The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-10-09
what j. Assolationf

There are certain persons who fancy that
Catholics pay their priests to give them az |
solution. Others imagine that penltene
can get absoluton in order to sin more
freely afterwards in fact, that Catholics
can buy a ticket-of- leave for as long time
as they bargain for, and then go on SHINING
with safe conscience. Such statements
are sheer falsehoods, and ought to be re-
garded as such by all who desire to seek
the truth. To say that man may sin
freely by getting absolution beforehand Is
blasphemy and folly! Such an opinion is
condemned by Jesus Christ and by HIS
holy Church, which is "the pillar and the
ground of the truth"-I Tim. iii: 15). Let
us, then, examine the real teaching Oh inc
Church on this subject.
What the Catholic Church Iedches.--Ihe
Holy Church teaches that Penance is Sa-
crament instituted by our Lord, by means
of which sins committed after baptism are
forgiven, and strength is Impaired to us to
avoid sin for the future. BY this Sacrament
the sauctifSing grace OF Goa, whleh Is
poured into our hearts by the Holy Ghost,
cleauscs the soul from all the stains OF sin,
restores her to the favor and friendship OF
God, and renders her holy and undehled
in His sight Perhaps you viii say, Glow
can tell that Christ ever ordained such
| Sacrament Where is it i'll the bible y" !
answer that in st. John Xxx. %, etc, the
Lord said to His Apostles, Z" Receive We
the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall for
| give, they are forgiven them; ana whose
sins YOU Shall retain, they are retained"
such il the woudrous power which the In-
| curu;ite God has given to the priests OF LIS
| Church, But it is absurd to suppose that
the absolution which they give Will do any
good to hard hearted sinners, far less oan
il profit those who intend to remain III
mortal sin No! Such monstrous idea
was never taught by the Catholic re-
lirion. On the contrary in order to ap-
proach confession worthiiy, it is necessary,
first to have sincere sorrow 1of nav ihS
offended God, accompanied With II hfi'i res
olution TO avoidein for the future; secondly
the pelitent must declare every mortar
sin which he can recollect committing
since his last confession, and this WITHOUT
excuses or eouivocatious. He who, thus
aisposcd, receives absoIution, is spoken OF
in Scripture as IL lost sheep whom Jesus
Christ has found, and carries on ms sno'''
ders rejoicing He is the child OF Goa the
: temple of the Holy Ghost, the heir o.
heaven, and the delight of angels. 1t Is toi
a him to say with David, " Thou hast broker
, nv bonds in sun,,er"--tPs. cxv. l6). Ant
should he continue IN the grace OF 600, NJ
will go to Heaven. g He that sha!i Peis s.
we're to the end, he shall be saved list
, Matt, xiv. 49,. Unhappy PROTESTANT
y Tiry cut themselves off from the treasure
: of mercy to he found in the Church OF Goo
;. Many u bleeding heart is stannci'ed ny I'M
. holy Sacrament; many Il sln- SICK soui Is ic !.
O. try shed by this -dlylue 1ouh'aln' a.',' !
Strcncthcned to begin the service OF 90,
= anew. Ii is. as it we're, Il bath filled wit
. ,he blood OF Jesus, (Which cleanseth iron
all sin''-Q St. John, i. - Reader, is you
>, conscience tormcnted by the Remembering
e of past fuults9 Are you afraid OF tn
g ud sments of an angry God If SO, nav
recourse to Jesus in the Sacrament oil Zen
> onra which He has ordained for the saliva
- ton of sinners. There you will find I'll
"a thorns of remorse removed, grace Will b
- poured into your heart, and all your zeal
, d, will give place tn Il perfect peace. 'Mn'
:, sificnies rcnite! "All ye that thirst CON
~ to the waters; and ye that have no hl"ne.
~ come Quickly. buy and cut; come ye, hn
= ,yit.a and mill wildcat moncy ana "liho'
, ttpricc."-Is. ". ~