The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-10-07

does not aSsail any matter OF FaIth
or Morals?
The political government of any
country is subject to the wishes of
the people. Civil authority comes
from God through the voice of the
people. If socialism could be restrict
ed to matters purely political, with
out infringing unjustly upon any
natural or spiritual right of the in
dividual, or family, the Catholic
Church would make no fight against
it. According to the theories gener-
ally adopted by Socialists, however,
many rights both natural and spirit
ual of the individual and family re
ceiVe but little consideration, once
socialism has an opportunity to assert
itself. Witness, for instance, its work
in France. The natural rights of par.
entS to give to their children q re-
All must accept the teaching estab-
lished by Socialists even though their
teaching denied such elementary
truths as love for ones country.
Confiscated church property, desecrat-
eG churches, priests and nuns eXiled
from their native land at the COM
mand of Socialism do not encourage
us to believe that the same system in
this country would respect i~nviolably
either u natural or spiritual life.
The collective ownership of the
means of production and distribution
of wealth is a favorite doctrine Of
the Socialist, that in itself would
not seem to entail any necessary m
ftict with the natural or spiritual
rights of man. But to establish such
a system, without making due COM
pensation for any property obtained
from the individual would not in u
mind differ from robbery. But wen
this theory implies a denial of the
natural right of the individual to pos
Sess private property. 1t is true in
dividuals have voluntarily relinquish-
cd all possession of earthly goods;
but this is vastly different. from
alternating themselves from the right
itself to possess property. 1t is this
natural right that socialism denies.
For they claim all property, lands,
stores, industries, everything must be
the property of the State. The in
dividual will not own even the shoes
TN his feet given to him by the State.
In all things he would be only the
creature of the State.
Many theories of government adj
Nocatcd as SOCialistic, such as state
control Of natural sources of wealth,
mines, water power, etc, or of the
more general industries, railroads,
telegraph, telephone and such like, are
no in any way essentially a part of
socialism. Those who are in SYM
patty with such democratic move
ments are perfectly free, according
10 Catholic teaching, to follow their
own judgment. But we insist that
Socialism. as authoritatiyely given to
this world by it's great teachers, is,
IN deed aud in truth, radically differ
ent from questions of merely govern
mental reform, 1t subyerts the whole
order established by the Creator.
Some priests do not give the bless
ing or general absolution to the faith
full before giving Holy Communion at
a low Requiem Mass-others do
which arc correct?
When a person is to receive Holy
Communion during Mass he should
approach the Communion rail shortly
before the priest receives Holy Com
munion and while kneeling on the
floor near the rail he should say the
"COniitcOr." After he has received
the Body and Blood of Christ, the
priest turns partly towards the peo-
pic and gives what is called the gen
eral ab~solution, the words of which
are the ordinary ending of the Con
fiteor. May Almighty God be merci-
ful to you, forgive you your sins and
bring you to everlasting life May
the Almighty and merciful God grant
you pardon, absolution and remission
of your sins" While saying the lat
ter prayer the priest makes the sign of
the cross over the people. Those who
are to receive should then rise, genu-
fleet and kncel on the step nearest to
the railing. This order is appointed
i'll the liturgy of the Church and
should be observed whenever Holy
Communion is distributed during
Mass, whether the Mass be a Requiem
Mass or one of a festival.
When Holy Communion is dis
tributed outside of Mass, the priest
after returning to the altar says some
specified prayers and then blesses the
people. 1t this should be done before
or after a Requiem Mass this bless
ing is omitted. 1t is this point that
the inquirer probably had in mind.
Why does the priest bless the water
and not the wine before he puts them
into the chalice?
The priest puts into the wine that
he is to use for conservation a very
small quantity of water, which as the
question implies is previously blessed.
The quantity of water is so small
that its identify is lost when it. be-
comes mingled with the wine. For
this reason the water is blessed be-
fore it is put into the chalice. The
wine, however, is blessed again and
again during the Mass as the words of
the Mass in every prayerbook will
clearly tell us; at the Offertory of
the Mass, for instance, and at the
Canon of the Mass.