The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-09-28
Can a Catholic be a Socialist? If
not, what are the reasons against it?


Catholic and at the same time accept
the doctrines of Socialism is evident
to any one who knows what the
Church teaches and what the leaders
of Socialism advocate in the books
they have written on that subject. To
show this clearly read the following
summary of the doctrines of Socialism
and of the Church given by Peter Col
Inns in the Bulletin of the American
Federation of Catholic Societies, in
which he declares that no Catholic
can be a Socialist.
This line," he says, lis clear and
we'll defined. The Church stands for
God and for country, the family, mar
riage, and the home.
Socialism stands against all of
them and it's basis is materialism,
which eliminates God from it's scheme.
''To sum up the result Of our inves-
tigation we find that Socialism and
Socialists are opposed to the Catholic
Church, the family, marriage and the
home, because the doctrines of Social
ism are:
''First-Its philosophy as laid down
in the Bible of Socialism (Kar1 Marks
KapitaD, is based on the materialistic
conception of history, which is moth
ing less than atheism.
"Second-Because the founder of
that doctrine, Karl Marx, was an
avowed atheist and bitterly opposed
to the teachings of Christ and His
Church.
'Third-Because, not alone Marx,
but his co-worker, Engels, (joint au-
thor with him of the 'Manifesto) !,
was an avoWed atheist and antagonist
of the teachings of Christ.
"Fourth-Because, with hardly a
single exception, all the advocates of
Socialism, past and present, were and
are anti-Catholic in their writings and
atheistical in their belief
"Fifth-Because Socialism ridicules
the teachings of Christianity, maligns
and ISLANDERS it's clergy, and vilifies
the followers of that faith.
"Sixth-Because Socialism would
destroy the sanctity of the family and
the home, for which the Catholic
Church has always stood.
"Seventh-Because Socialism would
destroy the Sacred Sacrament of
Marriage which was established by
Christ.
"Eighth-Because the philosophy of
Socialism teaches disloyalty to au-
thority, disloyalty to God and to coun-
try.
'FNinth-Because Socialism takes
the religious belief away from men
and gives in return hatred of God
and His commandments.
"Tenth-Because Socialism teaches
and advocates strife and conflict of
men against men by class hatred
Eleventh-Because Socialism would
take woman from her place in the
home and throw her into the marts
of the world.
Twelfth-Because Socialism stands
for free love and derides marriage,
calling it capitalistic institution and
a tool for exploitation.
Thirteenth-Because Socialism ar
rays class against class.
Fourteenth Because Socialism
teaches there is no God.
Fifteenth-Because Socialism justi-
fies abortion, child murder, regulation
of reproduction, prevention of concep-
ton and it's advocates proclaim it.
Sixteenth-Because Socialists hate
the Catholic Church and condemn it
as an enemy of the workers, whose
friend it has been through the ages.
enteenth-Because Socialism
teaches the young the doctrines of
disloyalty to God and country"
Having Mass at our parish church
twice a month do we commit mortal
sin if we do not go to other parishes
on the two remaining Sundays if it is
very convenient for US to do so.
The obligation of hearing Mass on
Sunday is binding ON all Catholics
who can without great inconvenience
fulfil it, and when one remains away
from Mass under those circumstances
he is guilty of mortal sin. Since
the obligation is binding on Catholics
every Sunday and not merely on Sum-
days when they have Mass in their
parish. church they commit a mortal
sin if they do not attend Mass in an
other church than their own parish
church when it is convenient for them
to do so, AS long as they can with
out serious inconvenience attend Mass
they are obliged to do so under pain
of mortal sin.
Should a Catholic lift his hat to a
priest when he meets him on the
street, and should the priest return
the salute? Many priests do not
acknowledge the courtesy when q
Catholic lifts his hat to them.
Every Catholic knows that the
priesthood is a sacred calling and that
the priest represents Jesus Christ in
whose priesthood he participates
However much, therefore. Catholics