The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-02-08

the fact, saddening to see though 1t
be: now and then fellow Catholics go
from us into indifference and unbe-
lief-into open apostasy Usually, if
not always, the first step in the down
fall was the staying away from Mass
on Sunday. The hearing of Mass on
Sunday, we have said, is not the whole
law: in manner it is the whole law.
The Catholic hearing Mass every Sun
day is so strongly linked to the
Church, that not easy is the task of
severing himself from Catholic belief
and practice His act of conscious
obedience on Sunday morning builds
within him the habit of obedience to
other laws: the graces won in the
Mass strengthen him to obedience in
other instances: the words of light
and life wrapt up in the sermon ac-
companying the Mass freshen in him
the breathings, the teachings of re-
ligion. All those vivifying relations
with God and the Church, all those
comforting graces are lost to the Cath
olic who misses Mass on Sunday.
Temptation has full sway over mind
and heart Disobedience to one pre-
cept. the most meaningful and most
solemn, begets the custom of dis
obedience to all precepts. All goes
wrong in the affairs of the soul: free
dom from remorse is welcomed-free-
dom from the whole yoke of Catholic
faith.
Beyond the immediate sin of omit
ting to hear Mass on Sunday, there is
the further sin-that of scandal given
to other Catholics. In community
no one is without influence whether
for good or for evil: the example of
one is followed by others. We go to
Mass the neighbor is encouraged to
do likewise. We stay away from
Mass: the neighbor is tempted to do
likewise. The neighbor sees pallia-
ton of his sin when we, who know
as much as he knows, perhaps more
than he knows, lead thither the way.
Now one, now others stay away. The
scandal spreads: it corrupts public
opinion. Let it be once said in par
ish that public opinion tolerates the
omission of attendance at Mass on
Sunday morning, religion in that par
ish is in decay, moving rapidly to-
wards the stiffness of death.
The greater ones personal int1u-
ence in community, through wealth
or station, the deeper the evil done
by bad example. The temptation falls
| founrnd NV fortune
that religion is the badge of poverty
or of social lowness, that, were it bet
ter known, it's mandates we're seen
as less important, that wealth and
social honor imply exemption from
obedience to the sovereignty of God
and forthwith the poor and lowly
set themselves into line with wealth
and honor, in staying away from Mass
Sometimes pews are empty while
Mass is said-pews belonging to fam
lilies of the so-called higher class
Those empty pews call for vengeance
from Heaven-so baneful the example
they give to the lesser ones of the
flock. Let Catholics never forget
that gifts of Providence imply proper
tionate responsibilities, that the pos
session of social influence demands
that it be turned to account in the
spread of good example. ITO him thai
is little, mercy is granted-But 9
greater punishment is ready for the
more mighty" t9f
The Duty of Parents.
Nowhere is the evil example O.
absence from Mass on Sunday 81
pernicious, as when given by parents
to children. The parent is the mon
arch of the family, so great the infiu
ence of parenthood over childhood
Insensibly, unconsciously, yet mos
effectively, the task is done-the for
nation of childhood to the image AM
likeness of the parent. This is par
ticularly true in the matter of religion
And to childhood is given the scanda
, of disobedience to the prime duty o
religion, the hearing of Mass on Sun
day. To the parent from whom sucl
scandal comes, I rehearse the word
of the Saviour: "It were better for him
that a milestone were hanged abou
his neck, and he be cast into the sea
than that he should scandalize on
of those little ones" At the dawn O
Sunday morning, let father an
mother speak that Mass must b
heard-and, quickly, father an
mother leading the way, let all hurr
into the presence of the Eucharist
Victim. Years pass: children groV
: into manhood and womanhood: tn
echo of the voice of father and mothe
has not died away: the journey t
the altar has not faded from memory
: The child, now the man or woman
may have bent beneath the storm
Yet, there is hope: the remembrance
of the home of childhood remains
: the influence of father and mothe
: remains. The parent staying ava
from Mass, the child stays away: tn
! parent has not the courage to con
mand obedience, where he himse
disobeys. If still he does command
q the word is sheer hypocrisy: an
: while, perhaps, the child obeys nnde
L constraint, he looks forward to tn
+ time when constraint will cease, an
q he will be free to do as father
mother had been wont to do-sta
t away from Mass. To the parent ne
- L.