The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-12-16
CATHOLIC SINGERS IN
PROTESTANT CHURCHES
Direct Participation in Heretical
Worship Positively Forbidden
Participation Defined.
CFrom the Ecclesiastical Review


ton of the pope's Motu Proprio on
Chant and the music reform. our city
pastors are threatening to get the
bishops into trouble by referring the
Indignant lady soloists hitherto in pos
session Of the lofty organ domain to
the episcopal parlors for adjudication
OF their grievances. II is needless to
say that explanations are out oil the
question, but soothings are not. and
bishop who knows his business will
not fan the flame OF female resent
ment.
But there is q serious aspect 10 this
question. Some Of our singers who
have been doing their duty, and have
justly earned a salary. even as the
priest himself does in the exercise o.
the sacred functions, are being depriy-
cd OF a living by being dismissed from
the Catholic choir Some of these
could readily find the needed material
compensation and more in accepting
positions as singers in nOn-CathOlic,
that is. Protestant or Jewish churches.
In few cases no other way Of earn
ing . decent livelihood would seem to
be open to such women. who for the
resi- and good and believing Catholics.
Is there. any Interpretation Of the pro-
hibticn Of communicate in sacris
which gives these really worthy Wo-
men a chance FOR their living? Il
seems 10 me that Protestant religions
service Is in large measure nothing
more than q sacred concert, and no
theologian would object to our Catho-
lie lovers of music attending sacred
concerts in which Protestants take q
leading part, since We live in constant
Intercourse with such: and Catholic
charity owes them undoubtedly a GER
nT hal 6i,NU
their views on religious matters in
good faith though perhaps, not in
very serious way. Are we not too
severe III these matters? / felt as if
1t were so when not long ago lady
said to me, Priests don't realize our
position; they need not look for
living, and so it is easy for them to
make laws"
Response.-The Review has had oc-
casion 10 express an opinion on the
above subject before the present sup
posing urgency arose by which ladleS
who have been singing professionally
in Catholic choirs are thrown out OF
positions. The question is not whether
we make hard laws but whether the
laws which God made may be ex-
planned away by our circumstances
and needs Necessity GispenseS from
the law, but not every Inconvenience
or hardship, implies a necessity, and
no inconvenience or hardship could
sanction an act Of disobedlence i'm
plying sin. The priests in France who
are deprived of their salary and Ill
some cases OF decent support or nv
ing might do many things unbecoming
their sacred calling. but they could
not lawfully go into Protestant or
Jewish houses of worship and take
j.,
ing living.
Whilst as Catholics we are not for
hidden honorably TO assist Protest
ants. Jews or pagans. when they
stand in need OF our services, nor TO
earn ou, daily bread by serving them
&, honest employment, the positive di-
vine law forbids all conscious and dr.
rect participation In heFetical Wor-
ship. We participate bv playing the
organ or singing in The religious SER
vices Of those VINO deny the revealed
truth of Christ IS manifested through
its only legitimate channel, the Catho-
lie church.
In the case OF most sects The very
term Protestant accepted by them
as their religious party name, IS an
unconscious admission Of their denial
of the Catholic teaching as emanating
from God. Individual PToteStants may
not realize This fact; they may be, as
they say, in good faith nevertheless
they have attached themselves TO
y wrong or defective system Of inter-
pretmg the truth in which God com
mands us 10 Worship him. Catholics
who are supposed TO know ard realize
the fact that they are in possession Of
the truth faith. cannot consent under
any preteXt to participate In such false
wul ship without denying implicitly the
faith which they are pledged to main
tain interrupted at the risk OF their
lives
What is said here Of Protestants is
true of Jews and OF all other sects sep
arated from the one true church which.
like an open book. is accessible to all
who will APPROACH and examine its
teaching without malice or prejudice.
What the Catholic believes on this
subject today is precisely the same
as thai which the early Christians be-
lieved when they shed their blood as
martyrs rather than worship in the
pagan faith: or which the Jews be-
lie-ed before the coming of Christ, as
is Witnessed by Eleazar and the Mac
cabees. who preferred 70 suffer tor
ture and death rather than participate
in a religious worship which they
knew 10 be false although there mTy
have been men who belonged to it in
good faith.
Ii there should be any doubt as 10
he duty of Catholics IN this respect,
Il would be dispelled by the declara
ton Of their sacred tribunal which
acts as the ordinary legitimate inter-.
prefer Of Catholic disciplinary law.
CCf Conectan, u. 1854 FIX LIT s. c.
dc Prop. Eide, s Jul 1889; al Arcniep.
Marianopolitl
II must not be forgotten. however.
that playing or singing in churches or
houses which are used for Protestant
worship is not quite the same as play
ing or singing at Protestant worship.
Nor is every gathering of non-Cath-
olics for purposes of moral culture. on
Sundays, religious worship in the
sense that ii excludes or opposes The
Catholic teaching Of Christ's church
This il may be useful for confessors
10 remember. not because Catholics are
in any way TO be eucourag cd 10 associ-
ate themselves with any movement
which win cost a doubE upon their thor
ough and sincere fidelity to the one
true church OF Christ. but because cir
cUmstances may bring q Catholic I'M
Willingly into associations which look
like q denial Of faith without being
such in reality. in these cases prudence
and discretion counsel and lead a ner-
son. out OF the danger. where blind and
mechanical zeal would forthwith con-
denim and refuse absolution under
morally Interchangeable conditions.
HnrrerFian Error