The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-09-05
Is not war un-Christian? Can there
be such thing as just war?


war. But certain conditions are neces-
sary before war is justified. First,
the supreme authority of nation and
it alone has the right to declare war
upon another nation. There are ex-
ceptional cases in which the supreme
authority is forfeited by the persons
in whom it was vested, in which
cases also it may be lawful for the
people to have recourse to arms if
necessary in order to deprive the
tyrants of the power they abuse. Such
case created the United States of
America. Secondly, there must be
just and an adequate cause. Modern
war especially causes enormous evil,
loss and suffering. 1t can be justified
only by good of corresponding magni-
tude. The good to be gained must
not be capable of being gained in
any other way consistent with nation
al honor and justice. War must be
the only way in which it can be
gained. Following are some causes
that justify war in this sense: Unjust
invasion by a foreign power; enormous
its citizens or representatives, which
the unjust foreigner obstinately re-
fuses to make good; fragrant violation
of treaties, bringing with it serious
loss to the nation aggrieved; oppres-
sion by foreign ruler of his own
subjects in circumstances in which the
latter are justified in having recourse
to arms-so France helped this coun-
try against King George III. Thirdly,
right intention, right frame of
mind is essential. One ought to de-
plore the necessity of the appeal to
arms, and aim only at the promotion
or restoration of rights, the repression
and punishment of wrong. Mere ra-
cial hate, mere racial pride and vanity,
mere lust for gold or for dominion,
vitiates the act of fighting for ones
country which might otherwise be law
full and even laudabIe. With these
three conditions accurately verified,
war becomes lawful. For it is often the
only way in which a nation can defend
its rights or it's very existence. Ma
tions do not trust one another now
adays sufficiently to recognize tri
bunal of arbitration for all interna-
tional disputes. Strong nations will
fully trample under foot sacred trea-
ties when only weak nations seem to
stand in the way. 1t is we'll to note
however, that it is extremely difficult
for anybody outside the inner circles
of diplomacy to pronounce with any
kind of defniteness upon the lawful
ness or unlawfulness of any particular
war. For various reasons some good,
some bad, all the really important
data are yelled in diplomatic secrecy
Then rigorous censorship of the
press withholds all real news;
whereas, it stimulates INSCRIPTIONS
writer's to assign motives, invent
battles, defeats, victories, and so
on, for the single purpose of getting
your penny and mine. Just now we
Americans need great GOODNESS and
calmness in order to carry out the
Presidents wise counsel of neutrality,
and wholesome distrust of the SEN
sational press is quite essential if we
are to keep cool.
How may one gain the pIenary In
diligence at the hour of death?
To gain this Indulgence, one should
receive the sacraments, or, if one can
not do this, one should at least be
Contrite. He should invoke the Holy
Name of Jesus at least in his heart, |
if he cannot do so by word of mouth
He should accept death in submission
to Gods will and in atonement for his
sins. The presence of priest is not
necessary for the gaining of the in
diligence, unless the indulgence is |
one that is to be applied by priest |
and by him alone in virtue of the
power which he holds by delegation |
from the bishop or of the Pope. This
is the case when there is question |
of the Apostolic Benediction Tin ar
tiCulo norris" In this case the priest |
should endeavor to excite the sick |
person to contrition, if he does not |
confess. 1t does not appear that even
contrition is vigorously required as
condition to gain this indulgence
of the Apostolic Benediction, though, |
of course it gives greater security that |
the person is in the state of grace, |
which is absolutely necessary to gain
any indulgence. The presence of the
priest is advisable in every case so
that the dying person may get all the
help possible in securing the proper |
dispositions. The priest will explain
simply in so far as time may allow
and as may be necessary, the efficacy
of the Indulgence he is about to inn
part, and will exhort the dying person
to be patient and resigned to the will
of God in his sufferings, and to be
ready to accept death itself in salts |
faction for his sins and as a punish |
ment deserved by them. This pa |
thence, resignation, and acceptance of |
death form the disposition on which |
the Pope who granted this indulgence
of the Apostolic Benediction chiefly
insists.
To gain this indulgence attached to |
rosaries, crosses, medals, ETC., it is
enough to take the blessed object in
the hand, or to have it about or near
the person, while making the acts pre-
scribed-contrition, charity, resigna-
ton, invocation of the Sacred Name |
of Jesus with the heart, if not with |