The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-03-11

~ Can good God be so unmerci-
full as to condemn to He'll person
who, at the close of good life, COM
mits one mortal sin and dies suddenly
before he can 90 to Confession and be
forgiven? !, as Catholic, do not be-
lieVe it. (2) What are the Franciscan
Tertiaries7 Is it an order for men and
women in the World7 What are it's
rules?
ID 1t is the teaching of the Catholic
Church, and every Catholic is bound
20 believe it, that If person dies with
the guilt of even one mortal sin on his
soul he is condemned to He'll. No mat
ter how holy his previous life may
have been, If he deliberately commits
a mortal sin and dies in that state he
is doomed. This does not initiate
against the goodness and mercy OF
God, because of His very nature He
must be opposed to sin, and His JUS
tice obliges Him to punish it in accord
ance with it's Nervousness. We must
not seek to enhance Gods mercy and
goodness at the expense of His justice.
I1C Is do just do 44O 10 hAOA SAAoA' AAS
can not forgive single mortal sin I'M
less the sinner sincerely repents of it
and does what he can to atone for it.
While Confession is the ordinary
means by which sin is forgiven, it is
not the only means. Perfect contri-
tion also, wipes out sin; and it may be
that merciful God gives a person who
dies suddenly after committing NOR
tai sin an opportunity to make an act
of perfect contrition. 1t is not for us
to set a limit for the exercise of Gods
mercy Neither are we to presume on
it and delay conversion to Him after
we have fallen into sin, in the hope
that we will be made the recipients of
such extraordinary grace. (2) The
Tertiaries is the name applied to the
members of the Third Order of st
Francis, founded in 1921. This order
occupies, as it were, a middle place be-
tween the world and the cloister, af-
fording opportunity for semi-religious
life to men and women in the world
who desire to cultivate in a marked
degree the Christian virtues suitable
to their condition in life. It's rule was
formally approved by Pope Nicholas
Nv. in 1889, and was modified by Leo
XIII. in 1882. 1t requires of those who
wish to enjoy the privileges of the
Third Order the daily recitation of
twelve Our Fathers and Hail Marys,
monthly Communion and two fasts an
nually.
Do you think that il person is once
converted he can 60 astray and be
lost.
Most certainly. st. Paul Il. Cor. tx
27) says: 81 chastise my body, and
bring it into subjection lest, perhaps,
when l have preached to others, I my
self should become castaway." No
one can doubt the sincerity of ST.
Pauls conversion, yet he fears loss
should he sin, which to his mind is pos
sible, unless he keep down his pas
sions by strong measures.
Why do women wear hats in church?
How far back does the custom date?
A custom that traces itself back to
IIO ApOSSASo oA0 bCoAo GAS
force of law demands that women
should have their head covered while
in church. Generally, the covering
used is hat, though any covering
will answer the requirement of the
law. In convent schools for girls and
often in our city churches on the days
when the young women sodalities re-
ceive Communion, veil is worn in
stead of hat. A shawl IS common
head covering for the women of some
nationalities. The first epistle Of st.
Paul to the Corinthians (XI-5, 13) is
usually cited in support of the pres
ent custom forbidding women to en-
ter church bareheaded. every wom-
an praying or prophesying with her
head not covered, disgraceth her head !;
for it is all one as if she were shaven -
"You yourselves Judge; doth it be-
come woman to pray unto God uncov-
ered?" 1t seems to be the opinion of
st. Paul that a woman's hair which
lit is glory to her to nourish," is
shown to the best advantage when it
is crowned by some head-dress. A
woman should show to her best advan-
tage when she is talking to
God in prayer. While the Gus
tom requiring women to pray al
ways with head covered, has ceased
to govern them when they pray in
other places than church, here the ira
dition noted by st. Paul as always been
observed. 1t may be that the style
of head-covering worn by women, the
Inconvenience of it's removal and the
lack of provision for keeping the hats
of the vast multitude of women who
have ever frequented our churches
have all combined to keep alive the
custom approved by the Apostles and
in vogue in their day whereby women
in church said their prayers with GOV.
cred heads.