The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-07-22

1. What is the difference in mean
ing between the terms "consecrate,"
"bIess" and "dedicate?" Which is
done to Church? A graveyard? An
altar? The sacred vessels? A church
bell? Are they performed by priest
or bishop? May not a church be
consecrated until it is free from debt
2. How Is baptism administered in
detail by a priest? 8. What is the
significance of "churching" woman
How is it given?
1. These words are often used in
terchangeably. To consecrate is to
dedicate to sacred uses with solemn
ceremonies. While to bless is to
make or declare holy, to set apart
for sacred uses with ceremonies less
solemn than those employed in con-
secration. To dedicate has more gen.
eral meaning than the others and sig
mites the setting apart of an object for
sacred uses either by the simple bless
ing or by a more solemn ceremony. A
Church is consecrated or blessed &C
cording to circumstances and the
solemnity of the function Usually a
Church is dedicated to it's sacred uses
by a blessing. Certain requirements
must be fulfilled before church can
be consecrated, and one of these is
that it must be free from debt. A
graveyard is said to be blessed
whenever a solemn ceremony is per-
formed at it's dedication as a whole.
Each individual grave is blessed be-
fore the body is inferred. An altar,
altar-stone, is consecrated. The
whole altar may be consecrated when
it fulfils the requirements laid down
for this purpose. The sacred vessels
which come in contact with the Body
and Blood of our Lord are consecrat-
ed. A church-bell is blessed. AS a
general rule these functions are per-
formed by a Bishop; but some of them
may be performed by priest dele
gated for that purpose. 2. The priest
who administers baptism is vested in
cassock, surplice and stole. The in
FAINT is brought to the baptistery and
presented by the godparents who, in
the child's name, ask faith from the
Church of God. The priest then
breathes upon the child's face and
exercises the evil spirit, after which
he signs it's forehead and breast with
the cross, the symbol of redemption
Blessed salt is placed in the mouth
of the child who is then introduced
into the Church by the priest who
places his stole over it's head. The
sponsors make a profession of faith
which is followed by the triple renun
citation of satan and the amounting oil
the child on the breast and between
the shoulders with the oil of catechu
mems. The child, through it's spon
sors, makes declaration of faith and
asks for baptism which is then admin
istered by the priest who says, as he
pours the baptismal water on the heaG
of the child: I baptize thee in the
name of the Father and of the Sor
and of the Holy Ghost. During this
part of the ceremony both sponsor:
either hold the child or, at least, touch
it and thereby contract spiritual ATTN
ity with it. The crown of the child!
head is now anointed with chrism ant
white veil placed thereon, afte
which lighted candle is held by tn,
sponsors while the priest bids tn.
newly baptized keep his baptism 81
as to be without blame, that he ma,
meet our Lord and His Saints and b,
happy with them for ever. 8. VIVA
is called "churching" is a blessing
given by. a priest, according to ;
form contained in the Roman Ritual
to a woman after childbirth. This i
pious and praiseworthy custom OF
served by Catholic mothers although
there is no strict obligation to do sc
The blessing is for the mother. Sh
presents herself in Church to thanl
God for the birth of her child and t.
ask grace to bring it up in Christian
manner. She kneels usually at tn
sanctuary rail holding lighted car
die in her hand, while the priest il
surplice and stole sprinkles her wit
holy water and recites the twenty
third psalm and certain prayers pre
scribed by the ritual.
Why is salt put into holy water?
Salt is added to holy water, afte
the latter has been exercised and sc
apart for pious uses, in order to pr'
serve the water from corruption an
to symbolic the effect of divine grac
on the soul. The use of salt as pr,
sentative is we'll known; and the e
feet of divine grace is to preserve U
from sin.
Is it right to speak of the Church .
"Our Mother?"
Yes She is our mother in the spi
itual sense as it is through her, b
means of the sacrament of Baptism
that we enter the supernatural lif
And inst as mother nOuriShnS ht