The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-02-28


If so, was he convert to our faith?
2. On what grounds does the Church
forbid a man marrying his deceased
wlfe's sister? 8. If Freemasonry is
against all religions, why does it not
cause the separation of church and
state in Protestant countries like Ger
many, Scotland and England? 4. Is
it wrong to christen a child in baptism
and give him the name "Jesus"? |
see by the daily papers some Mexican
names like this.
/. We have been unable to find
anything about the religious belief of
Ericsson. Perhaps some of our read
ers can supply this information. 2. In
a very recent issue we answered this
question as follows: Because of the
relationship which exists between
a husband and the blood relations
of his wife, or between wife and
the blood relations of her hus-
band This relationship is the foun-
dation of the impediment known
as affinity which makes lawful mar
riage between a man or woman and
the relations of a deceased wife or
husband null and void even to the
fourth degree of kindred. Since this
impediment is an ecclesiastical one
the Church can dispense from it in a
particular case if there be good and
sufficient reason for doing so. 8.
Freemasonry is against all religions
only in so far as it sets itself up
as a religious sect. But this assump-
ton of authority in the domain of re-
ligion does not bring it into conflict
with any of the sects, whereas it does
set it in direct opposition to the Cath
Ollie Church. Freemasonry has never
been condemned by any religious de-
nomination except the Catholic Church
and hence it has no quarrel with Prot
estantism, but works hand in glove
with it, This is the reason it makes no
effort to bring about separation OF
church and state in Protestant coun-
tries. It's activity in this regard is
confined to countries where Catholi-
cism is the religion of the state. Free
masonry has nothing to fear from
Professionalism, nor has Professionalism
anything to fear from Freemasonry.
4. Reverence for the sacred name of
Jesus forbids it's use as a Christian
or other is not uncommon in some
Catholic nations. Nor was this name
uncommon in the time of our Lord
and before His day. It is the same
as Joshua. This was the name of the
son of Noun who led the Israelites
into the land of promise; and it was
the name of the son of Josedec who,
with Zorobabel, led them back from
the Babylonian captivity.
In regard to the marriage of EIean-
or of Aquitaine to Henry II. of Eng
land in 1852, have noticed in several
histories that Eleanor is referred to
as the divorced" wife of Louis VII.
of France. Knowing the stand the
Church takes in regard to divorce, |
did not see how this was possible,
particularly at time when all West
ern Europe was Catholic. thought
that perhaps the Catholic Encyclopedia
would explain this, and turned to
"France" in Vol. vi, page 1857. Under
"France'-"History, to the Third Re-
public" found this statements: "The
divorce of Louis VII. and Eleanor Of
Aquitaine (1152) married the ascend
ency of French influence by paving
the way for the growth of Anelo-Nor-
man pretentions on the soil of France
from the channel to the Pyrennes."
There is no further explanation Of
why the word divorce" was used
here. And there are no extenuating
circumstances mentioned which would
explain how 1t came about. There is
also another passage in the Catholic
Encyclopedia which puzzled me. Under
"Henry II. King of England" (Vol. VII.
page 221) read this passage: "When
nineteen he married Eleanor of Aqui-
taine, the divorced wife of Louis VII.
of France, and secured her Inheritance
;" Even here we have no fur
Their explanation Of this, to me, as
founding statement. Louis VII. died
in 1880 and Eleanor and Henry II.
were married in 1852. Therefore,
Louis could not have been dead when
EIeanor's second marriage took place.
I take It for granted, Of course, that
there is a valid explanation OF this
divorce" of Eleanor and Louis, but
I was rather surprised to find the
Catholic Encyclopedia using express
ions ! had read in Protestant histories
and giving no further explanation.
The question is not taken up under
divorce" either. Can YOU help me
out of the difficulty?
AS far as we have been able to as
certain the facts of the case, it seems
that Eleanor of Aquitaine was married
to King Louis VII. of France (1137-8O),
apparently in all validity. They lived
together as husband and wife for a
number of years and children were
born to them. The conduct of the
Princess, however, was not above re-
proach, and that may have aroused
thoughts of divorce in the mind OF
the King. Still, as late as 1149 Pope
Eugenius III. (1145-53) effected rec
onciliation between them and de
clared their marriage absolutely valid
and forbade them, under pain of ex
communication, to seek a dissolution OF
it. Only few years after this, in 1852
a synod was held in a place called
Beaugency, in France, at which were