The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-01-25

1. Who baptized st. John the Bap-
fist? 2. II a Catholic girl marries
man who is not a Catholic at the
court house, can she go to Confession
and Communion?
l. There is no record in Holy Scrip
ture that st. John the Baptist was
baptized. We are told in the Gospel
of st. Luke that he left his home in
the desert and "came into all the
country about the Jordan, preaching
the baptism of penance for the remis-
sion of SINS" He baptized those who
came to him and among them was our
Lord. Of course, the baptism given
by st. John the Baptist was not the
same as the baptism now given to in
fants, for this sacrament had not been
instituted by our Lord at that time.
2. If Catholic girl marries nom
Catholic man under any other cir
cumstances except in presence of a
priest and two witnesses her mar
riage is null and void. From the
viewpoint of the Church it is no mar
riage, and as long as she continues to
live with her so-called husband she
cannot approach the Sacraments. Be
fore she is allowed to receive Holy
Communion she must separate from
the man with whom she has been liv-
ing, or be married as Catholic should
be married, that is to say, in the pres
ence of priest and two witnesses.
Where is the Motherhouse of the
Sisters of the immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary?
According to the Catholic Directory
there are in the United States two
Sisterhoods with names similar to the
Order about which enquiry is made
in the foregoing question. The one
is the Missionary Franciscan Sisters
of the Immaculate Conception whose
Motherhouse is in Rome. This Order
has converts in some of the Eastern
dioceses, and letter addressed to 327
Central Avenue, West Hoboken, New
York, will bring fuller information in
regard to it. The other com
munity is known as the Sisters of st.
Francis of Mary immaculate The
Motherhouse and Novitiate is located
at 22O Plainf1eld Avenue, Joliet, Ill
These are the only Orders in the
United States with names similar to
quiry is made.
Is a dying man obliged to make
Restitution?
Yes, as far as he is able. Whoever
has property which belongs to others
from whom he has unjustly acquired
it, must do all in his power to restore
it to it's rightful owners.
If he refuses either to make resti
tuition, or to direct that restitution be
made in his name, he cannot be
absolved. And of course he has alb
solutely no right to otherwise dispose
of the property that belongs to others
Are Catholics allowed to read the
5ibIe2
The Church has never condemned
the reading of the Sacred Scriptures
Those who say the contrary speal
what is untrue. But the Church has
prescribed certain rules about the
translation of the Bible into modern
languages, the observance of which
renders it's reading safe and useful
First of all, the Church requires tina
translations should be accompanied
with notes explanatory of the mean
ing of obscure texts. Again, it doe'
not permit readers to subject Biblica
texts to private Interpretation. Third
ly, it requires that translation shoulC
be authorized by the Bishop of tn,
locality where it is printed. Whel
these conditions are observed tn
reading of the Bible by the laity i
not only not forbidden, but encoul
aged. Pope Plus VI, in letter t
the Archbishop of Florence, date,
April, 177S, says of the Scriptures tina
they fought to be left open to ever
one to draw from them purity of MOI
ais and of doctrines, to eradicate tn
errors which are so widely dissent
mated in these corrupt times"
Pope Plus VII. wrote to the Englisl
Wears Apostolic ito encourage pee
pie to read the Holy Scriptures, TO
nothing can be more useful, more cor
soling and more animating, becaus
they serve to confirm the faith, to SUI
port the hope and to influence tn
charity of the true Christian"
In 1898 Pope Leo XIII, said in a
encyclical on the Bible: "The sole
tude of the apostolic Office naturall
urges, and even compels, us not onl
to desire that this great source @
Catholic revelation should be mad
safely and abundantly accessible t
the flock of Jesus Christ, but also NO
to suffer any attempt to defile or col
rupt it."
On December 8, 1898, the same POI
tiff granted an indulgence to all CathC
lies who will spend fifteen minutes
day in the reading of the Gospels.
I. How many persons must
present to have benediction? 2.
a priest allowed to ask a penitent'
name In confession? 8. L. it wron
for altar boys to handle or carry tn
altar stone? 4. Is a Mass said b
a worldly priest as rich in graces q
a Mass said by good pious prizes
who trys to live up to his calling?
/. There is no definite numbe
prescribed by the rubrics. Benedi,