The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-07-17
Is II wronq to attend picnics for the

1t is always wrong to tell lie AS
Catholics we know that any other
than the Catholic Church is false
church. To give our approval by our
moral or financial support of a false
church is evidently the same thing as
to tell lie and do so in a matter or
religion. To remain away from such
sociables might be interpreted by
some as uncharitable, particularly
after the members of the same Prot
estant Church have attended Catholic
sociables at the invitation of their
Catholic friends. In reality, however,
the course proposed is truly charitable.
1t will be the highest act of charity If
by this means we can teach non-Cath-
olics that there is only one true
Church, namely the Catholic Church.
Eor is it inconsistent for the Catholics
20 invite the non-Catholics to church
socisbles. BY attending these the
Protestant is supporting the truth. He
is also, according to the principles of
his creed, free to follow his own judg-
ment in all matters of faith.
Is it wrong to attend funerals in
Protestant churches out of respect for
the relatives of the deceased?
1t is always wrong to approve OF
what is false If by our presence at
a funeral in Protestant church we
give our assent to the false worship,
we have denied the faith; or, if our
presence there is understood by the
others present to be an approval of the
worship, such an act also would be a
denial of the Faith. On the other
hand, if it is a custom that is gen
orally understood to be only mark of
sympathy for the relatives and of
respect for the deceased, and of the
Catholic attends the funeral with those
motives he is not approving by act nor
by intention, what he knows to be
false.
How are the trustees of parish
legally elected? If the people cannot
elect these trustees, is one bound to
support the church?
The statutes of the Diocese of st.
Paul and the laws of the State of Min
nesota, require that of the five Direct
ors of a parish there shall be the
Bishop, Vicar General, and the pastor.
These three choose two others lay
men-who hold Office for two years.
In order that the ex-officio members of
the Board may more clearly know the
wishes of the parishioners and be able
to do more for the general welfare of
the parish, it is generally permitted
that the people come together and ex-
press their choice of several parish
toner's from among whom the ex-officio
members select two. The number
chosen by the members of the parish
may be two or many. In neither case,
however, is the election made directly
by the people. To support the Church
is a matter of conscience; the State
does not, and indeed cannot, accord
ing to the Federal Constitution, levy
any tax for the support of religious
worship. The law of justice, however,
would require that he who received
the benefit of religion contribute to
the support of religion. 1t is not a
question of taxation with or without
representation. 1t is giving of your
material goods in justice to those from
whom you receive spiritual goods.
When and by whom was the Sew
enth-day Adventist religion started?
The Adventists comprise six re
ligious sects, the Sev9nth-day Advent.
lists being one of these six. The Oldest
branch of this society was founded in
1881, by William Miller. This man
judged that the prophecies of the
Scriptures should be fulfilled accord
ing as he interpreted them. From his
reading he concluded that Christ
should come a second time into the
world and that He should rule as
temporal Sovereign for a thousand
years. Mr.. Miller announced the
year in which Christ would come,
namely, 1S43. The name of the sect
expresses its chief teaching, that is,
the coming, the Advent of Christ. This
religion, founded by Mr.. Miller, divided
into different branches, one of which,
as was said, is the Seventh-day Ad-
ventists. The chief spirit of this
branch was E. G. White. 1t was or
ganized as an independent body in
1S45. Their chief tenet is that we
should observe the seventh day as a
day of rest, or the sabbath day.
Can person marry the first cousin
of his first cousin?
Harry Brown and Mary Smith wish
to marry. Harry's mother is sister
to Mary's uncle. They both are first
cousins of Whites, as Mr.. White is a
brother to Mrs. Brown, and Mrs. White
a sister to Mrs Smith.
Harry is a nephew in consanguinity
of Mary's father since her father is a
brother of Harry's aunt, Mrs. White.
A similar relationship exists between
Mary and Harrys mother, for a SINH
lar reason. This would bring the two
within the second degree of kindred,
or first cousins. The Church has
established an impeachment to matri-
mony between those within the fourth
degree of kindred in consanguinity.
This impeachment evidently holds in
the case presented.
Is the Y. M. C. A. forbidden So
clety?
The Church has not enacted any
positive law prohibiting Catholics from