do 
his  disorderly  work  therein. 


5ii  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

It  is  said  that  one  who  dies  wearing  the 
Scapular  will  not  go  to  hell.  Does  this 
hold  also  if  I  put  one  on  a  sinful  man 
shortly  before  he  dies? 

The  Blessed  Virgin  appeared  to  St.  Simon 
Stock,  the  sixth  General  of  the  Carmelites,  in 
1251,  at  Cambridge,  England,  and  said:  "Who- 
soever shall  die  clothed  in  this  Habit  shall  not 
suffer  the  eternal  fires."  Thus  was  the  great 
promise  concerning  the  Scapular  given. 

At  first  sight  this  promise  is  unconditional; 
but  theologians  hold  that  it  must  not  be  in- 
terpreted too  unconditionally.  This  is  a  revela- 
tion promising  a  special  favor:  and  we  may 
believe  that  all  such  promises  are  conditional. 
Speaking  of  this  revelation,  Benedict  XIV  says: 
"She  does  not  say  that  those  who  have  worn  the 
Scapular  will  be  preserved  from  eternal  fire  by 
this  means  alone,  without  having  done  anything 
else.  Good  works  and  perseverance  in  well- 
doing are  necessary  to  eternal  salvation"  (De 
festis,  Part  II,  No.  96). 

It  is  true  that  very  great  graces  are  attached 
to  the  wearing  of  the  Scapular,  and  that  we 
thereby  create  a  kind  of  right  to  the  special 
protection  of  the  Queen  of  Heaven.  But  it  is 
clear  that  if  anyone  were  to  reject  the  aids  of  re- 
ligion on  his  deathbed  he  would  not  merit  this 
protection  and,  were  he  to  die  in  mortal  sin, 
would  be  lost.  It  would  be  the  same,  and  another 
case  of  strange  presumption,  if  a  man  relied 
upon  this  promise  in  order  to  plunge  more  com- 
pletely into  vice.  The  mere  wearing  of  the 
Scapular  is  not  sufficient;  co-operation  is  taken 
for  granted.  Pope  Benedict  XIV  points  out,  with 
Cardinal  Bellarmine  (now  St.  Robert  Bellarmine, 
Doctor  of  the  Church),  that  Holy  Scripture  some- 
times promises  salvation  in  connection  with 
practices  that  cannot  suffice  by  themselves,  such 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  52.3. 

as   faith,   hope,   almsgiving,   Holy   Communion. 
Other  conditions  are  presupposed. 

Shall  we  see  the  Triune  God,  the  Blessed 
Trinity,  after  death,  in  heaven,  or  only 
God  the  Son? 

In  heaven  we  shall  indeed  see  the  Blessed 
Trinity,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost; 
and  we  shall  see  the  Sacred  Humanity  of  Christ. 
The  essential  happiness  of  heaven  consists  in  the 
sight  of  God,  in  the  beatific  vision,  and  in  the 
enjoyment  of  His  beauty  Who  is  the  source  and 
principle  of  all  goodness  and  perfection.  The 
Savior  says:  "This  is  eternal  life:  that  they 
may  know  Thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus 
Christ,  Whom  Thou  has  sent"  (John  17:3). 
And  St.  John  seems  to  explain  these  words  when 
he  says:  "Dearly  beloved,  we  are  now  the  sons 
of  God;  and  it  hath  not  yet  appeared  what  we 
shall  be.  We  know  that  when  He  will  appear, 
we  shall  be  like  to  Him:  because  we  shall  see  Him 
as  He  is"  (1  John  3:2).  Yes;  we  shall  behold 
God  as  He  is,  in  His  own  nature  and  substance. 
All  the  other  joys  of  heaven,  unspeakably  great 
though  they  be,  are  secondary  to  this. 

There  have  been  holy  men  and  saints 
who  foretold  the  end  of  the  world,  to  come 
even  during  their  generation,  and  the  end 
has  not  come  yet.  Were  those  false 
prophets  ? 

No;  they  were  not  necessarily  false  prophets. 
Their  revelations,  predictions,  prophecies,  what- 
ever you  wish  to  call  them,  may  have  been  con- 
ditional. In  fact,  we  may  believe  that  all  such  pro- 
phecies of  punishments  to  come  are  conditional. 
Jonas,  when  preaching  the  destruction  of  Ninive 
after  forty  days,  was  persuaded  that  it  would 
be  destroyed  even  if  the  inhabitants  repented.  But 
God  had  decided  otherwise.  Repentant  Ninive 
was     spared.       And    Jonas     "was     exceedingly- 


5M         QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

troubled  and  was  angry"  (Jonas  4:1).  Jonas 
was  not  a  false  prophet.  His  prophecy  was  con- 
ditional, though  he  did  not  know  it  himself  and 
was  accordingly  angry  when  he  thought  his  repu- 
tation as  a  prophet  was  lost. 

We  have  a  still  more  striking  proof  of  this  in 
St.  Vincent  Ferrer.  He  spent  the  last  twenty- 
one  years  of  his  life  (1398-1419)  announcing  that 
the  Last  Judgment  was  at  hand,  in  the  everyday 
sense  of  the  word.  He  had  learnt  this  by  a  very 
clear  vision,  the  truth  of  which  he  proved  by 
more  than  three  thousand  miracles.  And  at 
Salamanca  (in  1412)  he  brought  to  life  for  the 
space  of  fifteen  minutes  a  woman  who  was  being 
carried  to  the  cemetery,  and  who  confirmed  his 
predictions.  And  yet  this  prophecy  has  not  yet 
been  fulfilled.  Why?  Because  it  was  conditional. 
The  time  of  the  great  Western  Schism  truly 
merited  the  end  of  the  world  as  a  chastisement. 
But  this  misfortune  was  averted  by  the  wholesale 
conversions  wrought  throughout  Europe  among 
Catholics,  heretics,  Jews,  and  Moslems  by  the 
saint's  threats  and  miracles.  As  Fr.  Fages,  O.  P., 
says  in  his  life  of  the  saint:  "The  preaching  of 
Jonas  saved  Ninive,  that  of  Vincent  Ferrer  saved 
the  world." 

Have  those  who  are  in  heaven  any 
knowledge  of  us  who  are  on  earth? 

They  have.  All  doubt  about  this  matter  is 
dispelled  by  quotations  like  the  following  from 
Holy  Writ.  A  few  moments'  reflection  will  con- 
vince you  of  this.  1.  The  Archangel  Raphael 
said  to  Tobias:  "When  thou  didst  pray  with 
tears,  and  didst  bury  the  dead,  and  didst  leave  thy 
dinner,  and  didst  hide  the  dead  by  day  in  thy 
house,  and  bury  them  by  night,  I  offered  thy 
prayer  to  the  Lord."  (Tobias  12:12.)  2.  In  the 
Prophecy  of  Zacharias  we  read:  "And  the 
angel  of  the  Lord  answered,  and  said:    *0  Lord 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  515 

of  hosts,  how  long  wilt  Thou  not  have  mercy  on 
Jerusalem,  and  on  the  cities  of  Juda,  with  which 
Thou  hast  been  angry?  this  is  now  the  seven- 
tieth year'."  (Zach.  1:12.)  3.  Again,  we  are 
told  how  Jeremias,  about  five  centuries  after  his 
death,  was  interested  in  the  welfare  of  Israel: 
"Now  the  vision  was  in  this  manner:  Onias  who 
had  been  high  priest,  a  good  and  virtuous  man, 
modest  in  his  looks,  gentle  in  his  manners,  and 
graceful  in  his  speech,  and  who  from  a  child  was 
exercised  in  virtues,  holding  up  his  hands,  prayed 
for  all  the  people  of  the  Jews.  And  after  this 
there  appeared  also  another  man,  admirable  for 
age,  and  glory,  and  environed  with  great  beauty 
and  majesty.  Then  Onias  answering  said: 
'This  is  a  lover  of  his  brethren,  and  of  the  people 
of  Israel:  this  is  he  that  prayeth  much  for  the 
people,  and  for  all  the  holy  city,  Jeremias  the 
prophet  of  God.'  Whereupon  Jeremias  stretched 
forth  his  right  hand,  and  gave  to  Judas  a  sword  of 
gold,  saying:  'Take  this  holy  sword  a  gift  from 
God,  wherewith  thou  shalt  overthrow  the  ad- 
versaries of  my  people  Israel'."  (2  Mach. 
15:12-16.) 

Why  does  God  permit  innocent  persons 
to  be  possessed  by  the  devil? 

As  regards  demoniacal  possession,  the  Church 
teaches  (1)  that  it  is  possible,  (2)  that  it  can  be 
reconciled  with  divine  wisdom  and  providence, 
(3)  that  it  took  place  before  the  coming  of  Christ, 
and  (4)  that  it  still  takes  place  now  after  the  time 
of  Christ. 

In  answer  to  your  question  it  is  sufficient  to 
state  that  God's  permission  that  a  person  be 
possessed  by  the  devil  is  not  contrary  to  divine 
providence.  We  know  that  when  God  permits 
diseases,  temptations,  illusions,  persecutions,  se- 
ductions, even  sins,  etc.,  it  is  not  repugnant  to 
divine  providence,   which   knows  how  to   draw 


5i6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

good  out  of  evil;  and  we  know  that  the  things 
just  enumerated  can  injure  bodies  and  souls 
more  than  possession  and  that,  as  Holy  Scripture 
testifies,  they  are  often  brought  about  by  the 
devil.  Since  those  things  are  not  adverse  to  the 
providence  of  God,  so  neither  is  the  permission 
of  demoniacal  possession,  which  is  not  a  sin  and 
often  scarcely  differs  from  certain  diseases.  And, 
as  regards  innocent  persons,  we  may  recall  how 
often,  for  instance,  innocent  children  are  born 
blind  or  are  crippled  for  life  without  any  fault  of 
their  own  or  of  others.  Whenever  we  reflect 
upon  the  mystery  of  evil  we  must  also  bear  in 
mind  original  sin  and  its  sad  consequences  to  the 
human  race. 

St.  Bonaventure  gives  the  following  reasons 
why  God  permits  diabolical  possession:  "The 
Lord  permits  this  either  for  the  manifestation 
of  His  glory  (cf.  John  9:3),  or  as  a  punishment 
for  sin  or  for  the  correction  of  the  sinner  (cf. 
1  Cor.  5:3  ss.),  or  for  our  instruction.  But  for 
which  of  these  causes  it  is  particularly  permitted 
is  concealed  from  human  discernment,  inasmuch 
as  the  judgments  of  God  are  hidden;  but  this 
much  is  nevertheless  clear:  they  are  not  unjust, 
and  therefore  such  things  are  not  permitted 
without  cause." 

We  must,  of  course,  be  very  slow  in  thinking 
that  any  certain  person  is  possessed  by  the  devil, 
and  reasonable  incredulity  about  specified  cases 
is  a  good  Catholic  characteristic.  At  the  same 
time,  however,  we  must  not  be  led  astray  by  the 
ridicule  of  a  materialistic  world.  In  this  matter 
Holy  Church  takes  us  by  the  hand,  as  it  were, 
and  constantly  reminds  us  of  the  existence  of  the 
devil  and  of  his  efforts  to  do  us  harm.  Every  day 
of  the  year,  with  but  few  exceptions,  she  has  her 
priests  read,  in  the  Compline  of  the  Divine 
Office:  "Brethren:  be  sober  and  watch :  because 
your    adversary   the    devil,    as    a    roaring   lion, 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  517 

goeth  about  seeking  whom  he  may  devour.  Whom 
resist  ye,  strong  in  faith."  (1  Peter  5:8,  9.)  And 
the  Church  directs  that  every  day,  after  Low 
Mass,  priest  and  people  say  also  the  following 
prayer,  of  which  there  are  various  versions: 
"St.  Michael,  Archangel,  defend  us  when  we  are 
attacked;  against  the  crafty  and  corrupting  de- 
vices of  the  devil  be  thou  our  safeguard.  That 
God  may  restrain  him  we  humbly  pray;  and  do 
thou,  O  Prince  of  the  heavenly  host,  by  thy 
God-given  power,  force  back  into  hell  Satan  and 
all  the  other  spirits  of  evil  who  are  now  over- 
running the  world,  seeking  the  ruin  of  souls. 
Amen." 

Catholics  would  do  well  often  to  recall  what 
a  great  virtue  it  is  to  think  with  the  Church — 
sentire  cum  Ecclesia. 

Why  does  the  Church  so  often  fill  one 
with  fear  of  God's  punishments,  for 
instance,  of  purgatory,  of  hell  and  eternal 
damnation?  Is  not  our  religion  a  religion 
of  love  and  is  not  God  all-good? 

Yes;  God  is  all-good.  To  quote  Tertullian: 
"God  is  always  good  in  Himself;  it  is  we  alone 
who  compel  Him  to  make  use  of  the  severity  of 
His  justice."  But,  of  course,  nothing  is  more 
false  than  Jansenism,  that  heresy  which  exploits 
the  fear  of  God;  it  dries  up  and  desolates  the 
soul,  frightens  people  away  from  the  Sacraments, 
and  leads  them  at  last,  says  St.  Vincent  de  Paul, 
"to  deny  a  God  Who  would  be  no  longer  the 
good  God"  Exaggerated  language  about  the  small 
number  of  the  elect  and  the  exercise  of  God's 
justice  is  a  fatal  error  that  must  be  avoided.  This 
earth  of  ours  did  not  drink  in  the  Blood  of  Christ, 
and  is  not  watered  every  day  by  the  saving 
virtue  of  that  Blood,  in  order  that  He  may  only 
reap  a  miserable  harvest,  which  shall  be  as  "the 
shaking  of  the  olive-tree,  two  or  three  berries 


5x8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

on  the  top  of  a  bough,  or  four  or  five  upon  the 
top  of  the  tree"  (Isa.  17:6).  The  Church  does 
not  forbid  us  to  believe  that  besides  "the  elect" — 
who  represent  special  vocations,  eminent  gifts, 
heroic  sanctity,  and  those  "sealed  ones"  of  each 
tribe — there  will  still  be  room  for  "that  great 
multitude  which  no  man  can  number"  (Apoc. 
7:9),  of  which  St.  John  speaks,  and  which  will 
include  the  remainder  of  the  redeemed  and  saved 
souls.  They  also  are  saints;  but  having  come 
late  the  distribution  of  divine  gifts,  or  having 
only  been  "faithful  in  a  few  things,"  they  are 
destined  to  occupy  a  lower  place  in  those 
"many  mansions"  in  the  kingdom  of  our  heavenly 
Father.  We  must  not  exaggerate  in  the  question 
of  the  number  of  the  saved  and  the  lost,  lest,  as 
St.  Cyril  says,  "we  disfigure  the  sweet  Face  of 
the  Gospel." 

"Nevertheless,"  says  St.  Ignatius,  "we  ought 
to  value  highly  a  right  fear  of  the  Divine  Majesty. 
Even  servile  fear,  when  a  man  is  unable  to  raise 
himself  to  anything  better  or  more  useful,  helps 
him  very  much  in  his  attempt  to  give  up  mortal  sin; 
and  when  this  is  accomplished,  he  easily  goes  on 
to  filial  fear."  And,  as  "The  Imitation"  says: 
"It  is  good,  however,  if  love  as  yet  reclaim  thee 
not  from  evil,  that  at  least  the  fear  of  hell  do 
check  thee."  "There  are  days,"  says  St.  Teresa, 
"when  even  those  who  have  given  their  whole 
will  to  God — in  order  to  escape  the  peril  of  of- 
fending Him — ought  to  make  a  fortress  for  them- 
selves of  the  great  truths  of  Faith,  considering 
that  all  created  things  come  to  an  end,  and  that 
there  is  a  hell."  Again,  "Charity,"  says  Bossuet, 
"is  better  nourished  and  grows  more  rapidly 
when  guarded  by  holy  fear."  And  St.  Hilary 
assures  us  that  "true  fear  of  God  leads  to  love." 

We  must  not  be  afraid  of  God.  Filial  fear 
means  to  love  God  as  a  Father  and  obey  Him 
because  we  love  Him.     "The  fear  of  the  Lord  is 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  52.9 

the  beginning  of  wisdom,"  Holy  Writ  tells  us; 
but  the  perfect  flower  of  wisdom,  "the  fulfilling 
of  the  law,  is  love."  If  we  have  this  loving  fear, 
we  are  responding  to  the  intentions  of  our  good 
God  and  we  may  rest  secure  on  the  bosom  of 
the  Master  always  merciful,  always  gentle, 
always  loving. 

Are  the  souls  in  purgatory  purified  by 
real  fire  or  is  this  only  a  figure  of  speech? 

The  Church,  which  teaches  that  the  fire  of 
hell  is  really  fire,  has  not  said  the  same  of 
purgatory.  St.  Catherine  of  Genoa,  whose 
teaching  was  examined  and  approved  before  she 
was  canonized,  says:  "This  sense  of  the  grievous- 
ness  of  being  kept  from  beholding  the  Divine 
Light,  coupled  with  that  instinctive  longing  which 
would  fain  be  without  hindrance  to  follow  the 
enticing  look  of  God — these  things,  I  say,  make 
up  the  pains  of  the  souls  in  purgatory." 

The  definitive  teaching  of  the  Church  with 
reference  to  purgatory  is  very  limited.  The 
Council  of  Trent  decreed:  "Whereas  the  Catholic 
Church,  instructed  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  has  from 
the  Sacred  Scriptures  and  the  ancient  tradition 
of  the  Fathers  taught  in  Councils  and  very 
recently  in  this  Ecumenical  Synod  that  there  is 
a  purgatory  and  that  the  souls  therein  are 
helped  by  the  suffrages  of  the  faithful,  but 
principally  by  the  acceptable  Sacrifice  of  the 
altar;  the  Holy  Synod  enjoins  on  the  Bishops 
that  they  diligently  endeavor  to  have  the  sound 
doctrine  of  the  Fathers  in  councils  regarding 
purgatory  everywhere  taught  and  preached,  held 
and  believed  by  the  faithful." 

Points  of  sound  doctrine  are  the  following: 
1.  It  is  absolutely  certain  that  the  souls  in  pur- 
gatory are  sure  of  their  salvation  and  can  no 
longer  sin.  They  "rest  in  Christ"  and  "sleep  in 
the  sleep  of  peace."    2.  It  is  likewise  certain  that 


530  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

they  suffer  the  pain  of  loss,  temporary  depriva- 
tion of  the  Beatific  Vision,  the  sight  of  God,  and 
that  this  pain  is  very  great.  3.  It  is  the  common 
teaching  that  they  likewise  suffer  the  pain  of 
sense  and  it  is  the  more  common  opinion  in  the 
Latin  Church  that  they  suffer  by  fire.  4.  As 
regards  the  gravity  of  the  pain,  nothing  certain 
is  known.  Theologians  differ.  St.  Thomas 
Aquinas,  after  pointing  out  that  Scripture  re- 
veals nothing  on  this  question  and  that  no 
decisive  argument  can  be  brought  forward  to 
settle  it,  considers  it  more  probable  and  more 
in  accordance  with  private  revelations  to  hold 
that,  as  a  rule,  souls  suffer  their  purgation  in 
the  fire  of  hell  itself.  And  he  applies  the  illus- 
tration of  St.  Augustine's,  "In  one  fire,  gold 
glows  and  straw  smokes,"  to  show  how  the  fire 
which  endlessly  torments  the  devils  can  purify  a 
soul  that  dies  in  the  charity  of  God.  St.  Thomas 
thinks  that  the  least  pain  of  purgatory  is  greater 
than  the  greatest  of  this  life:  while  St.  Bona- 
venture  thinks  that  the  greatest,  but  not  the 
least,  pain  of  purgatory  is  more  bitter  than  the 
pains  of  this  life.  But  all  theologians  hold  that 
the  suffering  souls  bear  these  pains  patiently,  in 
great  resignation  and  hope,  and  that  this  hope 
affords  them  immense  joy.  5.  There  is  likewise 
nothing  certain  as  regards  the  duration  of  the 
pains.  But  all  Fathers  and  theologians  are 
unanimous  in  teaching  that  purgatory  will  not 
endure  beyond  the  last  day.  Those  who  live 
at  the  end  of  the  world  will  be  quickly  cleansed 
of  their  light  stains  by  means  known  to  God. 
6.  The  suffering  souls  are  also  helped  by  the 
prayers  of  the  saints  in  heaven,  as  can  be  seen 
by  the  prayers  of  the  Church,  for  example: 
"That  they  may  come  to  share  eternal  bliss 
through  the  intercession  of  the  Blessed  Mary 
ever  Virgin  and  of  all  the  saints." 

That,  briefly,  is  about  all  we  know  of  purgatory. 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL      531 

It  remains  to  help  the  holy  souls  by  prayers, 
Masses,  good  works,  indulgences.  "It  is  a  holy 
and  wholesome  thought  to  pray  for  the  dead." 
They  will  fervently  pray  for  us  after  their  re- 
lease and,  very  probably,  also  while  still  in  pur- 
gatory. 

What  is  the  Heroic  Act?  May  I  pray 
for  others  if  I  make  it? 

The  Heroic  Act  is  explained  in  the  following 
decree  of  the  Sacred  Congregation  of  Indulgences 
dated  Dec.  18,  1885,  and  confirmed  the  following 
day  by  Leo  XIII:  "The  Heroic  Act  of  Charity 
in  favor  of  the  souls  detained  in  purgatory  con- 
sists in  this,  that  a  member  of  the  Church  militant, 
either  using  a  set  formula  or  simply  by  an  act  of 
his  will,  offers  to  God  for  the  souls  in  purgatory 
all  the  satisfactory  works  which  he  will  perform 
during  his  lifetime,  and  also  all  the  suffrages 
which  may  accrue  to  him  after  his  death.  Many 
Christians  devoted  to  the  B.  V.  Mary,  acting  on 
the  advice  of  the  Theatine  Regular  Cleric,  Father 
Gaspar  Olider,  of  blessed  memory,  make  it  a 
practice  to  deposit  the  said  merits  and  suffrages 
as  it  were  into  the  hands  of  the  Blessed  Virgin 
that  she  may  distribute  these  favors  to  the  souls 
in  purgatory  according  to  her  own  merciful 
pleasure."    The  italics  are  ours. 

The  Heroic  Act  is  not  a  vow,  but  an  offering, 
and  may  be  revoked  at  will  and  without  sin. 
This  point  was  decided  by  an  answer  of  the  Sacred 
Congregation  of  Indulgences  Feb.  20,  1907.  It 
always  remains  doubtful  to  what  extent  God 
accepts  this  oblation  or  pious  desire.  The  prac- 
tice is  based  on  the  communion  of  saints;  it  is 
meritorious  because  of  the  more  intense  charity 
(love  of  God  and  His  suffering  friends)  which 
inspires  it;  it  is  heroic  because  of  the  willingness 
it  involves  to  take  upon  oneself  the  dreadful 
sufferings  it  implies  for  the  love  of  one's  neighbor, 


531  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

though  there  remains  the  reasonable  hope  that 
God  in  His  goodness  and  the  sainted  souls  in 
their  gratitude  will  not  suffer  themselves  to  be 
outdone  in  generosity.  The  Heroic  Act  has  been 
enriched  with  numerous  indulgences. 

Vermeersch  says  that  the  placing  of  our  satis- 
factory works  in  the  hands  of  the  Blessed  Virgin 
is  not  essential  to  the  Heroic  Act;  that  one  may 
give  them  to  souls  that  one  in  some  way  desig- 
nates, either  once  for  all  or  successively;  that  by 
the  Heroic  Act  one  is  not  forbidden  to  offer  to 
certain  definite  deceased  suffrages  that  are  pre- 
scribed or  otherwise  due.  (Theol.  Moralis,  Tom. 
Ill,  619.)  Note  this  paragraph  well.  It  answers 
many  little  difficulties. 

It  is  stated  above  that  in  the  Heroic  Act  we 
offer  all  our  satisfactory  works.  For  the  better 
understanding  of  this  we  mention  that  every  good 
act  freely  done  by  a  soul  in  the  state  of  grace 
and  with  a  supernatural  intention  possesses  a 
threefold  value.  It  has  (1)  a  meritorious  value 
(giving  an  increase  of  sanctifying  grace  and  a 
corresponding  right  to  a  higher  degree  of  glory 
in  heaven);  and  merit  is  condign  when  a  recom- 
pense is  due  in  strict  justice  or  in  less  strict  justice 
also  presupposing  a  favor,  and  congruous  when 
its  claims  are  simply  those  of  a  certain  fitness, 
because  of  the  friendship  or  liberality  of  God. 
For  example,  a  soldier  acquitting  himself  bravely 
on  the  battle-field  has  a  strict  right  to  his  pay, 
but  he  can  only  lay  a  claim  of  fitness  to  a  cita- 
tion or  decoration.  It  has  (2)  a  satisfactory  value 
when  it  possesses  the  elements  of  propiation, 
expiation,  and  satisfaction  rendered.  It  has  (3) 
an  impetratory  value  when  it  embodies  a  request 
to  God  for  new  graces. 

Now,  we  cannot  at  all  give  away  the  condignly 
meritorious  value  of  our  good  works;  and  we 
cannot  entirely  give  away  the  congruously  meri- 
torious value  of  our  good  works  nor  their  im- 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL      533 

petratory  value,  since  we  ourselves  continually 
need  the  helps  of  divine  grace  and  are  obliged  to 
implore  them  for  ourselves.  But  we  can  give 
away  all  the  satisfactory  value  of  our  good  works, 
as  in  the  Heroic  Act  we  are  speaking  of.  In  fact, 
to  do  this,  since  it  is  a  most  excellent  act  of 
charity,  greatly  increases  our  condign  merit 
(which  always  remains  our  own)  and  renders 
our  impetration  advantageous  to  us. 

It  is  to  be  further  noted  (Lehmkuhl,  Theol. 
Moralis,  Vol.  1,  261)  that  all  the  good  works  of 
a  just  man,  whether  they  be  meritorious,  satis- 
factory, or  impetratory,  also  possess  a  satis- 
factory value  (inasmuch  as  all  are  laborious, 
says  Vermeersch)  by  which  we  may  satisfy  for 
the  punishments  due  in  purgatory  either  to  our 
own  sins  or  to  the  sins  of  others.  All  this  satis- 
factory value  is  what  we  give  to  the  poor  souls 
through  the  Heroic  Act,  in  addition  to  the  suf- 
frages offered  for  us  after  our  death.  Nor  does 
this  satisfactory  value  in  any  way  diminish  merit. 
Moreover,  it  purifies  the  soul  of  man  and  makes 
him  more  acceptable  to  God. 

The  conclusion  we  draw  from  this  is  that  there 
is  nothing  to  prevent  one  who  has  made  the 
Heroic  Act  from  praying  (sacrificing,  suffering, 
working)  for  any  and  every  grace  and  blessing, 
be  it  for  oneself  or  others,  living  or  dead,  since 
every  good  work  of  what  kind  soever  possesses 
some  satisfactory  value  and  he  has  offered  all 
such  value  to  the  poor  souls.  Indeed,  this  should 
be  an  incentive  to  multiply  his  good  acts  for  his 
spiritual  growth.  Without  his  even  adverting  to 
it,  he  will  then  be  constantly  offering  his  gifts 
to  the  holy  souls. 

Sometimes  one  wonders  whether  pray- 
ing for  a  certain  person  who  died  after  a 
careless,  sinful  life  will  help  that  person 
much  if  he  is  in  purgatory.  What  do  you 
think? 


534  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

We  do  not  know.  Certainly,  some  souls  during 
their  life  on  earth  earned  that  they  should  be 
helped  by  the  prayers  of  their  friends  after  death ; 
and  others  did  not.  For  the  former  class,  God 
has  willed  that  their  purification  in  suffering 
should  be  aided  by  the  prayers  offered  for  them 
by  the  Church  on  earth;  and  when  we  pray  for 
them  we  are  simply  carrying  out  His  plans.  As 
regards  the  second  class,  we  may  say  that  the 
fruit  of  our  prayers  for  a  particular  soul  depends 
on  the  fitness  of  that  soul  to  receive  grace  or 
mercy.  For  it  may  be  that  some  souls  have  on 
earth  deserved  to  suffer  the  whole  of  their  penance 
themselves  and  receive  no  relief  through  the 
prayers  of  others,  like  the  servant  in  the  parable, 
who  refused  mercy  to  others  and  asked  it  for 
himself.  We  do  not  know.  So  the  thing  to  do 
is  to  pray  for  them  and  above  all  to  live  so  that 
we  may  deserve  to  be  helped  ourselves  once  we 
are  in  that  state  of  painful  purification.  Better 
still,  let  us  purify  ourselves  here  below  by  living 
wholly  in  the  love  of  God,  a  burning  love  that 
will  make  us  fit  to  enjoy  His  presence  at  once  or 
at  least  with  as  little  delay  as  possible. 

Will  you  please  tell  me  if  the  souls  that 
are  condemned  to  hell  will  go  there  right 
after  death,  as  the  souls  of  the  just  at 
once  go  to  heaven,  or  have  they  to  go  to 
Limbo  until  Judgment  Day? 

Limbo  is  quite  out  of  the  question  here.  You 
are  correct  in  intimating  that  the  souls  of  the 
just,  if  wholly  purified,  go  directly  to  heaven. 
It  is  of  faith  that  the  souls  of  the  just  who  have 
been  purified  from  all  stain,  without  awaiting  the 
resurrection  of  the  body  and  the  general  judg- 
ment, immediately  after  death  enter  into  the  joy 
of  the  beatific  vision. 

Again,  the  just  who  are  sentenced  to  purgatory 
in  the  particular  judgment  go  thither  at  once,  as 


(    PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  535 

can  be  seen  from  the  practical  faith  of  Holy 
Church,  which  prays  for  their  deliverance  im- 
mediately after  death. 

As  regards  the  wicked  the  Church  has  fre- 
quently defined  "that  according  to  the  ordinance 
of  God  the  souls  of  those  who  depart  in  actual 
mortal  sin  immediately  after  their  death  descend 
into  hell  where  they  are  tormented  with  infernal 
pains."  Pope  St.  Gregory  the  Great  says:  "As 
beatitude  rejoices  the  elect,  so  we  must  believe 
that  from  the  day  of  their  departure  fire  burns 
the  reprobate." 

Finally,  it  is  the  common  teaching  that  the 
demons  already  now,  before  the  general  judg- 
ment, suffer  the  pains  of  hell.  Now,  indeed, 
many  of  them  prowl  about  the  world  seeking  the 
ruin  of  souls;  but  this  partial  liberty,  of  which 
they  will  be  deprived  at  the  end  of  the  world, 
will  then  add  to  their  punishment.  St.  Robert 
Bellarmine  gives  a  number  of  reasons  for  this. 

1.  They  will  no  longer  be  able  to  do  harm  to  men. 

2.  They  will  no  longer  be  able  to  get  for  them- 
selves worship  that  is  due  to  God,  as  they  get  it 
now  from  devil  worshippers.  3.  Their  deceits  and 
weakness,  and  how  they  were  overcome  by  men, 
women,  and  children,  will  be  known  to  all.  4. 
They  will  be  judged  not  only  by  God,  but  also 
by  men. 

What  does  the  Catholic  Church  teach 
about  hell? 

1.  The  Catholic  Church  teaches  that  there  is 
a  hell,  and  that  hell  is  primarily  the  permanent 
deprivation  of  the  Beatific  Vision,  everlasting 
separation  from  God,  inflicted  on  those  who  die 
in  mortal  sin.  This  greatest  pain  of  hell  is  called 
the  pain  of  loss.  God  is  the  end  of  man;  and  to 
have  lost  this  end  through  one's  own  fault  consti- 
tutes the  very  nature  of  hell.     The  word  "dam- 


536         QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

nation"  comes  from  the  Latin  word  damnum, 
which  means  simply  "loss." 

2.  It  is  well  to  try  to  understand  that  the 
punishment  is  necessarily  everlasting.  One  over- 
taken by  death  in  mortal  sin  is  found  preferring 
a  created  good  to  God;  and  he  abides  in  his 
final  choice,  can  no  longer  change  his  mind,  con- 
tinues to  reject  God.  After  death  there  is  no 
change  for  merit.  The  damned  is  eternally 
punished  because  he  is  eternally  in  the  state  of 
sin.  The  Catholic  Church  teaches  that  the 
human  soul  remains  in  that  state  in  which  death 
finds  it;  if  death  finds  it  averted  from  God  it 
will  remain  so  forever. 

3.  The  damned  at  the  judgment  do  not  for 
a  moment  see  God;  but  some  flash  of  light  must 
pierce  their  darkened  minds  so  that  they  realize 
the  tremendousness  of  their  loss;  and  every 
instant  of  their  eternity  they  want  God  and  at 
the  same  time  feel  a  disgust,  a  hatred,  which 
turns  them  from  what  they  want;  theirs  is  a 
never-ending  life  of  appalling  aimlessness,  an 
eternal  knocking  at  a  gate  eternally  closed. 
They  are  truly  "the  lost."  The  journey  will 
never  end;  home  and  rest — God  and  His  heaven 
— will  for  them  never  be;  they  are  lost  with  a 
darkened  mind  and  a  perverted  will. 

4.  The  Church  teaches  that  in  addition  to 
the  pain  of  loss,  which  is  a  negative  punishment, 
there  is  also  a  positive  punishment,  the  pain  of 
sense,  commonly  referred  to  as  hell-fire.  The 
reality  of  hell-fire  as  an  instrument  of  the  sense 
of  pain  has  never  been  solemnly  defined  as  an 
article  of  faith,  though  it  is  said  that  if  the  Vatican 
Council  had  not  been  interrupted  it  would  have 
been  so  defined;  but  meanwhile  it  is  clear  that 
no  one  may  doubt  the  reality  of  hell-fire  without 
grievous  sin.  It  would  not  be  formal  heresy  to 
deny  it,  but  wilful  error  and  temerity;  and  no 
Catholic  can  deny  it  without  grave  sin  against 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL     537 

the  faith.  It  is  not  the  fire  we  have  on  earth,  but 
only  analogous  to  it.  Our  word  fire  expresses 
most  nearly  this  instrument  of  pain,  wherefore 
it  is  referred  to  in  the  New  Testament  no  less 
than  thirty  times  by  the  word  fire.  By  God's 
omnipotence  hell-fire  will  also  act  directly  on  a 
pure  intelligence,  causing  it  to  suffer  a  pain  to 
which  the  only  parallel  we  possess  on  earth  is  the 
sensation  of  burning.  Thus  this  fire  can  burn 
not  only  bodies,  but  also  spirits. 

5.  Though  no  one  could  say  that  it  is  a  part 
of  revelation,  yet  it  was  always  held  within  the 
Church  that  hell  is  a  place  as  well  as  a  state. 
This  is  a  most  natural  inference  from  the  texts 
of  Scripture.  Where  in  the  universe  hell  is  no 
one  can  say.  It  has  not  pleased  God  to  reveal 
this.  However,  the  mode  of  speech  that  refers 
to  hell  as  below  will  no  doubt  remain  always 
customary. 

6.  No  doubt  the  pains  of  hell  have  sometimes 
been  described  with  a  crude  realism  that  is  re- 
volting to  the  mind.  But  it  were  well  at  all  times 
to  remember  that  the  pains  of  hell  exceed  in 
horror  all  that  men  can  imagine.  We  therefore 
say  that  it  is  right  and  just  and  sometimes  even 
a  duty  to  call  in  even  the  imagination  to  warn 
men  against  the  supreme  and  last  danger  that 
awaits  them  all. 

7.  In  heaven  there  are  different  degrees  of 
happiness.  So  in  hell  there  are  different  degrees 
of  punishment,  but  the  least  degree  will  exceed 
in  horror  all  that  we  can  imagine  on  earth.  Hence 
Dante's  play  of  imagination  in  his  Inferno,  where 
he  describes  all  kinds  and  degrees  of  sufferings, 
is  not  idle  and  useless.  It  keeps  before  the  mind 
that  for  the  lost,  in  some  unique  way,  the  punish- 
ment will  always  fit  the  crime. 

8.  A  few  disjointed  remarks  may  still  be  made. 
(a)  The  expression  "the  undying  worm"  may  be 
taken  figuratively,  as  a  symbol  for  remorse,  for 


538  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

instance,  (b)  In  hell  the  devils  will  exercise 
cruel  tyranny  over  the  damned  forever.  How, 
we  do  not  know.  The  use  of  chains,  pitchforks, 
pinchers,  etc.,  is  a  mere  play  of  the  imagination 
and  a  rather  childish  supposition,  (c)  There  is 
no  time  in  hell;  both  the  blessed  and  the  damned 
have  entered  a  changeless  world,  eternity.  When 
the  hour  of  death  strikes,  the  hands  of  the  clock 
of  time  stop  and  move  no  more,  (d)  It  is  utterly 
useless  and  opposed  to  the  spirit  of  the  Church 
to  pray  for  the  lost;  their  state  can  in  no  way 
be  changed  after  the  judgment  nor  their  punish- 
ment mitigated;  they  are  "outside  the  bond  of 
charity,"  says  St.  Thomas  Aquinas,  "by  which 
the  works  of  the  living  extend  to  the  dead." 
(e)  The  lost  will  never  have  the  least  joy  or 
satisfaction,  even  in  evil.  Dives  was  "tormented 
in  this  flame,"  but  not  even  the  petition  that  a 
finger  dipped  in  water  should  be  laid  on  his  tongue 
was  granted,  (f)  The  guess  that  the  pain  of  sense 
will  sometime  come  to  an  end  must  be  definitely 
rejected.  "Everlasting"  is  the  word  most  often 
attached  to  the  word  "fire."  (g)  The  devils  roam 
through  the  world  seeking  the  destruction  of 
souls.  Revelation  tends  to  show  that  no  such 
influence  is  normally  granted  to  the  damned. 
Also,  if  in  a  spiritistic  seance  an  evil  spirit  presents 
itself,  the  presumption  is  that  it  is  a  devil  and 
not  a  damned  soul;  and  it  is  certain  that  it  is 
not  a  soul  in  heaven  or  in  purgatory. 

We  admit  that  the  doctrine  of  hell  is  a  mystery; 
but  it  is  a  lesser  mystery  than  Bethlehem  or 
Calvary.  The  human  mind  can  more  easily 
understand  that  God  should  punish  sin  eternally 
than  that  the  Eternal  God  Himself  should  die 
upon  the  cross  to  save  man  from  eternal  punish- 
ment. (Cf.  J.  P.  Arendzen,  D.  D.,  Eternal 
Punishment.    Macmillan.) 

I  have  been  reading  of  a  person  who 
died  in  mortal  sin  and  who  was  recalled 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL      539 

to  life  by  the  prayers  of  some  saint  and 
given  another  chance  of  earning  heaven. 
Are  such  things  true?  Where  was  that 
person's  soul  in  the  meantime? 

There  may  be  some  truth  to  the  fact  of  these 
stories,  though  sober  historians  would  perhaps 
say  it  is  very  little.  In  case  such  things  happened, 
where  was  the  soul?  We  do  not  know.  It  had 
not  yet  undergone  the  particular  judgment,  which 
normally  succeeds  death,  else  its  fate  would  have 
been  eternally  decided. 

We  know  that  the  particular  judgment  im- 
mediately follows  death.  But  manifestly  there 
have  been  exceptions,  in  which  the  particular 
judgment  was  suspended.  In  the  Gospel  we 
read  of  Christ  raising  from  the  dead  the  daughter 
of  Jairus,  the  son  of  the  widow  of  Nairn,  and 
Lazarus.  These  are  such  exceptions.  Also,  some 
dead  have  been  raised  to  life  since  Gospel  days. 

Very  probably  all  consciousness  ceased  between 
the  moment  of  death  and  the  moment  of  resur- 
rection. Be  that  as  it  may,  by  a  special  ordi- 
nance of  God  the  divine  judgment  on  these 
souls  did  not  take  place  at  the  instant  of  their 
bodily  death;  for  their  allotted  time  of  trial  was 
not  yet  completed. 

As  regards  your  question,  it  is  certain  that  if 
ever  an  unrepentant  sinner  has  returned  to 
earthly  life,  that  sinner  was  not  yet  in  hell.  Both 
revelation  and  reason  make  this  obvious.  Out  of 
hell  there  is  no  redemption.  (Cf.  J.  P.  Arendzen, 
D.  D.,  Eternal  Punishment,  Macmillan.) 

Is  Christ  coming  for  a  thousand  years 
before  the  end  of  the  world? 

No.  The  Chiliasts  (from  the  Greek  word  for 
thousand)  seem  to  expect  a  coming  of  Christ  and 
His  presence  in  glory  and  majesty  on  this  earth 
which  would  not  be  the  consummation  of  all 
things  but  would  still  be  a  portion  of  the  history 


54o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

of  mankind.  This  is  not  in  accord  with  Catholic 
dogma,  according  to  which  the  coming  of  Christ 
in  the  second  Advent  is  the  consummation  of 
all  things,  the  end  of  human  history.  If  before 
the  end  there  is  to  be  a  period  of  triumphant 
sanctity,  it  will  be  brought  about,  not  by  the 
apparition  of  the  Person  of  Christ  in  majesty, 
but  by  the  Holy  Ghost  and  the  Sacraments  at 
work  in  the  Church.  Chiliasts  have  still  to  learn 
the  meaning  of  the  Savior's  words:  "It  is  ex- 
pedient to  you  that  I  go;  for  if  I  go  not  the 
Paraclete  will  not  come  to  you;  but  if  I  go,  I 
will  send  Him  to  you"    (John  16:7). 

In  what  does  the  Last  Day,  "the  day  of 
the  Lord,"  consist? 

According  to  Catholic  teaching  it  certainly 
consists  of  these  four  manifestations  of  God's 
omnipotence,  whose  literal  reality  cannot  be 
doubted  by  any  Catholic. 

1.  The  destruction  of  the  physical  world 
through  fire.  "The  Lord  delay eth  not  His 
promise,  as  some  imagine,  but  dealeth  patiently 
for  your  sake,  not  willing  that  any  should  perish, 
but  that  all  should  return  to  penance.  But  we 
look  for  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth  according 
to  His  promises,  in  which  justice  dwelleth" 
(II  Peter  3:9  and  13). 

2.  The  raising  up  of  all  the  dead.  "Who 
shew  the  work  of  the  law  written  in  their  hearts, 
their  conscience  bearing  witness  to  them,  and 
their  thoughts  between  themselves  accusing,  or 
also  defending  one  another.  In  the  day  when 
God  shall  judge  the  secrets  of  men  by  Jesus 
Christ,  according  to  my  gospel"  (Rom.  2:15,  16). 

3.  The  revelation  of  all  the  hidden  things  of 
man's  conscience  and  of  God's  providence. 
"Wonder  not  at  this;  for  the  hour  cometh, 
wherein  all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  the 
voice  of  the  Son  of  God.     And  they  that  have 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  541 

done  good  things,  shall  come  forth  unto  the 
resurrection  of  life;  but  they  that  have  done 
evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of  judgment"  (John 
5:28,  29). 

4.  The  separation  of  the  good  and  the  wicked. 
"Then  shall  the  king  say  to  them  that  shall  be 
on  his  right  hand:  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my 
Father,  possess  you  the  kingdom  prepared  for 
you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world.  Then  he 
shall  say  to  them  also  that  shall  be  on  his  left 
hand:  Depart  from  me,  you  cursed,  into  ever- 
lasting fire  which  was  prepared  for  the  devil  and 
his  angels"     (Matt.  25:34  and  41). 

What  is  meant  by  the  New  Testament 
expression:  "Judge  of  the  living  and  the 
dead"? 

As  used  in  the  Creed  these  words  may  be  said 
to  refer  to  two  classes  of  human  beings,  namely, 
those  who  shall  be  found  alive  (an  opinion  some 
theologians  hold,  though  the  scholastics  teach 
that  all  shall  die)  at  Christ's  coming  for  the 
General  Judgment  and  the  dead  who  will  come 
forth  from  their  tombs.  At  any  rate,  in  the 
passages  in  Holy  Writ  these  words  do  not  always 
mean  a  twofold  classification  of  human  beings  but 
the  complete  career  of  the  same  beings,  whose 
life  and  death,  in  all  their  conditions,  happenings, 
and  details  are  equally  in  the  scales  of  divine 
justice.  It  is  a  kind  of  universal  visualizing  of 
the  whole  human  race.  "For  to  this  end  Christ 
died  and  rose  again:  that  He  might  be  Lord 
both  of  the  dead  and  of  the  living"     (Rom.  14:9). 

There  are  no  new  judgments;  the  one  judg- 
ment is  progressive  until  it  reaches  consumma- 
tion on  the  Last  Day;  the  Last  Judgment  is 
truly  a  manifestation  of  all  the  judicial  acts  of 
God  that  have  gone  before.  The  special  func- 
tion of  the  Last  Judgment  is  to  make  clear  be- 
fore all  creation  that  not  one  evil  thing  has  re- 


542.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

mained  unvisited,  not  one  good  thing  has  passed 
unrewarded,  in  all  the  vast  history  of  the  human 
race. 

Will  the  last  judgment  be  given  by 
word  of  mouth? 

We  believe  that  God  will  make  all  things 
manifest  to  all  men  as  we  believe  that  in  the 
beginning  He  created  light.  As  regards  this 
question,  St.  Thomas  has  this  dignified  answer: 
"It  is  difficult  to  say  with  any  certainty  what  is 
true  in  this  matter;  however,  it  seems  more 
probable  that  all  judgment  from  the  point  of 
view  of  the  discussion,  from  the  point  of  view  of 
the  accusation  of  the  wicked,  and  of  the  praise 
of  the  good,  and  from  the  point  of  view  of  the 
sentence  pronounced  over  both  classes,  will  be 
carried  out  only  mentally.  For  if  the  deeds  of 
every  one  were  spoken  orally,  a  length  of  time 
would  be  necessary,  great  beyond  all  concept" 
(Suppl.  88,  art.  2). 

Is  it  not  strange  that  a  less  guilty  man 
(say  one  mortal  sin)  should  be  lost  ever- 
lastingly as  much  as  one  who  may  be  a 
million  times  more  guilty? 

St.  Thomas  Aquinas  most  profoundly  says: 
"Eternity  of  pain  does  not  correspond  to  the 
gravity  of  the  guilt  but  it  corresponds  to  the 
irreparable  nature  of  the  guilt"  (Summa  I-II,Q. 
87,  art.  5).  The  soul  at  death  is  fixed  in  its 
state,  unchangeable.  If  that  state  be  mortal  sin 
it  is  eternally  fixed  in  evil,  in  enmity  with  God. 
The  real  punishment  imposed  by  divine  justice 
does  not  lie  in  the  fact  that  it  is  everlasting,  for 
everything  spiritual  is  necessarily  everlasting, 
but  in  a  special  burden  laid  on  the  reprobate 
spirit  corresponding  to  his  guilt. 

What  happens  in  the  particular  judg- 
ment? 


PURGATORY,  HEAVEN,  AND  HELL  543 

For  the  elect  that  moment  when  the  soul  leaves 
the  body,  that  moment  which  constitutes  the 
soul  in  eternity  is  an  overwhelming  revelation  of 
God's  fidelity.  Not  only  does  it  become  im- 
mensely clear  to  the  soul  that  it  is  saved,  that  it 
is  in  the  grace  of  God,  that  it  belongs  to  God 
forever  and  forever,  but  all  the  good  works  done 
during  the  mortal  life  are  remembered  by  God, 
even  the  least  of  them,  and  are  rewarded  as  only 
God  can  reward.  One  of  the  greatest  surprises, 
no  doubt,  of  the  elect  at  that  moment  will  be  to 
find  how  God  has  remembered  the  very  least  of 
their  good  works,  how  things  long  forgotten  by 
themselves  are  truly  recorded  in  the  book  of 
life.  The  reward  may,  however,  be  delayed  by 
purgatory. 


PERTAINING  TO   PRECEPTS   OF 
VARIOUS  KINDS 

I  am  making  some  altar  linens  for  a 
missionary,  as  a  little  work  of  charity  for 
the  missions.  Of  course,  I  do  not  get 
paid  for  it.  I  would  like  to  do  a  little  work 
of  this  kind  on  Sunday  afternoons.  Do 
you  think  it  would  be  wrong  for  me  to  do 
sewing  like  that  on  Sundays?  Is  it  a  sin 
to  do  fancy  embroidering  and  crocheting 
on  Sundays? 

We  must  first  make  a  number  of  distinctions 
and  explanations.  Servile  labor  is  forbidden  on 
Sunday;  and  the  same  must  be  said  of  business 
and  court  proceedings.  But  so-called  liberal 
works,  and  common  works,  and  domestic  labors 
are  not  forbidden.  We  now  proceed  to  define 
each  of  these  four  kinds  of  work. 

Servile  labor  is  that  rough  and  harder  kind  of 
work  which  is  ordinarily  done  by  common  work- 
men and  which  used  to  be  done  by  servants. 

Liberal  works  comprise  all  work  predominantly 
intellectual  and  aiming  at  the  development  of 
the  mind,  such  as  reading,  writing,  instructing 
others,  etc. 

Common  works  comprise  all  mixed  work  that 
serves  both  the  bodily  and  the  spiritual  interests 
of  man,  such  as  traveling,  fishing,  hunting,  etc. 

Domestic  labors  are  those  that  cannot  be  post- 
poned or  performed  in  advance,  such  as  cooking 
food,  feeding  cattle,  etc. 

It  may  be  of  importance  to  remark  here  that 
any  work  that  is  in  itself  servile  retains  this 
characteristic  even  if  performed  for  pleasure  or 
to  while  away  the  time.  And,  on  the  contrary, 
any  occupation  that  is  not  in  itself  servile  does 
not  become  such  if  performed  for  material  gain 

544 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  545 

or  accompanied  by  bodily  fatigue;  for  the  in- 
tention of  the  doer  does  not  change  the  nature 
of  the  work. 

Again,  in  determining  what  is  servile  work 
and  therefore  forbidden,  as  Fr.  Slater  says,  "we 
must  consider  not  only  the  nature  of  the  work 
itself,  but  also  the  way  in  which  it  is  done,  the 
light  in  which  it  is  commonly  regarded,  and  other 
circumstances.  Thus  it  is  usually  held  that 
although  the  rougher  work  of  the  sculptor  is 
servile  and  unlawful,  the  more  delicate  is  liberal 
and  may  be  done  on  a  Sunday.  Similarly,  fishing 
with  rod  and  line  is  not  unlawful,  but  going  out 
to  sea  with  a  fishing  smack  and  plying  the  trade 
in  the  ordinary  working-day  way  is  forbidden. 
In  the  same  way  one  who  lives  by  photography 
should  not  ply  his  trade  on  a  Sunday,  but  it 
would  not  be  wrong  for  an  amateur  to  do  the 
same  work  on  that  day  by  way  of  recreation  and 
amusement." 

Having  made  these  general  remarks,  we  are 
now  in  a  position  to  approach  your  questions 
with  a  better  understanding  of  the  subject.  You 
wish  first  to  know  whether  it  is  allowed  to  do 
fancy  embroidery  and  crocheting  on  Sunday,  it 
being  understood  that  it  does  not  constitute 
one's  daily  work. 

Generally  speaking,  such  manual  work  of 
women  as  can  also  be  done  by  machine,  even  if 
less  well,  like  spinning,  weaving,  patching,  is 
servile  and  therefore  forbidden  on  Sunday.  That 
which  must  necessarily  be  done  by  hand  may  be 
considered  as  liberal  and  allowed.  It  depends, 
too,  upon  what  skill  or  at  least  what  attention 
is  required  for  the  work.  If  in  performing  some 
such  woman's  work  practically  no  skill  or  special 
attention  of  the  mind  is  necessary,  e.  g.,  to  knit, 
such  work  is  servile  and  forbidden;  but  if  the 
work  requires  special  attention  of  the  mind  and 
artistic  skill,  like,  let  us  say,  fancy  embroidery 


546  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

and   crocheting,    it   is   enumerated   with   liberal 
works  and  therefore  allowed. 

Then  there  is  your  question  about  making 
altar  linens  on  Sunday.  Here  we  may  simply 
drop  the  inquiry  whether  that  is  servile  work  or 
not  (we  may  say  that  it  is)  and  turn  to  the  reasons 
that  make  servile  work  lawful  on  Sunday.  One 
of  them  is  the  reason  of  piety,  the  service  of  God. 
Servile  work,  even  when  accompanied  by  bodily 
labor,  is  by  no  means  prohibited,  but  rather 
recommended,  if  it  proximately  conduces  to  the 
service  of  divine  worship  and  is  free  of  material 
charge,  for  instance,  adorning  of  altars,  washing 
of  purificators,  making  of  vestments,  etc.  We 
say  'proximately;  servile  work  that  conduces  re- 
motely to  divine  worship,  like  hauling  material 
for  a  new  church,  is  not  allowed.  (Pruemmer.) 
By  reason  of  piety  it  is  accordingly  allowed  on 
Sunday  to  make  vestments  and  ornaments  for 
some  poor  church  or  chapel.  By  vestments  and 
ornaments  (ornamenta — articles  of  equipment)  we 
mean  chasubles  and  other  vestments,  flowers, 
purificators,  corporals,  altar  linens,  tapestry,  etc. 
(Noldin.)  When  done  from  motives  of  piety 
and  charity  as  stated  above,  far  from  being  sinful 
on  Sundays,  such  work  is  even  commendable. 

What  are  the  regulations  as  regards 
Catholics  who  must  work  on  Sundays 
and  holydays? 

There  are  no  special  "regulations"  for  them. 
The  precept  of  abstaining  from  servile  work 
ceases  for  them  by  reason  of  necessity.  We 
do  not  wish  to  enumerate  instances.  It  were 
impossible  to  enumerate  all  possible  contingen- 
cies. Generally  speaking,  those  who  must  sup- 
port themselves  by  their  daily  labor  and  who 
would  suffer  a  considerable  and  extraordinary 
loss  of  wages,  were  they  to  give  up  positions  re- 
quiring Sunday  work,  are  allowed  to  work  on 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  547 

Sundays.  Such  occupations  can  easily  be  called 
to  mind;  e.  g.,  engineers,  firemen,  motormen, 
conductors,  etc. 

It  is,  of  course,  rather  to  be  deplored  that  so 
many  Catholics  have  positions  of  the  Sunday- 
work  kind.  If  they  could  at  least  arrange  to  go 
to  an  early  Mass  on  Sundays  and  holydays  of 
obligation;  or  if  they  at  least  had  every  other 
Sunday  for  God  and  their  souls!  How  sad  it  is 
to  hear  a  Catholic  say  that  he  can  never  go  to 
Mass,  hasn't  been  to  Mass  for  months,  because 
of  his  necessary  work.  Such  positions  should  be 
abandoned  as  soon  as  possible,  by  all  means! 
Life's  greatest  business  is  not  to  toil  and  moil 
three  hundred  and  sixty-five  days  in  the  year. 
The  business  of  businesses  is,  "Save  your  soul!" 

As  for  the  rest,  consultation  with  your  pastor 
or  confessor  will  remove  all  scruples  and  anxieties. 

As  regards  the  command  to  abstain 
from  servile  work  on  Sundays,  may  I  ask 
whether  it  is  allowed  to  leave  till  Sunday 
the  preparing  of  Sunday's  meals  which 
you  could  have  done  on  Saturday  or  even 
before  ? 

Among  the  causes  that  excuse  one  from  the 
obligation  of  not  working  on  Sundays  we  find 
dispensation,  piety,  necessity,  and  custom.  By 
reason  of  custom  (though  it  is  also  classed  among 
domestic  labors,  which  are  permissible  on  Sun- 
days) it  is  allowed  to  prepare  food  on  Sundays, 
even  if,  as  is  often  the  case,  more  labor  may  be 
required  than  on  ordinary  days,  inasmuch  as 
more  sumptuous  meals  are  sometimes  prepared. 
Those  tasks  that  are  more  servile,  like  the  killing 
and  skinning  of  smaller  animals,  the  killing  and 
picking  of  chickens,  the  scaling  of  fish,  etc.,  should 
be  attended  to  the  day  before,  if  that  be  con- 
veniently possible.  But  even  if  they  were 
culpably,   purposely,   not   done   the   day   before 


548         QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

they  can  be  done  without  sin  on  the  Sunday  or 
feastday. 

Parenthetically,  we  may  remark  that  it  is 
allowed  by  custom  to  make  the  beds  on  Sunday 
and  to  brush  one's  clothes.  Where  it  is  the 
custom,  it  is  likewise  allowed  to  water  the  lawn 
and  the  plants  in  the  garden. 

I  am  a  school  boy.  During  the  school 
year  I  attend  Mass  every  morning.  But 
last  vacation  I  did  not  attend  Mass  on 
weekdays  at  all.  Here  is  the  reason. 
Mother  told  me  I  would  be  foolish  to 
attend  weekday  Mass  during  vacation 
time  and  forbade  me  to  go.  She  said 
vacation  time  is  a  time  of  rest,  but  I  told 
her  it  was  not  in  the  sight  of  Almighty 
God.  Was  I  right?  I  think  I  was,  but 
mother  did  not  know  it.  So  instead  of 
disobeying  her,  I  stayed  at  home,  as  I  did 
not  like  to  commit  that  sin  of  disobedi- 
ence. I  could  not  go  when  she  told  me 
not  to  go,  could  I? 

It  was  quite  right  and  proper  for  you  to  obey, 
since  children  are  bound  to  obey  their  parents 
in  all  that  is  not  sin,  and  it  is  not  a  sin  to  stay 
away  from  Mass  on  weekdays.  So  you  have 
nothing  to  reproach  yourself  for;  on  the  con- 
trary, both  your  heroic  obedience  and  your 
sensible  view  to  the  effect  that  there  should  be 
no  vacation  from  God  and  spiritual  things,  are 
most  praiseworthy. 

We  cannot,  however,  speak  such  words  of 
praise  for  mothers  who  so  forget  themselves  as  to 
tell  their  children  it  is  foolish  to  go  to  Mass  on 
weekdays.  What  a  worldly  spirit  that!  What 
ill  regulated  affection!  What  culpable  bad  ex- 
ample! Have  they  forgotten  that  they  are  re- 
sponsible for  the  souls  of  their  children?  that 
they  cannot  train  them  too  much  to  habits  of 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  549 

prayer  and  piety,  to  a  love  of  the  Mass  and  a 
frequent,  even  daily,  reception  of  Holy  Com- 
munion? that  from  the  citadel  of  the  home  they 
must  point  out  to  their  little  ones  the  way  that 
leads  to  heaven?  Alas,  alas  for  the  silly  mothers 
whose  misdirected  love  is  harming  so  much  the 
souls  of  their  children  and  even  interfering  with 
the  salvation  of  the  souls  of  others — by  their 
opposition  to  their  children's  vocation  to  the 
priesthood  or,  especially,  the  religious  life!  They 
are  blind  and  see  not. 

What  is  a  resolution  ?  a  promise?  avow? 
I  would  like  to  know  how  these  things 
differ  from  each  other. 

The  answer  to  this  question  will  doubtless 
be  helpful  to  many.  We  give  it  with  the  utmost 
brevity  that  is  compatible  with  clearness. 

1.  A  resolution  is  a  purpose  made  before  God 
to  do  better.  It  is  the  will  to  do  something  or 
to  omit  something.  For  example,  after  having 
gone  to  confession  you  say,  "Lord,  I  am  going 
to  be  different  now.  I  promise  Thee  that  I  will 
henceforth  live  a  better  life  and  in  order  to  do 
so  I  will  say  three  additional  Hail  Marys  every 
day."  This  is  a  resolution,  not  a  vow.  You 
have  no  intention  of  binding  yourself  under  pain 
of  sin.  Such  a  resolution  does  not  of  itself  bind 
under  pain  of  sin.  If  afterwards  you  do  not  lead 
a  better  life  and  do  not  say  the  three  Hail  Marys, 
you  do  not  thereby  sin.  You  may  by  chance 
commit  a  venial  sin  of  sloth  or  negligence,  but 
the  breaking  of  your  resolution  is  in  itself  no  sin. 

2.  A  promise  is  merely  a  free  and  sincere 
declaration  of  one's  willingness  to  do  something 
gratuitously  for  another  person.  A  promise  im- 
poses an  obligation  in  conscience,  either  of  justice 
or  of  fidelity.  When  an  obligation  of  justice  is 
imposed  the  obligation  binds  under  pain  of  griev- 
ous sin  in  a  serious  matter.     Where  the  obliga- 


55b  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

tion  of  fidelity  only  is  imposed  it  is  otherwise . 
Of  itself  the  virtue  of  fidelity  binds  only  under 
pain  of  venial  sin.  Of  a  simple  promise  Father 
Slater,  S.  J.,  says:  "A  promise  will  cease  to  bind 
if  some  event  takes  place  or  becomes  known  sub- 
sequently which  would  have  prevented  the 
promisor  from  making  the  promise  if  it  had 
happened  or  been  known  beforehand.  For  a 
simple  promise  is  essentially  conditional;  the 
promisor  binds  himself  to  do  something  under 
certain  suppositions  and  in  certain  circumstances; 
if  those  suppositions  are  not  verified,  or  if  the 
circumstances  become  changed,  the  promise  no 
longer  obliges.  All  the  more  will  a  promise  cease 
to  bind  if  what  was  promised  becomes  unlawful 
and  wrong,  or  useless,  or  impossible." 

3.  A  vow  is  a  voluntary  promise  made  to  God, 
by  which  one  obliges  oneself  under  pain  of  sin 
to  do  something  that  is  pleasing  to  God.  Hence, 
a  vow  is  not  a  mere  honest  intention.  It  is  more : 
it  is  a  resolution  to  bind  oneself  under  pain  of  sin 
to  do  that  which  one  is  about  to  promise.  It 
matters  less  what  form  of  words  one  uses;  it  is 
the  intention  that  counts.  A  vow  is,  as  it  were, 
the  voluntary  taking  upon  oneself  of  a  debt 
towards  God.  It  is  an  act  of  the  virtue  of  religion. 
And  so  the  keeping  of  a  vow  is  an  act  of  divine 
worship. 

To  promise  something  to  a  saint  to  whom  you 
have  special  devotion,  without  special  reference 
to  God,  would  not  be  a  vow,  but  a  mere  promise. 
A  vow  is  a  promise  made  to  God. 

Vows  must,  of  course,  be  religiously  kept.  To 
break  a  vow  is  either  a  mortal  sin  or  a  venial  sin, 
depending  especially  on  how  you  wished  to  bind 
yourself  and  upon  the  importance  of  the  matter 
concerning  which  you  made  the  vow.  It  is  to  be 
noted  here  that  if  the  matter  which  you  wish  to 
make  the  object  of  your  vow  is  something  unim- 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  551 

portant  and  small,  you  can  bind  yourself  to  it 
under  pain  of  venial  sin  only. 

If  one  had  made  a  promise  to  perform  some 
good  work,  but  later  on  does  not  remember 
whether  it  was  merely  a  promise  or  a  vow,  one 
may  generally  take  if  for  granted  that  he  made 
a  promise  and  not  a  vow. 

Those  who  are  anxious  and  confused  about 
resolutions,  promises,  and  vows  should  consult 
their  confessor.  If  they  have  really  made  vows 
and  if  there  are  good  reasons  for  it,  they  may 
perhaps  have  the  obligation  of  the  vows  removed 
altogether  by  dispensation  or  changed  to  some- 
thing that  can  be  more  faithfully  performed. 
Consult  your  confessor! 

In  conclusion  we  would  simply  advise  all  to 
weigh  the  matter  well  before  making  a  vow  of 
any  kind.  Before  you  bind  yourself  to  a  difficult 
work,  seek  the  advice  of  your  confessor  or  pastor. 
This  is  especially  necessary  for  those  who  wish  to 
take  a  vow  of  chastity  or  of  perpetual  virginity. 
Those  who  take  such  an  important  step  without 
consulting  their  spiritual  superiors  may  later  on 
regret  it  bitterly. 

Is  it  a  sin  for  one  to  be  angry,  and 
against  which  Commandment? 

Yes;  it  is  a  sin,  and  against  the  Fifth  Com- 
mandment of  God.  A  brief  explanation  will  be 
very  helpful  here. 

Anger  is  one  of  the  capital  sins.  Intemperate 
anger  is  such  a  deformity  in  man  and  renders 
him  so  beastly  that  common  parlance  likens  it  to 
the  rabies,  common  to  dogs;  as  in  the  improper 
expression,  "He  got  mad." 

Everybody  is  subject  to  anger.  Tiny  children 
sulk  and  get  spunky;  the  little  girl  makes  faces 
and  calls  names;  the  boy  fights  and  throws 
stones;  the  young  lady  gets  huffy  and  spiteful 
and  won't  speak;    the  man  fumes  and  rages  and 


55x         QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

swears;  the  woman's  tongue  becomes  sharper 
than  a  serpent's  tooth.  A  little  reflection  should 
make  everybody  blush  for  shame! 

What  is  anger?  It  is  a  feeling  of  displeasure 
and  discontent  arising  in  our  hearts  against  an 
offender,  with  a  desire  to  punish  him  for  the 
injury  done. 

What  is  anger?  There's  a  powder  magazine 
in  the  human  heart,  it  seems.  Now,  from  that 
heart  the  little  devil  of  pride  sometimes  peeps 
out.  Injure  his  feelings  ever  so  little,  and  he  will 
spitefully  draw  in  his  head,  and  spit  fire  right  and 
left  into  the  powder,  and  it  will  explode,  and — 
that's  anger! 

What  is  anger?  It  is  a  stone  cast  into  a  wasp's 
nest.  It  is  the  last  argument  in  a  lost  cause: 
"You  are  angry;  therefore  you  are  wrong." 
"Flying  off  the  handle,"  flaring  up,  losing  one's 
head — that's  anger.  It  is  a  case  of  throwing  the 
reins  to  the  animal  instincts  and  allowing  them 
to  gallop  away  with  the  better  man  in  a  mad 
career.  Anger  is  sometimes  less  fiery,  but  more 
bitter;  not  bellicose,  but  choleric.  That  inordi- 
nate love  or  desire  of  revenge  is  often  quiet  and 
deep  and  dark  and  broods  out  well-laid  plans  in 
a  devilish  way. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  anger,  just  and  unjust. 
Anger  is  just  when  the  commotion  within  the 
heart  is  moderate  and  subject  to  reason;  when 
the  punishment  we  desire  is  proportioned  to  the 
offense;  when  we  are  actuated  by  no  ill-will  or 
spirit  of  revenge,  but  by  zeal  for  the  glory  of 
God.  In  fact,  this  holy  anger  is  simply  zeal  for 
the  things  of  God;  and  it  is  directed  only  against 
sin.  Hence,  he  that  would  be  angry  and  sin  not 
must  not  be  angry  with  anything  but  sin;  for 
instance,  excesses,  injustices,  scandals,  frauds. 
Just  anger,  far  from  being  sinful,  is  often  a 
sacred  duty,  especially  for  those  in  authority. 

Passionate   anger,   which   implies   a   desire   of 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  553 

revenge,  is  of  its  own  nature  a  mortal  sin :  because 
it  is  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel,  which 
is  a  spirit  of  meekness  and  patience;  because 
Jesus  says,  "Whosoever  is  angry  with  his  brother 
shall  be  in  danger  of  the  judgment,"  and  that 
he  who  goes  so  far  as  to  call  his  brother  offensive 
names  shall  be  in  danger  of  hell  fire;  because  it 
is  the  source  of  so  many  other  sins,  leading  even 
to  murder;  because  wrath  is  numbered  by  St. 
Paul  among  the  works  of  the  flesh  that  exclude 
from  heaven.  However,  anger  is  not  always  a 
mortal  sin.  As  in  all  other  vices,  there  are  in 
anger  various  degrees  of  malice. 

Anger  is  usually  looked  upon  too  lightly.  But, 
as  Holy  Writ  tells  us,  WA  stone  is  heavy,  and 
sand  weighty;  but  the  anger  of  a  fool  is  heavier 
than  them  both."  (Prov.  27:3.)  Countless  evils 
follow  in  the  wake  of  this  so  common  sin;  for 
"As  coals  are  to  burning  coals,  and  wood  to  fire, 
so  an  angry  man  stirreth  up  strife."  (Prov. 
26:21.) 

And  alas!  hot-tempered  people  simply  will  use 
their  mouths  as  safety  valves  to  let  off  the  steam 
of  offensive  utterance  when  the  pressure  of  anger 
becomes  too  great.  They  simply  will  let  their 
tongues  generate  bile  faster  than  their  mouths 
can  let  it  out.  And  we  know,  the  voice  of  an 
angry  man  is  the  death  rattle  of  reason  in  the 
throat.     Oh,  what  a  shame! 

And  the  remedy  against  anger?  The  remedy 
is  delay.  The  remedy  is  repression  of  first 
movements.  The  remedy  is  the  imitation  of 
our  Model,  the  meek  and  humble  Savior.  The 
remedy  is  the  salutary  remembrance  that  God 
will  take  us  at  our  word  when  we  say,  "Forgive 
us  our  trespasses,  as  we  forgive  those  who  trespass 
against  us." 

"To  be  angry  about  trifles  is  mean  and  childish; 
to  rage  and  be  furious  is  brutish;  and  to  main- 
tain perpetual  wrath  is  akin  to  the  practice  and 


554  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

temper  of  devils;  but  to  prevent  and  suppress 
rising  resentment  is  wise  and  glorious,  is  manly 
and  divine." 

Is  it  right  or  wrong  to  use  holy  water  in 
the  following  ways:  in  a  homemade  eye- 
wash, in  a  liniment,  a  few  drops  in  a  bath? 

It  is  quite  possible  that  there  is  a  tinge  of 
superstition  in  this  practice,  a  slight  irreverence, 
which  a  person's  good  faith  and  simplicity  would 
render  without  all  sin.  Here  it  might  be  well  to 
be  properly  conservative  and  to  remember  what 
is  meant  by  superstition  of  superfluous  cult.  It 
means  to  worship  God  in  things  superfluous  and 
useless,  contrary  to  the  approved  practices  of  the 
Church.  (Here  we  might  add  that  superstition 
of  false  cult,  a  much  more  serious  matter,  is  to 
inject  into  the  worship  of  the  true  God  some- 
thing false  or  deceitful.)  Hence  we  must  say 
that  every  inordinate  devotion  which  certain 
pious  souls  excogitate  contrary  to  the  prescrip- 
tions and  customs  of  the  Church,  even  though 
they  are  not  in  themselves  ridiculous  and  inane, 
are  nevertheless  useless,  superfluous,  and  super- 
stitious, simply  because  they  are  contrary  to 
the  decrees  and  usages  of  the  Church. 

We  do  not  wish  to  discountenance  the  use  of 
holy  water;  on  the  contrary,  we  declare  that  it 
should  be  in  every  Catholic  home  and  should 
there  be  used  daily.  Holy  water  is  the  first  and 
in  many  ways  the  most  important  of  the  sacra- 
mentals  instituted  by  the  Church  in  order  to 
fortify  the  souls  of  the  faithful  by  increasing  in 
them  supernatural  grace,  which  is  the  life  of  the 
Christian  soul.     But  it  should  be  used  rightly. 

Thus,  speaking  of  individual  use,  as  distinct 
from  liturgical  use,  holy  water  may  and  should 
be  used  when  entering  God's  house.  We  should 
then  bless  ourselves  with  it  as  a  symbol  of  the 
due   cleansing   of   our   minds   from   every   stain 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  555 

before  entering  the  sacred  presence  of  God.  We 
may  thus  bless  ourselves  with  it  at  any  time  and 
place.  It  may  be  used  in  sprinkling  the  dead 
body  of  a  departed  one.  In  many  places  we  find 
the  pious  and  approved  custom  of  sprinkling  the 
graves  of  relatives  and  friends  with  the  blessed 
water.  In  some  places  it  is  the  custom  to  place 
on  the  graves  a  vessel  for  holy  water  to  be  thus 
used  by  the  friends  and  relations  of  the  departed. 

From  very  early  times  it  has  been  the  custom 
for  Catholics  to  keep  blessed  water  in  their  houses 
and  to  make  constant  and  reverent  use  of  it  (by 
blessing  themselves  with  it  or  by  sprinkling  rooms, 
persons,  the  dying,  etc.),  especially  before  re- 
tiring at  night;  a  prayer  was  said  that  God 
would  drive  away  all  snares  of  the  wicked  spirits 
and  protect  all  dwelling  therein  during  the  hours 
of  darkness. 

We  here  give  one  of  the  prayers  which  the 
priest  says  when  blessing  holy  water.  Even  from 
this  one  we  can  clearly  see  what  a  treasure  we 
have  in  this  sacramental  (and  what  a  shame  if 
it  is  not  to  be  found  in  your  home!):  "O  God, 
Who  for  the  benefit  of  mankind  hast  made  use  of 
the  element  of  water  to  signify  so  many  and  so 
great  mysteries,  mercifully  hear  our  prayers  and 
impart  the  power  of  Thy  blessing  to  this  element 
prepared  by  manifold  purifications,  that  this  Thy 
creature  may  receive  the  effect  of  Thy  divine 
grace,  for  the  chasing  away  of  devils  and  the 
curing  of  diseases;  and  that  whatsoever  shall 
be  sprinkled  with  this  water  in  the  houses  and 
places  of  the  faithful  may  be  freed  from  all  un- 
cleanness  and  delivered  from  all  evil.  Let  no 
pestilential  spirit  reside  therein,  no  infectious 
air  remain  about.  Let  the  snares  of  the  hidden 
enemy  be  removed,  and  may  whatever  is  found 
to  be  opposed  to  the  safety  or  repose  of  those 
dwelling  therein  be  banished  by  the  sprinkling 
of  this  water;    that  the  welfare  we  seek  by  the 


556  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

invocation  of  Thy  Holy  Name  may  be  given  to 
us,  and  that  we  may  be  protected  from  all  man- 
ner of  attacks,  through  Our  Lord,  Jesus  Christ." 

Is  it  a  sin  to  have  an  analysis  of  one's 
handwriting  made?  Does  this  come 
under  fortune  telling? 

Peculiarly  enough,  we  can  give  a  brief  but 
sufficiently  comprehensive  answer  to  this  twofold 
question  by  replying  conditionally  to  both  parts 
at  once.  If  such  analysis  would  partake  of  the 
nature  of  fortune  telling  or  allied  superstition  it 
would  be  a  sin;  otherwise,  abstracting  from  cases 
where  it  is  merely  a  cheap  fraud,  there  would  be 
no  sin  connected  with  it.  Test  your  analysis  in  the 
light  of  these  remarks. 

Those  who  make  use  of  spells  and  charms  or 
who  believe  in  dreams,  in  mediums,  spiritists, 
fortune  tellers  and  the  like  sin  against  the  first 
commandment  of  God,  because  they  attribute  to 
creatures  perfections  that  belong  to  God  alone. 
Thus,  to  advert  to  fortune  telling,  it  is  a  case  of 
attributing  to  creatures  a  knowledge  of  future 
events,  fortuitous  in  their  nature,  or  such  as  de- 
pend on  the  free  will  of  God  or  man,  or  events  in 
distant  lands.  It  is  a  species  of  divination  and 
the  employment  of  means  disproportionate  to  the 
knowledge  to  be  obtained.  Those  guilty  of  such 
a  practice  sin  grievously,  unless  it  is  mere  jest. 
We  may  add  that  fortune-tellers  in  general  are 
mere  impostors,  and  those  who  consult  them  are 
merely  their  dupes.  Yet,  as  Holy  Writ  calls  it 
an  abomination  to  consult  them,  we  must  con- 
clude that  it  is  a  mortal  sin  seriously  to  have 
recourse  to  them  for  advice.  Who  can  say 
whether  the  fortune-teller  believes  in  his  own 
secret  power  or  is  only  a  deceiver?  Fortune- 
telling  is  still,  strange  to  say,  a  rather  frequent 
imposture.  Even  many  Catholic  people  continue 
to  insist  on  being  duped  and  humbugged  in  this 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  557 

way   and   will   part   with   good   money   for   the 
privilege. 

I  have  asked  God  for  a  favor  and,  since 
my  prayers  have  always  seemingly  been  in 
vain,  I  have  this  time  made  a  resolution 
not  to  give  a  single  charitable  donation 
any  more  until  God  grants  my  prayers. 
Is  it  wrong  to  do  this? 

This  is  surely  a  strange  thing  to  do.  Such 
conduct  is  suggestive  of  sin  against  the  first 
commandment,  against  the  virtue  of  religion,  a 
sin  that  is  known  as  tempting  God,  that  is,  try- 
ing to  find  out  by  word  or  action  whether  God 
possesses  or  will  exercise  a  certain  perfection  such 
as  knowledge,  power,  mercy.  Only  here  you  are 
not  so  much  trying  to  find  out  as  trying  to  make 
God  do  as  you  wish.  It  surely  is  not  right  to  act 
thus.  But  just  as  an  earthly  father  often  treats 
a  spunky  child  indulgently  and  does  not  take  its 
whims  seriously,  so  too  our  heavenly  Father  will 
overlook  many  such  faults  in  His  children.  But 
faults  they  really  are.  How  big  depends  upon 
circumstances. 

A  man  drinks  to  excess  at  a  party  on 
Saturday  night.  He  gets  sick  and  is  un- 
able to  go  to  Mass  on  Sunday.  Is  this 
very  wrong? 

Let  us  say  that  he  gets  so  sick  that  he  is  even 
obliged  to  vomit.  Even  then,  contrary  to  a 
somewhat  common  opinion,  he  does  not  commit 
a  grievous  sin  by  his  voluntary  excess,  unless 
he  gives  serious  scandal,  or  seriously  injures  his 
health  or  his  family,  or  has  some  grievously  sin- 
ful intention,  or  causes  serious  affliction  to  wife, 
children  or  parents,  as  the  case  may  be.  How- 
ever, if  a  man  drinks  to  such  excess  as  to  deprive 
himself  of  the  use  of  reason  he  commits  a  griev- 
ous sin. 

Being  sick  he  is  excused  from  going  to  Mass 


558  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

and  does  not  commit  a  grievous  sin  by  missing  it, 
unless,  indeed,  he  intentionally  makes  himself 
sick  in  order  not  to  be  obliged  to  go,  which  is 
ordinarily  not  to  be  supposed.  If  he  does,  how- 
ever, he  grievously  sins  by  missing  Mass,  inas- 
much as  he  voluntarily  places  the  cause. 

I  have  often  heard  that  when  a  woman 
is  pregnant  she  should  never  be  sponsor, 
as  there  would  be  one  of  the  four  that 
would  die.     Is  that  true? 

This  is  simply  a  bit  of  silly  superstition.  No 
Catholic  may  believe  anything  like  that.  Reject 
and  ridicule  the  notion.  To  let  this  saying  in- 
fluence your  actions  is  as  irrational  as  to  be  scared 
to  death  because  you  are  one  of  a  group  of  thir- 
teen seated  at  table.  So  ridiculous  is  the  assertion 
mentioned  in  your  question  that  it  must  arise 
either  from  ignorance,  invincible  stupidity,  or 
unbelief,  for,  as  Pascal  says,  "Unbelievers  are 
the  most  credulous  of  men." 

Superstition,  which  is  the  vice  of  excess  in 
religious  worship  by  honoring  God  in  the  wrong 
way  or  by  giving  to  other  persons  or  things  the 
worship  due  to  Him  alone,  entails  many  evil 
consequences.  Under  the  influence  of  fear  and 
terror  it  produces  fanaticism  and  fatalism,  makes 
men  hard  and  cruel,  and  thereby  corrupts  indi- 
viduals and  endangers  society.  Superstition  is 
both  foolish  and  dangerous.*  It  is  folly  to  say 
that  because  it  leads  people  to  believe  too  much, 
it  is  apt  to  strengthen  religion  and  piety.  Super- 
stition means  not  merely  to  believe  too  much, 
but  to  believe  what  is  false,  and  therefore  is 
essentially  inimical  to  true  piety. 

If  a  mistake  is  made  in  your  favor  in 
a  public  restaurant  or  in  a  store,  for 
instance,  in  giving  back  too  much  change, 
is  it  necessary  to  correct  this  error?  I 
received  also  two  copies  of  last  month's 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  559 

magazine  instead  of  merely  the  one  to 
which  I  am  a  subscriber.  In  this  and 
similar  instances  what  should  guide  me 
as  regards  honesty?  Maybe  I  am  a  little 
scrupulous  about  this  point. 

The  answer  to  this  question  is  very  simple. 
You  can  hardly  be  too  honest.  The  seventh 
commandment  forbids  all  unjust  taking  or  keep- 
ing of  what  belongs  to  another.  Hence  the  two 
general  divisions  of  theft  are  these:  The  taking 
or  the  keeping  unjustly  what  belongs  to  another. 
He  who  keeps  another's  property,  although  it 
may  not  have  come  into  his  possession  through 
any  fault  of  his  own,  becomes  a  thief  as  soon  as 
he  becomes  aware  that  it  belongs  to  another  and 
takes  no  means  to  notify  the  owner,  if  known,  or 
to  find  the  owner,  if  unknown. 

If  given  too  much  change,  if  given  more  goods 
than  you  paid  for,  etc.,  always  practice  the 
strictest  honesty,  even  if  you  must  go  out  of  your 
way  to  do  so.  Correct  the  error  every  time  and 
without  delay.  We  know  that  is  not  the  way  of 
the  world;  but  even  the  world  must  admire  and 
applaud  such  a  fine  sense  of  honor  as  is  mani- 
fested in  conscientious  honesty. 

As  regards  the  two  copies  of  the  magazine, 
we  may  safely  say  that  in  case  two  copies  of  a 
magazine  are  sent  you,  you  may  simply  keep 
them.  Perhaps  it  was  an  error,  perhaps  the  extra 
copy  was  sent  you  purposely.  In  such  a  case  the 
publishers  do  not  want  you  to  send  the  magazine 
back.  Should  you  get  two  copies  regularly  it 
would  be  well  simply  to  write  to  the  publishers 
and  tell  them  so. 

Those  who  find  small  coins  on  the  street,  in 
the  church,  in  public  places,  where  many  people 
gather  together,  may  simply  keep  them,  since 
there  is  no  hope  of  finding  the  owner.  Such 
coins  are  to  be  looked  upon  as  simply  abandoned 
by  the  owner  with  a  tacit  "Whoever  finds  it  may 


560  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

keep  it."  If,  however,  that  which  is  so  found 
is  of  considerable  value,  one  should  try,  in  ordi- 
nary ways,  to  find  the  owner.  If  after  about  two 
months  the  owner  does  not  appear,  it  belongs  to 
the  finder. 

Can  a  Catholic  love  Jesus  Christ  and 
hate  his  brother   (neighbor)? 

Love,  in  general,  is  an  affectionate  inclination 
of  the  will  towards  the  object  we  love,  by  which 
we  desire  its  welfare  and  are  readily  disposed  to 
do  it  good.  There  are  various  kinds  of  love: 
Natural  love;  interested  love;  carnal  love; 
national  love;  the  love  of  gratitude;  the  love  of 
one's  neighbor. 

This  charity  towards  our  neighbor,  which  is 
in  question  here,  is  the  love  we  bear  him  for 
God's  sake.  The  motives  on  which  it  is  founded 
are  all  taken  from  God  and  are  of  a  supernatural 
kind.  And  the  goods  which  it  wishes  and  tends 
to  procure  for  its  object  are  principally  such  as 
concern  its  eternal  salvation,  though  not  to  the 
exclusion  of  all  other  good  things. 

The  other  kinds  of  love  mentioned  are  based 
on  natural  motives;  charity  towards  one's 
neighbor  is  based  on  supernatural  motives, 
motives,  which  belong  to  man  as  a  Christian 
and  which  have  been  made  known  to  him  by 
revelation.  Love  of  our  neighbor,  thus  properly 
understood,  is  but  a  branch  of  the  love  of  God, 
inasmuch  as  we  love  our  neighbor  for  God's  sake, 
as  belonging  to  God,  as  connected  with  Him. 

Accordingly,  here  is  the  answer  to  your  ques- 
tion. St.  John  says:  "This  is  the  charity  of  God, 
that  we  keep  His  commandments."  And  our 
Lord  Himself  assures  us,  "He  that  hath  My 
commandments  and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that 
loveth  Me."  In  a  word,  the  love  of  God  is  the 
keeping  of  His  commandments,  as  the  Savior 
has  told  us  over  and  over  again. 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  561 

But  now  that  same  Divine  Savior  repeatedly 
says,  "This  is  My  commandment,  that  you  love 
one  another,  as  I  have  loved  you."  "I  give  you 
a  new  commandment,"  He  says,  "that  you  love 
one  another  as  I  have  loved  you,  that  you  also 
love  one  another.  By  this  shall  all  men  know 
that  you  are  My  disciples,  if  you  love  one 
another."     What  could  be  more  clear? 

Therefore,  as  we  read  in  the  First  Epistle  of 
St.  John,  "7/  any  man  say,  I  love  God,  and  hateth 
his  brother,  he  is  a  liar.  For  he  that  loveth 
not  his  brother,  whom  he  seeth,  how  can  he  love 
God,  Whom  he  seeth  not?  And  this  command- 
ment we  have  from  God:  that  he  who  loveth 
God  love  also  his  brother." 

Is  it  an  act  of  cruelty  and  matter  for 
confession,  for  instance,  to  set  traps  for 
mice,  knowing  that  they  do  not  always 
die  instantly  and  sometimes  escape  and 
leave  trails  of  blood  behind,  or  to  remove 
insects  from  the  screen  with  a  pin,  etc.? 

No;  it  is  neither  cruelty  nor  matter  for  con- 
fession. We  are  entirely  justified  in  protecting 
ourselves  from  such  creatures  by  exterminating 
them.  Of  course,  no  one  wishes  to  subject  them 
to  needless  cruelty  or  to  torture  them.  To  in- 
dulge in  such  pastime  is  indicative  of  a  depraved 
mind  and  cannot  but  have  a  degrading  influence 
upon  one's  character.  Hence  the  universal 
insistence  upon  kindness  to  animals.  Hence, 
too,  children  who  are  prone  to  take  a  certain 
unnatural  and  savage  delight  in  subjecting 
creatures  to  needless  pain  should  be  properly 
instructed  and,  if  necessary,  punished. 

The  priest  administers  Extreme  Unction 
by  anointing  the  five  senses  of  the  sick 
person  with  holy  oil.  Thus  he  anoints  the 
nostrils,  too,  and  says  (in  Latin,  however) : 
1 'Through  this  holy  unction  and  His  most 


56z  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

tender  mercy,  may  the  Lord  pardon  you 
whatever  sins  you  have  committed  by 
smell.  Amen."  But  how  can  one  sin  by 
the  sense  of  smell? 

The  pleasures  of  this  sense  are  indeed  less 
dangerous  to  our  soul  than  those  of  our  other 
senses.  We  may,  however,  apply  to  this  sense 
the  general  rule  concerning  the  mortification  of 
the  senses:  "Every  sensual  pleasure,  with 
which  we  flatter  our  body  through  a  sensual 
motive,  cannot  be  free  from  sin"  (Scaramelli) . 
As  desire  is  awakened  by  beauty,  touch,  voice, 
etc.,  so  even  by  the  sense  of  smell,  for  instance, 
of  the  exhalations  of  the  body.  The  sense  of 
smell  thus  conveys  thoughts  to  the  mind  and  may 
be  the  cause  of  sin.  Even  perfumes  used  to  con- 
ceal the  odors  of  the  body  may  excite  desires; 
for  the  mind  may  realize  that  they  manifest  the 
presence  of  what  they  are  (at  least  seemingly) 
used  to  conceal.  There  is,  by  the  way,  much 
room  for  beneficial  mortification  in  the  use  of 
perfumes,  etc.,  while  maintaining  the  greatest 
cleanliness  without  them,  which  is  quite  possible, 
of  course.  A  good  old  proverb  says,  "Cleanliness 
is  next  to  godliness.' ' 

Is  it  possible  to  commit  a  mortal  sin  in 
four  or  five  minutes? 

To  commit  a  mortal  sin  is  hardly  a  matter  of 
time.  It  is  a  matter  of  willing  to  offend  God  in 
a  grievous  matter,  after  sufficient  reflection. 
And  we  can  will  to  do  a  thing  in  a  very  short 
time  indeed.  For  the  reflection,  it  is  true,  more 
or  less  time  may  often  be  needed — in  certain 
cases.  Yes;  it  is  possible  to  commit  a  mortal 
sin  in  four  or  five  minutes — and  less! 

Sin  is  an  act  of  the  will;  and  such  an  act  can 
be  made  in  "a  second  or  two."  Take  a  man  who 
has  been  in  great  temptation  for  some  time. 
For  ninety-nine  seconds,  let  us  say,  he  has  been 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  563 

tempted  to  commit  a  grievous  sin  and  has  not 
consented.  In  the  one  hundredth  second  he 
wilfully  yields;  he  consents;  the  will  says,  "I 
will."     In  that  second  he  commits  a  mortal  sin. 

Should  St.  Patrick's  Day  fall  on  Friday, 
would  it  be  allowed  to  eat  meat?  Are  we 
allowed  to  go  to  dances  on  St.  Patrick's 
Day,  even  though  it  is  in  Lent? 

You  would  not  be  allowed  to  eat  meat  unless 
such  permission  had  been  expressly  given  by  the 
proper  ecclesiastical  authority. 

As  we  have  mentioned  time  and  time  again, 
dancing  is  not  sinful  in  itself,  though  the  motive 
that  urges  a  person  to  dance  may  make  it  sinful, 
or  the  manner  in  which  the  dance  is  performed, 
or  the  kind  of  dance,  or  an  expressly  forbidden 
time  or  a  forbidden  place.  Some  dances  are 
nothing  but  occasions  of  sin.  Dancing  in  Lent  is 
forbidden  by  no  law  of  the  Church,  nor  is  dancing 
on  St.  Patrick's  Day,  though,  because  of  the  good 
Catholic  sense  of  the  generality  of  our  people,  it 
might  give  great  scandal.  It  is  not  at  all  proper 
to  go  to  dances  during  Lent.  One  who  takes  his 
religion  seriously  and  reflects  on  the  necessity  of 
doing  penance  will  enter  into  the  spirit  of  the 
Church  during  Lent  and  will  try  to  retrench  his 
pleasures  out  of  love  for  the  Savior. 

In  answer  to  a  former  question  you 
stated  that  after  a  man  has  committed 
a  mortal  sin  his  prayers,  good  works,  etc., 
do  not  count  for  heaven.  But  now  if  such 
a  man  cannot  go  to  confession  for  a  long 
time  and  has  perfect  sorrow  for  his  sins, 
does  not  this  alter  the  matter  ?  Are  not  his 
sins  forgiven?  I  suppose  such  a  one,  if  he 
died  in  this  state,  would  only  be  punished 
in  purgatory  for  his  sins. 

Yes;  if  a  person  has  perfect  contrition  and 
cannot   go   to   confession,    the   matter   is   quite 


564  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

different.  By  perfect  contrition  all  sins  are  for- 
given. All  eternal  punishment  due  to  them  is 
remitted.  The  soul  recovers  the  grace  of  God 
and  its  former  merits  are  restored  to  it.  It  can 
again  heap  up  treasures  for  heaven. 

What  a  wonderful  thing  perfect  contrition 
(contrition  made  out  of  love  for  God  infinitely 
lovable)  accordingly  is!  Yes;  it  obtains  the  for- 
giveness of  sins  even  without  confession,  pro- 
vided, of  course,  that  the  intention  of  confession 
be  not  absent,  which  intention  need  not  neces- 
sarily be  explicitly  made;  it  is  sufficient  if  it  be 
implied.  Says  the  Council  of  Trent:  "Perfect 
contrition,  from  love  of  God,  justifies  man  and 
reconciles  him  with  God  even  before  the  recep- 
tion of  the  sacrament  of  penance."  (Sess.  14,  c.  4.) 

To  make  an  act  of  perfect  contrition,  by  the 
way,  is  not  as  hard  as  most  people  think  it  is. 
It  requires  no  sentimentality,  no  feeling.  It  is 
an  act  of  the  will.  We  might  say  that  any  words 
that  come  from  the  heart  and  have  the  following 
characteristics  constitute  an  act  of  perfect  con- 
trition. 1.  The  words  should  embody  the  super- 
natural motive  of  divine  love.  2.  They  should 
express  sorrow  grounded  on  that  motive.  3.  They 
should  contain  a  resolve  to  sin  no  more.  A  prayer 
containing  these  three  essentials  and  one 
which  we  should  say  with  the  greatest  possible 
fervor  is  this:  "O  my  God,  I  am  heartily 
sorry  for  having  offended  Thee,  because  Thou 
art  so  very  good,  and  I  firmly  purpose  by  the  help 
of  Thy  grace  not  to  offend  Thee  again." 

You  think  such  a  one  would  be  punished  only 
in  purgatory.  Probably  some  temporal  punish- 
ment would  remain  to  be  expiated.  But  an  act 
of  perfect  contrition  does  even  actually  remit  a 
part  of  the  temporal  punishment  due  to  mortal 
sins  forgiven  or  to  venial  sins.  Indeed,  very 
intense  perfect  contrition  can  even  remit  all 
temporal  punishment  due  to  sin,  so  that  were  a 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  565 

person  to  die  after  such  an  act  of  sorrow  he 
would  go  to  heaven  directly.  We  say  can;  it 
has  not,  of  its  nature,  necessarily  this  effect. 

Is  suicide  permissible  for  honorable 
motives,  e.  g.,  through  patriotism,  or 
thereby  to  save  the  life  of  a  friend? 

Suicide,  as  such,  is  never  permissible.  The 
body  was  created  by  God  as  the  abode  of  the 
immortal  soul;  and  since  the  life  and  health  of 
the  body  are  of  great  importance  for  the  life 
of  the  soul  and  for  our  eternal  salvation,  we  are 
bound,  not  only  not  to  destroy  the  life  of  the 
body,  but  also  to  take  precaution  for  the  preser- 
vation of  our  health  and  of  our  life.  Our  body 
is  not  our  own;  it  belongs  to  God.  It  belongs  to 
Him,  not  only  because  He  created  it,  but  also 
because  Christ  purchased  it  with  a  great  price. 
We  are  bound  to  take  care  of  what  is  the  property 
of  another;  and  our  body  is  God's  property. 
We  may  not  do  with  it  what  we  will,  but  what 
God  wills.  Consequently,  it  is  a  sin  to  take  one's 
own  life;  and  it  is  also  a  sin  rashly  to  hazard 
one's   life   or   wantonly   to   injure   one's   health. 

However,  it  is  not  merely  right,  but  even 
meritorious,  to  sacrifice  one's  bodily  health  or 
life  in  order  to  gain  everlasting  life,  or  to  rescue 
one's  fellow  man  from  physical  or  spiritual  death. 
Thus  the  martyrs  preferred  to  sacrifice  their 
lives  rather  than  commit  sin;  missionaries  in 
heathen  lands  are  in  constant  danger  of  death, 
many  of  them  ruining  their  health  by  the  sacri- 
fices and  exertions  they  undergo;  priests,  doc- 
tors, and  nurses  expose  their  lives  by  attending 
those  that  have  infectious  diseases.  All  that  is 
not  wrong  but  most  praiseworthy.  One  may 
risk  one's  life  to  save  another  from  death,  for 
instance,  by  fire  or  water.  One  may  expose  one's 
self  in  battle  for  the  defense  of  one's  country 
And  a  human  soul  is  of  such  value  that  every- 


5  66  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

thing,  even  life  itself,  should  be  sacrificed  to  save 
it.  Christ  gave  us  an  example  when  He  died 
upon  the  cross  for  the  salvation  of  mankind. 

Of  course,  in  performing  an  heroic  act  of  that 
nature  we  may  not  seek  death — that  would  be 
sinful.  We  should  think  only  of  the  deed  itself, 
of  which  death  may  be  an  accidental  accompani- 
ment. 

(1)  What  kind  of  a  sin  is  it  wilfully  to  pray 
without  devotion?  (2)  Is  it  a  greater  sin 
if  one  prays  an  important  prayer,  like  the 
penance  received  in  confession?  By  the 
way,  would  the  penance  be  performed  in 
this  case? 

(1)  To  pray  with  wilful  distractions  is  a  venial 
sin.  Then,  too,  as  the  catechism  says,  prayers 
said  with  wilful  distractions  are  of  no  avail. 
(2)  Of  course,  if  the  prayer  is  more  important 
the  wilful  distractions  constitute  a  greater  venial 
sin.  The  penance  would  be  performed,  unless, 
which  is  hard  to  assume,  the  distractions  were  so 
great  that  the  saying  of  the  prayer  would  cease 
to  be  a  human  act,  i.  e.,  an  act  that  proceeds 
from  the  deliberate  will  of  man. 

When  taking  meals  at  a  restaurant  or 
at  the  home  of  a  non-Catholic,  is  it  neces- 
sary to  make  the  sign  of  the  cross  before 
saying  the  blessing? 

It  is  not  necessary.  One  can  pray  without 
making  the  sign  of  the  cross,  without  showing  it 
in  any  external  way,  in  fact.  Being  ostentatious 
in  our  pious  practices  in  public  places  only  too 
often  attracts  attention  and  provokes  ridicule, 
which  should  be  avoided.  As,  under  ordinary 
circumstances,  we  are  not  obliged  to  tell  every- 
body we  meet  in  so  many  words  that  we  are 
Catholics,  so  we  are  ordinarily  under  no  obliga- 
tion to  tell  them  so  by  particular  actions. 

Some,  because  they  instinctively  shrink  from 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  567 

thus  making  the  sign  of  the  cross  in  public,  think 
they  are  ashamed  of  their  faith.  That  is  usually 
not  the  case.  It  is  merely  a  natural  repug- 
nance to  demonstrativeness  in  religious 
matters.  The  Savior  tells  us  to  go  into  our 
chamber  and  pray  in  secret.  In  this  case  we  may 
apply  His  words  to  the  secret  chamber  of  the 
heart.  He  also  says:  "Cast  not  your  pearls 
before  swine,"  which  words  contain  a  world  of 
thought. 

However,  we  do  not  wish  to  be  misunderstood. 
People  of  education  and  refinement  are  slow  to 
ridicule  in  these  matters.  Many,  too,  are  greatly 
edified  by  little  practices  such  as  that  here  under 
discussion.  Even  such  a  seemingly  insignificant 
thing  makes  men  pause  and  reflect.  But,  in  it- 
self, this  question  of  the  sign  of  the  cross  is  an 
indifferent  matter.  Each  one  may  do  as  he  thinks 
best.  And  no  one  should  consider  it  sinful  to 
omit  the  sign  of  the  cross  in  the  circumstances 
described  above,  unless  such  omission  is  an 
evident  denial  of  faith  or  is  clearly  looked  upon 
as  a  sign  that  one  is  ashamed  of  his  faith. 

Is  it  allowed  for  physicians  to  administer 
chloroform,  morphine,  ether,  etc.,  to 
patients?  Are  there  any  rules  about  this 
in  Catholic  teaching? 

The  narcotics  you  mention,  as  also  opium, 
cocaine,  chloral,  nitrous  oxide,  have  entered  into 
the  current  practice  of  medicine  and  are  of  in- 
contestable utility  and  even  necessity.  Their 
use  is  lawful  and  excellent;  for  the  immediate 
task  of  the  physician  is  not  so  much  to  cure  the 
disease  as  to  alleviate  the  unfortunate  patient's 
suffering.  "The  physician  shall  alleviate  thy 
pains,"  we  read  in  Holy  Writ  (Ecclus.  38). 

But  just  because  narcotics  are  of  such  appreci- 
able advantage  they  are  only  too  frequently  and 
often  fatally  abused.     Pain  must  be  combated; 


5  68  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

but  the  narcotics  chosen  should  be  the  safest  and 
least  dangerous,  administered  in  moderate  doses 
which  are  repeated  only  when  necessary.  Great 
care  must  be  taken  not  to  continue  their  use 
indefinitely,  except  in  cases  of  extreme  necessity. 
To  do  so  is  dangerous  and  may  create  a  need  that 
becomes  a  craving  and  a  veritable  mania  for  the 
drug;  and  the  formation  of  the  drug  habit  is 
one  of  the  greatest  curses  that  can  be  inflicted 
upon  any  man. 

However,  narcotics  that  plunge  them  into  a 
coma  may  not  be  given  to  the  dying.  Even  if 
they  loudly  demand  narcotics  the  physician 
should  content  himself  with  giving  them  light 
palliatives,  which  will  suffice  to  assuage  their 
pain,  but  will  not  deprive  them  of  feeling.  The 
Bishops  of  the  Province  of  Quebec,  in  one  of  their 
Councils,  condemned  the  administration  of  nar- 
cotics to  the  dying  and  stated:  "Since  the  eternal 
fate  of  the  soul  may  depend  upon  the  last  mo- 
ment of  life,  physicians  must  resolutely  abstain 
from  administering  remedies  which  are  by  their 
nature  apt  to  render  the  patients  unconscious 
and  rob  them  of  the  power  of  making  acts  of 
devotion,  and  to  deprive  them  of  the  last  merits, 
which  they  can  still  gain,  and  perhaps  expose 
them  to  eternal  death." 

As  regards  total  anesthesia  (to  put  under  ether, 
for  example),  it  should  not  be  undertaken  except 
for  serious  operations,  and  it  would  be  imprudent 
to  have  recourse  to  it  in  cases  of  slight  accidents 
or  merely  to  overcome  a  passing  pain.  Further- 
more, the  patient  must  in  all  cases  first  be  ex- 
amined, and  it  must  be  ascertained  whether  he 
suffers  from  any  affection  of  the  heart  or  lungs, 
for  in  that  case  anesthesia  would  be  dangerous, 
if  not  impracticable,  and  the  case  would  call  for 
special  treatment. 

In  short,  as  the  Fathers  of  the  Council  of 
Quebec  wisely  decree: 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  569 

"1.  Physicians  are  allowed  to  put  a  person  to 
sleep  by  means  of  narcotics,  such  as  chloroform, 
morphine,  etc.,  if  it  be  but  for  a  short  time  and 
there  is  no  danger  of  death.  There  must  also  be 
sufficient  reason,  e.  g.,  to  relieve  pain  or  especially 
to  perform  a  surgical  operation. 

"2.  This  is  permitted  also  in  a  desperate  case, 
when  there  is  some  hope  of  saving  the  life  of  the 
patient. 

"3.  It  is  never  permitted  in  danger  of  death, 
for  the  sole  purpose  of  taking  away  the  feeling 
of  pain. 

"4.  Especially  do  we  call  the  attention  of 
physicians  to  the  fact  that  they  should  make 
every  effort  to  deter  their  patients  from  making 
use  of  narcotics  which  produce  such  pernicious 
effects." 

I  got  hold  of  a  book  one  day  that  had  a 
chart  of  the  palm  of  the  left  hand  and 
gave  the  meaning  of  the  different  lines. 
It  showed  the  head  line  with  a  sort  of  an 
island  on  it  and  said  a  head  line  with  this 
was  a  sure  sign  of  insanity.  My  head  line 
is  like  that;  and  ever  since  that  day  I 
am  living  in  constant  fear  of  going  insane. 
Do  you  think  it's  true? 

It  is  not  true.  It  is  all  nonsense  and  quackery 
and,  if  believed  in,  is  divination,  sinful  supersti- 
tion. If  this  palmistry  would  confine  itself  to 
the  comparative  study  of  hands  it  would  be 
harmless  enough;  but  it  proceeds  to  divination, 
to  the  pretended  forecasting  of  future  events 
by  means  of  the  lines  or  marks  of  the  palm,  a 
common  way  of  fortune  telling.  As  in  astrology, 
which  is  the  pretended  forecasting  of  future 
events  by  means  of  the  stars,  we  are  here  in 
touch  with  an  ancient  superstition  of  the  East. 
In  China  palmistry  is  said  to  have  existed  three 
thousand    years    before    Christ.      The    gypsies 


57o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

brought  it  to  Europe  in  the  sixteenth  century. 
The  marks  and  swellings  on  the  hand  are  plainly 
caused  by  the  mechanical  arrangement  of  the 
bones  and  sinews;  and  so  it  is  hard  to  see  how 
sensible  people  can  be  led  astray  by  the  fantastic 
claims  of  the  palmists.  You  should  not  have  read 
that  book  at  all. 

Perhaps  the  next  thing  you  will  do  is  practice 
phrenology,  which  is  another  form  of  divination, 
the  study  of  the  bumps  of  the  skull  as  an  index 
of  future  events  or  of  character.  Modern  medical 
science  condemns  phrenology  as  quackery  and 
tells  us  that  the  gray  matter  on  the  surface  of  the 
brain  cannot  be  mapped  out  into  thirty  or  forty 
areas  corresponding  to  mental  or  moral  qualities, 
such  as  intellectual  acumen,  benevolence,  venera- 
tion, etc.  The  outer  table  of  the  cranial  bones 
does  not  accurately  represent  the  contour  of  the 
brain  surface;  the  thickness  of  the  skull  varies 
in  different  individuals;  in  short,  the  "brain 
bumps"  mean  nothing.  An  expert  on  the  brain 
says:  "Psychology,  physiology,  and  experience 
alike  contribute  to  discredit  the  practical  working 
of  phrenology  and  to  show  how  worthless  the 
so-called  diagnoses  of  character  really  are." 

As  regards  divination,  express  or  tacit,  it  is 
frequently  only  a  venial  sin  on  account  of  the 
ignorance  of  those  who  indulge  in  it,  or  because 
they  do  not  entirely  believe  that  the  future  can 
be  known  by  such  methods  (also  signs,  omens, 
laying  of  cards,  interpretation  of  dreams),  or  be- 
cause they  use  them  in  joke  or  out  of  curiosity. 

Was  the  fall  of  Adam  and  Eve  a  mortal 
or  a  venial  sin? 

The  sin  which  Adam  and  Eve  committed  by 
eating  the  forbidden  fruit  was  a  mortal  sin;  for, 
because  of  their  superior  intelligence  and  their 
freedom  from  the  intellectual  and  sensual 
appetites,  any  sin  committed  by  them  could  not 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  571 

but  be  a  mortal  sin.  (St.  Thomas.)  Moreover, 
the  punishment  with  which  they  were  threatened, 
namely,  the  death  of  the  body  and  the  spiritual 
death  of  the  soul,  is  of  itself  proof  that  the  com- 
mand not  to  eat  of  the  forbidden  fruit  was  en- 
joined under  pain  of  mortal  sin.  In  the  sin  of 
our  first  parents,  we  must  remember,  a  deep  in- 
terior pride  or  presumption,  the  desire  to  be  like 
gods,  to  possess  omniscience,  preceded  their  ex- 
terior act  of  eating  the  forbidden  fruit,  and  even 
their  deception  by  the  devil.  The  personal  sin 
of  Adam  and  Eve,  therefore,  deserved  eternal 
punishment.  But  a  Redeemer  was  promised  to 
them  and  to  their  children,  the  human  race. 

What  are  we  to  think  of  Spiritual 
Mediums  or  so-called  Spiritual  Healers 
(not  Christian  Scientists)  ?  The  treat- 
ments are  given  by  the  laying  on  of  hands 
and  the  healing  power  is  supposed  to  be 
given  by  spiritual  forces.  These  forces 
are  friends  and  relatives  that  have  passed 
into  the  great  beyond.  The  mediums 
claim  they  come  back  to  minister  to  our 
wants.  They  also  give  what  they  call 
spiritual  readings.  I  know  there  are  quite 
a  number  of  Catholics  go  there  for  treat- 
ments. Is  it  sinful  for  a  Catholic  to  be 
treated  for  an  illness  by  one  of  these 
healers  ? 

What  you  here  describe  is  manifestly  a  form 
of  Spiritism,  one  of  its  many  ramifications.  To 
have  anything  to  do  with  any  of  these  so-called 
healers  is  a  sin  against  the  virtue  of  religion,  a 
sin  against  the  first  commandment  of  God. 
Catholics  should  bear  well  in  mind  that  the 
Church  forbids  them  to  have  anything  to  do  with 
Spiritism,  which  she  condemns  as  a  superstition, 
destructive  alike  of  morals  and  religion.  The 
Holy   Office   has   repeatedly   issued   decrees  for- 


57i  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

bidding  Catholics  "to  be  present  at  spiritistic 
communications  and  manifestations  of  every  kind, 
with  or  without  a  Medium,  even  though  they 
appear  to  be  good  and  honest;  either  by  interro- 
gatings,  or  hearing  their  answers,  or  by  simply 
looking  on,  even  though  one  tacitly  or  expressly 
protests  that  he  does  not  wish  to  have  anything 
to  do  with  evil  spirits."    (April  24,  1917.) 

Spiritism,  which  originated  in  the  United 
States,  quickly  spread  throughout  all  Europe, 
and  became  common  in  the  years  1852-1854,  is 
anti-Christian  in  character,  a  pagan  superstition 
which,  when  subjected  to  critical  analysis,  denies 
every  dogma  of  the  Catholic  religion,  making 
out  of  an  imagined  communion  with  the  dead  a 
cruel  parody  of  the  Communion  of  Saints.  Ex- 
perience shows  that  it  has  frequently  destroyed 
the  physical  health  of  its  adepts,  unbalanced  their 
minds,  and  deprived  them  of  the  true  faith. 
Through  it  the  devil  gets  many  thoughtless  souls 
in  his  snares. 

What  are  we  to  think  of  it  as  regards  the 
phenomena  it  produces?  The  following  thesis, 
proven  by  Tanquerey  in  his  Dogmatic  Theology, 
gives  a  concise  yet  sufficient  answer:  "Those 
phenomena  of  magnetism,  spiritism,  or  hypno- 
tism by  which  things  hidden,  remote,  and  future 
are  uncovered  are  diabolical;  the  others,  however, 
do  not  seem  to  transcend  natural  laws."  There  is, 
we  may  add,  no  little  fraud,  trickery,  and  deceit 
connected  with  this  superstitious  cult. 

Was  St.  John  the  Baptist  conceived 
without  original  sin? 

No;  the  Blessed  Virgin  alone,  of  all  God's 
creatures,  was  conceived  without  original  sin. 
St.  John  the  Baptist  was  sanctified  in  his  mother's 
womb  on  the  occasion  of  Mary's  visit  to  her 
cousin  Elizabeth,  which  we  recall  in  the  second 
joyful    mystery    of    the    rosary,    the    Visitation. 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  573 

The  Baptist  was,  accordingly,  born  without 
original  sin,  though  he  was  not  conceived  with- 
out it. 

Must  your  night  prayers  be  said  before 
midnight  if  you  are  not  retiring  until  late  ? 

No;  it  is  sufficient  to  say  them  before  retiring, 
no  matter  how  late  it  may  be.  But  say  your 
night  prayers,  no  matter  how  tired  you  are,  just 
as  you  must  try  to  say  your  morning  prayers, 
no  matter  how  many  things  claim  your  attention. 
You  lose  much  by  omitting  these  important  little 
devotions.  We  add  that,  since  both  in  the 
morning  and  in  the  evening  one  is  liable  to  be 
tired  and  sleepy,  it  is  advisable  to  use  a  prayer- 
book  for  the  devotions  in  question.  At  least, 
everybody  has  time  to  kneel  down  before  a  cruci- 
fix and  say  the  Our  Father,  the  Hail  Mary,  the 
Apostles'  Creed,  and  the  Acts  of  Faith,  Hope, 
Charity,  and  Contrition,  with  great  faith,  devo- 
tion, and  humility.  Also  make  all  your  special 
intentions  for  the  day  or  for  the  night.  How 
strange  that  people  have  time  for  a  thousand  and 
one  things  else,  but  no  time  to  pray!  Without 
prayer  there  is  no  salvation.  And  morning  anol 
evening  prayers  are  about  the  least  one  can  do, ,  1  j 

Is  a  sacrilege  always  a  mortal  sin? 

No;  a  sacrilege  is  not  always  a  mortal  sin. 
A  sacrilege  belongs  to  that  class  of  sins  which 
are  mortal  in  a  grievous  matter  and  venial  in  a 
matter  of  lesser  importance. 

A  sacrilege,  by  the  way,  is  the  violating  of  a 
sacred  thing,  of  something  set  aside  by  the 
authority  of  the  Church  or  of  God  for  holy 
purposes,  for  divine  worship.  A  sacrilege  is  per- 
sonal if  a  consecrated  person  is  violated;  local, 
if  a  sacred  place  is  violated;  real,  if  a  holy 
article  is  desecrated. 

Does  a  person  who  receives  Confirmation 


574  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

with  mortal  sin  upon  his  soul  commit  a 
sacrilege  ? 

He  does;  for  Confirmation  is  a  Sacrament  of 
the  living  and  can  be  worthily  received  only  by 
those  who  are  in  a  state  of  grace.  The  Sacra- 
ments of  the  living,  remember,  increase  sancti- 
fying grace  in  the  soul  that  is  already  robed 
therein;  whereas  the  Sacraments  of  the  dead,  as 
they  are  called,  namely,  Baptism  and  Penance, 
give  sanctifying  grace  to  the  soul  that  has  it  not. 

On  New  Year's  Day  I  made  some  good 
resolutions;  I  resolved  to  do  certain  good 
works  during  the  year.  Some  of  these 
resolutions  I've  kept,  and  some  I  haven't. 
One  that  I  didn't  keep  is  the  promise  to 
say  the  Stations  of  the  Cross  every  Friday 
during  the  year.  Now  I'm  somewhat 
worried  as  to  whether  I  committed  sin 
by  not  keeping  my  promises. 

Your  good  resolutions  were,  it  seems,  just 
promises  you  made  to  yourself  to  do  good  works 
which  you  were  not  obliged  to  do.  In  that  case 
you  just  made  a  little  contract  with  yourself; 
and  if  both  you  and  yourself  agreed  to  dissolve 
the  contract  it  by  that  very  fact  ceased  to  exist. 
You  did  no  wrong  and  no  harm,  in  that  case, 
except,  perhaps,  you  weakened  your  will  power 
a  little.  We  should,  of  course,  always  try  to 
keep  our  good  resolves,  if  possible.  If  we  promise 
to  do  things  that  we  must  do  anyhow,  because 
God  commands  them,  then  it  is  different. 

Perhaps  God  was  the  other  party  in  your 
little  contract.  But  when  people  promise  God 
such  free  things  as  you  mention,  they  do  not 
usually  wish  to  bind  themselves  under  pain  of 
sin.  Nor  is  it  wise  so  to  bind  themselves.  More- 
over, for  a  real  promise  one  condition  is  that 
your  promise  is  accepted  by  him  to  whom  you 
make  it.     But  if  you  make  God  a  promise  to  do 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  575 

some  unnecessary  good  thing  which  He  foresees 
you  cannot  keep,  may  we  not  think  that  He, 
though  pleased  with  your  good  will,  does  not 
accept  your  promise  as  binding?  Let  us  also 
remember  that  a  good  resolution  is  not  always 
even  a  promise  and  that  a  simple  promise  is  not 
a  vow.    You  have  no  cause  to  worry. 

Will  you  kindly  enumerate  the  seven 
deadly  sins  and  their  opposite  virtues? 

The  seven  deadly  sins,  more  commonly  and 
properly  called  the  seven  capital  sins  because 
they  are  the  chief  sources  of  sin,  are  the  follow- 
ing: Pride,  covetousness,  lust,  anger,  gluttony, 
envy,  and  sloth.  Their  opposite  virtues,  here 
mentioned  in  the  same  order,  are  these :  Humility, 
liberality,  chastity,  meekness,  temperance, 
brotherly  love,  diligence. 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  there  are  many  sources 
of  sin  and  that  all  sins  have  not  necessarily  their 
sole  source  in  the  seven  capital  sins.  The  sources 
of  sin  are  not  always  sins.  Our  passions,  for 
instance,  are  sources  of  sin,  but  a  passion  is  not 
always  sinful.  But  when  speaking  of  capital 
sins  we  speak  of  sources  of  sins  that  are  sins  in 
themselves  and  are  often  the  cause  of  many  other 
sins.  Capital  sins  are  so  called,  because,  being 
sins,  they  are  most  frequently  causes  or  sources 
of  many  other  sins;  therefore  many  moralists  call 
the  sins  which  have  their  source  in  the  capital 
sins,  the  daughters  thereof.  Capital  sins  are  not 
necessarily  the  most  grievous  sins;  for  some  of 
them  are  in  themselves  only  venial  sins.  Hence, 
as  we  have  said  above,  the  appellation  "Deadly 
Sins"  is  less  good  and  is  apt  to  lead  to  a  wrong 
understanding  of  the  nature  of  capital  sins.  We 
go  even  further  and  say  that  it  is  a  mistake  to 
call  them  deadly  sins. 

Someone  recently  sold  me  a  costly  art 
painting  at  "a  greatly  reduced"  price — in 


576  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

feigned  appreciation  of  hospitality  shown 
him.  Later  I  discovered  that  it  was  stolen 
from  a  certain  store.  Must  I  return  it  to 
the  store? 

Certainly  you  must.  You  have  no  right  to  it. 
The  rightful  owner  is  entitled  to  his  property, 
no  matter  into  whose  hands  it  has  fallen.  This 
law  follows  necessarily  from  the  nature  of  property 
and  ownership.  You  were  indeed  a  possessor  in 
good  faith,  that  is,  you  were  convinced  that  the 
picture  rightfully  belonged  to  you;  for  you  had 
acquired  the  title  to  it  in  a  legitimate  way,  by 
purchase.  But  even  a  possessor  in  good  faith,  as 
soon  as  he  discovers  that  the  property  is  not  his, 
is  bound  to  restore  it  to  the  rightful  owner,  or  at 
least  give  the  owner  notice  to  get  it,  at  his  own 
expense.  You  are  then  the  victim  of  the  middle 
man's  injustice. 

This  may  seem  to  be  "a  hard  saying,"  but  it 
is  justice.  We  need  only  place  ourselves  in  the 
position  of  the  one  from  whom  things  are  first 
stolen  in  order  to  understand. 

Does  the  Fourth  Commandment  oblige 
one  to  obey  his  parents  after  he  has  grown 
up  and  is  of  age  ?  Would  it  be  a  venial  sin 
to  slam  the  door  in  their  faces  and  must 
such  an  act  be  mentioned  in  confession? 

"Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother"  is  a  com- 
mandment, we  repeat,  that  must  be  obeyed 
whether  a  person  be  sixteen  or  sixty.  When  of 
age  the  obedience  required  takes  on  a  more  inde- 
pendent character,  but  disrespect  is  never  lawful. 
God  has  uttered  dreadful  words  about  the  un- 
natural, rebellious  son  or  daughter.  To  slam 
the  door  in  their  faces  must  indeed  be  mentioned 
in  confession,  since  it  is  quite  probable  that  it  is 
even  more  than  a  venial  sin. 

We  will  enlarge  somewhat  upon  this  all-im- 
portant matter.    Surely,  the  United  States  is  one 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  577 

of  the  most  independent  countries  in  the  world; 
but  we  must  not  forget  that  the  very  Declaration 
of  Independence,  which  declared  this  country 
free  from  one  government,  proclaimed  a  new 
government  to  which  its  citizens  were  subject. 
Self-reliance  is  one  thing;  independence  is  an- 
other. We  can  never  be  independent  of  God,  of 
the  law  of  conscience,  of  the  Ten  Command- 
ments, of  the  laws  of  the  Church.  And  one  of 
the  commandments  is,  "Honor  thy  father  and 
thy  mother."  The  worst  of  ingrates  is  an  un- 
grateful child,  one  who  shows  disrespect,  diso- 
bedience, opposition,  and  even  defiance  to  his 
parents.  This  disobedience  is  a  real  menace  in 
our  day.  Says  Holy  Writ:  "Of  what  evil  fame 
is  he  that  forsaketh  his  father;  and  he  is  cursed 
of  God  that  angereth  his  mother." 

As  young  people  grow  older  they  may  have 
greater  freedom;  but  they  are  never  free  to  be 
disrespectful.  They  may  honestly  differ  with 
their  parents;  but  they  can  differ  and  show 
honor.  How  many  older  children  simply  break 
their  parents'  hearts!  They  will  not  speak  with 
their  parents;  they  keep  late  hours;  frequent 
questionable  places;  spend  all  their  money  on 
pleasures;  neglect  to  go  to  Mass  and  Holy 
Communion.  What  wonder  if  God  should  strike 
such  dreadfully!  God,  at  least,  never  blesses 
such.     (Cf.  You  and  Yours  by  Fr.  Scott,  S.  J.) 

Is  it  a  sin  not  to  defend  a  friend  when 
he  is  spoken  ill  of  in  your  presence? 

He  who  listens  to  detraction  in  such  a  way 
as  to  encourage  and  to  give  a  new  stimulus 
to  the  tongues  of  the  detractors,  sins  against 
justice  and  takes  upon  himself  the  guilt  of  the 
detraction.  But  he  who,  when  he  becomes  aware 
of  the  detraction,  leaves,  or  changes  the  subject, 
or  turns  away,  or  shows  himself  displeased  or 
sad,  commits  no  sin  at  all.     As  we  read  in  the 


578  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Book  of  Proverbs,  "The  north  wind  driveth  away 
rain,  as  doth  a  sad  countenance  a  backbiting 
tongue."  (Prov.  25:  23.) 

Ordinary  persons,  those  who  are  not  responsi- 
ble for  others,  or  who  are  not  in  official  position, 
generally  do  not  sin  at  all,  surely  not  mortally, 
when  out  of  shame,  or  fear,  or  even  out  of  negli- 
gence they  do  not  stop  detraction  even  when 
they  could,  provided  they  do  not  rejoice  at  it 
and  provided  no  other  injury  is  added  to  the 
ill  fame.  The  reason  for  this  is  evident:  it  is 
ordinarily  useless  to  rebuke  the  detracting  tongue; 
nay,  a  correction  is  wont  to  make  it  go  awagging 
on  still  faster. 

When  dining  with  non-Catholics  is  it 
advisable  to  say  grace  before  and  after 
meals  ? 

We  should  always  ask  God  to  bless  our  meals 
and  thank  Him  afterwards.  This,  however,  can 
be  done  in  a  moment's  time  and  from  the  heart 
without  anybody  noticing  it.  There  are  really 
places  and  situations  where  it  would  not  be 
advisable  to  make  the  sign  of  the  cross,  fold  the 
hands,  and  pray  as  we  would  do  at  home.  It 
might  bring  religion  into  unnecessary  ridicule. 
At  such  times  prudence  suggests  that  we  refrain 
from  all  outward  show.  Nor  can  anyone  brand 
such  refraining  as  a  denial  of  one's  faith.  Some 
have  very  foolish  notions  as  regards  these  little 
prayers,  which  can  readily  be  omitted  altogether 
without  the  slightest  sin  and  yet  ought  never  to 
be  so  omitted,  because  that  would  lead  to  a 
gradual  neglect  of  prayer.  If  such  people  would 
live  up  to  the  conclusions  of  their  peculiar  logic 
they  would  have  to  be  going  about  making  the 
sign  of  the  cross  from  morning  to  night  and  telling 
everybody  what  they  believe,  lest  they  deny 
their  faith.  But  we  know  how  ridiculous  and 
harmful  that  would  be.     Failure  to  show  one's 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  579 

faith  does  not  by  any  means  constitute  a  denial 
of  it,  unless  a  direct,  serious,  and  reasonable 
challenge  be  given. 

However,  we  believe  Catholics  are  rather  too 
backward  in  these  matters.  A  little  thing  like 
the  sign  of  the  cross  before  and  after  meals  is 
generally  the  source  of  genuine  edification  to 
others.  It  usually  redounds  to  the  honor  of  the 
maker. 

Can  you  tell  me  in  how  far  mental 
reservation  is  allowed?  Is  it  always  al- 
lowed on  lawful  motives? 

Sometimes  we  wish  to  keep  a  secret  which  we 
are  allowed  to  keep  or  even  must  keep.  There 
is  a  way  in  which  we  can  then  answer  unduly 
inquisitive  persons  without  giving  the  desired 
information  and  without  lying.  The  first  way 
is  the  use  of  equivocal  or  ambiguous  expressions 
with  the  intention  of  being  misunderstood  by 
others.  The  second  is  called  broad  mental 
reservation.  The  latter  is  employed  when  words 
are  used  which  are  capable  of  being  understood 
in  different  senses,  either  because  they  are 
ambiguous  in  themselves,  or  because  they  derive 
a  special  meaning  from  the  circumstances  of  time, 
place,  or  person,  in  which  they  are  spoken;  as, 
for  example,  when  a  servant  says  his  master  is 
"not  at  home,"  which  may  mean  either  that  he  is 
absent  or  that  he  does  not  wish  to  receive  visitors. 
Both  equivocation  and  mental  reservation,  as  de- 
fined, are  lawful  when  the  statement  does  not 
embody  a  positive  untruth ;  when  the  true  nature 
of  the  statement  is  recognizable;  and  when  there 
is  a  morally  justifiable  reason  for  keeping  a  secret. 
But  when  there  is  a  positive  duty  to  tell  the 
truth  and  no  obligation  of  keeping  a  secret, 
equivocation  or  mental  reservation  may  not  be 
employed. 

Father  Joseph  Rickaby,  S.  J.,  in  Political  and 


580  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Moral  Essays,  gives  a  lucid  explanation  when  he 
says,  "  'What  news,  my  Lord,  from  France?' 
some  one  asked  of  a  cabinet  minister.  'I  don't 
know,'  was  the  reply,  'I  have  not  read  the  papers.' 
The  story  is  Cardinal  Newman's.  Here  the 
sense  of  the  I  dont  know  is  restricted  and  re- 
served, internally  in  the  mind  of  the  speaker,  and 
externally  in  the  words  added  about  the  news- 
papers. It  is  a  mental  reservation  of  the  broadest, 
such  as  no  Pharisee  could  call  a  lie.  Now  suppose 
the  reference  to  the  papers  be  omitted.  It  would 
still  be  very  hard  to  call  the  don't  know  a  lie. 
The  reservation  of  official  knowledge  is  still 
sufficiently  apparent:  no  sensible  man  would  ex- 
pect that  to  be  communicated  by  way  of  ordinary 
chitchat.  Above  all,  when  a  topic  has  been  forced 
upon  one,  and  questions  put  that  admit  of  no 
evasion,  by  an  inquirer  who  has  no  right  to  ask, 
then  surely  my  denial  or  disclaimer,  however 
direct  the  form  of  words,  must  be  qualified  by 
the  outward  circumstances  in  which  it  is  spoken. 
This  qualification,  unspoken,  but  not  unsigni- 
fied,  will  be  'secrets  apart'." 

How  about  this  matter:  People  fre- 
quently ask  me  questions  that  I  cannot 
answer.  In  such  cases  I  merely  reply  in 
an  off-hand  way,  "Oh  yes"  or  "Oh  no.'1 
Is  that  what  you  would  call  a  lie?  There 
is  really  no  intention  of  making  a  lie  out 
of  it.     Is  that  a  mortal  sin? 

To  lie  is  knowingly  to  tell  an  untruth  in  order 
to  deceive  others.  To  tell  a  lie,  accordingly,  the 
false  declaration,  whether  made  in  word  or  deed, 
must  be  opposed  to  the  interior  conviction  or 
belief  of  him  who  makes  it,  and  further,  it  must 
be  inspired  by  the  intention  of  deceiving  and 
misleading  others,  especially  those  who  have  a 
right  to  know  the  truth. 

From  this  definition  it  would  appear  at  first 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  581 

glance  that  there  is  no  lie  in  the  practice  in 
question.  Yet  a  little  study  seems  to  reveal 
therein  those  subtle  species  of  lying  known  as 
simulation  and  hypocrisy,  which  may  be  defined 
as  the  act  of  assuming  a  false  form,  appearance, 
character,  or  condition  in  order  to  deceive  others 
as  to  one's  real  thoughts  or  intentions,  and 
especially  in  regard  to  one's  true  character.  Here 
a  false  appearance  of  knowledge  is  evidently 
assumed.  Else  why  not  simply  say,  "I  cannot 
tell  you  that"? 

Though  every  lie  is  a  sin,  not  every  lie  is  a 
mortal  sin.  The  gravity  or  guilt  of  a  lie  is  to  be 
gauged  by  the  general  criteria  of  mortal  and 
venial  sin,  by  its  subject  matter,  by  the  objective 
and  subjective  importance  of  the  truth  involved, 
by  the  end  or  object  aimed  at,  and  by  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  case.  For  example,  the  denial 
of  a  revealed  truth  of  great  importance  for  the 
eternal  or  temporal  welfare  of  man  is  always  a 
mortal  sin.  Lies  told  for  the  purpose  of  injuring 
others  are,  under  certain  circumstances,  grievous 
sins.  A  jocose  lie,  or  one  told  to  get  out  of  a 
scrape,  may  generally  be  classed  as  a  venial  sin. 
The  so-called  "little  white  lies"  of  social  inter- 
course likewise  are  usually  venial  sins. 

A  Catholic  must  ever  be  firmly  convinced  that 
no  lie  can  be  of  real  advantage  and  that  God 
will  turn  the  damage  that  one  fears  from  the 
truth  into  an  advantage.  "We  know  that  to  them 
that  love  God,  all  things  work  together  unto 
good."     (Rom.  8:28.) 

When  a  conflict  arises  between  duty  and  truth 
on  the  one  side  and  various  other  interests  on  the 
other,  the  injury  done  to  the  soul  by  a  lie  cannot 
be  compared  to  any  temporary  disadvantage. 
In  a  conflict  between  truth  and  charity,  e.  g.,  in 
the  case  of  a  sick  person,  a  conscientious  man  will 
always,  if  necessary,  find  a  way  to  disguise  the 
truth  so  that  it  will  not  bear  the  character  of  a 


582.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

lie.  We  must  always  tell  the  truth,  but  we  are 
not  always  bound  to  tell  all  the  truth  that  we 
know. 

Is  it  proper  to  ask  God  for  a  certain 
favor  as  a  sign  that  he  wishes  a  person  to 
do  a  particular  good  work? 

It  is  surely  quite  proper,  if  the  petition  be  re- 
signed and  humble;  but  you  must  leave  it  to 
God  to  grant  the  favor  or  not.  A  refusal  on  the 
part  of  God  would  not  necessarily  mean  that  He 
does  not  wish  you  to  do  the  good  work.  We 
have  no  right  to  demand  that  God  work  wonders 
for  us.  There  are  other  and  more  natural  means 
of  ascertaining  what  is  His  holy  will  in  our 
regard,  consultation  with  one's  confessor  or 
spiritual  director,  for  instance. 

Is  it  a  sin  to  read  letters  of  a  person, 
e.  g.,  of  a  friend,  sister,  brother,  after  they 
have  been  opened,  provided  one  does  not 
make  known  having  read  them,  or  what 
they  contained? 

Yes;  this  might  be  a  serious  sin.  Nor  does 
the  fact  that  the  letters  have  already  been 
opened  make  any  difference.  Cases,  however, 
in  which  it  would  not  be  a  sin,  at  least  certainly 
no  grievous  sin,  are  the  following:  (1)  when  you 
know  or  can  take  it  for  granted  that  the  sender 
or  the  recipient  would  have  no  objection;  (2) 
when  you  are  sure  or  think  you  are  sure  that 
they  do  not  contain  matters  of  any  importance; 
(3)  when  you  have  a  good  and  a  just  reason  for 
reading  them  in  order  to  avoid  public  or  private 
harm,  provided  that  in  such  a  case  you  read 
only  what  is  quite  necessary. 

Why  can  the  sin  of  despair  not  be  for- 
given ? 

That  the  sin  of  despair  cannot  be  forgiven,  is 
something  quite  new  to  us;    in  other  words,  it  is 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  583 

not  true.  It  is  the  teaching  of  the  Church  that 
the  power  of  the  keys  extends  to  all  the  sins  of 
the  faithful,  so  that  there  is  no  sin  which  cannot 
be  forgiven  those  who  are  rightly  disposed. 
This  answer  is  clear  and  definite.  What  we  add 
is  merely  a  bit  of  instruction. 

What  is  despair?  Despair  is  a  deliberate  re- 
jection of  hope,  inasmuch  as  a  person  judges 
that  eternal  happiness  cannot  be  attained  by 
him.  In  itself  it  is  a  mortal  sin,  though  often, 
because  of  the  imperfection  of  the  act,  it  is  but 
a  venial  sin.  Like  any  other  sin  it  can  be  forgiven 
if  confessed  with  true  sorrow. 

Perhaps  the  questioner  has  in  mind  death-bed 
despair.  Then  it  is  merely  a  case  of  sin  not 
repented  of  and  not  confessed  and  hence  not 
forgiven.  But  it  would  be  forgiven  if  the  sinner 
would  turn  back  to  God. 

Is  it  easy  to  commit  a  mortal  sin  against 
humility,  i.  e.,  by  being  proud? 

Pride  is  inordinate  self-esteem  or  love  of  one's 
own  pre-eminence,  coupled  with  a  desire  of  in- 
ducing others  to  accept  the  exaggerated  opinion 
one  has  formed  of  oneself.  It  may  take  the  form 
of  ambition,  vainglory,  presumption,  boasting, 
vanity,  hypocrisy.  In  these  forms  it  is  usually, 
in  itself,  only  a  venial  sin.  It  may  also  take  the 
form  of  arrogance.  Arrogance  may  be  called 
complete  or  perfect  pride,  and  is  that  haughti- 
ness and  proud  contempt  of  others  which  leads 
a  man  to  despise  and  transgress  human  and 
divine  laws.  Such  pride,  by  which  a  person 
indulges  so  much  in  inordinate  self-esteem  as  to 
be  willing  grievously  to  transgress  a  law  rather 
than  obey  the  legitimate  authority  of  God  or 
man,  is  a  mortal  sin. 

Pride  strikes  at  obedience  towards  God,  at  the 
love  of  one's  neighbor,  at  truth.     It  strikes  at 


584  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

truth.    No  man  who  is  strictly  honest  with  him- 
self can  be  proud. 

Some  prayer-books  state  that  you 
should  examine  your  conscience  in  regard 
to  saying  your  morning  and  evening 
prayers.  Is  this  not  an  error?  Would  it 
be  a  sin  to  omit  morning  or  evening 
prayer  ? 

It  is  not  an  error.  For  to  omit  morning  and 
evening  prayers,  though,  in  itself,  it  may  be  no 
sin,  is  certainly  not  a  virtue.  We  say  "in  itself." 
It  doubtless  usually  is  a  venial  sin  of  sloth  to 
omit  these  and  similar  prayers.  Sloth,  which 
generally  begins  with  lukewarmness,  especially 
neglect  of  prayer  and  religious  exercises,  later 
manifests  itself  as  indifference  to  virtue  and  the 
things  of  God  and  then  as  disgust  for  the  moral 
and  religious  duties  which  every  man  is  bound 
to  perform. 

Those  prayers  are  important.  They  are 
the  key  that  opens  the  door  of  the  day  in 
the  morning  and  closes  it  at  night  —  the 
day's  Baptism  and  its  Extreme  Unction,  some- 
one has  called  them.  "Give  me  a  man  who 
prays  well  every  day  and  I  will  answer  for  his 
salvation,"  said  a  saint.  Prayer  is  necessary  for 
salvation.  Said  another  saint,  "Without  prayer 
it  is  impossible  to  lead  a  virtuous  life."  But 
now,  we  can  hardly  do  less  than  say  a  good  morn- 
ing and  evening  prayer.  Those  who  omit  these 
prayers  usually  do  not  pray  at  all;  and  sad 
indeed  are  the  consequences.  "Think  not,"  says 
Cassian,  "that  one  who  falls  deeply,  strikes  the 
bottom  at  once.  Do  you  wish  to  learn  the  cause? 
For  a  long  time  this  man  was  very  lukewarm, 
and  as  a  consequence  his  soul  lost  strength  un- 
noticed, while  the  evil  inclinations  grew  stronger." 

We  have  spoken  of  this  at  length  because  we 
are  firmly  convinced  of  the  great  importance  of 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  585 

absolute  faithfulness  to  morning  and  evening 
prayers.  We  would  shout  it  into  the  ears  of  the 
whole  world,  "Never  omit  your  morning  and 
evening  prayers!" 

Many  people  have  remarked  that  a 
certain  young  man  has  a  poor  complexion. 
I  know  that  by  thus  speaking  they  have 
hurt  his  feelings.  Is  it  wrong  to  make 
such  remarks?  Is  a  bad  complexion  sent 
by  God?  Is  it  a  sin  to  feel  ashamed  of 
having  it? 

Politeness,  which  is  nothing  less  than  Christian 
charity,  forbids  one  to  make  uncomplimentary 
remarks  about  the  personal  appearance  of 
another.  To  do  so  in  his  presence  shows  an  abso- 
lute lack  of  good  breeding. 

God  has  made  us  as  we  are,  unless  by  careless- 
ness or  dissipation  or  excess  we  ourselves  have 
changed  ourselves. 

Doubtless,  an  unlovely  exterior  has  been  a 
blessing  in  disguise  for  many  a  one,  just  as  a 
beautiful  face  has  been  the  cause  of  the  down- 
fall of  many. 

It  is  not  exactly  a  sin  to  be  ashamed  of  having 
a  poor  complexion,  though  it  would  seem  to  hint 
at  a  lack  of  solid  humility  and  Christian  self- 
knowledge. 

Is  it  sinful  to  be  discouraged  and  dis- 
contented? 

Discouragement  is  not  generally  sinful  in  the 
ordinary  affairs  of  life.  But  it  is,  of  course,  more 
or  less  sinful  when  it  assumes  the  nature  of  a 
sin  against  hope  and  trust  in  God.  Such  dis- 
couragement is  a  sin  for  which  there  can  be  no 
excuse  whatsoever.  Likewise,  in  the  ordinary 
affairs  of  life  discontent  is  hardly  sinful.  But 
when  it  takes  on  the  nature  of  murmuring  against 
God,  of  rebellion  against  Him,  of  lack  of  sub- 


5  86  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

mission  to  His  holy  will,  it,  too,  becomes  more 
or  less  sinful. 

Is  it  well  to  do  a  good  deed,  an  act  of 
charity  or  the  like,  with  a  good  intention, 
even  if  one  would  afterwards  think  it 
done  out  of  vain  glory,  or  if  others  should 
think  so?  Or  should  one  rather  omit 
good  deeds,  so  that  one  may  have  nothing 
to  doubt  or  fear? 

Do  good  by  all  means!  And  always  make  the 
good  intention.  To  be  deterred  therefrom  by 
human  respect  were  to  play  the  part  of  a  coward. 
If  thoughts  of  vain  glory  creep  in  at  the  doing, 
say  with  the  saints,  "Begone,  Satan!  I  did  not 
begin  for  you  (but  for  God)  and  I  will  not  stop 
for  you!" 

Is  it  easy  to  commit  a  grievous  sin 
through  laziness? 

When  sloth,  or  laziness,  is  so  great  that  it 
leads  to  the  neglect  of  duties  that  bind  one  under 
pain  of  mortal  sin,  it  is  itself  a  mortal  sin;  other- 
wise it  is  a  venial  sin. 

An  illustration  of  what  we  mean  is  this.  Sup- 
pose that,  through  simple  laziness,  a  man  would 
lie  abed  on  a  Sunday  morning  and  thus  neglect 
to  go  to  Mass.  Such  laziness  is  of  itself  a  grievous 
sin.  Sloth,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  usually  begins 
with  lukewarmness,  especially  neglect  of  prayer 
and  spiritual  exercises. 

Are  those  who  work  for  the  spread  of 
Catholic  literature  forbidden  to  do  that 
work  on  Sunday?     If  not,  why  not? 

No;  they  are  not  forbidden  to  do  that  work 
on  Sunday.  For,  opposed  to  servile  labor,  and 
consequently  permitted  on  Sundays  are  the 
so-called  liberal  works,  that  is,  all  work  pre- 
dominantly intellectual  and  aiming  at  the  de- 
velopment of  the  mind,  such  as  reading,  writing, 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  587 

instructing  others,  etc.     Work  for  the  spread  of 
Catholic  literature  comes  under  this  category. 

Does  a  person  commit  a  sin  who  eats  of 
a  certain  food  which  the  doctor  tells  him 
will  shorten  his  life? 

The  principle  of  the  conservation  of  life  is  here 
concerned.  The  law  of  nature  declares  that  man 
is  not  the  lord  and  master  of  his  life,  but  merely 
its  administrator.  God  is  the  Master,  the  Owner. 
Hence,  he  is  obliged  by  ordinary  means  to  con- 
serve the  health  and  integrity  of  his  body  and 
its  members.  We  say  ordinary  means.  He  is 
not  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  extraordinary 
means. 

This  question  furthermore  reminds  us  that  by 
the  fifth  commandment  we  are  commanded, 
among  other  things,  to  take  proper  care  of  our 
own  life  and  health.  We  preserve  our  own  life 
by  promoting  all  that  contributes  to  the  health 
and  strength  of  our  body  and  of  our  soul.  Moder- 
ation is,  accordingly,  enjoined  in  the  matter  of 
food  and  drink;  sleep  and  healthful  exercise  are 
imperative  for  recreation  and  relaxation  of  the 
body  and  the  mind;  the  body  must  be  cared  for 
in  sickness  and  so  forth. 

But  does  the  person  in  question  commit  a  sin 
if  he  eats  the  food  which  the  doctor  tells  him 
will  shorten  his  life?  That  depends  upon  how 
much  it  will  shorten  his  life  and  his  conviction  of 
the  truth  of  the  doctor's  statement.  To  the 
question,  as  it  stands,  we  answer  that  such  a 
person  does  certainly  not  commit  a  mortal  sin 
and  probably  no  sin  at  all. 

It  is  surprising  to  how  much  scrupulosity  such 
things  give  rise  in  certain  individuals.  Let  us 
use  common  sense.  Few  people  err  by  culpable 
neglect  of  due  care  of  the  body.  More  sin  the 
other  way;    but  we  know  that  even  to  shorten 


5  88  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

one's   life   somewhat   by   excess   of   food,   drink, 
tobacco,  etc.,  is,  in  itself,  certainly  not  a  mortal  sin. 

Is  it  a  sin  to  keep  the  (secular  maga- 
zine named)  merely  for  the  recipes  and 
advertisements  and  not  for  the  stories 
contained  therein? 

No  one  considers  it  a  sin  to  keep  and  read  such 
magazines  as  the  one  you  mention.  They  are 
usually  at  least  respectable  and  can  hardly  be 
listed  as  objectionable.  Each  one  must  know 
for  himself  when  that  insidious  sex  element  is  a 
source  of  danger,  just  as  each  one  must  be  quick 
to  detect  stupid,  ignorant,  or  insulting  mis- 
representations of  Catholic  belief.  This  being 
presupposed,  it  is  not  wrong  to  keep  such  maga- 
zines. However,  Catholic  magazines  should  be 
given  the  preference  in  all  cases. 

The  question  here  asked  causes  us  to  wonder 
whether  the  advertisements  in  questionable  maga- 
zines are  not  as  suggestive  as  the  stories  them- 
selves. 

Readers  in  our  day  should  be  judicious  in  the 
selection  of  their  reading.  Speaking  of  non- 
Catholic  literature,  "We  are  newspaper  ridden, 
flooded  with  magazines,  overwhelmed  with  books; 
and  while  most  of  this  material  is  so  inaccurate, 
repetitious  and  frivolous  that  it  is  not  worth  a 
glance,  there  is  mixed  with  it  a  good  deal  of  the 
best  human  thought  and  feeling.  In  consequence 
there  is  danger  of  waste  of  time  and  corruption 
of  interest,  through  inability  to  discriminate  be- 
tween the  wheat  and  the  chaff."  Most  of  the 
welter  of  weekly  and  especially  monthly  maga- 
zines with  glaring  covers  contain  nothing  worth 
reading,  though  a  few  are  really  educational. 
As  regards  our  daily  newspaper  reading,  it  should 
be  an  exercise  of  sifting  the  wheat  from  the  chaff, 
the  events  of  real  import  from  those  that  are 
trivial.     On  the  other  hand,  Catholic  periodicals 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  589 

should  be  read  with  thought  and  care  and  from 
cover  to  cover — also  the  newspapers. 

Does  a  person  who,  for  virtue's  sake, 
undergoes  privations  and  penances  that 
will  shorten  his  life,  commit  a  sin?  If 
not,  does  he  gain  merit? 

To  shorten  one's  life  by  penances  that  are 
positively  immoderate  and  indiscreet  is  not 
allowed  for  any  reason.  There  can  be  no  merit 
for  such  unlawful  zeal.  But  to  perform  ordi- 
nary penances  or  to  lead  an  ordinary  penitential 
life,  for  virtue's  sake,  even  though  one  knows 
that  it  will  shorten  his  life  for  a  number  of  years 
is  no  sin  at  all.  On  the  contrary,  such  a  one  will 
heap  up  great  treasures  of  merit  in  heaven.  For 
the  sake  of  such  merit  or  for  the  prudent  morti- 
fication of  corrupt  nature,  so  theologians  teach, 
one  may  well  despise  the  years  of  life  lost  thereby. 

A  friend  of  mine  asks:  "Name  three 
things  sacred  to  man  that  the  twentieth- 
century  woman  has  not  followed.' '  I 
answer,  "The  sanctuary,  the  spittoon, 
and  big  feet."  Have  I  touched  upon 
sacrilegious  ground?     Have  I  sinned? 

You  very  probably  spoke  thoughtlessly  and 
from  a  desire  to  appear  clever  or  witty.  We  are 
sure  you  did  not  think  of  the  irreverence  until 
the  words  had  escaped  you.  If  that  was  the  case, 
you  did  not  sin  at  all.  It  was  only  afterwards 
that  you  realized  the  peculiar  offensiveness  of  the 
association  of  those  three  ideas. 

We  will  here  remark  that  Catholics  are  often 
guilty  of  contempt  of  sacred  things  when  they 
speak  with  disrespect  of  holy  things  or  of  the 
practices  of  Holy  Church,  of  devotions  approved 
by  the  Church,  and  especially  of  the  Sacraments 
and  of  the  ceremonies  that  accompany  them. 
Levity  may  sometimes  excuse  them  from  mortal 


59o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

sin,  when  they  ridicule  devout  persons  or  prac- 
tices; but  when  to  ridicule  there  is  joined  real 
contempt  of  holy  things  as  such,  like  the  Mass 
and  the  Sacraments,  such  contempt  can  never  be 
excused  from  mortal  sin. 

Is  it  a  sin  if  children  talk  unnecessarily 
in  school? 

The  fourth  commandment  forbids  all  dis- 
obedience, contempt  and  stubbornness  towards 
our  parents  or  lawful  superiors.  Teachers  are 
the  lawful  superiors  of  children  under  their 
charge;  and  if  silence  is  wilfully  and  unneces- 
sarily broken  when  it  has  been  seriously  com- 
manded, it  may  indeed  be  a  sin.  But  it  is  not 
a  grievous  matter. 

Are  persons  who  have  attained  legal  age 
(e.  g.,  18  for  girls,  21  for  boys)  bound  to 
obey  their  parents  under  pain  of  sin? 

It  is  quite  clear  that  as  long  as  they  are  under 
their  parents'  authority  they  are  obliged  to  obey 
under  pain  of  sin.  However,  this  obligation,  in 
its  strict  sense,  ceases  when  they  become  of  age 
or  enter  the  married  state  or  embrace  the  religi- 
ous life.  But,  though  the  obligation  of  obedience 
then  ceases,  the  obligation  of  filial  love  and 
reverence  never  ceases. 

When  a  son  or  daughter  of  age  stays  with  his 
or  her  parents,  the  obligation  of  obedience  to- 
wards the  head  of  the  house  does  not  cease  in 
those  matters  which  pertain  to  domestic  order. 
This  is  something  for  many  to  remember. 

Is  it  possible  for  a  Catholic  to  be  re- 
leased from  a  pledge  which  was  made  for 
life,  before  a  Catholic  priest,  to  abstain 
from  all  intoxicating  liquors?  I  argue 
that  this  can  be  done  if  the  person  who 
has  taken  the  pledge  for  life  is  released  by 
a  Catholic  priest.     Am  I  correct? 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  591 

This  pledge  of  which  you  speak  is  not  a  vow. 
In  itself  it  is  not  binding  under  pain  of  mortal 
sin.  It  is  a  promise  binding  out  of  fidelity  and 
hence  under  pain  of  venial  sin  at  the  most,  unless 
unusual  circumstances  make  the  matter  grave. 

Of  course,  a  Catholic  priest  can  release  you 
from  such  a  promise.  Or,  rather,  he  will  merely 
tell  you  that  such  a  promise  or  pledge  simply 
ceases  to  bind  you  when  circumstances  change 
so  that  had  you  foreseen  them  you  would  not 
have  made  the  promise.  Every  free  promise  is 
supposedly  made  with  the  implicit  condition, 
"If  it  can  be  done  without  grave  inconvenience." 
Hence,  ordinarily,  you  do  not  even  need  to  be 
released  by  a  priest. 

We  might  remark  that  the  pledge  is  often 
taken  too  seriously — and  broken  in  spite  of  every- 
thing. Let  us  not  make  sin  where  there  should 
be  no  sin. 

Is  it  sinful  to  sell  chances  on  a  piece  of 
fancy  work,  for  instance,  and  keep  the 
money  for  oneself?  Is  it  a  just  way  of 
earning  one's  daily  bread? 

The  disposal  of  an  article  by  the  selling  of 
chances  is  of  itself  lawful,  provided  the  requisite 
conditions  are  present.  The  conditions  are  that 
no  deceit  be  practiced  in  the  raffle  itself  and  in 
the  awarding  of  the  prize;  and  that  the  owner  of 
the  article  does  not  derive  from  it  profit  in 
excess  of  that  which  would  be  derived  from  an 
ordinary  successful  and  proportionally  financed 
business  venture.  The  profit  may  be  greater  if 
the  chances  are  sold  for  the  promotion  of  some 
good  work  or  public  utility.  For  these  latter 
reasons  chances  are  usually  sold;  they  are 
purchased  out  of  benevolence  and  charity.  That 
is  commonly  understood.  Hence  there  is  nothing 
unlawful  about  it.  We  would  add,  however, 
that  human  laws  may  affect  this  decision. 


59i  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

To  sell  chances  for  one's  daily  bread  is  afvery 
questionable  mode  of  procedure.  However,  in 
the  case  of  one  who  is  crippled  or  infirm  it  would 
merely  be  a  form  of  charitable  donation, j as 
above.  But  here  again  we  would  add  that  human 
laws  may  have  to  be  taken  into  consideration. 

Must  one  who  is  of  age  and  is  working 
at  home  without  any  regular  salary -be 
obedient  to  parents  in  all  things? 

Generally  speaking — yes.  All  children,  whether 
sixteen  or  sixty  years  of  age,  owe  love  and 
reverence  to  their  parents.  And  as  long  as 
children  are  under  their  parents'  authority,  and 
in  their  family,  they  are  obliged  to  obey  their 
parents  in  all  things  that  are  not  against  the 
law  of  God.  This  particularly  holds  good  in  all 
family  concerns,  which  are  entirely  subject  to 
the  parents'  management  and  authority.  This 
obedience  should  be  cheerful,  ready,  pleasant, 
and  patient  in  receiving  reproof  and  correction. 
However,  all  children  are  independent  of  their 
parents  in  the  choice  of  their  state  of  life. 

Must  a  Catholic  pray  before  and  after 
meals?  I  have  been  in  many  Catholic 
homes  where  no  prayers  were  said  before 
and  after  meals.  I'd  like  to  know  if  this 
is  right. 

It  is  not  right.  Catholics  should  pray  before 
and  after  meals.  Not  to  do  so  is  suggestive  of 
little  sins  of  spiritual  sloth,  carelessness  about 
the  blessing  of  God,  ingratitude,  bad  example, 
and  such  like  things.  We  say  "Please"  and 
"Thank  you"  to  everybody  else.  Why  not  be 
just  as  polite  with  God? 

Is  it  proper  for  prison  authorities,  for 
instance,  to  give  their  subjects  any  drug 
that  is  harmless  in  itself,  but  at  the  same 
time   deadens   their   vigor,    vim,    and   vi- 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  593 

tality?      If   so,    on   what   ethical   grounds 
can  they  justify  themselves? 

We  take  it  for  granted  that  when  such  unusual 
means  are  resorted  to  they  are  made  necessary 
by  unusual  circumstances.  When  so  necessary, 
they  are  justified  by  the  principle  that,  though 
every  man  is  bound  to  respect  the  bodily  welfare 
of  his  fellowmen  by  protecting  and  promoting 
their  life,  health,  and  liberty  and  abstaining  from 
whatever  might  unjustly  injure  these  possessions, 
yet  life,  health,  and  liberty  are  not  supreme 
blessings  and  may  consequently  be  sacrificed 
whenever  higher  interests  require  or  permit  it. 
In  other  words,  it  is  morally  permissible,  for  the 
sake  of  some  higher  good, — for  example,  the  public 
welfare, — to  employ  compulsion  towards  one's 
neighbor,  to  deprive  him  of  minor  goods,  to 
subject  him  to  bodily  suffering,  or  to  take  away 
his  liberty.  Such  higher  goods  are,  for  instance, 
education,  life,  health,  and  the  public  order. 

Is  it  wrong  to  burn  vigil  lights  for  one's 
departed  mother  if  she  was  not  a  Catholic  ? 

It  is  not  wrong;  it  is  good  and  praiseworthy. 
The  burning  of  vigil  lights  with  a  devout  inten- 
tion is  a  form  of  prayer.  And  we  may  and  should 
pray  for  those  who  are  not,  or  who  were  not,  of 
the  household  of  the  faith.  Let  us  pray  often 
for  the  conversion  of  those  outside  the  Church 
and  for  those  who  may  be  in  purgatory  and  have 
no  one  to  pray  for  them. 

Is  it  wrong  to  give  to  non-Catholic 
charitable  societies?  If  it  is,  why  does 
the  Catholic  Church  ask  for  and  accept 
donations  from  non-Catholic  people? 

Catholics  may  not  contribute  to  the  support 
of  false  worship.  Therefore,  whenever  any  special 
contributing  ceases  to  be  merely  an  act  of  courtesy 
and  general  charity  and  good  will  and  becomes  a 


594  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

participation   in   a  false   religion,   Catholics   are 
bound  under  pain  of  sin  not  to  give. 

But  Catholics  ask  from  non-Catholics!  Oh! 
that's  another  matter.  Non-Catholics  maintain 
on  principle,  that  all  churches  are  equally  good 
and  true;  they  accordingly  admit  that  the 
Catholic  Church  is  as  true  as  any  of  them.  So 
they  may  in  conscience  contribute  to  its  support 
as  to  the  support  of  true  worship  of  God.  But 
we  Catholics  know  that  our  religion  is  the  only 
true  religion,  that  all  others  are  false.  This  is 
our  firm  stand,  the  only  stand  we  can  take.  We 
eannot,  therefore,  in  conscience  contribute  to  the 
support  of  other  religions,  whereas  non-Catholics 
may  in  conscience  contribute  to  ours. 

Does  the  Church  permit  the  dissecting 
of  human  bodies  for  scientific  purposes? 

Yes.  The  Church  is  the  mother  of  all  true 
progress.  And  it  is  quite  evident  that  the  lawful 
dissection  of  human  bodies  is  of  prime  importance 
to  the  science  of  medicine  and  surgery,  just  as 
the  lawful  vivisection  of  animals  results  in  in- 
numerable blessings  to  the  human  race.  Un- 
doubtedly, both  the  one  practice  and  the  other 
have  been  abused;  but  the  mere  abuse  of  a  thing 
is  not  by  any  means  sufficient  justification  for 
its  prohibition. 

If  I  furnish  music  for  a  dance,  do  I  also 
share  in  the  scandal  given? 

You  are  thinking  of  co-operation  in  all  the 
sins  committed  because  of  the  dance  at  which 
you  play.  The  musicians  at  a  dance,  of  course, 
sin  and  co-operate  in  sin  by  playing  at  indecent, 
immoral  dances.  If  the  dances  are  proper  and 
decent  they  are  allowed  to  play  for  any  good 
reason. 

I  ask  this  question  abstracting  alto- 
gether from  Prohibition.     Suppose  I  serve 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  595 

intoxicants  to  intoxicated  persons  for 
peace'  sake,  being  too  timid  to  refuse 
them,  or  just  to  get  rid  of  them,  but  not 
for  gain.  Is  it  ever  permissible  in  the 
sight  of  God  to  do  this? 

The  general  principle  is  that  it  is  never  allowed 
to  give  liquor  to  a  man  when  you  foresee  that  it 
will  certainly  make  him  drunk.  That  would  be 
formal  co-operation  in  sin. 

The  person  of  whom  you  speak  is  not  yet  com- 
pletely intoxicated.  You  may  not  give  him  the 
liquor  he  requests  for  the  sake  of  gain  nor  because 
he  would  merely  become  indignant  at  the  refusal. 
A  more  serious  reason  is  required  to  make  such 
co-operation  lawful.  You  know,  for  example, 
that  he  would  start  a  rumpus  or  a  fight,  or  that 
he  would  begin  to  curse  and  blaspheme  and 
vomit  forth  a  stream  of  disgusting  profanity,  or 
that  you  would  lose  a  goodly  number  of  your 
customers:  in  such  cases  it  would  be  peimissible 
in  the  sight  of  God  to  give  him  the  liquor. 

From  this  answer  it  is  clear  that  also  the  saloon 
business  is  not  to  be  recommended  to  Catholics — 
nor  to  anyone.  It  sorely  taxes  the  moral  the- 
ologian's ability  to  extricate  the  consciences  of 
such  from  the  entanglements  of  the  trade! 

Is  it  a  sin  to  dance  on  Sunday  afternoon 
or  night? 

We  simply  say,  "Don't."  And  if  you  must, 
because  it  is  the  only  time  you  have  to  enjoy  a 
dance,  by  all  means  avoid  public  dances  on 
Sunday.  Always  dangerous,  they  are  particu- 
larly so  on  that  day,  when  dissolute  scum  from 
everywhere  is  apt  to  float  thither.  Keep  holy 
the  Sunday!  If  you  can  keep  it  holy  even  at  a 
decent  dance  in  an  entirely  respectable  place, 
we  do  not  see  any  sin  therein,  unless  Sunday 
dances  are  expressly  forbidden  by  local  ecclesi- 
astical  authorities. 


596  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

"If  the  Sunday  dance  (it  makes  no  difference 
whether  it  is  by  day  or  by  night)  is  prohibited, 
why  is  it,  generally  speaking,  prohibited?"  Be- 
cause— under  the  supposition — it  profanes  the 
Lord's  Day.  Yes;  there  is  indeed  a  danger.  We 
quote  from  the  Third  Plenary  Council  of  Balti- 
more, or,  rather,  from  the  Pastoral  Letter  of  the 
Archbishops  and  Bishops  of  the  United  States 
assembled  there: 

"In  this  country,  there  are  tendencies  and  in- 
fluences at  work  to  bring  about  a  similar  result 
[profanation  of  the  Lord's  Day] ;  and  it  behooves 
all  who  love  God  and  care  for  society  to  see  that 
they  be  checked.  As  usual,  greed  for  gain  lies 
at  the  bottom  of  the  movement.  Even  when 
the  pretense  put  forward  is  popular  convenience 
or  popular  amusement,  the  clamor  for  larger 
liberty  does  not  come  so  much  from  those  who 
desire  the  convenience  or  the  amusement,  as 
from  those  who  hope  to  enrich  themselves  by 
supplying  it.  Now,  far  be  it  from  us  to  advocate 
such  Sunday  laws  as  would  hinder  necessary  work, 
or  prohibit  such  popular  enjoyments  as  are  con- 
sistent with  the  sacredness  of  the  day.  It  is  well 
known,  however,  that  the  tendency  is  to  rush  far 
beyond  the  bounds  of  necessity  and  propriety, 
and  to  allege  these  reasons  only  as  an  excuse  for 
virtually  ignoring  the  sacredness  of  the  day  al- 
together. But  no  community  can  afford  to  have 
either  gain  or  amusement  at  such  a  cost.  To 
turn  the  Lord's  Day  into  a  day  of  toil,  is  a  blight- 
ing curse  to  a  country;  to  turn  it  into  a  day  of 
dissipation  would  be  worse.  We  earnestly  ap- 
peal, therefore,  to  all  Catholics  without  distinc- 
tion, not  only  to  take  no  part  in  any  movement 
tending  toward  a  relaxation  of  the  observance  of 
Sunday,  but  to  use  their  influence  and  power  as 
citizens  to  resist  in  the  opposite  direction." 

Is  it  a  sin  to  dance  in  Advent  or  in  Lent 
and  also  on  March  17? 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  597 

Says  Father  Scott,  S.  J.,  in  his  excellent  book 
You  and  Yours:  "We  must  take  human  nature 
as  it  is,  and  conditions  as  we  find  them,  and  then 
do  our  best  under  the  circumstances.  Dancing 
is  widely  popular  among  the  young.  Dancing 
of  the  right  sort  is  innocent  and  beneficial.  In- 
stead of  condemning  it  fruitlessly,  let  us  safeguard 
it  and  make  it  the  means  of  serving  a  good  social 
purpose  among  our  people.  There  are  bad  dances, 
and  bad  effects  from  good  dances.  That  does  not 
condemn  dancing  any  more  than  unfortunate 
marriages  condemn  matrimony.  There  are  good 
dances  with  good  results.  We  should  encourage 
these." 

We  quote  this  paragraph  by  way  of  repeating 
that  dancing  is  not,  in  itself,  sinful;  and,  in  itself, 
it  is  not  more  sinful  in  Advent  or  Lent  or  on 
March  17  than  at  any  other  time.  But  just  as 
dancing,  which  is  in  itself  not  sinful,  may  become 
sinful  because  of  other  circumstances  (e.  g., 
dancing  on  forbidden  days,  certain  forbidden 
dances,  dancing  by  one  for  whom  it  is  a  near 
occasion  of  grievous  sin,  etc.),  so,  too,  it  may  be 
more  or  less  sinful  because  of  the  circumstance 
of  time  that  you  mention,  i.  e.,  Advent  or  Lent. 
Good  Catholics  will  entirely  abstain  from  this 
amusement  during  these  solemn  seasons  of  prayer 
and  penance.  Not  to  do  so  shows  an  utter 
disregard  of  the  fitness  of  things.  It  shows  dis- 
respect and  disobedience  as  regards  the  wishes  of 
the  Church  during  these  holy  seasons  and  almost 
always  gives  scandal  to  Catholics  and  non-Catho- 
lics alike.  To  go  to  dances  during  these  times 
shows  a  dangerous  spirit  of  levity  and  not  a 
spirit  of  Christian  faith. 

And  all  honor  to  St.  Patrick,  great,  great  saint 
that  he  is!  But  is  he  not  rather  dishonored  by 
the  dances  that  are  given  on  his  feastday — in 
Lent?  We  honor  the  saints  most  of  all  by  imi- 
tating them.    Read  his  life  and  see  how  he  prayed 


598  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

and  fasted  and  performed  almost  unbelievable 
penances — and  was  an  obedient  child  of  Holy 
Church. — even  of  her  wishes. 

Is  it  wrong  to  play  for  dances  on  Satur- 
day nights  after  twelve  at  midnight?  and 
what  about  Sunday  nights? 

Generally  speaking,  and  at  such  dances 
where  it  is  allowed  to  play  at  all,  and 
unless  there  is  some  special  prohibition,  it  is 
not  wrong.  Only  servile  works  (those  that  re- 
quire labor  of  body  rather  than  of  mind)  and 
forensic  works  are  forbidden  on  Sundays.  The 
playing  of  musical  instruments  belongs  to  what 
are  called  liberal  works,  such  as  study,  teaching, 
writing,  etc.  These  are  not  forbidden  on  Sundays 
and  holydays  of  obligation. 

But  suppose  the  musicians  in  question  are  paid 
for  their  services?  That  does  not  change  the 
matter.  The  third  commandment  does  not  forbid 
us  to  do  things  on  Sunday  for  which  we  are  paid, 
but  it  forbids  servile  and  forensic  works.  By 
forensic  works  are  meant  regular  court  proceed- 
ings, public  business,  buying  and  selling,  (com- 
merce and  trading),  unless  made  lawful  by  custom 
or  special  indult.  Common  works,  those  that  are 
of  advantage  partly  to  the  body,  partly  to  the 
mind,  such  as  hunting,  playing,  traveling,  neces- 
sary household  tasks,  chores,  etc.,  are  allowed 
on  Sundays. 

I  never  dance  the  immoral  dances  of 
today,  but  even  the  ordinary  decent 
dances,  which  I  am  just  crazy  about,  give 
rise  in  me  to  many  temptations  and  even 
to  sins  in  thought  and  desire.  What 
must  I  do? 

These  decent  dances,  which  are  not  sinful  in 
themselves  and  which  are  for  many  no  source  of 
grave  temptation  and  sin,  are  evidently  for  you 
an   occasion   of   serious   sin.      You   must   avoid 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  599 

them.  Owing  to  diversity  of  temperaments, 
that  which  is  entirely  harmless  for  one  may  be 
absolutely  forbidden  for  another. 

Would  it  be  a  sin  for  a  Catholic  girl  to 
let  a  friend  join  her  Church  if  it  is  against 
his  parents'  will? 

It  certainly  is  not  a  sin!  Indeed,  once  he  is 
convinced  that  the  Catholic  Church  is  the  true 
Church,  and  that  only  therein  can  he  save  his 
soul,  he  is  obliged  to  join  it,  even  though  the 
whole  world  rise  up  against  him.  He  must  obey 
God  rather  than  men. 

Of  course,  your  friend  should  join  the  Church 
out  of  conviction.  There  are  only  too  many 
young  men  who  are  willing  to  become  Catholics 
"just  to  get  the  girl."  The  motive  is  wrong. 
Such  marriages  are  generally  unhappy. 

When  a  young  man  expresses  the  desire  to 
become  a  Catholic  in  order  that  he  may  be  of 
the  same  religion  as  the  girl  he  loves,  she  should 
simply  take  him  to  see  the  pastor.  During  the 
course  of  instruction  the  priest  will  let  him  know 
over  and  over  again  that  he  is  to  join  the  Church 
out  of  conviction  only.  We  would  also  suggest 
that  a  wise  and  prudent  girl  will  let  him  practice 
his  religion  for  some  months  after  he  has  been 
received — will  let  him  show  what  a  good,  prac- 
tical Catholic  he  can  be.  If  she  marries  him 
only  then,  it  will  be  a  more  genuine  Catholic 
marriage,  with  a  minimum  of  risk. 

Is  a  prize-fighter  barred  from  the  Sacra- 
ments ? 

No;  he  is  not.  Why  should  he  be?  The  prize- 
fighter is  not  even  culpably  exposing  his  life  to 
unnecessary  danger;  for  very  rarely  indeed  are 
the  consequences  of  boxing  fatal.  And  suppose 
such  a  one  did  sin  by  neglect  of  his  bodily  wel- 
fare— isn't  the  Sacrament  of  Penance  just  for 
sinners?     Here  there   is   no   question   at   all   of 


6oo  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

excommunication  or  anything  like  that,  as  you 
evidently  think.  If  the  prize-fighter  were  barred 
from  the  Sacraments,  then  with  far  greater 
reason  would  the  football  player  have  to  be 
barred,  too — likewise  the  baseball  player — save 
the  mark!  No;  he  is  not  barred — not  because 
he  is  a  prize-fighter. 

Is  it  a  sin  not  to  speak  to  your  brother 
if  he  is  older  than  you  and  treats  you  in 
a  mean  way  and  calls  you  ugly  names? 

Though  not  in  the  strict  and  ordinary  sense  of 
the  word,  your  brother  is  yet  in  a  certain  sense 
your  enemy;  and  charity  towards  our  neighbor 
shines  forth  in  its  brightest  splendor  when 
exercised  towards  our  enemies,  towards  those 
who  do  evil  to  us,  who  are  disagreeable  to  us, 
offend  us,  hate  us,  wish  us  ill.  If  we  love  only 
those  who  love  us,  if  we  greet  only  those  who 
greet  us,  what  reward  shall  we  have?  "Do  not 
also  the  heathens  the  same?"  the  Savior  asks. 
The  love  of  one's  enemy  is  the  distinguishing 
character  of  a  true  Christian,  a  wholly  super- 
natural virtue,  one  of  the  brightest  ornaments  of 
the  soul  in  the  sight  of  God,  the  truest  imitation 
of  Christ,  Who  even  laid  down  His  life  for  His 
enemies. 

As  regards  your  brother,  and  also  in  any  other 
case  of  like  nature,  be  mindful  of  what  our  gentle 
Savior  commands:  "I  say  to  you,  love  your 
enemies;  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you,  pray 
for  them  that  persecute  and  calumniate  you,  and 
bless  them  that  curse  you."  Here  you  are  told 
just  what  to  do:  to  love  your  brother,  to  do 
good  to  him,  to  pray  for  him,  to  bless  him.  In 
your  heart  you  must  forgive  him,  as  God  forgives 
you  your  sins. 

If  he  does  or  says  anything  to  you  that  is 
wrong  or  sinful  respectfully  tell  your  parents  all 
about  it  at  once,  that  they  may  charitably  cor- 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  60 1 

rect  him.  Of  course,  you  need  not  speak  to  him 
if  it  causes  him  to  become  rude  or  still  more  rude, 
but  you  should  always  be  willing  to  speak  to 
him  and  never  be  stubborn  when  you  see  that 
he  wants  to  be  a  gentleman.  Then  you  will  not 
sin  at  all. 

Try  always  to  love  him  in  your  heart.  But 
how  can  you  do  that  when  you  feel  dislike  and 
almost  hatred  for  him?  Well,  often  we  cannot 
help  feeling ,  but  we  can  help  consenting  to  the 
feeling.  Just  say  to  God,  "I  don't  want  to  feel 
that  way,  I  ivant  to  love  him."  If  you  mean  it, 
you  will  have  the  requisite  love  for  your  neighbor 
for  God's  sake.  Love  is  chiefly  in  the  will,  not 
in  the  emotions. 

I  have  been  told  by  some  learned  man 
that  the  expression  "Damn  it"  is  no  sin 
at  all.     Is  this  true? 

There  is  such  a  thing  as  profane  language,  as 
distinguished  from  cursing  properly  so  called. 
With  most  people  such  words  as  "damn,"  "hell" 
are  considered  profane  language;  but,  excluding 
the  intention  of  shocking  the  sensibilities  of  a 
well-bred  neighbor,  there  is  no  particular  sin  in 
using  such  words,  excepting  the  sin  of  possible 
scandal  or  of  disobedience  to  parents  and  other 
superiors  who  have  forbidden  their  use.  How- 
ever, no  Christian  gentleman  will  use  such  ex- 
pressions, and  for  a  lady  to  use  them  is  positively 
disgusting. 

Now,  the  Second  Commandment  is  broken  by 
blasphemy,  cursing  and  swearing,  profanity,  the 
irreverent  use  of  the  Name  of  God  or  other  sacred 
names,  perjury,  and  the  violation  of  an  oath  or 
a  vow. 

Blasphemy  is  an  injurious  utterance  against 
God  or  sacred  persons,  places,  or  things,  for  ex- 
ample, "God  is  cruel  and  unjust!"  Of  itself  it  is 
a  mortal  sin;    but  it  often  happens  that  people 


6ox  QUESTIONSTOF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

do  not  mean  what  they  say  when  they  utter  such 
words  and  are  not  really  angry  at  God  and  hence 
are  hardly  guilty  of  a  mortal  sin  under  the  cir- 
cumstances. But  they  do  not  thereby  lighten 
their  troubles.  They  ought  to  turn  to  God  in 
humble  prayer  and  resignation. 

Cursing  and  swearing  mean,  in  common  par- 
lance, the  abuse  of  God's  Name  in  any  way,  often 
simply  called  profanity,  though  to  curse,  in  the 
strict  theological  sense,  means  to  wish  some  one 
evil.  If  a  curse  is  meant  and  the  evil  wished 
another  is  great  and  serious,  it  is  a  mortal  sin 
against  charity.  Take,  for  instance,  that  so 
sadly  frequent  American  curse,  "God  damn  you!" 
Think  of  what  that  means:  "May  God  consign 
you  to  hell  for  all  eternity!"  People  ordinarily 
do  not  mean  that.  Hence  it  is  then  not  in  itself 
a  mortal  sin,  though  it  may  be  a  mortal  sin  of 
scandal.    But  it  certainly  is  a  serious  venial  sin. 

Vulgar  expressions,  like  "darn  it,"  "the  darned 
thing,"  "by  gosh,"  "by  golly,"  "ye  gods,"  "the 
dickens,"  "the  deuce,"  etc.,  are  not  exactly  nice 
words  to  say,  being  perhaps  reminiscent  of  cerntai 
forms  of  profanity,  but  they  are  not  curse  words 
and  are  not  sinful.  To  say  "O  hell,"  or  "the 
devil,"  or  even  "damn  it,"  without  any  particular 
reference,  are  not  curse  words  either,  just  in- 
elegant, unbecoming,  vulgar  expressions.  But 
"Go  to  hell!"  or  "Go  to  the  devil!"  if  meant,  are 
real  curses. 

The  abuse  of  the  Holy  Name  by  saying  "Jesus," 
"God,"  "God  damn,"  etc.,  is  a  venial  sin,  unless 
such  use  in  anger  against  God  partakes  of  the 
nature  of  blasphemy  or  contempt  of  God.  But  it 
is  an  irreverence  at  which  all  Catholics  ought  to 
be  shocked,  of  which  everyone  ought  to  be 
thoroughly  ashamed.  Of  all  the  countries  of  the 
world  the  United  States  of  America  takes  the 
lead  for  ordinary  cursing  and  swearing.  There 
may  be  more  horrid  blasphemy  in  other  countries, 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  603 

but  for  the  abuse  of  God's  Holy  Name  in  a  com- 
mon, vulgar,  thoughtless  way,  American  people 
seem  to  be  first,  as  in  so  many  other  things. 
The  Holy  Name  Society  is  doing  much  to  stem 
the  tide  of  this  godless  habit.  If  there  were 
more  love  for  Jesus,  there  would  be  more  rever- 
ence for  His  sacred  and  adorable  Name.  Some 
of  our  Catholics  might  well  blush  at  the  thought 
of  their  little  love. 

Perjury,  to  swear  falsely,  or  to  take  a  false 
oath  is  of  itself  always  a  mortal  sin.  When  we 
call  upon  God  to  witness  what  we  say,  what  we 
are  saying  must  be,  as  far  as  we  know,  the  truth. 
Otherwise  we  make  of  God  a  liar.  Frivolously 
to  swear  to  the  truth  where  there  is  no  sufficient 
reason  for  it  is  a  venial  sin.  To  break  a  promise 
made  under  oath  in  good  faith  is  a  mortal  sin 
in  a  matter  of  great  importance.  If  it  is  only 
slight  affair,  it  is  venial  sin. 

A  vow  is  a  definite  promise  made  to  God  by 
which  one  binds  himself  under  pain  of  sin  to  do 
something  that  is  pleasing  to  Him.  If  one  has 
not  the  intention  of  binding  himself  in  conscience, 
it  is  not  a  vow  but  a  resolution.  If  the  vow  refers 
to  something  of  importance  and  the  one  making 
it  did  not  specify  otherwise,  it  is  a  mortal  sin  to 
break  it;  if  it  involves  some  light  matter,  it 
binds  under  venial  sin.  Vows  must,  of  course, 
be  kept.  They  should  never  be  thoughtlessly, 
hastily  made  in  the  first  place,  and  never  without 
first  getting  the  consent  of  one's  confessor  or 
spiritual  director.  If  it  is  impossible  or  very 
difficult  to  keep  the  vow  the  person  in  question 
should  ask  the  confessor  in  the  next  confession 
for  a  dispensation  or  commutation  into  some 
other  good  work. 

Thus,  briefly,  we  may  now  sum  up.  We  honor 
the  Name  of  God  by  pronouncing  it  reverently, 
we  dishonor  it  by  using  it  in  vain;  we  honor  it 
by   invocation   and   praise,    we   dishonor   it   by 


604  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

blasphemy ;  we  honor  it  by  a  vow,  we  dishonor  it 
by  a  violation  of  the  vow;  we  honor  it  by  an  oath, 
we  dishonor  it  by  perjury  and  unlawful  swearing. 
We  wish  to  say  that  we  feel  a  certain  repug- 
nance to  thus  distinguishing  between  venial  sins 
and  mortal  sins.  True  it  is  that  there  is  a  great 
and  awful  difference.  But  all  who  are  trying  to 
serve  God  faithfully  should  know  that  any  sin  of 
omission  or  commission,  whether  venial  or  mortal, 
is  opposed  to  the  love  we  owe  to  our  good  God; 
for  there  can  be  no  sin  unless  we  omit  or  neglect 
what  God  commands  or  do  what  He  forbids  in 
thought,  word,  or  deed.  We  repeat — it  is  un- 
worthy of  a  Catholic  to  speculate  whether  this 
or  that  act  or  omission  constitutes  a  mortal  sin 
or  a  venial  sin,  with  a  view  to  committing  it  if  it 
be  the  latter.  Is  it  not  his  duty  to  serve  God  in 
small  as  well  as  in  greater  things?  Has  sin, 
whether  mortal  or  venial,  ceased  to  be  the 
greatest  evil  in  the  world?  It  is  true  that  a 
thousand  venial  sins  will  not  make  one  mortal 
sin;  but  venial  sin  leads  to  mortal  sin.  And 
everyone  that  has  his  salvation  at  heart  avoids 
not  only  what  damns  his  soul  forever,  if  not 
remitted  before  death,  but  also  every  wilful  act 
that  offends  his  Master  and  may  finally  lead  to 
eternal  perdition. 

Is  it  a  sin  to  call  a  person  a  name  such  as 
pill,  egg,  dog,  etc.,  if  it  should  hurt  that 
person's  feelings?  And  would  you  confess 
it  as  calling  someone  injurious  names? 

We  may  say  that  calling  offensive  names  of 
this  kind  is  a  sin  against  the  fifth  commandment, 
but  ordinarily  not  a  serious  sin,  of  course.  Such 
injurious  words  are  to  be  classed  with  idle 
disputes,  contentions,  strife,  quarrelling,  beating, 
fighting,  and  the  like.  All  of  which  are  im- 
mediately forbidden  by  this  commandment.  The 
reason  is  because  these  things  are  of  their  own 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  605 

nature  injurious  to  our  neighbor's  person,  as 
well  as  to  our  own,  either  by  giving  displeasure 
and  vexation  to  the  mind  and  thus  exciting  anger 
and  hatred,  or  by  hurting  the  body.  As  a  little 
reflection  will  show,  these  things  also  have  a 
natural  tendency  to  murder;  and  experience 
demonstrates  full  well  that  murder  has  arisen 
times  without  number  from  these  beginnings. 
Holy  Writ  says:  "As  the  vapor  of  a  chimney 
and  the  smoke  of  the  fire  goeth  up  before  the 
fire,  so  also  injurious  words,  and  reproaches,  and 
threats,  before  blood."  (Ecclus.  22:30.)  More- 
over, such  behavior  is  directly  opposed  to  the 
charity,  concord,  and  brotherly  love  that  the 
Savior  so  strictly  requires  in  His  followers, — the 
Savior  Who  said:  "Learn  of  Me."  He  has  given 
us  striking  examples.  If  you  call  names,  unless 
it  is  done  in  a  peculiar  spirit  of  mutual  playfulness 
and  jokingly,  you  must  know  that  "Out  of  the 
abundance  of  the  heart  the  mouth  speaketh." 

Yes;  you  may  confess  it  as  calling  someone 
slightly  or  very  injurious  names. 

Is  it  wrong  to  say  I  cannot  get  along  with 
a  certain  person? 

It  is  better  not  to  give  expression  to  such 
sentiments.  It  might  lessen  the  esteem  of  others 
for  that  person.  You  would  not  say  this  in  the 
person's  presence,  would  you?  Well,  then  just 
apply  this  golden  rule,  "Never  say  in  the  ab- 
sence of  others  what  you  would  not  gladly  say 
in  their  presence." 

Is  it  true  that  God  inflicts  special  punish- 
ment on  those  who  speak  evil  of  religious 
persons  ? 

To  speak  evil  of  religious  persons  means  to 
speak  evil  of  God's  best  friends,  of  souls  inti- 
mately united  to  Him,  consecrated  to  Him. 
This  naturally  offends  God  more;  and  the 
greater  the  offence,  the  greater  the  punishment 


606  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

inflicted,    unless   the  wrong  be  repented  of  and 
satisfaction  made. 

Speaking  evil  of  priests  and  religious  is  a 
greater  sin  than  many  believe,  because  of  the 
official  position  and  the  sacred  duties  of  these 
leaders  in  Holy  Church.  The  slightest  remark 
may  reduce,  even  cripple,  their  power  for  good. 

If  you  say  something  about  someone, 
meaning  no  harm,  and  afterwards  are 
afraid  it  might  have  been  understood  in- 
juriously but  do  not  know  that  it  has  been 
so  understood,  is  it  necessary  to  do  any- 
thing about  it? 

If  you  were  taking  little  pecks  at  somebody's 
reputation,  meaning  no  harm,  it  is  necessary  to 
make  a  generous  resolution  to  keep  better  watch 
over  that  slippery  little  tongue.  Picking  at 
people  is  a  most  odious  fault — and  so  common! 
If  you  were  not  doing  that,  it  is  unnecessary  to 
do  anything  about  it.  We  are  not  responsible 
for  other  people's  misunderstanding  us. 

What  is  slang?  I  cannot  get  an  idea  of  it. 
Why  is  it  sinful?  What  really  is  provoking 
language?  Is  it  a  sin  thoughtlessly  to  call 
another  person  a  name  when  you  never 
mean  anything  by  it? 

Webster  says  that  slang  is  language  or  words 
consisting  either  of  new  words  or  phrases,  often 
of  the  vagrant  or  illiterate  classes,  or  of  ordinary 
words  or  phrases  in  arbitrary  senses,  and  having 
conventional  but  vulgar  or  inelegant  use.  There 
is  nothing  sinful  in  using  slang,  unless  the  words 
and  expressions  are  so  vulgar  and  inelegant  as 
to  be  indecent  and  suggestive  of  the  impure. 
Slang  is  less  than  profane  language.  With  most 
people  such  words  as  "damn,"  "devil,"  "hell" 
are  properly  considered  profane  language;  but, 
excluding  the  intention  of  shocking  the  sensibili- 
ties of  a  well-bred  neighbor,  there  is  no  particular 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  607 

sin  in  using  such  words,  excepting  the  sin  of 
possible  scandal  or  of  disobedience  to  parents 
and  other  superiors  who  have  forbidden  their 
use.  The  use  of  profane  language  is  shockingly 
ungentlemanly  and  disgustingly  unladylike.  The 
use  of  slang  is  an  indifferent  matter  as  regards 
conscience. 

Provoking  language  consists  of  words  or  re- 
marks that  irritate  or  excite  another  to  im- 
patience, anger,  cursing,  etc. 

To  call  a  person  a  name  quite  thoughtlessly 
when  you  never  mean  anything  by  it  can  hardly 
be  a  sin.  Still  it  depends  upon  the  name.  Some 
names  are  very  offensive.  They  offend  against 
charity.  You  should  get  rid  of  the  habit  of 
thoughtlessly  calling  others  names,  even  if  they 
are  only  nicknames  they  don't  like.  Let  charity 
govern  all  your  words  and  actions. 

Is  it  a  sin  if  by  chance  one  person  should 
tell  you  something  another  person  said 
about  a  first  person  and  you  repeat  what 
the  second  person  said  about  the  first 
person? 

This  question  sounds  very  much  like  harmful 
gossip,  tale-bearing,  back-biting,  detraction,  etc. 
You  have  to  untangle  it  first.  We  take  it  for 
granted  that  this  is  a  question  of  telling  things 
about  another  that  are  not  to  that  other's  credit. 
And  we  know  that  the  eighth  commandment 
forbids  all  rash  judgments,  back-biting,  slanders, 
and  lies. 

By  way  of  much  needed  instruction  we  give  the 
following  rather  lengthy  extract  from  Msgr.  P.  J. 
Stockman's  excellent  "High  School  Catechism": 
Detraction  is  the  unjust  and  secret  blackening 
of  another's  reputation.  (Cf.  St.  Thos.  II.  2,  q. 
72,  a.  1.)  To  speak  of  another's  faults  to  a  friend 
or  to  a  superior  with  a  view  to  his  correction,  or 
to  give  testimony  against  anyone  in  a  court  of 


608  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

justice,  is  not  unjust,  and,  therefore,  is  not 
detraction;  to  speak  of  anyone's  faults  within 
his  hearing  is  contumely  or  reviling,  and  ^adds 
insult  to  back-biting;  to  speak  of  one's  ^own 
faults,  if  not  done  in  boasting  and  in  contempt  of 
virtue,  but  for  the  sake  of  humility,  is  not  sinful 
and  is  often  praiseworthy,  as  when  we  accuse 
ourselves  in  confession.  Detraction  or  back- 
biting in  its  strictest  sense  is  distinguished  from 
calumny  or  slander  by  this,  that  a  detractor  tells 
the  truth,  and  that  a  calumniator  or  slanderer 
wilfully  lies  about  his  fellow-man:  both  aim  to 
injure  the  good  name  of  their  neighbor,  but 
calumny  or  slander  is  the  more  grievous  sin. 

Malicious  detraction  and  calumny,  in  matters 
of  great  importance,  are  by  their  very  nature 
mortal  sins;  for  both  are  sins  against  charity 
and  justice.  It  is  to  be  noted,  however,  that 
while  truthful  revelation  of  another's  faults  is 
sometimes  lawful  and  even  obligatory,  in  self- 
defense,  or  in  defense  of  others,  calumny  or 
slander  is  never  allowed.  "A  detractor  is  the 
abomination  of  men"  (Prov.  24:9),  and  he  is, 
according  to  St.  Paul,  "hateful  to  God  .  .  .  and 
worthy  of  death."  (Rom.  1:30-32.)  That  the 
tradition  in  the  Church  conforms  to  Holy  Scrip- 
ture and  condemns  all  kinds  of  wanton  and  unjust 
detraction  as  an  abomination,  need  hardly  be 
mentioned,  for  our  reason  and  our  whole  nature 
rebel  against  even  the  simple  detractor  who 
makes  free  to  speak  ill  or  contemptuously  of  us. 

As  there  are  several  different  ways  of  back- 
biting or  of  slandering  another,  we  add  the 
following:  (a)  Simple  detraction,  for  a  just  cause, 
offends  neither  charity  nor  justice,  if  our  own 
good,  the  good  of  others  or  of  society  at  large,  or 
God's  honor  require  it,  e.  g.,  if  we  divulge  a  secret 
sin  of  another  for  the  sake  of  fraternal  correction; 
or  for  the  sake  of  asking  advice — omitting  in 
that  case,  if  possible,  the  name  of  him  we  defame 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  609 

— or  in  order  to  warn  others  against  the  pernicious 
influence  of  the  wicked;  or  for  the  sake  of  de- 
nouncing criminals  dangerous  to  the  community; 
or  with  a  view  to  upholding  law  and  justice, 
when  called  as  a  witness  before  any  legally 
established  court;  or  if  we  make  known  a  secret 
sin  of  another  to  the  proper  ecclesiastical  authori- 
ties in  order  to  avoid  a  sacrilege,  or  in  order  to 
prevent  the  ordination  of  an  unworthy  applicant, 
or  the  celebration  of  an  unlawful  marriage,  etc. 
In  all  these  cases,  if  the  intention  is  pure  and 
holy;  the  defamed  person  has  no  right  to  ask 
that  his  reputation  be  respected;  for  the  spiritual 
and  temporal  welfare  of  the  innocent  is  to  be 
preferred  to  the  good  name  of  the  sinner,  (b)  It 
is  always  sinful,  and  in  matters  of  importance  it 
is  a  grievous  offense,  to  exaggerate  another's 
defects.  Likewise,  it  is  equivalent  to  calumny 
materially  to  diminish  the  praises  given  to  any- 
one, by  denying  them  or  by  attributing  selfish  or 
other  evil  intentions  to  him  who  is  praised. 
Although  it  is  not  a  sin  against  justice  to  mention, 
in  the  locality  where  it  is  known,  a  crime  for  which 
someone  has  been  condemned,  or  which  has 
otherwise  become  public,  it  is  nevertheless  de- 
traction, if  the  charge  is  true,  or  slander  if  un- 
true, to  manifest  another  one  of  his  defects  or 
vices,  e.  g.,  if  he  has  been  found  guilty  of  theft, 
and  is  accused  besides  of  adultery,  (c)  There 
are  also  many  other  ways  of  detraction,  as  by 
reporting  what  one  knows  as  public  talk  e.  g.; 
"It  is  said,  whether  truly  or  not,  I  cannot  say, 
that  Mrs.  B.  is  not  very  strict  in  her  morals"; 
or  by  insinuation,  e.  g. :  "I  know  Miss  D.  very 
well,  but  I  do  not  wish  to  injure  her  good  name 
by  saying  what  I  know";  again,  "Mr.  N.  seems 
to  be  a  good  man,  and  I  wonder  why  no  one  will 
trust  him,"  etc. 

Is  it  a  sin  to  listen  to  a  detractor  or  slanderer? 
It  is  undoubtedly  sinful  to  encourage  him  by 


6io  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

asking  questions,  or  by  showing  any  approbation ; 
it  is  also  sinful  to  rejoice  in  his  detraction  or 
calumny;  and  if  injury  be  intended  to  another 
by  anyone  in  our  presence,  it  would  be  against 
charity  and  justice  not  to  prevent  it,  when  it 
can  be  done  without  great  inconvenience  to 
ourselves  or  injury  to  the  listeners.  They  who 
lend  a  willing  ear  to  a  detractor,  or  show  no 
disapprobation  are  severely  reproved  by  St. 
Bernard,  who,  following  St.  Jerome,  says: 
"Whether  the  detractor  or  the  listener  is  the  more 
criminal  it  is  not  easy  to  decide;  if  there  were  no 
listeners  there  would  be  no  detractors. " 

Superiors  are  in  duty  bound  to  prevent  the 
detractions  or  calumnies  of  their  inferiors,  but 
not  vice  versa,  if  the  inferiors  fear  the  ill-will  of 
their  superiors.  As  to  the  deplorable  custom  of 
gossiping,  back-biting  and  slandering,  among 
acquaintances  and  friends,  it  is  to  be  regretted 
that  there  are  not  a  sufficient  number  of  charitable 
and  resolute  Christians  in  every  community  to 
root  out  the  prevalent  evil;  the  few  who  detest 
the  vice  must  unfortunately  either  eschew  the 
society  of  their  friends  or  choose  to  tolerate  the 
evil:  usually,  the  most  that  can  be  done  by  them 
is  to  show  that  they  dislike  the  evil  reports,  or  to 
turn  the  conversation  to  another  subject,  or,  if 
several  are  present,  to  begin  a  conversation  on 
a  new  topic  with  one  of  the  nearest  members  of 
the  group.  Holy  Scripture  teaches  one  of  those 
ways  when  it  says:  "The  north  wind  driveth 
away  rain  as  doth  a  sad  countenance  a  back- 
biting tongue."  (Prov.  25:23.)  But  this  counsel 
of  mere  silence  does  not  apply  to  superiors,  nor 
does  it  suffice  in  the  case  of  slander  or  calumny, 
if  the  listener  is  persuaded  of  the  innocence  of 
a  slandered  neighbor. 

On  account  of  the  great  prevalence  of  the  sin 
of  back-biting,  it  would  seem  that  he  who  repeats 
a  defamatory  conversation  to  several  people  can 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  611 

hardly  be  judged  guilty  of  a  mortal  sin  of  injustice. 
He  is  not  the  original  detractor,  and  the  report 
would  most  probably  spread  without  him.  The 
one  who  first  spread  the  news  is  the  only  one 
guilty  of  a  grievous  injustice,  even  when  matters 
of  importance  are  concerned.  But  the  hearers, 
who  delight  in  the  defamation  of  another's 
character,  as  well  as  he  who  repeats  the  evil 
report,  commit  sin  also,  but  against  charity 
alone.  Gossipers  and  defamers,  if  not  always 
guilty  of  mortal  sin,  are  seldom  free  from  venial 
sin. 

Why  is  the  sin  of  scandal  so  serious? 

Falling  from  the  Divine  Savior's  lips,  there  is 
an  awful  significance  in  the  little  word  woe. 
He  used  it  when  foretelling  His  own  base  betrayal, 
that  crime  of  deepest  dye.  "The  Son  of  Man 
indeed  goeth  as  it  is  written  of  Him,  but  woe  to 
that  man  by  whom  the  Son  of  Man  shall  be 
betrayed.  It  were  better  for  him,  if  that  man 
had  not  been  born."  (Matt.  26:24.)  He  used  it, 
too,  when  predicting  the  heartless  deliverance 
into  the  hands  of  the  archenemy  of  the  Most 
High  of  souls  for  whom  He  had  shed  the  last  drop 
of  His  Precious  Blood,  "It  must  needs  be  that 
scandals  come;  but,  nevertheless,  woe  to  that 
man  by  whom  the  scandal  cometh.  He  that 
shall  scandalize  one  of  these  little  ones  that 
believe  in  Me,  it  were  better  for  him  that  a 
millstone  should  be  hanged  about  his  neck,  and 
that  he  should  be  drowned  in  the  depth  of  the 
sea."  (Matt.  18:7,  6.)  What  a  striking  similarity 
between  the  foretelling  of  these  two  crimes! 

Surely,  then,  it  were  well  to  recall  the  nature 
of  this  appalling  evil  that  must  needs  come,  be- 
cause of  human  perversity,  in  order  the  more 
efficaciously  to  avoid  it  and  its  attendant  woe. 
Scandal  is  any  word,  deed,  or  omission  by  which 
a  man  leads  his  neighbor  astray  from  God  and 


6n  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

the  path  of  virtue,  or  incites  him  to  sin.  It  is 
the  spiritual  murder  of  the  soul.  And  how 
loudly  soul-murder  must  cry  to  heaven  for 
vengeance! 

This  sin  is  so  detestable  because  it  thwarts 
God's  loving  designs  for  man's  salvation  and 
because  it  brings  upon  the  soul  of  its  perpetrator 
the  frightful  responsibility  of  the  sins  of  others. 
There  are  three  ways  of  committing  it:  by 
maliciously  leading  the  innocent  into  sin  and 
vice;  by  facilitating  the  commission  of  sin  in 
those  not  wholly  innocent;  by  unguarded  and 
irregular  conduct  that  proves  a  stumbling-block 
to  others. 

Scandal  thwarts  God's  loving  designs  for  man's 
salvation.  To  save  man's  soul,  what  more  could 
God  have  done  that  He  did  not  do?  Divine 
solicitude  and  endeavor  reached  its  climax  on 
Calvary's  heights,  the  continuation  of  which  we 
have  in  the  Adorable  Sacrifice  and  the  Most 
Blessed  Sacrament.  The  scandalgiver  snatches 
from  the  very  arms  of  God  the  soul  He  died  to 
save. 

Scandal  brings  upon  the  giver  the  frightful 
responsibility  of  the  sins  of  others.  In  nothing 
is  retraction  and  restitution  more  difficult.  How 
will  he  retract?  He  cannot  even  check  im- 
pressions given;  he  cannot  even  control  their 
force!  And  if  the  soul  of  his  victim  be  lost — how 
will  he  make  restitution  for  a  lost  soul?  The 
evil  caused  by  bad  example  gathers  momentum 
with  the  passing  years,  with  the  accumulating 
centuries;  from  a  grain  of  sand  it  grows  (a 
growth  without  verdure)  to  a  mighty  mountain 
that  may  roll  upon  and  cover  and  crush  the  giver 
at  the  General  Judgment;  for  only  then  can  the 
complete  reckoning  be  made  before  men. 

Scandal  is  given  by  maliciously  leading  the 
innocent  into  sin:  alluring  words,  evil  actions, 
indecent  dress,  questionable  resorts  and  amuse- 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  613 

ments,  the  ridicule  of  virtue,  the  praise  of  vice — 
and  the  rest.  Man  is  the  devil's  most  powerful 
ally.  He  made  use  of  the  serpent  to  seduce  Eve, 
but  once  she  had  fallen  he  used  the  woman  to 
seduce  the  man.  "The  woman,  whom  Thou 
gavest  to  be  my  companion,  gave  me  of  the  tree, 
and  I  did  eat."     (Gen.  3:12.) 

Scandal  is  given  by  facilitating  the  commission 
of  sin  in  those  not  yet  wholly  perverted:  praise, 
flattery,  evil  advice,  connivance,  provocation, 
instigation — and  the  rest.  And,  generally,  where 
God  placed  man  to  save,  there  he  destroys. 
"Cursed  be  he  that  maketh  the  blind  to  wander 
out  of  his  way."    (Deut.  27 :18.) 

Scandal  is  given  by  unguarded  and  irregular 
conduct  that  proves  a  stumblingblock  to  others: 
general  bad  example  and  carelessness  about  the 
effects  of  one's  conduct  on  others.  This  indirect 
scandal  is  the  most  common  and,  alas!  the  most 
effectual.  Where  one  soul  is  lost  through  malici- 
ous, systematic  scandal,  tens  of  thousands  are 
drawn  to  perdition  by  this  bad  example. 

But,  "Am  I  my  brother's  keeper?"  Yes. 
God  "gave  to  everyone  a  commandment  con- 
cerning his  neighbor."  (Eccles.  17:12.)  And  its 
least  observance  is  good  example. 

An  ounce  of  good  example  is  worth  a  ton  of 
mere  words.  It  is  the  force  of  forces  in  things 
spiritual.  "Wherefore,  edify  one  another." 
(Thess.  5:11.)  "So  let  your  light  shine  before 
men,  that  they  may  see  your  good  works  and 
glorify  your  Father  Who  is  in  heaven."  (Matt. 
5:16.) 

Beware  of  giving  scandal.  But,  at  the  same 
time,  be  not  quick  to  take  it  from  others.  Such 
is  Pharisaical  scandal.  The  Pharisees  took 
scandal  even  at  Christ  Himself. 

Is  it  sinful  to  argue  in  the  following  man- 
ner about  a  case  in  which  a  woman  runs 
away  from  her  husband  because  he  mal- 


6i4  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

treats  her :  I  claim  that  she  is  no  saint  and 
mention  some  of  her  family's  faults;  my 
friend  says  he  is  a  spoilt  child  and  mentions 
some  of  his  family's  faults. 

We  refer  you  to  the  answer  to  an  above 
question.  For  the  sake  of  warning  and  instruc- 
tion we  will  here  repeat  a  number  of  things  about 
sins  of  the  tongue.  By  means  of  the  tongue  one 
can  become  guilty  of  calumny  by  saying  evil  that 
is  not  true  of  one's  neighbor;  guilty  of  detraction 
by  saying  of  him  evil  that  is  true  indeed,  but 
secret  or  at  least  little  known;  guilty  of  back- 
biting by  speaking  with  malicious  pleasure  of 
one's  neighbor's  known  faults — to  which  we  might 
add  the  telling  of  hearsays  and  reports,  true  or 
false,  secret  or  known,  which  hurt  his  reputation. 
Thus  in  few  minutes  one  can  do  enough  calumni- 
ating to  blacken  the  whitest  name,  and  enough 
detracting  to  make  the  blackest  blacker  still, 
and  enough  backbiting  to  stain  or  add  a  stain 
to  any  other. 

All  should  remember  and  observe  these  three 
golden  rules  of  speech.  1.  "If  you  cannot  speak 
well  of  your  neighbor,  do  not  speak  of  him  at 
all."  Why  be  like  a  fly  and  pass  over  a  man's 
good  parts  to  rest  upon  his  sores?  2.  "Do  not 
say  in  the  absence  of  your  neighbor  what  you 
would  not  say  in  his  presence."  The  most  hateful 
snake  is  the  one  that  lies  concealed  and  stings 
you  when  you  are  asleep — the  one  that  does  not 
even  sound  a  warning  rattle.  3.  "Say  not  of 
another  what  you  would  not  have  another  say 
of  you."  "Did  you  hear  what  poor  So-and-So 
did  the  other  day?"  Poor  So-and-So  indeed! 
What  if  it  were  you? 

If  Christmas  seals  or  Christmas  cards  are 
sent  to  a  person  from  a  monastery  request- 
ing him  to  send  a  dollar  or  to  return  the 
seals   or   cards,    does   a   person   commit   a 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  615 

mortal  sin  by  neither  sending  a  dollar  nor 
returning  the  seals  or  cards?  He  simply 
tosses  them  into  the  waste  paper  basket. 
No  stamps  were  enclosed  and  no  business 
reply  envelope.  But  suppose  stamps  were 
enclosed?  And  suppose  a  person  would  use 
the  seals  or  cards  and  yet  send  no  money? 
Is  this  a  matter  of  justice  and  necessary 
restitution? 

Under  no  circumstances  whatsoever  does  a 
person  commit  a  mortal  sin  by  refusing  to  send  a 
dollar  or  to  return  the  cards  or  seals.  Absolutely 
no!  There  is  no  question  here  of  mortal  sin — God 
forbid!  Indeed,  we  fail  to  see  any  sin  at  all  in 
this  connection,  whether  stamps  or  business  reply 
envelopes  are  sent  or  not.  We  cannot  imagine  a 
monastery  or  any  other  Catholic  concern  sending 
out  unsolicited  books  of  seals  or  boxes  of  cards 
with  the  express  or  implied  sanction:  "Either 
send  us  the  dollar  or  go  to  the  expense,  or  at  least 
to  the  trouble,  of  sending  these  back.  If  you  do 
not  the  one  or  the  other  you  commit  a  sin  of  in- 
justice." We  cannot  conceive  of  such  an  arbi- 
trary sanction;  and  if  an  organization  were  to 
say  or  imply  this,  it  would  be  acting  most  im- 
prudently and  quite  beyond  its  rights.  The 
notion  is  preposterous.  The  organizations  con- 
cerned are  running  certain  risks  in  this  rather 
popular  and  not  exactly  ideal  way  of  eliciting  do- 
nations for  a  good  cause.  They  are  aware  of 
those  risks  and  are  presumably  willing  to  take 
them  and  consequently  cannot  be  said  to  be 
reasonably  unwilling  if  things  work  the  other  way 
and  certain  individuals  calmly  take  a  donation 
from  them  instead  of  giving  one  to  them. 

As  regards  restitution,  we  believe  it  sufficient 
to  say  that  no  organization  such  as  you  refer  to 
can  or  does  bind  its  addressees  in  conscience  to 
return  unsolicited  matter  of  the  kind  in  question. 
It  is  a  case  of  tacit  condonation  as  regards  those 


616  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

who  do  not  in  any  way  respond,  even  if  we  were 
to  admit  the  presence  of  an  obligation. 

We  hold,  therefore,  that  it  is  merely  a  matter 
of  politeness  and  ordinary  Christian  charity  to 
return  cards  or  seals  that  are  not  wanted,  even 
at  the  cost  of  a  little  trouble  or  a  few  stamps. 
But  the  matter  is  quite  optional.  Suit  yourself. 
We  do  not  even  call  those  mean  who  make  good 
use  of  the  cards  or  the  seals  and  yet  send  no 
money.  Such  persons  are  merely  very,  very  cheap. 
Personally,  we  either  send  a  dollar  (the  usual 
thing)  or  send  them  back  in  good  condition. 

If  a  person  makes  a  vow  of  chastity  while 
in  the  world,  but  finds  no  way  of  settling  his 
debts  except  through  a  matrimonial  dowry, 
is  it  reasonable  for  him  to  obtain  a  dispen- 
sation from  that  vow  and  marry,  should  a 
rich  proposal  cross  his  way  ? 

It  is  rather  difficult  to  answer  this  question  in 
these  pages.  It  is  a  matter  which  should  be  settled 
personally  with  your  confessor.  The  proper 
solution  depends  upon  a  number  of  circumstances, 
for  instance,  the  exact  nature  of  the  vow,  when 
it  was  made,  under  what  influences,  from  what 
motives,  etc. 

Certainly  a  dispensation  from  such  a  vow  can 
be  obtained  if  there  is  a  just  reason.  Dispensa- 
tion from  a  vow  is  its  absolute  condonation,  made 
by  legitimate  authority  in  the  name  of  God. 
Such  a  vow,  likewise  for  a  just  reason,  can  also 
be  commuted  by  authority  that  has  the  power 
to  dispense  therefrom.  The  commutation  of  a 
vow  is  the  substitution  in  its  place  of  some  other 
good  work.  It  can  be  commuted  into  a  better, 
into  an  equal,  or  into  a  lesser  work. 

But  is  the  reason  given  in  your  question 
sufficient,  is  it  just?  It  apparently  is;  but  here 
again  it  depends  upon  the  degree  of  inability  to 
meet  the   debts,  the  character  of  the  same,  the 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  617 

seriousness  of  the  obligations  of  justice  implied, 
etc.  Therefore,  open  your  heart  to  him  who  takes 
God's  place — your  confessor. 

What  is  the  relative  responsibility  of  a 
vow  and  of  an  ordinary  promise,  for  example, 
a  promise  to  do  a  certain  good  work  should 
a  favor  be  granted? 

Let  us  first  define.  A  vow  is  a  promise  de- 
liberately and  freely  made  to  God  of  some  higher 
attainable  good.  A  promise  is  a  deliberate 
obligation  of  fidelity  made  to  another  with 
reference  to  some  attainable  good.  From  these 
definitions  we  see  that,  strictly  speaking,  a  vow 
can  be  made  only  to  God;  it  is  a  solemn  promise 
to  Him.  Of  its  very  nature  it  is  more  seriously 
binding  than  a  mere  promise;  how  seriously,  de- 
pends upon  what  it  is  about  and  upon  the  inten- 
tion of  the  one  who  made  it;  for  it  is  a  private 
law,  as  it  were,  which  one  imposes  upon  oneself. 
Usually,  in  the  absence  of  any  determining  in- 
tention, in  a  grave  matter  a  vow  is  presumed  to 
bind  under  pain  of  mortal  sin.  And  herein  lies  a 
difference  between  a  vow  and  a  promise:  people 
generally  do  not  look  upon  a  promise  made  in 
the  ordinary  way  as  binding  them  in  virtue  of 
religion  and  under  pain  of  mortal  sin. 

Suppose  a  person  while  drunk  commits 
sins  which,  if  he  were  sober,  he  would  not 
do  for  all  the  money  in  the  world.  Are  the 
things  one  does  under  the  influence  of 
liquor  sins? 

Acts  such  as  blasphemy,  impurity,  quarrels, 
injustice,  which  are  done  in  the  state  of  intoxica- 
tion are  voluntary  in  their  cause  and  are  im- 
putable as  sin  when  they  can  be  foreseen  and 
actually  are  so  foreseen  by  the  one  who  places 
the  act.  They  are  actually  foreseen  when  one 
knows  that  he  is  accustomed  to  do  such  things  in 
such  a  state. 


618  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

So  we  may  say  that  it  depends  upon  whether 
a  man  gets  drunk  and  does  things  in  themselves 
sinful,  just  once  or  repeatedly.  If  it  happens  only 
once  he  probably  is  not  guilty  of  formal  sin  by 
those  acts,  since  they  probably  were  not  foreseen. 
But  if  he  becomes  intoxicated  knowing,  from 
experience  or  otherwise,  that  such  things  will  be 
done  by  him,  he  is  guilty  of  all  those  sins  before 
God.  They  are  then  voluntary  inasmuch  as  he 
freely  and  knowingly  wills  their  cause. 

Is  it  a  mortal  sin  to  believe  in  fortune 
telling  through  astrology  ?   through  dreams  ? 

Astrology  is  a  form  of  divination  implying 
only  implicit  invocation  of  the  evil  spirits.  It 
has  recourse  to  non-human  and  necessary  events 
in  astrology.  This  pseudo-science  gives  predic- 
tions about  the  fortunes  of  an  individual  drawn 
from  the  study  of  his  horoscope,  that  is,  the 
aspect  of  the  heavenly  bodies  at  the  moment 
of  his  birth,  and  of  certain  rules  of  interpretation. 
Even  if  there  be  no  explicit  invocation  of  the 
spirits  of  evil  (and  all  the  more  so  if  there  be) 
the  sin  of  divination  is  of  its  nature  mortal 
because  of  its  implicit  commerce  with  the  devil. 
However,  the  sin  is  usually  not  mortal  because 
of  the  ignorance  of  the  offender  or  because  he 
consults  divination  as  a  joke  or  out  of  curiosity 
or  has  no  faith  in  it.  Hence  we  can  say  that  it  is 
ordinarily  a  venial  sin.  at  least  in  young  people, 
who  do  not  believe  in  such  nonsense,  unless  they 
give  serious  scandal  or  cooperate  in  the  serious 
sin  of  a  diviner  or  let  their  lives  be  habitually 
directed  by  superstition. 

The  same,  with  the  necessary  changes,  holds 
good  for  dreams.  We  must  warn  the  faithful 
not  to  go  to  fortune-tellers  of  any  kind  or  to  put 
faith  in  dreams. 

Some  people  have  dreams  and  then,  because 
of  those  dreams,  they  act  or  neglect  to  act  in  an 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  6i9 

indifferent  matter.  Such  are  often  excused  from 
all,  even  venial  sin,  on  account  of  the  fear  or 
hope  which  the  dreams  excited. 

Are  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  (Young  Men's 
Christian  Association)  and  the  Y.  W.  C.  A. 
(Young  Women's  Christian  Association) 
condemned  by  the  Catholic  Church?  If  so, 
why? 

These  associations  are  not  such  as  Catholics 
should  join,  and  warnings  have  frequently  been 
given  by  the  Holy  See  and  members  of  the 
hierarchy.  Catholics  should  join  Catholic  associ- 
ations. The  Y.  M.  C.  A.  promotes  indifference 
among  its  Catholic  members  and,  by  gathering 
in  so  many  Catholic  young  men,  keeps  them 
away  from  the  influence  of  their  pastors  and  of 
Catholic  organizations. 

Of  this  association  the  Rt.  Rev.  T.  Corbett, 
D.  D.,  Bishop  of  Crookston,  Miss.,  once  wrote: 
"The  Y.  M.  C.  A.  is  a  Protestant  organization, 
in  which  Catholics  are  only  admitted  as  associate 
members.  They  have  no  voice  in  the  manage- 
ment of  its  affairs  and  are  not  eligible  to  office. 
Catholics  are  only  tolerated,  but  their  money  is 
welcome.  The  Y.  M.  C.  A.  is  essentially  a 
Protestant  institution,  with  the  secret  purpose  of 
proselytizing.  Its  anti-Catholic  spirit  appears 
now  and  then  in  the  lectures,  bubbling  over  with 
calumnies  and  lies,  delivered  in  its  halls  and  under 
its  auspices.  Catholic  young  men  should  not 
suffer  themselves,  therefore,  to  be  duped  by  an 
organization,  for  the  sake  of  bodily  advantages, 
a  position  or  social  standing.  Catholics  possess 
the  precious  heritage  of  the  Faith  of  nearly 
twenty  centuries.  They  belong  to  the  grandest 
organization  the  world  ever  witnessed.  How  far, 
then,  is  it  beneath  the  dignity  of  a  Catholic  to 
forget  the  tradition  of  his  Church,  to  disregard 
the  precious  jewel  of  Faith,   unflinchingly  held 


feo  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

by  the  blood  of  his  forefathers,  amidst  the  worst 
of  persecutions,  and  to  trample  under  foot  all 
sense  of  honor  by  becoming  a  secondary  member 
of  that  Protestant  organization  called  the  Y.  M. 
C.  A.  No  young  man  with  honest  Catholic 
blood  in  his  veins  will  suffer  the  indignity  of  be- 
coming an  inferior  member  of  any  organization. 
The  Church  cannot  compromise  with  error. 
Catholicity  is  essentially  intolerant  as  truth  is 
intolerant.  The  bearer  of  God's  message  to  man- 
kind, she  cannot  accommodate  herself  to  the 
changing  modes  of  human  thought  to  please  a 
fickle  and  corrupt  world.  Her  mission  is  to 
correct  error,  when  at  variance  with  the  doctrine 
of  Christ.  Let  Catholic  young  men,  therefore, 
cease  to  join  an  organization  which  will  eventually 
rob  them  of  their  faith,  the  noblest  Christian 
heritage.  No  Catholic,  to  my  knowledge,  ever 
became  a  permanent  member  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
without  growing  lukewarm  in  his  faith  and  finally 
descending  so  low  as  to  abandon  the  only  and 
true  Church  of  his  forefathers.  Catholics  who 
join  that  organization  soon  imagine  that  one 
religion  is  as  good  as  another  and  that  the  Y.  M. 
C.  A.  is  the  best  of  all." 

There  is,  furthermore,  this  condemnation  by 
the  Holy  Office.  In  November,  1920,  a  circular 
letter  from  the  Holy  Office  to  the  bishops  formally 
warned  them  against  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  other 
similar  associations  in  the  following  terms: 
"Considering  that  these  associations  are  sup- 
ported by  the  good  will,  the  resources  and  active 
co-operation  of  highly  influential  persons,  and  that 
they  render  efficient  service  in  various  lines  of 
beneficence,  it  is  not  surprising  that  they  deceive 
inexperienced  minds  who  fail  to  detect  their 
inward  nature  and  purpose.  But  their  true 
character  can  no  longer  be  a  matter  of  doubt 
for  any  one  who  is  well  informed;  their  aims, 
hitherto  but  gradually  revealed,  are  now  openly 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  62.1 

declared  in  pamphlets,  newspapers,  and  peri- 
odicals which  serve  as  their  means  of  publicity. 
Under  the  pretext  of  enlightening  youthful  minds, 
they  turn  them  away  from  the  teaching  authority 
of  the  Church,  the  divinely  established  beacon 
of  truth,  and  persuade  them  to  seek  in  the 
depths  of  their  own  consciousness,  and  hence 
within  the  narrow  range  of  human  reason,  the 
light  which  is  to  guide  them.  It  is  chiefly  young 
men  and  young  women  who  are  drawn  into  such 
snares.  They  above  all  others  need  help  and 
direction  in  order  to  learn  Christian  truth  and 
preserve  the  faith  handed  down  from  their  fore- 
fathers. Instead  they  fall  into  the  hands  of  those 
by  whom  they  are  robbed  of  their  great  in- 
heritance and  gradually  led  away  until  they 
hesitate  between  opposing  opinions,  then  come 
to  doubt  about  everything,  and  finally  content 
themselves  with  a  vague  indefinite  form  of  re- 
ligion, which  is  altogether  different  from  the  re- 
ligion preached  by  Jesus  Christ." 

This  is  not  a  disapproval  of  the  welfare  and 
humanitarian  work  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  but  a 
condemnation  of  its  attempts  to  undermine  the 
Catholic  faith.  No  Catholic  can  take  part  in  its 
activities  and  hope  to  remain  strong  in  his  faith. 

The  Y.  W.  C.  A.  is  the  female  pendant  of  the 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  In  the  Catholic  Encyclopedia  (Sup- 
plementary Volume,  p.  782)  we  read:  "The 
direct  religious  activities  of  the  Y.  W.  C.  A.  are 
also  practically  the  same  as  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  so 
that,  all  things  considered,  the  question  of  Catho- 
lic membership  in  this  organization  is  identical 
in  all  respects  with  that  of  membership  in  the 
Y.  M.  C.  A.,  even  in  the  units  which  allow 
Catholics  to  vote." 

Does  dreaming  of  a  wedding  or  of  someone 
getting  married  mean  a  death  in  the  family  ? 
If  a  picture  falls  from  the  wall,  does  that 
mean  death? 


fa  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

No;  these  things  (and  countless  others  like 
them)  mean  nothing  in  particular,  except  that 
you  may  have  been  thinking  or  speaking  of  a 
wedding  or  that  the  picture  was  not  well  fastened 
or  the  wire  broke,  etc.  To  believe  in  such  things 
is  that  sin  against  religion  which  is  called  vain 
observance;  and  vain  observance  is  a  super- 
stition that  ascribes  to  certain  things  effects  for 
which  they  have  no  natural  or  communicated 
power.  By  sins  of  this  kind  one  lets  one's  life 
be  directed  or  influenced  through  fortuitous  and 
impertinent  happenings  in  the  belief  that  they 
have  power  to  affect  one's  fortunes  favorably  or 
unfavorably.  Other  such  vain  observances  are: 
thirteen  guests  at  table;  making  a  journey  on 
Friday;  a  black  cat  crossing  the  road;  beginning 
an  affair  during  the  dark  of  the  moon;  the 
"lucky"  horse  shoe  and  the  four-leaf  clover; 
and  such  like  silly  notions — all  too  prevalent 
among  even  Catholic  people.  If  taken  seriously, 
such  beliefs  are  sinful — venial  sins,  as  a  rule. 

On  Sundays  I  sometimes  do  a  little  dust- 
ing at  home  or  bake  a  pie  or  something, 
just  for  pastime.     Is  this  wrong? 

All  servile  work  is  forbidden  on  Sundays  and 
holy  days  of  obligation.  By  servile  work  is  under- 
stood all  physical  labor  that  is  ordinarily  per- 
formed by  servants,  day  laborers,  mechanics,  etc. 
This  also  includes  work  in  the  fields,  shops, 
factories,  etc.  To  perform  servile  work  on 
Sunday,  without  any  necessity  whatsoever,  is  a 
sin,  though  theologians  hold  that,  abstracting 
from  grave  scandal  that  may  be  given  by  work- 
ing for  even  a  shorter  time,  one  does  not  commit 
a  mortal  sin  unless  he  works  thus  for  a  con- 
siderable time,  that  is  to  say,  for  two  hours  or 
more.  And  he  who  makes  others  perform  servile 
work  without  necessity  (unless  they  are  infidels, 
i.  e.,  persons  not  baptized,  or  lack  the  use  of 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  613 

reason,  in  which  case  they  are  not  bound  by  the 
laws  of  the  Church)  sins  as  though  he  himself 
had  done  the  work. 

But  those  servile  works  are  allowed  which  are 
necessary  for  our  daily  needs,  such  as  arranging 
the  rooms,  getting  meals,  doing  chores,  and  other 
such  work  as  could  not  easily  be  postponed. 
Whether,  in  order  to  keep  from  sheer  idleness  on 
Sunday,  it  is  permitted  to  knit,  to  sew,  to  mend 
stockings,  to  do  light  work  in  the  garden,  etc., 
depends  upon  conditions  and  customs  in  the 
respective  locality.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to 
give  scandal;  and  even  when  necessity  demands 
servile  work  on  Sunday,  as,  for  instance,  in  the 
case  of  poor  women  who  must  wash  and  mend 
clothes  on  that  day  because  they  simply  have  no 
time  for  it  on  weekdays,  it  should  be  kept  secret, 
so  as  not  to  give  scandal. 

From  the  above  you  can  deduce  your  own 
answer.  Since  it  is  merely  a  pastime  there  is 
evidently  no  real  necessity  for  dusting  and  baking 
as  you  mention.  Let  it  go.  If  you  read  an  ex- 
planation of  the  Sunday  Gospel,  the  Catholic 
weekly,  and  Catholic  magazines  and  books,  as 
all  Catholics  should  do  on  Sundays,  in  addition 
to  Holy  Mass  and  devotions  in  church,  there  will 
be  little  danger  of  time  hanging  heavily  on  your 
hands.  Sunday  is  not  only  a  day  of  rest;  it  is 
the  Lord's  day — the  whole  of  it.  Give  it  to  the 
Lord  and  refresh  your  soul  by  prayer  and  spiritual 
reading.  Thus  you  will  make  it  a  day  of  sancti- 
fication. 

Is  it  a  mortal  sin  to  envy  another  because 
he  can  do  things  better  and  faster  than  I 
can  and  also  because  he  can  do  more  praise- 
worthy things  than  I?  Would  this  be  a 
matter  for  confession? 

Envy  is  a  sorrow  over  the  good  fortune  of  our 
neighbor,  inasmuch  as  we  consider  that  it  sur- 


6x4  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

passes  our  own  good.  Such  a  feeling  is,  of  course, 
against  the  law  of  charity,  which  bids  us  love 
our  neighbor  as  ourselves  and  rejoice  at  his 
prosperity.  Therefore,  envy  is  sinful  and,  if 
fully  deliberate,  a  mortal  sin.  Envy  of  the 
spiritual  good  of  another  is  a  most  grievous 
offense  and  is  one  of  the  "sins  against  the  Holy 
Ghost." 

Envy  is  not  a  mortal  sin  if,  (1)  the  object  is  not 
grave,  as  when  one  is  envious  about  some  trifle, 
such  as  good  looks;  if  (2)  the  subject  does  not 
give  sufficient  reflection  or  full  consent,  as  when 
little  children  are  jealous  of  one  another,  or 
adults  feel  stirrings  of  envy.  Even  holy  men  are 
not  above  the  first  movements  or  inclinations 
towards  envy;  and  very  many  envious  thoughts 
are  not  mortal,  because  not  fully  adverted  to. 

We  must  distinguish  carefully  between  envy 
and  emulation  or  zeal,  which  causes  us  to  grieve 
at  our  neighbor's  good,  not  because  he  possesses 
it,  but  because  we  ourselves  are  wanting  in  that 
good.  Such  sadness,  if  it  be  about  spiritual 
things,  about  moral  goodness  or  righteousness,  is 
not  sinful,  but  virtuous  and  praiseworthy.  St. 
Paul  says:  "Let  us  consider  another,  to  provoke 
unto  charity  and  to  good  works."  (Heb.  10:24.) 
Emulation  is  not  harmful,  but  beneficial,  in 
spiritual  matters.  If,  however,  it  be  concerned 
with  temporal  matters,  it  is  or  is  not  sinful, 
according  to  circumstances.  If  it  be  about 
temporal  matters,  it  is  lawful  to  be  sorry  at  their 
absence  as  regards  oneself;  but  if  the  sorrow 
be  unreasonable,  it  is  sinful.  One  may  wish  that 
one  enjoyed  certain  opportunities  for  good  that 
others  have:  this  is  not  envy,  but  praiseworthy 
zeal.  Again,  James,  for  example,  is  not  of  in- 
ferior ability  to  George,  and  hence,  while  not 
wanting  to  be  before  all  others  and  not  dis- 
liking competition,  he  is  sorry  that  he  is  not  so 
successful  in  his  work  as  George  is.    This  is  reason- 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  62.5 

able  emulation  and  is  not  sinful.  Henry,  to  give 
another  example,  is  very  deficient  in  education, 
initiative,  and  character,  while  Charles  excels  in 
all  these  qualities;  and  yet  Henry  is  discontented 
because  he  does  not  hold  the  responsible  position 
that  Charles  has,  or  one  just  as  important. 
Henry's  emulation  is  unreasonable. 

Your  question  seems  to  imply  emulation. 
Hence  it  is  only  necessary  to  ascertain  whether 
it  is  reasonable  or  unreasonable,  if  it  pertains  to 
temporal  things.  If  unreasonable  it  may  be 
matter  for  confession,  though  hardly  necessary 
matter. 

Is  lying  in  bed  just  because  one  has  no 
work  to  do,  though  one  could  find  some  work 
around  the  place,  a  venial  or  a  mortal  sin? 
Does  that  come  under  the  sin  of  sloth? 
When  such  are  up  they  just  loaf  around  in 
the  pool  halls  and  such  places,  and  I  don't 
know  which  is  the  worse. 

It  is  indeed  hard  to  say  which  is  the  lesser 
of  the  two  evils.  Both  are  to  be  deplored,  since 
it  is  only  too  true  that,  as  the  proverb  well  says, 
"Idleness  is  the  devil's  workshop."  In  that 
workshop  he  does  an  unbelievable  amount  of 
work  for  the  ruin  of  souls.  There  are  always 
many  little  things  to  be  done,  as  you  say,  if  one 
would  keep  everything  spick-and-span  and  in 
perfect  order  in  the  house,  from  basement  to 
attic,  and  around  the  place.  One  should  be  up 
and  doing;  and  when  there  is  simply  nothing 
to  do,  one  should  spend  the  time  in  reading 
good,  or  at  least  indifferent,  books  and  periodicals. 
The  general  atmosphere  and  company  of  pool 
halls  and  such  like  places  is  only  too  often 
derogatory  to  true  Christian   character. 

Sloth,  as  you  know,  is  one  of  the  capital  sins. 
As  such  it  is  a  spiritual  ailment,  a  vice  by  which 
one  neglects  the  means  of  salvation  or  is  loath  to 


616  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

fight  against  the  enemies  of  his  salvation  on 
account  of  the  labor  involved,  and  therefore 
concerns  himself  but  little  about  the  salvation 
of  his  soul.  This  sloth  is  a  venial  sin  when  it 
consists  in  a  certain  torpor  or  ennui  in  the  exercise 
of  one's  Christian  duties,  as  in  prayer,  during 
Mass,  during  sermons,  etc.;  but  when  it  is  such 
that  it  becomes  a  hatred  of  spiritual  things,  either 
as  imposed  by  God  or  established  for  our  eternal 
welfare,  because  of  the  annoyance  they  bring 
with  them,  it  is  a  mortal  sin. 

The  sloth  just  defined  must  be  distinguished 
from  the  sloth  you  mention  in  your  question, 
namely,  from  physical  sloth  or  sluggishness, 
which,  if  not  the  result  of  sickness,  is  pure  laziness 
or  wilful  idleness.  This  laziness  can  manifest 
itself  in  negligence,  which  is  a  want  of  proper 
decision  about  duties  to  be  performed;  in  slug- 
gishness, which  is  a  tardy  performance  of  duty; 
in  carelessness,  which  is  a  perfunctory  discharge 
of  duties;  in  indolence,  which  is  an  excessive 
dislike  of  labor  or  exertion,  caused  by  an  inordi- 
nate love  of  recreation  or  bodily  rest;  in  idleness, 
which  is  the  actual  omission  of  one's  duty  because 
of  indolence.  Whether  laziness  is  a  mere  imper- 
fection, a  venial  sin,  or  a  mortal  sin  depends  upon 
the  various  circumstances,  chiefly  upon  its 
consequences. 

From  the  circumstances  given  in  your  letter  it 
is  evident  that  the  idleness  mentioned  is  not  by 
any  means  in  itself  a  mortal  sin.  Whether  it  is 
in  itself  a  venial  sin  again  depends  upon 
circumstances  and  consequences. 

Two  of  my  friends  believe  heart  and  soul 
in  astrology.  In  fact,  they  pay  good  money 
to  study  the  subject,  which  they  dignify  by 
calling  it  a  science.  I  would  like  to  know 
the  viewpoint  of  the  Catholic  Church  on 
this  subject. 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  62.7 

Astrology  is  a  false  science  which  deals  with 
the  influence  of  the  stars  on  human  fate,  or  on 
the  weather.  We  suggest  that  you  read  the 
article  on  Astrology  in  the  Catholic  Encyclopedia 
or  even  in  the  New  Catholic  Dictionary  for 
further  information.  It  is  sufficient  here  to  say 
that  the  victory  of  the  Copernican  system,  the 
recognition  of  the  moral  and  psychical  dangers 
of  astrology,  and  the  progress  of  experimental 
science  finally  reduced  it  to  the  status  of  a  super- 
stition, a  status  which  it  occupies  today.  It 
encourages  fatalism  and  leads  to  the  denial  of 
Divine  Providence.  Hence  the  Church  condemns 
astrology  as  a  pagan  superstition.  The  stars  do 
not  exercise  any  influence  whatsoever  upon 
human  life  and  human  affairs.  The  calculations 
essential  to  the  settling  of  the  position  of  the  signs 
of  the  zodiac  and  the  position  of  the  sun  in  the 
zodiac  at  the  birth  of  a  child,  which  is  said  to  be 
a  vital  factor  in  determining  its  fate,  are  called 
casting  the  horoscope.  This  is  purest  nonsense, 
barefaced  superstition,  and  downright  folly. 
Apropos  of  this  matter  St.  Thomas  writes:  "If 
anyone  applies  the  observation  of  the  stars  in 
order  to  foreknow  casual  or  fortuitous  events,  or 
to  know  with  certitude  future  human  actions, 
his  conduct  is  based  on  a  false  and  vain  opinion; 
and  so  the  operation  of  the  demon  introduces 
himself  therein,  wherefore  it  will  be  a  superstitious 
and  unlawful  divination"  (Summa,  Secunda 
Secundae,  Q.  95,  art.  5). 

Is  it  a  sin  to  play  cards  if  one  does  not 
play  for  money? 

It  is  not  a  sin  in  itself  to  play  cards.  If  the 
playing  were  excessive,  dishonest,  so  conducted 
as  to  give  bad  example,  cause  one  to  neglect  one's 
duties,  injure  one's  health,  sin  might  be  com- 
mitted because  of  those  things.  You  seem  to 
take  it  for  granted  that  it  is  a  sin  to  play  cards 


62.8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

for  money.  It  is  not.  One  may  play  for  small 
sums,  if  one  is  so  inclined.  It  usually  makes  the 
game  more  interesting.  That  would  not  be 
gambling  To  gamble,  strictly  speaking,  means 
to  risk  at  games  of  chance  or  wagers  money 
that  is  needed  for  the  support  of  oneself  or  one's 
family,  etc.,  etc. 

I  am  sometimes  filled  with  angry  and  re- 
bellious thoughts  and  rash  judgments  about 
others  who  contradict  me  or  do  things  I  do 
not  like.  Is  that  a  mortal  sin?  Is  the  sin 
greater  if  such  persons  are  Religious,  priests, 
parents,  superiors? 

It  is  no  sin  at  all  to  be  filled  with  such  thoughts, 
provided  you  resolutely  try  to  banish  them  from 
your  mind.  Act  against  them  by  charitable 
interpretation,  by  deliberately  praying  for  the 
persons  concerned,  by  recalling  that  in  nine 
cases  out  of  ten  we  are  mistaken. 

Rash  judgment,  strictly  understood,  is  a  firm 
assent  of  the  mind,  based  on  insufficient  data, 
and  given  to  the  view  that  a  neighbor  is  or  has 
been  guilty  of  sin.  Only  judgments  that  mortal 
sin  has  been  committed  are  grave  matter;  for 
only  mortal  sin  is  in  itself  a  grave  reproach.  But 
even  in  this  case  there  must  be  full  advertence  to 
the  judgment  itself  and  to  its  sinfulness  and 
gravity;  there  must  be  perfect  deliberation, 
serious  rashness,  and  grave  injury  and  contempt 
Moreover,  from  the  circumstances  of  persons  or 
acts,  even  rash  judgments  of  mortal  sin  may  be 
only  venial.  From  this  it  is  easy  to  conclude 
that  rash  judgments,  because  of  the  imperfec- 
tion of  the  act  or  the  lightness  of  the  matter, 
are  ordinarily  venial  sins. 

As  regards  the  aggravating  circumstances  you 
ask  about,  the  Moral  Theology  of  McHugh  and 
Callan  has  the  following  paragraph:  "From  the 
circumstances  of  persons  or  acts,  rash  judgments 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  6x9 

of  venial  sin  or  what  is  not  sin  at  all  may  be 
mortal;  for  to  those  from  whom  much  is  ex- 
pected slighter  defects  may  be  causes  of  great 
disgrace.  Thus,  it  is  very  dishonoring  to  the 
parties  concerned  to  think  that  a  prelate  is  an 
habitual  liar,  that  a  nun  visits  too  often,  that  a 
public  official  is  illegitimate  or  stupid  or  afflicted 
with  syphilis,  and  therefore  unworthy  of  his 
position." 

Suppose  I  am  held  up  by  a  bandit.  He 
takes  all  the  money  he  can  find  and  then 
asks  me:  "Is  that  all  you  have?"  I  answer: 
44 Yes;  that  is  all  I  have."  But  I  still  have 
fifty  dollars  in  a  secret  pocket.  Is  that 
telling  a  lie?  May  I  do  that  without  com- 
mitting sin? 

That  would  evidently  be  a  case  of  broad 
mental  reservation,  namely,  that  mental  reser- 
vation in  which  the  internal  modification  can 
be  perceived  by  a  sensible  person.  In  the  case 
you  mention  the  circumstances  indicate  that 
the  words  are  not  to  be  taken  in  their  obvious 
sense.  What  you  mean  is  "That  is  all  I  have 
for  you."  Though  strict  mental  reservation, 
namely,  that  in  which  the  internal  modification 
is  manifested  by  nothing  external,  is  unlawful 
and  has  been  condemned  by  the  Church,  broad 
mental  reservation,  as  defined  above,  is  lawful 
when  there  is  sufficient  reason  for  it, — in  this 
case  financial  welfare  or  the  prevention  of  robbery. 
It  is  likewise  lawful  and  even  obligatory  when 
one  is  bound  to  keep  the  truth  from  the  person 
who  asks  it,  as  when  a  confessor,  questioned 
about  what  he  heard  in  the  confessional,  says 
"1  do  not  know"  or  "No,"  which  means,  "I 
have  no  personal  or  communicable  knowledge." 
It  is  lawful  when  a  reasonable  local  custom 
permits  one  to  withhold  the  truth,  as  when  one 
who  is  guilty  pleads  "Not  guilty,"  which  means 


630  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

that  he  does  not  confess  his  guilt;  when  a  person 
has  a  visitor  at  an  unreasonable  hour  or  one  whom 
he  does  not  wish  to  see  and  sends  word  that  he 
is  not  at  home,  which  means  that  he  is  not  at 
home  for  visitors,  etc.  These  are  but  a  few 
examples. 

From  the  above  it  is  clear  that  what  you  said 
was  not  a  sin.  In  such  cases  there  is  no  lie,  no 
insincerity,  and  no  injury  is  caused  to  individuals 
or  society.  There  is  no  lie,  because  the  words 
correspond  with  the  thought,  either  from  their 
natural  or  their  accidental  signification.  There 
is  no  insincerity,  because  the  aim  is  only  to  con- 
ceal a  truth  that  should  not  be  made  known. 
There  is  no  injury  to  the  questioner  or  listener, 
because  if  he  is  deceived  it  is  due  to  his  own 
dullness  or  unjustified  curiosity.  There  is  no 
injury  to  society,  since  the  general  welfare  de- 
mands that  there  be  some  honest  means  of  eluding 
unjust  inquiries  and  of  protecting  important 
secrets. 

Someone  made  a  very  complimentary  re- 
mark about  me  some  time  ago.  It  made  me 
feel  good  and  I  like  to  think  about  it.  What 
would  you  say  about  such  a  feeling? 

We  would  say  that  in  such  happy  circumstances 
you  have  a  splendid  opportunity  to  practice 
humility.  Humility  does  not  consist  in  having 
nothing,  but  in  keeping  nothing  for  oneself. 
Receiving  everything  from  God  and  referring 
everything  to  God,  that  is  humility.  Therefore, 
she  who  of  all  creatures  received  the  most  from 
God,  our  Blessed  Lady,  was  necessarily  the 
most  humble.  Elizabeth  cried  ''Blessed  art  thou 
among  women,"  and  immediately  Mary  said 
"My  soul  doth  magnify  the  Lord."  To  know 
that  I  have  nothing  of  myself,  neither  existence 
nor  any  of  the  gifts  of  existence,  to  be  satisfied 
with  everything  that  teaches  and  reiterates  the 


PRECEPTS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  631 

lesson  of  my  nothingness;  and  at  the  same  time 
to  recognize  the  gifts  God  has  given  me,  to  deny 
none  of  them,  the  better  to  use  them  all,  to  turn 
them  to  good  account,  not  to  glorify  myself  or 
to  get  honor  or  profit  by  doing  so,  but  to  refer 
all  to  God,  to  Whom  alone  be  honor  and  glory, — 
that  is  humility. 

To  make  this  still  clearer,  we  repeat  that  it  is 
no  part  of  humility  to  deny  that  we  have  gifts. 
It  is  humility's  part  to  see  them  as  God's  pro- 
duction and  property,  and  thus  to  admire  and 
love  God  in  the  creature,  God  in  His  gifts.  We 
ought  not  to  cut  the  good  from  its  source.  We 
should  praise  and  thank  God  for  all  the  beauty 
of  His  works  in  ourselves  and  in  others,  and  if 
others  admire  and  love  any  good  whatever  that  we 
have,  this  should  not  disturb  us,  the  admiration 
and  love  may  pass  through  us  and  go  onwards 
to  God;  and  if  a  thought  of  pride  come  you  have 
but  to  flee  to  the  "intrenchment"  of  self- 
knowledge,  and  you  have  nothing  in  which  to 
glory  there.  You  may  say:  "I  have  much  good 
in  me,  but  not  of  me."  God's  gifts  are  in  you, 
but  not  of  you.  "What  hast  thou  that  thou  hast 
not  received?" 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS 

What  is  the  attitude  of  the  Catholic 
Church  regarding  the  findings  of  modern 
science  relative  to  the  size  of  the  universe 
and  other  modern  scientific  findings  ?  Such 
findings  leave  one  confused  in  mind  and  are 
contrary  to  what  the  Church  has  taught. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  Church 
asserts  her  right  to  pass  sentence  upon  any 
so-called  scientific  conclusion  conflicting  with 
revelation,  there  is  absolutely  nothing  to  pre- 
vent a  Catholic  from  following  any  line  of 
scientific  research,  or  from  drawing  conclusions 
that  are  solidly  supported  by  well-ascertained 
facts. 

Within  the  legitimate  domain  of  any  science 
a  Catholic  may  proceed  with  unfettered  freedom, 
and  for  the  simple  reason  that  he  knows  that  what 
is  revealed  to  him  by  his  telescope  or  by  his  micro- 
scope cannot  contradict  any  truth  of  the  super- 
natural order.  Science  cannot  conflict  with  rev- 
elation. Truth  cannot  be  at  variance  with  truth. 
By  truth  he  understands,  of  course,  genuine  truth, 
and  not  supposed  truth.  By  scientific  truth  he 
understands  scientifically  demonstrated  truth,  and 
not  hypothesis,  or  crude  reasoning  upon  demon- 
strated truth.  He  is  aware,  of  course,  that  facts 
may  be  discovered  by  the  scientist  whose  bearing 
upon  revealed  truth  cannot  at  first  easily  be  de- 
termined; or  he  may  be  aware  that  certain  half- 
demonstrated  truths  or  half-discovered  facts  may 
seem  to  be  inconsistent  with  certain  religious  dog- 
mas. But  he  does  not  allow  himself  to  become 
confused  in  mind.  No;  he  keeps  the  even  tenor 
of  his  way,  confident  that  when  the  full  truth  is 
known  it  will  be  found  to  accord  with  the  teach- 
ings of  faith. 

63z 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  633 

And  in  this  he  is  never  disappointed.  The  ad- 
vances made  in  sciences — whether  in  archeology, 
geology,  biology,  paleontology,  astronomy,  or  any 
other  science — tend  to  confirm  rather  than  dis- 
credit Catholic  beliefs. 

No;  true  science  is  not  antagonistic  to  religion, 
but  rather  a  help  to  it.  It  was  Pasteur,  devout 
Catholic  and  illustrious  scientist,  who  said  to  a 
pupil  of  his  who  had  asked  him  how  it  was 
possible  for  one  who  had  studied  and  reflected  so 
much  to  remain  a  believer  in  Christianity:  "It  is 
precisely  because  I  have  studied  and  reflected  that 
I  have  today  the  faith  of  a  Breton;  and  had  I 
studied  and  reflected  more  I  should  have  the  faith 
of  a  Breton's  wife." 

Is  it  unlawful  to  cremate  bodies  and  how 
serious  a  crime  is  it? 

The  law  of  the  Church  declares  that  the  bodies 
of  the  faithful  are  to  be  buried;  that  cremation, 
or  the  burning  of  dead  bodies,  is  condemned. 
Furthermore,  should  anyone  command  that  his 
body  be  cremated,  it  is  unlawful  to  carry  out 
his  wishes.  Should  such  a  wish  be  contained  in 
his  will  or  in  a  similar  document,  it  must  be  con- 
sidered as  not  contained  therein.  Moreover, 
such  a  one,  unless  before  death  he  gave  signs  of 
repentance,  cannot  be  given  Christian  burial. 
And  he  who  would  venture  to  command  or  to 
use  force  to  procure  the  Christian  burial  of  such 
a  one  would  incur  the  penalty  of  excommuni- 
cation. 

This  law  binds  under  pain  of  mortal  sin.  One 
who  orders  his  own  body  to  be  cremated  after 
death  cannot  receive  the  Sacraments,  not  even 
the  Last  Sacraments,  unless  he  retracts. 

It  is  the  freethinkers  who  urge  cremation,  out 
of  sheer  folly  and  hatred  towards  the  Church; 
folly,  because  they  imagine  that  the  Almighty 
cannot  so  easily  raise  up  a  body  burnt  to  ashes 


634  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

as  a  body  that  resolves  itself  into  dust;  hatred, 
inasmuch  as  this  induced  the  fanatics  of  the 
French  Revolution,  in  1793,  to  introduce  crema- 
tion, and  Freemasons  to  agitate  for  it  from  1848 
to  the  present  day. 

If  we  seek  for  reasons  for  the  Church's  con- 
demnation of  cremation,  we  find  especially  three. 

1.  The  first  is  the  Catholic's  love  for  the  true 
religion,  which  has  ever  had  an  abhorrence  for 
the  cremation  of  bodies,  as  we  see  in  the  time  of 
the  Patriarchs,  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  in  the 
New  Dispensation.  Of  course,  in  times  of  pesti- 
lence or  in  similar  extraordinary  circumstances, 
the  Church  makes  exception  to  the  rule;  she  then 
allows  cremation,  for  the  common  good. 

2.  The  second  reason  is  the  Catholic's  love 
for  Christ.  Christ  the  Lord  was  buried;  He 
sanctified  the  grave.  The  Christian's  body,  made 
holy  by  Baptism  and  Holy  Communion,  is  as  a 
grain  of  wheat  placed  in  the  soil.  Says  St.  Paul: 
"So  also  is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  It  is 
sown  in  corruption,  it  shall  rise  in  incorruption  .  .  . 
It  is  sown  a  natural  body,  it  shall  rise  a  spiritual 
body."     (I  Cor.  15:42,  44.) 

3.  The  third  reason  is  the  Catholic's  love  for 
the  Church.  It  is  not  a  divine  precept  that  the 
body  must  be  buried,  but  a  precept  of  the  Church. 
And  the  Church  will  never  abrogate  this  law,  all 
the  less  so  because  her  enemies  demand  the 
cremation  of  bodies  as  a  symbol  of  unbelief. 

We  might  add  that  the  introduction  of  crema- 
tion would  give  a  powerful  impetus  to  criminality, 
inasmuch  as  by  the  burning  of  bodies  many 
crimes  could  never  be  brought  to  light.  Again, 
the  dreadful  sight  of  a  body  being  cremated  must 
needs  fill  a  man  with  horror  at  the  thought  of 
one  day  being  thus  burnt  to  ashes. 

In  conclusion,  we  wish  to  say  that  the  state- 
ment that  cemeteries  are  a  danger  to  health  is  an 
ungrounded  assertion,   and  that  those  who  are 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  635 

filled  with  fear  at  the  thought  of  being  buried 
alive  might  well  be  convulsed  with  agony  at  the 
more  terrible  thought  of  being  burnt  alive. 

It  is  said  that  God  hates  a  soul  in  the 
state  of  mortal  sin.  How  is  it,  then,  that 
He  still  sustains  it? 

It  is  true;  a  soul  stained  with  mortal  sin  is 
more  hateful  in  the  eyes  of  God  than  would  be 
to  us  the  sight  of  a  man  tied  face  to  face,  mouth 
to  mouth,  with  a  rotting,  worm-eaten  corpse. 
Why,  then,  does  He  sustain  it?  We  stand 
amazed  and  ask  ourselves  why  the  Omnipotent 
Creator  does  not  annihilate  such  an  ungrateful 
creature.  But  God  created  the  soul  of  man 
immortal.  It  shall  never  die.  Be  it  for  weal  or 
woe,  it  shall  live  forever.  And  God  will  not  go 
back  on  Himself,  so  to  speak.  The  designs  of 
the  Almighty  will  not  be  thwarted  by  the  wilful- 
ness of  the  work  of  His  hands.  He  has  given 
man  a  free  will  and  an  alternative  eternity,  either 
of  bliss  or  of  misery.  God  does  not  create  any 
soul  for  damnation;  one 'and  all  are  created  for 
heaven.  No  man  is  obliged  to  sin.  If,  by  a  de- 
plorable misuse  of  the  free  will  God  gave  him  to 
merit  heaven  with,  man  turns  his  back  on  God, 
rebels  against  Him,  he  has  only  himself  to  blame. 
God  could  have  ordained  otherwise,  it  is  true; 
but  the  fearfully  serious  fact  remains  that  He 
has  not  done  so;  and  it  is  not  for  us  to  dictate 
to  Him.  Nor  is  it  for  us  to  try  to  solve  the 
mystery  of  evil.  Rather  should  we  strive  to  make 
sure  our  calling  and  election,  and  thank  God 
that  He  gives  us  time  for  repentance. 

Is  there  not  a  contradiction  in  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Blessed  Trinity?  How  can  one 
be  three  and  three  one? 

The  doctrine  of  the  Blessed  Trinity  is  indeed 
above  reason,  inasmuch  as  man  cannot  come  to 
a  knowledge  of  it  by  natural  reason,  but  it  is 


636  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

not  opposed  to  reason.  It  involves  no  contra- 
ction. Observe  carefully:  the  Church  does  not 
declare  that  which  is  one  to  be  at  the  same  time 
three,  nor  does  she  teach  that  which  is  three  to 
be  at  the  same  time  also  only  one.  No.  Holy 
Church  proclaims  and  enjoins  the  doctrine  of 
strict  unity  in  the  Supreme  Being,  only  she  goes 
on  to  explain  that  that  unity  attaches  to  the 
Nature  and  to  the  Nature  only.  At  the  same  time 
she  proclaims  a  plurality,  but  the  plurality  at- 
taches to  the  Persons  and  to  the  Persons  only. 
Hence  it  is  the  teaching  of  the  Church  that  there 
is  but  one  only  God,  infinite  in  all  perfections, 
and  that  in  this  God  there  are  three  perfect  and 
distinct  persons,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

Though  we  cannot  fully  comprehend  this 
greatest  mystery  of  the  Catholic  faith,  still  we 
seek  reverently  to  illustrate  it.  We  cannot  drink 
all  the  water  of  the  well,  it  is  true,  but  we  can 
partake  of  as  much  as  is  needful  for  us. 

We  have  in  mind  the  distinction  given  between 
nalure  and  person.  I  have,  for  example,  an  im- 
mense audience  before  me.  I  see  it  is  composed 
of  human  beings.  All  have  something  in  com- 
mon, a  distinguishing  mark;  something  that 
separates  them  from  all  other  creatures,  from 
the  angels  in  heaven  and  from  other  kinds  of 
beings  on  earth;  something  that  makes  them 
what  they  are — human  beings.  That  something 
we  call  human  nature. 

I  further  see  that  this  human  nature  is  com- 
plete in  each  one  of  my  vast  audience.  Hence 
they  do  not  attribute  their  actions  to  another,  or 
to  the  race  in  general,  but  to  themselves.  Of  all 
their  acts,  whether  they  performed  them  today 
or  ten  or  twenty  years  ago,  they  say,  "I  did 
them."  They  feel  that  they  belong  to  them 
individually.  Now,  this  condition  in  which  a 
being    is    responsible    for    his    actions,    whether 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  637 

moral,  physical,  or  intellectual,  is  called  person- 
ality. All  of  my  immense  audience  have  one 
nature  in  common — human  nature.  But  each  is 
a  distinct  person. 

Now,  in  God  there  is  but  one  Nature — the 
divine  Nature;  there  are  three  Persons — the 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Did  the  Blessed  Virgin  die  ?  If  so,  on  what 
day,  and  where? 

Yes;  the  Blessed  Virgin  did  die,  though  she 
did  not  have  to  do  so;  for  she  was  sinless,  and 
death  is  a  punishment  for  sin.  Our  Lady  wished 
to  die  in  order  to  be  more  like  her  Divine  Son, 
Who  died  a  cruel  death  upon  the  cross  for  the 
redemption  of  mankind.  She  likewise  wished  to 
die  in  order  to  show  us  how  easy  and  beautiful 
death  can  be  if  we  are  true  to  God  in  life.  She 
died  a  painless  death,  died  of  ecstatic  love  and 
longing  for  her  Jesus,  true  God  and  true  Man. 
After  her  death  she  was  taken  up,  body  and  soul, 
into  heaven,  where  she  now  reigns  as  Queen  of 
that  blessed  abode.  Tradition  has  it  that  she 
died  in  Jerusalem.  Holy  Church  solemnly  com- 
memorates her  death  and  assumption  on  August 
15th,  the  great  feast  of  the  Assumption. 

Could  you  please  inform  me  as  to  the 
attitude  of  the  Church  relative  to  organized 
labor? 

The  Catholic  Church  is  very  much  in  favor  of 
organized  labor  and  encourages  the  formation 
of  wisely  conducted  labor  unions.  In  the  En- 
cyclical Letter  of  Pope  Leo  XIII  on  the  con- 
dition of  labor,  of  May  1.5,  1891,  we  read:  "Those 
Catholics  are  worthy  of  all  praise — and  there 
are  not  a  few — who,  understanding  what  the 
times  require,  have,  by  various  enterprises  and 
experiments,  endeavored  to  better  the  condition 
of  working  people  without  any  sacrifice  of  prin- 
ciple. .   .   .  Others,  again,  strive  to  unite  work- 


638  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

ing  people  of  various  kinds  into  associations, 
help  them  with  their  advice  and  their  means,  and 
enable  them  to  obtain  honest  and  profitable  work 
.  .  .  How  much  this  multiplied  and  earnest 
activity  has  benefited  the  community  at  large 
is  too  well  known  to  require  us  to  dwell  upon  it. 
We  find  in  it  the  grounds  of  the  most  cheering 
hope  for  the  future;  provided  that  the  associa- 
tions we  have  described  continue  to  grow  and 
spread,  and  are  well  and  wisely  administered. 
Let  the  State  watch  over  these  societies  of  citi- 
zens united  together  in  the  exercise  of  their 
right;  but  let  it  not  thrust  itself  into  their 
peculiar  concerns  and  their  organizations;  for 
things  move  and  live  by  the  soul  within  them, 
and  they  may  be  killed  by  the  grasp  of  a  hand 
from  without. 

"In  order  that  an  association  may  be  carried 
on  with  unity  of  purpose  and  harmony  of  action, 
its  organization  and  government  must  be  firm 
and  wise.  All  such  societies,  being  free  to  exist, 
have  the  further  right  to  adopt  such  rules  and 
organization  as  may  best  conduce  to  the  attain- 
ment of  their  objects.  We  do  not  deem  it  possible 
to  enter  into  definite  details  on  the  subject  of 
organization;  this  must  depend  on  national 
character,  on  practice  and  experience,  on  the 
nature  and  scope  of  the  work  to  be  done,  on  the 
magnitude  of  the  various  trades  and  employ- 
ments, and  on  other  circumstances  of  fact  and  of 
time — all  of  which  must  be  carefully  weighed. " 

In  connection  with  this  matter  a  word  about 
strikes  and  boycotts  would  not  be  amiss.  Both 
the  strike  and  the  boycott  may  be  just  and 
necessary;  both  may  be  unjust  and  unnecessary. 
Inasmuch  as  capital  needs  labor,  and  labor  needs 
capital,  the  two  classes  being  indispensable  to 
each  other,  each  one  has  the  right  to  defend  itself 
against  the  tyranny  of  the  other. 

Strikes   and   boycotts,   however,   ought   to   be 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  639 

looked  upon  only  as  the  lesser  of  two  evils.  To 
be  just  and  lawful,  the  following  general  rules 
must  apply  in  their  regard: 

1.  They  should  not  be  resorted  to  when  milder 
expedients  are  available. 

2.  The  demands  should  be  reasonable. 

3.  They  should  not  be  accompanied  by  vio- 
lence or  by  any  form  of  physical  coercion. 

4.  Naturally,  there  must  be  at  least  some 
chances  of  success. 

5.  If  they  are  merely  sympathetic,  their  justi- 
fication becomes  the  more  difficult. 

Will  you  please  tell  me  if  Balzac's  works 
are  on  the  Index? 

By  decrees  of  1841,  1842,  and  1864  all  the 
Balzac's  novels  are  on  the  Index  of  Prohibited 
Books  and  may  not  be  read  by  Catholics.  Honore 
de  Balzac  was  a  French  novelist.  He  was  born 
in  Tours,  May  20,  1799,  and  died  in  Paris, 
August  18,  1850. 

A  book  is  prohibited  or  put  on  the  Index  by 
decree  chiefly  of  the  Sacred  Congregation  of  the 
Holy  Office,  with  the  approval  of  the  Pope,  though, 
of  course,  the  Pope  may  do  so  alone,  in  any  way 
he  chooses.  Of  this  Congregation  Pope  Pius  X, 
when  reorganizing  the  Roman  Curia,  decreed  as 
follows:  "Henceforth  it  will  be  the  task  of  this 
Sacred  Congregation  not  only  to  examine  care- 
fully the  books  denounced  to  it,  to  prohibit  them 
if  necessary,  and  to  grant  permission  for  read- 
ing forbidden  books,  but  also  to  supervise,  ex 
officio,  books  that  are  being  published,  and  to 
pass  sentence  on  such  as  deserve  to  be  prohibited. 
Its  further  task  is  to  remind  the  bishops  of  their 
sacred  duty  to  combat  the  publication  of  perni- 
cious writings  and  give  information  about  them 
to  the  Apostolic  See,  in  accordance  with  the  Con- 
stitution 'Officioruin  ac  munerum'  of  January 
25,  1897." 


640  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

We  here  mention  that  the  Sacred  Congregation 
of  the  Holy  Office  has  succeeded  to  the  S.  C.  of 
the  Index,  which  is  now  extinct. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  books  on  the  In- 
dex have  been  condemned  lightly  or  without  most 
thorough  and  serious  investigation.  The  Con- 
gregation of  the  Index  consists  of  cardinals  and 
their  consultors,  chiefly  bishops.  Before  a  ver- 
dict is  passed  on  reported  books,  such  books  un- 
dergo careful  study  and  full  discussion.  Some  of 
the  points  considered  are,  for  example,  ''Does  the 
book  defend  heresies?  Is  it  derogatory  to  God, 
to  the  Blessed  Virgin,  to  the  saints?  Does  it 
vilify  the  Church,  or  the  clerical  or  religious 
state?  Is  it  lewd  or  obscene?"  A  book  may  be 
condemned  even  because  of  isolated  passages. 

Nor  may  it  be  supposed  that  only  books  of- 
ficially placed  on  the  Index  are  forbidden  to  Cath- 
olics. In  general,  any  book,  periodical  or  writ- 
ing dangerous  to  faith  or  morals — with  which 
this  country  is  literally  flooded — is  forbidden 
under  pain  of  sin.  It  would  be  impossible  for  the 
Congregation  to  concern  itself  in  particular  with, 
for  instance,  the  mass  of  cheap,  sensual  trash 
with  which  so  many  of  our  news  stands  and  book 
stores  fairly  reek. 

Some  years  ago  the  Masons  estimated  the 
treasures  of  the  Church  in  Italy  at  three 
hundred  billion  lire.  Why  not  devote  this 
fabulous  wealth  to  the  propagation  of  the 
faith? 

We  have  in  mind  just  now  a  splendid  parish 
the  property  of  which  is  valued  at  over  half  a 
million  dollars.  Why  not  sell  it  and  devote  the 
proceeds  to  the  propagation  of  the  faith?  Why 
not  do  the  same  with  all  other  church  property? 
The  very  idea  is  ridiculous.  That  would  be 
tearing  down  in  one  place  to  build  less  securely 
in   another.      Let   each   Catholic   in   the   United 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  641 

States  put  down  one  dollar  instead  and  we  will 
have  about  $25,000,000  at  once  for  the  propaga- 
tion of  the  faith  and  retain  our  abiding  resources 
for  further  propagation. 

Your  objection  is  old.  It  first  fell  from  the 
lips  of  Judas  Iscariot.  Listen,  "Mary,  therefore, 
took  a  pound  of  ointment  of  right  spikenard,  of 
great  price,  and  anointed  the  feet  of  Jesus." 
Then  "Judas  Iscariot  said,  'Why  was  not  this 
ointment  sold  for  three  hundred  pence,  and  given 
to  the  poor?'  "  There  is  a  striking  similarity  be- 
tween this  question  and  yours.  For  the  benefit 
of  the  Masons  who  went  to  the  trouble  of  adding 
up  the  Church's  treasures  we  might  add  what 
Holy  Writ  says  about  the  above  question  of 
Judas:  "Now,  he  said  this,  not  because  he  cared 
for  the  poor,  but  because  he  was  a  thief,  and 
having  the  purse,  carried  the  things  that  were 
put  therein." 

But  the  Savior  was  not  displeased  with  Mary. 
He  was  pleased.  And  Catholics  ever  show  their 
love  for  Jesus  by  spending  their  hard-earned 
money  that  their  Lord  and  God  may  have  a  fitting 
dwelling  place  upon  earth  and  the  best  of  every- 
thing that  art  and  money  can  procure.  It  is  poor 
enough  at  that — for  God! 

The  Jews  of  old  did  not  spare  gold  or  precious 
stones  in  the  Temple  of  Solomon.  And  yet  that 
Temple  was  merely  a  figure  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  on  whose  altars  Jesus  Christ  is  really 
present.  Nothing  can  be  too  costly,  too  precious, 
too  rare  for  our  Emmanuel — God  with   us. 

And  at  the  same  time  the  Catholic  Church  is 
eminently  the  greatest  and  most  successful  mis- 
sionary organization  in  the  world.  It  is  also 
pre-eminently  the  Church  of  the  poor  everywhere. 
From  the  very  beginning  charity  is  written  large 
on  the  pages  of  her  history. 

When  was  the  word  "Roman"  first  used 


641  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

with  reference  to  the  Catholic  Church? 
There  are  many  people  outside  the  Catholic 
Church  who  say  the  Apostles'  Creed,  and 
they  think  they  are  justified  in  saying,  "I 
believe  in  the  Holy  Catholic  Church,"  as 
long  as  they  don't  say,  "Roman  Catholic 
Church . ' '  They  seem  to  think  that  the  Holy 
Catholic  Church  and  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church  are  two  distinct  churches.  Please 
explain. 

It  were  difficult  to  say  with  certainty  just 
when  the  term  "Roman"  was  first  used  with 
reference  to  the  Catholic  Church.  Nor  does  it 
matter  much:  that  question  does  not  merit  ex- 
tensive research.  In  the  expression  "Roman 
Catholic"  the  word  "Roman"  merely  affirms  that 
the  Vicar  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  is 
the  head  of  the  whole  Church  and  that  all  who 
are  within  the  true  fold  are  within  his  jurisdic- 
tion. "Roman  Catholic"  and  "Catholic"  are 
identical  and  interchangeable  terms.  The  ad- 
jective "Roman"  merely  accentuates  the  vital 
character  of  Christianity,  which  has  a  local 
government  on  earth,  whose  head  is  the  Pope,  the 
Bishop  of  Rome.  There  is  but  one  Catholic 
(universal)  Church,  and  every  Catholic  is  also  a 
Roman  Catholic. 

As  regards  the  term  "Catholic,"  it  was  first 
applied  to  the  true  Church  as  early  as  the  begin- 
ning of  the  second  century,  as  can  be  seen  from 
a  letter  of  St.  Ignatius  the  Martyr. 

Many  High-Church  Episcopalians  of  our  day 
claim  that  they,  too,  are  Catholic;  and  it  is  doubt- 
less to  them  that  you  refer  as  feeling  justified  in 
saying,  "I  believe  in  the  Holy  Catholic  Church." 
But  they  are  manifestly  in  error.  To  prove  their 
error  in  this  particular  instance  we  would,  it 
seems,  have  to  disprove  the  so-called  "Branch 
Theory,"    by    which    Anglicans    claim    that    the 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  643 

Roman  Catholic.  Greek,  and  Anglican  Churches 
are  "Branches"  of  the  one  true  Church  of  Christ. 

However,  let  it  suffice  here  to  say  that  both 
the  Greek  Church  and  the  Church  of  Rome,  each 
much  larger  than  the  Church  of  England,  repu- 
diate this  theory.  Moreover,  if  those  three  great 
religious  bodies  are  "Branches,"  where  is  the 
"Trunk"  of  which  they  form  a  part? 

No;  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  is  the  an- 
cestral Trunk,  the  first  and  oldest  of  all  Churches, 
the  one  founded  by  Christ  and  His  Apostles. 
And  the  Catholic  Church  in  the  various  nations, 
and  individual  Catholics  even,  we  may  call  the 
living  branches. 

Of  the  "Branch  Theory"  Cardinal  Merry  del 
Val  once  said,  "A  Branch  Theory  has  been  de- 
vised as  a  compromise,  with  which  to  satisfy  the 
yearnings  of  many  an  aching  heart.  But,  alas! 
without  avail.  We,  too,  hold  a  'Branch'  theory, 
but  it  is  the  one  of  which  our  Blessed  Savior 
spoke.  Branches  there  are,  and  must  be,  in  the 
One  Church,  but  not  branches  which  have  no 
stem,  and  are  cut  off  from  the  Vine,  with  their 
leaves  scattered  'High,'  and  'Low'  and  'Broad.' 
Our  Lord  spoke  of  such  branches,  and  said:  'If 
any  man  abide  not  in  Me,  he  shall  be  cast  forth, 
as  a  branch,  and  shall  wither'." 

I  have  so  many  crushing  trials  and 
troubles  and  afflictions  of  every  kind  that  I 
can  carry  the  cross  no  longer.  God  is  hard  on 
me  after  all  the  good  I've  done  and  the  good 
life  I've  lived.  I  haven't  it  coming  to  me. 
Why  does  God  punish  me  so?  Why  must  I 
suffer — I  who  have  done  my  best  to  serve 
God  and  to  avoid  sin  and  to  grow  in  love 
for  Him? 

How  often  rebellious  sufferers  have  uttered 
this  cry.  So  deep  is  the  mystery  of  suffering 
that  many  have  lost  the  faith  in  trying  to  solve 


644  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

it  by  human  reasons  alone.  Only  in  the  Passion 
of  Christ  can  we  find  an  explanation  that  brings 
comfort. 

Both  human  and  divine  law  speak  of  suffering  as 
a  punishment;  and  reason  recognizes  the  justice 
of  it  when  inflicted  on  the  evil-doer.  But  where 
there  is  no  guilt — is  it  not  rank  injustice  then? 
No;  gaze  upon  the  cross.  There  we  read  in  letters 
of  blood  that  suffering  is  not  always  punishment 
inflicted  on  the  guilty.  The  Savior  was  utterly 
sinless.  The  innocence  of  His  character,  the  abso- 
lute purity  of  His  soul,  is  something  beyond  the 
grasp  of  our  sin-clouded  minds.  And  yet  how 
unutterably  terrible  were  the  sufferings  of  Him  of 
Whom  it  was  said  even  while  He  was  on  the 
cross,  "This  Man  hath  done  no  evil";  of  Whom  it 
was  said,  "Indeed,  this  was  a  Just  Man — this  was 
the  Son  of  God!" 

If  the  all  innocent  Savior  suffered  so,  then 
surely  the  guilty  have  no  cause  of  complaint: 
"If  in  the  green  wood  they  do  these  things,  what 
shall  be  done  in  the  dry?"  But  how  about  those 
who  are  relatively  sinless,  who  are  above  the 
ordinary  level,  like  you  who  ask  this  question? 
Why  must  they  suffer?  The  Prince  of  the 
Apostles  answers  the  question  in  words  so  divinely 
full  of  meaning  that  they  deserve  to  be  engraved 
on  the  walls  of  every  sickroom  and  in  every 
home  where  sorrow  has  dwelt.  "For  this  is  thank- 
worthy, if  for  conscience  towards  God,  a  man 
endure  sorrows,  suffering  wrongfully.  For  what 
glory  is  it,  if  committing  sin  and  being  buffeted 
for  it,  you  endure.  But  if  doing  well  you  suffer 
patiently,  this  is  thankworthy  before  God.  For 
unto  this  you  are  called:  because  Christ  also 
suffered  for  us,  leaving  you  an  example  that  you 
should  follow  His  steps.  Who  did  no  sin,  neither 
was  guile  found  in  His  mouth.  Who,  when  He 
was  reviled,  did  not  revile;  when  He  suffered, 
He   threatened   not;     but   delivered   Himself  to 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  645 

him  that  judged  Him  unjustly.  Who  His  own 
self  bore  our  sins  in  His  body  upon  the  tree; 
that  we,  being  dead  to  sins,  should  live  to  justice: 
by  Whose  stripes  you  were  healed.  For  you  were 
as  sheep  going  astray;  but  you  are  now  converted 
to  the  shepherd  and  bishop  of  your  souls." 
(I  Peter  2,  19-25.) 

Unto  this  we  are  called,  this  is  our  sublime 
vocation;  to  suffer  with  the  innocent  Christ,  not 
only  because  of  former  sins,  but  also  to  become 
more  like  the  Sinless  Sufferer.  "Whom  He  fore- 
knew He  also  predestinated  to  be  made  conform- 
able to  the  image  of  His  Son."  (Rom.  8:29.) 
"If  any  man  will  come  after  Me,  let  Him  deny 
himself  and  take  up  his  cross  daily,  and  follow 
Me."  (Luke  9:23.)  "Whom  God  loveth  He 
chastiseth." 

Well  pondered,  the  above  words  of  St.  Peter 
are  capable  of  changing  the  anguished  question- 
ing of  innocent  sufferers  into  glad  acceptance  of  a 
vocation  that  is  thankworthy  before  God.  With 
Christ  they  can  be  innocent  victims  of  expiation 
for  the  world's  sins,  and  sinless  saviors  of  the 
perishing  souls  of  men. 

There  is  a  lady  working  here  who  is  a  Creek 
Catholic.  She  says  she  is  a  Catholic  just  as 
well  as  we  and  that  our  Pope  is  their  Pope. 
They  have  priests  and  the  Mass  and  every- 
thing. But  their  Mass  has  different  cere- 
monies. She  claims  they  have  different 
customs  in  their  Church  than  in  ours  and 
also  says  that  their  priests  marry.  Is  she  a 
real  Catholic? 

She  is  doubtless  a  member  of  one  of  the  Uniat 
churches  and  what  she  says  is  true.  Uniats 
(meaning  united  with  the  Roman  Church)  are 
Eastern  Christians  (and  there  are  some  in  this 
country)  who  hold  the  same  doctrine  as  the 
Western    Church,    i.    e.,    Catholics    of    Western 


646  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Europe,  America,  and  countries  depending  upon 
them.  But  they  have  very  different  rites  and 
discipline.  Their  liturgies  follow  one  or  the  other 
of  the  great  Eastern  rites  (those  of  Antioch, 
Alexandria,  Byzantium,  or  their  derivatives)  and 
they  usually  have  a  married  clergy.  They 
acknowledge  allegiance  to  the  Pope  and  are  true 
Catholics,  in  contradistinction  to  the  non-Uniat 
churches.  There  are  eight  groups  of  these  non- 
Uniat  schismatical  or  heretical  churches,  the 
best  known  of  which  is  the  so-called  "Orthodox" 
Church.  Members  of  the  "Orthodox"  Church  to 
which  you  refer  in  your  letter  are,  accordingly, 
not  true  Catholics  and  are  not  in  communion 
with  the  Holy  See. 

Much  has  been  said  and  written  about  the 
Papal  Encyclical  on  Christian  Education  of 
Youth,  issued  Dec.  31,  1929.  Is  this  en- 
cyclical infallible? 

The  masterful  Encyclical  in  question  was  issued 
by  His  Holiness  Pope  Pius  XI.  Now,  we  know 
that  the  Church  is  infallible  also  when  it  speaks 
through  the  Pope  alone,  when  he  proclaims  to 
all  the  faithful  a  doctrine  of  faith  or  morals  "ex 
cathedra,"  that  is,  when,  as  the  successor  of  St. 
Peter  and  the  visible  head  of  the  Church,  in  the 
discharge  of  his  supreme  authority  as  pastor  and 
teacher  of  the  whole  Church,  he  decides  a  doctrine 
of  faith  and  morals  to  be  believed  by  all.  Such 
solemn  magisterial  definitions  either  of  revealed 
truths  or  truths  connected  with  revelation  are 
contained  in  those  dogmatic  Constitutions,  Bulls, 
Briefs,  Encyclical  Letters,  Epistles,  Allocutions, 
etc.,  by  which  the  Roman  Pontiff  intends  in- 
fallibly to  determine  or  to  reprobate  some  doctrine 
for  the  universal  Church.  Such  solemn  utterances 
are  of  themselves  irreformable,  infallible,  and 
demand  the  full  and  absolute  assent  of  the  mind. 
They  are  issued  in  the  Pope's  own  name  because 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  647 

he  cannot  communicate  infallibility  to  the  Roman 
Congregations. 

So  much  for  absolutely  infallible  pronounce- 
ments. But  the  Pope  also  exercises  the  teaching 
office  in  a  more  ordinary  way,  that  is  to  say,  when 
he  teaches  without  intending  to  pass  definite 
judgment  in  doctrinal  matters.  He  thus  teaches 
either  to  provide  for  the  security  of  Catholic 
doctrine,  e.  g.,  forbidding  evil  books,  condemning 
erroneous  propositions,  and  then  exercises  the 
teaching  office  either  personally  or  through  the 
Congregation  of  the  Holy  Office,  or  he  takes  it 
upon  himself  to  explain  some  commonly  taught 
Catholic  doctrine,  to  impress  it  upon  the  minds 
of  the  faithful,  or  to  make  it  more  clear.  Thus 
he  approves  catechisms  (the  Cathechism  of  the 
Council  of  Trent,  for  example,  also  known  as  the 
Roman  Catechism)  and  other  books  for  the 
instruction  of  the  faithful,  replies  to  various 
questions  by  decretal  letters,  publishes  Encyclicals, 
etc.  Such  Encyclicals  were  many  of  those  issued 
by  Pope  Leo  XIII,  e.  g.,  Immortale  Dei,  Libertasy 
Rerwn  novarum.  And  such  an  Encyclical  is  the  one 
in  question,  on  the  Christian  Education  of  Youth. 

And  now  we  come  to  a  direct  reply.  Declara- 
tions and  Encyclicals  such  as  these  latter  are  not 
of  themselves  infallible  but  they  possess  great 
authority,  as  is  evident,  since  they  emanate  from 
the  supreme  authority  in  the  Church.  To  such 
pronouncements  internal  and  religious  assent  must 
be  given,  though  not  absolute  assent,  unless  the 
doctrine  is  known  as  certain  or  as  of  faith  from 
some  other  source. 

Is  the  Catholic  Church  in  favor  of  capital 
punishment? 

Capital  punishment  is  the  infliction,  by  due 
legal  process,  of  the  penalty  of  death  as  a  punish- 
ment for  crime.  Canon  law  has  always  forbidden 
clerics  to  shed  human  blood,  and  therefore  capital 


648  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

punishment  has  always  been  the  work  of  the 
officials  of  the  state  and  not  of  the  Church.  Even 
in  the  case  of  heresy,  of  which  so  much  is  made  by 
non-Catholic  controversialists,  the  functions  of 
ecclesiastics  were  restricted  invariably  to  as- 
certaining the  fact  of  heresy.  The  punishment, 
whether  capital  or  other,  was  both  prescribed  and 
inflicted  by  civil  government.  The  infliction  of 
capital  punishment  is  not  contrary  to  the  teaching 
of  the  Catholic  Church,  and  the  power  of  the 
state  to  visit  upon  culprits  the  penalty  of  death 
derives  much  authority  from  revelation  and  from 
the  writings  of  theologians.  The  advisability  of 
exercising  that  power  is,  of  course,  an  affair  to  be 
determined  upon  other  and  various  considerations. 

How  are  problems  such  as  this  to  be  ex- 
plained? I  have  a  non-Catholic  friend  who 
is  absolutely  godless  and  disregards  religion 
entirely.  I  try  my  best  to  be  a  good  Catholic, 
and  yet  this  friend  of  mine  gets  so  much 
more  out  of  life  than  I  do,  is  healthy,  suc- 
cessful, well-to-do,  popular  and  everything 
else,  it  seems,  that  makes  for  earthly  happi- 
ness. I  do  not  mean  to  doubt  the  Catholic 
faith,  but  I  often  wonder. 

You  are  wondering  why  God  allows  the  godless 
to  prosper  in  this  world,  while  the  good  are 
afflicted  with  misery.  But,  first  of  all,  we  must 
say  that  prosperity  is  by  no  means  the  preroga- 
tive of  the  godless,  of  the  wicked;  many  of  them 
receive  their  punishment  in  this  life  in  the  form 
of  remorse,  poverty,  disease,  disgrace,  imprison- 
ment, death.  Nor  is  misery  the  universal  lot  of 
the  good.  Many  good  souls  are  blessed  by  God 
in  this  life  with  health,  wealth,  social  position 
and  other  blessings;  and  even  if  the  good  are 
poor  and  meet  with  great  adversity  they  fre- 
quently possess  a  happy  home,  true  friends,  the 
consolations  of  religion  and,  above  alb  the  joy 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  649 

of  a  good  conscience — that  peace  of  heart  which 
the  world  cannot  give. 

Moreover,  we  must  not  forget  that  the  in- 
equality of  conditions  in  this  life  is  really  a  proof 
of  the  existence  of  an  after  life,  in  which  an 
infinitely  just  God  will  right  all  the  injustice  of 
this  earthly  life.  This  life  is  a  time  of  trial  during 
which  man  must  prove  himself  worthy  of  eternal 
happiness.  The  reward  comes  only  when  our 
work  is  done — at  the  hour  of  death.  Hence,  the 
sufferings  of  the  good  in  this  life  ought  to  be  re- 
garded as  a  part  of  the  punishment  due  to  their 
sins  and  as  a  chance  of  merit.  And  what  does 
the  Savior  mean  when  He  says:  "If  any  man 
will  come  after  Me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and 
take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  Me"?  It  clearly 
means  that  "through  many  tribulations  we  must 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,"  as  we  read  in 
the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  St.  Paul  expressed 
the  true  Christian  spirit  when  he  wrote:  "For 
I  reckon  that  the  sufferings  of  this  life  are  not 
worthy  to  be  compared  with  the  glory  to  come." 
Uniting  our  sufferings  with  the  sufferings  of 
Christ  makes  even  suffering  a  deep,  spiritual  joy, 
as  can  be  seen  from  the  motto  of  certain  great 
saints,  "Lord,  let  me  suffer  or  let  me  die!" 

As  for  the  prosperity  and  seeming  happiness 
of  the  godless  and  the  wicked  it  should  be  looked 
upon  as  their  reward  here  for  the  good  they  have 
wrought.  The  Savior's  words.  "Woe  to  you  that 
are  rich,  for  you  have  your  consolation,"  may 
be  applied  in  general  to  the  prosperity  of  the 
wicked.  The  words  are  saddening.  They  fill  us 
with  pity  rather  than  with  envy. 

We  sometimes  hear  man  spoken  of  as  the 
highest  form  of  animal  life.  Is  this  right? 
Can  man  be  called  an  animal? 

An  animal  is  any  member  of  a  group  of  living 
beings    typically    endowed    with    sensation    and 


650  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

voluntary  motion,  as  distinguished  from  a  plant. 
In  this  sense  man  is  the  highest  form  of  animal 
life. 

But  is  man  an  animal?  We  have  had  occasion 
at  various  times  to  hear  young  men  who  were 
frequenting  high  school  or  college  assert  with  a 
vast  display  of  superior  knowledge  that  man  is 
an  animal,  to  the  apparent  bewilderment  and 
consternation  of  their  less  "learned"  and  greatly 
shocked  listeners.  This  supersmartness  savors 
not  a  little  of  the  spirit  of  a  godless  world  that 
would  acknowledge  no  hereafter. 

We  accordingly  wish  to  say  that  man  is  not 
an  animal,  unqualifiedly  so  called.  According  to 
the  common  definition  of  the  Schoolmen,  man  is 
a  rational  animal.  This  is  a  logical  definition  ex- 
hibiting the  metaphysical  entity  of  man  and  sig- 
nifying that  man  is  a  substance  corporeal,  living, 
sentient  and  rational.  Hence,  according  to  the 
principles  of  sound  philosophy,  it  is  not  correct 
simply  to  call  man  an  animal;  for  this  enuncia- 
tion denotes  only  the  generic  and  lower  consti- 
tuent of  man's  nature  and  ignores  its  specific  and 
higher  ingredient,  namely,  reason,  which  nobili- 
tates  his  animality. 

All  of  which  is  implied  even  in  the  ordinary 
way  of  speaking.  By  the  word  animal  we  always 
mean  an  irrational,  sentient  being.  We  do  not 
call  man  an  animal.  Indeed,  since  this  compari- 
son of  man  with  the  mere  animal  is  so  offensive  to 
our  ears  and  so  revolting  to  our  nature,  which  is 
elevated  as  high  above  the  mere  animal  as  the 
heavens  above  the  earth,  we  even  prefer  in  the 
popular  way  of  speaking  to  call  man  a  rational 
being  or  a  rational  creature  rather  than  a  rational 
animal. 

Let  us  not  forget  that  man  has  been  endowed 
by  his  Creator  with  an  immortal  soul,  which  is 
the  animating  agent  of  the  human  body.  By 
the   Christian   dispensation   of   God,    man's   im- 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  651 

mortal  soul  has,  moreover,  been  raised  to  a  par- 
ticipation in  the  divine  life  of  its  Creator,  whereby 
also  the  human  body  is  sanctified.  At  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead  on  the  last  day,  body  and 
soul  will  be  reunited;  and  in  the  case  of  the 
just  the  glorified  soul  will  communicate  its  glory 
to  the  sanctified  body;  and  body  and  soul,  the 
whole  man,  will  enjoy  the  unspeakable  blisses  of 
heaven  for  all  eternity. 

Does  the  Church  believe  in  predestination? 

The  Catholic  Church  has  always  taught  the 
eternal  predestination  of  the  elect  as  an  article  of 
faith. 

But  there  can  be  no  absolute  and  positive  pre- 
destination to  eternal  punishment  and  the  pains 
of  hell  can  only  be  threatened  in  view  of  mortal 
sin. 

Predestination  is  a  dogma  of  the  Church,  but 
not  in  the  sense  in  which  that  term  is  more  com- 
monly understood.  The  doctrine  of  predestina- 
tion as  condemned  by  the  Church  is  in  substance 
as  follows: 

1.  That  the  absolute  will  of  God  is  the  sole 
cause  of  salvation  or  damnation  of  the  individual, 
without  regard  to  his  merits  or  demerits. 

2.  That  the  elect  lack  freedom  of  will  under 
the  influence  of  efficacious  grace. 

The  doctrine  of  predestination  as  taught  by 
the  Church  is  briefly  this: 

1.  God  predestines  from  all  eternity  the  num- 
ber of  the  saved;  He  bestows  the  graces  needed 
to  obtain  eternal  life  without  any  respect  to  merit 
on  their  part,  either  before  or  after  grace  is  con- 
ferred, so  that  eternal  life  is  His  free  gift. 

2.  On  the  other  hand,  no  adult  enters  heaven 
except  because  he  has  of  his  own  free  will  cor- 
responded to  the  grace  of  God,  and  none  are  lost 
except  by  the  perversity  of  their  own  will,  since 


652.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

God  sincerely  desires  that  all  men  come  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth  and  be  saved. 

The  Catholic  teaching  may  be  still  more  sum- 
marized in  this  way:  From  all  eternity  God  in- 
tended heaven  for  merit  which  He  foresaw,  and 
hell  for  demerit  which  He  foresaw. 

Is  it  true  that  at  the  birth  of  a  child  its 
whole  life  is  pronounced?  I  mean  what 
kind  of  troubles  this  person  will  live  through, 
whom  he  will  marry,  how  and  when  he  will 
die,  whether  he  will  be  saved,  etc.  ? 

God  knows  all  things.  He,  and  He  alone, 
knows  absolutely  everything  that  will  happen  to 
a  child  born  into  this  world.  Indeed,  He  knew  it 
from  all  eternity.  Nothing  is  hidden  from  His 
eyes.     To  Him  all  things  are  present. 

Man,  having  a  free  will,  freely  works  out  his 
own  destiny.  But  also  the  free  future  is  known 
and  present  to  God.  However,  it  were  utterly 
sinful  and  heretical  to  say  that  at  the  birth  of  a 
child  its  eternal  fate  is  pronounced  by  the  abso- 
lute will  of  the  all-knowing  God.  The  fact  that 
God  knows  what  use  a  man  will  make  of  his  free 
will  does  not  in  the  least  infringe  upon  that 
free  will. 

We  give  a  little  illustration.  Suppose  you  are 
sitting  in  your  room  in  front  of  your  dresser 
with  a  larger  mirror  before  you.  As  you  look  into 
the  mirror  the  door  behind  you  opens  and  your 
sister  enters.  She  walks  towards  you.  In  the 
mirror  you  see  her  approaching.  Is  she  approach- 
ing because  you  see  her?  Certainly  not!  You 
see  her  because  she  is  approaching. 

It  is  not  wise  to  worry  or  even  to  think  over- 
much about  this  matter,  so  shrouded  in  mystery. 
All  men  can  be  saved;  and  it  is  the  teaching  of 
the  Church  that  to  all  adult  men,  also  to  un- 
believers, there  is  given  grace  sufficient  for  sal- 
vation.     As   an   old   woman    used   to   say    with 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  653 

splendid  simplicity,  "Why,  of  course,  I'm  going 
to  be  saved,  because  I  want  to  be  saved  and  God 
wants  me  to  be  saved,  and  I'll  see  to  it,  with 
God's  grace,  that  I  will  be  saved.'\  ;g  .  ^ 

Are  the  teachings  of  the  Councils  of  the 
Church  the  infallible  word  of  God? 

This  question  is  sufficiently  answered  by  the 
following  question  and  answer  from  the  little 
Baltimore  Catechism.  "When  does  the  Church 
teach  infallibly?  The  Church  teaches  infallibly 
when  it  speaks  through  the  Pope  and  bishops 
united  in  general  council,  or  through  the  Pope 
alone  when  he  proclaims  to  all  the  faithful  a 
doctrine  of  faith  or  morals." 

"  Is  the  Bible  the  infallible  Word  of  God? 

The  question  might  also  be  put  thus:  "Is  the 
Bible  and  the  Bible  alone  the  way  to  find  out  the 
Gospel  of  Christ?"  The  Catholic's  answer  is  a  de- 
cisive "No!"  Indeed,  it  is  only  by  the  divine 
authority  of  the  Catholic  Church  that  Christians 
know  that  the  Scripture  is  the  Word  of  God  and 
what  books  certainly  belong  to  the  Bible.  The 
Bible  is  not  its  own  witness.  It  is  like  a  will 
without  a  signature  or  probate.  It  is  infallible 
only  because  of  and  to  the  extent  of  the  Church's 
infallible  witness.  Deny  the  Church's  infallible 
witness,  and  the  Bible  is  at  once  reduced  to  the 
level  of  mere  Oriental  literature  and  utterly 
devoid  of  divine  inspiration.  The  Catholic 
Church  alone  guarantees  infallibly  the  authen- 
ticity of  the  Latin  Vulgate,  the  contents  of  the 
Canon,  and  the  inspiration  of  all  the  seventy- 
two  books  of  Holy  Writ.  As  St.  Augustine  could 
rightly  say  in  the  fifth  century,  "I  would  not 
believe  the  Gospel  unless  moved  thereto  by  the 
authority  of  the  Church."  The  Bible,  therefore, 
is  the  infallible  Word  of  God  only  inasmuch  as  the 
interpretation  of  the  infallible  Church  makes  it  so. 

In   this   connection    it    would    be   well   to   re- 


654  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

member  that  the  Bible  was  never  intended  to 
take  the  place  of  the  living,  infallible  teacher, 
the  Church,  but  was  written  to  explain  or  insist 
upon  a  teaching  already  preached.  "Faith 
cometh  by  hearing"  (Rom.  10:17).  The  Catholic 
Church,  a  divine,  living,  infallible  voice,  guaran- 
tees to  every  one  not  merely  the  written  word, 
but  also  the  unwritten  teaching  of  divine  tra- 
dition. 

The  Bible  is  indeed  a  holy  book,  the  Book  of 
Books,  but  in  reading  it  we  must  be  guided  by 
its  divine  and  infallible  interpreter  and  custodian, 
the  one  Church  of  Jesus  Christ.  Speaking  of  St. 
Paul's  epistles,  St.  Peter  says,  "in  which  are  cer- 
tain things  hard  to  be  understood;  which  the 
unlearned  and  unstable  wrest,  as  they  do  also  the 
other  Scriptures,  to  their  own  destruction"  (2 
Peter  3:16).  All  around  us  we  see  how  this  has 
been  verified  by  the  following  of  the  pernicious 
Protestant  doctrine  of  private  interpretation. 

I  have  seen  that  the  Pope,  speaking  in 
the  name  of  Christ  in  the  declaration  of 
some  dogma,  uses  the  plural  form  WE. 
Just  why  does  he  say  WE  instead  of  I,  as  he 
is  then  speaking  in  the  name  of  Christ? 

The  pronoun  we  is  used  by  the  speaker  or 
writer  to  denote  himself  and  others,  and  is  there- 
fore plural.  But  it  is  sometimes  used,  instead 
of  the  singular,  to  indicate  that  the  speaker  or 
writer  is  not  alone  in  his  opinions;  or,  perhaps 
more  frequently,  to  evade  the  charge  of  egotism. 
Hence  this  assumption  of  plurality  is  really 
modest  and  becoming.  It  is  sometimes  used  by 
rulers  for  the  reasons  just  cited  and  as  the  plural 
of  majesty.  Since  this  plural  is  used  in  place  of 
the  singular  we  see  no  incongruity  in  the  Pope's 
use  of  it  when  he  speaks  in  the  name  of  Christ. 

I  had  a  dispute  with  a  non-Catholic  party 
in  regard  to  the  Immaculate  Conception. 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  655 

This  party  does  not  believe  that  Mary  could 
be  a  Mother  and  at  the  same  time  remain  a 
Virgin.  But  isn't  the  Incarnation — the 
Word  made  flesh — a  mystery  ?  Enlighten  us. 

Both  you  and  your  non-Catholic  have  mixed 
things  up  badly;  and  it  is  only  with  an  effort 
that  we  refrain  from  giving  "an  exhortation.'* 
Instead  of  that,  however,  we  proceed  to  en- 
lighten you. 

First  of  all,  you  must  distinguish  between  the 
Immaculate  Conception  and  the  Virgin  Birth. 
These  two  mysteries  are  quite  distinct.  The 
Immaculate  Conception  is  that  glorious  privilege 
by  which,  through  the  merits  of  her  Divine  Son, 
through  the  future  tears  and  blood  of  the  life  and 
passion  and  death  of  Christ,  the  Blessed  Virgin 
was  preserved  free  from  the  stain  of  original 
sin.  We  will  explain  further.  By  a  universal, 
sovereign,  unvarying  decree  of  God  the  soul  of 
every  child  of  Adam  contracts  the  stain  of 
original  sin  at  the  moment  of  conception  in  the 
mother's  womb.  But  in  Mary's  case  God  sus- 
pended this  law  of  His  infinite  justice.  At  the 
very  instant  when  He  united  Mary's  created 
soul  to  the  body  it  was  to  animate,  that  soul  did 
not  only  not  contract  the  stain  which  defiles 
every  human  soul  at  that  instant,  but  was  so 
immeasurably  filled  with  grace  as  to  be  trans- 
formed, from  that  moment,  into  a  mirror  of  the 
sanctity  of  God  Himself,  as  far  as  that  is  possible 
for  a  creature.  This  prerogative  is  called  her 
Immaculate  Conception. 

And  now  comes  the  doctrine  of  Mary's  per- 
petual virginity,  which  includes  the  Virgin  Birth 
of  Christ.  The  doctrine  is  an  article  of  faith.  In 
the  third  canon  of  the  Lateran  Council  held  in 
the  time  of  Pope  Martin  I,  A.  D.  649,  Holy 
Church  defined  under  anathema  that  the  Blessed 
Mother   of   Jesus   Christ   was   a   Virgin   before, 


656  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

during,  and  after  the  conception  and  birth  of  her 
Divine  Son. 

As  every  Catholic  knows,  this  is  the  infallible 
teaching  of  Holy  Mother  Church,  of  which  her 
loyal  children  may  not  even  for  a  moment  doubt. 

But,  that  you  may  know  more  clearly  what  you 
believe,  we  here  again  explain  Our  Lady's  per- 
petual virginity  by  stating  what  we  Catholics 
believe. 

We  believe  that  Mary  was  a  Virgin  before  and 
during  the  conception  of  Christ.  And  in  saying 
that  she  was  a  Virgin  during  the  conception  we 
mean  that  the  matter  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ 
was  supplied  by  Mary,  who  co-operated  in  the 
formation  of  Christ's  body  as  every  mother  co- 
operates in  the  formation  of  the  body  of  her  child. 
But  the  germ  in  whose  development  and  growth 
into  the  body  of  Jesus  Mary  co-operated  was 
fecundated,  not  by  any  human  action,  but  by 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  "Pure  as  the  dew 
that  descends  from  heaven,  and  silently  fall* 
upon  the  silver  fleece,  did  He  come  to  the  Virgin 
Mother." 

We  believe  that  Mary  was  a  Virgin  at  the  birth 
of  Christ.  The  supernatural  influence  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  extended  to  the  birth  of  Jesus  Christ,  pre- 
serving Mary's  integrity,  and  causing  Christ's 
birth,  or  external  generation,  to  reflect  His  eternal 
birth  from  the  Father,  inasmuch  as  "the  Light 
from  Light"  proceeds  from  His  Mother's  womb  as 
a  light  shed  on  the  world.  The  "power  of  the 
Most  High"  passed  through  the  barriers  of  nature 
without  injuring  them.  There  were  none  of  the 
painful,  embarrassing  circumstances  accompany- 
ing the  ordinary  human  birth.  The  body  of  the 
Word  formed  by  the  Holy  Ghost  penetrated  an- 
other body  after  the  manner  of  spirits.  St. 
Augustine  beautifully  illustrated  this.  He  says 
that  as  the  rays  of  the  sun  pass  through  a  crystal 
vase  and  leave  it  unimpaired,  as  Christ  after  His 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  657 

resurrection  passed  through  closed  doors  and 
stood  in  the  midst  of  His  Apostles,  even  so  Jesus 
was  born  of  Mary  and  left  her  a  Virgin  still.  As 
light  leaves  the  star  that  loses  thereby  none  of  its 
brilliancy,  so  Mary's  babe  left  her  womb  and 
rested  on  the  sacred  corporal  of  her  bosom,  she 
losing  none  of  the  brilliancy  of  her  virginity. 

We  believe  that  Mary  was  a  Virgin  after  the 
birth  of  Christ.  The  very  thought  of  anything 
contrary  to  this  express  teaching  of  the  infallible 
Church  savors  of  blasphemy. 

This  is  what  we  mean  when  we  reverently, 
happily  call  our  Lady  "ever  Virgin."  This  is 
what  was  foretold  in  the  famous  prophecy  of 
Isaias  predicting  the  wondrous  ways  of  God  in 
the  Virgin  Birth  of  Christ,  "Behold,  a  Virgin 
shall  conceive,  and  bear  a  Son,  and  His  name 
shall  be  called  Emmanuel." 

You  conclude  your  question  by  mentioning 
the  Incarnation.  Please  remember  that  this  is 
something  different  again,  though  it  was  in  the 
Incarnation  that  Mary's  fruitful  virginity  played 
so  important  a  part.  By  the  Incarnation  we  mean 
that  the  Son  of  God  was  made  Man.  In  the 
womb  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Jesus  Christ,  the 
Second  Person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity,  took  to 
Himself  human  nature,  a  body  and  soul  like 
ours,  becoming  true  Man  and  at  the  same  time 
remaining  true  God. 

Yes;  our  holy  religion  is  full  of  these  beauti- 
ful mysteries.  "A  mystery."  says  the  Catechism, 
"is  a  truth  which  we  cannot  fully  understand." 
Try  to  understand  as  best  you  can  and  leave  the 
rest  to  faith.     "The  just  man  liveth  by  faith." 

To  settle  a  discussion,  will  you  kindly  tell 
just  exactly  what  is  meant  by  the  words  of 
Solomon,  "Vanity  of  vanities,  and  all  things 
are  vanity"     (Eccli.  1:2).    Does  this  include 


658  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

our    ambitions,    normal    desires,    and    our 
diversions  ? 

The  text  here  cited  is  often  quoted.  It  is, 
moreover,  one  that  repeatedly  forces  itself  to 
the  lips  of  the  true  Christian  from  a  heart  that 
is  restless  ever  and  that  knows  and  feels  it  can 
find  rest  in  God  alone. 

The  word  vanity  has  many  significations.  It 
means  inanity,  emptiness;  brevity,  a  thing  fleet- 
ing and  temporal;  mutability;  that  which  is 
mortal  and  perishable;  that  which  is  deceitful, 
lying,  fallacious.  All  these  significations  apply  to 
the  word  in  the  above  text.  Everything  in  this 
world  is  empty,  fleeting,  mutable,  corruptible, 
false,  and  deceitful.  On  the  contrary,  in  heaven 
above,  with  God,  all  things  are  enduring,  lasting, 
immutable,  incorruptible,  true,  and  faithful.  The 
vanity  of  earthly  things  is  thus  opposed  to  the 
truth  of  heavenly  things.  Hence,  every  creature, 
everything  that  is  not  God  and  His  heaven,  is 
called  "vanity  of  vanities,"  that  is  to  say,  most 
vain,  utterly  so,  and  that  for  a  threefold  reason. 

The  first  reason  is  because,  with  respect  to 
God,  Who  is  a  very  ocean  of  being  and  of  all  per- 
fection, the  creature  is  as  a  being  non-existent, 
as  nothing.  "My  substance  is  as  nothing  before 
Thee,"  says  the  psalmist.  And  in  numerous 
passages  Holy  Writ  tells  us  that  all  nations 
are  as  nothing  before  God,  that  the  sun  has  no 
brilliance  and  the  stars  are  not  pure  in  His 
sight,  etc. 

The  second  reason  is  because  no  created  thing 
can  make  man  truly  happy  or  completely  satisfy 
his  unutterable  longings  and  desires  for  perfect 
bliss.  True  satiety  and  felicity  are  found  in 
the  infinite  God  alone;  and  if  sought  elsewhere, 
it  is  sought  in  vain. 

The  third  reason  is  because  man  in  his  folly 
abuses  created  things  for  vain  purposes,  for  in- 
stance, in  order  thereby  to  satisfy  his  vain  con- 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  659 

cupiscences,  whereby  he  draws  upon  himself  both 
temporal  and  eternal  ruin. 

We  believe  this  brief  explanation  is  sufficient. 
But  we  may  add  that  the  text  does  include  our 
ambitions,  normal  desires,  and  our  diversions,  if 
these  are  not  directed  to  the  attainment  of  life's 
great  purpose:  "To  know  God,  to  love  Him,  to 
serve  Him,  and  so  to  reach  heaven." 

I  would  like  to  know  who  is  more  to  a 
wife,  her  mother  or  her  husband?  My  wife 
died  recently  and  her  mother  had  her 
maiden  name  alone  engraved  on  her  tomb- 
stone, omitting  my  family  name,  which  my 
wife  received  in  marriage.  We  were  always 
happy  together  and  her  last  words  to  me 
were:  "You  have  been  a  good  husband  to 
me."  I  have  two  children  and  it  surely 
pains  me  when  I  take  them  to  their  mother's 
grave  and  they  do  not  see  my  name  there. 

The  husband  is,  of  course,  more  to  the  wife 
than  is  her  mother.  In  the  Gospel  of  St.  Matthew 
(19:3-6)  we  read:  "And  there  came  to  Jesus 
Pharisees  tempting  Him,  saying:  'Is  it  lawful  for 
a  man  to  put  away  his  wife  for  every  cause?' 
Who  answering  said  to  them:  'Have  ye  not 
read  that  He  Who  made  man  from  the  beginning 
made  them  male  and  female?'  And  He  said: 
'For  this  cause  shall  a  man  leave  father  and 
mother  and  cleave  to  his  wife,  and  they  shall  be 
two  in  one  flesh.'  Therefore,  now  they  are  not 
two,  but  one  flesh.  What,  therefore,  God  hath 
joined  together  let  no  man  put  asunder." 

Relative  to  your  other  difficulty,  the  Code  of 
Canon  Law  (1211)  merely  says  concerning  funeral 
monuments  that  there  shall  be  nothing  in  the 
way  of  epitaphs,  laudatory  inscriptions,  or  orna- 
mentation that  is  an  offense  to  religion  and  piety. 

In  a  way  we  might  almost  assert  that  the 
omission  of  your  name  is  such  an  offense.     But 


660  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

we  can  ascertain  the  mind  of  the  Church  by  a 
less  forced  mode  of  reasoning.  It  follows.  Canon 
Law  (1223)  indeed  states  that  even  married 
women,  and  children  who  have  reached  the 
age  of  puberty,  have  the  right  of  the  choice  of 
their  place  of  burial,  independently  of  the 
authority  of  husband  or  father.  But  in  Canon 
1229  we  learn  that  a  wife  is  to  be  buried  in  the 
ancestral  tomb  of  her  husband;  and,  if  she  had 
several  husbands,  in  the  ancestral  tomb  of  her 
last  husband, — always  provided,  of  course,  that 
she  had  not  chosen  another  burial  place.  This 
is  clearly  an  index  of  the  mind  of  fhe  Church 
as  regards  the  peculiar  and  unjust  state  of  affairs 
disclosed  by  your  question. 

Did  St.  Theresa,  the  Little  Flower,  shower 
real  roses  on  St.  Peter's  cathedral  in  Rome, 
when  she  was  canonized,  as  was  told  me  by 
a  friend,  or  were  they  only  spiritual  roses? 
How  did  the  Holy  Father  know  that  she  was 
a  saint  in  heaven? 

They  were  apparently  real  roses,  as  we  gather 
from  the  Prologue  of  the  saint's  "Autobiography" 
by  Father  Taylor.  And  we  are  sure  that  especi- 
ally on  May  17, 1925,  the  glorious  day  of  her  canon- 
ization, the  Little  Flower  scattered  the  roses  of 
her  love  not  only  over  St.  Peter's  but  over  the 
whole  wide  world. 

St.  Peter's  that  day  was  packed  with  nearly 
80.000  people.  That  great  temple  was  illumi- 
nated with  from  30,000  to  40,000  lights.  The 
procession  that  escorted  the  Holy  Father  into 
St.  Peter's  was  one  of  extraordinary  splendor. 
But  we  wish  merely  to  quote  the  words  that 
infallibly  declared  the  Little  Flower  a  saint  in 
heaven.  To  the  Cardinal  Vicar's  final  appeal 
that  she  be  declared  a  saint,  the  Secretary  of 
Briefs  answered:  "All  things  having  been  rightly 
fulfilled   which   the  Roman   Church  observes  in 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  66 x 

this  grave  matter,  our  Most  Holy  Lord  will  give 
sentence  that  Blessed  Therese  of  the  Child  Jesus 
be  numbered  amongst  the  Saints.  Wherefore, 
all  of  you  arise:    Peter  shall  speak  through  Pius." 

Then  the  Holy  Father,  in  a  clear  voice,  pro- 
nounced the  solemn  words:  "To  the  honor  of 
the  Holy  and  Undivided  Trinity,  to  the  exalta- 
tion of  the  Catholic  faith,  and  the  increase  of  the 
Christian  religion,  by  the  authority  of  Our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  of  the  Holy  Apostles  Peter  and 
Paul,  and  by  Our  own,  after  mature  deliberation 
and  having  earnestly  implored  the  Divine  aid, 
and  after  consulting  Our  venerable  brethren, 
the  Holy  Roman  Church,  the  Cardinals,  Patri- 
archs, Archbishops,  and  Bishops  dwelling  in  Our 
City,  We  define  and  declare  Blessed  Therese  of 
the  Child  Jesus  to  be  inscribed  in  the  catalogue 
of  the  Saints  and  her  memory  to  be  observed  in 
the  Universal  Church  on  September  30th  (her 
heavenly  birthday)  according  to  the  rite  of 
Virgins  not  Martyrs.  In  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

Tremendous  applause  followed.  Therese  was 
now  a  canonized  saint.  Her  virtues  and  miracles 
had  been  carefully  investigated.  The  prescribed 
procedure  of  canonization  had  been  duly  followed. 
When  the  Holy  Father  said,  "We  define  and 
declare,"  he  spoke  as  the  Vicar  of  Jesus  Christ 
and  under  the  special  guidance  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Both  human  and  divine  means  con- 
tributed to  the  absolute  certainty  of  the  declara- 
tion that  "Blessed  Therese  of  the  Child  Jesus 
be  inscribed  in  the  catalogue  of  the  saints." 

There  has  been  an  argument  at  our  office 
about  the  burial  place  of  St.  Peter.  It  is 
the  general  belief  of  Catholics  that  St. 
Peter  is  buried  at  Rome.  But  the  opponents 
of  this  belief  say  that  the  Rome  of  today  is 
not  the  same  as  of  old.    What  about  it? 


662.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

It  is  an  established  historical  fact  that  St. 
Peter  was  the  first  Bishop  of  Rome — the  same 
Rome  as  the  Rome  of  today — and  suffered 
martyrdom  there.  He  was  crucified  under  Nero, 
with  his  head  downward,  June  29th,  of  the  year 
64,  in  the  Circus  of  Nero  below  the  Vatican  Hill. 
He  was  buried  near  the  Circus;  later  (258?) 
his  body  was  taken  to  the  Catacomb  on  the  Via 
Appia,  but  was  brought  back  to  the  Vatican  by 
Constantine  the  Great.  In  846,  his  tomb  was 
strengthened  by  a  heavy  wall.  Of  the  fact  that 
St.  Peter  lived  at  Rome,  at  least  during  the  latter 
part  of  his  life,  and  that  he  died  and  is  buried 
there,  we  have  irrefutable  proof. 

I  have  lived  such  a  bad  life  that  I  think 
God  must  have  cursed  me.  I  have  been  so 
wicked;  and  now  I  am  looking  back  when 
it  is  too  late.  Oh,  why  didn't  I  see  things 
this  way  years  ago !  I  have  no  confidence  in 
the  mercy  of  God.  I  wish  I  could  find  a 
saint  who  would  help.  Could  you  give  me 
the  address  of  some  saint  who  sees  our  Lord  ? 

Abandon  hope  and  cast  yourself  into  despair, 
and  you  show  you  do  not  believe  that  God  is 
almighty;  for  you  think  there  are  sins  that  He 
cannot  forgive.  But  if  you  say  that  He  can, 
but  He  will  not,  you  call  God  a  liar;  for  God 
says  that  as  soon  as  the  sinner  repents  He  will 
forgive  all  the  sins  he  has  committed. 

Only  repent  in  the  right  way,  which  implies 
that  you  go  to  confession  and  sorrowfully  tell 
your  sins  as  best  you  can,  and  God  will  not  only 
forgive,  but  even  forget,  all  your  past  sins.  He 
says  (Ezechiel  18:27,  28) :  "And  when  the  wicked 
turneth  himself  away  from  his  wickedness,  which 
he  had  wrought,  and  doeth  judgment,  and 
justice,  he  shall  save  his  soul  alive.  Because  he 
considereth  and  turneth  away  himself  from  all 
his   iniquities   which   he   had   wrought,   he   shall 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  663 

surely  live,  and  not  die."  God  does  not  desire 
the  death  of  the  sinner,  but  rather  that  he  be  con- 
verted and  live.  "Is  it  My  will  that  the  sinner 
should  die,  and  not  that  he  should  be  con- 
verted from  his  ways  and  live?"  After  forgiving, 
God  crowns  the  penitent  with  merits,  restoring 
to  him  all  the  treasures  of  graces  which  he  had 
acquired  while  formerly  in  the  grace  of  God. 

Christ's  whole  life,  His  teaching,  miracles,  suf- 
ferings and  death  show  the  abundance  of  God's 
mercy.  If  you  who  ask  this  question  and  who 
seem  to  be  so  filled  with  regret  for  the  past, 
could  cast  yourself  at  the  loving,  merciful  Savior's 
feet  and  ask  His  pardon,  would  you  still  want 
"the  address  of  some  saint  who  sees  our  Lord"? 
But  now  the  priest  is  Christ's  visible  representa- 
tive; he  is  an  "other  Christ."  To  him  Christ  says, 
"Who  hears  you,  hears  Me."  So  all  you  need 
do  is,  with  proper  dispositions  of  sincerity  and 
sorrow,  to  go  and  "show  yourself  to  the  priest" 
in  the  holy  Sacrament  of  Penance.  There  you 
will  hear  from  the  lips  of  the  priest  those  won- 
drous words  that  blot  out  sin  forever  and  for- 
ever: "I  absolve  thee  from  thy  sins  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Amen."  And  "Who  hears  you,  hears 
Me,"  the  all-forgiving  Savior  says. 

If  a  man  has  a  soul,  is  that  soul  mortal 
or  immortal?  Please  give  Scripture  proof  to 
support  your  answer. 

It  is  an  article  of  faith  that  man  consists  of 
but  two  essential  constituents,  a  body  and  a 
spiritual  soul.  It  is  likewise  an  article  of  faith 
that  the  human  soul  is  immortal,  that  it  will 
never  die.  Speaking  of  immortality,  we  may 
recall  that  it  is  threefold:  the  essential  im- 
mortality of  God,  the  natural  immortality  of 
the  soul,  and  (after  the  resurrection  of  the  dead 


664  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

on  the  last  day)  the  supernatural  immortality 
of  the  body. 

Independently  even  of  the  clear  witness  of 
Revelation  in  both  the  Old  Testament  and  the 
New,  reason  plainly  postulates  the  immortality 
of  the  soul.  1.  Everywhere  and  at  all  times  men 
have  firmly  believed  in  an  after  life.  This  uni- 
versal belief  in  immortality  was  planted  in  man's 
reason  by  God,  Who  made  us  for  Himself.  2. 
Many  have  considered  the  evident  inequality  and 
injustice  of  this  life  one  of  the  strongest  proofs 
of  a  life  to  come.  Life  were  a  meaningless,  in- 
soluble problem,  unless  we  postulate  a  future  life 
in  which  an  infinitely  just  God  will  make  good  the 
inequality  and  injustice  of  this,  rendering  unto 
every  man  according  to  his  works.  3.  Again, 
there  is  the  intense  craving  of  man's  intellect  for 
truth  and  his  ceaseless  longing  for  happiness, 
both  of  which  are  never  satisfied  in  this  life.  This 
life's  incompleteness  points  to  a  life  to  come, 
where  God  alone  can  make  man  perfectly  happy. 
As  St.  Augustine  exclaims,  "Thou  hast  made  us 
for  Thyself,  0  God,  and  our  hearts  are  not  at 
rest  until  they  rest  in  Thee!"  4.  Conscience,  by 
its  command  to  do  the  right  and  avoid  the 
wrong,  and  its  reward  of  peace  for  good  done 
and  its  punishment  of  remorse  for  evil,  points 
clearly  to  God,  Who  in  the  life  to  come  will 
eternally  reward  the  good  and  punish  the  wicked. 
5.  The  soul  does  not  perish  with  the  body,  be- 
cause it  is  not  a  material,  but  a  simple  spiritual 
substance,  containing  in  itself  no  element  of  de- 
struction or  disintegration.  The  soul  is  not 
subject  to  the  laws  that  govern  matter;  and, 
though  united  to  the  body,  the  soul's  life  is  inde- 
pendent of  the  body.  "For  the  spirit,"  says  St. 
Irenaeus,  "is  incomposite  and  simple  and  can- 
not be  resolved." 

The  immortality  of  the  soul  is  the  foundation 
stone  of  ethics  and  of  the  entire  supernatural 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  665 

order  of  salvation.  It,  therefore,  goes  without 
saying  that  this  truth  was  unanimously  taught, 
philosophically  investigated,  and  scientifically  de- 
veloped by  the  Fathers. 

You  wish  to  have  Scripture  proofs  (proofs 
from  revelation)  to  support  our  answer.  Such 
proofs  are  numerous  and  explicit.  We  here  give 
a  few  passages  from  Holy  Writ. 

"Fear  ye  not  them  that  kill  the  body,  and  are 
not  able  to  kill  the  soul;  but  rather  fear  Him 
Who  can  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  hell." 
(Matth.  10:28.) 

"The  dust  return  into  its  earth,  from  whence 
it  was,  and  the  spirit  return  to  God,  Who  gave 
it."     (Eccles.  12:7.)  _ 

"The  souls  of  the  just  are  in  the  hand  of  God, 
and  the  torment  of  death  shall  not  touch  them. 
In  the  sight  of  the  unwise  they  seemed  to  die,  and 
their  departure  was  taken  for  misery,  and  their 
going  away  from  us  for  utter  destruction:  but 
they  are  in  peace.  And  though  in  the  sight  of 
men  they  suffered  torments,  their  hope  is  full  of 
immortality."     (Wisdom  3:1-4.) 

"What  doth  it  profit  a  man  if  he  gain  the  whole 
world,  and  suffer  the  loss  of  his  own  soul?  Or 
what  exchange  shall  a  man  give  for  his  soul?" 
(Matth.  16:26.) 

"Let  Us  make  man  to  Our  image  and  like- 
ness." (Gen.  1:26.)  (The  soul  is  like  to  God 
because  it  is  a  spirit  that  will  never  die  and  has 
understanding  and  free  will.) 

We  know  that  the  good  done  in  the  state 
of  grace  merits  eternal  life.  But  is  there 
any  reward  for  good  done  when  not  in  the 
state  of  grace? 

Yes;    just  as  every  sin  is  punished,  so  is  all 

good  rewarded.     The  good  done  by  one  not  in 

the  state  of  grace,  though  it  does  not  merit  eternal 

life,    is   rewarded   in   various   ways.     Sometimes 


666  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

God  lends  such  doers  of  good  time  for  repentance, 
or  puts  it  into  the  hearts  of  His  faithful  servants 
to  continue  intercessions  for  them,  by  means  of 
which  they  often  escape  from  their  sins  and 
miseries.  Sometimes,  however,  through  the 
disposition  of  God's  grace,  they  receive  neither 
prayers  nor  time,  but  are  rewarded  with  temporal 
things,  being  treated  like  animals  that  are  fatted 
for  the  slaughter.  Therefore  such  as  those,  who, 
having  always  murmured  against  God's  goodness, 
nevertheless  do  some  good,  not  in  the  state  of 
grace,  but  in  sin,  and  have  not  profited  in  their 
works  either  by  time  or  by  prayers  or  by  any 
of  the  other  ways  in  which  He  has  called  them, 
are  thus  reproved  by  God  for  their  sins;  His 
goodness,  however,  wishing  nevertheless  to  re- 
ward their  works,  that  is,  the  little  service  which 
they  have  done,  they  are  rewarded  by  God 
with  temporal  things  on  which  they  fatten, 
and,  not  correcting  themselves,  they  arrive  at 
eternal  punishment.  How  many  souls  have  thus 
deceived  themselves. 

My  sins  have  been  so  enormous  that  I 
feel  there  can  be  no  forgiveness  for  me. 
What  does  the  Church  teach? 

We  fear  you  are  on  the  verge  of  despair,  which 
is  the  loss  of  hope  in  God's  mercy.  Yours  is  the 
general  reason  why  people  despair  of  their  sal- 
vation; for  usually  they  have  the  conviction 
that  their  sins  are  too  enormous,  or  too  numerous, 
ever  to  obtain  mercy  from  their  just  Judge. 
Despair,  which  is  a  voluntary  abandonment  of 
all  hope,  whether  of  salvation  or  of  the  means 
to  obtain  it  (St.  Alphonsus  Liguori),  is  a  mortal 
sin  against  the  first  commandment,  as  it  is  directly 
opposed  to  the  omnipotence,  mercy,  and  fidelity 
of  God.  It  is,  besides,  a  sin  against  the  Holy 
Ghost,  as  it  is  an  implied  denial  of  the  power 
of  grace  and  of  the  possibility  of  our  sanctifica- 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  667 

tion,  a  work  especially  attributed  to  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

Trust  in  God,  and  that  a  firm  trust  without 
misgivings,  is  imposed  upon  us  all.  The  whole 
economy  of  the  Christian  religion  is  based  upon 
the  desire  and  will  of  God  to  save  all  people. 
"As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  I  desire  not  the  death 
of  the  wicked,  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his 
way  and  live."  "God  will  have  all  men  to  be 
saved,"  Holy  Writ  assures  us.  Christ  died  for 
the  salvation  of  all  men.  Our  hope,  therefore, 
reposes  on  the  omnipotence,  on  the  mercy,  and 
on  the  promises  of  God,  which  cannot  fail  us. 

If  the  sinner,  no  matter  how  horrible  and  how 
numerous  his  sins,  be  converted  to  God  in  sorrow, 
he  shall  live.  There  is  no  sin  so  heinous  that  it 
cannot  be  forgiven;  there  is  no  irremissible  sin. 
The  Church  teaches  that  the  power  of  the  keys 
extends  to  all  the  sins  of  the  faithful,  so  that 
there  is  no  sin  that  cannot  be  forgiven  the  rightly 
disposed. 

Some  think  that  the  sin  against  the  Holy 
Ghost  is  an  unpardonable  sin.  The  sin  against  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  generally  thought  to  be  the  con- 
tinued and  willful  resisting  until  death  of  the  grace 
of  God,  whether  to  embrace  God's  truth  or  to 
obey  God's  commandments.  But  this  sin  is  not 
unpardonable,  absolutely  speaking;  for  God  is 
always  ready  to  forgive  the  repentant  sinner. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  is  not  pardoned  because 
the  sinner  deliberately  refuses  to  co-operate  with 
God's  grace,  or  to  do  what  he  knows  is  absolutely 
necessary  for  salvation. 

May  a  Catholic  act  as  a  public  execu- 
tioner, as  a  hangman,  for  instance? 

Yes;  he  may.  There  is  nothing  sinful  about 
that,  if  the  office  has  been  duly  given  to  him  by 
lawful  public  authority.  He  does  not  then  act 
in  the  capacity  of  a  private  individual  but  in 


668  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

the  name  of  the  state.  Still,  we  are  inclined  to 
think  that  few  are  desirous  of  such  a  job. 

Apropos  of  this,  however,  there  are  two  sec- 
tions in  Can.  984.  The  Church  law  is  speaking 
of  those  who  are  irregular  in  consequence  of  a 
defect  and  cannot,  without  proper  dispensation, 
be  ordained  to  the  priesthood.  Among  others, 
such  are  a  judge  who  has  pronounced  the  sen- 
tence of  death,  and  those  who  have  held  the 
office  of  executioner  and  all  their  voluntary  and 
immediate  helpers  in  the  execution  of  capital 
punishment. 

These  two  irregularities  are  supposed  to  indi- 
cate a  lack  of  gentleness.  It  seems  fitting  that 
the  representatives  of  Christ,  Who  was  the 
meekest  and  gentlest  of  men,  should  be  imbued 
with  this  preeminently  Christian  quality,  which 
seems  to  be  notably  wanting  in  all  who  co- 
operate, although  without  any  fault  of  their  own, 
in  the  infliction  of  capital  punishment.  It  may 
be  noted  that  the  assistants  must  act  as  helpers 
of  the  hangman  or  electrocutioner  voluntarily, 
that  is,  of  their  own  accord,  and  immediately, 
whereas  the  job  of  the  hangman  is  itself  sufficient 
to  involve  irregularity. 

A  man  who  was  lecturing  against  the 
Catholic  Church  recently  said,  among  other 
things:  "St.  Simeon  Stylites  lived  for 
thirty  years  on  top  of  a  sixty-foot  pillar,  in 
full  view  of  men,  women,  and  children,  his 
flesh  putrid  with  sores,  and  believed  he  was 
doing  God  a  service  P1  How  much  truth  is 
there  in  this,  if  any? 

There  is  much  truth  in  this  intended  slur,  we 
are  happy  to  say.  And  this  great  saint  was  in- 
deed doing  a  service  to  God,  inasmuch  as  he  was 
doing  God's  holy  will,  was  sanctifying  himself, 
and  was  saving  numerous  souls.  The  world 
never  could  understand  "the  foolishness  of  the 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  669 

cross."  In  Vol.  I  of  Butler  s  Lives  of  the  Saints, 
now  newly  edited,  critically  revised,  and  copiously 
supplemented  by  that  renowned  scholar,  Herbert 
Thurston,  S.  J.  (P.  J.  Kenedy  and  Sons,  New 
York),  we  read  the  following  note  after  St. 
Simeon's  extraordinary  life:  "Incredible  as  some 
of  the  feats  of  endurance  may  seem  which  are 
attributed  to  St.  Simeon  the  Elder  and  to  the 
other  Stylites,  or  'Pillar-Saints,'  his  imitators, 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  facts  are  vouched 
for  by  the  best  historical  evidence."  Passing 
over  St.  Simeon's  earlier  life,  we  quote  as  fol- 
lows from  the  above-mentioned  most  excellent 
work — and  our  lengthy  quotation  furnishes  an 
edifying  answer  to  your  question. 

"After  three  years  spent  in  this  hermitage  the 
saint  removed  to  the  top  of  the  same  mountain, 
where,  throwing  together  some  loose  stones,  in  the 
form  of  a  wall,  he  made  for  himself  an  inclosure, 
but  without  any  roof  or  shelter  to  protect  him 
from  the  inclemencies  of  the  weather;  and  to  con- 
firm his  resolution  of  pursuing  this  manner  of  life, 
he  fastened  his  right  leg  to  a  rock  with  a  great  iron 
chain.  Meletius,  vicar  to  the  Patriarch  of  Antioch, 
told  him  that  a  firm  will,  supported  by  God's 
good  grace,  would  alone  enable  him  to  abide  in  his 
solitary  inclosure  without  having  recourse  to  any 
bodily  restraint;  whereupon  the  obedient  servant 
of  God  sent  for  a  smith  and  had  his  chain  knocked 
off. 

"But  visitors  began  to  throng  to  the  mountain, 
and  the  solitude  his  soul  sighed  after  came  to  be 
interrupted  by  the  multitudes  that  flocked,  even 
from  remote  and  infidel  countries,  to  receive  his 
benediction;  by  which  many  sick  recovered  their 
health.  Some  were  not  satisfied  unless  they  also 
touched  him.  The  saint,  to  remove  these  causes 
of  distraction,  projected  for  himself  a  new  and 
unprecedented  manner  of  life.  In  423  he  erected 
a  pillar  six  cubits  high,  and  on  it  he  dwelt  four 


670  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

years;  on  a  second,  twelve  cubits  high,  he  lived 
three  years;  on  a  third,  twenty -two  cubits  high, 
built  for  him  by  the  people,  he  spent  the  last 
twenty  years  of  his  life.  Thus  he  lived  thirty- 
seven  years  on  pillars,  and  was  called  Stylites, 
from  the  Greek  word  Stylos,  which  signifies  a 
pillar.  This  singularity  was  at  first  censured  by 
all  as  a  piece  of  extravagance.  To  make  trial  of 
his  humility  an  order  was  sent  him  in  the  name 
of  the  neighboring  bishops  and  abbots  to  quit 
his  pillar  and  give  up  his  new  manner  of  life. 
The  saint  at  once  made  ready  to  descend,  but 
the  messenger  seeing  it,  said  that  as  he  had  shown 
a  willingness  to  obey  it,  it  was  their  desire  that 
he  should  follow  his  vocation  in  God. 

"His  pillar  did  not  exceed  six  feet  in  diameter  on 
the  top,  which  made  it  difficult  for  him  to  lie 
extended  on  it;  neither  would  he  allow  a  seat. 
He  only  stooped,  or  leaned,  to  take  a  little  rest, 
and  often  in  the  day  bowed  his  body  in  prayer. 
A  devout  visitor  once  reckoned  1,244  such  pro- 
found reverences  made  by  him  at  one  time.  He 
made  exhortations  to  the  people  twice  a  day. 
His  garments  were  the  skins  of  beasts,  and  he 
wore  an  iron  collar  about  his  neck.  He  never 
suffered  any  women  to  come  within  the  inclosure 
where  his  pillar  stood.  His  disciple  Antony 
mentions  that  he  prayed  most  fervently  for  the 
soul  of  his  mother  after  her  decease. 

"God  is  sometimes  pleased  to  conduct  certain 
fervent  souls  through  extraordinary  paths,  in 
which  others  would  find  only  danger  of  illusion 
and  self-will,  which  we  cannot  sufficiently  guard 
ourselves  against.  We  should,  notwithstanding, 
consider  that  the  sancity  of  these  fervent  souls 
does  not  consist  in  such  wonderful  actions  or  in 
their  miracles,  but  in  the  perfection  of  their 
unfeigned  charity,  patience  and  humility;  and 
it  was  the  exercise  of  these  solid  virtues  which 
shone  so  conspicuously  in  the  life  of  this  saint. 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  671 

These  virtues  he  nourished,  and  greatly  increased 
by  assiduous  prayer.  He  exhorted  people 
vehemently  against  the  horrible  custom  of  swear- 
ing; as  also,  to  observe  strict  justice,  to  take 
no  usury,  to  be  earnest  in  their  exercises  of  piety, 
and  to  pray  for  the  salvation  of  souls.  The 
great  deference  paid  to  his  instructions,  even  by 
barbarians,  cannot  be  described.  Many  Persians, 
Armenians,  and  Iberians  were  converted  by  his 
miracles,  or  by  his  discourses,  which  they  crowded 
to  hear.  The  Emperors  Theodosius  the  younger, 
and  Leo,  often  consulted  him  and  desired  his 
prayers.  The  Emperor  Mercian  visited  him  in 
disguise.  By  his  advice  the  Empress  Eudoxia 
abandoned  the  Eutychian  party  a  little  before 
her  death.  His  miracles  and  predictions  are 
extolled  by  Theodoret  and  others.  By  an  in- 
vincible patience  he  bore  all  afflictions,  austerities, 
and  rebukes  without  a  word  of  complaint.  He 
long  concealed  a  horrible  ulcer  in  his  foot,  swarm- 
ing with  maggots.  He  always  sincerely  looked 
upon  himself  as  the  outcast  of  the  world  and  the 
last  of  sinners;  and  he  spoke  to  all  with  the  most 
engaging  sweetness  and  charity.  Domnus,  Patri- 
arch of  Antioch,  brought  him  Holy  Communion 
on  his  pillar;  and  he  often  received  the  same 
sacrament  from  others.  In  459,  according  to 
Cosmas,  on  a  Wednesday,  September  2,  this 
incomparable  penitent,  bowing  on  his  pillar,  as 
if  intent  on  prayer,  gave  up  the  ghost,  in  the 
sixty-ninth  year  of  his  age.  On  the  Friday 
following,  his  corpse  was  conveyed  to  Antioch, 
attended  by  the  bishops  and  the  whole  country. 
Many  miracles,  related  by  Evagrius,  Antony, 
and  Cosmas,  were  wrought  on  this  occasion;  and 
the  people  immediately,  over  all  the  East,  kept 
his  festival  with  great  solemnity. 

"The  extraordinary  manner  of  life  which  this 
saint  led  is  a  proof  of  the  fervor  with  which  he 
sought  detachment  from  creatures  and  union  with 


67z  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 


God  in  heaven.  The  perfect  accomplishment  of 
the  divine  will  was  the  sole  object  of  his  desires. 
Hence,  upon  the  least  intimation  of  an  order 
from  a  superior,  he  was  ready  to  leave  his  pillar; 
nor  did  he  consider  this  undertaking  as  anything 
great  or  singular,  by  which  he  should  appear 
distinguished  from  others.  By  humility  he  looked 
upon  himself  as  justly  banished  from  among  men 
and  hidden  from  the  world  in  Christ.  No  one 
can  practice  virtue  because  he  hopes  to  be  exalted 
thereby.  This  would  be  to  fall  into  the  snare  of 
pride,  which  is  to  be  feared  under  the  cloak  of 
sanctity  itself.  The  foundation  of  Christian  per- 
fection is  a  sincere  spirit  of  humility.  The  heroic 
practice  of  virtue  must  be  undertaken,  not  be- 
cause it  is  a  sublime  and  elevated  state,  but  be- 
cause God  calls  us  to  it,  and  by  it  we  do  His  will 
and  become  pleasing  to  Him.  The  path  of  the 
cross,  or  of  contempt,  poverty,  and  suffering,  was 
chosen  by  the  Father  for  His  divine  Son,  to  re- 
pair His  glory  and  restore  to  man  the  spiritual 
advantages  of  which  sin  had  robbed  him.  And 
the  more  perfectly  we  walk  in  His  spirit,  by  the 
love  and  esteem  of  His  cross,  the  greater  share 
shall  we  possess  in  its  triumphs.  Those  who  in 
the  practice  of  perfection  prefer  great  or  singular 
actions,  because  they  appear  more  dazzling,  are 
the  dupes  of  a  secret  pride,  and  they  are  yielding 
to  their  more  ignoble  propensities  whilst  they 
affect  the  language  of  the  saints.  We  are  called 
to  follow  Christ  by  bearing  our  crosses  after 
Him,  leading  at  least  in  spirit  a  hidden  life,  not 
without  fear  through  a  deep  sense  of  frailty,  and 
humbled  in  the  abyss  of  our  nothingness,  as  being 
of  ourselves  the  very  incarnation  of  weakness,  and 
always  carrying  about  us  the  germ  of  corruption." 

Some  time  ago  we  discussed  a  point  in  re- 
ligion. Will  you  favor  us  by  giving  the  cor- 
rect answer  to  the  following :  A  man  dies.  He 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  673 


receives  Extreme  Unction  just  before  death, 
while  unconscious  and  in  the  state  of  mortal 
sin.  Is  that  sin  forgiven  him  without  con- 
fession? 

The  Council  of  Trent  teaches  that  the  effects 
of  Extreme  Unction  are  (1)  to  confer  grace,  (2) 
to  forgive  sins,  (3)  to  relieve  from  sickness. 

Now,  in  the  first  place  we  must  remember  that 
Extreme  Unction  is  a  Sacrament  of  the  Living 
and  that  it  was  not  primarily  instituted  for  the 
forgiveness  of  mortal  sin.  By  its  very  nature 
it  gives  the  second  grace,  as  we  call  it,  that  is  to 
say,  an  increase  of  sanctifying  grace. 

We  are  concerned  here  with  only  one  of  the 
effects  of  this  Sacrament,  namely,  to  forgive  sins. 
Extreme  Unction  forgives   venial  sins.     It  also 
forgives  mortal  sin.  if  the  patient  is  not  conscious 
of  being  in  the  state  of  mortal  sin,  or  if  having 
had  such  consciousness  but  having  had  imperfect 
contrition  only,  he  has  not  had  the  opportunity 
of  confessing  his  sins,  as  may  happen  in  the  case 
of  an  accident,  a  stroke  of  apoplexy,  etc.;    for  in 
the  form,  or  prayer,  of  the  Sacrament  there  is 
no  distinction  made  between  venial  and  mortal 
sins,  "May  God  forgive  thee  whatever  sins  thou 
hast  committed."     Neither  does  the  Council  of 
Trent,  nor  the  text  from  St.  James'  Epistle  limit 
the  effect  of  Extreme  Unction  to  slight  offences. 
We  must  here  attend  to  a  difference  between 
Extreme  Unction  and  the  other  Sacraments  of 
the  Living.     All  Sacraments  of  the  Living  for- 
give mortal  sin  when  the  recipient  is  in  the  state 
of  mortal  sin,   provided  he  be  not  aware  of  it 
and  have  at  least  imperfect  contrition.    But  Ex- 
treme Unction  will  forgive  mortal  sin  even  if  one 
is  conscious  of  it,  provided,  while  having  imperfect 
contrition,  one  has  not  the  opportunity  to  confess. 
Indeed,  its  effects  go  still  further :  the  patient  may 
be  deprived  of  his  senses,  he  may  not  know  that 


674  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

the  Sacrament  is  being  administered  to  him,  but 
if  at  any  time,  before  becoming  unconscious,  he 
had  the  desire  to  receive  it,  the  Sacrament  would 
justify  him,  provided  he  had  never  retracted  his 
intention  to  receive  it.  It  is  also  probable  that 
Extreme  Unction  will  effect  the  justification  of 
the  recipient  even  if  he  had  never  had  the  desire 
of  it,  but  would  have  desired  it,  if  he  had  known 
its  necessity.  For  such  an  interpretative  inten- 
tion is  sufficient  reason  for  a  priest  to  administer 
it;  and  for  the  sick  person  who  is  unable  to 
confess,  that  intention  is  probably  sufficient  for 
the  remission  of  his  sins.  Although  we  cannot 
affirm  as  certain  that  Extreme  Unction  will  thus 
remit  the  mortal  sins  of  those  who  are  unconscious 
and  unable  to  confess  even  by  a  sign,  since  the 
Church  has  not  so  declared,  we  may  state,  as 
absolutely  certain,  that  many  are  saved  through 
Extreme  Unction  who  otherwise  would  be  lost. 

A  little  boy  seven  years  and  nine  months 
old,  who  had  never  gone  to  confession  be- 
fore, went  to  confession  on  his  deathbed. 
He  could  not  receive  Holy  Communion  be- 
cause of  his  physical  condition,  but  he  did 
receive  the  Sacrament  of  Extreme  Unction. 
Just  an  hour  before  he  died  this  little  boy 
said:  "Fire!  fire!  they  are  throwing  down 
hot  irons!1'  Is  there  anything  to  this?  Do 
you  think  that  this  boy  is  lost  or  that  he 
must  suffer  a  long  time  in  Purgatory?  He 
was  a  good  boy  and  went  to  Mass  every 
Sunday  after  the  age  of  seven,  except  when 
he  was  sick. 

There  is  absolutely  nothing  to  it.  The  sick 
often  say  the  strangest  things  in  fever  and  de- 
lirium. This  boy,  so  good  and  faithful,  still 
almost  in  his  baptismal  innocence,  purified  in 
soul  by  the  Sacraments  of  Penance  and  Extreme 
Unction,    must   have   gone   straight   to   heaven; 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  675 

if  he  went  to  Purgatory  it  was  surely  but  a  swift 
passage  through  its  cleansing  flames.  That  such 
a  soul  should  be  lost  is  a  thought  that  is  utterly 
repugnant  to  the  Catholic  heart  and  may  not  be 
entertained  for  even  a  moment.  Still,  we  should 
never  neglect  to  pray  for  even  such  children. 
They  may  need  our  help  in  Purgatory.  We 
never  know. 

Parenthetically,  we  may  here  remark  that  this 
boy's  parents  were  evidently  good,  well  instructed, 
and  practical  Catholics.  They  knew  that  as  soon 
as  a  child  reaches  the  age  of  reason  it  should  go 
to  Mass  at  least  on  days  of  obligation,  that  such  a 
child  should  go  to  confession  and,  if  possible,  to 
Holy  Communion,  that  it  should  receive  the  Sacra- 
ment of  the  sick,  Extreme  Unction,  when  seriously 
ill.  Children  who  have  reached  the  use  of  reason 
and  are  judged  capable  of  deceit  and  sin,  may  and 
should,  if  sick  with  a  disease  that  gives  warning 
of  danger,  be  anointed,  even  if  they  have  not  yet 
received  their  first  Holy  Communion,  and  even 
if  they  have  not  yet  made  their  first  confession. 
Let  parents  remember  this  and  call  the  priest  in 
good  time.  "It  is  an  altogether  detestable  abuse 
not  to  administer  Extreme  Unction  to  children 
after  the  use  of  reason,"  said  Pope  Pius  X,  that 
greatest  friend  of  the  little  ones.  (Decret. 
Quam  Singulare.) 

And  since  we  have  touched  upon  this  subject, 
we  cannot  refrain  from  quoting  the  following 
illuminating  and  necessary  words  of  Msgr. 
Cortet,  late  Bishop  of  Troyes,  whom  disease  had 
brought  to  the  very  portals  of  death  and  whom 
Extreme  Unction  brought  back  to  life:  "Many 
have  a  sort  of  horror  of  Extreme  Unction;  they 
imagine  that  this  Sacrament  is  not  the  Sacra- 
ment of  the  sick,  but  of  the  dying,  and  that  those 
who  have  received  it  are  inevitably  doomed  to 
die.  This  is  a  fateful  error,  a  prejudice  based  on 
ignorance  of  the  teachings  of  the  Church;    and 


676  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

if  you  have  no  proof  of  that  teaching,  let  me  tell 
you  that  I  received  the  last  Sacraments  several 
months  ago,  and  not  only  am  I  not  dead,  but  they 
powerfully  contributed  to  bring  me  back  to  life." 
The  same  Bishop  adds:  "Since  Our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  in  His  infinite  mercy,  has  instituted  a 
Sacrament  so  efficacious  for  the  relief  of  the  sick, 
and  its  effects  are  so  admirable  and  so  certain,  why 
is  this  Sacrament  not  zealously  requested  at  the 
beginning  of  a  serious  illness?  Why  do  the  relatives 
in  their  blind  and  cruel  affection,  instead  of  calling 
the  priest,  keep  him  away  until  the  patient  asks 
for  him?  Sometimes  someone  dares  to  speak  to  a 
patient  of  Communion,  but  Extreme  Unction  is 
frequently  postponed  to  the  moment  when,  hav- 
ing lost  all  consciousness,  he  is  no  longer  able  to 
join  in  the  motherly  and  fortifying  prayers  of  the 
Church  and  to  co-operate  by  his  personal  dispo- 
sition with  the  efficaciousness  of  the  Sacrament. 
Why  is  this?  You  hasten  to  call  a  physician  as 
soon  as  disease  appears  among  you,  but  you  do 
not  call  upon  the  Supreme  Physician  of  body  and 
soul,  Who  holds  in  His  hands  the  keys  of  life  and 
death!  You  carefully  apply  to  your  ills  the  reme- 
dies prescribed,  you  make  the  patient  take  even 
the  bitterest  draughts,  you  beg  him  to  submit  to 
the  most  painful  operations;  but  you  do  not 
procure  for  him  the  spiritual  medicine  of  Extreme 
Unction,  which  would  vivify  him  body  and  soul!" 

When  a  child  of  six  years  and  three  months 
dies,  is  it  proper  to  take  it  into  church  be- 
fore burial — you  know,  the  way  they  do 
things  at  the  burial  of  an  adult?  What 
should  be  done  on  such  an  occasion  at  that 
age  ?  Is  it  necessary  to  have  Masses  said  for 
a  child  so  young?  Is  such  a  child  considered 
pure  enough  directly  to  enter  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  when  it  dies? 

When  a  baptized  child  dies  before  it  has  at- 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  677 

tained  the  age  of  reason,  being  neither  capable 
of  sin  nor  of  receiving  the  Sacraments,  that  is, 
ordinarily  before  its  seventh  year,  it  is  indeed 
taken  to  the  church  for  burial,  but  not  with  the 
burial  service  for  adults.  There  is  a  special  rite 
for  children,  one  that  is  indicative  of  joy  and 
gladness  only. 

What  should  be  done?  When  a  baptized  child 
has  departed  this  life  before  having  reached  the 
age  of  reason,  the  body  should  be  dressed  as 
becomes  its  years,  and  flowers  laid  upon  it  in 
token  of  holy  purity  and  virginity.  The  priest 
should,  of  course,  be  informed;  and  in  due  time 
he  will  conduct  the  prescribed  services.  Joyful 
prayers  and  psalms  are  said  or  sung,  as  given 
in  the  ritual.  The  body  is  sprinkled  with  holy 
water  at  the  prescribed  times.  Candles  are  used 
to  show  that  the  body  of  the  little  one  is  to  be 
honored  as  a  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  to 
signify  that  its  soul  lives  with  God  and  awaits 
a  glorious  resurrection  and  the  fruition  of  eternal 
light.  The  Votive  Mass  of  the  Angels,  in  white 
vestments,  may  be  read  or  sung  on  days  when 
it  is  permitted  by  the  rubrics.  (The  cross  car- 
ried in  the  procession  is  without  staff,  to  show 
that  the  little  one  is  saved  solely  by  the  merits 
of  Christ  and  by  no  merits  of  its  own.) 

Strictly  speaking,  it  is  not  allowed  to  say  Mass 
for  baptized  children  who  have  died  before  reach- 
ing the  age  of  reason.  When  we  say  Mass  for 
such  baptized  children  it  is  to  honor  God,  to 
thank  Him  for  the  favor  He  has  given  them,  and 
to  ask  Him,  by  their  intercession,  for  the  graces 
we  need. 

Yes;  a  baptized  child  that  dies  before  having 
reached  the  age  of  reason  goes  directly  to  heaven. 

I  have  often  wondered  why  a  priest  never 
administers  the  Sacrament  of  Confirmation. 

As  you  know  from  your  catechism,  the  bishops 


678  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

are  the  ordinary  ministers  of  Confirmation,  as 
the  Council  of  Trent  teaches.  But  that  expression 
implies  that  others  are  not  absolutely  excluded. 
Hence  a  priest  may  validly  administer  Confirma- 
tion, as  an  extraordinary  minister,  but  only  when 
he  has  the  jurisdiction  to  act  as  such.  And  who 
can  supply  the  priest's  deficiency?  Only  the 
Sovereign  Pontiff;  and  the  chrism  must  be  blessed 
by  a  bishop,  unless  the  Pope  also  grant  the  priest 
the  power  to  bless  it.  Of  this  we  have  numerous 
examples  in  the  history  of  the  Church,  as  the 
Council  of  Florence  testifies;  and  even  to  this 
day  there  have  been  such  extraordinary  cases, 
for  instance,  during  infectious  diseases  and  in 
the  missionary  countries  in  distant  lands,  when- 
ever the  Holy  Father  has  conferred  the  power  on 
a  simple  priest. 

God  knew  from  all  eternity  that  mankind 
would  fall  into  sin.  He  could  have  saved 
mankind  from  offending  Him  so  much. 
Why  did  He  not  do  so?  The  fact  of  evil  is  a 
mystery  to  me.     Please  explain. 

As  regards  physical  evils,  sickness,  sufferings, 
etc.,  God  certainly  does  not  intend  them  for  their 
own  sake.  An  infinitely  intelligent  God  cannot 
mistakenly  apprehend  evil  as  good.  And  an 
infinitely  good  God  cannot  delight  in  the  misery 
and  suffering  of  His  creatures.  So  when  He 
permits  physical  evils  He  does  it  only  because 
in  His  divine  plan  they  will  further  either  the 
general  good  or  man's  good.  "He  is  powerful 
enough  and  good  enough  to  make  good  even  out 
of  evil,"  says  St.  Augustine.  Strictly  speaking, 
it  is  not  then  really  evil. 

As  regards  moral  evil  it  is  of  faith  that  God 
does  not  intend  moral  evil  (sin)  but  only  permits 
it.  This  teaching  of  the  Church  is  plainly  affirmed 
in  Holy  Writ.  That  sins  can  be  committed  with 
God's  permission  is  evident  from  the  fact  that 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  679 

absolutely  nothing  can  happen  without  God  willing 
or  permitting  it;  for  God  is  the  supreme  Ruler 
and  Governor  of  all  things. 

If  we  ask  why  God  permits  sin,  we  must  answer : 
"Because  He  knows  how  to  draw  greatest  good 
out  of  evil."  Hence  St.  Augustine  says: 
"Neither  would  the  omnipotent  God  by  any 
means  allow  anything  evil  in  His  works,  if  He 
were  not  so  omnipotent  and  good  as  to  make 
good  also  of  evil."  The  principal  goods  resulting 
from  evil  are  the  manifestation  of  God's  justice 
in  punishing  sins,  His  mercy  in  pardoning  them, 
the  exercise  of  the  virtues,  e.  g.,  patience  by  reason 
of  the  sufferings  inflicted  by  the  impious,  humility 
from  the  consideration  of  one's  frequent  falls, 
etc.,  etc. 

Yes;  it  is  a  great  mystery.  The  Catholic 
Church  does  not  pretend  to  give  an  adequate 
but  merely  a  partial  solution  of  the  problem 
of  evil.  "For  who  among  men  is  he  that  can 
know  the  counsel  of  God?  or  who  can  think  what 
the  will  of  God  is?"  (Wisd.  9:13.)  She  considers 
it  a  stupendous  mystery  that  will  be  perfectly 
understood  only  in  the  world  to  come.  But  in 
the  name  of  reason  and  of  faith  she  condemns 
all  false  solutions,  like  dualism,  fundamental 
pessimism,  etc. 

Can  it  be  that  there  are  real  atheists, 
people  who  do  not  believe  in  the  existence 
of  God? 

We  must  make  a  distinction  between  atheists 
and  atheists.  There  cannot  be,  except  perhaps 
for  a  short  time,  theoretically  negative  atheists, 
that  is,  such  as  are  invincibly  ignorant  of  the 
existence  of  God;  for  men  of  upright  heart  can 
easily  know  that  some  supreme  Being  exists. 
There  can  be,  at  least  for  a  time,  theoretically 
positive  atheists,  that  is,  whose  reason,  crippled 
by  sophistries,  denies  or  doubts  the  existence  of 


68c  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

God.  But,  sad  to  say,  experience  teaches  us 
that  there  are  practical  atheists  without  number 
all  around  us,  that  is,  men  who  do  not  care  in 
the  least  for  the  glorification  and  service  of 
God.  In  his  heart  of  hearts,  however,  each  man 
knows  that  there  is  a  God.  Hence  we  may  say 
that,  though  there  are  material  atheists,  it  is 
hard  to  imagine  such  a  thing  as  a  formal  atheist. 
St.  Paul  declares  that  even  the  heathen  are  in- 
excusable if  they  do  not  believe  in  God,  since 
they  can  know  Him  by  the  light  of  reason  alone, 
from  the  things  that  are  created. 

If  a  man  lives  a  clean,  upright  life  and  still 
does  not  attend  any  church,  why  is  it  not 
possible  that  he  be  saved? 

It  is  possible,  of  course.  Though  we  know  that 
outside  the  Catholic  Church  there  is  no  salvation, 
we  also  know  that  there  may  be  people  who  are 
in  good  faith,  who  are  trying  to  live  clean,  upright 
lives,  and  who,  accordingly,  are  really  Catholics 
in  spirit  and  belong  to  the  soul  of  the  Church, 
because  they  desire  to  believe  the  truth  and  to 
live  by  it.  We  must,  however,  leave  the  final 
decision  to  God.  Parenthetically,  we  may  re- 
mark that  we  are  here  considering  the  man  who 
does  not  attend  any  church  as  being  in  the  same 
position  as  one  who  does  attend  some  non- 
Catholic  church.  As  far  as  definite  belief  is  con- 
cerned they  appear  to  be  on  the  same  plane  in 
our  day  and  country.  Protestant  belief  seems 
to  be  mostly  negative,  with  exception  confirming 
the  rule. 

Apropos  of  this  question  we  wish  to  quote  an 
official  statement  made  to  the  whole  world  by 
the  Vicar  of  Christ,  Pope  Pius  IX,  August  10, 
1863:  "You  know,  my  most  dear  children  and 
venerable  brothers,  that  those  who,  being  indi- 
vidually ignorant  of  our  holy  religion,  observe 
the  natural  law  and  precepts  that  God  has  en- 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  68 1 

graven  on  the  heart  of  every  man,  and  who  are 
disposed  to  obey  God  and  live  virtuously  and 
righteously,  can,  by  the  aid  of  divine  light  and 
grace,  obtain  eternal  life;  since  God,  Who 
searches  the  heart,  Who  sees  clearly  and  knows 
the  sentiments,  the  thoughts,  and  the  dispositions 
of  all,  cannot,  in  His  supreme  mercy  and  good- 
ness, by  any  means  permit  that  even  one  soul 
should  be  eternally  punished  that  has  not  sepa- 
rated itself  from  Him  by  voluntary  mortal  sin." 

So  you  see  it  is  possible  that  such  a  man  as  you 
mention  in  your  question  may  be  saved.  But,  in 
spite  of  all  that  we  would  gladly  affirm  in  extenua- 
tion of  those  outside  the  Church,  we  must  answer 
your  query  by  simply  saying:  "It  is  possible,  but 
he  will  have  a  hard  time  of  it."  We  must  face 
the  hard  facts.  Man  is  a  sinner.  He  is  constantly 
tempted.  He  frequently  falls.  Unless  he  has  a 
helping  hand  he  will  fall  again  and  again.  A 
Catholic  may  fall,  and  fall  lamentably.  But  he 
has  the  Sacrament  of  Penance  to  put  him  on  his 
feet  again,  the  eternal  truths  to  steady  him, 
Mass  and  the  Sacraments  and  prayer  to 
strengthen  him.  If  Catholics  sometimes  find  it 
so  hard  to  save  their  souls,  what  shall  we  say  of 
others?     They  will  have  a  hard  time  of  it. 

It  is  possible,  indeed,  but  suppose  such  a  man 
commits  mortal  sin.  What  is  going  to  bring  about 
his  reform  and  repentance?  For  if  he  does  not 
repent  he  will  not  be  saved.  A  man  needs  some- 
thing very  definite  and  effective  to  make  him 
turn  aside  from  the  broad  road  of  sinful  in- 
dulgence. 

Therefore,  while  we  recognize  with  certainty 
that  those  who  are  in  invincible  ignorance  of  the 
true  religion  are  not  guilty  for  this  in  the  eyes 
of  the  Lord,  we  must  yet  hold  (even  while  we  bear 
in  mind  the  above  words  of  Pius  IX)  that  out  of 
the  Apostolic  Roman  Church  there  is  no  salva- 
tion, that  she  is  the  only  ark  of  safety,  and  that 


68z  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

whosoever  is  not  in  her  perishes  in  the  deluge. 
Let  us  thank  the  Lord  that  we  are  in  that  ark  of 
safety  and,  while  ceasing  not  to  pray  for  the  con- 
version of  the  world,  leave  the  rest  to  God. 

In  conclusion  we  might  ask,  Are  you  so  sure 
of  this  man's  ethical  life?  Is  his  whole  character 
known  to  you  or  only  the  amiable  and  righteous 
exterior?  If  a  man,  for  instance,  questions  even 
the  fact  of  God's  existence,  is  utterly  indifferent 
to  His  truth,  looks  upon  the  Ten  Commandments 
as  temporary  laws  evolved  out  of  the  conscious- 
ness of  a  certain  Semitic  race,  makes  little  of 
immortality,  and  denies  the  fact  of  sin  and  the 
freedom  of  the  will,  what  basis  can  he  have  for 
the  moral  law?  May  not  his  be  merely  the  out- 
ward respectability  so  cherished  in  our  day — 
expediency?  What  would  we  see  if  we  saw  what 
God  sees,  if  we  could  look  within? 

Will  you  kindly  tell  me  when  the  feast  of 
the  Archangel  Uriel  is  celebrated.  It  seems 
to  me  he  is  slighted  whenever  prayers  are 
said  to  the  Archangel  Michael,  Gabriel,  and 
Raphael.  He  is  also  forgotten  in  the  Litany 
of  the  Saints. 

The  Archangel  Uriel  appears  to  be  a  rather 
doubtful  character,  when  all  is  said.  In  his 
authoritative  "Biographical  Dictionary  of  the 
Saints"  the  Rt.  Rev.  F.  G.  Holweck  says  only 
this:  "  Uriel,  the  Archangel  (Suriel),  'who  showed 
to  Henoch  the  revolution  of  the  heavenly  bodies,' 
and  taught  Esdras.  Feast  15  July  (22  Jan.) 
in  the  Coptic  Church,  Cal.  Copt." 

There  are  three  Archangels,  Michael,  Gabriel, 
and  Raphael,  mentioned  in  Holy  Writ.  To  these 
three  Uriel  was  added  up  to  the  middle  ages, 
presumably  because  he  was  mentioned  in  the 
Fourth  Book  of  Esdras,  until  then  looked  upon 
as  canonical  but  not  included  by  the  Church  in 
the  Canon  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  that  list  of  in- 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  683 

spired  books  definitely  declared  as  "sacred  and 
canonical"  by  the  Fathers  of  the  Council  of  Trent 
in  their  famous  decree  of  April  8,  1546. 

It  is  well  to  remark  in  this  connection  that  the 
term  archangel,  in  its  wider  meaning,  may  signify 
any  angel  of  higher  rank  and  thus  all  the  higher 
orders  of  angels.  In  this  way  St.  Michael, 
though  prince  of  the  Seraphim,  is  called  archangel. 
In  a  more  restricted  sense  of  the  word,  arch- 
angels are  those  blessed  spirits  who  compose  the 
second  choir  of  the  lowest  order  in  the  angelic 
hierarchy.  According  to  diversity  of  perfection 
the  angels  are  classified  in  three  hierarchies, 
each  hierarchy  having  three  orders,  making, 
in  all,  nine  choirs,  in  the  following  descending 
order:  (1)  Seraphim,  Cherubim,  Thrones;  (2) 
Dominations,  Virtues,  Powers;  (3)  Principalities, 
Archangels,  and  Angels.  As  distinct  from  the 
guardian  angels,  who  are  usually  selected  from 
the  lowest  choir,  the  archangels  are  God's  mes- 
sengers to  man  in  matters  of  graver  moment, 
e.  g.,  Gabriel  to  the  Virgin  Mary,  Raphael  to 
Tobias;  and  to  the  archangels  God  entrusts  the 
care  of  persons  of  exalted  rank  and  sanctity. 

So  it  may  be  that  there  is  an  archangel  by  the 
name  of  Uriel  (but  what's  a  name  in  this  case?), 
but  the  only  angels  mentioned  by  name  in 
Scripture  are  Michael,  Gabriel,  and  Raphael. 
These  are  called  Archangels,  though,  according 
to  Christian  tradition,  they  seem  to  be  three  of 
the  very  greatest  among  the  blessed  spirits  of 
heaven. 

A  person  is  in  a  state  of  mortal  sin  when 
there  is  a  sudden  accident  or  he  is  suddenly 
taken  sick  and  sinks  into  unconsciousness, 
so  that  when  the  priest  arrives  he  cannot 
go  to  confession  and  receive  Holy  Com- 
munion. When  the  priest  administers 
Extreme  Unction  to  that  person  are  the 
mortal  sins  forgiven  so  that  he  can  be  saved  ? 


684  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Extreme  Unction  is  thus  defined:  "A  Sacrament 
of  the  New  Law  in  which,  through  the  anointing 
with  oil  and  the  prayers  of  the  priest,  adult 
persons  who  are  in  danger  of  death  receive  health 
of  soul,  and  also  at  times  of  body.'*  Extreme 
Unction  is  a  Sacrament  of  the  living;  it  was  not, 
therefore,  primarily  instituted  for  the  forgive- 
ness of  mortal  sin.  By  its  very  nature  it  gives 
the  "second"  grace — i.  e.,  an  increase  of  sancti- 
fying grace.  The  recipient  of  Extreme  Unction 
should,  accordingly,  be  in  the  state  of  grace,  and 
hence,  if  he  has  mortal  sin  on  his  conscience  he 
must  beforehand  make  an  act  of  perfect  contrition 
or  receive  absolution  with  attrition,  or,  if  neither 
is  possible,  he  must  at  least  make  an  act  of 
attrition  (attrition  is  imperfect  contrition).  The 
custom  of  the  Church  calls  for  confession  before 
Extreme  Unction,  and  divine  law  commands 
confession  if  one  is  in  mortal  sin  and  in  danger 
of  death. 

But,  to  come  to  the  answer  to  your  question, 
Extreme  Unction  forgives  even  mortal  sin,  if  the 
patient  is  not  conscious  of  being  in  the  state  of 
mortal  sin,  or  if,  having  had  such  consciousness 
but  having  had  attrition  only  (I  am  sorry  because 
I  dread  the  loss  of  heaven  and  the  pains  of  hell), 
he  had  not  had  the  opportunity  of  confessing  his 
sins,  as  may  happen  in  the  case  of  an  accident, 
a  stroke  of  apoplexy,  etc.  In  such  a  case  Extreme 
Unction  produces  first  grace  more  surely  than 
does  absolution,  if  the  penitent  is  unconscious, 
we  mean,  since  it  does  not  call  for  any  external 
manifestation  of  contrition :  hence  the  importance 
of  anointing  those  who  are  dying  but  unconscious. 
How  many  a  soul  has  been  saved  because  the 
priest  was  quickly  called. 

If  someone  is  killed  or  dies  suddenly,  can 
the  priest  give  Extreme  Unction  if  the  body 
is  still  warm? 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  685 

The  priest  may  not  give  Extreme  Unction  ^to 
one  who  is  certainly  dead;  but,  according  to  the 
testimony  of  learned  physicians  in  our  day,  a 
person  may  still  be  living,  even  when  it  appears 
that  he  has  breathed  his  last,  since  (they  say) 
life  but  gradually  departs  from  the  body.  Be- 
cause of  this  (theory),  a  priest  may  and  more 
probably  must  conditionally  anoint  (and  absolve) 
one  who  after  a  lingering  illness  has  already 
been  apparently  dead  for  a  half  an  hour,  more 
or  less,  or  one  who  has  already  been  apparently 
dead  for  two  or  more  hours  in  case  of  a  sudden 
accident.  Hence,  it  is  never  too  late  to  call  the 
priest.  From  the  answer  to  the  question  pre- 
ceding this  it  is  easy  to  see  that  getting  the  priest 
may  mean  the  eternal  salvation  of  a  soul. 

What  is  the  law  of  the  Church  concerning 
the  burial  of  Catholics  in  Catholic  ceme- 
teries who  have  taken  their  own  lives? 

Canon  1240,  number  3,  says  that,  unless  they 
have  given  signs  of  repentance  before  death, 
those  who  have  deliberately  killed  themselves 
are  deprived  of  ecclesiastical  burial.  Deliberately 
here  means  from  despair  or  in  wrath.  But  when 
insanity  has  been  proved,  or  was  evident,  and 
attested  by  the  verdict  of  a  conscientious  phy- 
sician, ecclesiastical  burial  is  permitted  with  all 
its  ceremonies.  When  there  is  a  doubt  as  to  the 
suicide's  mental  state,  ecclesiastical  burial  may 
be  granted,  but  all  pomp  and  solemn  functions 
must  be  avoided;  for  instance,  the  funeral  service 
may  be  held  from  the  church,  but  the  Requiem 
Mass  should  be  omitted  as  well  as  the  sermon. 
A  private  Mass  may  be  said  in  this  case.  In 
cases  of  doubt,  however,  says  the  law,  the  pastor 
will  consult  the  Ordinary  (Bishop)  if  time  per- 
mits, and  abide  by  his  decision.  If  the  doubt 
remains,  ecclesiastical  burial  may  be  granted, 
provided   that   scandal   be   removed,   as   can   be 


686  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

done  by  divulging  the  fact  that  the  deceased 
gave  public  signs  of  repentance,  or  that,  for 
instance,  the  suicide  was  committed  in  a  moment 
of  mental  aberration,  according  to  the  physician's 
verdict. 

If  during  a  mission  the  missionary  asks 
you  to  sign  up  on  a  slip  which  he  places  on 
the  altar  railing  as  to  whether  you  will  re- 
ceive Holy  Communion  daily,  weekly,  or 
monthly  and  you  do  not  keep  your  promise, 
is  that  a  sin? 

It  most  certainly  is  not  a  sin.  These  little  aids 
may  be  unobjectionable  enough  but,  as  also  in  the 
case  of  the  pledge,  it  should  be  made  clear  that 
the  breaking  of  the  good  resolution  is  not  in  itself 
a  sin.  All  Catholics  in  our  times  should,  without 
necessarily  signing  anything,  make  it  a  point  to 
receive  Holy  Communion  at  least  every  two  weeks 
— and  as  much  oftener  as  circumstances  permit. 

On  the  20th  of  December,  1930,  the  Church 
celebrated  the  silver  jubilee  of  the  famous  decree 
of  Pope  Pius  X  on  Frequent  and  Daily  Com- 
munion, issued  December  20,  1905.  Now, 
though  there  has  since  then  been  a  remarkable 
change  in  the  Church  regarding  the  frequency 
of  Holy  Communion,  authorities  think  it  safe  to 
say  that  of  those  who  are  classed  vaguely  but 
recognizably  as  "good  Catholics,"  not  more 
than  fifty  per  cent  receive  Holy  Communion  once 
a  week  and  not  more  than  five  per  cent  of  this 
same  class  receive  daily.  The  number  of  daily 
communicants  might  be  much  greater,  above  all, 
among  men.  We  must  strive  to  bring  it  to  pass 
that  at  the  golden  jubilee  of  the  decree  Sacra 
Tridentina  Synodus  all  good  Catholics  may  be 
weekly  communicants  and  fifty  per  cent  of  them 
daily  communicants.  What  a  transformation 
would  thus  be  effected  in  the  world!  What 
sanctity  there  would  be!    Such  a  universal  in- 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  687 

crease  in  grace  and  charity  would  warm  the  cold 
world  itself  with  its  glow  and  would  bring  in  its 
train  blessings  of  which  we  can  have  but  the 
faintest  conception  now,  until  we  ourselves  re- 
new all  things  in  Christ  through  Christ. 

A  man  borrowed  twenty  dollars  from 
another  man  ten  years  ago.  He  could  not 
pay  it  back  for  a  while  and  later  on  forgot 
about  it.  The  man  he  borrowed  it  from 
died  in  the  meantime.  Now  it  comes  back 
to  his  mind  again.  Is  this  man  bound  to 
find  out  where  the  heirs  of  the  deceased  live 
and  pay  the  money  to  one  of  them  ?  Or  may 
he  give  it  to  the  poor?  It  might  be  rather 
difficult  to  find  out  where  those  heirs  now 
live. 

The  man  who  lent  the  twenty  dollars  had 
right  to  the  money;  and  this  right,  like  all  hia 
other  rights,  was  by  his  death  transferred  to  his 
heirs,  and  to  these  the  money  should  be  paid.s 
With  death  the  right  of  a  person  to  his  temporary 
possessions  ceases.  One  might  say  that  the  de- 
ceased would  probably  want  the  money  to  be 
given  to  the  poor.  But,  because  his  rights  cease, 
it  is  not  allowed  to  apply  a  part  of  the  possessions 
of  the  deceased  according  to  his  supposed  in- 
tentions. Since  all  rights  to  his  properties  go  to 
his  heirs,  these  have  a  right  to  the  money  owed; 
and  as  long  as  these  claims  have  not  been  satis- 
fied the  demands  of  justice  have  not  been  ful- 
filled. The  money  may  be  given  to  the  poor  or 
to  pious  causes  only  if,  after  reasonable  effort, 
the  heirs  cannot  be  found. 

I  know  of  a  man  who  led  a  very  wicked 
life,  was  drunk  every  day  for  a  year,  and 
then  one  night  was  brought  home  in  a  dying 
condition  and  unconscious.  The  priest  was 
summoned  and  stayed  with  him  for  hours, 
often  calling  him  by  name.     But  he  re- 


688  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

mained  unconscious  and  did  not  speak. 
The  priest  anointed  him.  They  took  him 
to  the  hospital.  He  died  five  hours  after, 
having  never  recovered  consciousness.  Please 
tell  me  whether  you  think  his  soul  was  saved. 

What  an  unusually  sad  death!  Surely,  no  one 
would  care  to  die  like  that.  The  only  consoling 
thing  about  it  was  the  priest  at  his  bedside, — an 
unmerited  grace  of  God. 

But  was  this  soul  lost?  No  one  would  dare  to 
assert  that  he  was.  Perhaps  he  got  the  grace  to 
make  an  act  of  perfect  contrition  just  before  he 
lost  consciousness.  Perhaps  he  knew  the  priest 
was  at  his  side  and  heard  his  voice  and  exhorta- 
tion, even  though  he  could  not  give  any  sign  of  it, 
— such  states  occur  often  enough.  If  he  did  he 
perhaps  made  an  act  of  contrition.  If  so,  his 
sins  were  forgiven  by  the  conditional  absolution 
which  the  priest  surely  gave  him. 

He  received  Extreme  Unction;  and  we  know 
that  the  effects  of  this  great  Sacrament  go  very 
far.  So,  for  instance,  the  patient  may  be  de- 
prived of  his  senses,  he  may  not  know  that  the 
Sacrament  is  being  administered  to  him;  but  if 
at  any  time,  before  becoming  unconscious,  he 
had  the  desire  to  receive  it,  the  Sacrament  would 
justify  him,  provided  he  had  never  retracted  his 
intention  to  receive  it.  It  is  also  probable  that 
Extreme  Unction  will  effect  the  justification  of  the 
recipient  even  if  he  had  never  had  the  desire  of 
it,  but  would  have  desired  it,  if  he  had  known  its 
necessity.  For  such  an  interpretative  intention 
is  sufficient  reason  for  a  priest  to  administer  it; 
and  for  the  sick  person  who  is  unable  to  confess, 
that  intention  is  probably  sufficient  for  the  re- 
mission of  his  sins.  Although  we  cannot  affirm 
as  certain  that  Extreme  Unction  will  thus  remit 
the  mortal  sins  of  those  who  are  unconscious  and 
unable  to  confess  even  by  a  sign,  since  the  Church 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  689 

has  not  so  declared,  we  may  state,  as  absolutely 
certain,  that  many  are  saved  through  Extreme 
Unction  who  otherwise  would  be  lost. 

It  is,  therefore,  never  too  late  to  call  the  priest. 
And  while  there  is  life  there  is  hope.  Pray  for 
the  conversion  of  sinners. 

Is  it  true  that  a  person  who  did  not  have 
a  Christian  death,  meaning  the  Last  Sacra- 
ments, or  a  Christian  burial  cannot  obtain 
the  graces  or  benefits  of  Holy  Masses, 
prayers,  vigil  lights,  etc.,  offered  up  for  the 
good  of  his  soul  or  her  soul?  I  was  always 
taught  in  our  parochial  school  that  "It  is  a 
good  and  wholesome  thought  to  pray  for 
the  dead"  and  not  that  "It  is  a  good  and 
wholesome  thought  to  pray  only  for  the 
dead  who  have  been  buried  from  the  Catho- 
lic Church.'1 

With  the  exception  of  the  inhabitants  of  heaven, 
the  damned,  and  those  who  are  in  Limbo,  all 
men,  living  or  dead,  can  derive  some  fruit  from 
the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  as  also  from  prayers, 
good  works,  etc.,  offered  up  for  them. 

Take,  for  instance,  persons  whom  death  has 
surprised  in  the  act  or  state  of  sin.  It  is  allowed 
to  say  Mass  for  them,  even  if  their  sin  was  pub- 
lic and  manifest  and  even  if  they  died  without 
giving  any  sign  of  repentance.  We  do  not  know 
the  secrets  of  God's  justice  and  mercy.  There 
is  no  law  which  forbids  a  priest  to  make  private 
application  of  the  fruits  of  the  Mass  to  these 
unfortunates.  By  private  application  we  here 
mean  that  which  is  not  known  to  the  public, 
which  is  not  announced  to  the  congregation  or 
revealed  by  the  external  pomp  of  a  ceremony; 
and  in  the  Mass  itself  the  one  for  whom  the  Mass 
is  said  is  not  to  be  named. 

What  the  Church  does  not  allow  in  cases  of 
this    kind    is    thus    expressed    in    Canon    1240: 


690  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

"Unless  they  have  given  signs  of  repentance 
before  death  public  and  manifest  sinners  are  de- 
prived of  ecclesiastical  burial."  In  order  that  a 
sinner  may  be  called  "public  and  manifest"  he 
must  have  committed  at  least  one  grievous  sin, 
which  is  known  to  the  community;  and  he  must 
have  failed  to  evince  any  sign  of  repentance. 
In  the  class  of  public  sinners  are  robbers;  those 
who  actually  live  a  sinful  and  scandalous  life, 
e.  g.,  in  public  concubinage;  those  who  have 
habitually  (for  several  years),  and  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  faithful,  violated  the  precepts 
of  annual  confession  and  Communion. 

If  they  have  given  signs  of  repentance,  e.  g., 
kissing  the  crucifix,  acts  of  devotion,  oral  prayers, 
etc.,  and  if  these  signs,  especially  in  the  case  of 
public  sinners,  are  known  to  the  bystanders  and 
the  faithful,  they  may  be  buried  like  faithful 
Catholics,  because  it  is  the  desire  of  the  Church 
that  all  should  return  to  God's  grace  by  contrition 
and  be  restored  to  communion  with  the  mystic 
body  of  Christ. 

You  speak  of  the  Last  Sacraments.  It  is  quite 
possible  to  die  the  death  of  a  good  Christian 
without  the  Last  Sacraments,  of  course,  though 
the  spiritual  loss  is  great  indeed.  Many  have 
not  this  opportunity,  however,  and  then  such 
lack  of  reception  has  nothing  whatever  to  say 
regarding  Christian  burial  or  the  offering  of 
prayers  and  Masses  for  their  souls.  They  may 
need  them  all  the  more  then. 

Suppose  a  man  dies  and  leaves  his 
property,  life  insurance,  etc.,  to  his  only 
son.  But  the  man  we  are  imagining  also 
leaves  behind  unpaid  debts,  amounting  to 
over  half  of  the  inheritance.  Is  the  son 
bound  in  conscience  to  pay  his  father's 
debts? 

A  son  to  whom  a  father  leaves  his  property  is 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  691 

obliged  to  pay  his  father's  debts  as  soon  as  he 
conveniently  can.  This  is,  first  of  all,  an  obliga- 
tion of  charity,  lest  the  good  name  of  the  deceased 
should  suffer;  and,  in  the  second  place,  it  is  an 
obligation  arising  from  the  right  of  succession. 
He  who  succeeds  another  in  his  property  suc- 
ceeds him  also  in  the  encumbrances  thereon. 
But  if  the  father  does  not  leave  the  son  anything 
the  latter  has  no  obligation  to  pay  the  former's 
debts,  not  even  if  the  father  had  to  borrow 
money  for  the  son's  education,  for  instance. 

Some  things  to  remember  as  regards  heirs  and 
inheritances  are  the  following:  1.  No  one  is 
obliged  to  accept  an  inheritance.  2.  An  inheri- 
tance once  accepted,  the  heirs  succeed  the  de- 
ceased in  all  his  rights  and  obligations,  those 
alone  excepted  which,  by  their  very  nature  or  by 
special  compact,  were  affixed  to  the  person  of 
the  deceased  3.  Having  acquired  full  right  to 
his  property,  the  debts  of  the  deceased  devolve 
upon  them  and  they  must  carry  out  his  wishes 
as  regards  the  bequests.  4.  If  there  are  a  number 
of  heirs,  each  one  must  pay  a  part  of  the  debts, 
in  proportion  to  the  share  of  his  respective  in- 
heritance. 5.  An  heir  may  accept  the  inheritance 
with  the  privilege  of  inventory,  that  is  to  say, 
in  such  a  manner  that,  an  inventory  of  goods 
having  been  made  according  to  legal  form,  he  is 
not  obliged  to  meet  more  liabilities  than  the 
heritage  amounts  to.  6.  One  who  accepts  an  in- 
heritance without  the  privilege  of  inventory  is 
certainly  bound  in  conscience  to  pay  the  debts 
as  far  as  the  inheritance  will  reach  (should  the 
debts  exceed  it),  but  he  is  probably  not  bound 
in  conscience  to  pay  what  is  over  and  above. 
Legally,  however,  he  is  bound  to  pay  all  the 
debts,  if  his  was  a  pure  and  simple  acceptance  of 
the  inheritance  without  the  reservation  mentioned 
above. 

If  the  Catholic  Church  is  the  only  true 


691  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Church,  why  does  Christ  permit  so  many 
other  different  religions? 

We  must  admit  that  the  existence  of  so  many 
religions  is  a  great  evil,  difficult  to  explain.  Our 
finite  minds  cannot  enter  fully  into  the  secrets 
of  the  infinite  God.  The  only  answer  to  this 
problem  lies  in  the  mystery  of  original  sin,  which 
weakened  men's  minds  and  wills  and  left  them 
subject  to  error  and  sin.  Here  we  are  face  to 
face  with  the  mystery  of  evil  again.  But  we 
are  well  aware  that  God  knows  how  to  draw 
good  out  of  evil. 

The  existence  of  so  many  religions  should  not 
perturb  us.  A  counterfeit  coin  always  points  to 
the  true  original;  and  there  is  always  a  way  of 
telling  the  true  coin  from  the  false.  God  exists; 
He  is  good  and  loving;  He  has  spoken  through 
revelation.  What  He  has  said  can  be  found  in 
the  Bible  and  tradition.  Ardent  prayer  will 
enable  the  thinking  mind  soon  to  select  the  one 
only  Church  of  Christ  from  among  the  confused 
medley  of  the  sects.  It  is  like  distinguishing 
the  living  tree  from  the  dry  branches  that  have 
fallen  from  it. 

I  would  like  to  know  what  is  meant  by 
our  Lord's  "descent  into  hell." 

By  this  is  meant  that  Christ  descended  into 
the  Limbo  of  the  Fathers,  where  the  souls  of  the 
just  were  waiting  for  the  promised  Redeemer. 
We  quote  from  "The  Catechism  of  the  Council 
of  Trent": 

"Hell,  then,  here  signifies  those  secret  abodes 
in  which  are  detained  the  souls  that  have  not 
obtained  the  happiness  of  heaven.  In  this  sense 
the  word  is  frequently  used  in  Scripture 

"These  abodes  are  not  all  of  the  same  nature, 
for  among  them  is  that  most  loathsome  and  dark 
prison  in  which  the  souls  of  the  damned  are 
tormented    with   the    unclean   spirits   in    eternal 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  693 

and  inextinguishable  fire.  This  place  is  called 
gehenna,  the  bottomless  pit,  and  is  hell  strictly 
so-called. 

"Among  them  is  also  the  fire  of  purgatory,  in 
which  the  souls  of  just  men  are  cleansed  by  a 
temporary  punishment,  in  order  to  be  admitted 
into  their  eternal  country,  into  which  nothing 
defiled  entereth 

"Lastly,  the  third  kind  of  abode  is  that  into 
which  the  souls  of  the  just  before  the  coming  of 
Christ  the  Lord  were  received,  and  where,  with- 
out experiencing  any  sort  of  pain,  but  supported 
by  the  blessed  hope  of  redemption,  they  enjoyed 
peaceful  repose.  To  liberate  these  holy  souls, 
who,  in  the  bosom  of  Abraham  were  expecting 
the  Savior,  Christ  the  Lord  descended  into  hell." 

Does  the  guilt  of  mortal  sins  forgiven  and 
the  punishment  due  to  them  revive  if  one 
again  commits  a  mortal  sin? 

No;  those  sins  are  absolutely  and  forever  for- 
given; their  guilt  does  not  revive;  and  the 
temporal  punishment  due  to  them,  as  far  as  it 
has  been  remitted,  remains  remitted  in  like 
manner. 

We  may  add  the  teaching  of  the  Church  that 
if  one  commits  a  mortal  sin  and  that  sin  is  duly 
forgiven,  the  good  works  formerly  done  in  the 
state  of  grace  and  made  dead,  as  it  were,  by  the 
mortal  sin  that  followed,  all  revive.  They  are 
at  once  restored  to  the  penitent  sinner,  be  it  as 
regards  glory  or  as  regards  grace.  Such  merits 
always  remain  acceptable  to  God  and  are  kept 
from  their  proper  effect  only  by  mortal  sin.  If, 
therefore,  the  sin  is  remitted  all  past  merits  im- 
mediately attain  to  their  full  effect.     (Suarez.) 

A  Catholic  young  man  teaching  in  a  pub- 
lic school  tells  me  that  he  does  not  teach 
from  a  Catholic  standpoint  as  regards  the 
creation    of    the    world.      He    teaches    his 


694  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

children  that  the  world  was  made  through 
a  process  known  as  a  ball  of  fire  flying 
through  the  air.  There  are  Catholics  at- 
tending his  school.  Is  he  permitted  to 
continue  his  teaching?  Is  he  justified  in 
doing  so? 

It  is  the  teaching  of  the  Church  that  God 
created  heaven  and  earth  out  of  nothing,  by 
His  word  only,  that  is,  by  a  single  act  of  His  all 
powerful  will.  By  the  words  "heaven  and  earth" 
is  meant  all  things  whatsoever  outside  of  God, 
or  all  things  that  are  not  God;  and  by  the  word 
"create"  we  mean  the  making  of  something  out 
of  nothing,  without  any  pre-existing  material. 
God  created  heaven  and  earth  in  six  days,  says 
Holy  Scripture  (Gen.  1).  But  of  what  length 
were  these  days?  They  may  have  been  periods 
of  time  covering  thousands  of  years.  Many 
Catholic  scientists  maintain — and  nothing  pre- 
vents us  from  following  that  opinion — that  the 
universe  was  created  in  a  chaotic  or  rather  nebul- 
ous state,  from  which  the  present  universe  was 
slowly  evolved  up  to  the  creation  of  man.  Scrip- 
ture says:  "In  the  beginning  God  created  heaven 
and  earth,"  and  by  that  we  understand  that  in 
the  beginning  of  time  He  created  all  spiritual 
and  material  things  and  beings;  the  spiritual 
beings,  that  is,  those  that  inhabit  the  highest 
heavens,  and  the  earth,  which  at  first  was  void 
and  without  ornament,  but  which  was  adorned 
during  the  six  days  of  creation. 

Your  friend  is,  therefore,  not  teaching  anything 
that  is  contrary  to  faith,  though  it  may  be  that 
he  occasionally  gets  on  dangerous  ground.  He 
should  keep  himself  well  informed  regarding  these 
matters.  We  suggest  that  he  procure  and  study 
"The  Catholic's  Ready  Answer"  by  Father  Hill, 
S.  J.,  published  by  Benziger  Brothers,  New 
York  City. 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  695 

What  books  are  forbidden  by  the  Church  ? 

First  of  all  are  forbidden  all  books  that  are 
enumerated  in  the  Roman  "Index  of  Prohibited 
Books,"  to  which  additions  are  made  from  time 
to  time.  But  we  must  not  think  that  all  for- 
bidden books  are  on  the  Index.  Not  to  mention 
the  countless  bad  magazines,  periodicals,  pamph- 
lets, etc.,  that  flood  the  world,  we  must  remem- 
ber that  only  a  very  small  portion  of  the  books 
proscribed  by  the  natural  law  and  by  ecclesi- 
astical decrees  are  mentioned  in  that  catalogue. 
Nor  does  it  contain  the  worst  books  in  their 
respective  classes,  as  some  think,  but  merely 
those  that  were  at  one  time  or  another  reported 
to  the  Holy  See  and  formally  condemned. 

"To  decide  whether  this  or  that  particular 
book  is  forbidden  by  the  general  laws  of  the 
Church  is  left  to  the  judgment  of  the  individual, 
unless  a  special  declaration  exists  on  the  subject. 
Hence,  when  one  is  in  doubt  as  to  the  character 
of  a  book,  whether  it  belongs  to  the  category  of 
forbidden  books  or  not,  one  is  allowed  to  read  as 
much  of  it  as  may  be  necessary  to  form  an 
opinion.  Those  who  are  unable  to  form  a  judg- 
ment for  themselves,  should  consult  learned  men, 
especially  their  pastor  or  confessor. 

"Generally  speaking,  the  law  of  nature  forbids 
the  reading  of  any  book  or  magazine  that  one 
feels  to  be  dangerous  to  faith  or  morals.  Nor 
does  that  law  make  any  distinction  between  bad 
books  of  one  kind  or  another,  or  between  the 
manner  of  reading,  whether  a  book  be  read  in 
the  ordinary  way  or  by  listening  to  others.  The 
prohibition  ceases  with  the  danger.  Conse- 
quently, the  same  book  may  be  prohibited  to 
one  person  and  permitted  to  another. 

"The  gravity  of  the  sin  committed  by  reading 
a  book  forbidden  by  the  law  of  nature  depends, 
not  on  the  quality  or  size  of  the  volume,  but 


696  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

simply  and  solely  on  the  danger  arising  to  the 
reader  from  its  perusal.  If  there  is  proximate 
danger  of  mortal  sin,  the  act  of  reading  such  a 
book  is  mortally  sinful;  but  if  the  danger  of 
mortal  sin  is  remote,  or  there  is  danger  of  com- 
mitting a  venial  sin  only,  the  act  of  reading  is 
venially  sinful.  Hence  it  is  permitted,  for  a 
proportionately  grave  reason,  to  read  books  from 
which  only  a  slight  or  remote  danger  of  sin  is  to 
be  feared."     (Koch-Preuss.) 

People  often  tell  about  certain  vivid 
dreams  they  had,  for  instance,  a  soul  in 
purgatory  appearing  to  them  and  asking 
for  prayers.  May  one  believe  in  such  dreams, 
or  at  least  treat  them  reverently?  Or  ought 
one  to  ridicule  and  condemn  all  belief  in 
dreams  ? 

Dreams  ordinarily  proceed  from  natural  causes, 
e.  g.,  one's  daily  thoughts,  imaginations,  occu- 
pations, one's  temperament  and  bodily  dispo- 
sition. Still,  dreams  may  sometimes  be  brought 
about  by  God;  for,  though  He  does  not  guide 
men  by  dreams,  He  has  at  times  declared  that 
He  would  be  the  author  of  dreams,  as  in  the 
passage:  "Hear  My  words:  if  there  be  among 
you  a  prophet  of  the  Lord,  I  will  appear  to  him 
in  a  vision,  or  I  will  speak  to  him  in  a  dream" 
(Numbers  12:6).  Besides  we  know  from  Holy 
Writ  (e.  g.  Joseph)  and  from  the  lives  of  the 
saints  that  God  sometimes  sent  them  dreams. 
Also  the  devil  can  be  and  sometimes  is  the  author 
of  dreams,  since  he  can  excite  the  imagination  of 
men.  But  we  should  be  very  slow  in  attributing 
natural  dreams  to  the  devil. 

If  dreams  are  sent  by  God  there  are  certain 
signs  by  which  they  can  be  known  as  such.  These 
signs  are:  (1)  It  must  be  a  matter  worthy  of 
God  and  not  vain  and  indecent.  (2)  It  must 
be  an   incentive  to  good   and   not  to  evil   and 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  697 

presumption.  (3)  It  must  produce  tranquillity 
of  soul  and  fervor  in  works  of  piety  and  not 
make  one  perturbed,  earthly-minded,  and  tardy 
in  the  service  of  God. 

Since  dreams  sometimes  come  from  God,  if 
there  is  a  prudent  reason  for  so  doing  one  should 
carefully  examine  whether  they  really  do  come 
from  Him.  If  it  is  certain  that  they  do  we  should, 
and  if  probable  we  may,  believe  in  them  and  shape 
our  actions  accordingly. 

But  to  believe  in  natural  dreams  with  such 
blind  faith  that  one  ordinarily  shapes  one's 
actions  according  to  them,  is  a  grievous  sin  of 
divination.  However,  once  in  a  while  to  place 
or  omit  an  indifferent  action  because  of  a  dream, 
or  occasionally  to  be  a  little  afraid  lest  what  one 
dreamt  of  may  happen,  does  not  exceed  a  venial 
sin. — In  Holy  Writ  we  read:  "Neither  let  there 
be  found  among  you  anyone  that  shall  expiate 
his  son  or  daughter,  making  them  to  pass  through 
the  fire:  or  that  consulteth  soothsayers,  or  ob- 
serveth  dreams  and  omens,  neither  let  there  be 
any  wizard."     (Deut.  18:10.) 

Just  what  is  martyrdom  and  who  are 
martyrs  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  word? 
We  read  of  missionaries  being  killed  in 
China,  for  instance,  and  some  say  they  are 
martyrs,  at  least  in  the  broad  sense  of  the 
word. 

There  are  various  kinds  of  imperfect  martyr- 
dom, for  instance,  the  disposition  and  will  to 
die  for  Christ;  to  die  rather  than  offend  Him; 
mortification;  the  patient  endurance  of  trials 
and  afflictions.  But  true  and  perfect  martyrdom 
consists  not  only  in  suffering,  but  in  dying; 
death  is  of  its  essence  and  nature.  This  means 
that  to  be  truly  and  perfectly  a  martyr,  in  the 
sense  and  in  the  manner  in  which  Holy  Church 
uses  that  word,  it  is  necessary  to  die,  and  to  die 


698  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

for  Jesus  Christ.  We  must,  however,  except  the 
case  where  for  the  love  of  God  one  is  ready  to 
suffer  death  and  is  preserved  from  it  by  an  ex- 
traordinary intervention  of  divine  power,  as  in 
the  case  of  St.  John  the  Evangelist  and  others 
whom  the  Church  honors  as  true  martyrs.  With 
this  exception,  we  repeat,  to  be  really  a  martyr 
it  is  necessary  to  die,  and  to  die  for  Jesus  Christ. 
To  die  for  Jesus  Christ  means  to  die  either  for 
His  Person;  or  in  order  to  maintain  the  honor  of 
some  one  of  His  Mysteries  or  Sacraments;  or 
for  the  defence  of  the  Church;  or  in  support  of 
some  truth  He  taught,  or  of  some  virtue  He 
practiced;  or  else  in  avoiding  some  sin  for  the 
reason  that  it  is  displeasing  to  Him;  or  in  loving 
Him  so  ardently  that  the  sacred  force  of  His 
divine  love  causes  death;  or  in  performing  some 
action  for  His  glory. 

This  last  may  seem  strange.  But  the  Angelic 
Doctor,  St.  Thomas  Aquinas  (2.  2.  124,  4  ad  3), 
assures  us  that  any  action — even  a  human  and 
natural  one — provided  that  it  conduces  to  the 
glory  of  God  and  is  done  for  love  of  Him,  may 
make  us  martyrs,  and  does  in  fact  make  us  mar- 
tyrs, if  it  prove  to  be  the  cause  of  our  death. 

Hence,  frequently  raise  your  heart  to  Jesus  in 
your  actions  and  protest  that  you  desire  to  do 
them  for  His  love  and  for  His  glory.  Here  is  an 
example:  if  the  spiritual  or  corporal  aid  you 
give  a  sick  person  occasion  an  illness  that  causes 
your  death,  and  if  you  have  really  performed 
this  action  for  the  love  of  our  Lord,  you  will  be 
considered  by  Him  as  a  martyr  and  will  share 
the  glory  of  the  holy  martyrs  in  heaven. 

The  highest  and  holiest  of  all  kinds  of  martyr- 
dom is  had  when  one  loves  the  Lord  so  deeply, 
so  ardently,  that  the  strength  and  power  of  this 
sacred  love  consumes  and  destroys  in  one  the 
physical  life.  This  is  the  martyrdom  of  the 
Motherof  love,  the  Blessed  Virgin,  the  Queen 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  699 

of  Martyrs.  It  is  even  the  martyrdom  of  Jesus, 
Who  died,  not  only  in  love  and  for  love,  but  also 
of  the  excess  of  love.     (St.  John  Eudes.) 

For  my  own  information  please  let  me 
know  how  long  the  soul  remains  in  the 
body  after  the  heart  stops  or  when  a  person 
seems  dead? 

Physicians  tell  us  that  death  takes  possession 
gradually,  life  lingering  in  the  body  for  some 
time  after  its  external  signs  have  ceased,  for 
from  about  six  minutes  to  half  an  hour  when 
the  end  has  come  after  a  long  illness,  for  perhaps 
one  or  two  hours  when  death  is  sudden  or  acci- 
dental. Hence,  during  this  time  it  is  not  too 
late  to  call  the  priest;  for  even  if  a  person  has 
been  pronounced  dead  before  the  priest's  arrival, 
he  should  nevertheless  be  absolved  and  anointed 
conditionally  if  the  last  breath  was  not  long 
before. 

Perhaps  a  remark  about  Catholic  scholastic 
philosophy  and  death  would  elucidate  this  mat- 
ter. This  philosophy  teaches  that  death  is  not, 
strictly  speaking,  the  separation  of  soul  from 
body;  it  is,  rather,  the  breaking  up,  the  dissolu- 
tion of  the  body.  The  soul  departs  because  death 
has  occurred,  because  the  organism  has  died,  and 
not  vice  versa:  man  is  not  dead  because  the 
soul  has  left  the  body,  but  because  he  is  dead  the 
soul  departs.  Apply  this  to  your  question.  The 
soul  is  still  in  the  body  if  the  organism  has  not 
yet  died.  Christ's  death,  we  may  say,  is  the  only 
death  which  consists  precisely  in  this,  that  the 
soul  was  separated  from  the  body.  The  process 
of  organic  disintegration  is  no  part  in  the  death 
of  Christ,  Whose  holy  Body  never  saw  corrup- 
tion. We  know  for  certain  that  the  divine  Nature 
was  not  separated  from  Christ's  Body  at  death. 

The  soul  is  to  the  body  a  formal  cause,  not  an 
efficient  cause.     Just  as  efficient  causes  provide 


7oo  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

material  dispositions  in  order  that  the  soul  can 
be  the  "form"  of  the  body,  that  is,  the  principle 
of  oneness  in  man's  life  and  personality,  so  other 
efficient  causes  destroy  completely  those  indis- 
pensable dispositions  in  the  action  we  call  death. 
Those  dispositions  gone,  the  soul  can  no  more 
be  the  "form"  of  the  body,  ceases  to  "inform" 
it,  begins  the  other  life.  Because  of  material 
agencies  causing  death,  the  greatest  and  most 
intimate  partnership  is  broken  up,  namely,  the 
partnership  between  the  body  and  the  soul  that 
is  more  than  a  dweller  in  the  body,  that  is  to  the 
body  the  cause  of  much  that  makes  it  what  it  is. 
(Cf .  Death  and  Judgment  by  Dom  Anscar  Vonier, 

0.  S.  B.— Macmillan.) 

Js  it  true  that  a  Catholic  is  free  to  hold 
as  he  pleases  about  evolution? 

We  might  define  evolution  as  those  general 
and  particular  theories  professing  to  account  for 
cosmic  processes  of  orderly  change  over  a  long 
period  of  time.  A  Catholic  is  most  emphatically 
not  free  to  hold  as  he  pleases  about  evolution. 

1.  He  may  not  hold  that  the  spiritual  soul  evolved 
from  a  non-spiritual  (animal)  soul.  That  is  im- 
possible and  contrary  to  reason  and  the  data 
of  faith.  Each  individual  human  soul  must  come 
directly  from  the  hand  of  God.  So  the  whole 
man,  body  and  soul,  could  not  have  come  by  way 
of  evolution.  2.  He  may  not  hold  the  evolution 
of  many  human  bodies  from  many  animals.  It 
is  a  pivotal  doctrine  of  Catholic  faith  (the  Fall, 
Original  Sin,  Redemption,  the  Church's  existence) 
that  the  entire  human  race  is  descended  from 
one  man  and  one  woman.  3.  He  may  not  hold 
the  evolution  of  Eve's  body.  It  is  clearly  stated 
in  Holy  Writ  that  Eve  came  from  Adam — not 
from  an  animal — in  a  miraculous  way.  4.  He 
may  not  even  hold  the  evolution  of  Adam's 
body,  unless  he  wishes  to  be  theologically  rash; 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  701 

for,  though  on  this  question  the  Church  has  not 
spoken  with  infallible  authority,  the  common 
judgment  of  the  foremost  Catholic  theologians 
is  that  Adam's  body  was  not  evolved  but  that  it 
was  immediately  formed  by  God  from  the  earth. 
4.  So  all  that  a  Catholic  may  safely  hold  in  the 
question  of  evolution  is  the  evolution  of  plants 
and  animals.  This  is  a  matter  in  which  a  Catholic 
is  guided  merely  by  reason  and  science.  Faith 
gives  no  added  data  thereon.  He  may  hold 
evolution  or  special  creationism,  just  as  he  pleases, 
according  as  the  arguments  advanced  by  either 
side  appeal  to  him. 

Will  penitents  like  Mary  Magdalen  be 
among  the  virgins  in  heaven,  of  whom  St. 
John  writes  the  mystic  words  "These  follow 
the  Lamb  whithersoever  He  goeth"? 

From  no  less  a  personage  than  the  great  St. 
Augustine,  who  himself  had  sad  experiences  in 
this  regard  before  his  conversion,  we  have  the 
consoling  assurance:  "Longa  castitas  reputatur 
pro  virginitate."  Translated  from  the  Latin, 
this  means:  "A  long  practice  of  chastity  counts 
for   virginity." 

In  the  life  of  St.  Margaret  of  Cortona,  known 
as  the  Tuscan  Penitent,  who  died  Feb.  22,  1297, 
we  read  that  "one  festival  of  the  royal  virgin,  St. 
Catherine  (Nov.  25),  Margaret  was  at  the  altar 
receiving  Communion  when  she  heard  Christ 
say  to  her:  'My  child,  thy  place  shall  be  among 
the  Seraphim  with  the  virgins  aflame  with  divine 
love.'  At  these  words  Margaret  was  astounded 
and  replied:  'Lord,  how  can  this  be  with  one  so 
stained  with  sin?'  But  He  Who  has  promised 
by  the  prophet:  'Return  to  Me  and  I  will  re- 
ceive thee,'  made  answer:  'Thy  manifold  suffer- 
ings shall  cleanse  thy  soul  from  all  attraction  to 
sin,  and  in  thy  suffering  and  contrition  thou 
shalt  be  restored   to  virginal   purity.'  "     Again, 


jot.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

one  day  this  same  St.  Margaret  of  Cortona  said: 
"O  Christ,  my  Master,  and  is  Magdalen  among 
the  virgins  in  the  glory  of  heaven?"  To  this 
the  Savior  replied:  "Except  Mary  the  Virgin 
and  Catherine  the  Martyr  (of  Alexandria),  there 
is  none  amongst  the  virgins  greater  than  Mag- 
dalen." If  we  ask  why,  we  might  receive  the 
answer  that  this  is  because  of  the  heroic  penance 
her  sins  stimulated  her  to  perform. 

May  one  or  must  one  believe  in  private 
revelations,  e.  g.,  such  as  were  made  to  some 
of  the  saints? 

Private  revelations  of  a  genuine  kind  may  be 
an  object  of  divine  faith  and  ought  to  be  believed 
by  those  to  whom  or  for  whom  they  are  made 
and  very  probably  by  all  to  whom  they  are 
known  with  true  certainty.  For  when  God  speaks 
to  one  person  He  is  just  as  truthful  as  when  He 
speaks  to  all. 

But  however  many  may  believe  and  be  con- 
vinced of  private  apparitions  and  revelations, 
even  if  the  whole  Church  should  do  so,  as  in  the 
case  of  the  apparitions  of  Lourdes,  the  fact  re- 
mains that  this  is  not  a  part  of  the  teaching  God 
gave  His  Church  when  He  made  it.  These 
private  revelations  never  become  a  part  of  the 
Catholic  faith;  and  the  Church,  being  the 
guardian  and  organ  of  public  revelation  only, 
never  imposes  upon  us  the  obligation  of  be- 
lieving private  revelations.  But  she  has  the 
right  of  passing  judgment  upon  them,  lest  the 
faithful  believe  error  and  be  deceived.  When 
private  revelations  are  approved  by  the  Church, 
such  approbation  merely  signifies  that  they  may 
be  published  for  the  instruction  of  the  faithful, 
as  being  of  a  kind  that  may  be  piously  believed 
according  to  the  rules  of  prudence  and  the 
authority  of  the  testimonies  upon  which  they 
rest.     They  are  not  an  object  of  Catholic  faith 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  703 

In  practice,  however,  many  of  the  saints  and 
doctors  of  the  Church  have  believed  in  such 
visions  and  revelations.  St.  Gregory  the  Great, 
for  instance,  uses  them  to  confirm  the  Church's 
teachings  that  prayers  and  Masses  help  the 
suffering  souls. 

As  regards  a  prudent  judgment  on  each  private 
revelation,  the  rules  for  the  discernment  of 
spirits,  as  given  in  mystical  theology,  should  be 
observed,  for  instance:  (1)  Whether,  as  regards 
the  matter,  they  are  conformable  to  the  Church's 
teaching  and  have  nothing  erroneous  or  frivolous 
about  them;  (2)  whether,  as  regards  the  person, 
such  person  be  free  from  disease,  especially  of  an 
hysterical  kind,  and  endowed  with  good  judg- 
ment, humility,  and  obedience;  (3)  whether,  as 
regards  the  effects,  the  revelations  leave  the  soul 
in  a  state  of  disquietude  or  foster  peace  and 
Christian  virtues,  which  latter  should  be  a  result. 

It  may  be  added  that  when  visions  show  a 
bodily  form  we  must  remember  that  these  forms 
are  purely  visionary.  If  a  departed  soul  takes 
on  a  bodily  appearance,  it  is  merely  as  the 
angels  do  when  sent  to  show  themselves  to  men. 
Whatever  effects  they  produce  on  the  senses,  all 
is  mere  appearance,  a  parable,  a  truth  shown  in 
figure,  as  when  we  say  in  ordinary  talk  that  a 
soul  burns  with  love,  for  instance,  thus  using  a 
bodily  figure  to  express  a  spiritual  fact  that 
exists  in  the  soul. 

Suppose  a  person  has  to  have  a  limb 
amputated,  should  it  be  buried  in  a  ceme- 
tery;  and  should  there  be  a  funeral  service? 

We  read  somewhere  that  when  the  late  Father 
Martin,  S.  J.,  then  General  of  the  Society  of 
Jesus,  had  an  arm  amputated,  it  was  interred  in 
the  vault  where  the  General's  body  would 
eventually  be  laid.  In  answer  to  a  question  from 
a  hospital  in  this  country,  regarding  the  manner 


7o4  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

of  disposing  of  amputated  limbs  of  Catholics, 
the  Holy  Office  replied  (Aug.  3,  1897)  that  they 
should  be  buried, — if  possible  in  consecrated 
ground.  The  advice  was  added  that  a  small 
consecrated  plot  should  be  kept  in  the  garden 
adjoining  the  hospital  for  the  purpose  of  burying 
amputated  limbs  of  Catholics.  Since  the  conse- 
cration, strictly  so  called,  even  of  cemeteries  is 
not  so  frequent  in  this  country,  it  might  be  said 
that  such  a  plot  should  be  blessed  or  at  least 
strictly  reserved  for  just  that  use.  Of  course  no 
funeral  rites  are  performed  over  an  amputated 
limb. 

Is  it  true  that  Christ  made  the  remark: 
"Don't  do  as  I  do,  but  do  as  I  tell  you  to"? 

It  is  not  true.  On  the  contrary,  the  Savior 
repeatedly  asked  His  hearers  to  follow  His  ex- 
ample. "Learn  of  Me."  "Follow  Me."  "I  have 
given  you  an  example,  that  as  I  have  done  to 
you,  so  you  do  also." 

The  strange  quotation  in  your  question  is 
doubtless  a  vague  and  confused  remembrance  of 
these  words  once  spoken  by  the  Savior:  "The 
scribes  and  the  Pharisees  have  sitten  on  the  chair 
of  Moses.  All  things  therefore  whatsoever  they 
shall  say  to  you,  observe  and  do;  but  according  to 
their  works  do  ye  not;  for  they  say  and  do  not." 
They  were  teaching  the  law  of  Moses  correctly, 
the  letter  of  the  law;  but  they  did  not  practice 
what  they  preached.  Hence  Christ  admonished 
the  people  to  give  heed  to  their  words  but  not  to 
follow  their  example.  Read  the  twenty-third 
chapter  of  the  Gospel  according  to  St.  Matthew, 
in  which  the  above  words  occur  and  in  which 
Christ  pronounces  many  a  woe  against  the  hypo- 
critical scribes  and  Pharisees.  And  when  you 
read  it  and  note  how  bitter  the  meek  and  gentle 
Savior  becomes  in  His  just  anger,  reflect  upon 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  705 

what  a  judgment  must  await  those  who  know  the 
faith  and  do  not  live  up  to  it. 

Can  the  spirit  world  communicate  with 
humanity? 

Yes;  with  God's  permission.  But  the  Church 
forbids  us  to  enter  into  communication  with  the 
dead.  Furthermore,  whatever  the  grade  of 
spirits  responsible  for  the  communications  of 
spiritism,  they  are  not  good  but  bad  spirits, 
whether  human  or  demoniac  matters  little. 

Death,  we  are  told,  is  a  punishment;  and 
yet  it  is  also  natural,  is  it  not?  How  are 
these  two  ideas  to  be  reconciled?  Man 
would  not  have  died  if  he  had  not  sinned; 
and  yet  it  is  natural  for  man  to  die. 

Yes;  Catholic  faith  teaches  that  the  death 
of  man  is  a  punishment:  "By  one  man  sin  en- 
tered into  the  world  and  by  sin  death;  and  so 
death  passed  upon  all  men"  (Rom.  5:12).  But 
faith  also  presupposes  that  God  made  the  bodily 
frame  of  man  immortal  by  a  means  of  a  special 
gift,  a  gift  added  to  human  nature,  even  de- 
tachable from  it.  God  told  man  in  the  garden 
of  Eden  that  if  he  disobeyed  a  certain  command 
He  would  deprive  him  of  the  immortality  of  the 
body:  "In  what  day  soever  thou  shalt  eat  of  it, 
thou  shalt  die  the  death"  (Gen.  2:17).  St. 
Thomas  sums  this  matter  up  concisely  in  the 
words:  "Death  is  natural  on  account  of  the 
conditions  of  matter,  but  it  is  penal  on  account 
of  the  loss  of  the  divine  gift  which  has  power  to 
preserve  from  death"     (Summa  II-II,  Q.  164). 

Will  the  soul  miss  its  body  after  death? 

Yes ;  to  a  great  extent  the  soul  will  be  in  a  state 
of  expectation,  awaiting  reunion  with  the  body; 
for  without  the  body  man's  life,  even  his  glorified 
life,  cannot  be  full  and  entire.  But  of  souls  we 
can  say  that  theirs  is  then  a  state  of  supreme 


7o6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

disembodied  happiness.  What  powers  do  they 
possess?  We  do  not  know.  In  our  liturgical  life 
we  address  the  saints  in  heaven,  not  as  discarnate 
spirits,  but  (necessarily)  as  fully  constituted 
human  beings. 

Does  the  power  of  meriting  cease  at  death? 

Yes;  at  death  the  power  of  meriting  vanishes 
as  completely  as  life  itself.  Man  then  ceases  to 
merit,  to  gain  fresh  rewards,  because  death 
destroys  in  him  all  his  true  human  working 
powers.  At  death  his  soul  becomes  unchange- 
able, fixed  in  good  or  evil,  that  is  to  say,  as  death 
finds  the  soul  so  shall  it  forever  be. 

What  do  we  mean  by  saying  that  Christ 
overcame,  cancelled,  swallowed  up  death? 

These  expressions,  in  addition  to  Christ's 
triumph  in  His  resurrection;  mean  that  death 
is  wiped  out  by  Him  inasmuch  as  after  the  Last 
Judgment  the  human  race,  through  the  power  of 
Christ  as  its  Redeemer,  will  be  a  race  of  beings 
that  were  dead  and  live  again  forever  and  ever,  as 
if  death  had  never  touched  them.  So  complete 
is  Christ's  mastery  over  death.  It  will  reach  into 
endless  eternity. 

Why  cannot  the  soul  of  man  die? 

The  soul  of  man  cannot  die  because  it  is  a 
truly  spiritual  substance.  It  is  superior  to  all 
"sense-life."  The  evidences  which  establish  the 
doctrine  that  in  man  there  is  a  truly  spiritual 
substance,  united  with  the  body  but  independent 
of  it,  are:  (1)  the  whole  attitude  of  the  Christian 
Church;  (2)  the  natural,  historic  tradition  of 
mankind;  (3)  the  conclusions  of  philosophy  con- 
cerning the  spirit  from  the  Greeks  down  to  our 
time. 

What  is  precisely  the  teaching  of  the 
Church  on  predestination?  Express  this 
with  the  u  tmost  brevity,  please. 


TEACHINGS  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS  707 

Catholic  theology  upholds  the  necessity  of 
predestination.  It  is  Catholic  teaching  to  say 
that  all  who  are  saved  are  saved  by  a  direct  act 
of  God;  but  it  is  heresy  to  say  that  those  who 
are  lost  are  predestinated  by  God  to  so  terrible 
a  fate.  Catholic  theology,  accordingly,  knows 
no  predestination  that  is  not  for  heaven. 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS 

In  a  radio  sermon  recently  a  priest  stated 
that  Christianity,  and  I  presume  he  re- 
ferred to  Catholicism,  was  to  be  credited 
for  effecting  the  abolition  of  slavery.  A 
listener  to  this  sermon  made  the  statement 
that  the  Church  assumed  credit  for  some- 
thing it  had  not  accomplished,  basing  his 
statement  on  the  fact  that  slavery  existed 
and  flourished  in  a  Christian  country. 
This  person  also  insinuated  that  Catholic 
bishops  and  priests  in  our  southern  states 
might  have  been  slaveholders.  My  question 
is  this:  Did  the  Church  play  any  active 
part  in  the  abolition  of  slavery  in  this 
country  or  in  any  country? 

The  listener  you  mention  would  do  well  to 
read  up  a  bit  on  the  matter  of  slavery.  We  refer 
him  to  the  two  splendid  articles  on  Slavery  in 
the  Catholic  Encyclopedia.  A  visit  to  the  public 
library,  a  half  hour's  good  reading,  and  the 
question  will  be  clarified.  But  we  will  make  a 
few  remarks  on  the  subject. 

Slavery  as  an  institution  seems  to  have  existed 
from  the  earliest  times.  Mosaic  legislation  placed 
certain  restrictions  upon  it,  which  were  generally 
observed.  (In  earlier  times,  by  the  way,  the 
same  disgrace  did  not  attach  to  slavery  as  in  its 
last  days.)  The  Catholic  Church  did  much  to 
help  abolish  slavery  as  a  system.  Naturally  she 
had  to  proceed  cautiously  in  the  beginning.  To 
interfere  abruptly  with  that  deeply  rooted  social 
order  would  have  meant  anarchy  and  confusion. 
To  have  attempted  to  bring  about  the  release  of 
all  the  slaves  of  the  Roman  Empire  would  have 
meant  throwing  on  the  world  millions  of  human 
beings  without  means  of  support  and  without  any 

708 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  709 

understanding  of  civic  life.  It  took  St.  Melania 
many  years  to  release  all  the  slaves  on  her  many 
estates,  who  numbered  over  a  hundred  thousand. 

The  Church  has  never  taken  a  stand  in  defense 
of  slavery.  It  is  indeed  true  that  Las  Casas, 
seeing  how  the  enslaved  Indians  were  being 
treated  in  Cuba,  urged  Charles  V,  in  1507,  to 
have  Negroes  from  Africa  imported  as  slaves. 
But  it  was  done  to  save  the  poor  Indians.  He 
little  thought  of  the  terrible  slave  trade  that 
would  result  therefrom.  It  was  an  unwise 
counsel,  and  Las  Casas  later  admitted  his  mistake. 
No  pope  gave  Charles  V  approbation  for  slavery. 
The  popes  were,  on  the  contrary,  ever  the  cham- 
pions of  the  human  rights  of  both  Indians  and 
Negroes.  They  repeatedly  issued  decrees  against 
slavery  and  the  slave  trade:  Pius  II,  Paul  III 
(1537),  Urban  VIII  (1639),  Gregory  XVI  (1839), 
Leo  XIII  (1888).  However,  not  only  by  par- 
ticular decrees  but  by  general  teaching  and 
example  as  well  has  the  Church  combated 
slavery.  Wherever  she  ruled  in  the  middle  ages 
slavery  was  gradually  abolished.  Today  slavery 
(excepting  the  modern  industrial  kind)  has  been 
rooted  out  in  all  Christian  countries.  This  is 
due,  if  not  chiefly  to  the  Catholic  Church,  then 
surely  to  the  Christian  ideal,  to  Christianity. 

Yes;  bishops  and  priests  may  have  had  slaves. 
There  is  a  twofold  slavery:  one  kind  considers 
the  slave  as  absolutely  without  any  rights  what- 
soever; the  other  is  voluntary  servitude  in  which 
the  essential  rights  of  the  slave  are  respected. 
The  latter  kind  of  slavery  is  neither  unjust  nor 
unmoral.  Even  saints  have  placed  themselves 
in  servitude.  But,  to  come  to  a  conclusion,  indi- 
vidual churchmen  are  by  no  means  the  Church. 
Speaking  of  the  Negro  slave  trade,  during  the 
three  centuries  of  its  existence  no  less  than 
30,000,000  slaves  were  dragged  into  captivity. 
Jn  this  terrible  slave  trade  both   Catholics,   as 


7io  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

individuals,  and  Protestants  actively  participated. 
The  shadow  falls  UDon  both. 

But  the  teachings  of  Christ,  Christianity, 
banished  that  shadow,  just  as  only  the  teachings 
of  Christ  and  His  Church  can  solve  the  social 
question  and  do  away  with  the  industrial  slavery 
(an  outgrowth  of  neo-paganism)  of  our  day. 
The  only  effective  way,  as  we  heard  recently  in 
another  radio  talk,  to  combat  the  spread  of 
destructive  radicalism,  is  to  reform  social  abuses 
and  establish  social  justice  by  the  application  of 
the  immortal  principles  of  Pope  Leo  XIII.  The 
Church  again! 

Who  was  St.  Blase,  and  what  words  does 
the  priest  say  when  blessing  the  throat? 

St.  Blase  was  Bishop  of  Sebaste  in  Armenia. 
He  was  beheaded  as  a  martyr  of  the  Faith  during 
the  persecution  of  Licinius,  in  316.  Among  other 
things  we  read  of  him  that  "he  healed  many  sick 
who,  attracted  by  the  fame  of  his  sanctity,  were 
brought  to  him."  He  is  especially  invoked  for 
diseases  of  the  throat.  The  miracle  which  seems 
to  have  given  rise  to  the  blessing  of  throats  was 
performed  upon  an  afflicted  boy,  who  was  brought 
to  the  saint  with  a  sharp  bone  stuck  in  his  throat. 
The  doctors  could  not  help  him;  he  was  dying. 
At  the  weeping  mother's  pleading  St.  Blase, 
filled  with  compassion,  placed  his  hand  upon  the 
boy  in  benediction  and  invoked  the  name  of  the 
Lord.    The  lad  was  completely  cured  on  the  spot. 

The  following  is  the  prayer  which  the  priest 
says  (in  Latin,  however)  when  giving  this  blessing: 
"Through  the  intercession  of  St.  Blase,  Bishop 
and  Martyr,  may  God  deliver  you  from  all 
disease  of  the  throat  and  from  every  other  evil. 
In  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.     Amen." 

I  have  a  picture  of  St.  Benedict  of  Nursia. 
He  holds  a  chalice  in  his  right  hand  out  of 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  711 

which  a  snake  is  creeping.  What  a  strange 
thing  to  represent  a  snake  coming  out  of  a 
holy  chalice.    I  never  saw  anything  like  it. 

St.  Benedict,  Patriarch  of  the  Western  Monks, 
is  often  represented  holding  a  chalice,  usually 
a  broken  chalice,  out  of  which  a  snake  is  creeping. 
But  this  chalice  represents  a  cup,  or  as  we  would 
say  nowadays  a  glass,  and  not  the  chalice  of  the 
Mass,  as  you  seem  to  think;  for  St.  Benedict, 
though  an  abbot,  was  not  a  priest.  This  symbol 
recalls  an  incident  of  his  early  life  when  certain 
monks,  admiring  the  holiness  of  his  life,  chose 
him  as  their  abbot.  But  soon  tiring  of  his  severity 
these  unworthy  monks  tried  to  kill  him  by 
poisoning  his  cup  of  wine  at  table.  When  about 
to  drink  it  the  saint  made  the  sign  of  the  cross 
over  it,  as  was  his  custom,  and  the  glass  was 
miraculously  shattered  to  fragments.  Hence  the 
broken  chalice,  or  cup,  and  the  serpent,  symbol 
of  poison  and  perfidy,  issuing  from  it. 

Some  time  ago  my  little  niece  died.  She 
was  three  years  and  eight  months  old.  In 
her  room  with  her  little  casket  mother  had 
a  blessed  candle  burning  all  the  time  and 
two  candles  in  holders,  not  burning,  and  a 
crucifix.  The  remark  was  made  by  one 
person  who  came  that  for  a  child  as  well 
as  for  a  grown  person  three  blessed  candles 
should  be  burning  all  the  time  until  the  body 
leaves  the  house.  We  were  not  sure  about 
that,  so  we  would  like  to  see  an  answer. 

Some  people  seem  to  know  just  everything; 
and  yet  they  know  best  of  all  how  to  make 
people  worry  because  of  their  wrong  statements. 
The  Roman  Ritual  says  that  after  death  the  body 
should  be  properly  cared  for  and  laid  out  in  a 
becoming  place,  with  a  lighted  candle  placed 
near  it.  The  Ritual  mentions  only  one  candle. 
So  it  is  quite  sufficient  and  better  to  use  just  one, 


7ii  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

though  it  would  not  be  wrong  to  light  more  than 
one.  Moreover,  lighted  candles  should  be  carried 
when  the  body  is  taken  from  the  house  to  the 
church  in  organized  procession.  When  the  body 
is  placed  in  the  aisle  of  the  church,  lighted 
candles  must  be  set  around  it.  The  candles 
are  a  symbol  of  the  light  of  faith,  and  of  the  future 
life  of  the  faithful  departed.  Hence  candles  are 
to  be  used  in  the  manner  prescribed  above  for 
all,  also  for  those  children  who  had  not  yet  at- 
tained the  use  of  reason. 

What  is  meant  by  the  liquefaction  of  the 
blood  of  St.  Januarius? 

St.  Januarius,  Bishop  of  Beneventum,  in  Italy, 
suffered  martyrdom  in  the  persecution  of  Diocle- 
tian, about  the  year  305.  His  body  was  brought 
to  Naples.  There  his  holy  blood  is  kept  to  this 
day  in  a  phial  of  glass,  which,  being  brought  near 
his  head,  becomes  liquid  and  bubbles  up  as  though 
it  were  fresh.  This  miracle  takes  place  each  year 
on  certain  days,  and  is  called  the  liquefaction  of 
the  blood  of  St.  Januarius.  For  an  interesting  and 
instructive  article  on  this  subject,  we  refer  you 
to  the  Catholic  Encyclopedia  (Januarius,  Saint). 
The  Catholic  Encyclopedia  is  in  your  public 
library,  we  hope.  If  not,  assert  your  rights  and 
see  to  it  that  it  gets  there. 

When  was  the  Sacrament  of  Confirmation 
instituted  ?" 

It  is  not  easy  to  decide  when  this  Sacrament 
was  instituted  by  Our  Lord  as  Holy  Writ  does 
not  clearly  state  it.  The  opinion  and  judgment 
of  St.  Thomas  (P.  Ill,  q.  72,  a  1,  to  1)  can  be 
safely  followed.  He  teaches  us  that  Christ 
instituted  this  Sacrament  not  by  exhibiting  it,  or 
by  showing  how  it  had  to  be  administered,  but  by 
promising  it,  when  He  said:  "If  I  go  not,  the 
Paraclete  will  not  come  to  you,  but  if  I  go,  I  will 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  713 

send  Him  to  you"  (John  16:7);  for  in  this  Sacra- 
ment the  plentitude  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  given, 
and  this  was  not  to  be  done  before  Christ's 
Resurrection  and  Ascension.  To  carry  out  this 
promise,  the  Savior  before  His  Ascension  bade 
the  Apostles  to  go  and  remain  in  Jerusalem  and 
there  await  the  coming  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

In  speaking  of  a  cemetery,  what  is  the 
difference  between  blessed  and  consecrated 
ground? 

In  some  cemeteries  the  whole  plot  of  ground 
which  constitutes  the  cemetery  has  been  solemnly 
consecrated  by  the  Bishop.  That  is  consecrated 
ground.  In  other  cemeteries  (in  most  ceme- 
teries in  this  country)  the  priest  blesses  each 
individual  grave  just  before  the  body  is  finally 
laid  to  rest.  That  is  then  blessed  ground.  Places 
that  are  consecrated  are  much  more  holy  than 
places  that  are  only  blessed.  This  simple  ex- 
planation will  suffice. 

May  one  have  Masses  said  for  the  soul  of 
a  two-months-old  baby?  Why  shouldn't 
a  baby  of  this  age  be  buried  from  the  church? 

You  cannot  have  Masses  said  for  the  baby, 
that  is,  for  the  repose  of  its  soul;  for  the  pure 
little  soul  is  with  God  in  heaven.  (We  take  it 
for  granted,  of  course,  that  the  babe  was  bap- 
tized.) But  you  may  have  Masses,  preferably 
votive  Masses,  said  in  pious  remembrance  of 
your  child;  this  is  a  special  way  of  offering  infinite 
honor  to  God  because  of  your  little  darling.  The 
baby  does  not  need  any  Masses;  it  went  home  to 
God  in  its  baptismal  innocence,  lily-pure. 

We  do  not  see  why  a  baby  of  this  age  should 
not  be  buried  from  the  church.  There  is  a  special 
rite  for  the  burial  of  Christ's  innocent  little  ones, 
with  the  Votive  Mass  of  the  Angels,  in  white, 
and  prayers  and  ceremonies  that  breathe  of  joy 


7i4  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

and  exultation.  We  are  sadly  aware  that  often 
little  ones  are  not  buried  from  the  church;  but 
we  do  not  at  all  approve  of  the  practice. 

Can  a  man  of  illegitimate  birth  become  a 
priest  ? 

Illegitimacy  is  what  Canon  Law  calls  an 
"irregularity  by  defect"  and  is  an  impediment 
which  in  itself  bars  a  person  from  receiving  Holy 
Orders.  We  here  take  it  for  granted  that  the 
person  under  consideration  can  no  longer  be 
legitimated  according  to  the  law,  in  which  case 
he  can  obtain  a  dispensation  from  the  irregularity 
and  then  be  ordained  priest.  The  granting  of 
this  dispensation  properly  pertains  to  the  Holy 
See. 

Just  what  caused  the  darkness  at  the  time 
of  the  crucifixion?    Was  it  due  to  an  eclipse? 

At  the  crucifixion  there  was  darkness  over  the 
whole  earth  from  the  sixth  to  the  ninth  hour, 
i.  e.,  from  about  noon  to  about  3:00  P.  M.  That 
darkness  was  due  to  a  special  miracle.  It  was 
not  due  to  an  eclipse  of  the  sun;  for  there  was  a 
full  moon  at  the  time. 

What  do  the  letters  I  H  S  on  the  priest's 
vestments  stand  for? 

They  stand  for  the  most  Holy  Name  of  Jesus. 
These  three  letters  are  not  three  separate  initials; 
they  are  the  first  three  letters  of  the  Greek  word 
Jesus.  The  second  letter  is  not  an  H,  as  is  usually 
thought.  It  is  Greek  capital  E.  Whenever  you 
see  I  H  S  devoutly  pronounce  the  Holy  Name. 
It  is  no  wonder  the  Church  uses  this  sign  on 
sacred  vestments  and  other  things.  "There  is 
no  other  Name  given  to  men,  whereby  we  must 
be  saved." 

Why  is  Easter  on  a  different  date  each 
year?    Christmas,  the  birth  of  Jesus  Christ 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  715 

is  on  the  25th  of  December,  and  we  are 
taught  that  the  Savior  lived  thirty-three 
years. 

Easter  is  not  celebrated  on  the  same  day  each 
year  because  it  is  always  celebrated  on  the  first 
Sunday  following  the  first  full  moon  of  the  vernal 
equinox.  And  all  other  movable  feasts  are 
regulated  by  the  time  of  Easter.  | 

It  is  not  necessary  that  Easter  be  the  very  day 
of  Our  Lord's  resurrection.  The  season  chosen 
by  the  Church  is  surely  most  appropriate.  When 
all  nature  is  awakening  to  new  life  and  resur- 
rection Holy  Church  celebrates  the  resurrection 
of  Christ  from  the  dead  as  well  as  the  spiritual 
resurrection  of  many  of  her  children. 

Christmas  is  now  always  and  everywhere  cele- 
brated on  December  the  twenty-fifth.  Indeed,  it 
always  was  celebrated  on  this  date,  even  from 
Apostolic  times,  by  the  churches  of  the  West, 
though,  previous  to  the  fourth  century,  the  people 
of  the  East  celebrated  this  feast  on  the  sixth  of 
January,  together  with  the  feast  of  the  Epiphany. 
The  date  of  the  Church's  feasts  is  a  matter  of 
ecclesiastical  determination. 

It  is  not  said  that  Jesus  lived  exactly  thirty- 
three  years,  to  the  day.  As  the  Baltimore  cate- 
chism has  it,  "Christ  lived  on  earth  about  thirty- 
three  years,  and  led  a  most  holy  life  in  poverty 
and  suffering." 

A  friend  told  me  that  it  is  silly  to  believe 
in  miracles.  The  laws  of  nature  are  fixed 
and  unchangeable,  and  a  miracle,  he  claims, 
would  be  a  violation  of  such  a  law. 

It  is  true,  the  laws  of  nature  are  fixed  and 
unchangeable;  but  not  absolutely  so,  as  are,  for 
instance,  the  laws  of  mathematics.  The  effects 
of  laws  which  are  not  absolute  can  be  suspended 
by  the  intervention  of  the  Almighty.  It  is  strange 
indeed  that  men  will  admit  their  ability  to  inter- 


7i6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

fere  with  the  laws  of  nature  by  their  strength, 
free-will,  and  advanced  scientific  wisdom,  and 
yet  they  deny  this  same  ability  to  Him  Who 
made  those  laws! 

Did  Pope  Adrian  IV  issue  a  document 
giving  Henry  II  of  England  permission  to 
invade  and  subdue  Ireland  under  the  pre- 
tense of  reforming  it? 

We  do  not  believe  there  was  much  of  a  pretence 
at  reformation.  Actual  reformation  was  neces- 
sary at  the  time.  The  eleventh  and  twelfth 
centuries  were  times  of  weary  waste  and  turbu- 
lence and  war  in  Ireland.  Finally  came  destruc- 
tion of  churches  by  the  rival  forces,  the  appropri- 
ation of  church  lands,  the  evil  of  simony,  and 
chaos  and  corruption  everywhere.  Then  an  un- 
expected reformer  appeared,  Henry  II  of  England. 
In  the  first  year  of  his  reign,  1154,  he  procured  a 
Bull  from  the  English-born  Pope,  Adrian  IV, 
authorizing  him  to  proceed  to  Ireland,  "to  check 
the  torrent  of  wickedness,  to  reform  evil  manners, 
to  sow  the  seeds  of  virtue." 

How  Henry  II,  the  murderer  of  Thomas  a 
Becket,  exercised  his  supposed  rights,  what  he 
supposed  those  rights  to  be,  and  what  others 
have  supposed  them  to  be  to  this  day,  we  will 
not  now  discuss. 

Are  losses  and  misfortunes  which  befall 
man  sent  by  God  and  their  duration  fixed 
by  Him? 

Nothing  happens  without  God's  permissive 
will.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  chance.  God, 
Who  can  bring  good  out  of  evil,  permits  the 
misfortunes  of  men  for  His  own  inscrutable,  yet 
adorable,  ends.  The  Creator,  in  His  all-wise 
providence,  sees  what  is  best  for  men  and,  mostly 
through  natural  agencies,  allows  just  that  to 
happen.    Therefore,  when  it  is  a  case  of  evils  that 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  717 

are  not  sin,  we  may  say  that,  indirectly  at  least, 
God  sends  them  all  and  fixes  their  duration; 
when  it  is  a  case  of  sin,  we  must  say  that  God 
does  not  will  it  but  permits  it.  Let  us  not  forget 
that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  "The  Mystery  of 
Evil." 

When  a  person  is  in  continual  disappoint- 
ments and  failures,  never  successful,  and 
in  a  state  of  darkness,  to  what  cause  can 
such  a  state  of  misery  be  attributed?  How 
can  such  a  one  find  peace? 

Disappointments,  failures,  lack  of  success, 
melancholy,  etc.,  may  be  due  to  a  score  of  causes, 
such  as  poor  business  ability,  want  of  talent,  ill 
health, — all  of  which  things  may  be  looked  upon 
as  permitted  by  God  for  the  soul's  greater  good. 
Spiritual  darkness  is  often  sent  by  God  to  draw 
pious  souls  nearer  to  Himself,  to  get  them  to 
seek  and  serve  Him  for  Himself  and  not  for  His 
sweetnesses;  for  the  spiritually  inclined  only 
too  often  seek  the  consolations  of  God  and  not 
the  God  of  consolations.  However,  as  Father 
Faber  wisely  remarks  somewhere,  our  own 
spiritual  sloth  and  want  of  generosity  in  God's 
service  are  often  the  cause  of  our  dryness  and 
desolation  of  heart. 

Souls  find  true  peace  by  abandoning  themselves 
to  God,  Whom  they  should  see  everywhere  and 
in  everything,  first,  last,  and  always;  by  repos- 
ing confidently  in  his  Fatherly  arms;  by  remem- 
bering (what  is  frequently  forgotten)  that  bear- 
ing the  cross  must  we  follow  the  Master  along 
the  road  to  heaven,  inasmuch  as  without  the 
cross  there  can  be  no  crown.  The  peace  of  God 
that  surpasseth  all  understanding  is  found  in  a 
good  conscience,  and  it  is  found  there  even  in 
the  very  midst  of  the  turmoil  of  earthly  strife. 

What  does  A.  M.  D.  G.  mean?     I  have 


7i8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

seen  it  written  at  the  end  of  a  Catholic 
story. 

These  letters  are  the  abbreviation  of  the  Latin 
phrase,  Ad  majorem  Dei  gloriam,  which  means, 
"To  the  greater  glory  of  God."  It  is  often 
placed  at  the  beginning  or  end  of  writings  to 
signify  in  so  many  words  that  the  author  sends 
out  his  work  to  promote  the  honor  and  glory  of 
God.  The  practice  is  very  praiseworthy.  A 
similar  abbreviation  is  U.  I.  O.  G.  D.,  Ut  in 
omnibus  glorificetur  Deus,  which  means,  in 
English,  "That  in  all  things  God  may  be  glori- 
fied." 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  boots  and 
gloves  which  the  Bishop  sometimes  wears, 
as  I  saw  him  do  in  your  monastery  chapel 
when  he  administered  the  Sacrament  of 
Holy  Orders? 

By  boots  you  evidently  mean  the  hose  and 
sandals.  The  hose  are  ceremonial  stockings 
reaching  to  the  knee;  the  shoes  are  called  sandals. 
They  signify  the  pure  intention  with  which  the 
bishop,  as  ambassador  of  heaven,  fearlessly  leads 
the  faithful  on  the  way  of  salvation.  The  gloves 
are  worn  as  a  sign  that  the  bishop's  hands  should 
always  be  pure  and  spotless,  in  order  to  ad- 
minister justice  and  impart  blessings  to  mrnkind. 

As  regards  other  ornaments  that  the  b.shop 
wears  on  such  occasions,  we  will  say  lhat  the 
pectoral  cross,  worn  on  the  breast,  is  emblematic 
of  the  sacrificial  love  with  which  the  bishop 
courageously  walks  in  the  bloody  footprints  of 
the  Savior.  The  mitre  is  a  symbol  of  the  bishop's 
high  dignity  as  a  legislator  and  guide  to  the 
people  of  God.  As  such  his  office  embraces  the 
revelations  of  both  the  Old  and  the  New  Testa- 
ments; hence  the  two  horns  of  the  mitre.  The 
ring  worn  by  the  bishop  signifies  his  indissoluble 
union  with  the  Church  of  God,  whose  spouse  he 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  719 

is.  The  crosier,  or  pastoral  staff,  denotes  the 
pastoral  power  bestowed  upon  him,  to  lead, 
govern,  and  support  the  flock  entrusted  to  his  care. 

Why  \#as  Jesus  tempted  by  the  devil  in  the 
desert? 

He  was  tempted  "because  it  was  His  own  will." 
It  does  seem  strange  at  first  sight  to  see  our  Di- 
vine Savior  actually  tempted  by  the  devil.  But 
he  submitted  to  it  because  He  wished  (1)  to  be 
like  us  "in  all  things,  excepting  sin,"  and  (2) 
because  He  wished  by  His  own  example  to  show 
us  how  to  conduct  ourselves  under  the  attacks 
of  "the  most  wicked  one." 

Temptation  is  no  sin.  Life  is  full  of  tempta- 
tions; and  the  vast  difference  between  the 
highest  saint  in  heaven  and  the  lowest  reprobate 
in  hell  must  be  wholly  ascribed  to  the  different 
ways  in  which  they  conducted  themselves  under 
temptation.  Temptation  is  necessary  for  us  and 
wholly  unavoidable.  Hence  the  Savior  places 
Himself  before  us  as  the  Divine  Model  we  should 
imitate  in  combating  it. 

Why  did  God  ask  Abraham  to  sacrifice  his 
only  son? 

God  often  tests  the  loyalty  of  men  to  Him  by 
demanding  of  them  things  that  are  hard  and 
bitter — sometimes  more  bitter  even  than  death 
itself.  So  by  this  extraordinary  command  God 
wished  to  test  the  faith  and  obedience  of  Abra- 
ham. Those  two  virtues  were  brought  out  in  all 
their  splendor  by  the  Patriarch's  readiness  to 
sacrifice  his  only  son.  As  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
said  to  him  when  he  stayed  the  sword  that 
was  raised  to  slay,  "Now  I  know  that  thou  fearest 
God,  and  hast  not  spared  thy  only-begotten  son 
for  My  sake." 

Did  also  the  good  thief  revile  Jesus  at  the 
crucifixion? 


jio         QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

St.  Matthew  uses  the  word  "thieves"  in  the 
plural  number.  "And  the  self -same  thing  the 
thieves  also  .  .  .  reproached  Him  with."  But, 
by  a  figure  quite  common  in  Scripture,  the  plural 
is  often  used  for  the  singular.  So,  for  instance,  it 
is  said  that  "the  soldiers  offered  Him  vinegar," 
whereas  only  one  soldier  did  so.  Commentators 
say  that  only  one  of  the  thieves  reviled  Our 
Lord.  It  is,  indeed,  disputed  whether  the  peni- 
tent thief  first  joined  his  companion  in  reviling 
Jesus  and  was  only  afterwards  converted;  but 
the  most  common  opinion  seems  to  be  that  he 
did  not  at  all  revile  Our  Lord. 

Was  Shakespeare  a  Catholic? 

This  is  the  much  discussed  question  of  the 
religion  of  that  immortal  dramatist.  We  will 
not  enter  into  particulars  except  to  say  that  a 
number  of  documents  have  been  found  which, 
if  they  are  genuine,  seem  to  attest  that  he  was  a 
Catholic;  that  many  serious  arguments,  how- 
ever, apparently  lead  us  to  believe  that  he  was 
not  an  adherent  of  the  ancient  Faith,  certainly 
not  what  we  would  now  call  a  "practical  Catho- 
lic"; that  it  is  certain  he  knew  much  of  Cath- 
olicism,— so  much  that  he  must  have  been 
brought  up  in  a  very  Catholic  atmosphere.  It 
seems  that  this  point,  the  religion  of  Shakespeare 
will  remain  forever  uncertain. 

Please  tell  me  if  there  are  Orders  of  priests 
and  nuns  that  don't  embalm  their  dead. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  the  practice  of 
embalming  the  dead  is  not  everywhere  as  pre- 
valent as  it  is  here  in  our  country.  In  many 
places  the  dead  are  rarely  embalmed  and  there 
are  different  laws  regulating  the  time  of  burial, 
etc.  In  this  matter,  as  in  many  others,  Religious 
Orders  adapt  themselves  to  the  practices  of  the 
country  in  which  they  live,  as  far  as  that  is  com- 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  7x1 

patible  with  the  state  of  life  embraced  by  the 
members  thereof. 

Was  Voltaire  an  atheist? 

Francois  Marie  Arouet  Voltaire  (1694-1778), 
French  philosopher,  poet,  and  historian,  was  a 
deist  (one  who  believes  in  a  personal  God,  with 
disbelief  in  revelation)  in  philosophy  and  an 
Epicurean,  who  treated  the  most  serious  subjects 
with  questionable  levity.  As  regards  his  character 
he  is  said  to  have  been  despicable,  unpatriotic, 
cowardly,  a  shameless  liar,  and  irreligious  to 
the  core.  He  has  done  incalculable  harm;  and 
the  "Voltairean  spirit,"  which  mocks  all  things 
sacred,  is  still  abroad  in  the  world.  Thirty-one 
of  his  works  are  enumerated  in  the  Index  of 
Prohibited  Books  revised  and  published  in  1930 
by  order  of  His  Holiness  Pope  Pius  XI. 

In  a  rare  old  volume  entitled  Therapie  des 
Zeitgeistes  by  Anton  Philalethes,  we  read  that 
Voltaire  lost  both  faith  and  innocence,  through 
the  ill  regulated  study  of  the  classics, — innocence 
through  Virgil,  according  to  his  own  admission. 
And  yet,  in  one  of  his  unpublished  letters  (his 
10,000  letters,  by  the  way,  constitute  a  history 
of  his  time),  Voltaire  wrote:  "Before  God,  Who 
hears  me,  I  can  say  that  I  am  a  loyal  citizen  and 
a  sincere  Catholic.  I  would  not  say  this,  were  it 
not  in  my  heart  from  the  beginning." 

But  he  nevertheless  remained  heathen  in  soul 
to  the  end,  or,  rather,  tried  to  do  so,  the  above- 
mentioned  authoritative  volume  tells  us.  Asked 
on  his  deathbed  by  the  pastor  of  St.  Sulpice 
whether  he  believed  in  the  divinity  of  Christ,  he 
replied:  "I  believe  that  one  ought  to  let  men  die 
in  peace."  The  rest  of  his  strength  he  spent  on 
his  heathen  tragedy  Irene. 

Will  God  have  a  great  reward  for  those 
who  care  for  the  sick  and  sacrifice  their  all 
for  them? 


/2.z  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

Great  indeed  will  be  their  reward,  even  this: 
"Come,  you  blessed  of  My  Father,  possess  you 
the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation 
of  the  world.  For  I  was  .  .  .  sick  and  you 
visited  Me"  (Matt.  25:34,  36).  If  even  visiting 
the  sick  is  one  of  the  corporal  works  of  mercy, 
how  much  more  caring  for  them  and  sacrificing 
one's  all  for  them.  Take  out  of  the  Savior's 
career  all  that  He  did  for  the  sick  and  how  big 
a  gap  it  would  leave.  Consider  that  the  first  act 
inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  Christian 
dispensation  was  the  Visitation.  Mary,  the 
Mother  of  the  Savior,  was  inspired  to  hasten  to 
Judea,  a  tiresome  journey  of  many  miles,  to  visit 
her  cousin  Elizabeth,  a  woman  six  months  gone 
in  pregnancy.  Again,  among  the  Savior's  latest 
acts  was  His  consoling  and  saving  the  dying 
thief  hanging  on  the  cross  beside  Him. 

What  a  privilege  it  really  is  to  be  associated 
with  the  Good  Samaritan  in  this  wondrous  work 
of  mercy!  Truly  Christ,  the  Divine  Savior,  the 
universal  Healer,  and  His  Mother  and  St.  Joseph 
are  in  every  sick  chamber,  making  it  a  novitiate 
of  Paradise.  St.  Francis  de  Sales  says:  "They 
who  wait  upon  the  sick  are  at  the  foot  of  the 
cross  with  our  Lady  and  St.  John,  whose  com- 
passion they  imitate;  the  sick  man  himself  is  on 
the  cross  with  our  Savior,  Whose  passion  he 
imitates." 

The  Master  says:  "Amen  I  say  to  you,  as 
long  as  you  did  it  to  one  of  these  My  least 
brethren,  you  did  it  to  Me"  (Matt.  25:40).  In 
serving  the  sick  we  serve  Christ  in  His  suffering 
members. 

Why  is  it  necessary  that  an  odd  number 
of  sanctuary  lamps  be  burned  before  the 
Blessed  Sacrament,  as  is  stated  in  the 
Roman  Rubricals? 

Before    the    tabernacle    where    the    Blessed 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  713 

Sacrament  is  kept  at  least  one  lamp  (as  in  all  our 
churches)  must  be  kept  burning.  It  must  be 
kept  burning  without  interrruption  day  and 
night  (even  when  the  candles  on  the  altar  are 
lighted  during  Mass  or  during  exposition  of  the 
Blessed  Sacrament).  This  lamp  is  a  figure  of 
the  Savior,  the  Light  of  the  world  (John  8:12). 
It  is  also  a  symbol  of  Our  Lord,  Who,  like  the  oil, 
enlightens,  nourishes,  soothes,  and  strengthens 
souls;  and  it  likewise  symbolizes  the  Christian 
people,  who  are  consumed  in  the  presence  of  God. 
You  mention  the  ''Roman  Rubricals."  It  is 
indeed  true  that  according  to  the  Ceremonial  of 
Bishops  several  lamps  (an  odd  number)  are  re- 
quired before  the  Blessed  Sacrament.  But  this 
rule  applies  only  to  cathedral  churches  and  to 
the  feast  days  when  the  Bishop  officiates;  and 
it  is  not  even  then  a  formal  precept. 

A  wife  in  the  state  of  pregnancy  wants  to 
avoid  everything  that  may  effect  the 
normalcy  of  her  child.  She  asks  me  to  tell 
you,  however,  that  she  now  so  easily  flies 
into  uncontrollable  rage  at  the  least  pro- 
vocation and  is  much  embittered  because 
her  husband  is  out  of  work  and  there  are 
no  prospects  ahead.  Will  this  have  any 
effect  upon  her  child?  She  also  wants  to 
know  whether,  when  she  has  a  great  longing 
for  a  certain  food  and  cannot  get  it  or  does 
not  eat  it,  this  will  have  any  injurious 
effect  upon  her  child.  Also,  she  desires  to 
know  whether  working  hard,  lifting,  etc., 
will  be  injurious? 

We  often  wonder  why  all  Catholic  married 
people  do  not  get  "Plain  Talks  on  Marriage,"  by 
Father  Fulgence  Meyer,  0.  F.  M.,  (1615  Republic 
St.,  Cincinnati,  Ohio)  a  splendid  little  book  of 
almost  two  hundred  pages,  which  gives  chaste, 
plain,  and  practical  answers  to  just  about  all  the 


7Z4  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

sincere  questions  on  marriage  that  can  be  asked. 
The  following  paragraphs  from  this  enlightening 
book  give  a  splendid  answer  to  the  question  here 
asked. 

"The  nine  months  of  gestation  mean  a  great 
deal  to  the  future  life  of  the  child.  It  draws  the 
gradual  formation  of  its  body  from  the  mother, 
on  whose  actual  condition  the  state  of  the  child's 
body  very  much  depends.  Between  body  and 
soul  there  is  a  close  interrelation  of  influence  and 
condition.  Consequently  the  condition  of  the 
expectant  mother  is  very  material  to  the  child's 
fate. 

"One  must  not  stress  the  burden  of  heredity 
too  far:  yet  there  seems  to  be  ground  to  believe, 
that  many  convicts  who  are  in  our  prisons  and 
penitentiaries  today,  women  as  well  as  men, 
would  not  be  there  had  their  parents  been  in  a 
more  favorable  state  at  their  conception  and 
gestation.  The  mother,  of  course,  plays  the 
more  important  role  here.  She  should  therefore 
be  attentive  to  herself  in  this  sacred  period  of 
pregnancy.  She  must  avoid  every  undue  agi- 
tation and  worry  of  mind,  and  eschew  anything 
smacking  of  excessive  or  passionate  indulgence. 
This  has  reference  not  only  to  drunkenness  or 
lust,  but  also  to  violent  anger,  jealousy,  envy, 
revenge,  and  to  inordinate  anxiety,  fear,  de- 
pression, despondency  and  melancholy.  All  these 
and  similar  sentiments,  when  freely  pursued, 
are  likely  to  affect  the  mind  and  body  of  the 
mother  in  a  sinister  manner,  and  to  have  a 
disastrous  influence  on  the  child  that  is  forming 
under  her  heart. 

"It  will  benefit  both  mother  and  child,  if  the 
pregnant  mother  keeps  herself  well,  easy  and 
happy  as  much  as  possible  in  body  and  soul,  and 
nurses  feelings  of  love  of  God  and  her  neighbor, 
of  trust  and  confidence  in  God's  sweet  provi- 
dence, and  of  virtuous  resignation  to  His  holy 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  715 

will  in  all  things.  She  will  foster  these  feelings 
by  the  regular  attendance  at  Holy  Mass  and  by 
the  frequent  reception  of  the  sacraments.  On 
his  part  her  husband  will  assist  her  towards  this 
disposition  of  body  and  mind  by  behaving  towards 
her,  in  the  season  of  pregnancy,  with  more  than 
ordinary  love,  tenderness,  devotion,  attachment, 
respect  and  consideration,  which  prompt  him  to 
anticipate  her  every  want  and  to  meet  her  most 
silent  desires  as  much  as  his  circumstances  will 
allow. 

"As  to  hearing  the  obligatory  Mass  on  Sundays 
and  holydays,  some  expectant  mothers  are  exempt 
or  dispensed  early  in  their  sacred  period  because 
of  peculiar  personal  conditions :  with  the  best  will 
in  the  world  they  cannot  attend  Mass,  for  fear 
of  nausea  or  some  kindred  indisposition.  Others, 
again,  keep  on  assisting  at  Mass  until  almost 
immediately  before  the  day  of  their  delivery. 
In  case  of  doubt  as  to  the  obligation,  the  pastor 
will  gladly  give  a  dispensation,  or  the  confessor  a 
declaration  in  the  matter.  To  discontinue  going 
to  Mass  merely  from  embarrassment  at  the  ap- 
pearances and  the  consequent  comment  of  others 
is  hardly  commendable,  as  a  rule.  It  is  certainly 
no  dishonor,  but  rather  an  honor  and  a  sign  of 
God's  favor  and  blessing  to  be  an  expectant 
mother,  and  something  of  which  a  good  woman 
has  every  reason  to  be  justly  proud.  Of  course, 
an  innate  feeling  of  delicacy  will  prompt  a  woman 
not  to  parade  her  condition  unnecessarily  before 
the  world.  For  very  good  reasons,  God  desired 
that  the  origin  of  human  life  should  be  veiled  by 
a  certain  mysteriousness  that  shrinks  from  notice 
and  publicity. 

"As  the  pregnancy  progresses  to  the  fifth  or 
sixth  month,  the  mother  must  be  especially 
cautious  not  to  exert  herself  unduly  in  a  physical 
way.  She  will  avoid  heavy  lifting,  high  reaching 
or  jumping,  and  every  other  unusual  tax  on  her 


7x6  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

bodily  condition,  in  order  to  avoid  a  miscarriage. 
The  husband  will  see  to  it  that  his  wife  is  then 
excused  from  all  manner  of  work  that  is  likely 
to  jeopardize  her  health  and  the  life  of  her  blessed 
charge." 

It  may  be  remarked,  however,  that  daily 
exercise,  as  physicians  tell  us,  is  highly  important. 
Ordinary  house-work,  if  not  too  burdensome,  is 
quite  commendable.  Walking  in  the  open  air 
and  auto  riding  are  excellent  when  the  weather 
is   pleasant. 

The  question  also  touches  upon  the  matter  of 
diet.  Physicians  say  that  her  food  should  be 
plain,  nourishing,  and  sufficient  in  quantity. 
Unusually  rich  or  highly  seasoned  dishes  should 
be  avoided.  They  advise  that  medical  advice 
be  sought  if  very  unnatural  cravings  exist  or  if 
nausea  be  present.  Some  say  that  it  would  injure 
the  child  if  the  great  craving  for  meat,  for 
instance,  which  pregnant  women  often  experience, 
were  not  satisfied;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  good 
medical  authorities  deny  this  and  say  that  no 
danger  will  be  caused  thereby,  no  matter  how 
much  this  craving  is  resisted  and  disregarded. 
Be  that  as  it  may,  among  those  who  are  excused 
from  the  precept  of  abstinence  are  pregnant 
women,  if  they  are  sickly  and  fear  danger  to  their 
health  from  abstinence  foods. 

The  father  of  a  certain  family  is  in  reality 
a  sick  man,  but  he  doesn't  show  it  as  yet. 
His  family  will  not  know  what  to  do  without 
him.  Would  it  be  sinful  to  have  him  insured 
in  a  company  that  does  not  demand  a  physi- 
cal examination? 

Whether  or  not  a  physical  examination,  in 
one  form  or  other,  is  required  remains  to  be  seen 
upon  further  inquiry.  Life  insurance  companies, 
as  is  well  known,  are  naturally  wont  to  ask 
numerous  questions  from  which  they  can  fairly 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  717 

estimate  the  length  of  life,  under  ordinary 
circumstances,  of  the  person  to  be  insured.  We 
believe  that  when  these  various  questions  have 
been  candidly  answered  the  exact  state  of 
affairs  will  be  sufficiently  well  known  and  arrange- 
ments made  accordingly  Certainly  no  insurance 
contract  will  be  drawn  up  as  blindly  as  the  above 
question  seems  to  suggest.  Without  entering 
further  into  this  rather  complicated  matter  of 
life  insurance  policies,  we  deem  it  sufficient  to 
say  that  the  sincere  method,  which  answers  all 
questions  to  the  best  of  one's  knowledge  and 
neither  denies  nor  conceals  any  circumstance 
that  notably  diminishes  the  probability  of  longer 
life  on  the  part  of  the  one  insured,  is  the  only 
safe  method  to  follow.  If  circumstances  of  little 
moment  are  concealed  or  denied  the  contract  is 
not  thereby  rendered  invalid  indeed,  but  even 
that  were  not  honest  and  honorable. 

By  all  means  follow  the  sincere  method,  a 
candid  statement  of  the  case  and  a  truthful 
answer  to  the  questions  asked.  This  will  at  once 
and  for  all  time  obviate  all  troubles  of  conscience 
and  future  questions  of  restitution. 

What  is  the  significance  of  the  fact  that 
so  many  elements  in  our  faith  are  calcu- 
lated in  odd  numbers;  as,  Christ's  death 
at  the  age  of  thirty-three,  His  public  life  of 
three  years,  the  three  divisions  of  Christ's 
holy  life,  the  fifteen  mysteries  of  the  rosary, 
the  seven  sorrows  and  seven  joys  of  our 
Blessed  Mother,  etc.,  etc. 

We  are  not  to  suppose  that  there  is  any  special 
efficacy  inherent  in  the  choice  of  a  special  number, 
though  at  times  there  is  obvious  appropriateness 
or  convenience.  Moreover,  some  number  must 
be  taken  or  assigned.  This  is  not  a  case  of  super- 
stitious reverence  for  mere  numbers,  but  is  simply 
the  recognition  of  the  need  of  preciseness.  con- 


7i8  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

lenience,  certainty,  regularity;  for  desirable 
things  are  achieved  by  definiteness  of  numbers. 

Then,  of  course,  we  have  the  mystical  sym- 
bolism of  numbers.  To  enter  at  length  into  this 
matter  would  take  us  too  far  afield.  We  believe 
your  question  will  be  sufficiently  answered  by 
the  following  item  from  The  New  Catholic  Dic- 
tionary (The  Universal  Knowledge  Foundation, 
New  York  City),  a  truly  excellent  work  of  1100 
pages  and  hundreds  of  fine  illustrations  that 
ought  to  be  in  the  library  of  every  Catholic  home 
throughout  the  land: 

"Numbers,  Mystical.  The  Fathers  of  the 
Church  have  regarded  numbers  in  Scripture  as 
full  of  mystical  meaning.  Three,  four,  and  their 
compounds,  as  well  as  seven,  eight,  and  forty 
have  a  special  spiritual  signification.  Three 
refers  to  God.  He  is  past,  present  and  future. 
He  is  thrice  holy;  three  times  His  name  is  pro- 
nounced in  the  priest's  blessing  to  the  people 
(Num.,  6).  Four  is  the  symbol  of  the  material 
world,  of  man,  of  God's  kingdom  on  earth. 
Seven  (3— [—4)  symbolizes  the  union  of  God  with 
man.  The  seventh  day,  seventh  year,  the  forty- 
ninth  (7X7)  year  were  holy.  Eight  denotes 
perfection  and  completion.  Twelve  (3X4)  is 
the  number  of  the  chosen  people  of  God,  repre- 
sented by  the  twelve  loaves  of  proposition.  St. 
Augustine,  commenting  on  the  twelve  Apostles, 
claims  great  mystery  in  the  signification  of  the 
number  twelve.  Twelve  were  chosen  because 
there  are  twelve  gates  through  which  we  enter  the 
kingdom  of  God.  Christ  is  the  door,  Christ  is  all 
the  twelve,  because  He  is  in  all  twelve.  The 
Apostles  will  sit  on  twelve  thrones,  judging  the 
twelve  tribes  of  Israel.  This  signifies  that  they 
will  judge  all  men,  for  there  are  four  quarters  of 
the  world,  East,  West,  North,  and  South.  From 
the  four  winds  shall  the  elect  be  gathered,  for 
they  are  called  in  the  Trinity,  being  baptized  in 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  7z9 

the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  Four  multiplied  by  three  is 
twelve.  Pope  Gregory  the  Great,  in  his  Lenten 
Hymn  of  the  Divine  Office,  attaches  a  mystical 
significance  to  the  numbers  ten  and  four: 

Ex  more  docti  mystico 
Servemus  hoc  jejunium 
Deno  dierum  circulo. 

(Translated:  Taught  by  mystic  use,  let  us  ob- 
serve this  fast  which  is  completed  in  the  well- 
known  ten-fold  round  of  days  taken  four  times.) 
He  compares  the  two  and  five  talents  mentioned 
in  the  Gospels  to  the  two  mental  faculties,  intel- 
lect and  will;  and  the  five  senses,  sight,  hearing, 
smell,  taste,  and  touch — i.  e.,  outward  knowledge; 
all  gifts  of  God,  given  to  merit  eternal  reward. 
St.  Ambrose  says  that  St.  Luke  gives  four  of 
Our  Lord's  Beatitudes  (Luke,  6),  St.  Matthew 
eight  (Matt.,  5),  but  in  those  eight  are  contained 
these  four,  and  in  these  four,  those  eight.  In  the 
four  are  embraced  the  cardinal  virtues,  and  in 
those  eight,  they  are  set  forth  in  a  number  full 
of  mystery. — C.  E.;  Messmer,  Outlines  of 
Biblical  Knowledge,  St.  L.,  1927.     (M.  J.  W.)" 

Why  cannot  women  become  priests  ?  Why 
does  the  Church  shut  the  door  of  the  priest- 
hood against  them?  We  read  of  more  and 
more  lady  ministers  in  Protestant  churches. 

Your  question  seems  to  imply  that  the  door 
has  been  shut  against  those  who  have  a  right  to 
enter.  But  the  fact  of  the  matter  is  that  the 
door  of  the  priesthood  has  never  been  opened  by 
Christ  to  women,  and  the  Church  has  no  power 
in  the  matter.  Women  are  debarred  from  the 
priesthood  by  divine  positive  law,  if  not  by  the 
natural  law  even,  according  to  reason.  This 
has  been  the  constant  teaching  and  practice  of 
the  Church  from  the  time  of  St.  Paul  up  to  our 


730  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

day.  A  woman  could  not  validly  receive  sacred 
Orders. 

Indeed,  even  for  men  the  priesthood  is  not  a 
right,  but  a  privilege.  There  is  no  question,  of 
course,  of  the  spiritual  inferiority  of  women; 
for  all  souls  are  equal.  Nor  can  we  say  that  the 
Apostles  were  affected  by  the  current  views  of 
woman's  position  at  the  time.  The  argument 
that  woman  is  unfit  spiritually  to  consecrate  the 
Holy  Eucharist  or  to  give  absolution  is  obviously 
destroyed  by  the  fact  that  Our  Lady  brought  the 
Savior  into  the  world. 

So,  to  sum  up,  by  divine  law  only  those  of  the 
masculine  sex  can  receive  the  Sacrament  of  Holy 
Orders.  Women  are  absolutely  incapable  of  re- 
ceiving any  Orders. 

Can  a  priest  who  is  excommunicated 
validly  and  licitly  administer  the  Sacra- 
ments to  a  dying  person? 

Canon  2261  of  Church  law  says  that  an  ex- 
communicated person  is  forbidden  to  administer 
the  Sacraments  and  sacramentals,  which  also 
means  that  such  a  priest  is  forbidden  to  say  Mass. 
He  may  not  licitly  do  so.  The  Canon  expressly 
uses  that  word.  The  validity  is  not  endangered, 
since  the  power  of  Order  cannot  be  lost.  And, 
according  to  Canon  2264,  a  simply  excom- 
municated person  can  even  perform  acts  of 
jurisdiction  validly,  but  not  licitly.  Hence  it 
would  ordinarily  be  sinful  for  an  excommuni- 
cated priest  to  administer  the  Sacraments  and 
he  would  incur  canonical  penalties. 

We  say  ordinarily.  Canon  2261  states  two 
exceptions  in  which  such  a  priest  may  administer 
the  Sacraments  without  incurring  penalty  and 
irregularity. 

The  first  exception  states  that,  provided  the 
priest  is  not  a  vitandus  or  under  a  declaratory  or 
condemnatory  sentence,  the  faithful  may,  for  any 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  73: 


just  reason,  ask  him  to  administer  the  Sacraments 
and  sacramentals  to  them.  This  is  more  specially 
true  if  no  other  priest  is  available,  in  which  case 
the  excommunicated  priest  thus  asked  may  ad- 
minister them;  nor  is  he  under  any  obligation 
to  inquire  why  the  petitioner  wishes  to  receive 
them. 

The  second  exception  states  that,  if  the  priest 
is  a  vitandus  or  excommunicated  in  virtue  of  a 
condemnatory  or  declaratory  sentence,  the  faith- 
ful may  demand  of  him  absolution  only  in  danger 
of  death,  even  though  other  priests  be  present 
who  are  not  excommunicated,  but  other  Sacra- 
ments or  sacramentals  they  may  receive  from 
such  a  priest  only  if  no  other  priests  are  available, 
which  can  be  legitimately  interpreted  by  are  not 
present.  This  is  another  proof  of  the  great  kind- 
ness of  Holy  Mother  Church. 

But  this  question  is  impractical.  You  will 
have  quite  a  search  if  you  look  for  an  excom- 
municated priest.  They  are  hard  to  find,  being 
so  rare.  Nor  will  its  answer  be  fully  understood. 
However,  it  was  probably  asked  to  settle  an 
argument  or  to  reassure  a  timid  soul. 

One  sometimes  hears  it  said,  by  way  of 
a  clumsy  joke,  that  So-and-so  need  not  fear 
death  by  accident,  since  he  is  destined  to  be 
hanged,  etc.  Again  people  say :  4 'Well,  God 
knows  when  and  where  and  from  what  I 
am  going  to  die.  So  why  should  I  worry. 
No  matter  what  I  do  the  decrees  of  the 
Almighty  shall  be  accomplished.11  What 
is  to  be  said  of  this  attitude  of  mind? 

We  must  say  that  such  an  attitude  of  mind 
is  based  upon  wrong  principles.  Without  enter- 
ing at  great  length  into  this  abstruse  matter,  we 
deem  it  sufficient  to  say  that  God  does  indeed 
know  beforehand  what  manner  of  death  we  shall 
die;    but  that  particular  kind  of  death  does  not 


73*         QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

happen  because  of  God's  knowledge  of  it;  rather, 
He  foresees  it  because  it  will  happen  through  the 
operation  of  causes  external  to  Him.  Thus  we 
may  say  that  God  foresees  at  one  arid  the  same 
time  that  by  taking  good  care  of  his  health  a 
man  would  live  many  years  longer  and  that  by 
leading  a  life  of  intemperance  and  dissipation  he 
actually  will  die  so  many  years  sooner.  Perhaps 
the  simplest  way  of  elucidating  this  is  the  follow- 
ing: Suppose  you  are  seated  before  a  mirror  in 
your  room,  with  your  back  to  the  door.  The 
door  opens  and  a  friend  enters  and  crosses  the 
room  in  your  direction.  You  see  the  friend 
coming  towards  you  in  the  mirror.  Is  he  coming 
because  you  see  him?  No;  you  see  him  because 
he  is  coming.  A  little  reflection  upon  this  will 
throw  much  light  on  the  complicated  question 
touched  upon  above. 

Is  it  true  that,  if  one  steals  or  unjustly 
injures  another  in  his  goods  and  dies  before 
having  been  able  to  make  the  intended 
restitution,  one  must  suffer  in  purgatory 
until  that  restitution  is  somehow  made? 

Despite  the  fact  that  various  stories  are  told 
about  poor  souls  returning  to  earth  and  asking 
others  to  make  restitution  neglected  by  them, 
we  must  say  that  it  is  not  true  that  a  person 
who  dies  in  venial  sin  on  account  of  restitution 
neglected  must  remain  in  purgatory  until  all  restitu- 
tion is  made.  The  reason  is  because  this  would  seem 
to  make  the  punishment  depend  on  the  negligence 
of  the  heirs  or  on  accident,  as  the  case  may  be; 
and  this  is  not  consonant  with  the  justice  of  God. 
There  may  have  been  other  reasons  why  such 
souls  are  said  to  have  pleaded  that  restitution  be 
made.  It,  no  doubt,  also  shortened  their  purga- 
tory; but  that  is  quite  different  from  saying  that 
they  must  suffer  until  all  restitution  is  made. 
In  many  cases  it  is  never  made. 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  733 

However,  let  all  be  solicitous  about  making 
restitution  (the  sincere  intention  to  make  it  when 
possible  suffices  for  forgiveness  of  the  sin  in  the 
confessional).  The  obligation  is  grave  if  the 
damage  and  the  fault  were  both  grave;  it  is 
light  if  both  the  damage  and  the  fault  were  light. 

Sometimes  persons  who  have  sinned  are 
utterly  discouraged  and  say  that,  even  if 
God  has  forgiven  them,  they  cannot  forgive 
themselves,  and  that  nothing  can  make 
them  what  they  were  before  they  had  sinned. 
And  sometimes  such  persons  even  give  up 
the  service  of  God  entirely,  saying:  "It's 
no  use,"  or  something  like  that.  What 
should  we  tell  such  a  one? 

Such  a  one  should  be  happy  that  God  has  for- 
given him.  God  cannot  give  him  back  his  pride 
in  himself,  of  course,  but  offers  him  humility. 
The  sin,  indeed,  though  forgiven,  can  never  be 
undone  as  a  thing  that  never  was;  but  all  its 
evil  effects  are  to  be  undone.  Such  a  one  should 
be  frankly  told  that  this  is  nothing  more  than  a 
subtle  species  of  pride,  that  what  he  needs  is 
humility  and  perfect  truth,  that  God  is  all  and 
he  is  of  himself  nothingness  and  sinfulness,  but 
that,  if  he  be  humble  and  admit  his  unworthi- 
ness  and  be  submissive,  God  will  purify  him  till 
he  is  fit  to  sit  with  the  princess  of  His  people  in 
His  kingdom. 

To  such  a  one  as  you  mention  Blosius  would 
say:  "Therefore  immediately  thou  seest  that 
thou  hast  fallen  into  a  sin,  turn  thyself  lovingly 
to  God  with  all  the  powers  of  thy  soul,  and  enter- 
tain deep  displeasure  at  thine  own  weakness. 
And  while  turning  thy  soul  thus  earnestly  from 
all  sin,  mind  to  think  more  of  this  truth,  that 
what  thou  hast  done,  however  small  it  may 
appear,  has  gone  against  the  honor  and  good 
pleasure  of  God,  than  of  all  the  confusion,  loss, 


-/34  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

punishment  and  disgrace  thou  thyself  hast 
merited  by  thy  sin.  Thus  turn  thyself  to  God 
with  true  love,  with  a  firm  and  lasting  determi- 
nation never  to  sin  again.  This  turning  to  God 
will  join  thy  soul  by  a  kind  of  immovable  love 
to  God,  thy  most  faithful  Friend.  His  faithful- 
ness is  in  very  truth  so  great  that  He  cannot 
desert  any  one,  nor  will  He  ever  be  able  to 
abandon  any  one  whatsoever  who  leans  on  Him 
with  full  trust." 

I  bought  myself  a  locket  ring,  that  is,  it 
opens  up  and  inside  there  is  a  scapular 
medal.  May  a  scapular  medal  be  worn  in 
this  way  to  replace  the  cloth  scapular?  If 
so,  I  suppose  this  one  can  be  duly  blessed, 
as  every  scapular  medal  must  be  blessed. 

A  scapular  medal  is  one  that  has  on  one  side 
an  image  of  Christ  showing  His  Sacred  Heart  and 
on  the  other  any  image  of  the  Blessed  Virgin. 
Such  a  scapular  medal  entitles  the  wearer,  who 
must,  however,  have  received  the  scapular  in  the 
regular  form,  to  all  the  indulgences  and  favors 
of  the  scapulars  for  which  it  is  worn.  (And  no 
special  prayers  are  necessary  for  any  of  the 
scapulars;  though  it  is  a  devout  custom  daily  to 
say  at  least  one  Our  Father  and  one  Hail  Mary 
for  the  intention  of  the  Confraternity  one  joins 
at  the  time  of  investiture,  their  devout  wearing 
alone  is  sufficient.)  The  blessing  is  done  by 
making  the  sign  of  the  cross  over  the  medal, 
pronouncing  the  usual  words,  as  many  times  as 
there  are  scapulars  for  which  it  is  to  be  worn. 
A  priest  authorized  to  enroll  persons  in  the 
scapulars,  can  also  bless  the  medal.  It  should 
be  worn  on  one's  person  in  a  becoming  way  and 
may  be  kept  in  any  manner:  around  the  neck, 
in  one's  pocket,  on  the  rosary,  in  a  locket,  etc. 
Hence  it  may  also  be  worn  in  a  locket  ring. 
This  has  the  advantage  that  it  can  also  be  con- 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  735 

veniently  worn  at  night;  for,  though  some 
authors  say  it  is  not  necessary  to  keep  the 
scapular  medal  on  one's  person  during  the  night, 
that  it  is  sufficient  if  it  is  with  one's  garments  near- 
by, yet  others  hold  a  stricter  view,  though  also 
these  say  that  no  attention  need  be  paid  to  a 
brief  placing  aside  of  the  medal. 

Can  you  give  me  some  information  about 
scapulars  ? 

Your  question  is  rather  general.  But  here  are 
bits  of  information  sometimes  sought  for.  1.  The 
material  of  the  scapular  must  be  woven,  woolen 
cloth  (not  felt).  2.  The  shape  must  be  quadrang- 
ular. 3.  The  border  of  the  scapular  may  be 
modestly  ornamented  with  thread  of  any  material. 
4.  When  any  Scapular  except  the  Red  Scapular 
(and  its  strings  must  always  be  of  red,  woolen 
material)  is  worn  the  strings  may  be  of  any 
material.  5.  When  worn  singly  the  various 
Scapulars  may  be  adorned  with  pictures;  but  the 
Red  Scapular  must  always  have  a  picture  of  the 
crucifixion  on  the  one  piece  and  a  picture  of  the 
Sacred  Heart  on  the  other.  6.  The  Scapulars 
may  be  worn  over  as  well  as  under  the  garments, 
one  part  hanging  in  front,  the  other  behind. 
7.  If  so  worn,  the  Scapulars  as  well  as  the  strings 
may  be  enclosed  in  some  covering  to  protect 
them  against  wear  and  soiling.  This  covering 
should  not  be  sewed  to  the  scapular,  but  be 
merely  a  covering  of  the  same.  8.  When  the 
Scapulars  are  worn  out  they  should  be  burnt  and 
replaced  by  new  ones,  which,  however,  need  not 
be  blessed,  so  that  the  privileges  be  not  forfeited 
even  for  a  time.  9.  Medals,  Agnus  Dei,  a  little 
crucifix,  etc.,  may  be  fastened  to  and  worn  on 
any  of  the  five  Scapulars.     (Beringer.) 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  skull  and 
bones  shown  at  the  foot  of  some  crucifixes? 

Christ  was  crucified  on  Golgotha.    "They  came 


736  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

to  the  place  that  is  called  Golgotha,  which  is 
the  place  of  Calvary."  The  name  Golgotha,  or 
Calvary,  is  interpreted  "a  skull."  Some  say  it 
was  so  called  because  it  was  a  burial  place.  Ac- 
cording to  other  writers,  the  origin  of  the  name 
is  that  the  skull  of  Adam  given  by  Noe  to  one  of 
his  sons  was  there  buried.  Such  a  tradition,  it 
seems,  would  account  for  the  name  better  than 
some  of  the  other  explanations  offered.  Then, 
too,  the  skull  and  bones  are  significative  of  death, 
and  here  of  the  death  which  blotted  out  the 
handwriting  of  the  decree  that  was  against  us 
because  of  the  sin  of  Adam. 

A  pious  author  says:  "We  often  see  beneath 
the  crucifix  two  fragments  of  bones  surmounted 
by  a  death's  head.  It  is  not  known  how  this 
representation  of  death  became  attached  to  the 
crucifix.  The  lugubrious  image  was,  perhaps, 
placed  as  a  trophy  at  the  feet  of  the  Victor,  re- 
calling those  words  of  Holy  Scripture,  *0  Death, 
where  is  thy  victory?'  Or  it  may  have  been  the 
intention  of  the  pious  inventor  to  teach  us  always 
to  meditate  upon  our  last  end  and  eternal  life 
at  the  foot  of  the  crucifix.  If  in  our  reflections 
upon  death  the  remembrance  of  the  Cross  be  set 
aside,  little  consolation  will  be  derived  from  them, 
and  still  less  courage. 

"We  cannot  divest  ourselves  of  this  formidable 
prospect,  nor  would  it  be  wise  to  drown  its  re- 
membrance in  worldly  pleasures  and  pursuits. 
To  borrow  the  false  maxims  of  pagan  philosophy 
and  act  like  Socrates  with  the  poisoned  cup  is 
but  a  hollow  deception;  such  a  character  can 
neither  be  defended  nor  imitated. 

"As  little  by  little  time  robs  us  of  everything, 
we  turn  in  our  extremity  to  Thee,  O  Divine 
Master,  to  ponder  over  Thy  supreme  call,  and 
learn  from  Thee  how  to  prepare  ourselves  for  it. 
Thou  alone  canst  invest  that  hour  with  dignity, 
courage,  and  hope;    Thou  alone  canst  allay  the 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  737 

fears  of  the  stricken  soul.  Therefore  only  in 
Thine  arms,  or  at  Thy  feet,  or  close  to  Thy 
pierced  side  will  we  meditate  upon  that  irre- 
vocable decree:  'It  is  appointed  unto  men  once 
to  die,  and  after  death  the  judgment*  (Heb. 
9:27)." 

How  soon  may  a  son's  marriage  take  place 
after  the  death  of  his  father,  after  having 
been  engaged  to  be  married  several  years? 

This  question  is  only  asking  how  long  a  period 
of  mourning  ought  to  be  observed.  That  depends 
upon  present  custom  in  the  respective  locality 
and  the  demands  of  Christian  propriety.  But 
often  enough  circumstances  alter  cases;  and  then 
custom,  or  social  usage,  especially  if  it  be  extreme 
or  ridiculous  or  hypocritical,  may  be  sensibly 
interpreted  or  simply  disregarded.  In  some 
places  an  interval  of  several  months  is  con- 
sidered the  proper  manifestation  of  filial  respect, 
though  even  this  time  may  be  somewhat  long  in 
a  case  such  as  you  mention. 

At  a  funeral  one  day  I  heard  a  Catholic 
lady  say  that  one  should  not  give  flowers 
for  the  dead,  but  Masses  and  prayers. 
Flowers,  she  said,  don't  help  them  any, 
but  our  prayers  do.  What  do  you  think 
about  this? 

Some  people  still  think  that  flowers  for  the 
dead  should  be  restricted  to  infants,  who  need 
no  prayers.  But  that  is  apparently  a  wrong 
view;  for  the  custom  of  scattering  flowers  on 
the  corpse  and  afterwards  on  the  grave  of  the 
dead  goes  back  to  the  time  of  the  early  Christians 
and  has,  it  seems,  never  been  limited  to  infants. 
But  this  very  simple  and  appropriate  mark  of 
affection  has  developed  into  the  modern  fashion 
of  multiplying  wreaths,  crosses,  etc.,  which  is 
certainly  a  more  clumsy  and  inartistic  form  of 


738  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

the  old  custom,  and  one  that  is  often  abused 
and  easily  lends  itself  to  vulgar  ostentation.  How 
often  one  hears  the  non-Catholic  relative  boast 
after  a  funeral,  "There  were  twenty  (or  fifty,  or 
whatever  the  number  of)  wreaths."  The  Protes- 
tant, of  course,  has  little  more  he  can  do  than 
offer  this  mark  of  affection,  regret,  sympathy, 
etc.;  but  the  Catholic  knows  that  he  can  still 
be  of  real  assistance  to  the  holy  dead  by  offering, 
not  merely  flowers  that  wither,  but  prayers  and 
especially  Masses  that  will  have  permanent  effect. 
Hence  Catholics  deprecate  excessive  expense  on 
floral  tributes,  when  the  money  might  be  used 
to  much  better  purpose  in  having  Masses  said 
for  the  deceased.  It  is  easy  to  understand  that 
a  spiritual  bouquet  of  Masses  is  infinitely  better 
than  the  most  fragrant  bouquet  of  flowers. 
Often  enough,  too,  an  expensive  wreath  is  brought 
to  the  cemetery  and  no  thought  is  given  to  the 
possibility  that  the  poor  soul  may  be  yearning 
in  unutterable  pain  for  Masses  and  prayers,  and 
not  flowers.  Surely,  you  may  give  flowers  if  you 
wish;  but  whenever  you  do  give  this  solace  for 
the  living,  also  do  that  which  brings  comfort  to 
the  dead.  The  same  rule  should  be  applied  when 
it  is  a  case  of  expensive  tombstones  or  monu- 
ments. They,  too,  are  but  a  solace  for  the 
living.  Much  more  must  we  give  solace  to  the 
dead. — It  may  be  remarked  in  this  connection 
that  all  flowers  are  to  be  removed  from  the 
casket  before  it  is  taken  into  the  church. 

If  a  person  makes  a  promise  to  say  certain 
prayers,  would  it  be  a  mortal  sin  to  dis- 
continue them? 

When  it  is  a  case  of  a  matter  that  is  grave 
neither  of  itself  (as,  for  example,  some  little  de- 
votional exercise  or  prayers  such  as  you  suggest) 
nor  by  reason  of  its  attendant  circumstances,  one 
simply  cannot  bind  oneself  under  pain  of  mortal 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  739 

sin.  God,  Who  is  infinitely  wise,  would  not 
accept  a  promise  in  which  there  is  such  a  want 
of  proportion  between  the  matter  and  the  ob- 
ligation. 

Is  Loyola  a  Catholic  name? 

When  reading  this  question  one  first  recalls 
that  Loyola  is  the  name  of  several  renowned 
colleges  and  universities,  so  named  in  honor  of 
St.  Ignatius  of  Loyola,  the  Founder  of  the 
Society  of  Jesus,  who  was  born  at  Loyola  in  the 
Basque  Province  of  Guipuzcoa  (Spain).  He  died 
in  Rome  in  the  sixty-fifth  year  of  his  age,  July 
31,  1556,  and  was  canonized  by  Pope  Gregory 
XV  in  1622.  His  feast  is  kept  on  July  31.  Loyola 
is  ordinarily  the  name  of  a  place,  not  of  a  person. 
It  is  not  in  itself  a  Christian  baptismal  name. 
When  it  is  so  used,  the  heavenly  patron  of  such 
a  one  is  St.  Ignatius  of  Loyola.  The  name  of  the 
place  of  a  saint's  origin  is  sometimes  used, 
especially  by  Religious,  instead  of  the  saint's 
name.  Many  readers  of  good  Catholic  literature 
have  no  doubt  at  some  time  or  other  come  across 
writings  from  the  gifted  pen  of  Mother  Loyola, 
a  Religious  of  the  Sacred  Heart.  Her  patron 
saint  was,  of  course,  St.  Ignatius  of  Loyola. 
When  such  names  are  chosen  all  should  know 
who  their  patron  saint  really  is.  This  is  in  the 
spirit  of  Canon  761,  which  reads:  "Pastors  should 
take  special  care  that  a  Christian  name  is  given  to 
all  whom  they  baptize.  If  they  cannot  obtain 
this,  they  shall  add  to  the  name  given  by  the 
parents  the  name  of  some  saint  and  enter  both 
in  the  baptismal  record." 

I  often  think  of  Our  Lord  in  heaven  and 
then  I  sometimes  wonder  what  kind  of 
garments  He  wears  there.  It  may  seem  like 
a  foolish  thought,  but  it  surely  must  have 
come  to  almost  every  one.  Can  you  en- 
lighten me  in  this  matter? 


740  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

In  1908  Lucie  Christine  (pseudonym),  a  French- 
woman, a  lady  living  in  the  world  and  the  mother 
of  a  family,  died  a  most  holy  death.  Lucie's  case 
was  a  rare  one.  At  the  age  of  twenty-nine  she 
attained  in  a  very  short  time  to  the  highest 
mystical  graces  and  quickly  became  an  ecstatic. 
She  also  received  the  gift  of  being  able  to  de- 
scribe these  graces,  which  she  did,  at  the  request 
of  her  director,  in  her  Spiritual  Journal.  In  this 
Journal  we  read  a  description  of  the  Savior's 
garments.  Under  date  of  August  22,  1881,  we 
read:  "Once  when  I  was  praying  before  the 
Blessed  Sacrament  and  simply  contemplating  Our 
Lord  in  that  peaceful  union  which  it  pleased  Him 
to  give  to  my  soul,  I  suddenly  saw  with  my 
interior  sight  the  Vesture  of  that  adorable  Master. 
I  saw  it  as  a  whole  of  which  certain  draperies 
(I  use  that  expression  for  want  of  a  better)  ap- 
peared to  me  with  greater  distinctness  than  the 
rest.  This  Vesture  was  of  a  dazzling  whiteness; 
it  was  not  only  luminous,  but  it  was  light  itself, 
and  as  to  its  consistency  it  was  neither  a  cloud, 
nor  a  tissue,  nor  a  flame,  but  something  entirely 
different  which  I  had  never  seen  and  which  I 
marvelled  at  without  being  able  to  define  it. 
The  brightness  which  shone  from  it  was  other 
than  that  of  the  light  of  the  day,  or  of  the  stars 
by  night,  or  of  any  light  we  know;  it  dazzled 
without  fatiguing.  My  soul  was  as  though 
bathed  in  this  divine  atmosphere  and  wasdeeply 
penetrated  by  an  impression  of  peace  and  majesty 
and  innocence.  The  mere  remembrance  of  the 
Vesture  of  Jesus  puts  temptations  to  flight,  un- 
masks the  wiles  of  the  Evil  One,  and  gives  peace 
to  the  soul,  as  I  have  constantly  experienced  in 
my  own  case." 

In  the  lives  of  the  saints  we  sometimes 
read  how  the  greatest  of  saints  looked  upon 
themselves  as  filthy  mire,  as  the  vilest  and 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  741 

most  despicable  sinners  on  the  face  of  the 
earth.  It  is  hard  to  understand  how  they 
could  think  thus  of  themselves,  since  it  was 
not  true,  they  being  in  reality  such  great 
saints.    Can  you  explain? 

No  matter  how  good  we  may  be,  we  can  and 
should  have  a  low  opinion  of  ourselves  as  of  our- 
selves. That  is  only  the  truth.  Of  ourselves  we 
are  but  nothingness,  to  which  we  have  added  sin- 
fulness. All  the  rest,  all  the  good  that  is  in  us, 
must  be  attributed  to  God.  The  saints  went  to 
the  very  depths  of  humility  in  self-abasement. 

St.  Thomas  explains  as  follows  both  the  possi- 
bility and  the  correctness  of  this  opinion  of  our- 
selves: "A  man  can,  without  falsehood,  believe 
and  declare  himself  viler  than  all  others,  both  on 
account  of  the  secret  faults  which  he  knows  to 
exist  within  him,  and  on  account  of  the  gifts  of 
God  hidden  in  the  souls  of  others."  St.  Augustine, 
in  his  work  De  Virginitate,  ch.  52,  says:  "Believe 
that  others  are  better  than  you  in  the  depths  of 
their  hearts,  although  outwardly  you  may  appear 
better  than  they."  In  the  same  way  one  may 
truthfully  both  say  and  believe  that  one  is  alto- 
gether useless  and  unworthy  in  his  own  strength. 
The  Apostle  says  (2  Cor.  3:5):  "Not  that  we 
are  sufficient  to  think  anything  of  ourselves,  as 
of  ourselves,  but  our  sufficiency  is  from  God." 

I  have  heard  that  there  is  an  Apostolate 
to  Assist  the  Dying.  Can  you  give  me  some 
information  about  it? 

This  Apostolate  is  a  great  good  work  that  we 
most  earnestly  recommend  to  all  our  readers. 
Reflect  upon  it  and  see  what  you  can  do  to  save 
souls  in  this  manner.  The  Rt.  Rev.  Msgr.  Raphael 
J.  Markham,  director  of  the  Apostolate,  in  a 
circular  explained  its  object  as  follows: 

"At  the  suggestion  of  the  Most  Reverend  Arch- 
bishop of  Cincinnati,  I  am  sending  you  the  en- 


74i  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

closed  card  in  the  hope  of  interesting  you  in  a 
new  way  of  reaching  the  material  heretic  (well- 
meaning  non-Catholic)  at  the  time  of  death.  We 
all  understand  that  the  ordinary  means  of  sal- 
vation, according  to  the  will  of  Christ,  is  the 
Catholic  Church,  and  that  all  who  believe  her  to 
be  the  true  Church  are  under  solemn  obligations 
to  enter  her  fold.  But  we  must  remember  that 
the  vast  majority  of  Americans  have  never  come 
in  contact  with  the  Catholic  Church  or  her 
ministers,  and  never  will,  and  that  they  are  in 
good  faith  about  it.  While  there  are  many  who 
are  practically  pagans,  the  non-Catholic  for  the 
most  part  is  a  well-meaning  person.  He  wants 
to  be  saved,  especially  when  he  sees  death 
staring  him  in  the  face.  He  hates  what  he  thinks 
to  be  the  Church,  but  he  wants  what  the  Church 
alone  can  give  him.  The  Church  that  he  hates, 
of  course,  does  not  exist.  Often  he  is  not  even 
baptized  and  never  will  be.  Many  know  nothing 
about  baptism;  others  do  not  believe  in  it;  others 
still  have  neglected  it;  not  a  few  have  been 
baptized  invalidly.  Their  only  salvation  lies  in 
making  an  act  of  perfect  contrition,  which  is  the 
baptism  of  desire,  and  the  only  baptism  of  desire; 
a  mere  desire  for  baptism  does  not  justify. 

"The  serious  question  is — and  it  is  a  vital  one — 
how  to  reach  this  large  class  of  people  at  this  most 
critical  time.  If  anything  even  suggesting 
Catholicity  be  placed  in  their  hands,  it  is  rejected 
on  principle,  and  in  many  cases  considered  a 
positive  insult.  That  the  significance  and 
necessity  of  true  repentance  for  sin  is  not  properly 
emphasized  in  the  various  forms  of  the  Protestant 
religion  constitutes  another  very  serious  difficulty. 
This  false  idea  of  justification  leads  many  into 
the  belief  that  repentance,  in  the  Catholic  sense, 
is  not  at  all  necessary. 

"The  card  enclosed  has  been  prepared  in  the 
hope  of  solving  the  question,  at  least  to  some 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  74J 

extent.  There  is  no  mention  made,  nor  even  the 
appearance  of  Catholicity  about  it,  nothing  at 
all  that  could  possibly  offend.  We  are  dealing 
with  a  person,  as  we  have  said,  who  has  no  in- 
tention of  becoming  a  Catholic,  but  who  is  in 
good  faith.  It  would  be  far  better,  of  course,  if 
he  would  become  a  Catholic,  but  our  supposition 
is  that  there  is  no  use  talking  to  him  about  it. 
Even  the  'Imprimatur,'  which  has  been  properly 
secured,  is  omitted,  by  permission  of  ecclesiastical 
authority.  The  card  has  been  made  attractive, 
so  that  it  will  not  be  thrown  away.  The  decorations 
are  classical;  the  flower  is  the  acanthus,  used 
extensively  in  Greek  ornamentation,  and  the 
coloring  in  red  is  done  by  hand.  The  Acts  printed 
on  the  card  are  exactly  those  that  a  priest  called 
to  assist  spiritually  a  material  heretic  in  the  hour 
of  death  would  implore  his  patient  to  make. 
According  to  all  theologians,  any  material  heretic, 
whether  or  not  he  be  baptized,  who  earnestly 
makes  these  Acts  will  infallibly  be  saved. 

"Any  one  can  do  this  work.  You  can  send  the 
card  by  mail;  a  little  child  can  deliver  it;  you 
can  visit  your  sick  friend  and  leave  it.  There  is 
no  trouble  in  getting  it  to  him,  and  positively  no 
danger  of  offense.  You  may  suggest  that  he  say 
the  'little  prayer'  earnestly  several  times,  and  in 
many  cases  this  will  be  done.  He  may  not  make 
the  Acts  the  first  time  he  reads  the  card,  as  he  is 
prompted  by  curiosity,  but  he  will  perhaps  say, 
as  he  finishes  reading  them:  'These  are  my 
sentiments  exactly.'  The  next  time  he  will  really 
make  the  Acts.  The  plan  is  simply  this:  Get  the 
card  into  the  hands  of  the  one  in  whom  you  are 
interested,  in  any  way  you  choose,  with  the 
suggestion  that  he  say  frequently  this  prayer, 
entirely  suitable  for  non-Catholics, — then  you 
yourself  pray  earnestly  to  God  that  he  may  be 
given  the  light  and  grace  to  mean  what  he  says. 

"This  is  not  a  scheme  to  make  money.     The 


744  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

only  motive  is  to  help  to  save  souls  in  their  hour 
of  greatest  need.  Consequently,  any  one  is 
perfectly  free  to  reproduce  the  card  if  he  wishes. 
In  Cincinnati  it  has  been  thought  best  to  omit 
the  'Imprimatur.'  If  the  cards  be  printed  in 
other  places  the  authorities  of  each  diocese  will 
naturally  make  their  own  decision  in  this  matter. 
When  cards  are  desired  from  Cincinnati  it  will 
be  necessary  to  charge  something  for  them  in 
order  that  the  Apostolate  may  grow.  Consider- 
ing everything  —  plates,  printing,  coloring, 
postage,  etc. — the  price  will  be  $1.00  for  25  cards 
to  all  who  can  afford  to  pay;  those  who  cannot, 
will  receive,  as  far  as  our  resources  permit,  as 
many  as  they  desire  entirely  free  of  charge." 

You  can  procure  the  cards,  and  also  further 
information  about  the  Apostolate  from  the  Sisters 
of  the  Poor  of  St.  Francis,  St.  Clare  Convent, 
Hartwell,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

The  card  is  about  the  size  of  a  postcard.  The 
decorations  mentioned  are  at  the  top  and  the 
left  side  and  the  prayer  is  neatly  printed  within 
these  two  borders,  all  on  one  side.  The  reverse 
side  is  blank.    The  prayer  is  as  follows: 

I  believe  in  one  God.  I  believe  that  in  God 
there  are  three  Divine  Persons — God  the  Father, 
God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost. 

I  believe  that  God  the  Son  became  Man, 
without  ceasing  to  be  God.  I  believe  that  He 
is  my  Lord  and  Savior,  that  He  died  on  the 
Cross,  for  the  salvation  of  all  mankind,  that  He 
arose  from  the  dead,  ascended  into  heaven,  and 
will  come  at  the  end  of  time  to  judge  the  living 
and  the  dead. 

I  believe  in  heaven  and  hell — that  God  will 
reward  the  good  with  perfect  happiness  forever, 
and  punish  the  wicked  with  never-ending  pain. 
I  believe  everything  else  that  God  has  taught 
and  revealed. 

O  my  God,  Who  are  all-good  and  merciful. 


VARIOUS  QUESTIONS  745 

I  hope  to  be  saved  and  want  to  do  all  that  is 
necessary  for  my  salvation  according  to  Thy 
holy  will.  I  have  committed  many  sins  in  my 
life,  but  I  detest  and  hate  them,  and  I  am  sorry, 
very  sorry  for  all  of  them,  because  by  them  I 
have  offended  Thee,  my  God,  Who  art  all-good, 
all-perfect,  all-holy,  so  merciful,  so  kind,  Who 
died  on  the  Cross  for  men  and  Whom  I  love 
with  all  my  heart.  I  ask  Thy  pardon,  0  my  God, 
and  I  promise  Thee,  by  the  help  of  Thy  grace, 
never  to  sin  again. 

My  Jesus,  have  mercy  on  me. 


PERTAINING  TO  VOCATION 

Is  the  life  of  a  single  person,  one  who 
lives  in  the  world,  also  a  vocation?  Can  we 
not  serve  God  in  any  state  of  life  in  which 
we  are?  Not  every  one  is  called  to  the  re- 
ligious life  in  the  convent,  and  not  all  are 
to  get  married.  I  have  often  heard  it  said 
that  a  single  person  in  the  world  cannot 
be  as  good  as  a  Sister,  for  instance,  or  as 
those  who  are  married.    Please  explain. 

We  need  only  say  that,  as  regards  vocation,  a 
person  may  be  called  by  God  either  to  lead  a 
single  life  in  the  world,  or  to  consecrate  himself 
or  herself  to  God  in  the  priesthood  or  in  the  re- 
ligious life,  or  to  be  married.  One  of  these  three 
roles  is  fixed  by  God  for  everyone.  It  is  accord- 
ingly clear  that  the  single  life  in  the  world  is  also 
a  vocation. 

As  regards  the  exact  teaching  of  the  Church 
on  the  comparative  merits  of  matrimony  and 
virginity,  we  need  but  recall  the  tenth  canon  of 
the  twenty-fourth  session  of  the  Council  of 
Trent:  "If  anyone  saith  that  the  marriage  state 
is  to  be  preferred  before  the  state  of  virginity,  or 
celibacy,  and  that  it  is  not  better  and  more  blessed 
to  remain  in  virginity,  or  in  celibacy,  than  to  be 
united  in  matrimony,  let  him  be  anathema." 
The  Church  teaches  that  marriage  is  good,  single 
blessedness  in  the  world  better,  and  single  blessed- 
ness in  religion  the  best.  St.  Paul  mentions  vir- 
ginity as  a  special  state  of  life  and  recommends 
it  in  preference  to  matrimony. 

From  all  this  it  is  quite  clear  that  the  single 
life,  or  celibacy,  or  virginal  life,  when  embraced 
and  followed  from  motives  of  virtue,  is  in  itself 
holier  and  more  acceptable  before  God  than  life 

746 


VOCATION  747 


in  marriage,  since  it  involves  a  greater  sacrifice 
of  oneself. 

We  say,  in  itself.  Remember  that  the  Church 
does  not  here  decide  upon  the  respective  merits 
of  individual  persons  belonging  to  the  two  states. 
Hence  it  often  happens  that  a  married  person 
who  faithfully  lives  up  to  the  duties  of  the  married 
state  is  much  better  in  the  sight  of  God  than  a 
celibate  or  virgin  whose  devotion  to  duty  is  not 
so  loyal.  There  are  doubtless  married  women 
who  are  more  holy  than  certain  Sisters;  and  there 
are  doubtless  married  men  who  are  more  right- 
eous than  certain  priests  or  Brothers;  and  doubt- 
less, too,  there  are  single  people  in  the  world  who 
are  holier  than  certain  people  in  religion.  But 
this  does  not  change  the  relative  status  of  vo- 
cation. Virginity  in  the  world  is  in  itself  dearer 
to  God  than  the  married  state,  good  and  holy 
as  the  married  state  is,  and  single  life  in  the  re- 
ligious state  is  in  itself  much  dearer  to  Him  than 
either  single  life  in  the  world  or  than  the  married 
state. 

I  cannot  understand  how  it  is  that  the 
religious  state  is  higher  than  matrimony, 
since  it  is  no  Sacrament.    Will  you  explain? 

Religious  profession  is,  of  course,  not  a  Sacra- 
ment. A  Sacrament  is  an  outward  sign  instituted 
by  Christ  to  give  grace.  In  this  definition  five 
things  are  to  be  considered:  (1)  it  is  an  outward 
sign;  (2)  it  was  instituted  by  Christ;  (3)  it  was 
instituted  to  give  grace;  (4)  the  sign  in  each 
Sacrament  must  signify  or  determine  the  special 
grace  attached  to  each  Sacrament;  and  (5)  the 
Sacrament  gives  the  grace,  which  it  signifies,  by 
some  inherent  power  attached  to  the  outward 
sign  by  Christ  Himself,  or,  as  theologians  say,. 
ex  opere  operato,  that  is,  by  performing  the  work 
which  Christ  has  instituted.  There  are  seven 
Sacraments,  no  more,  no  less;    Baptism,  Confir- 


748  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

mation,  Holy  Eucharist,  Penance,  Extreme 
Unction,  Holy  Orders,  and  Matrimony.  Such 
is  the  dogmatic  teaching  of  God's  infallible 
Church. 

Religious  profession,  the  making  of  the  holy 
vows  of  poverty,  chastity,  and  obedience,  is  an 
external  act  of  the  mind  by  which  one  embraces 
the  religious  state.  The  ancient  ascetics  had  a 
predilection  for  the  word  "profession"  and  de- 
fined it  as  a  "covenant  with  God."  This  flows 
from  the  very  essence  of  the  religious  state, 
which  involves  service  or  worship  of  God. 

As  the  Sacraments  have  their  visible  signs,  so, 
too,  religious  profession  is  clothed  with  outward 
ceremonies.  As  the  "second  baptism"  (so  it  was 
called),  profession  has  ever  been  surrounded  by 
more  or  less  elaborate  rites.  But,  we  repeat,  it 
is  no  Sacrament;  it  is  nothing  else  but  public 
entrance  upon  the  exclusive  service  of  God, 
according  to  a  determined  rule  or  constitution. 

The  Sacrament  of  Matrimony  places  one  in 
the  married  state;  religious  profession  introduces 
one  into  the  religious  state.  It  only  remains  to 
inquire  which  is  the  higher  state  of  life.  There  is 
no  room  for  argument  here.  The  religious  state 
is  a  state  of  virginity,  and  the  Church  teaches 
that  it  is  of  faith  that  virginity  is  preferable  to 
matrimony:  "If  any  one  saith  that  the  marriage 
state  is  to  be  preferred  to  the  state  of  virginity, 
or  celibacy,  and  that  it  is  not  better  and  more 
blessed  to  remain  in  virginity,  or  in  celibacy, 
than  to  be  united  in  matrimony,  let  him  be 
anathema"  (that  is,  accursed).  (Council  of 
Trent,  24th  session,  10th  canon.)  Hence  it  would 
be  speaking  against  faith  to  exhort  people  in 
general  (though  matrimony  may  be  better  for 
certain  persons)  to  choose  matrimony  as  a  state 
preferable  to  perpetual  chastity.  The  Church 
holds  matrimony  in  honor  and  gives  the  proper 
instructions  concerning  it;    yet  she  teaches  that 


VOCATION  749 


perpetual  chastity  is  to  be  preferred  to  matri- 
mony. 

It  is,  accordingly,  even  as  stated  in  the  "Cate- 
chism of  the  Council  of  Trent":  "No  greater 
happiness  can  befall  the  faithful  in  this  life  than 
to  have  their  souls  distracted  by  no  worldly 
cares,  the  unruly  desires  of  the  flesh  tranquilized 
and  restrained,  and  the  mind  fixed  on  the  practice 
of  piety  and  the  contemplation  of  heavenly 
things"  (the  religious  state).  "But  as,  according 
to  the  same  Apostle  (1  Cor.  7:7),  'Every  one  hath 
his  proper  gift  from  God,  one  after  this  manner, 
and  another  after  that';  and  as  marriage  is 
gifted  with  great  and  divine  blessings,  so  much 
so  as  truly  and  properly  to  hold  a  place  among 
the  other  Sacraments  of  the  Catholic  Church, 
and  as  its  celebration  was  honored  by  the  presence 
of  our  Lord  Himself,  it  is  clear  that  this  subject 
should  be  explained,"  etc.,  etc. 

I  have  a  leaflet  on  which  it  says:  "A 
thousand  evening  devotions,  a  thousand 
recitations  of  the  rosary,  a  thousand  lita- 
nies are  as  nothing  compared  to  a  single 
Mass  of  half  an  hour.  A  pious  author  says : 
fcPlace  together  the  merits  of  the  ever-blessed 
Mary,  the  adoration  of  the  angels,  the 
labors  of  the  Apostles,  the  sufferings  of  the 
martyrs,  the  purity  of  virgins,  the  virtues 
of  confessors,  in  a  word,  the  good  works  of 
all  the  saints  from  the  beginning  to  the 
end  of  the  world.  You  will  not  even  then 
have  the  value  of  a  single  Mass.'"  If  this 
is  true,  Father,  would  it  not  be  more  ad- 
visable for  a  girl  to  remain  in  the  world 
where  she  can  have  two  Masses  every  day 
and  several  Masses  on  Sundays  than  to 
enter  the  convent  where  one  can  hear  only 
one  Mass  a  day  ? 

All  that  you   read   about   the   Mass   on  that 


75o  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

leaflet  is  very  true.  Holy  Mass  is  the  highest 
form  of  worship.  It  is  the  Sacrifice  of  Calvary 
renewed.  One  Mass  gives  God  more  praise  and 
thanksgiving,  makes  more  atonement  for  sin,  and 
pleads  more  eloquently  than  does  the  combined 
worship  of  all  the  souls  in  heaven,  on  earth,  and 
in  purgatory.  In  Holy  Mass  it  is  Jesus  Christ, 
God  as  well  as  Man,  Who  is  our  Intercessor,  our 
Priest,  and  our  Victim.  Being  God  as  well  as 
Man,  His  prayers,  His  merits,  and  His  offerings 
are  of  infinite  value. 

Hence,  try  to  assist  at  Mass  every  day,  at 
least  as  often  as  possible,  perhaps  twice  on 
Sundays.  But  what  a  mistaken  notion  to  think 
that  if  you  remain  in  the  world  you  can  hear 
more  Masses  than  if  you  would  go  to  the  convent. 
Where  in  the  world  is  the  Catholic  who  can 
regularly  hear  "two  Masses  every  day  and  several 
Masses  on  Sundays"?  What  a  sacrifice  it  usually 
is  to  take  time  even  for  their  ordinary  prayers! 
We  venture  to  say,  from  our  knowledge  of  this 
workaday  world  or  ours,  that  not  one  in  thousands 
of  devout  souls  in  the  world  has  the  opportunity 
of  hearing  so  many  Masses  as  a  religious  in  the 
convent;  for  one  of  the  exercises  of  piety  pre- 
scribed for  religious  by  their  rules  is  the  daily 
attendance  at  Mass.  And  often  they  have  a 
chance  to  hear  a  number  of  Masses  on  the  same 
day.  So  your  little  argument  does  not  hold  at 
all.  Indeed,  it  is  so  weak  that,  were  we  to 
abide  by  what  experience  teaches,  all  spiritually 
minded  girls  like  you  would  perforce  go  to  the 
convent  on  the  weakness  of  it. 

Is  it  right  to  believe  that  one  who  law- 
fully retracts  from  a  vow  of  chastity  and 
marries  will  never  be  happy  in  the  second 
state  of  life  he  chooses? 

We  take  it  for  granted  that  the  questioner  has 
in  mind  a  vow  of  chastity  in  the  world,  in  con- 


VOCATION  751 


tradistinction  to  that  vow  in  the  religious  state. 
Taking  this  position,  we  do  not  think  it  is  right 
so  to  believe.  Take,  for  example,  the  lawful  re- 
traction (through  dispensation  or  commutation) 
of  such  a  vow  made  hastily  under  pressure  of 
circumstances,  or  otherwise  without  due  con- 
sideration, or — a  thing  which  should  never  be 
done — without  first  consulting  one's  confessor. 
No;    we  do  not  think  it  at  all  right  so  to  believe. 

What  will  be  my  reward  if  I  become  a 
Sister? 

First  of  all  you  merit  the  remission  of  the 
penalty  due  to  your  sins;  for  the  giving  of  your 
soul  and  body  to  God  through  the  holy  vows  of 
poverty,  chastity,  and  obedience  is  the  greatest 
personal  sacrifice  and  most  complete  act  of  satis- 
faction you  can  think  of.  Becoming  a  religious 
is  like  a  second  Baptism  in  its  effects,  as  the 
Fathers  of  the  Church  tell  us.  And  thereafter 
you  can  more  easily  avoid  all  sin,  your  life  being 
so  full  of  prayer  and  meditation.  What  will  you 
get?  Listen  to  the  Savior  Himself,  "Every  one 
that  hath  left  house,  or  brethren,  or  sisters,  or 
father,  or  mother  ....  or  lands  for  My  name's 
sake,  shall  receive  a  hundredfold,  and  shall 
possess  life  everlasting."  And  the  happiness  of 
the  good  Religious  is  unspeakably  great.  "I 
would  not  give  an  inch  of  my  cord  for  all  the 
kingdoms  of  the  world!"  one  of  them  exclaimed. 

Must  I  think  about  it  a  long  time  and  ask 
all  kinds  of  people  for  advice? 

No;  you  need  not  think  so  very,  very  long 
about  it.  Just  consider  that  to  become  a  Re- 
ligious is  better  than  not  to  become  a  Religious, 
as  Jesus  Himself  advises  us.  Then  consider 
whether  you  have  sufficient  strength  to  persevere. 
But  remember  that  God,  Who  calls  you,  will 
give  you  all  the  necessary  grace  and  strength. 


752-  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

If  there  are  real  obstacles  in  the  way  you  should, 
of  course,  deliberate  prudently  and  follow  the 
advice  of  enlightened  persons  favorable  to  your 
plans.  When  you  are  in  doubt  as  to  which  order 
you  should  enter,  again  ask  the  advice  of  those 
who  do  not  oppose  your  holy  desires.  When 
you  feel  in  your  heart  the  call  to  be  a  Sister  you 
may  be  sure  it  is  a  rare  invitation  from  God. 
Follow  it  without  delay,  as  far  as  you  are  con- 
cerned. Let  nothing  come  between  you  and 
God. 

Must  I  have  the  consent  of  my  parents  in 
order  to  become  a  Sister? 

Of  course  it  is  well  to  have  it  and  you  should 
respectfully  plead  with  your  parents  if  they 
are  opposed  to  your  vocation,  and  pray  much 
that  they  may  see  and  understand.  But  their 
permission  is  not  strictly  necessary;  and  if  you 
are  of  the  required  age.  say  at  least  fourteen  or 
fifteen  years,  you  would  be  quite  justified,  after 
consultation  with  others  who  are  able  prudently 
to  advise  you,  in  disregarding  their  wishes  when 
they  are  opposed  to  the  manifest  call  of  God. 
In  the  matter  of  vocation  parents  ordinarily  have 
no  right  to  command.  Still  this  is  merely  theo 
retical,  in  a  way.  What  can  a  young  girl  do  if 
parents  are  so  forgetful  of  their  duties  as  to  im- 
pede her  vocation?  And  a  Religious  Order  would 
hesitate  and,  except  in  extraordinary  cases,  even 
refuse  to  take  you  against  your  parents'  will, 
because  of  consequent  troubles  that  might  arise. 
However,  St.  Thomas  and  St.  Alphonsus  Liguori, 
to  mention  only  two  great  saints,  were  bitterly 
opposed  in  their  vocation.  They  listened  to  God 
rather  than  to  man  and  became  shining  lights  in 
the  Church  of  God.  Parents  or  relatives  have  no 
right  to  keep  their  children  from  the  Religious 
life,  unless  they  have  a  very  just  and  serious 
reason  for  doing  so.     And  yet,  strange  to  say, 


VOCATION  753 


in  almost  all  cases  they  make  it  more  or  less  hard 
for  a  girl  when  she  wants  to  go  to  the  convent. 
Hence  it  is  often  better  for  a  girl  not  to  consult 
her  parents  and  relatives  at  all.  They  might  try 
to  prevent  her  from  following  the  divine  call  or 
publish  her  secret  to  the  world.  Even  parents 
and  relatives  who  are  otherwise  good  and  pious 
are  often  the  enemies  of  a  vocation  to  the  Re- 
ligious life. 

May  I  become  a  Sister  if  my  parents  are 
sick  or  infirm  or  very  poor  and  I  am  the  only 
one  to  take  care  of  them? 

In  that  case  you  may  not — not  if  by  becoming 
a  Sister  you  would  leave  your  parents  in  extreme 
or  grave  necessity.  But  this  is  rarely  the  case. 
Even  when  parents  are  infirm  and  in  great 
poverty  there  are  usually  other  members  of  the 
family  upon  whom  the  duty  of  caring  for  them 
devolves  as  soon  as  God  calls  you  to  a  higher 
life.  The  same  also  holds  good  with  brothers 
and  sisters.  But  for  these,  when  God  calls,  you 
need  stay  home  only  in  case  of  extreme  necessity. 
Usually,  even  when  there  is  real  necessity  for 
staying  home,  that  necessity  only  lasts  a  time. 
And  yet  there  are  some  cruelly  selfish  relatives 
who  will  keep  a  girl  home,  doing  housework,  for 
years  and  years,  until  it  is  too  late.  What  an 
injustice! 

Is  it  a  sin  to  remain  in  the  world  when  I 
feel  myself  called  to  be  a  Sister  ? 

No;  it  is  not  a  sin  in  itself ,  because  the  counsels 
do  not  oblige  under  pain  of  sin.  But  if  God  has 
chosen  you  for  the  Religious  life  and  you  de- 
liberately choose  some  other  vocation,  you  may 
save  your  soul  indeed,  but  with  greater  difficulty. 
Of  such  souls  it  is  said,  "They  will  be  in  the 
Church  like  dislocated  members,  which  cannot 
be  used  except  very  awkwardly  and  with  great 
pain."    They  will  be  out  of  place. 


754  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

But  we  would  not  stress  this  too  much.  The 
counsels  are  to  be  freely  followed,  ordinarily. 
They  are  not  commandments.  And  one  who 
chooses  a  less  perfect  state  is  not  guilty  of  con- 
tempt towards  God  Who  calls.  It  is  merely  a 
case  of  preferring  a  lesser  to  a  major  grace. 
When  a  certain  state  is  preferred  by  some  indi- 
vidual, even  despite  the  ordinary  call,  it  is  a 
question  of  following  a  secondary  call  to  any  good 
state.  As  Father  Vermeersch  says:  "Note  that 
it  is  not  quite  proper  to  say  that  the  ordinary 
state,  if  chosen  by  one  who  seems  to  be  called  to 
a  more  perfect  state,  is  chosen  as  one  'less  good.' 
This  would  indicate  something  faulty  or  bad, 
whereas  that  state  must  be  considered  as  some- 
thing really  good.  We  have  the  same  thing 
constantly  in  the  choice  of  good  works,  of  which 
some  are  better  than  others  but  all  are  good" 

But  listen  to  the  call  of  God.  Pray.  Rejoice 
at  the  Savior's  gracious  invitation.  And  when- 
ever you  can,  encourage  others  likewise  to  listen 
eagerly  to  the  gentle  voice  of  Jesus  saying, 
"Come,  follow  Me." 

Would  you  advise  a  girl  to  become  a  Sister 
at  an  early  age? 

Surely;  if  possible,  as  soon  as  Church  law 
permits,  that  is,  you  may  enter  the  novitiate  after 
the  fifteenth  year  is  completed.  And  you  may 
go  to  the  convent  as  postulant  even  sooner. 
Holy  Scripture  says,  "It  is  good  for  a  man  when 
he  hath  borne  the  yoke  from  his  youth."  St. 
Anselm  compares  those  who  enter  religion  young 
to  angels.  But  will  you  not  regret  it  afterwards 
when  it  is  too  late?  That  rarely  happens.  Of 
course,  the  most  certain  things  sometimes  fail. 
In  the  matter  of  Religious  life,  it  is  only  neces- 
sary to  exercise  proper  vigilance  and  prudence. 
"He  that   observeth   the   wind,    shall   not   sow; 


VOCATION  755 


and  he  that  considereth  the  clouds,  shall  never 
reap,"  says  Holy  Writ. 

Is  it  dangerous  for  me  to  put  off  becoming 
a  Sister  for  any  length  of  time? 

Yes;  it  is  always  dangerous  for  your  spiritual 
welfare.  St.  Thomas  says  that  the  invitation  to 
a  more  perfect  state  of  life  should  be  followed 
immediately.  Do  not  delay.  Many  precious 
vocations  have  been  lost  through  delay.  Delays 
are  dangerous — especially  here.  It  is  a  clever 
trick  of  the  devil  to  cause  the  delay  that  is  so 
often  fatal. 

But  how  do  I  know  whether  I  am  called? 

If  you  are  virtuous,  that  is,  if  you  have  solid 
sensible  piety  now,  even  though  in  the  past  it 
was  not  always  so;  if  you  have  at  least  fairly 
good  health,  and  there  are  no  impediments;  and 
if  you  desire  to  become  a  Sister  out  of  some  good 
motive,  e.  g.,  to  glorify  God,  to  live  a  holier  life, 
to  help  save  souls;  then  you  may  presume  in 
favor  of  your  being  called.  After  consulting  your 
confessor,  the  best  thing  is  to  see  some  Sister 
about  your  vocation.  And  the  very  best  thing  is 
to  visit  a  convent  and  see  for  yourself. 

I  am  considering  entering  a  monastery  in 
September.  What  in  your  opinion  is  the 
proper  way  to  conduct  myself  during  the 
remaining  time? 

Remain  away  from  the  world  and  worldly 
amusements  as  much  as  possible.  In  addition  to 
your  regular  daily  prayers,  say  the  rosary  every 
day.  Read  good  Catholic  literature  and  spiritual 
books.  Try  in  every  way,  as  much  as  circum- 
stances permit,  to  let  your  room  at  home  be  a 
preparatory  monastery  for  you.  In  spirit,  quit 
the  world  already  now.  Remember  that  priests 
and  religious  receive  Holy  Communion  daily. 
Hence,   those  who  desire  to  become  priests  or 


756  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

religious  can  do  nothing  better  in  the  way  of 
preparation  for  their  high  calling  than  to  assist 
at  Mass  and  receive  their  Eucharistic  Lord  every 
day,  as  far  as  possible,  and  to  lead  a  life  in  ac- 
cordance with  this  pious  practice. 

May  one  who  in  the  past  has  committed 
sins  against  the  Sixth  Commandment  enter 
the  religious  life,  provided  that  person  is 
now  leading  a  good  and  holy  life  and  is  other- 
wise fit? 

Certainly  such  a  person  may  enter  the  religious 
life.  Mary  Magdalen,  because  of  her  sin,  or, 
rather,  because  of  the  penance  it  stimulated  her 
to  do,  got  to  be  a  greater  saint  than  she  could 
have  become,  had  she  never  sinned.  And  we 
must  remember  that  beneath  the  cross  were 
Mary,  the  Virgin  Immaculate,  and  Mary  Magda- 
len, the  repentant  sinner,  who  after  her  life  of 
sin  loved  the  Savior  much.  Both  had  a  right  to 
be  there;  and  both  kinds  have  a  right  to  be 
near  the  cross  in  the  religious  life.  It  is  true  that, 
to  lose  the  gift  of  virginity,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
sin  with  another.  The  solitary  sin,  if  completed, 
so  theologians  tell  us,  puts  an  end  to  virginity  in 
the  theological  conception  of  it.  But  here  St. 
Augustine,  who  had  sad  experiences  of  his  own 
before  his  conversion,  gives  a  comforting  assur- 
ance when  he  says:  "Longa  cast  it  as  reputatur 
pro  virginitate"  —  a  long  practice  of  chastity 
counts  for  virginity. 

Such  persons  as  considered  in  this  question 
must  be  warned  against  the  great  indiscretion  and 
imprudence  of  telling  about  the  sins  of  their  past 
life  when  applying  for  admission  into  the  re- 
ligious life  or  at  any  time  afterwards,  unless  those 
sins  had  become  notoriously  public.  Such  a 
revelation,  outside  the  confessional,  is  absolutely 
unnecessary  and  decidedly  inadvisable,  if  not 
positively  wrong. 


VOCATION  757 


Of  course,  true  piety  of  life  is  a  requisite  for  a 
religious  vocation.  True  piety,  by  way  of  simple 
illustration,  means  that  one  should  love  God  and 
God's  dear  Mother,  should  pray  much  and  fre- 
quent the  Sacraments.  It  likewise  means  that  one 
should  have  an  honest  hatred  of  sin  and  be  willing 
to  suffer  anything  rather  than  offend  God  griev- 
ously. It  does  not  mean  that  one  must  never 
have  committed  any  sins.  Baptismal  innocence 
is  indeed  a  precious  pearl  to  offer  the  Savior. 
But  one  may  have  sinned  in  the  past  and  now 
have  true  piety.  That  can  be  known  by  the  fact 
that  one  has  shown  oneself  truly  sorry.  And 
some  signs  of  such  sorrow  are  the  frequent  re- 
ception of  the  Sacraments,  victory  over  any  evil 
habit,  fervor  of  life.  Such  a  one  has  true  piety. 
Also  virtue  regained  is  most  precious  in  the  eyes 
of  God. 

If  a  person  chooses  to  lead  a  single  life  in 
the  world,  binding  himself  by  vow  to  observe 
chastity,  would  you  take  it  as  a  life  which 
God  wishes  him  to  lead?  What  formula 
would  you  suggest?  Is  there  special  merit 
in  leading  such  a  life? 

We  certainly  would  take  it  so.  Such  a  one 
would  be  leading  a  life  of  virginity  in  the  world, 
in  contradistinction  to  virginity  in  religion. 
Virginity  is  a  real  vocation;  and  though  it  finds 
its  greatest  perfection  in  the  religious  state,  it  is, 
even  in  the  world,  when  observed  from  super- 
natural motives,  in  every  way  a  higher  vocation 
than  is  that  of  the  married  state.  Also  St.  Paul 
tells  us  that  virginity  is  preferable  to  the  married 
state.  This  is  the  teaching  of  the  Church  and  is 
of  faith.  In  the  tenth  canon  of  the  twenty-fourth 
session  of  the  Council  of  Trent  we  find  the  fol- 
lowing doctrine:  "If  anyone  saith  that  the  mar- 
riage state  is  to  be  preferred  before  the  state  of 
virginity,  or  celibacy,  and  that  it  is  not  better 


758  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

and  more  blessed  to  remain  in  virginity,  or  in 
celibacy,  than  to  be  united  in  matrimony,  let  him 
be  anathema"  (that  is  to  say,  accursed). 

But  as  regards  binding  oneself  by  a  vow,  we 
would  say  that  this  should  not  be  done  inde- 
pendently of  the  advice  of  a  prudent  confessor  or 
wise  spiritual  director;  for  such  a  vow  is  a  serious 
matter,  binding  under  pain  of  sin.  The  father 
confessor  or  director  could  give  you  information  as 
to  the  formula  to  be  used  in  making  such  a  vow. 

There  is,  of  course,  a  very  special  merit  attach- 
ing to  a  life  of  virginity,  even  in  the  world;  for 
virginity  is  more  conducive  to  salvation  and  more 
pleasing  to  God.  Moreover,  we  read  in  the 
Book  of  Revelations:  "And  I  beheld,  and  lo!  a 
Lamb  stood  upon  Mount  Sion,  and  with  him  a 
hundred  and  forty -four  thousand,  having  his 
name,  and  the  name  of  his  Father,  written  on 
their  foreheads;  .  .  .  and  no  man  could  say 
the  canticle  but  those  hundred  and  forty-four 
thousand,  who  were  purchased  from  the  earth 
These  are  they  who  were  not  defiled  with  women; 
for  they  are  virgins.  These  follow  the  Lamb 
whithersoever  he  goeth.  These  were  purchased 
from  among  men,  the  first  fruits  to  God  and 
to  the  Lamb."     (Apoc.  14:1,  3,  4.) 

Does  a  girl  commit  a  sin  by  entering  a 
convent  without  her  parents'  permission? 
My  parents  do  not  allow  me  to  enter. 

No;  she  does  not  sin;  for  in  this  matter 
children  need  not  obey  anyone  except  God.  It 
belongs  to  them  to  choose  that  vocation  which, 
according  to  their  judgment  and  inclination,  will 
best  help  them  to  become  useful  members  of 
society  and,  what  is  much  more,  to  make  sure 
of  their  eternal  salvation. 

Parents  and  other  superiors  may,  and  not  in- 
frequently do,  exceed  the  limits  of  their  lawful 
authority    by    interfering    with    their    children's 


VOCATION  759 


vocation.  Thus  some  almost  force  or.  at  least, 
unduly  urge  their  sons  to  enter  the  priesthood 
or  a  religious  community,  or  their  daughters  to 
enter  a  convent;  and  many  more  do  all  they  can 
to  prevent  their  sons  and  daughters  from  em- 
bracing the  higher  life.  And  the  same  is  true  of 
the  other  states  of  life.  There  is  no  obligation 
of  obedience  in  such  matters,  because  there  is  no 
right  to  command. 

Should  your  parents  need  your  help  so  much 
that  they  would  be  destitute  and  utterly  forsaken 
were  you  to  leave  them,  you  may  look  upon  it 
as  the  will  of  God  that  you  obey  them  in  this 
matter — not  otherwise. 

Consider  these  unequivocal  words  of  St.  Jerome 
to  Heliodorus.  Aflame  with  conviction,  he  wrote, 
"I  invite  you;  make  haste.  You  have  made 
light  of  my  entreaties,  perhaps  you  will  listen  to 
my  reproaches.  Effeminate  soldier'  what  are 
you  doing  under  the  paternal  roof!  Even  though 
your  nephew  entwine  his  arms  about  your  neck; 
even  were  your  mother,  with  streaming  hair,  to 
show  you,  through  her  rent  garments,  the  breast 
that  nurtured  you;  even  though  your  father  were 
to  throw  himself  across  the  threshold  of  your 
house,  step  over  the  obstacle  and,  with  un- 
quivering  eye,  rush  to  take  your  place  beneath 
the  standard  of  the  cross." 

Provided  there  is  a  sick  person,  sick  for 
months  and  perhaps  for  years,  in  the  family, 
are  those  children  who  are  called  to  a  re- 
ligious or  to  the  married  life  bound  in 
conscience  to  stay  home  and  help  their 
parents?  Is  a  person  bound  in  conscience 
to  stay  at  home  and  help  his  parents,  when 
he  knows  he  could  do  more  good  for  his 
soul  elsewhere? 

Children  who  are  not  of  age  must  naturally 
stay  at  home  and  help  their  parents,  if  the  latter 


760  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

absolutely  need  their  help.  If  the  parents  are  in 
real  need  of  assistance;  at  least  one  of  the  children 
is  in  conscience  bound  to  aid  them  in  some  decent 
way.  They  are  the  parents!  But  if  there  are 
some  who  wish  to  enter  the  religious  life  or 
to  marry,  they  have  a  right  to  go,  and  the  greater 
burden  falls  upon  those  members  of  the  family 
who  have  no  special  vocation.  When  it  is  clear 
that  imperative  duty  calls  you  to  stay  at  home 
and  support  your  parents,  then  you  cannot  do 
more  good  for  your  soul  elsewhere,  because  then 
the  will  of  God  for  you  is  quite  manifest ;  and  the 
will  of  God  is  your  sanctification.  When  it  is  a 
question  of  the  religious  vocation,  and,  in  a 
lesser  degree,  of  the  call  to  the  married  state, 
only  a  case  of  real  necessity  can  oblige  one  to 
stay  at  home;  and  if  there  are  others  to  care 
for  your  parents,  they,  in  this  case,  will  have  to 
supplant  you. 

Would  the  good  God  answer  a  mother's 
prayers  if  she  would  ask  Him  to  give  religious 
vocations  to  her  children? 

Such  prayers  are  indeed  most  pleasing  to  God; 
and  they  are  often  answered  in  wonderful  ways. 
It  was  the  fervent  and  constant  prayer  of  the 
Little  Flower's  mother  that  God  would  call  all 
her  children  to  His  consecrated  service.  Four 
of  her  little  ones  died  in  infancy;  but  the  other 
five — all  girls — entered  the  religious  life;  and 
the  last  of  these  girls  was  the  Little  Flower. 
Behold  the  fruit  of  fervent  and  constant  prayer 
that  God  may  give  to  one's  children  the  greatest 
grace  after  holy  baptism — a  religious  vocation. 
This  is  but  one  of  many  examples  that  might  be 
adduced. 

It  is,  in  all  truth,  an  incomparable  happiness, 
a  fount  of  perennial  joy  and  a  heaven-sent 
blessing  of  priceless  worth,  for  a  Catholic  mother 
— for  a  Catholic  family— to  have  one  or  more 


VOCATION  761 


children  in  the  priesthood  or  in  the  religious  life. 
"Pray  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  that  He  send 
forth  laborers  into  His  harvest,"  says  the  Savior. 
It  is,  accordingly,  a  happy  duty  leading  to  the 
highest  honor  for  every  good  mother  earnestly  to 
implore  God  to  grant  a  religious  vocation  to  one 
or  more  of  her  children.  For  this  both  parents 
should  pray;  and.  when  God  has  planted  the 
tiny  seed  of  a  priestly  or  religious  vocation  in  the 
hearts  of  their  children,  they  should  cherish  and 
foster  that  little  seed,  and  water  it  with  words 
of  loving  encouragement  and  gentle,  prudent 
exhortation,  also  placing  good  books  on  the 
subject  in  their  hands,  until  it  grows  into  a  beauti- 
ful and  hardy  plant,  a-blooming  in  the  courts  of 
God's  Holy  Church. 

In  the  "Life  of  Cardinal  Vaughan"  we  read 
that  his  saintly  mother,  for  nearly  twenty  years, 
spent  an  hour  before  the  Blessed  Sacrament 
every  day,  asking  that  God  would  call  every  one 
of  her  children  to  the  religious  life  or  to  the  priest- 
hood. As  a  result  all  her  five  daughters  entered 
convents,  and  of  her  eight  sons,  six  became 
priests.  Of  these  six  three  also  became  bishops, 
— one  a  Cardinal. 

Is  it  all  right  for  a  mother  to  pray  for 
the  religious  vocation  of  her  girls? 

Most  certainly.  It  is  one  of  the  very  best 
things  a  mother  can  do.  The  religious  vocation 
is  the  very  highest  a  girl  can  embrace;  and  the 
family  that  gives  one  or  more  girls  to  the  Lord 
in  the  sisterhood  is  indeed  blessed  by  God  and 
in  high  honor  before  men.  Pray,  by  all  means, 
that  your  boys  as  well  as  your  girls  may  obtain 
from  God  the  special  grace  of  a  religious  vocation. 
While  parents  should  never  unduly  or  im- 
prudently urge  their  children  to  embrace  this 
calling,  they  may  and  they  should  call  their 
attention  to  the  more  secure  and  exalted  states 


y€-L  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

of  life.  They  should  ever  speak  with  respect  and 
reverence  of  the  priesthood,  the  brotherhood,  and 
the  sisterhood;  they  should  encourage  every  in- 
dication of  interest,  every  sign  of  vocation.  All 
children  have  the  almost  sacred  right  at  least  to 
know  that  those  states  of  life  exist  and  what  are 
the  qualifications  therefor.  For  that  reason 
parents  should  place  such  books  in  the  hands  of 
their  boys  and  girls,  as  will  enable  them  to  know 
before  it  is  too  late  to  what  heights  they  may 
ascend  by  the  grace  and  calling  of  God.  Alas 
that  parents  should  have  so  little  of  this  true 
Catholic  spirit  in  our  materialistic  age! 

If  a  girl  feels  she  has  the  vocation  to  em- 
brace the  religious  life  and  her  mother 
tries  to  persuade  her  to  forget  about  it  and 
says  that  she  would  just  die  if  her  daughter 
should  leave  her,  and  such  like  things, 
should  her  daughter  forget  about  her  vo- 
cation or  go  ahead  and  leave  to  become  a 
Religious?  Though  I  love  my  home  and 
parents  dearly,  I  feel  that  I  ought  to  follow 
the  vocation  that  the  Savior  has  chosen 
for  me. 

For  the  reasons  you  mention,  a  girl  should 
not  forget  about  her  vocation.  Unless  they  have 
very  just  and  serious  reasons,  parents  have  no 
right  in  any  way  to  prevent  their  children  from 
entering  the  religious  life  when  those  children 
feel  that  God  calls  them  to  it.  The  will  of  God 
comes  first. 

Though  girls  do  not  need  their  parents'  per- 
mission once  they  are  of  the  proper  age,  say 
fourteen  or  fifteen  years,  it  is  nevertheless  well 
to  have  it.  One  cannot  expect  them  simply  to 
run  away  from  home.  That  might  cause  endless 
trouble;  and  sisterhoods  would  hesitate  to  take 
them  if  they  did.  Respectfully  coax  your  parents 
and  try  in  some  way  to  get  their  permission — 


VOCATION  763 


at  least  the  permission  to  let  you  go  against  their 
will.  Above  all,  have  recourse  to  fervent  prayer 
that  God  may  give  them  the  grace  to  see  the 
matter  as  He  sees  it.  Strange  to  say,  most  girls — 
and  boys  no  less — meet  with  opposition  when 
they  wish  to  become  Religious.  But  so  it  has 
likewise  been  with  many  of  the  saints.  Just  to 
mention  two  instances,  the  great  St.  Alphonsus 
Liguori,  Prince  of  Moral  Theologians,  and  the 
illustrious  St.  Thomas  Aquinas,  the  Angelic 
Doctor,  became  Religious  in  the  face  of  bitterest 
opposition. 

We  feel  sure  that  yours  is  a  good  and  loving 
mother;  but  she  finds  it  so  hard  to  part  with  the 
devoted  daughter  who  is  the  light  of  her  life. 
Proper  explanation,  prayer,  and  pleading  will 
surely  make  her  resigned  to  the  adorable  will  of 
God. 

Would  you  kindly  answer  the  following 
question:  For  the  Seminarian,  who  wishes 
to  adopt  the  proper  standard  towards  the 
priesthood  and  who  has  already  spent  one 
year  in  the  Seminary — what  should  be  his 
attitude  towards  shows,  excursions,  dances, 
and  the  general  spirit  of  the  world  in 
reference  to  modern  amusements? 

Father  Albert  Rung,  in  his  excellent  little  book. 
The  Seminarian,  says,  "The  vacations  are  the 
test  of  the  genuineness  of  the  piety  as  well  as  of 
the  vocation  of  the  young  man.  His  conduct  is 
under  surveillance,  it  is  true,  but  this  is  so 
superficial  that  he  is  practically  his  own  master 
A  Seminarian  must  possess  nobility  of  character, 
and  his  conduct  must  be  correct  and  blameless 
whether  observed  or  not.  His  chosen  Master  is 
always  present,  and  the  thought  of  Him  must 
ever  be  in  his  mind,  now  to  prompt  him  to  fulfil 
his  duties,  again  to  prompt  him  to  refrain  from 


764  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

doing  what  might  reflect  on  the  life  he  has 
chosen." 

Dances  are  absolutely,  utterly,  and  always 
incompatible  with  the  vocation  he  has  chosen. 
This  needs  no  further  demonstration. 

And  spiritual  directors  will  invariably  urge 
such  a  young  man  to  remain  away  from  shows 
altogether  and  to  be  very  judicious  in  his  choice 
of  excursions,  if  any. 

The  priest  is  in  the  world  but  not  of  the  world. 
The  general  spirit  of  the  world  with  reference 
to  modern  amusements  is  not  his  spirit.  Hence 
the  youth  who  treasures  his  vocation  to  the  priest- 
hood will  turn  away  from  all  those  things — will 
turn  to  God  with  the  words,  "Those  things  are 
not  for  me."  He  will  find  all  happiness  and  all 
joy  in  his  books,  his  spiritual  exercises,  and  those 
refined  amusements  that  are  proper  to  his  state 
of  life.  Let  him  consider  himself  an  incipient 
priest,  so  to  speak. 

Is  it  proper  for  a  Seminarian  while  home 
on  vacation  to  bathe  at  public  beaches? 

If  working  during  vacation,  should  he 
keep  apart  from  his  fellow  employees  or 
join  in  their  conversation  and  laughter? 

No;  we  do  not  consider  it  at  all  proper  for  him 
to  frequent  public  bathing  beaches.  What  a 
dangerous  change  of  environment  that  and  many 
similar  amusements  would  be  for  the  Seminarian' 
That  were  clearly  trifling  with  the  jewel  of  a 
priceless  vocation.  Think  of  the  sheltered  life 
such  a  young  man  leads  in  the  Seminary,  the 
nursery  garden  wherein  vocations  grow  and  thrive 
unto  self-sanctification  and  the  sanctification  of 
others,  and  you  will  just  feel  what  is  proper 
and  what  is  improper  for  him.  In  the  Semi- 
nary he  is  shut  out  from  the  contagious,  soul- 
contaminating  air  of  the  world.  There  he  has 
nothing  to  dread  from  that  world,  its  dissipations, 


VOCATION  765 


its  scandals,  its  human  respect,  its  perilous 
pleasures.  There  he  is  free  to  occupy  himself  in 
prayer,  in  purifying  his  conscience,  in  morti- 
fying his  passions,  in  correcting  his  faults,  in 
learning  earnestly  to  perform  every  duty  well. 
In  a  word,  in  the  Seminary  the  Seminarian  strives 
seriously  to  create  within  himself  "the  new  man" 
who  alone  can  represent  Jesus  Christ  on  earth 
and  fulfill  in  a  worthy  manner  the  high  functions 
of  the  priesthood.  Let  him  act  accordingly  when 
he  must  depart  for  a  time  from  that  blessed 
abode  of  study,  recollection,  and  prayer. 

If  his  fellow  employees  and  their  conversation 
are  clean  and  decent,  there  is  surely  no  harm  in 
joining  them;  if  they  are  not,  he  should  remain 
aloof.  Better  still  would  it  be  to  seek  from  the 
first  a  position  whose  surroundings  are  as  much 
as  possible  in  harmony  with  his  holy  vocation. 

What  would  be  the  attitude  of  an  aspirant 
to  the  priesthood  in  reference  to  the  oppo- 
site sex,  both  while  he  is  only  a  college 
student  and  in  the  first  years  of  his  semi- 
nary course? 

The  lofty  calling  he  has  chosen  requires  the 
state  of  celibacy,  freely  chosen.  Hence  the 
company  of  young  women  is  not  for  him.  Aside 
from  being  dangerous,  such  company  is  unbe- 
coming in  one  of  such  high  aspirations.  But, 
nevertheless,  he  is  always  to  act  as  a  gentleman, 
and  he  will  therefore  always  conduct  himself  in 
the  presence  of  any  lady  as  he  would  in  the 
presence  of  the  Blessed  Virgin.  He  will  be  as 
courteous  to  all  as  the  rules  of  politeness  and 
good  breeding  require.  However,  he  will  avoid 
familiarity  and  the  exchange  of  confidences. 

What  is  the  difference  between  simple  and 
solemn  vows? 

The  division  of  vows  into  simple  and  solemn 


766  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

has  reference  to  the  vows  of  the  religious  life. 
The  solemnity  here  implied  is  not  necessarily 
external.  It  consists  essentially  in  the  more 
absolute  surrender  of  self  and  in  the  acceptance 
of  such  surrender  by  the  Church  through  the 
respective  religious  Order.  Only  certain  Orders 
have  solemn  vows. 

The  solemn  vows  incapacitate  a  person  from 
performing  validly  acts  that  are  contrary  to  those 
vows.  For  example,  were  a  person  bound  by 
the  simple  vow  of  chastity  to  marry  (which  may 
God  avert')*  that  marriage  would  be  valid,  sl 
real  marriage,  but  it  would  be  illicit,  a  most  grave 
sin;  whereas  were  a  person  bound  by  the  solemn 
vow  of  chastity  to  marry,  the  marriage  would 
not  even  be  valid,  would  be  no  marriage,  and  a 
sin  still  more  grave.  We  might  add  that,  naturally, 
there  is  greater  difficulty  in  obtaining  dispensa- 
tion from  solemn  vows  than  from  simple  vows. 
Both  simple  and  solemn  vows  are,  however,  vows 
of  the  most  sacred,  most  binding  kind. 

When  a  priest  reads  his  first  Holy  Mass, 
what  is  the  meaning  of  the  flower  girls,  the 
bride,  and  the  wreath  she  brings  him? 

We  cannot  say  that  the  little  ceremonial  extras 
often  added  to  a  priest's  first  Mass  have  any 
special  liturgical  signification.  They  are  rather 
a  matter  of  local  custom  and  differ  widely  in 
different  places.  When  they  do  not  interfere 
with  rubrical  prescriptions,  they  are  touchingly 
beautiful  and  enhance  the  festivity  of  the  occa- 
sion. 

As  regards  the  meaning  of  the  flower  girls,  the 
bride,  and  the  wreath,  we  might  perhaps  say  that 
the  flower  girls  just  accompany  the  bride  as 
flower  girls  usually  do,  and  that  the  little  bride, 
sometimes  called  "the  angel,"  symbolizes  that  the 
newly  ordained  is  now  wedded  forever  to  inno- 
cence and  holiness  of  life.    The  wreath  is  a  symbol 


VOCATION  767 


of  the  glorious  crown  of  life  everlasting  which 
the  priest  of  God  will  one  day  receive  for  his 
fidelity  to  his  holy  vows. 

A  boy  who  wanted  to  become  a  Brother  of 
Mary  claimed  that  there  was  a  rule  which 
forbade  speaking.  What  is  the  meaning  of 
the  rule?   Do  Sisters  have  such  a  rule  too? 

The  boy  was  quite  right.  There  is  a  rule  of 
silence,  more  or  less  strict,  in  every  religious 
Order  or  Congregation.  All  founders  of  religious 
Orders  have  inculcated  the  necessity  of  observing 
silence,  because  a  talkative  man  cannot  be  re- 
collected, cannot  be  a  man  of  prayer,  and  there- 
fore cannot  make  much  progress  in  perfection. 
The  same  holds  good  for  women,  of  course,  in 
our  case  for  Sisters.  They  all  have  a  rule  of 
silence.  Just  to  show  you  what  is  meant  by  this 
silence,  we  are  here  giving  two  rules  from  the 
rule  book  of  a  certain  sisterhood:  "To  attain 
spiritual  perfection  the  Sisters  shall  guard  their 
lips  and  diligently  observe  religious  silence,  which 
must  always  be  observed  outside  the  time  and 
place  appointed  for  recreation." — "The  strictest 
silence,  however,  must  be  kept  in  church,  in  the 
sacristy,  in  the  refectory,  and  from  evening 
prayers  until  breakfast,  inclusively,  in  all  places; 
if  it  is  necessary  to  say  anything,  it  must  be  done 
very  briefly  and  in  a  low  voice." 

Since  the  ceremony  of  being  received  into 
a  Religious  Order  or  of  making  profession 
therein  is  not  a  Sacrament,  like  Holy  Orders 
or  Matrimony,  can  such  a  one  be  said  to 
have  received  any  sacramental  graces?  Or 
what  is  the  nature  of  the  graces  received  ? 

First  of  all  let  us  take  a  glance  into  our  cate- 
chism. There  is  a  question  of  grace  here,  and 
grace  is  a  supernatural  gift  of  God  bestowed  on 
us  through  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ  for  our 


768  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

salvation.  There  are  two  kinds  of  grace,  sancti- 
fying grace  and  actual  grace.  Sanctifying  grace, 
also  called  habitual  grace,  is  that  grace  which 
makes  the  soul  holy  and  pleasing  to  God.  Actual 
grace  is  that  help  of  God  which  enlightens  our 
mind  and  moves  our  will  to  shun  evil  and  do 
good.  It  is  called  actual  because  it  aids  us  to 
perform  supernatural  acts  and  because  it,  being 
transient,  does  not  abide  in  the  soul  like  habitual 
grace.  The  great  means  of  grace  are  prayer  and 
the  Sacraments.  The  Sacraments  give  grace  of 
themselves,  provided  the  recipient  places  no 
obstacle  to  their  effect.  Baptism  and  Penance 
give  sanctifying  grace;  Confirmation,  .  Holy 
Eucharist,  Extreme  Unction,  Holy  Orders,  and 
Matrimony  increase  sanctifying  grace  in  the 
soul;  but  if  the  soul  is  already  in  the  grace  of 
God  all  the  Sacraments  give  an  increase  of 
sanctifying  grace. 

There  is  a  third  kind  of  grace  called  sacramental 
grace,  that  special  help  which  God  gives  to  at- 
tain the  end  for  which  He  instituted  each  Sacra- 
ment (for  instance,  Penance  gives  grace  to  de- 
test past  sins,  to  satisfy  for  them,  to  avoid 
proximate  occasions).  Sacramental  grace  is  a 
distinct  manner  of  being  or  perfection  of  sancti- 
fying or  habitual  grace.  Three  things  seem  to 
belong  to  sacramental  grace.  (1)  It  adds  a  new 
perfection  or  mode  of  being  to  the  supernatural 
life  of  the  soul.  (2)  This  perfection  is  bestowed 
immediately  at  the  moment  a  Sacrament  is  con- 
ferred. (3)  This  perfection  of  quality  of  the 
supernatural  life  tends  towards  the  end  for  which 
each  Sacrament  was  instituted. 

Now,  to  get  nearer  the  question  itself,  we  may 
say  that  the  ceremony  of  reception  is  but  the 
preliminary  to  eventual  profession.  Religious 
profession  itself  is  not  a  Sacrament,  of  course, 
though  Holy  Communion  is  often  received  in 
immediate  connection  with  it.     Hence,  of  itself 


VOCATION  769 


it  gives  no  sacramental  grace.  But  since  this 
making  of  the  three  holy  vows  of  poverty, 
chastity,  and  obedience  is  a  most  heroic  conse- 
cration and  prayer  it  obtains  from  God  an 
abundance  of  other  graces.  Indeed,  St.  Bernard 
says  that  after  Baptism  the  greatest  grace  that 
God  can  confer  upon  a  soul  is  the  religious  vo- 
cation. Moreover,  the  Holy  Fathers  and  Doctors 
of  the  Church  tell  us  that  in  the  eyes  of  God  re- 
ligious profession  is  equal  to  the  holocaust  of 
martyrdom  and  makes  a  soul  capable  of  entering 
immediately  into  the  bliss  of  heaven,  so  that  if 
one  would  die  immediately  after  making  the 
vows  he  would  not  have  to  pass  through  purga- 
tory, since  the  profession  releases  the  soul  from 
all  debt  of  punishment,  even  as  Baptism  and 
martyrdom  release  it,  but  would  go  directly  to 
heaven.  What  a  grace,  i.  e.,  what  a  supernatural 
gift  of  God,  which  renders  this  soul  more  holy 
and  pleasing  to  Him! 

1 — Why  are  there  so  many  Religious 
Orders  or  Congregations  for  men  and 
women?  2 — Why  do  they  wear  different 
habits  in  each  Order  ?  3 — Why  is  a  Religious 
name  given?  4 — Was  the  Blessed  Virgin 
Mary  a  Hebrew  the  same  as  Jesus? 

1.  The  great  variety  of  Religious  Orders  adds 
to  the  strength  and  beauty  of  the  Church.  To 
the  Church  we  may  apply  the  words  of  Holy 
Writ:  "The  queen  stood  on  thy  right  hand,  in 
gilded  clothing,  surrounded  with  variety."  Again, 
individuals  are  thus  enabled  the  more  easily  to 
strive  after  perfection;  for  the  variety  of  Orders 
accommodates  the  variety  of  temperaments, 
talents  and  inclinations.  And,  yet  again,  because 
the  needs  of  the  Church  can  thus  be  the  more 
easily  attended  to,  each  Order  having  to  some 
extent  its  own  special  field  of  activity.  2.  They 
wear  different  habits  in  order  to  be  distinguished 


77Q  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

from  each  other.  3.  A  religious  name  is  given, 
but  only  in  some  Orders,  as  a  sign  that  they  have 
put  off  the  old  man  and  put  on  the  new — have 
begun  a  new  life  in  a  drastic  way,  losing  even 
their  former  name,  so  to  speak.  4.  Yes;  also 
the  Blessed  Virgin,  as  well  as  St.  Joseph,  was  a 
Hebrew,  a  descendant  of  the  house  of  David. 

Suppose  a  girl  enters  a  Religious  Order 
that  does  teaching  and  nursing.  Do  the 
Sisters  have  their  choice  in  the  work  they 
would  like  to  follow  or  are  their  occupations 
simply  assigned  to  them,  with  regard  to 
their  likes  or  dislikes? 

A  Religious  must  be  ready  for  any  kind  of  work. 
No  one  would  be  accepted  in  a  Religious  Order 
if  reservations  were  made  and  conditions  placed. 
In  every  human  institution  obedience  is  of  prime 
importance.  All  the  more  so  in  religion,  where 
we  give  our  freedom,  our  very  will,  to  Jesus 
through  our  superiors.  But  we  find  the  best  and 
most  considerate  of  superiors  in  religion.  Their 
spirit  is  the  spirit  of  Christ,  in  Whose  name 
they  assign  the  various  tasks;  and  the  spirit  of 
Christ  is  a  spirit  of  kindness  and  gentleness.  One 
would  have  to  look  a  long  time  indeed  to -find  in 
religion  the  harsh  and  overbearing  bosses  so  often 
met  with,  for  instance,  on  the  street  and  in  the 
factory.  Still,  when  we  enter  religion  we  must 
be  prepared  for  anything  and  everything.  That 
is  the  proper  spirit  and  one  which  excludes  all 
disappointments.  Leave  everything  to  an  all- 
wise  Providence  and  you  will  probably  get  just 
that  work  which  you  can  do  best  and  which  you 
like  most.  If  not,  you  will  at  least  get  what  is 
best  for  you. 

Can  you  tell  me  about  the  ceremonies  to 
be  gone  through  by  a  young  man  about  to 
become  a  priest? 


VOCATION  77i 


We  give  the  following  rather  lengthy,  yet  con- 
densed, explanation: 

Behold  a  youth  entering  the  collegiate  depart- 
ment of  some  seminary,  inspired  by  the  priest- 
hood's lofty  ideals.  Six  years  does  he  spend 
therein,  engaged  in  arduous  study.  He  then 
enters  the  seminary  proper,  a  more  immediate 
candidate  for  the  priesthood.  He  spends  a  num- 
ber of  years  in  philosophy  and  begins  a  four 
years'  course  in  theology.  Ten  years  have  passed 
and  his  goal  is  near;  he  is  about  to  be  introduced 
into  the  ecclesiastical  state,  is  about  to  be  made 
a  cleric. 

This  is  done  by  giving  what  is  called  the  Ton- 
sure. The  Tonsure  is  not  an  order,  but  a  prepa- 
ration for  orders.  Our  youth  kneels  before  the 
bishop  and  while  the  latter  cuts  certain  portions 
of  his  hair  says,  in  the  words  of  the  Psalmist: 
"The  Lord  is  the  portion  of  my  inheritance  and 
of  my  cup;  it  is  Thou  that  wilt  restore  my  in- 
heritance to  me."  The  bishop  cuts  the  tonsur- 
and's  hair  in  four  places:  from  the  forehead; 
from  the  back  of  the  head;  from  each  side;  and 
from  the  crown.  He  then  vests  him  with  the 
surplice.  The  cutting  of  the  hair  in  the  form  of  a 
cross  signifies  the  renunciation  of  the  world's 
vanities  and  the  assumption  of  the  cross  of  self- 
denial;  the  vesting  with  the  surplice  is  significa- 
tive of  the  candidate's  reception  into  the  clerical 
state  and  his  consequent  enjoyment  of  the  priv- 
ileges and  immunities  accorded  to  clerics  by 
Canon  Law,  such  as  are  exemption  from  trial 
before  a  civil  tribunal,  capability  of  acquiring 
ecclesiastical  jurisdiction,  consecration  to  God 
so  special  that  anyone  who  unjustly  and  gravely 
assaults  him  by  that  very  fact  falls  under  ex- 
communication reserved  to  the  bishop.  The 
Tonsure  is  ancient.  It  existed,  in  one  form  or 
another,  among  the  Levites  and  the  Nazarites  of 
the  Old  Testament,  and  among  the  monks  of  the 


772.  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

New.  It  already  had  ecclesiastical  sanction  in 
the  days  of  Gregory  the  Great,  in  the  latter  part 
of  the  sixth  century. 

The  youthful  seminarian  is  now  a  cleric.  Soon 
he  shall  receive  Minor  Orders,  shall  become  a 
Porter,  a  Reader,  an  Exorcist,  an  Acolyte.  Thus 
he  shall  ascend  from  degree  to  degree,  each  order 
conferring  a  certain  higher  power  and  grace. 
Meanwhile  he  advances  in  knowledge  and  piety. 
His  soul  is  sanctified  by  prescribed  retreats, 
prayers,  and  fasts,  is  made  holy  and  ennobled  by 
the  sacred  rite  of  each  individual  order,  as  the 
ceremonies  ever  grow  in  dignity  and  gravity. 

Formerly  Minor  Orders  conferred  certain 
special  offices;  today  they  are  a  worthy  prepara- 
tion for  Higher  Orders.  The  rite  of  each  is  simple 
but  impressive,  nor  may  they  all  be  given  at  the 
same  occasion.  The  ordinands,  each  vested  in  a 
surplice  and  holding  a  lighted  candle  in  his  hand, 
kneel  before  the  bishop  and  touch  the  requisite 
instruments  while  he  pronounces  certain  words. 
Beautiful,  solemn,  and  expressive  prayers  are 
said  in  great  number.  We  can  merely  touch 
upon  them  here.  But  let  us  glance  at  each  of 
the  Minor  Orders  separately. 

Our  cleric  first  receives  the  order  of  Porters. 
Kneeling  before  the  bishop  and  holding  a  lighted 
candle  in  his  left  hand,  he  touches  with  his  right 
the  keys  of  the  church.  Meanwhile  the  prelate 
solemnly  admonishes  them  all.  saying  "Conduct 
yourselves  as  having  to  render  an  account  to 
God  for  those  things  which  are  kept  under  these 
keys."  It  is  the  duty  of  the  Porters,  as  the 
bishop  tells  them,  "to  strike  the  cymbal  and  ring 
the  bell,  to  open  the  church  and  the  sanctuary, 
and  the  book  of  him  that  preaches."  Theirs  is 
also  the  higher  duty  "of  closing  to  the  devil  and 
opening  to  God,  by  their  word  and  example, 
the  invisible  house  of  God,  namely,  the  hearts  of 
the  faithful." 


VOCATION  773 


The  ordination  of  Readers  now  follows.  Again 
our  youthful  cleric  kneels  before  the  bishop. 
He  is  vested  in  a  surplice  and  holds  a  lighted 
candle.  The  prelate  offers  him  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  or  the  Breviary  to  be  touched  with 
the  right  hand,  and  says,  "Receive  and  be  reader 
of  the  word  of  God,  destined  if  you  faithfully 
and  usefully  fulfill  your  office  to  have  a  part 
with  those  who  have  from  the  beginning  ac- 
quitted themselves  well  in  the  ministry  of  the 
divine  Word."  It  is  the  duty  of  the  Readers 
"to  announce  distinctly  and  clearly  the  words  of 

God "  "And  what  you  read  with  your 

lips,"  the  bishop  tells  them,  "believe  in  your 
hearts  and  practice  by  your  works,  so  that  you 
may  be  able  to  teach  by  word  and  example." 
Upon  them  is  conferred  the  power  "to  read  for 
him  who  preaches,  to  sing  the  Lessons,  and  to 
bless  the  bread  and  all  the  new  fruits." 

The  third  of  the  Minor  Orders  is  that  of  the 
Exorcists.  As  in  the  others  so  in  this  our  cleric 
kneels  before  the  bishop.  But  now  a  book  con- 
taining the  exorcisms  (it  may  be  the  Ritual,  the 
Pontifical,  or  the  Missal)  is  presented  to  him  to 
be  touched  while  the  bishop  says,  "Take  and  com- 
mit it  to  memory,  and  have  power  to  impose 
hands  on  persons  possessed,  be  they  baptized  or 
catechumens."  It  is  the  duty  of  the  Exorcists 
"to  cast  out  devils,  to  tell  the  people  that  he  who 
does  not  communicate  must  give  way  to  those 
who  communicate,  and  to  pour  water  in  the 
service"  for  washing  the  priest's  hands  during 
baptism  and  at  Mass.  To  this  is  added  the 
higher  duty  of  driving  "from  their  own  minds 
and  bodies  all  uncleanness  and  wickedness,  lest 
they  yield  to  those  spirits  whom  by  their  ministry 
they  drive  away  from  others."  It  is  incumbent 
upon  them  "to  learn  by  their  office  to  rule  over 
their  passions,  so  that  the  enemy  may  not  be 
able  to  lay  claim  to  anything  as  his  own  in  their 


774  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

conduct."  In  our  day  this  office,  in  its  more 
concrete  application,  may  only  be  exercised  by 
a  priest  and  that  with  special  authorization  from 
his  bishop. 

And  now  our  seminarian  is  about  to  receive 
the  last  of  the  Minor  Orders:  he  is  about  to 
become  an  Acolyte.  With  his  right  hand  he 
touches  a  candlestick  with  an  unlighted  candle. 
At  the  same  time  the  bishop  says.  ''Receive  this 
candlestick  and  candle,  and  know  that  you  are 
obligated  to  light  the  lamps  of  the  church  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord."  The  bishop  then  gives  him 
an  empty  cruet  with  the  words,  "Receive  this 
cruet  for  supplying  wine  and  water  for  the  Eucha- 
rist of  the  Blood  of  Christ  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord."  It  is  the  duty  of  the  Acolytes  "to  carry 
the  candlestick,  to  light  the  lamps  and  candles 
of  the  church,  and  to  minister  wine  and  water 
for  the  Eucharist."  The  bishop  admonishes 
them,  saying,  "Be  therefore  solicitous  in  all 
justice,  goodness,  and  truth  to  illumine  yourself 
and  others  and  the  church  of  God.  For  then 
will  you  worthily  administer  wine  and  water  in 
the  sacrifice  of  God  when  by  a  chaste  life  and  good 
works  you  shall  have  offered  yourselves  as  a 
sacrifice  to  God." 

A  year  now  passes,  though  the  bishop  may 
for  sufficient  reason  dispense  from  the  requisite 
intervals  here  mentioned;  and  our  Acolyte  ap- 
proaches the  bishop  for  Higher  Orders,  for  the 
subdeaconship,  the  deaconship,  and  the  holy 
priesthood.  Truly,  to  contract  the  description 
of  those  solemn,  stirring  functions  into  few  and 
simple  words  is  no  easy  task.  But  we  shall, 
nevertheless,  endeavor  to  do  so.  These  Higher 
Orders  are  also  called  Sacred  Orders,  because 
they  give  the  cleric  a  right  to  handle  the  sacred 
vessels,  and  consecrate  him  to  God  by  a  solemn 
perpetual  vow  of  chastity. 

The    subdeaconship    is   first    conferred.      The 


VOCATION  775 


ordinands'  names  are  publicly  called  out  together 
with  the  title  to  which  they  are  to  be  ordained. 
Clad  in  amice,  alb,  and  cincture,  with  a  maniple 
in  their  left  hands,  a  tunic  over  their  left  arms, 
and  holding  a  lighted  candle,  they  stand  before 
the  bishop  as  a  sign  that  they  are  still  free.  With 
touching  words  he  admonishes  them  "attentively 
to  consider,  again  and  again,  what  a  burden  they 
this  day  freely  seek."  The  Litany  of  All  Saints 
is  then  recited  by  the  bishop  and  the  clergy, 
during  which  the  ordinands  lie  prostrate  before 
the  altar.  When  it  is  almost  finished  the  bishop 
rises  and,  clad  in  full  pontifical  robes,  with  the 
mitre  on  his  head  and  the  crosier  in  his  hand, 
he  solemnly  blesses  the  candidates.  As  they 
kneel  before  him  he  explains  their  duties.  "It 
is  incumbent  upon  the  subdeacon,"  he  says,  "to 
prepare  water  for  the  service  of  the  altar,  to  wash 
the  palls  of  the  altar  and  the  corporals,  to  assist 
the  deacon  and  present  him  the  chalice  and 
paten  used  in  the  Sacrifice."  Then  he  presents  to 
each  one  an  empty  chalice  with  a  paten  placed 
upon  it  to  be  touched  with  the  right  hand.  At 
the  same  time  he  says,  "See  whose  ministry  is 
given  to  you;  I  admonish  you,  therefore,  so  to 
comport  yourselves  as  to  be  pleasing  to  God." 
The  archdeacon  then  presents  to  them  to  be 
touched  with  the  right  hand  cruets  containing 
wine  and  water,  the  basin,  and  the  finger  towel. 
And  now  the  prelate  calls  down  upon  them  the 
seven  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  then  draws 
the  amice  over  the  head  of  each  one  and  puts  on 
him  the  maniple  and  the  tunic.  He  presents  the 
book  of  Epistles  to  be  touched,  saying,  "Receive 
this  book  of  Epistles  and  have  power  to  read 
them  in  the  holy  church  of  God  both  for  the  liv- 
ing and  the  dead."  The  ordination  is  finished. 
Our  subdeacon  now  takes  part  in  the  Holy  Sacri- 
fice. He,  too,  has  made  a  twofold  sacrifice.  By 
the  very  fact  of  receiving  the  subdeaconship  he 


776  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

has  renounced  self  by  a  solemn  vow  of  perpetual 
chastity,  and  he  has  consecrated  all  his  days  and 
all  the  hours  thereof  to  God  by  taking  upon  him- 
self the  obligation  of  reciting  the  Divine  Office, 
the  Breviary. 

Three  months  pass  away.  The  subdeacon  is 
to  be  ordained  deacon.  The  ceremony  takes 
place  during  Mass  and  after  the  Epistle.  The 
ordinands'  names  are  again  called  out  and, 
vested  in  amice,  alb,  cincture,  and  maniple,  with 
a  stole  in  the  left  hand  and  a  dalmatic  over  the 
left  arm  and  holding  a  lighted  candle,  they  are 
presented  to  the  bishop.  But  he  turns  to  the 
clergy  and  people  and  in  a  loud  voice  invites 
"anyone  that  may  have  anything  against  them 
to  come  forward  confidently,  and  to  speak  before 
God  and  for  the  sake  of  God,  but  to  be  mindful 
of  his  own  condition."  Thereupon  he  confers 
ordination  with  its  sacramental  grace.  Extend- 
ing his  hands  in  a  most  solemn  manner,  he  im- 
plores God  to  "look  with  a  benignant  eye  on  these 
His  servants,  who  are  now  dedicated  as 
deacons  to  the  service  of  His  holy  altars."  Then 
he  places  his  right  hand  on  the  head  of  each, 
and  says,  "Receive  the  Holy  Ghost  in  order  that 
you  may  have  strength  to  enable  you  to  resist 
the  devil  and  his  temptations."  He  now  vests 
each  one  with  the  stole,  placing  it  over  the  left 
shoulder,  and  with  the  dalmatic.  Lastly  he  pre- 
sents to  them  the  book  of  gospels  or  the  Missal, 
conferring  at  the  same  time  "the  power  of  reading 
the  Gospel  in  the  church  of  God,  both  for  the 
living  and  the  dead."  It  is  the  duty  of  the  deacon 
"to  minister  at  the  altar,  to  baptize  and  preach." 
He  waits  upon  the  priest  at  the  altar  and  dis- 
tributes Holy  Communion  with  the  pastor's 
consent.  In  case  of  necessity  he  may  baptize, 
and  with  the  bishop's  permission  he  may  preach. 

Yet  another  three  months  now  pass  away; 
the  priesthood  draws  nigh.    The  cleric  is  about  to 


VOCATION  777 


be  vested  with  the  highest  dignity  upon  earth. 
Thus  far  the  ceremonies  have  been  solemn  indeed, 
but  they  reach  their  climax  now.  The  ordinands 
are  once  more  called  by  name.  Wearing  the 
dress  of  a  deacon  with  a  folded  chasuble  over  the 
left  arm  and  bearing  a  lighted  taper  in  the  right 
hand,  they  kneel  before  the  bishop  in  a  semicircle. 
Again  the  prelate  publicly  calls  upon  those 
present,  saying.  "Whatsoever  you  know  of  the 
conduct  or  morals  of  these  deacons  freely  make 
known."  He  then  explains  to  the  ordinands  the 
office  they  are  about  to  assume.  "It  is  the  duty 
of  the  priest,"  he  says,  "to  offer  sacrifice,  to  bless, 

to  govern,  to  preach,  and  to  baptize 

Let  your  doctrine  be  spiritual  medicine  for  the 
people,  let  the  odor  of  your  life  be  the  delight  of 
the  Church  of  Christ,  so  that  by  your  preaching 
and  example  you  may  build  up  the  family  of 
God "  The  essential  parts  of  ordina- 
tion then  follow.  The  bishop  places  his  hands 
upon  the  head  of  each  ordinand;  after  him  all  the 
priests  present  do  the  same.  Thereupon  both 
the  bishop  and  the  priests  hold  their  right  hands 
extended  and  raised  over  the  heads  of  the  kneel- 
ing clerics.  All  this  is  done  amid  a  most  solemn 
silence.  Now  the  bishop  solemnly  implores  God 
"to  pour  down  upon  these  His  servants  the  bless- 
ing of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  the  strength  of  priestly 
grace,"  and  invests  each  one  with  the  chasuble, 
first  arranging  the  stole  over  the  breast  in  the 
form  of  a  cross.  The  "Veni  Creator"  is  then 
sung  while  the  prelate  anoints  the  thumb  and 
index  finger  and  the  palm  of  each  one's  hands 
with  the  oil  of  catechumens  "that  whatever  they 
bless  may  be  blessed,  and  whatever  they  conse- 
crate may  be  consecrated  and  sanctified."  After 
this  he  presents  to  each  one  the  chalice  with  wine 
and  water  and  the  paten  with  the  host,  saying  at 
the  same  time,  "Receive  the  power  to  offer  sacri- 
fice and  to  celebrate  Masses  both  for  the  living 


778  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

and  the  dead.*'  The  newly  ordained  now  im- 
mediately exercise  their  office  by  saying  Mass 
together  with  the  bishop,  thus  showing  in  an 
impressive  way  the  unity  of  sacrifice  and  priest- 
hood, of  which  latter  the  bishop  is  the  head. 
When  the  essential  parts  of  the  Mass  are  over, 
the  power  to  remit  sins  is  conferred.  Even  so 
the  Divine  Savior  made  priests  of  the  Apostles 
before  He  suffered,  at  the  Last  Supper,  and  gave 
them  the  power  to  remit  sins  after  His  resurrec- 
tion. The  bishop,  wearing  the  mitre  and  holding 
the  crosier  in  his  hand,  turns  to  the  newly 
anointed.  These  now  recite  the  Apostles'  Creed 
aloud.  Then  the  bishop,  seated,  places  his  hand 
upon  the  head  of  each  one  as  he  kneels  before 
him,  and  says,  "Receive  the  Holy  Ghost:  whose 
sins  you  shall  forgive,  they  are  forgiven  them, 
and  whose  sins  you  shall  retain,  they  are  re- 
tained." Thereupon  he  unfolds  each  one's 
chasuble,  signifying  thereby  that  the  sacerdotal 
power  is  now  fully  conferred. — At  the  close  of 
the  solemn  ceremonies  he  demands  a  promise  of 
obedience  from  the  newly  ordained.  Taking  the 
folded  hands  of  the  priest  between  his  own,  he 
says,  "Dost  thou  promise  to  me  and  my  suc- 
cessors reverence  and  obedience?"  The  priest 
answers,  "I  promise."  Then  the  bishop  kisses 
him  on  the  right  cheek  with  the  words,  "The 
peace  of  the  Lord  be  with  thee,"  to  which  the 
answer  is,  "Amen."  This  most  touching  cere- 
mony shows  forth  the  tenderest  of  filial  obedi- 
ence, paternal  love,  internal  and  external  peace. 
The  ordination  is  now  at  an  end,  and  the  bishop 
gives  his  parting  benediction  to  the  clerics  raised 
to  so  exalted  a  dignity,  and  afterwards  enjoins 
upon  them  to  say  three  Masses  after  their  first 
Mass,  one  in  honor  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  another 
in  honor  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  and  a  third  for 
the  Poor  Souls.  At  his  last  solemn  blessing  he 
says,    "May    the    blessing    of    Almighty    God, 


VOCATION  779 


Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  descend  upon  you, 
that  you  may  be  blessed  in  the  priestly  orders, 
and  may  offer  propitiatory  sacrifices  for  the  sins 
and  offences  of  the  people  to  Almighty  God,  to 
whom  be  honor  and  glory  forever  and  ever. 
Amen." 

"The  Son  of  God,"  says  St.  Bernard,  speaking 
of  the  priest,  "in  calling  man  to  that  eminent 
dignity,  places  him  above  the  kings  and  em- 
perors of  the  earth;  He  exalts  him  above  angels 
and  archangels,  thrones  and  dominations." 
Verily,  "Honor  is  he  worthy  of  whom  the  King 
(of  kings)  hath  a  mind  to  honor"  (Esther  6:11). 

What  reward  does  a  Religious  (Priest, 
Brother,  or  Sister)  receive  for  thus  conse- 
crating himself  or  herself  to  God  by  the 
holy  vows? 

"Let  us  consider  the  manifold  advantages 
which  this  state  of  life  has  in  preference  to  any 
other.  For  giving  a  concise  view  of  its  excellence, 
we  quote  St.  Bernard.  Speaking  to  his  religious 
brethren,  he  says:  'Your  state  is  of  all  others 
the  most  exalted;  it  reaches  to  heaven  itself; 
it  is  like  the  state  of  angels,  resembling  the  purity 
of  these  spiritual  beings.  It  belongs  to  others  to 
serve  God,  but  to  you  it  is  given  to  cling  to  Him. 
I  scarcely  know  by  what  name  I  shall  most 
worthily  call  you:  heavenly  men  or  earthly 
angels;  for  you  live  on  earth,  but  your  conver- 
sation is  in  heaven.  What  a  happiness,  to  belong 
to  a  state  of  life  in  which  man  lives  purer,  falls 
less  often,  rises  more  quickly,  walks  more  cauti- 
ously, is  oftener  watered  with  the  dew  of  heavenly 
grace,  rests  more  securely,  dies  with  greater 
confidence,  comes  quicker  to  glory  and  is  more 
richly  rewarded!' 

"If  we  examine  for  a  moment  into  these  latter 
characteristics  of  the  religious  life,  we  find  that 
they  are  very  true. 


780  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

"  'Man  lives  purer,'  says  St.  Bernard.  Why? 
Because,  being  more  intimately  united  with  God, 
he  commits  fewer  sins;  because,  living  only  for 
God  and  desiring  to  please  Him  alone,  he  does 
everything  with  a  purer  intention. 

"The  Religious  'falls  less  often/  because  by 
means  of  daily  meditation  and  other  spiritual 
exercises  he  walks  more  continually  in  the 
presence  of  God,  and  reflects  more  frequently 
upon  the  momentous  four  last  things. 

"He  'rises  more  quickly,'  being  under  the 
watchful  care  of  his  Superiors  and  having  op- 
portunity of  oftener  approaching  the  Sacrament 
of  Penance. 

"The  Religious  'walks  more  cautiously,'  be- 
cause his  conscience  is  more  susceptible;  because 
the  good  example  of  his  fellow-Religious  is  ever 
before  him,  drawing  him  to  greater  fervor. 

"The  Religious  'is  oftener  watered  with  the 
dew  of  heavenly  grace.'  Graces  in  abundance 
flow  to  him  from  his  various  spiritual  exercises, 
such  as  meditation,  Holy  Mass,  Confession, 
Communion,  adoration  of  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment, spiritual  reading,  conferences. 

"He  'rests  more  securely,'  because  he  is  to  a 
greater  extent  master  of  his  passions,  and  because 
he  sees  in  all  that  may  happen  only  the  adorable 
providence  of  a  good  God. 

"He  'dies  with  greater  confidence,'  because, 
having  left  all  things  for  Christ,  there  are  no  ties 
which  bind  him  to  this  world;  because  he  longs 
for  his  heavenly  home  and  for  the  God  for  Whom 
he  so  generously  sacrificed  all. 

"He  'comes  quicker  to  glory,'  because  his  re- 
ligious profession  is  as  it  were  a  second  baptism; 
because  thereafter  his  life  is  more  full  of  good 
works  performed  in  a  spirit  of  penence;  because 
after  his  death  his  fellow-Religious  the  world 
over  pray  for  him. 

"Finally,    the    Religious    'is    more    richly    re- 


VOCATION  781 


warded, *  because  all  his  works  during  life  were 
done  with  the  best  possible  intention  and  because 
their  merit  is  twofold,  namely,  that  of  the  works 
themselves  and  that  accruing  to  them  in  virtue 
of  the  holy  vows. 

"From  this  we  can  realize  to  a  certain  extent 
how  true  it  is  when  we  are  told  that  the 
vocation  to  the  religious  life  is  the  greatest  grace, 
Baptism  alone  excepted,  which  God  can  bestow 
upon  a  soul. 

"But  it  is  only  right  that  we  here  consider 
another  phase  of  the  religious  life,  a  phase  seem- 
ingly far  less  attractive,  but  in  reality  not  so. 
To  quote  St.  Bernard  again:  'It  (the  religious 
life)  is  a  perpetual  martyrdom;  less  terrible, 
indeed,  than  that  bloody  one  in  which  the  mem- 
bers are  hewn  by  the  sword,  but  more  wearisome 
by  reason  of  its  duration.'  Yes,  the  religious 
life  is  full  of  Calvary  and  the  cross;  and  the 
nails  which  fasten  self-sacrificing  souls  to  this 
cross  are  the  three  vows  of  poverty,  chastity, 
and  obedience. 

"He  who  voluntarily  spurns  all  that  the  en- 
ticing world  can  offer  him,  who  casts  off  the 
chains  of  self-love  and  renounces  his  own  will  in 
the  religious  life  makes  a  generous  sacrifice, 
does  a  most  noble  deed.  But  God  never  suffers 
Himself  to  be  outdone  in  generosity.  Such  a 
one  'shall  receive  a  hundredfold  and  shall  possess 
life  everlasting.'  When  his  every  temporal  want 
is  supplied,  when  graces  and  blessings  are 
showered  upon  him  in  unspeakable  profusion, 
when  the  sweetnesses  of  divine  consolations 
well-nigh  overwhelm  him,  then  will  he  feel  that 
it  is  good  to  be  with  Jesus — on  the  cross.  Exer- 
tions, trials,  rebuffs,  disappointments,  misunder- 
standings, humiliations — all  these  will  not  be 
wanting.  'Whom  God  loveth  He  chastiseth.' 
The  crown  can  not  be  won  without  a  struggle. 
But  after  the  fervent  Religious  has  fought  the 


78z  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

good  fight,  the  Master  he  served  so  well  will 
place  him,  crowned  with  eternal  life,  'among  the 
Princes  of  His  kingdom'  and  associate  him  with 
Himself  in  the  final  judgment  of  the  world." 
(W.  H.,  S.  D  S.) 

Why  is  it  that  the  members  of  an  Order 
or  Congregation  are  called  Religious,  just 
as  if  the  rest  of  us  were  not? 

Of  course  every  Catholic  worthy  of  the  name, 
that  is,  one  who  conscientiously  keeps  the  com- 
mandments and  who,  therefore,  practices  the 
Christian  virtues  in  the  degree  required  of  him, 
may  justly  be  called  religious.  But  it  seems 
more  natural  to  apply  this  word,  as  a  title,  ex- 
clusively to  those  persons  who  aim  at  the  attain- 
ment of  Christian  perfection  through  the  obser- 
vance of  the  evangelical  counsels  of  poverty, 
chastity,  and  obedience  in  an  Order  or  Congre- 
gation approved  by  the  Church.  Hence  the  ex- 
pressions: "He  has  entered  religion";  "He  has 
been  so  long  in  religion";  "His  name  in  religion 
is  this";  "He  is  a  Religious."  They  deserve  the 
title.  As  St.  Thomas  wisely  remarks:  "If  any- 
thing may  be  predicated  of  many  persons,  those 
individuals  have  the  principal  claim  to  it  who 
possess  it  in  the  highest  degree,  or  who  practice 
it  in  its  perfection." 

Another  reason  may  be  given  as  follows: 
Religion  is  the  virtue  that  induces  us  to  pay  to 
God  the  homage  due  to  Him;  and  the  highest 
act  of  religion,  the  one  which  corresponds  to  all 
that  God  is,  is  sacrifice;  for  which  reason  the 
Savior,  our  Pattern,  was  above  all  a  living  sacri- 
fice to  His  Father. 

But  now,  every  soul  consecrated  to  God  by 
vows  is  also,  in  union  with  the  Savior,  a  victim, 
a  holocaust,  a  sacrifice,  laid,  as  it  were,  upon  the 
sacred  altar,  .to  be  consumed  as  a  whole  burnt- 
offering 


VOCATION  783 


Therefore,  since  in  this  state  and  by  the  dis- 
position of  this  state,  the  soul  consecrated  to 
God  truly  fulfils,  so  far  as  in  her  lies,  all  the 
duties  of  the  virtue  of  religion,  her  rightful  name, 
the  title  that  best  answers  to  her  state  and  vo- 
cation, is  the  name  and  the  title  of  Religious. 

How  can  I  know  for  sure  whether  I  am 
called  to  the  religious  life? 

Meditate,  read,  deliberate,  pray,  consult.  We 
say  "deliberate";  and  this  reminds  us  that  you 
should  bear  in  mind  that  deliberation  is  not  to 
be  done  by  you  alone,  but  by  the  Order  as  well. 
We  have  been  asked  this  question  so  often  that 
we  give  the  following  extract  from  Principles  of 
the  Religious  Life  (By  Fr.  Cotel,  S.  J.  Benziger.) 
It  answers  your  question  concisely,  yet  clearly 
and  fully: 

"The  part  of  the  candidate  is  solely  to  dis- 
cover whether  he  have  the  will,  according  to  our 
Lord's  words  to  the  young  man  in  the  Gospel: 
'If  thou  wilt  be  perfect'  (Matt.  19:21).  As, 
however,  there  is  question  here  of  a  call  on  the 
part  of  God,  and  as  our  Lord  says  elsewhere: 
'You  have  not  chosen  Me,  but  I  have  chosen  you' 
(John  15:16),  the  candidate  sounds  his  will  to 
learn  whether  God  be  willing  jointly  with  him, 
and  in  consequence  whether  he  himself  be  willing 
rightly,  that  is,  in  response  to  God's  moving  grace 
which  is  the  principal  cause  of  every  good  will 
in  man.  'For  it  is  God  Who  worketh  in  you, 
both  to  will  and  to  accomplish,  according  to  His 
good  will'  (Phil.  2:13).  Now  the  ordinary  means 
of  deciding  this  all-important  question  is  to 
examine  two  things:  first,  whether  his  wish  to 
enter  religion  be  according  to  right  reason,  that 
is,  not  a  passing  whim  or  a  mere  emotional  im- 
pulse, and  not  contrary  to  any  obligation  which 
might  lawfully  retain  him  elsewhere;  and 
secondly,   whether  his  wish  to  enter  be  purely 


784  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

and  truly  for  God,  and  not  the  prompting  of 
human  or  unworthy  motives.  At  least  it  is 
essential  that  the  dominant  motives  be  super- 
natural ones. 

"Such  is  the  candidate's  part.  He  may  need 
a  director  or  superiors  to  guide  him  by  their 
counsel,  and  to  protect  him  from  illusions,  but 
no  one  can  make  up  his  mind  for  him  except 
himself. 

"It  is  the  part  of  the  religious  society  to  judge 
whether  this  same  candidate  be  fit  for  the  voca- 
tion in  question,  and  to  render  the  final  decision 
as  to  whether  or  not  there  be  really  a  call  from 
God.  For,  to  say  nothing  of  possible  illusions 
proceeding  from  the  devil  or  from  self-love, 
illusions  which  good  will  alone  does  not  always 
dispel,  grace  itself  sometimes  inspires  a  good  de- 
sire without  decreeing  its  actual  fulfilment.  The 
good  desire,  in  such  a  case,  is  already  meritori- 
ous; but  the  sacrifice  which  is  made  of  it  in  order 
to  conform  to  God's  will  may  be  still  more  so. 
Religious  superiors  therefore  study  the  qualities 
of  the  candidate  in  reference  to  their  institute: 
his  physical  qualities,  health  and  strength  of 
body;  his  mental  endowments,  soundness  and 
depth  of  mind,  capabilities  already  acquired  and 
aptitudes  for  acquiring  new  ones;  his  moral 
traits,  inclinations,  habits,  and  character.  When 
it  comes  to  this,  the  candidate  must  understand 
that  he  is  no  longer  the  judge.  Were  he  to  pro- 
nounce the  decision,  he  might  err  through  igno- 
rance or  presumption,  or  even  through  excessive 
modesty.  His  sole  duty  is  to  answer  franky  the 
questions  that  are  put  to  him,  and  to  be  sincere 
in  revealing  himself. 

"The  second  probation,  or  the  noviceship*  gives 
the  candidate  an  actual  trial  of  the  religious  life 
with  its  difficulties  according  to  the  particular 
institute  in  question.  Its  purpose  is  to  provide 
a    practical  confirmation  of  his  election,  his  ad- 


VOCATION  785 


mission,  and  his  whole  vocation.  If  the  novice 
undergo  this  test  faithfully  it  will  furnish  a  de- 
cisive proof  of  the  genuineness  of  his  vocation. 
Even  though  something  may  have  been  lacking 
in  the  work  of  the  first  probation,  if  the  second 
one  be  well  done  it  will  be  vain  for  the  tempter 
thereafter  to  seek  to  disturb  the  soul.  Whatever 
may  have  been  the  deficiencies  of  the  novice's 
first  deliberation,  one  might  well  say  to  him  now: 
'You  have  knowingly  persevered  in  this  vocation 
after  having  a  fuller  experience  of  it;  you  have 
sought  in  it  God's  will  and  your  own  perfection; 
not  only  therefore  has  the  first  act  been  ratified, 
but  any  deficiencies  there  may  have  been  in  it 
have  now  been  remedied.' — After  the  com- 
pletion of  his  first  probation  the  novice's  duty  is 
no  longer  to  deliberate,  as  though  he  had  still 
his  choice  to  make.  Such  indecision  would 
paralyze  his  will.  He  must  now  submit  courage- 
ously to  the  trials  of  the  novitiate,  and  acquire  the 
virtues  and  habits  of  the  religious  life,  according 
to  the  institute  to  which  God  has  called  him." 

Is  there  a  sisterhood  willing  to  receive 
girls  who  are  hard  of  hearing?  One  willing 
to  receive  such  as  are  otherwise  handi- 
capped? 

It  seems  that  no  order  is  willing  to  receive 
sickly  or  crippled  or  otherwise  handicapped 
women  into  its  community,  except  perhaps  as 
deaf,  sickly,  crippled,  or  otherwise  handicapped 
Oblates.  If  any  one  who  reads  this  has  infor- 
mation to  the  contrary,  we  will  be  deeply  grateful 
for  particulars.  About  all  that  can  be  done  by 
a  woman  handicapped  by  age  or  physical  defects 
is  to  present  her  case  in  person  to  a  nearby  com- 
munity and  then  await  the  Superior's  or  Chapter's 
decision  pro  or  con,  as  circumstances  may  warrant 
in   that   particular   case.     She   may   repeat   the 


786  QUESTIONS  OF  CATHOLICS  ANSWERED 

attempt,  of  course,  if  she  has  reason  to  think 
that  she  will  be  accepted  elsewhere. 

"Many  are  called,  but  few  are  chosen." 
Do  these  words  from  the  Gospel  apply  to 
the  call  to  the  religious  life,  to  which  call  so 
few  respond? 

Those  solemn  words  from  the  Gospel  are 
subject  to  a  variety  of  interpretations  and  ap- 
plications. They  can  also  be  applied  to  the  re- 
ligious life.  Just  as  among  men  of  this  world, 
who  are  called  by  Almighty  God  to  receive  His 
faith  and  grace,  the  greater  part  are  sinners  who 
resist  this  calling,  while  a  comparatively  few  who 
are  just  respond  to  it,  consent  to  it,  and  thus 
remain  elect  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven;  even  so 
among  the  just  who  are  called  to  a  perfect  life 
(or  to  the  state  of  perfection  which  is  the  re- 
ligious life)  there  are  many  who  resist  this  calling 
and  live  in  lukewarmness,  contenting  themselves 
with  mediocrity  or  with  what  is  absolutely 
necessary  for  salvation,  whereas  there  are  but 
few  who  accept  this  call  and  thus  become  the 
"chosen"  and  perfect;  for  always  what  is  preci- 
ous is  also  rare. 

In  a  sermon  at  a  convent  on  the  day  when 
Sisters  took  their  vows  I  heard  it  said  that 
"religious  profession  is  a  second  baptism." 
What  does  this  mean? 

This  is  an  expression  used  by  the  holy  Doctors 
of  the  Church.  It  means  that  the  profession  of 
religious  vows  wipes  away  sins,  causes  the  old 
man  to  perish  in  us,  and  imparts  new  life  to  the 
soul;  and  these  three  effects  are  similar  to  those 
of  baptism. 

Religious  profession  remits  all  sins,  as  baptism 
does,  though  this  analogy  must  be  properly  under- 
stood, in  the  sense,  namely,  that  profession  remits 
only  the  penalty  due  to  sins  whose  guilt  has  already 


VOCATION  787 


been  forgiven  either  by  confession,  necessary  for 
mortal  sins,  or  by  contrition,  in  case  of  venial 
sins.  But  it  is  hard  to  imagine  a  religious  offering 
himself  as  a  holocaust  without  having  a  great 
love  of  God,  which  contains  at  least  implicitly 
the  detestation  of  his  slightest  failings.  So  ac- 
cording to  the  teaching  of  the  theologians,  follow- 
ing St.  Thomas  and  St.  Antoninus,  there  is  on 
that  occasion  such  a  complete  remission  of  the 
temporal  punishment  due  to  sin  that,  if  a  re- 
ligious were  to  die  immediately  after  pronounc- 
ing his  vows,  he  would  go  straight  to  heaven  with- 
out passing  through  purgatory. 

Which  profession  is  here  meant,  temporary  or 
perpetual?  St.  Thomas  and  most  of  the  other 
theologians  who  have  followed  him  have  in  mind 
only  the  profession  of  perpetual  vows.  But  it 
would  seem  that  temporary  profession  should 
have  the  same  effect  if  it  is  made  with  intense 
fervor  and  the  desire  of  consecrating  one's  whole 
life  to  God,  since,  if  so  disposed,  even  in  temporary 
profession  we  have  the  highest  act  of  satisfaction 
for  sin  that  it  is  in  man's  power  to  offer  to  God, 
inasmuch  as  at  that  moment  he  sacrifices  to  God 
everything,  including  himself.  And  how  about 
the  renovation  of  vows?  Father  Cotel,  S.  J., 
says:  "It  seems  that  the  fervent  renovation  of 
vows  should  participate  proportionately  in  this 
merit  of  their  first  emission;  and  that  every 
one  may  hope  for  this  result,  measured  by  the 
fervor  of  the  dispositions  with  which  he  renews 
his  vows."  (Cf.  Principles  of  the  Religious  Life. 
— Cotel.  Jombart,  Bouscaren.  Published  by 
Benziger  Brothers.) 


'      By  -J  -  '  i  n'c 


T      Containing  tep- 
tt  298  quesuons  not 
led  in  "Qnesuons  °t 
Colics  Answered 


Abraham's  sacrifice,  719. 
Abstinence  and  non- 
Catholics,  233. 
Acolytes,  Order  of,  774. 
Advice  for  the   overanxi- 
ous, 144. 
Advice  for  the  scrupulous, 

124. 
Advice  to  one  going  with 

non-Catholic,  197. 
Affairs  of  children,  Prying 

into,  214. 
Age  for  company-keeping, 

168,  194. 
Alexander  VI,  483. 
Alb,  365. 

Altar  furnishings,   Touch- 
ing, 389. 
Altar,  Privileged,  379. 
Altars,  Nothing  too  preci- 
ous for,  641. 
A.  M.  D.  G.,  Meaning  of, 

718. 
Amice,  365. 
Amusements,  192. 
Anesthetics,  Principles  re- 
garding, 569. 
Anesthesia,  Total,  568, 
Angel,    Definition    of    an, 

498. 
Angels — 

Choirs  of,  683. 
First  Mass  and,  385. 
Hierarchies  of,  683. 
Sin  of  the,  498. 
Time  of  the  creation 

of  the,  497. 
Why  departed  babies 
are  called,  505. 
Angelus  bell,  The,  447. 
Angelus,  The,  425. 

Posture  to  take  when 
saying  the,  446. 
Anger,  551. 

Animal,  Man  not  an,  649. 
Anxiety  about  the  past,  113. 
Apostate,  408. 


Archangels,  The,  682. 

Art  Museums,  Visiting,  51. 

Assent,   Religious  and  in- 
ternal, 647. 

Assistance  at  non-Catholic 
religious  services,  341. 
Active   assistance   at, 
401. 

Association    with    Protes- 
tants, 413. 

Association     of     children, 
Watching  over,  222. 

Astrology,  618,  627. 

Atheists,    679. 

Avoidance     of    occasions, 
128. 

B 

Baccalaureate    service    in 
Protestant  church,  397. 
Back-biting,  607. 

Seriousness  of,  610. 
Bacon  grease  in  preparing 

food  on  Friday,  228. 
Baking  on  Sunday,  622. 
Balzac,  Works  of,  639. 
Baptism — 

Abjuration  before,  8. 
Adult    in    danger    of 

death  and,  19. 
and  dying  non-Catho- 
lic infants,  27. 
and  spiritual  relation- 
ship, 13. 
and  reception  into  the 

Church,  8. 
and  strangers,  14. 
by  immersion,  4. 
by  pouring,  4. 
of  adults  in  danger  of 

death,  33. 
of  child  whose  parents 
do   not  support 
Church,  471. 
of  children,  1. 
of  converts,  7. 
of  desire,  2,  742. 
of  water,  4. 
Beer  as  matter  for,  29. 


789 


79° 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Ceremonies     of    sup- 
plied, 16. 
Coffee  as  matter  for, 

29. 
Conditional,   7,   29. 
Duties  of  sponsors  at, 

9. 
Fluid  used  in,  28. 
Free     will     necessary 

for,  19. 
Holy  water  and,  18. 
Hospital  and,  14. 
How     to     administer 

private,  6. 
Knowledge     required 

for,  19. 
Lay,  18. 

Milk  as  matter  for,  29. 
Miscarriage  and,  6. 
Modes   of   outside   of 

Church,  7. 
Name  to  be  given  in, 

15. 
Necessity  of,  1. 
Necessity  of  water  for, 

4. 
Obligation  of  sponsors 

at,  11. 
Pastor  for,  14. 
Protestant,  26. 
Religious  profession  a 

second,  787. 
Salt  used  in,  15. 
Sorrow  for  sin  and,  8. 
Sponsors   at   and 

Easter  Duty,  23. 
Sponsors  by  proxy  at, 

13. 
What  the  sponsors  at 

are  to  do,  9. 
Who   may   act   as 

sponsors  at,  12. 
Who  may  not  act  as 

sponsors  at,  12. 

Bazaars,  Contributing  to 
non-Catholic,  395. 

Beads  missing  on  rosary, 
272. 

Beads  said  in  disjointed 
manner,  254. 


Beard,   May  priests  wear 

a,  473. 
Beatific  Vision,  523. 
Beauty  of  soul,  45. 
Bell,  The  passing,  440. 
Benevolence,  Social,  396. 
Bible— 

and  the  Church,  653. 
Are  Catholics  allowed 
to  read  the,  414. 
Difficulties  of  the,  654. 
The  Church  the  cus- 
todian of  the,  414. 
To  what  extent  it  is 
the   infallible   word 
of  God,  653. 
Translations    of    the, 
414. 

Biretta,  366. 

Birth  control  a  mortal  sin, 

301. 

Catholic  position  on, 

329. 
Encyclical    on    Chris- 
tian Marriage  and, 
301. 
Legitimate,  328. 
_.  —  jyny  unnatural,  343. 
Birth,  Fate  pronounced  at, 

652. 
Bishop  and  Catholic  edu- 
cation, 201. 
Bishop's  mitre,  staff,  etc., 

Meaning  of,  718. 
Blasphemy,  601. 
Blessed  Sacrament,  Rosary 

said  before  the,  275. 
Blessed  Trinity,   Doctrine 

of  the,  635. 
Blessed  Virgin's  death,  637 
Blessing  of  fruits  and  herbs 

on  Assumption,  427. 
Blessing  of  St.  Blase,  710. 
Blessing  of  preacher,  482. 
Blessing,  The  priest's,  436. 
Body  missed  by  soul  after 

death.  705. 
Body,  Soul  will  be  happy 

without  the,  502. 


GENERAL  INDEX 


79i 


Books    forbidden    by    the 

Church,  393,  695. 
Books  for  sex  instruction, 

206. 
Bowing  of  head  at  Eleva- 
tion, 362. 
Boxing,  599. 
Brains,   whether   meat   or 

fish,  235. 
Branch  theory,  643. 
Breast,  Striking  the,  422. 
Brethren,    Our   separated, 

409. 
Bridesmaid  at  Protestant 

wedding,  299,  342. 
Bridget,  Rosary  of  St.,  464. 
Burial — 

Choice  of  place  of,  660. 
Deprivation  of  ecclesi- 
astical, 689. 
of   amputated    limbs, 

703. 
of  baptized   children, 

677. 
of  baby  from  church, 

713. 
place  of  St.  Peter,  662. 


Calling  names,  604. 

Call  to  a  higher  life,  The, 
753. 

Calumny,  608. 

Candidate  for  religious  life, 
784. 

Candle  to  be  near  dead 
body,  711. 

Canonization  of  Little 
Flower,  660. 

Capital   punishment,   647. 

Capital  sins,  575. 

Card  playing,  193. 

Caresses,   174. 

Catholic  Church,  The 
term,  642. 

Catholic  joining  Protes- 
tant  church,    398,    408. 

Catholic,  Why  I  am  a,  411. 

Celibacy,  746. 


Cemeteries,  713. 

Chalice    of    St.    Benedict, 

711. 
Chances,   Selling   of,    591. 
Change,  Returning  of  too 

much,  559. 
Charity,  Effects  of  act  of 

perfect,  447. 
Charity  towards   the 

neighbor,   560. 
Chastity,  Dispensation 

from  vow  of,  616,  750. 
Chastity  regained,  701. 
Chasuble,  366. 
Child,  Giving  away  a,  325. 

Children — 

and  the  movies,  215. 
attending    Protestant 
Sunday  School,  399. 
Illegitimate,  499. 
Number  married  must 

have,  329. 
must     help     parents, 

759. 
Obligation    of   to   re- 
ceive    Sacraments, 
675. 
staying  out  late,  216. 
Choice  of  work  in  the  re- 
ligious life,  770. 
Chiliasm,  539. 
Christ    Child   in   art,    57, 

58,  59. 
Christmas   cards,   Neither 
returning  nor  paying  for, 
615. 
Christmas,   Date  of,   715. 
Church  legislation  regard- 
ing Catholic  education, 
204. 
Church    support,    Obliga- 
tion of,  477. 
Church,  Treasures  of  the, 

640. 
Churching — 

Ceremony  of,  212. 
Meaning  of,  211. 
Cincture,   365. 
Coins    found,    When    one 
may  keep,  559. 


792- 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Commands  of  God  not  im- 
possible, 304. 

Communication  with  the 
dead,  705. 

Communion — 

Absolution  before,  90. 
Acts  before  and  after, 

107. 
Age  for  confession 

and,  225. 
Attitude  at  Holy,  89. 
Chewing  gum  and,  88. 
Confessor's  permission 

for  receiving,  92. 
and  impure  dream,  99. 
in  the  afternoon,  80. 
on  Friday  and  absti- 
nence, 71. 
twice  on  the  same  day, 

93. 
under  both  kinds,  78. 
Dispositions    for    fre- 
quent, 98. 
Drinking  immediately 

after,  104. 
Duration   of   Real 

Presence  after  Holy, 

74. 
Effects  of  Holy,  99. 
Eucharistic  fast  after, 

76. 
Frequent,  95,  686. 
Genuflection  after,  86. 
Knowledge     required 

by  children  for,  105. 
Manner  of  receiving, 

364. 
Omitting    because    of 

temptations,  108. 
Receiving  the  Father 

and  the  Holy  Ghost 

in,  101. 
Receiving  for  another, 

86. 
Requisites  for  of 

children,  72. 
Right     intention     for 

Holy,  98. 
Singing    during,    361. 
Smoking  before,  87. 


Spiritual  Communion 

in  mortal  sin,  97. 
Stomach  washing  after 

receiving,  76. 
Swallow  of  water  be- 
fore Holy,  239. 
Swallowing  the  Host 
as  soon  as  possible, 
102. 
Thanksgiving  after 
Holy,  75. 
Company-keeping,  168. 
with   a   non-Catholic, 
184. 
Complexion,  Remarking 

on  another's,  585. 
Conduct  of  those  planning 
on  entering  the  religious 
or  priestly  state,  755. 

Confession — 

Act  of  contrition  in, 
138. 

Advantages  of  fre- 
quent, 155. 

Amendment  of  life 
after,  147. 

Benefits  derived  from 
frequent,  162. 

in  danger  of  death, 
122. 

of  St.  Augustine,  445. 

of  the  deaf,  150. 

of  women,  153. 

Devotional,  157. 

hearing  of  relatives, 
141. 

Jurisdiction  for  hear- 
ing, 481. 

Liberty  of  choosing 
one's  confessor,  131. 

Lying  in,  121. 

Matter  for,  140. 

Method  of  making, 
145. 

Method  of  making  a 
general,    131. 

Necessity  of  general, 
165. 

Omission  of,  92. 

Postponement  of.  119. 


GENERAL  INDEX 


793 


Promises  made  in, 
126. 

Purpose  of  amend- 
ment in,  127. 

Questions  put  by  the 
confessor  in,  152. 

Questioning  of  peni- 
tent in,  117. 

Refusing  absolution 
in,  139. 

Retaining  of  sins  in, 
166. 

Sins  forgotten  in,  133. 

Spiritual  direction  in, 
466. 

Uncertainty  of  having 
confessed,  134. 

Uncertainty  about 
having  sinned,  36. 

Using  prayerbook  in, 
130. 

Weekly,  111. 

Writing  down  of,  151. 

Confessional — 

Advice  in  the,  137. 
Confessional  grate, 

451. 

Secrecy  as  regards  the 

penitent  in  the,  136. 

What    to    say    before 

leaving  the,  452. 

Confidence  in  the  mercy  of 

God,  733. 
Confidences  in    courtship, 

180. 
Confirmation — 

in  mortal  sin,  574. 
Ministers  of,  677. 
when  instituted,  712. 
Consent  of  parent  for  em- 
bracing    religious     life, 
752. 
Contraception   a   grievous 

sin,  327. 
Contributions  towards 
false  religions,  404. 

Contrition — 

Act  of  perfect,  161. 
Acts  of,  462. 


Effects  of  act  of  per- 
fect, 447. 

Excellence  of  perfect, 
563. 

Explanation  of  an  act 
of  perfect,  448,  452. 

Imperfect,    132. 

Motives    for    perfect, 
461. 

Principles  on  true  sor- 
row in,  159. 

when  sufficient,  120. 
Contumely,   608. 

Conversion — 

How    to    advise    one 

who  is  thinking  of, 

400. 

Praying  for  one's,  419. 

Conviction,     Joining    the 

Church  out  of,  599. 
Co-operation  in  sin,   314. 

Correspondence — 

against   parents' 

wishes,  188. 
with      non  -  Catholic, 
199. 
Cosmetics,  41. 
Councils,     Infallibility    of 

teaching  of,  653. 
Counsels  to  be  freely  fol- 
lowed, 754. 
Creation,   694. 
Creation   of   human   soul, 

Time  of,  305. 
Creature,  Man  a  rational, 

650. 
Creed  and  believer,  340. 
Cremation,  633. 
Crocheting    on    Sundays, 

544. 
Crown    of    twelve    stars, 

Mary's,  458. 
Cruelty  to  animals,  561. 
Cursing,  602. 


Damnation   in   hell,    The, 
517. 


794 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Dances,  59,  61,  192. 

Furnishing  music  at, 

594. 
Playing  on  Sunday  at, 

598. 
Saturday  night,    158. 
before      Holy      Com- 
munion,  61. 
in  Advent  and  Lent, 

563,  597. 
on  St.  Patrick's  day, 

563. 
on  Sunday,  595. 
when  an   occasion  of 

sin,  598. 
Public  dance  hall,  60, 
61. 
Dangers  of  company-keep- 
ing, 170. 
Darkness    at    the    cruci- 
fixion, 714. 
Deaconship,  776. 
Dead,  Embalming  of  the, 

720. 
Deaf,  Sisterhood  for  the, 

785. 
Death— 

and  the  cross,  736. 
a  punishment,  705. 
Deathbed  repentance, 

123. 
God's    foreknowledge 

of  our,  731. 
swallowed  up  by 

Christ,  706. 
what  it  is,  699. 
Debts,  Paying  a  deceased 

father's,  690. 
Decision  of  Supreme  Court 
in   Oregon   school   case, 
203. 
Declaration  of  nullity,  293. 
Dedication  of  children  to 
Blessed  Virgin,  210. 

Delivery — 

Prayer   for  a   happy, 

456. 
Thanksgiving    for    a 

happy,  457. 


Description  of  decent 

dress,  43. 
Despair,  583,  666. 
Destruction    of    the     un- 
born, 335. 
Detraction,  608. 

Listening  to  or  slan- 
der, 609. 
When  to  refute,  577. 
Devil,  Prayers  of  Church 

against  the,  526. 
Devils  on  earth,  509. 
Discouragement,  585. 
Disparity  of  worship,  309. 
Dispensation    for  first 

cousins,  195. 
Disregard   of   priest's   ad- 
vice, 150. 
Dissection   of  human 

bodies,  594. 
Divination,  570. 
Divine  Office — 

Merit  of  reciting,  426. 
Posture    in    reciting, 
474. 

Divorce — 

and  the  Church,  288. 
Remedy  for,  289. 
Chance  of  heaven  for 
divorcee,  317. 
Dogmas,  467. 
Dolors,     Rosary     of    the 

Seven,   465. 
Domestic  labors,  544. 
Doubtful   mortal  sin,   95. 
Doubt,  Negative,  231. 
Doubt    whether    food    is 

abstinence  food,  231. 
Drawing    figures    in    the 

nude,  50. 
Dreams,  Believing  in,  618, 

696. 
Drinking  to  excess,  557. 
Drippings,  236. 

and  soup,  242. 
Drugs  to  prison  inmates, 

593. 
Drunkenness,  Causing 

another  to  sin  by,  595. 
Dusting  on  Sunday,  622. 


GENERAL  INDEX 


795 


Dying,  Apostolate  to  As- 
sist the,  741. 


Easter,  Date  of,  715. 
Easter  Duty,  84. 
Easter  water,  417. 
Elevation  and   playing  of 

organ,  361. 
Emulation,    624. 
Encyclicals,  Infallibility 

of,   647. 
Enemies,  Love  of,  600. 
Entering   Protestant 

church,  401. 
Envy,   624. 
Envy  in  heaven,  503. 
Epiphany  on  Friday  and 

abstinence,  244. 
Erroneous  conscience,  114. 
Eternal  punishment,   510. 
Eternity    of    punishment, 

542. 
Everlasting      punishment, 

536. 
Evil  drawn  out  of  good, 

679. 
Evil,  Mystery  of,  635. 
Evolution,  What  a  Catho- 
lic  may   believe  about, 

700. 
Example,  Good,  613. 
Example,  not  words,  to  be 

followed,   704. 
Executioner,    Catholic    as 

public,   667. 
Executioners    and    priest- 
hood, 668. 
Exemption  from  abstinence 

Age  for,  229. 
Exorcists,    Order   of,   773. 
Explanation  of  texts — 
"Many  are  called. . .", 

496. 
"The  living  and  the 

dead,"  541. 
"Vanity  of  Vanities," 
658. 


Expressions — 

Ambiguous,  579. 
Vulgar,   602. 
Extreme  Unction,  673. 
Apparent  death  and, 

685. 
Definition  of,  684. 
Effects  of,  515,  684. 
not    to    be    deferred, 

675. 
of  children,  675. 
Preparation     of    sick 

room,  77. 
Salvation  through, 

688. 
Unconsciousness  and, 

688.  , 
What  to  do  when  the 

priest  comes,  77. 
When  to  receive,  516. 


Fads  and  follies  of  female 

dress,  39. 
Fallen-away  Catholic,  294. 
Falling  Host,  89. 
Familiarities,  174. 
Fashion,  Mania  for,  44. 
Fast- 
Age     for     exemption 

from,  229. 
before  Midnight  Mass, 

82,  239. 
Chewing  gum  and 

Eucharistic,  238. 
Children  breaking  the 

Eucharistic,  103. 
Condition  for  Euchar- 
istic, 87. 
Dispensation  from  be- 
tween Masses,  374. 
Doubt  about  breaking 
the  Eucharistic,  94. 
Gravity    of    breaking 

Eucharistic,   239. 
Obligation    of    fallen- 
away    Catholic    to 
observe  fast  and  ab- 
stinence, 243. 


796 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Vigil  of  Christmas  and 

fast  and  abstinence, 

237. 

Who  are  excused  from, 

229. 

Faults,  Speaking  of  one's 

own,  608. 
Fear  of  hell,  486. 

of  the  Lord,  486,  512, 
528. 
Feeling   and   will,    Differ- 
ence between,  601. 
Fish,  Definition  of,  230. 
Flowers  at  funerals,   737. 
Following   of   priest's   ad- 
vice, 166. 
Food   for   pregnant 

mothers,  726. 
Forensic  works,  598. 
Forgotten  penance,  161. 
Fortune-telling,  556. 
Fourth  Commandment, 

Extent  of,  576. 
Freemasons,  402. 

Friday  abstinence — 
Reason  for,  234. 
When    excused   from, 

241. 
Who  are  excused  from, 
227. 
Frog  legs,  how  classed,  235. 


Gambling,  193. 

Definition  of,  628. 
Garments  of  Our  Lord  in 
heaven,  740. 

Gelatine — 

Definition  of,  233. 
on    abstinence    days, 
232. 

Genuflection — 

How  to  make,  390. 
on  Holy  Thursday,  90. 
God,     Foreknowledge    of, 

652. 
God  loved  above  all  things, 
449. 


God  the  Father,  No  special 

feastday  to,  416. 
God  will  have  all  men  to 

be  saved,  662. 
Going  out  with  boys,  178. 
Going  out  with  divorced 

person,  196. 
Gospel    for    last    Sunday 

after  Pentecost,  209. 
Gospel,  Posture  of  priest 

during  the,  389. 
Grace — 

before  and  after  meals, 

578. 
Definition  of,  768. 
Gregorian  Masses,  370. 

H 

Handwriting,  Analysis  of, 

556. 
Health,    Proper    care    of, 

587. 
Hearsays,  614. 
Heathen  Babes,  22. 
Heaven — 

a  place,  488. 
Degrees  of  happiness 
of   the    blessed    in, 
503. 
Joys  of,  499. 
Passing  away  of,  495. 
The   essential    happi- 
ness of,  523. 
When  the  soul  goes  to, 
534. 
Hebrew,  Blessed  Virgin  a, 

770. 
Heirs,   Rights  and   duties 
of,  691. 

Hell— 

a  place,  489. 

and  the  mercy  of  God, 

509. 
Hell-fire,  536. 
Hell  fourfold,  21. 
Imagination  and,  537. 
Teaching    of    Church 

on,  511,  535. 


GENERAL  INDEX 


797 


Three  kinds  of,   692. 
Unhappiness   at 
thought  of  relative 
in,  501. 
When  the  soul  goes  to, 
535. 
Heredity,  724. 
Heretic,   408. 
Heroic  Act,  380,  531. 

and  indulgence  at  the 

hour  of  death,  280. 

does  not  prevent  our 

praying  for  others, 

533. 

Holding   rosary   in    hand, 

259. 
Holy  Coat  of  Treves,  428. 
Holydays     of     obligation, 

244. 
Holy   Ghost,    Sin   against 

the,  667. 
Holy  Orders,  469. 
Holy  Trinity,  No  compre- 
hension of,  500. 
Holy  water — 

St.  Teresa  on,  492. 
Use  of,  554. 
Holy    Week   interruption, 

371. 
Home  amusements,  193. 
Home-training    most    im- 
portant, 214. 
Home,  Vigil  lights  in  the, 

459. 
Honesty,   559. 
Horoscope,  627. 
Hosts,  why  round,  351. 
Human  nature,  636. 
Human  respect,  586. 
Humility,  An  explanation 

of  the  virtue  of,  630. 
Husband   more   than 

mother,  659. 
Husband,   Praying  for   a, 
182. 

I 

Idleness,  625. 
Ignorance    in    matters    of 
sex,  208. 


Ignorance  of  true  religion^ 
Invincible,  681. 

Illegitimacy  and  the  priest- 
hood, 714. 

Immaculate  Conception, 
The,   655. 

Immodest  talk,  Listening 
to,  56. 

Immortality,  635. 

Scripture    proofs    of, 
665. 

Impediment  of  con- 
sanguinity, Reasons  for, 
310. 

Impediment  of  spiritual 
relationship,  348. 

Impediments  to  religious 
life,  786. 

Impure  sins  and  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  64. 

Impurity  is  mortal  sin,  48. 

Impurity,  why  forbidden, 
66-68. 

Incarnation,  Meaning  of, 
657. 

Index  of  forbidden  books, 
The,  639. 

Indulgences — 

Additions     or     inter- 
polations     in      in- 

dulgenced    prayers, 

264. 
Application  of  to  poor 

souls,  283. 
Apostolic  blessing 

and,  284. 
Brigittine,  269. 
cannot  be  gained  for 

the  living,  252. 
Certainty  of  gaining, 

260. 
Chapel  of  Sisters  and 

gaining  of,  277. 
Children  under  seven 

and,  263. 
Communion  and,  252. 
Concise   summary   of 

information    about, 

281. 


798 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Conditions    for    gain- 
ing, 252. 
Confession  and,  252. 
Crosier,  269. 
Crosier  rosary,  275. 
Crucifix  with  stations, 

273,  442. 
Difficulty  of  gaining, 

265. 
Dominican      rosary, 

269. 
Efficacy  of,  282. 
Efficacy    of    plenary, 

278. 
for  gaining  for  oneself 

and   for   the   dead, 

282. 
for  the  Angelus,  447. 
for  the  dying,  255. 
for    the    Heroic    Act, 

439. 
for  the  Stations  of  the 

Cross,  272. 
for  visiting  the  Blessed 

Sacrament,  280. 
Group    praying    and, 

258. 
Intention  for  gaining, 

249. 
Jubilee,  270. 
Loss  of,  256. 
Meaning  of,  246. 
Meaning   of    one 

hundred  days,  247. 
Mental    prayer    and, 

267. 
not    lost    by    lending 

rosary,  257. 
Papal,  285. 
Plenary   and    partial, 

248. 
Plenary  for  the  hour 

of  death,  285. 
Visits    to    church    for 

gaining,    249,    267. 
when  applicable  to  the 

poor  souls,  270. 
when  vocal  prayer  is 

required    for,    253. 
when  suspicious,  264. 


Instruction  of  self,  Catho- 
lic, 444. 

Instructions  in  sex  matters, 
206. 

Insurance  examination, 
726. 

Insurance  policies,  727. 

Intoxication  and  court- 
ship, 183. 

Investigation  in  matters 
of  faith,  467. 

Invocation  of  saints,  429. 

Ireland,  Permission  to  sub- 
due, 716. 

Irregularity,  668. 


Jokes — 

Improper  and  impure, 

56. 
Laughing  at,  64,  65. 

K 

Key  of  tabernacle,  387. 

Killing,  Unintentional, 
338. 

Kissing,  Sensible  advice 
on,  171. 

Kissing  the  hand  of  the 
priest,  482. 

Kissing,  when  sinful,  176. 

Kiss,  The  good-night,  177. 

Knowledge  of  blessed  re- 
garding things  on  earth, 
524. 

Knowledge  of  the  blessed, 
497. 


Labor     unions     and     the 

Church,  637. 
Lamp,  Sanctuary,  722. 
Last  Day,  540. 
Last  Judgment,  how  given, 

542. 
Law  of  abstinence,  228. 
Laziness,  586.626. 


GENERAL  INDEX 


799 


Legal  freedom,  315. 
Legislation     on     Catholic 

education,  200. 
Letters  I  H  S,  Meaning  of 

the,  714. 
Letters  of  others,  Reading 

the,  582. 
Liberal  in  doctrine,  406. 
Liberties  in  courtship,  188. 
Life- 
Living     an     upright, 

680. 
Long  and  good,  213. 
Preservation   of,    587. 
Shortening    of    one's, 
589. 
Limbo,   Condition   of 

children  in,  29. 
Limbo  of  infants,  5,  21. 
Linens,    Touching  sacred, 

387. 
Liquefaction   of   blood   of 

St.  Januarius,  712. 
Liquor,     Sins     under    in- 
fluence of,  617. 
Litanies,    The    approved, 

456. 
Looking   upon   the    Host, 

363. 
Love,    Various    kinds    of, 

560. 
Loyola,  The  name,  739. 
Lucifer,  Who  will  occupy 

throne  of,  504. 
Lutheran  church,  411. 

M 

Magazines,  588. 

Major  Orders,  774. 

Maniple,  365. 

Marks  of  the  Church,  430. 

Marriage — 

Abortion,  22,  306. 
Adultery,   a   cause   of 

separation,  296. 
Affinity,    Impediment 

of,  349. 
After  divorce  attempt- 
ing, 198,  295. 


Bad  Catholic  and,  319. 

Baptismal  certificate 
before,  198. 

Bed  and  board,  Sepa- 
ration from,  296. 

before  Justice  of 
Peace,  306. 

Blood-relations,     311. 

Bond  of  previous,  294. 

Companionate,    290. 

Canonical  age  for,304. 

Canonical  reasons  for 
separation,  297. 

Civil  separation,  297. 

Conditions  for  obtain- 
ing dispensation  for 
mixed,  309. 

Conduct  during  preg- 
nancy, 723. 

Conversion  before, 
190. 

Customary  age  in  the 
U.  S.,  305. 

Dispensation  for,  292. 

Divorce  after  invalid, 
223. 

Encyclical  on  Chris- 
tian, 334. 

Essence  of,  331. 

Excommunication  and 
divorced  Catholics, 
198. 

Fallen-away  Catholic 
and,  320. 

Form  of  Catholic,  312. 

How  to  handle  money 
after,  323. 

in  home,  316. 

Intention  of,  168. 

License  in  rectifying 
of,  314. 

Mixed,  184. 

Necessity  of  love  for, 
179. 

not  a  reformatory,  183. 

of  non-Catholics 
among  themselves, 
312. 

of  non-Catholics 
by  priest,  323. 


8oo 


GENERAL  INDEX 


of  second  cousins,  310. 

Prevention  of  concep- 
tion, 327. 

Prevention  of  mixed, 
290. 

Principles  with  di- 
vorced person  re- 
garding, 308. 

Promises  in  mixed, 
309. 

Relationship  and,  318. 

Remarriage  in  the 
Church,  307. 

Second  cousins  and, 
319. 

Second  marriage,  317. 

Self-restraint  in,  331. 

Separation,  289. 

Sterility,  346. 

What  to  do  before  a 
mixed,  189. 

Why  Church  objects 
to  mixed,  298. 

with  divorced  person, 
291. 

Witnesses  for,  291, 
319. 

without  love,  179. 

with  uncle,  316. 

Marshmallows    on    absti- 
nence days,  232. 

Martyrdom,  697. 

and  heaven,  496. 
Religious   life   a   per- 
petual, 781. 

Mary  ever  Virgin,  657. 
Mary   Magdalen,   701. 
Mason  and  Catholic,  396. 
Masonic  sects  and  Catho- 
lics, 399. 
Mass — 

and    excommunicated 

person,  372. 
and    the    Eucharistic 

fast,  374. 
Application    of,    368. 
Assistance  at,  355. 
Attending     weekday, 
548. 


Attending  two   or 

three,  352. 
Banns  of  marriage  and 

missing,  381. 
Bination,  351. 
Bride  at  first,  766. 
Coming  late  for,  385. 
Difference  between 

High  and  Low,  368. 
Different     kinds     of, 

386. 
Elevation  of  Host  and 

chalice,  361. 
Excommunication  and 

Sunday,  375. 
Expectant  mothers 

and  hearing,  725. 
for  deceased  child,  380. 
for  non-Catholics,  353. 
for  oneself,  373. 
Fourfold  fruits  of  the, 

384. 
Fruits  of,  367. 
Genuflection     during, 

378. 
Hearing     Mass     over 

the  radio,  383. 
High     Mass     better, 

353. 
How  to  assist  at,  350. 
How  to  confess  mis- 
sing, 379. 
in  bedroom,  366. 
in  honor  of  saint,  367. 
Kyrie  of  the,  366. 
Low  and   High,   367. 
Mementoes  during, 

380. 
Methods    of   hearing, 

357. 
Nuptial,  286. 
Obligation  of  hearing, 

355. 
Posture  during  High, 

443. 
Prayerbook    at,    350. 
Presence  at,  354. 
Priest    dying    during, 

377. 


GENERAL  INDEX 


801 


Reasons    that    excuse 

from,  382. 
Rosary  at,  357. 
Rubrics    for    faithful 

during  Low,  444. 
Simultaneously    hear- 
ing several,  391. 
Solemn,  386. 
Spiritual  bouquets  of, 

738. 
Stipend  for  High,  372, 

373. 
the  greatest  and  best 

prayer,  750. 
Vestments  of,   364. 
Votive    Mass    of    the 

Angels,   677. 
Wearing  of  black  vest- 
ments, 369. 
What  parts  the  choir 

sings  at,  359. 
When    excused    from 

hearing,  375. 
When  sickness  excuses 

from,  376. 
When  to   play  organ 
at,   360. 
Meat — 

Amount  required   for 
grievous  sin  on  Fri- 
day, 241. 
Definition  of,  231. 
on  Friday  for  working 
men,  235. 
Medals,   The   wearing   of, 

463. 
Meddling     in     affairs     of 

others,  292. 
Meditation    when    saying 

the  rosary,  438. 
Mental    reservation,    579, 

629. 
Mercy  of  God,  662. 
Merit,  532. 

No  more  merit  after 

death,  706. 
lost  by  mortal  sin,  125. 
Reviviscence  of,  693. 
Methodism,  410. 
Minor  Orders,  772. 


Miracles,  715. 

Misfortunes  permitted  by 
God,  716. 

Missal,  356. 

Use  of,  354. 

Models,  Posing  as  nude,  52. 

Monuments,  Funeral,  659. 

Moral  evils,  Why  God  per- 
mits, 678. 

Morgue,  294. 

Mortal  and  venial  sin,  Al- 
ways distinguishing  be- 
tween, 604. 

Mortal  sin  remembered 
during  absolution,   154. 

Mortal  sin,  Time  necessary 
for,  562. 

Mother,  Highest  happiness 
of  a  Catholic,  760. 

Motherhood,  Saint  to  pray 
to  at  approaching,  324. 

Mother  of  Little  Flower, 
224. 

Mother's  duty  in  training 
to  chastity,  208. 

Mothers,  Saints  for  ex- 
pectant, 456. 

Mourning,  Period  of,  737. 

Movies,  193. 

after    confession    and 
before  Communion, 
56,  57. 
and  modesty,  47. 
Attending     improper, 
53. 

Musical  programs,  Non- 
Catholic,  394. 

Music  to  be  avoided  in 
church,  361. 

Mystery,  Definition  of  a, 
657. 

N 

Name,  The  religious,  770. 

Narcotics,  Use  of,  567. 

Narrow  -  mindedness  and 
Catholics,  405. 

Nature  and  person,  Dis- 
tinction between,  636. 


8oi 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Necessity  of  young  people 
meeting  each  other,  182. 

Newspaper   and    children, 
220. 

Non-Catholic  as  best  man, 
318. 

Novenas — 

Making  of,  418. 

to  different  saints,  428. 

Noviceship,  784. 

Nudity  in  art,  59. 

Number  of  the  saved,  510. 

Number  of  the  saved  and 
lost,  527. 

Numbers,  Odd,  727. 

Nuptial  Blessing,  286. 

Nurses,  A  prayer  to  be  re- 
cited by,  460. 


Obedience  and  children  of 
legal  age,  590. 

Obedience  in  the  family, 
592. 

Obedience  to  parents  in 
matters  of  vocation,  187. 

Obligation  of  Catholic  edu- 
cation grave,  204. 

Obligation  of  parents  re- 
garding children's  ob- 
servance of  precepts, 
225. 

Obligation  of  parents  to 
send  children  to  Catho- 
lic school,  200. 

Obsession,  507. 

Odd  Fellows,  403. 

Opinions,   467. 

Theological,  467. 

Oratory,  Semi-public,  277. 

Ordination,  771. 

Original  sin,  5. 

Original  sin  and  John  the 
Baptist,  572. 

Orthodox  Church,  321,  646. 


Palmistry,  569. 


Parents,  Obedience  to,  576. 

Parents,    Taking   care   of, 
753. 

Parish  Church  and  Easter 
Duty,  85. 

Participation  in  false  wor- 
ship, 394. 

Particular  judgment,  543. 

Partner  for  every  one,  182. 

Pasteur,  Saying  of,  633. 

Pastor — 

Contributing    to    the 

support  of,  471. 
Obedience  to,  475. 

Pauline  Privilege,  306. 

Peace,  How  to  find,  717. 

Perjury,  603. 

Permission   of   parents  to 
enter  convent,  758. 

Personality,  637. 

Petting  or  necking,  47. 

Phrenology,  570. 

Physical  evils,   Why  God 
permits,  678. 

Physician,    Task    of    the, 
567. 

Picking  at  people,  606. 

Picnic  and  meat  on  Friday, 
239. 

Pillar  saints,  669. 

Playing  at  Protestant  ser- 
vices,  404. 

Playing  cards  for  money, 
627. 

Pledge,  The,  590. 

Plural  of  majesty,  654. 

Politeness,  585. 

Poor   Souls   can   pray  for 
us,  494. 

Pope — 

Infallibility    of,    484, 
646. 

Impeccability  of,  484. 
Popes,  Good  and  bad,  483. 
Pork  and  beans  on  Friday, 

235. 
Porters,  Order  of,  772. 
Possession — 

Diabolical,  507. 


GENERAL  INDEX 


803 


Signs     of     diabolical, 

507,  520. 
Teaching   of   the 

Church    on   diabol- 
ical, 518. 
Why     God     permits, 

508,  525. 

Potato  chips,  etc.,  on  Fri- 
day, 242. 

Prayer — 

Attention  necessary 
at,  433. 

A  prayer  for  the  dy- 
ing, 744. 

at  meals,  592. 

Chain,    436. 

Distractions  in,  422, 
566. 

Disturbing  others  with 
lips  in,  419. 

before  going  out  even- 
ings,  445. 

for  a  husband,  187. 

for  Holy  Father's  in- 
tention, 25Q. 

for  non-Catholics,  353. 

for  the  use  of  the  dy- 
ing, 34. 

for  vocations  in  the 
family,  224. 

God  hears  all,  421. 

in  blessing  of  holy 
water,  555. 

How  to  say,  423. 

How  to  say  prayer  be- 
fore public  banquet, 
430. 

Importance  of  morn- 
ing and  evening, 
584. 

in  temptation,  36. 

Kneeling  at,  425. 

Morning  and  evening, 
424. 

"My  Lord  and  my 
God!"  276. 

on  entering  a  church, 
420. 

Patience  in,  426. 

Perseverance  in,  421. 


Posture  in,  434. 

Promises  of,  738. 

Public  recitation  of, 
455. 

Remembrance  of 
others  in,  423. 

Saying  prayers  in  bed, 
425. 

to  be  said  when  visit- 
ing graves  of  the 
dead,  435. 

unheard,  426. 

Vocal,  419. 

When  and  how  to  say 
night,  573. 
Predestination,  707. 

Doctrine  of,  651. 
Presence  at  Protestant  ser- 
vices, 300. 

Pride- 
Definition  of,  583. 
How  sinful  is,  583. 

Priest    and    Brother,    Re- 
spective merits  of,  476. 

Priesthood — 

Conferring  of,  777. 
Leaving  the,  469. 
Priests — 

Disagreements 

among,  466. 
How  a  man  is  made 

a,  770. 
Speaking  of  the  faults 

of,  478,  606. 
The   people   are   not, 

484. 
Women     cannot     be- 
come, 729. 
Principle  of  private  inter- 
pretation, 407. 
Privileges  of  the  engaged, 

175,  176. 
Prize-fighters,  599. 
Profane  language,  601. 
Promise,  549. 
Prophecies  unfulfilled,  523. 
Prosperity  of  the  godless, 

648. 
Protestant  principle,   339 . 


804 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Protestant     sects,     What 
they  do  not  believe,  24. 
Provoking  language,   607. 
Purgatory — 

after   the    Last    Day, 

21. 
a  place  or  condition, 

489. 
Fire  of,  529. 
Grievousness  of  pains 

of,   530. 
mentioned    in    Bible, 

490. 
Points  of  sound  doc- 
trine on,  529. 
Teaching    of    Church 

on,  529. 
to    cease    after    Last 

Day,  493. 
What  souls  suffer  in, 

513. 
When    the   soul   goes 
to,  534. 
Purpose  of  courtship,  168. 


Rash  judgment,  628. 

Readers,  Order  of,  773. 

Reading  questionable 
magazines,  62,  63. 

Reading,  Suggestions  for, 
588. 

Real  Presence,  Belief  in 
the,  70. 

Reasons  for  Catholic  edu- 
cation, 202. 

Refusal  to  speak  to,  600. 

Relation  between  Con- 
fession and  Communion, 
83. 

Religion,  one  not  as  good 
as  another,  340. 

Religions,  Mystery  of  ex- 
istence of  different,  692 

Religious  articles,  What  to 
do  with  old,  425. 

Religious  life — 

and  the  text  "Many 
are  called...,"  786. 


How  to  know  whether 
called  to  the,  755, 
783. 
Religious   Orders,  Variety 

of,  769. 
Religious   profession,   748. 
Religious  state,  469. 

Advantages     of     the, 

779. 

Religious,    Why   members 

of  Orders  are  called,  782. 

Reparation     for     sins     of 

speech,   142. 
Reservations  and  entrance 

into  the  cloister,  770. . 
Resolution,  549. 
Resolutions,   New  Year's, 

574. 
Restitution,  143. 

and    Souls   in   purga- 
tory, 732. 
by  possessor  in  good 

faith,  576. 
of    borrowed    money, 
687. 
Resurrection  of  the  body, 

506. 
Revelations,  Judgment  of 

private,  702,  703. 
Reward  for  those  not  in 

state  of  grace,  665. 
Reward  of  religious,  779. 
Ring,  Kissing  of  prelate's, 

482. 
Ring,  Wedding,  343. 
Rings,   May  priests  wear, 

474. 
Rites,  Eastern,  646. 
Roman   Catholic,   The 

term,  642. 
Rosaries  given  as  premi- 
ums, 253. 

Rosary — 

How  to  say  the,  438. 
of  St.  Bridget,  464. 
of  the  Seven  Dolors, 

464. 
What  is   essential  to 
the,  255. 


GENERAL  INDEX 


805 


Roses,  Little  Flower's 

shower  of,  660. 
Rota,    The    Roman,    322. 
Rouge,  42. 
Royal   Neighbors   of 

America,  396. 
Rule  for  speaking  of 

others,  605. 
Rules  of  speech,  Some,  614. 


Sacramental  grace,  768. 
Sacramental  penance,  138. 
Sacrament — 

Definition  of,  747. 
Religious  profession 

not  a,  768. 
administered   by 
excommunicated 
person,  730. 
Refusal  of  to  parents, 
220. 
Sacrarium,  352. 
Sacred  Heart,  Meaning  of 

devotion  to  the,  514. 
Sacristans,  388. 
Sacrilege,  573. 
Saints,    Protestants    have 

no,  430. 
Saloon  business,  595. 
Salvation    of    the    dying, 
How  to  procure  the,  742. 
Salvation — 

outside  religious  state, 

753. 
outside  the  Church,  2, 
680. 
Sanctuary  lamp,  434. 
Satisfactory  works,  532. 
Sauerkraut    cooked    with 

meat  on  Friday,  235. 
Scandal — 

by     priests     and     re- 
ligious, 240. 
The  sin  of,  611. 
Scapular,  262. 

Enrollment     in     the, 

439. 
How  to  wear,  268. 


Information  about 

735 
medal^  268,  734. 
privilege  of  the  First 

Saturday,  261. 
The  great  promise  of 

the,  522. 
when   to   be   blessed, 
267. 
Schismatic,  408. 
School,  attendance  at  on 

holydays,  217. 
Science  and  revelation,  632. 
Secrets,  How  to  keep,  579. 
Selling  blest  articles,  256. 
Selling  religious  articles 
and  loss  of  indulgences, 
253. 

Seminarian — 

Conduct  of  a,  763. 
and  the  opposite  sex, 

765. 
Vocation  of  a,  764. 
Sermons — 

Non  -  Catholic   radio, 

393. 
Obligation  of  hearing, 

386. 
Should   one  listen  to 
Catholic,  468. 
Services,  Attending  Protes- 
tant, 400. 
Servile  labor,  544. 

Sunday  and,  544,  622. 
Sexual  attraction,  186. 
Sexual  faculty,  345. 
Shakespeare,   Religion   of, 

720. 
Sick- 
Caring  for  the,  722. 
The  Sacrament  of  the, 
517. 
Sign,  AskingGod  for  a,  582. 
Sign  of  the  cross — 

Explanation    of    the, 

431. 
The     making     of     in 
public,  566. 
Silence — 

Breaking  of,  590. 


8o6 


GENERAL  INDEX 


The  religious  rule  of, 
767. 
Simeon  Stylites,  St.,  668. 
Simony,  269. 
Simulation  and  hypocrisy, 

581. 
Single  life  in  the  world,  757. 
Sinner,  Public  and  mani- 
fest, 690. 
Sinners,  Saints  looking 
upon  themselves  as 
greatest,  741. 
Sin    of    Adam    and    Eve, 
Grievousness  of  the,  46, 
570. 
Sin- 
in  the  use  of  cosmetics, 

41. 
of  Sodom,  55. 
Sins    against    sixth    com- 
mandment and  the  re- 
ligious state,  756. 
Sins  of  youth,  116. 

Sister — 

Age  for  becoming  a, 

754. 
Reward  for  becoming 
a,  751. 
Six  days,  The,  694. 
Skull  and  bones,  735. 
Slander,  608. 
Slang,  606. 
Slavery  and  the  Church, 

708. 
Sleeveless  dresses  in 

church,  53. 
Sloth,  625. 
Smell,  How  one  can  sin  by 

sense  of,  562. 
Smoking  for  girls,  62. 
Societies,  Forbidden,  402. 
Soul— 

a  spiritual  substance, 

699,  706. 
God  will  never  anni- 
hilate, 507. 
Immortality    of    the, 

663. 
of  Lazarus,   where  it 
was,  495. 


of  those  recalled  to  life, 
Where  was  the,  539. 
Souls  in  purgatory, 
Knowledge  of  the,  491. 
Soup  or  juice  of  meat,  236. 
Speech,  Purpose  of,  344. 
Spiritism,  572. 

Appearances  in,   493, 
494. 
Spirits,  Power  of,  493. 
Spiritual  Healers,  571. 
Spitting  out   mouthful  of 

meat  on  Friday,  241. 
States  of  life,  748. 
Stockings,    Women    going 

about  without,  52. 
Stole,  365. 
Strikes,  638. 
Subdeaconship,  774. 
Suffering — 

as    punishment,    644. 
Mystery  of,  643. 
of  the  innocent,  644. 
Vocation  to,  645. 
Suicide,  345,  565. 
Suicides,  Burial  of  Catho- 
lic, 685. 
Sunday — 

Gospel,  623. 
observance,  596. 
Preparing     food     on, 

547. 
Spreading  good  litera- 
ture on,  586. 
the  Lord's  day,   623. 
work,    how    long    to 
make  a  grievous  sin, 
622. 
Working  on,  546. 
Superstition,  554,  558. 
Support  of  false  worship, 

593. 
Swearing,  602. 


Talk  of  holy  things,  Dis- 
respectful, 589. 

Teacher's  duty  outside  of 
school  time,  219. 


GENERAL  INDEX 


807 


Tears,  The  gift  of,  457. 

Temptations,  719. 

How  to  combat,  38. 
to  impurity,  36. 

Tempting  God,  557. 

Tenebrae  service,  432. 

Thoughts,  Impure,  35,  49. 

Tickets  for  Protestant  ba- 
zaars, 403. 

Time  for  returning  home, 
194. 

Tithes,  472. 

Tonsure,  771. 

Touching  of  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment, 81. 

Touching  of  sacred  vessels, 
81,  387. 

Trials  of  the  good,  649. 

Truth,  Telling  the,  581. 

Twelve  Prerogatives,   De- 
votion of  the,  455. 

u 

Uniate  Church,  321. 
Uniats,  645. 

Universe,  Age  of  the,  694. 
Uriel,  Archangel,  682. 

v 

Vain  observance,  622. 

Vanderbilt  marriage,  Nul- 
lity of,  322. 

Vanity,    Meaning    of    the 
word,  658. 

Vaughan,  Mother  of  Car- 
dinal, 223,  761. 

Veil  at  wedding,  343. 

Venial  sins  forgiven  after 
death,  278. 

Vice,  Unnatural,  346. 

Vigil  lights,  435. 

forbidden    in    Rome, 

460. 
for  non-Catholic,  593. 

Virgin  Birth,  Doctrine  of 
the,  655. 


Virginity — 

compared  with  mar- 
ried state,  746. 
in  the  world,  747. 
Special  merit  of,  758. 
Virgins  following  the 

Lamb,  701. 
Visits  to  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment, 431. 
Vivisection,  594. 
Vocation,  746. 

Delay     in     following 

one's,    755. 
Mother's   prayers  for 

vocations,  760. 
Opposition    to    religi- 
ous, 762. 
Piety     required     for, 

757. 
Prayers  for,  761. 
Reflection  before 

choosing  a,  751. 
The  parents'  part  in, 
761. 
Vocations  at  Lu,  Italy,  224. 
Voice  of  the  Church,  How 

the  priest  is  the,  475. 
Voltaire,  721. 
Vows,  550,  603. 

Relative  responsibility 

of,   617. 
Renovation  of,  787. 
Simple    and    Solemn, 
765. 

w 

Water   mixed   with   wine, 

378. 
Way  of  the  Cross — 

Construction  of,  280. 
How  to  make  the,  441. 
Wedding — 

A  quiet,  341. 
Attire  at,  341. 
Wedding   present   to    one 
married  outside  Church, 
313. 
Wife— 

A  drunkard's,  191. 


8o8 


GENERAL  INDEX 


.  Cain's,  313. 
Woman  of  Canaan,  219. 
Women's  styles,  39. 
Wood  in  crucifix,  255. 
Words,  Injurious,  605. 

Works — 

allowed    on    Sunday, 

544. 
Common,  544. 
Liberal,  544. 
Meritorious,  532. 


Young     Men's     Christian 
Association,  619. 

Young  Women's  Christian 
Association,  621. 


Zeal,  624. 


5282 


00072 


0360 


DATE  DUE 

IPl  0'85 

BX1754 
H4x