The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-05-10

10 SItbS ITuCt WIN WCUV VOtut
Huss, SaVonarola and Calico, and why
were they put to death by the Catholic
Church? 8. What Pope ordered the
sun to stand still? 4. Would you
kindly print the Canon Laws?
1. 1t is not an easy matter for peo-
pie living in this era of religious toler-
ance to appreciate the attitude of the
Church towards heretics, that is, to-
wards those who freely accepted her
doctrines and then rebelled against her
laws and denied or perverted her
teaching. She holds, of necessity, that
heretics are in danger of eternal dam
nation unless, before the end of their
lives, they retract their heresy and be
once more incorporated with, and re-
stored to, the Catholic fold. In order
to restrain and bring back her rebel
lious sons the Church had recourse
not only to her spiritual weapons but
to the secular power at her command.
In the days when Church and State
were united the State regarded heresy
as political crime and punished it as
such, even with great cruelty and
death. Catholic rulers looked upon
heresy as destructive of the social or
der and, however much we may repro
bate the cruelty and excuses with
which they enforced their laws, we
cannot blame them for Furnishing those
whom they considered enemies of the
State. For much of this cruelty the
Church was blamed, although she was
entirely innocent. Those who were
condemned as heretics by her trib-
unals were turned over to the State
and dealt with by the State, and the
Church cannot be blamed for what
ever cruelties the State may have been
guilty of in dealing with those whom
she regarded as enemies. 2. John
Huss was native of Bohemia, where
he was born in 1869. He was ordained
in 400 and, having come under the
influence of the writings of Wyclif, in
Cured the displeasure of the Arch
bishop of Prague and of the Sovereign
Pontiff. He was finally excommuni-
Gated by the Pope for his defence of
Wyclifs teachings. In 1414 he ap-
peared before the Council of Constance
to give an account of his doctrines,
was tried. condemned, and put to
death in the year 1415 as hereto. A
few weeks ago we gave an account of
Savonarola's life and the reasons for
his condemnation by the Roman
authorities. He also was put to death,
but neither his death nor that of John
Huss can be charged directly to the
Catholic Church. Calico was a scien-
fist who persisted in trying to recon
Gle what was then believed to be the
teaching of the Bible in regard to the
suns motion with his own scientific
theory. Had he confined himself
strictly to the domain of science in
which he was leader he would un-
doubtedly have escaped the condemna-
ton passed upon him by the Roman
inquisition in the year 1888. He was
condemned to Imprisonment, though
not kept a prisoner, and finally died a
natural death in the year 1912. 8. No
Pope ever ordered the sun to stand
still. We presume you refer to the
statement made in the Bible that Josua
ordered the sun to stand still and that
it obeyed him. 4. 1t would require
very many issues of this paper to con-
tain the Canon Law of the Church
which fills many large volumes. We
can make no attempt at giving even a
synopsis of the principal laws.
1. May not the Paschal Candle be
lighted at Vespers, Benediction and
other services Of the Church? Some
years ago 1t was customary to light II
at all public services except Masses
for the Dead and several priests still
claim 1t may and have told me so, but
in this city It seems to be lighted only
at High Mass. 2. Why is the AIIeIuis
no longer said after the "Panem de
Coelo" on Corpus Christi and during
It's octave, and why should paIpabIe
omission in the Roman Ordo take pre-
cedence over the universal custom
with regard to an observance as old
as the Church itself?
1. The Paschal Candle is lighted at
all strictly liturgical church services
from Holy Saturday until after the
Gospel in the principal Mass on the
Feast of the Ascension. The following
quotation from DR.. Landings work on
''The Sacramentals' is of interest in
this connection: considerable diver.
stiy of opinion exists with regard to
the times during which the Paschal
Candle should be lighted. The follow
ing from DR.. Herdt is perhaps as
fair a summary of these opinions as
can be had, and will serve all practical
purposes. According to a decree of
the Sacred Congregation of Rites, of
May 10, 1907, it is to be lighted at
the Solemn Mass and Vespers of
Easter Sunday and on the two follow
ing days; on Easter Saturday, and on
all Sundays to the Ascension, on which
day it burns only to the end of the
Gospel, when it is finally extinguished
1t is not to be lighted on other days
or feasts celebrated within the Easter
time, unless in churches where such
a custom exists, which custom may be
continued. According to the Mem.
oriale Rituum of Benedict XIII, it is
to be lighted also on the feasts of Our
Lord, and on the feasts of precept OF
the saints occurring during the same
season. Gavantus holds it to be a
pious custom to light it during the en-.
tire octave of Easter. In the opinion