The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-02-08

olfc who does not shirk church obliga-
tons The other side is entitled to a
heaTing.)
To the Editor:
AS we are on the subject of seat
money" isn't there something some
what incongruous about making the
fulhllment of a binding church law
! tprecept hrst-"TO hear mass on Sun
days and holydays of obligatory, de-
| pendent, in way. upon the payment of
money. no matter how small the sum?
Catholics Indignantly deny the impu-
tat1on, by an occasional Protestant,
tnat they pay money to go to confess
sion." Bpt wouldn't it be better to
nave to pay money once, only a year,
than fifty odd times? We are obliged
to confess our sins but once a year,
| yet the obligation of hearing mass
comes at least once a week.
Non-pewholders are expected to
Rent Seats. Center Aisle. 25c Buy
tickets from the man at the table"
Surely it is not welcoming to find
such works writ in large letters and
glaring at one as he enters the vesti-
bule of the church. 1t doesn't take
a vivid Imagination to picture a poor
fellow down on his luck and strand
ed in strange city Sunday morning
with only 80 cents to carry him over
to doubtful Monday. turning away
from such placards, and from mass,
with the bitter thought that even
Christ's comforts and graces are only
for the man with money.
The practice of selling seats at nom
Catholic churches could not consist
emily, be very strongly condemned:
their members attendance at services
being voluntary, but this practice at
Catholic churches where hearing mass
is of obligation, cannot be too quickly
dropped to please the lalty.
L have heard this matter frequently
discussed by intelligent Catholics. Not
once have l heard the custom of SELL
ing seats at the church door Endorsed,
though repeatedly men of excellent
business ability have taken part in the
talk. One man who had made his
million by his own brains, and to whom
the practice was extremely obnoxious,
said he would help generously to en-
dow his parish church if only the dis
edifying custom were abolished | am
yet to hear a Catholic 1ayman speak
of the practice except in tones of re-
greet, oftentimes tinged with shame
They try to keep the distasteful SELL
ms of seats a secret from their Pro-
testant friends: they hide its existence
askthey would a blot upon the fair
cident it is discovered they try to
excuse, as best they may, the hated
measure. though feeling all the while
how futile and silly their explanations
in the face of the Protestant's simple
statement. that I'VE, Protestants, don't
do anything so grasping as compelling
strangers, or visitors. to our church to
buy seats, yet We manage not only to
support our ministers, but their fam
lilies as well. Protestants must be more
generous than Catholics" III
To cite a few of the evils arising
from this unpopular practice: Some
summers past a scene was enacted in
front of a Catholic church at Atlantic
City that will not soon be forgotten by
either the ProteStantS or Catholics
who witnessed it. An Irish housemaid
had slipped off from the hotel to at
tend mass. She did not bring her
purse. The doorkeeper firmly, but not
politely, refused to allow her TO en-
ter the church without paying ten
cents. She became so wrought UP over
the rude behavior of the man and the
failure to hear mass, that her denun-
Citations rang out in loud tones on the
Sunday air, and stopped the passersby
on their way to other churches Final |
ly turning hOmeWard. the disappoint-
ed woman called God to witness the
sin was not hers. in which all fair
minded Christians will agree. MY
cousin. a delicate. frail girl. hurried off
TO this same church late one Sunday
morning, forgetting her mass fee
She being we'll dressed( and pretty. |
perhaps, was allowed to enter. but
was not permitted to take one of the |
many empty seats. 1t was high mass. |
She almost tainted before the services
were over.