The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-01-21

How can any ones prayer do good
to person who is supposed to be in
Purgatory?
There is no more difficulty in under
standing how prayers for the departed
do them good than there is in knowing
how prayers for the living do the liv-
ing good, for it is the same God Who
is asked to show mercy in either case.
Just how prayer is acceptable in
Gods sight and just how much
benefit comes from Him to the person
prayed for is something beyond hui
man sight or knowledge. But we do
know on the testimony of the Church
and of Scripture and from the practice
of all Christians in all ages that
prayers for others is an obligation
that does win Heavens favor for those
for whom we make intercession. We
are content with the fact, and leave
the rest to God.
AS regards the departed, Scripture
attests that cit is holy and a whole
some thought to pray for the dead
that they may be loosed from their
SINS" CT. Maccabees xii, 43, etc.
Now prayer for those who are lost
would be Intellectual; consequently the
prayers offered were for the dead in
state of detention or purgation. The
Church from earliest infancy has pray
ed for the dead, as all primitive litur
gies demonstrate.
When we say that the dead are
benefited by our prayers, we mean
that prayer satisfies for the temporal
punishment due to sins, the eternal
guilt of which has been forgiven.
They shorten the time that the soul
has to spend in purgatory.
The prayers for the faithful de-
parted are effective by way of satisfac-
ton or by way of Importation, not
necessarily but fittingly and infallibly.
The probable opinion is that our
SURFACES infallibly profit these souls,
but only in that measure that Gods
goodness and justice assign according
to each souls disposition.
The Catholic practice is conform
able to Gods justice and goodness; to
His justice, for the punishments due
by the souls in purgatory are suscept-
able of payment. Why, we ask would
God, who accepted His Sons salts
factions for all men, not accept the
satisfactions we offer for the holy
souls? A creditor is satisfied no mat
ter who pays a debt due to him. No
one can question or deny that God
loves those souls who in life loved
Him above all else, and still hope in
Him. AS his justice compels Him not
debts are paid, so His mercy prompts
10 hn uTI1i oh
in our charity, pour forth in an effort
to satisfy the claims of justice for
them.
1t is enough for us Catholics that
the Church, 'the pillar and ground OF
TRUTH" tells us that we may pray for
the souls in purgatory, and that our
prayers are useful to them. We let
God make the application.
Give references to all the Scripture
relating to Purgatory and prayers for
the dead.
II. Maccabees xii, 43-46, expresses
the belief of the Jews in Purgatory
and in the efficacy of prayers for the
dead. Though the word Purgatory
does not occur in the New Testament
there are references to what it implies,
namely, place of expiration in the
next world, middle state between
heaven and hell, etc. The texts usual
ly cited in this connection are: Matt.
v, rs; xii, 80; I. Cor. iii, Is. For fig
ures of Purgatory: I. Peter iii, 10;
Phil. ii, 10. The necessity and efficacy
of prayers for the dead naturally fol-
low from our conception of Purgatory
and of God s. mercy.
Secret societies are condemned by
the Church. What about the Knights
of Columbus and the Daughters of
Isabella?
The Church condemns certain so
cieties as secret" Why? Because
they refuse to make their passwords
and 'doings" public? Because they do
not publish their secret ritualistic
work broadcast? Not at all. Accord
ing to the mind of the Church, secret
society is one which binds it's mem
bers to keep it's secret so absolutely as
not to permit any manifestation of it
to ecclesiastical authority; and some
times, if not always, it exacts an oath
or promise of blind obedience to it's
commands, no matter how much they
may be at variance with the laws of
God or man. The Knights of Column
bus and the Daughters of Isabella are
not secret societies in this sense of
the word. They are Catholic societies
whose rituals have ben submitted to
ecclesiastical authority, whose aims
and purposes have been approved by
the Hierarchy. They exact no pledge
0f Hind 0hodipncn from fhpir MON.
bers, nor do the members take an oath
to preserve inviolate the secrets COM
mitted to them. 1t is true they do not
publish their secrets to the world; but
neither does a business corporation
nor private family. Should these
latter be condemned as secret or
CARNATIONS?
| Why is "Laus tibi Christie" omitted
after the first gospel in High Masses?
It is not omitted. The subdeacon
gives this response after the reading
of the gospel by the celebrant. The
| L