The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-09-12

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I, Why are Catholic services
called: Mass, Vespers and Benedic-
ton? 2. What is the meaning of |.
II. S. and N. r. l.?
L. The Eucharistic Sacrifice upon
the affairs of the Catholic Church is
called Mass, from the Latin word
Missa. The derivation of this word
is obscure. 1t was used as early as
the second century. In the first CEN
turtles of the church it was customary
TO dismiss the Catechumens after the
gospel. The Latin for dismissal is
"missio." Thus the word missa
gradually came to be used for all the
ceremonies between the dismissal of
the Catechumens and that of the faith
full at the end of Mass, when the
priest turned to the congregation with
the words lite, missa est, as is done
to this day. st. Bonaventura derives
it from another meaning of the word
"missio," sending. He says: First
of all God sends His Son down to
uB upon the altar, then the Church
sends Him up to the Father, to make
interCession for sinners" The word
Vespers is also derived from the Latin
and means evening. The Vespers are
the evening part of the Divine Office,
the official prayer of the Church.
BenedictiOn means blessing. At
Benediction the priest blesses the peo-
pie with the Blessed Sacrament. 2.
!. H. S. is used for the Holy Name
of Jesus. In the Greek language
these three letters are the first three
letters of the Holy Name. 1t is in
teresting to know, as some writer's
claim, that it was used originally as
the initials of the words I'm hoe signo
vinCes, by this sign thou shalt
conquer" the words shown to Con
stantine in his vision. The letter V
was placed beneath the ]. II. S. In
the course of time, placing the cross
above the H, and changing the V into
representation of the three nails,
it was made TO mean Jesus Homi-
mum Salvador Saviour of
men. The letters l. n. r. |. are the
initials of the Latin inscription, placed
upOn the cross of Our Lord by PLATE,
Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum,"
Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.
What is the meaning of the cere-
mony of Kissing the Pope's Feet?
The ceremony of kissing the
Pope's feet" is mark of homage
prescribed by papaI etiquette to be
performed by the Cardinals and others
attending a conclave, Immediately
after the election of Pope, and
later by the faithful when presented
to him in private audience. 1t is
the remnant of an eastern custom
which became common throughout
the Roman empire, and was offered
to both civil and celestial author
tiles. Emperors, patriarchs and Bish-
ops as well as Popes received it.
Supreme Pontiffs have frequently be-
slowed this mark of honor upon
kings and emperors and have re-
Ceived it from such men as Justin,
Jusinian, Luitprand, Pepin, Charlie
magne and Charles V. In the latter
part of the middle ages the custom
of kissing the feet of sovereigns and
Bishops fell into disuse. 1t has been
retained, however, for the Vicar of
Christ. In his case, of course, the
feet are not actually kissed. More
over, to show that the honor is offered
not to his person, but to his office
as representative of Christ, a cross
of gold is set in the top of the slip
per which he wears upon his right
foot and this cross is kissed. Gen
orally even this is prevented by the
Pope. When he receives upon his
throne, which is not often, the person
being received kneels at the foot of
the throne and bends forward to kiss
the cross, but is usually raised to
his feet by the Pontiff's hand. Should
he be permitted, however, to kiss that
sacred emblem, it would surely be
no humiliation but a privilege, and
to show thus his submission to
Christ's authority would be an honor.
What is the difference between the
Roman Catholic Church and the Holy
Catholic Church, in which all Protes-
tants profess their belief when they
repeat the Apostles Creed?
The true Holy Catholic Church is
the whole body of Christians unit d
under their legitimate head, the Pope.
The Holy Catholic Church in which
Professionals believe varies according
to the opinions of each individual
Protestant. High Church people con-
slider the Holy Catholic Church to be
made up of all Episcopal bodies
throughout the world; Low Church
people and Non-conformists generally
agree with the Anglican Prayer Book
in identifying "all who profess and
call themselves Christians" with the
Catholic Church-though some few
would still exclude the Roman"
Catholic Church from their definitions
Others, apparently, would make the
Catholic Church include all who pro-
fess any form whatever of religious
belief.