The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-12-02

ana relatives in this world Will De
sanctified and perfected in heaven.
Though Our Lord tells us we must
have more love for Him than for any
other, even our dearest relatives; yet,
He commands us to love them and this
command He will not change when we
are in His presence in heaven. This
love indeed will be purified and in.
tensified in the fire of that love which
is God Himself.
Is a person sure of salvation if
priest prepares him for death?
One who worthily receives the sacra-
ments that the priest administers to
one in danger of death, the sacraments
namely, of Penance, Holy Eucharist,
and Extreme Unction, and avoids
grievous sin thereafter is sure of sal
walton. The most essential condition
for worthily receiving any or all of
these sacraments is a sincere re-
pentance for having offended God.
Is it wrong to wait a week or two
before fulfilling the penance enjoined
by the priest in confession?
The penance that our confessor
gives us to do is an integral part of
the sacrament of penance, and there
fore it should not be unreasonably
detached from the essential parts of
the sacrament. Besides, the penance
thus enjoined has sacramento
efficacy in removing the temporal
punishment that God generally holds
against us after He has forgiven us
the guilt and eternal punishment due
to mortal sin. To delay performing
the obligation put upon us allows for
the same length of time, the temporal
punishment to rest over us. Again, the
penance should not be delayed lest
mortal sin be again committed and
then even so good work would secure
no spiritual reward from God; for, no
one who is in mortal sin can do any
thing that will entitle him to any merit
in heaven.
Is there not some place in the
Eastern States where one can send a
dollar for which taper will be burned
before an altar or statue as prayer to
secure some favor?
1t is possible that such places exist,
but we are not acquainted with them.
Catholic faith teaches that the sacri-
flee of the Mass is the best prayer that
can be offered to God. If you ask your
pastor to do so he will offer the Mass
for your intention.
Is there any prayer that one may say
to help one in examinations and such
like difficulties?
The best prayer that we know for
this or any other good work is to
assist at Mass and worthily to, re-
ceive Holy Communion. If this should
be impossible any prayers sanctioned
by the Church may be said for any
good purpose. God will know the
wishes of our heart.
Can you tell me through the Cues
ton Box Columns where | can pro-
cure an impartial History of Ireland?
The standard history Of Ireland is
Father D'Alton's six volume History,
which for your purpose would prob
ably be too large. An ideal combina-
ton would be: THE Making of Ire
land and It's Undoing' by Mrs. A. S.
Green, together with The History of
the Commercial Relations Between
England and Ireland" by Miss A. E.
Murray. The former volume covers
the period 1200-1600, and the latter
from the Restoration downward. If
you wish to study later rather than
earlier Irish history we recommend
Mrs. A~S. Green's Irish Nationality"
which costs about soc, together with
"'The Irish Orators" by G. G. Bowers
Mrs. Green's little book is a short re-
view of Irish history while Mr.. Bow
ers' concentrates on the history OF
ireland during the last century and a
half. Copies of 1.-THE Irish Orators, -
may be had for SITS by mail from the
A. o. H. Chairman of Irish History,
Quebec Bank Building, Winnipeg.
He would probably also obtain for
you a copy of Mrs. Green's Irish Ma
tionality." All the foregoing works
except the first are by non atholics.
is person obliged to spend half an
hour in pious meditation before receiV-
ing Holy Communion?
No. The length of time required to
enable one to be properly prepared
for the reception of the Holy Eucha-
rist can not be rigidly defined. What
might be sufficient time for one per-
son might not be long enough for an
other.
What is the best thing to do If a
person is worried as to whether he
has made good confession?
He should consult his confessor.
Does not the Church teach that men
and women are equal? Why then
does she not endorse the ballot for
women?
In all that regards the dignity of
the person men and women are equal
Beyond this no two human beings are
equal. ST. Paul teaches that in the
household woman should be subject to
the husband (Eph. v. 23). The State
is made up of families, and from that
it would seem that it is the men that
should run the government. However,
the business of the Church is not
politics, but to save souls, and conse-