The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-01-08


discuss the question?
The assertion has been made in
certain quarters and, as We shall
afterwards see, by those who are igno-
rant OF history, that at the second
Council of Macon held in France in
A. D. 5S5, this question formed the
subject of discussion and that the gem
cral verdict was that woman did not
possess a soul. Every intelligent
person is aware that no such aues-
ton was ever seriously discussed in
any learned assembly and above all
in any Council of the Church. What,
then, is the supposed foundation for
this fable which, from time to- time,
makes its appearance in bigoted
publications where it is rehashed by
the enemies of the Church?
First of all, let it be well under
stood that the official acts of the
second Council OF Macon, as recorded
by Mansi in his monumental work on
the Councils of the Church, contains
not q single line or word which could
even remotely be construed in favor
of this ridiculous allegation. On
the contrary, the canons OF the
Council referring to woman and her
rights take for granted her equality
with man as far as the soul is con-
cerned. There is not even the
semblance Of doubt that woman
possesses a soul in the same sense
that man is endowed with a soul
What then is the source of this
fable? After relating the official acts
of the Council Of Macon, Mansi
records certain annotations made
after the Council and at a much later
date by different commentators.
Among these annotations is one to the
effect that a certain Bishop attending
the Council was censured by the
others for saying that the generic
term, man, (homo in the Latin)
could not be applied to women. He
was convinced Of the error of his
view by the arguments of the others
who pointed out to him that in the
Old Testament it is said that God
created man to his own image. .....
male and female he created them"
(Gen. /, 27), thus applying the same
word man to both man and woman.
Furthermore, our Saviour is called
the Son of man. although he was
born of woman. Many other
reasons were also addueed to con-
vince the Bishop that his statement
was not in keeping with the truth.
This, and this alone, is the incident
on which the enemies of the Church
base their statement that the Fathers
of the Council of Macon, actually
decided that woman had no soul
Such are the flimsy foundations on
which bigotry erects the superstruc-
ture of false charges and calumnies
which it makes against the Catholic
Church,
Mention some Catholic hospitals
that are also training schools for
nurses.
ST. Josephs Hospital, St Paul,
Mimi; st. Mary's Hospital, Mime
apolis, Mimi; ST. Mary's Hospital, Ro-
chester MINI; St Lukes Hospital,
Aberdeen, s. d.; Our Lady of Lourdes
Hospital, Hot Springs, S. d., st. Johns
Hospital, Fargo, N. D., st. Michaels
Hospital, Grand Forks, n. d., St.
Raphaers Hospital, st. Cloud, Mimi.
Are priests ever allowed to say Mass
when not fasting7
The obligation OF fasting before re-
ceiving Holy Communion both for
priest and people is based on a law of
the Church. Theologians who interpret
for MS the mind of the Church in re-
gard to these laws, how far and I'M
der what circumstances the law is
binding, tell us that in some cases a
priest is exempt from this obligation.
For instance, if priest has become i'll
after the conservation, and is unable
TO continue the Mass, another priest
who may not be fasting should com
plete the sacrifice Again it is pos
sible that priest accidently may have
broken his fast on Sunday, and the
people are expecting Mass In this
case it is generally conceded that a
non.fasting priest may celebrate Mass
not only that the people may fulfill
the obligation of assisting at the Mass
on Sunday but that any probable scan.
dial resulting from his failure to say
Mass, may be avoided A non-fasting
priest is also allowed to say Mass in
order to administer the Viaticum to a
person in danger of death.
Will you kindly inform me if there
is any decree to the effect that the
prayers at the end of Mass can be
omitted in Masses of Requiem al
funerals or on the seventh or thirtieth
day or on the occasion of an ami.
Versary Mass when the dissolution is
given Immediately after the Mass
and also after low Mass when 5ene
diction of the Blessed Sacrament i'm
mediately follows?
The following reply is taken from
the November issue of the "Ecclesias
teal Review and may be regarded
as authoritative: To the general
decree issued by Leo XIII, prescrib
ing the recitation of certain prayers
at the end of low Mass, there are sew
eral exceptions: CD by a decree On
3697) of the Sacred Congregation Of
Rites, dated December, 1881, con
ventual Mass of the Capuchins may
in this respect, be considered {
Solemn Mass, and the prayers ma.
he omitted. 10Y nv q dpprna IN AH710