The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-03-04

The law of the church forbids us, UNI
der pain of grievous sin, to eat meat
on Friday. If a person is i'll, or I'M
able to obtain sufficient other nour-
ishment to sustain life, he is, OF course,
exempt from the law; for, the Church
does not impose this law at so great a
sacrifice. Further, theologianS tell us
that this law admits of lightneSS of
matter; that is, if one ate very small
quantity OF meat he would be guilty
OF venial sin; but, not necessarily of
a mortal sin. However, one who has
any love for God does not try and
avoid only mortal sin, he tries to avoid
all sin. 1t is difficult to fancy that
Catholic would be in doubt as to the
general law of abstinence on Friday
or, that it is binding under grave pen
atty. We presume that the points just
mentioned are the ones that the in
quirer had in mind.
In a recent issue of your paper you
stated that after the General Judgment
there would be no purgatory. What
only of venial sin at the last day?
st. Paul speaks as though some
would be living, when Christ will come
to Judge the world. Some, indeed,
think that the words of the creed,
the living and the dead refer to
these two classes. But st. Paul tells
us with equal distinctness all must die.
How these two statements may be rec
onciled each one may Judge for him
self Thus far the Church has not
given any official Interpretation. 1t is
more generally understood that those
who will be living at the last day will
pass through death even though it be
but for moment and in this way make
eXpiation for sin. A similar difficulty
is proposed by the above question. We
know that nothing defiled can enter
heaven; neither will venial sin be pun
ished with he'll; nor will there be any
middle state after the General .Judg-
ment. A plausible explanation would
be that the public coming of Christ in
great power and majesty to judge the
world will move the wicked conscious
of their guilt to despair, while the 9th
ers who are friends of Christ will be
filled with perfect charity. This re-
pentance will be so thorough and have
for it's motive the one thought, Gods
own beauty and goodness, that they
will have perfect contrition. This i'm
plies the remission not only Of guilt
but of all punishment due to sins al
ready pardOned. Practically, no
length of time would be required, in
the twinkling of an eye, the soul may
be filled with that perfect love of God,
because of this goodness and thereby
have all defilement blotted out.
We have received substantially the
same question very many times re-
Gently and we beg our readers not to
ask us to fill this very limited space
always with the same matter. If they
will kindly attend to what is written,
they will find very frequently their
own questions anticipated.
Is 1t better for me to have one Mass
said at which ! can assist personally;
or, two or more Masses said at a dis
lance too great for me to attend?
1t is an excellent mark of Catholic
faith to have the Mass said either for
the living or the dead and, it is even
more edifying to assist personally at
such a Mass. At the same time our
presence adds nothing to the value of
the Mass though we share more
ahundantly in the fruit of the Mass by
being personally present. Two or
more Masses evidently have greater
efficacy than one, and consequently,
it would be much better to have the
several Masses said even though one
could not attend them in person. In
addition to this when one is unable to
go to the church one can assist at the
Mass spiritually by offering the Mass
with the priest at the time that it
is said and for the same intention
This is an act of devotion that a
piOuS Catholic does every day, and
that a practical Catholic will do at
least on Sunday when his circum-
stances make it impossible for him to
Dc present III person..
Is it wrong to bring home for burial
the body of relative who died at a
distance from his home?
1t is very natural love for ones
own to have even their remains
buried where the respect for the dead
may be shown by personal care of
the grave; where prayers for the
eternal repose of the dead may be said
with greater love at the side of the
grave. We know of no reason why
this should not be done, when circum-
stances make it at all convenient. Any
superstitious notions attached to such
a good work of charity merit no at
tention from reasonable people.
How long should the Christmas crib
be left standing in the Church?
The Christmas crib represents gen.
orally the visit of the shepherds to the
stable which took place on Christmas
night and also that of the Wise Men
to adore Our Lord. Those three came
at least some days after the birth of
Christ. The festival concentrating
their visit is called the Epiphany and
is celebrated two weeks after Christ
mas. Indeed, this festival of the
Epiphany continues until Septuagesi-
ma Sunday, the day we hear the first
note of the annr0achino SEASON of