The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-07-28
whore the practice of cremation had al
Wava hoan common. Sho,,ld tho miasinn.

aEles pEOIeet A86ln9t IL az Gne FISK o.
wodnding the susceptibilities OF the ma
tives? Should they deny the Sacramento
to these who practiced it and to those
upon whom it was to be practiced?
"Neither one nor the other," was the
reply from Rome. ''Give no formal ap.
proval to the practice, but suffer it to be
carried out; only strive to win the faith
tul gradually to the universal usage OF
the catholic Church"
RECENT DECISIONS.
l. "Ie it allowed to. administer the last
Sacraments to such of the faithful as, not
being Freamasons, have given orders for
the cremation Of their bodies after death,
not as question of principle, but upon
other grounds, and refuse to counter
mand these orders?
2. Is it allowed to publicly offer, or
privately apply, Holy Mass for the repose
of the faithful whose bodies have been
cremated without their consent, and
also to accept foundations for the same
o. ject?
3.s Is it allowed to co operate in the
cremation of corpse, either by direc-
tion, advice or assistance, as medical ad-
wiser, official, or workman at the crema-
torium, or may this be allowed at least
| in case of necessity or to avoid greater
evil? ...@.w
4. is it allowed to administer the Sac
raments TO persons CO. operating as above
lit they refuse to discontinue such CO.
operation, or declare themselves not to
be in position to discontinue it?'
Reply of the Holy Office, dated July
81, 1892.
Ad. 1. IF they refuse after due warn
ing, no. AS to the giving or omission Of
such warninR the rules given by ap-
proved authors are tos be followed;
especially must care be taken that no
scandal arise.
Ad. 2. With reference to public appli-
cation of Holy Mass, no; tos the private
application, yes.
Ad. 3. Aforpaal co operation by means
of advice or. direction is never allowed.
On the other hand, material co. operation
may occasionally be tolerated: ~. When
the cremation is not considered an ex-
press demonstration Of Freemasonry, ~.
When there is nothing which expresses
by itself, directly and exclusively (nnice)'
a rejection Of Catholic doctrine and q re-
oognition of the Cremation League; and
(3) When it is not evident that Catholic
officials and workmen have been forced
or induced (adigi vel vocari) to the work
for the purpose Of showing contempt Of
the Catholic religion. Moreover, al
though in such cases they are to be left
in bona fde, they are always to be
warned that they must take no steps to
co operate in cremation.
.'From these rulings it is easy to gather
the mind of the Catholic Church. She
dislikes change; she maintains her an
cient customs to which she ls bound by
so many ties; yet she is ever ready to
take into account the requirements OF
the day, and the advent of now methods,
SO long as they are not introduced in a
spirit of hostility to her faith. She
olings to the past; yet she leaves to each
individual bishop to decide in what
measure it may be advisable to depart
from it.
We believe that on the whole there will
be little occasion to do so. Custom is
strong in support of inhumation. Re-
ligious feeling, even outside Of the Gath
olic Church, is much opposed to the op.
poeite practice. Social authorities, on.
trusted with the administration Of Grim
inal law, object strongly to it as destroy
ing evidences of crime. Cremated bodies
tell no tales Of violence, or, generally
speaking, Of poisoning. A terrible case
of the latter kind is being presently tried
in Belgium, and the evidence rests prin-
cipally upon post-nortem examination
of the victims, which would be impossi-
BILE if they had been oremated. Ali these
Influences make against the new prac
tice. It will doubtless remain as mat
ter Of individual exceptional taste, but
there is every reason to anticipate that
for many generation there will be nc
general departure from the ancient and
universal practice Of the Catholic
Church"
How He Lost Her.
George have been invited to 9
flower party at the Pinkles. What'e
;t ahnnt9 .[ank-That' one Of the