The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-10-14

IN the celebratlon or Mass!
No. Latin is not the only language
used in the celebration of Mass: At
the present time the Holy Sacrifice
is offered in nine languages, namely:
Latin, Greek, Syriac, Chaldaic, Sla-
vonic, Wallachian, Armenian, Coptic
and Ethiopic. Latin is and has been
sinceO the birth of Christianity en-
ployed in all Western countries and
also in some parts of the East. Greek
is used by the Greek Catholics of
Russia, Greek, Syria and Jerusalem.
Syriac, or Syrio-Chaldaic, is the
church language Of about thirty
thousand priests, namely, the Maron-
it's monks of Mount Lebanon and
Syrians generally throughout the East
This is the language in which the first
Mass was celebrated by st. Peter after
the descent of the Holy Ghost. 1t was
the native language of most of the
apostles and also of our dear Lord
and His Blessed Mother. Mass is
said in Chaldaic for the Babylonian
Catholics, found principally in Meso-
potamia, Armenia and Kurdistan, and
governed by the Patriarch Of Baby
lonia. Pope Adrian II, in the ninth
century, granted permission to the
Slavions to have Mass celebrated in
Slavonic. It is used by thousands of
Roman Catholics of the Slavonic ma
tions. Since the seventeenth century,
when a great number of the Walla-
chians came into the Church they
have been saying Mass in their own
language, which, however, is no long
er in daily use, but is the old classic
tongue Armenian is employed at
Mass by the Armenians throughout
the East. They are found in Armenia
proper, Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine,
Turkey, Greece and Africa Coptic is
the language of ancient Egypt, and
is used by the Catholics dwelling along
the Nile and who are governed by the
Vicar Apostolic of Cairo. Ethiopic
is the liturgical language of Abyssinia.
There are about two million Roman
Catholic Abyssinians. These are the
languages used in the celebration of
Mass. They are all practically dead
languages. For not one of them is
at present spoken or understood by
those amongst whom they are used,
although they were at one time the
languages of their respective coun-
tries. A modern Greek, for instance,
does not understand the Greek of
the Mass any more than Catholics
generally understand Latin and so for
all the others. Hence any idea that
the Latin Church alone employs a
language unknown to the people or
that the Church at present anywhere
permits the use of a living tongue
is entirely wrong.
For what purpose do Catholics use
Holy Water?
Catholics use Holy Water for the
purpose for which it is intended by
the Church, namely, to put to flight
the evil spirit, to bring health to soul
and body, to excite pious affections
and desires and thereby bring about
the remission of venial sins. The use
of Holy Water dates back to apostolic
times. Even in the Jewish dispense
ton it was used in religious cere-
monies. Catholics sprinkle themselves
with Holy Water on entering and
when leaving a church where it is
kept. They make similar use of it
in their homes, especially before re-
firing at night and on arising in the
morning, as we'll as in times of dan
ger and illness. Pope Piux TX granted
plenary indulgence of one hundred
days to all the faithful who, with con-
trite heart, make the sign of the.
cross with Holy Water, saying at the
same time the words: I'm the name
of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Ghost"
What is meant by the statement in
the catechism that Adam and Eve
were the first man and woman? Does
not the biblical record date back only
to the year 1000 3. c.?
Since 'the Bible does not claim to
contain real history of mankind from
Adam and Eve to Jesus Christ" there
can be no conflict between the biblical
record and the data of science in re-
gard to the length of time man has
been upon the earth. The question
of biblical chronology is beset with
difficulties, and it has not yet been
adequately worked. out The cate
chism simply follows the teaching of
the book of Genesis in stating that
Adam and Eve were the first man and
woman created by God and placed on
earth to be the parents of the human
race.
(D What should be done in case
divorced Catholic, who marries a Ma
son, acts as sponsor at a baptism, the
parents of the child being ignorant of
the fact? (2) Can a Catholic who
has lost the Faith and joined a for
hidden society act as god-parent?
ID This divorced Catholic should
have known better than to assume du-
ties which she can not fulfil, if called