The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-03-27

of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Now,
Good Friday happens to be the first
Friday in April and | cannot receive
on that day, thereby causing break in
my noVena. In such a case. can
substitute Communion on the first
Sunday of the month or, for that mat
ter, on any other day instead of that
of the first Friday, or will have to
begin over again? Was there ever
published any decree from Rome con-
corning this matter? If so, ! would be
pleased to learn the date of said de-
cree.
AS far as we have been able to learn
there is no decree from Rome in re-
gard to first Friday Communions in
honor of the Sacred Heart. While it
is true that the promises made to Sis
ter Margaret Mary Alacoque require
the reception of Holy Communion on
the first Friday of nine consecutive
months, there is pretty general opin-
ion that whenever the first Friday
falls on Good Friday, as it does this
year, one may omit that month alto
gether and receive Holy Communion
on the first Friday of the following
month without breaking the sequence
1t is maintained by some that the re-
ception of Holy Communion on the
Friday following the first Friday will
satisfy the requirements of the case
1t would seem that one cannot main
tain the series of first Fridays un-
broken by receiving Holy Communion
on the following Sunday. Those who
are not satisfied with this will have
to start the nine Fridays over again;
but it would seem that the opinion
which says that one may receive Holy
Communion on the first Friday of the
following month without breaking the
series is well founded In this con-
nection the following passages are of
interest:
las Communion has to be made dur
ing nine consecutive months the No
vena of the Nine First Fridays must
be recommended if there should be an
interruption in the series of these nine
Fridays, unless such interruption be
Occasioned by Good Fridays falling on
the first Friday. In this case, it will be
sufficient to prolong the Fridays one
month. (Catechisme de la devotion au
Sacre-Coeur, par un chapelain de Mont
martre, 1902, p. 257)
1.-THE omission of Communion of
Good Friday when it is the first Fri
day of April, is lawful. The series of
nine Fridays is not interrupted, and
we have only to continue one month
longer to make up the full number of
Fridays. The obstacle comes in such
a case from law of the Church, and
not from any special hindrance."
CAmi du Clerge," 1908, p. 956; 1901,
p. 205.)
Is it necessary to mediate on the
mysteries of the Rosary in order to
gain the indulgence on each bead of
the Rosary?
To gain the indulgence for the reci-
tation of the Rosary as ordinarily UNI
derstood meditation must accompany
each separate decade. The subject
of meditation is the mystery which is
concentrated during that decade.
Those who find it difficult to mediate
or who mediate but poorly, should
have at least the intention of meditat-
ing on the mysteries of the Rosary
One rule laid down by ancient writer's
is that of considering on each Hail
Mary a separate point connected with
the mystery. In this. method the
CT -.
rated in the Holy Scriptures may be
dwelt on as giving a fresh meaning to
the truth presented for consideration.
To gain the Bridgittine and the Gro
zier indulgences no meditation on the
mysteries of the Rosary is required.
Where can old postage stamps be
sent, and what use is made of them?
Old postage stamps may be sent to
st. Marys Mission House, Techny,
ILL.,; White African Fathers, 81 RAM
part Street, Quebec, Canada; Brother
Justinian, Notre Dame University,
Notre Dame, Ind. In regard to the
use made of old postage stamps it
may be stated that the rarer old and
foreign stamps are sold to collectors
and the ordinary ones to European
dealers at the rate of fifteen cents a
pound. Old stamps are used for or
namental purposes, for manufacturing
pictures, making shades and various
kinds of decorative work.
If a person confessed murder to a
priest without giving himself up to a
court of Justice, and an innocent per-
son were convicted on circumstantiaI
evidence for the same murder and sent
to prison for life, would the priest be
justified in remaining silent?
Yes, there are no circumstances un.
der which a priest is allowed to break
the seal of confession by making
known any sin confessed by peni.
tent. Even il he knew, through the
confessional, that an innocent man
were to be hanged for murder, he dare
not make known the fact that he was
aware of his innocence. This is the
safeguard which the faithful have
when they go to confession. They
know that, no matter how grievous the
sins they confess, the priest will not
in any way, by word or action, disclose
the information which he received in
the confessional.
A friend of mine claims that it il
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