The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-02-09

horted Our Venersted and Beloved Brethren OF
tho Clergy to take caro- that their hooks DO
we'll instructed with regard to tho HOLY
Sacrament Of Matrimony. That Same year
tho Plsnary Council Of Baltimore, OF which
the DEGREES were Afterwards approved BY
the Holy See, and which the Provincial Coun-
Gil of New Orleans has proclaimed IN our
Province, urged this duty on AL Pastors e1-
fhortinx fhen. especially to uss every exertion
to infuse into the faithful . deep fear of the
dangers Of mixed marriages between Catholics
and non-Catholics. 1t directed them to preach
at least once every year, in Advent or Lent, if
practieabls, on this subject; and to impress
earnestly on their focks the many evils arising
from thess marriages, and tho great dangers to
which thew EXPOSE the faith both eff the Catho-
lilo patty, and Of the children whom Gsd may
give to them: showing the strong and urgent
reasons which have induced the Church of God
to forbid them, as she always has done, and
still oontinuss to do: since her dispsnsations
are only granted very relunctantly and COM
monty for the fear that still greater evils
might happen if they were refused.
Besides impressing on their focks these great
evils Of mixed marriages, they ought also
to explain the other laws of the church with
peaiments of Matrimony: both those which make
marriage sinful and therefore sacrilegious,
and those which make it also invalid. Let the
faithful understand that q marriage which is
invalid by the laws of the Church, no matter
how respectable it may appear in the eyes OF
| others, is really before God no marriage at ALL
that they are not truly husband and wife, but
they are living together in criminal inter
course.
Among the impediments which make mar
rage entirely null, they must not forget the
one called Spiritual Relationship, which arises
from O person having been Sponsor in Bap-
tism. This relationship is contracted be-
tween the Sponsor and the person baptized:
also between the Sponsor and the parents of
the baptized person: not between tho two
| Sponsors in regard to each other. The same
spiritual relationship is contracted between the
person who baptizcs, and the person baptized
and bis parents: 80 that if lay person has bap-
| tized in o case of necessity, this relationship
makes an impediment Of marriage.
| In those missions which visited once
month or less frequently: the people have even
moro need of especial instruction on the laws
| of this Sacrament.
Thus, dearly Beloved, having reminded you
of some of these laws, which most require
! your attention-it remains that we all, Clergy
and Laity unite in prayers and good works to
obtain from God the grace that all may Valk
faithfully in His holy ways, and como safely
to eternal life. According to your Catechism
the Three Eminent Good Works are Prayers,
Fasting and Aim Deeds. Lent is an especial
season for all these. Follow then the admon-
ition of st. Peter, and Labor that by good
| dnd
For 90 an entrance shall BE- ninistered to you
abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom Of Our
| Lord and Sariowr Jesus Christ" Ill Ep. st. Pc
ter, I. 10, 11.)
The Regulations of Lent this year, will be
nearly tho Same as in preceding years.
We allow tho use Of flesh meat on all days
except Wednesdays and Fridays, In Ember
Week, of course Saturday also will be day
of abstinence; that is, this year, Saturday,
March the sth.
The law of abstaining from flesh meat Is
binding on all who are not exempted by res.
son of bad health OF hecessity even on chill
dren from the age of seven years; and parents
commit q mortal sin every time they allow
their children to eat meat when it is forbid
den.
All persons are bound to fast who have
reached the age of twenty-one years; unless
lawfully exempted on account of hard labor,
OF bad health concerning which they ought
to consult their Pastor or Confessor, and ac-
ccpt from him some other good work to be
performed in place of fasting.
Mothers either bearing children or sucklin s
| them, would do wrong to fast.
The law of fasting requires that person
should not eat more than one full meal in the
day, and that not until midday OF near it.
, A collation. may be taken in tho evening
but it should not exceed the fourth part of an
ordinary dinner, or at most eight ounces.
When meat is allowed on week days in LEM
, persons who are bound to fast cannot use meat
except at the one principal meal. On Sundays
= it may be used at every meal.
In the mornng-the drinking of coffee, etc.
is not forbidden but there is no permission t.
, eat unless it be so little that the law is pre-
a sumed MOTTO notice it.
Sometimes also persons whose health or oc
cupations would not allow them to fast rgor