The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-10-31

pythias and receive the Sacraments?
l. A Socialist in the strict sense of
the word cannot be a Catholic, and
Catholic cannot be a Socialist The
fundamental principle of Socialism is
economic determinism and this inn
plies materialism in philosophy, rela-
tivity in ethics, and in religion agnos-
ticism, Read the chapter on Social
ism and Religion" in Socialism:
Promise or Menace by the Rev. John
A. Ryan, d. D., and Morris Hillquit,
and you will see how true is the avow-
al of Hillquit that there is little likeli-
hood of hearty understanding and ac-
tive cooperation between Socialism
and the Catholic Church so long as
both remain as they are. Now the
Catholic Church cannot change; but it
is possible for Catholic to give up his
belief in God, in the immortality of
the soul, the sanctity of marriage,
etc, etc, Such an apostate, of course,
cannot receive the Sacramento until
lac RECEIVERS the Faith he has lost. A
Catholic may be hoodwinked by Social
list tactics into thinking that he need
not abandon his Faith i'll order to be-
come good Socialist. But even in
that case he may be ready to join
hands i'm the schemes of spoliation
which Socialists are ready to carry
through, as opportunity arises, in or
der to bring about the social revolu-
ton they desire. He may be ready to
join in reasonable designs against le-
ultimate authority. In that case, too,
he Is engaged i'll sinful course of
action, which he must be prepared to
abandon before he can receive absolu-
ton. Moreover, he is in constant dam
ger of losing his faith from the insid
ious attacks that are made upon it by
the Socialist voice and pen; and this
danger he must flee if he would be alb
solved. To be sure, Catholic may be
so utterly ignorant as to imagine that
the Socialists are only a political
party that tries to advance the inter
ests of the working man. In his bliss
full ignorance he is no atheist, no ad-
VOcate of Free Love, Spoliation, Revo-
luton. His ignorance saves him from
guilt. But when his confessOr points
out to him the real state of the case
he must be ready to abandon the So
cialiSt body, else he cannot receive
the Sacramento. 2. On the goth of
August, 1894, the Congregation of the
Holy Office issued a Decree to the
Hierarchy of the United States in
which were condemned by name the
three orders of the Odd Fellows, the
Sons of Temperance and the Knights
of Pythias. The Decree of the Holy
Office says: The Bishops must en-
deavor by all means to keep the
faithful from joining all and each of
the three aforesaid societies and
warn the faithful against them, and
if, after proper admonition they still
determine to be members of these So
cieties or do not effectually separate
themselves from them, they are to be
forbidden the reception of the Sacra-
ments." A Decree of January IS, 1896,
allows the Apostolic Delegate at
Washington to take into special con-
sideration a case in which the four
First, that the society was entered in
good faith, that is, in ignorance of it's
condemnation and unlawful charac-
ter; Second, that there be no scandal
given by Catholic remaining affiliat-
cd with it; Third, that serious tenn
poral injury would result from with
drawal; and, Fourth, there be no dam
ger of perversion, In such a case
the Delegate may, if he sees fit, allow
the person in question to remain af-
ftliated to the knights of Pythias; but
he usually requires promise from
him that he will not attend meetings
or frequent the lodge rooms, that the
dues be sent in by mail or by third
party, and that in case of death the
society will have nothing to do with
the funeral. The archbishops of the
United States are now authorized to
give the dispensation formerly resery-
ed to the Apostolic Delegate.
In a recent number of the Bulletin
you stated that the Inspiration Of the
Bible is proved from the authority of
the Church. But how do you prove
the authority of the Church? Is it not
from the inspired Bible? You must
assume that the Bible is inspired be.
fore you can show that the Church
has authority. cannot believe in the
Church unless | believe first that the
Bible is the Word Of God.
You disagree with about the best
and ablest man who ever spent his
life in studying the Bible and who is
respected by all Christian denomina
tions: that is, st. Augustine, who
said: Il would not believe the Bible
unless first believed in the Church.
One does not need to know the Bible
is inspired in order to know that the
Catholic Church is the true Church
According to the Vatican Council the
Catholic Church is her own best eyi
dence: she is standing miracle, con
sidered in her teachings, her unity
her means of grace, the holiness Of
SO many of her children in all ages
the benefits she confers upon man
kind, the constant and humanity insup
cradle difficulties she successfully con
tends with, etc. One need not oper
the Bible at all in order to get this
argument. 1t appeals with particular
force to Catholics who correspond
with the grace of God They know
their spiritual mother, the Church