Arizona republican., 1913-11-16
The Jubilee of 1913
By a Layman

does. the 16th centenary of the eman- cipation of the Christian church, the ceasing of the prosecutions of it's members; it's emergence out of the catacombs after an cntombcd exist ence of 300 years; the extending of liberty to it's members to openly pro- fess Christianity, which hitherto had been q prescribed religion in the cm- p.er-i. C. the world.
 As the Light of the World, it's di- vine head and founder, after three days, emerged from the tomb, ever to shine forth enlightcning every man that cometh into the world, so she the church, Christ's mythical body, came forth after having been driven underground for 300 years, to shine forth, reflecting the true light to the end of time. Anyone who has read the history of the early church, the prosecutions and the martyrdoms; and who is at all alive to the bene- ficient and benign influence she has had on mankind, cannot but rejoice and thank his Creator who has sent his light into formerly so dark a world. But tht church, herself takes the initiative in showing her mem bers haw to rejoice worthily in this great event.
 On the Sth of March Pope Plus x proclaimed a jubilee to last until De cember Sth. Now q jubilee is d per iod of festivity, d season of joy.
 In the old law it was celebrated every fiftieth year. and it's most re- markable feature was the Wiping out of every debt. As, for instance, a piece of land having been sold in the interim would then revert back to it's original owner
 In the new dispensation the idea is also carried out.
 Though regular jubilees, in the church, occur every twenty fifth year. special ones are proclaimed at other times, of which class this present one
 The old dispensdtion partook of ma terial clements in the bestowaI of blessings. being gross, and while ap- parently for this present life, it fore shadowed and typified the blessings and spiritual clements of the more perfect dispensatiOn that was to fol- low. Therefore the church also urges her members to wipe out their old debts. But it's mission being spirit ual it concerns itself mainly with spiritual debts and scores. Thus, for the present jubilee the Holy Father bestoWs a plenary indulgence on all that comply with the prescribed con Gftions. These are: Confessions of all sins committed, and the receiv- l ing of Holy Communion: besides six 1 visits have to be made to a Catholic | church. at these visits prayers are to l be offered for the intentions of the 1 sovereign pcntiff; also an aims must be given.
 1 This recital will undoubtedly raise | the old bug bear: The sale of in 1 d.dgences," in the minds of Christ ] fans and others outside of the church. 1 The church. not being changing institution, though dogmas are cap able of development and external dis ciplines may have to conform to the ever changing conditions of the world, is confronted by exactly the same proposition today. and right here in Phoenix, Arizona, as found place in most of the cities of Europe at the time Martin Luther began his Pro
 testant movement.
 Pope Leo x was trying to complete the immense St Peters church at SC me, and in order to raise the neccs- sary funds he proclaimed a jubilee with all the conditions that are pre- scribed for this present one, which even the great Protestant critic, the Swiss D'Aubigne. has to admit We know, however, from history and from the stand which the church took herself that the man TetzeL in the methods he used in proclaiming the Jubilee indulgences with his attendant trafficking, went beyond proper linn it's
 Now, right here in Phoenix a church is being erected. Funds are needed. The jubilee is on, with it's accompanying benefits and privileges
 and, as one of the conditions for gaining the jubilee indulgence is to give aims. what could be moro fit than the making of a contribution to the finishing of house built for the worship of God, the author of the dispensatons?
 For the benefit of the readers who are not Catholic, I shall briefly state
 the doctrine of indulgences. and in
 stead of quoting scripture I shall
 merely point out where in the Bible
 the doctrine is founded
 You say in reciting the apostolic | creed: T believe in the Holy Catholic
 church. the communion of saints the forgiveness of sin, etc" The com muniOn of saints was intended to
 mean, and means now that there ex-
 ists an communion between the
 true members of the church on earth
 (the church militanD and the mem bers in purgatory Ghe church suffer ing) and the members in heaven (the
 church triumphanD. This communion
 is effective through union with Christ,
 which to understand demands com
 prehensive knowledge of the doctrine
 of grace. This grace descends on the
 living through the efficiency of the
 redemption of Christ and is the mo-
 tive power from which all good mo- tiOns have their origin.
 Into this communion of saints is