The Catholic bulletin., 1917-12-08
What is the origin of the scapuiar
and why the different colors?


shoulder, because it hangs down in
front and on the back, resting on the
shoulders. The use of scapulars
by persons living outside the mon
asteries means that they are enrolled
as members of the order and partici-
pate in all their good works and spir-
itual favors. The various Monastic
Orders wore habits of various colors.
The scapular worn by the people is of
the color worn by the Order to which
they are affiliated.
Why did God make an exception
for the Blessed Virgin in the matter
of original sin?
The Immaculate Conception (Which
means that the Blessed Virgin Mary
was conceived free from original SIM
was a favor and work of love and
esteem conferred by God on the
Mother of Gods Son made-man. 1t is
natural for son to honor his mother.
Mary is Jesus Mother. What favor
would He confer upon her? He does
not esteem wealth, beauty, fame, pow
Cr; nor did His Mother care for these
things. God loves innocence, holiness,
freedom from sin; so He would pre-
serve His Mother from sin, from all
sin, even from original sin. 1t were
not fitting that Gods Mother should
be, even for an instant, under Satan S
dominating dominion. The Son of God
was to be- born to Mary and was to
take His flesh from her flesh. and it
would not have been proper that she
We're born in corruption. The I'm
maculate Conception of the Blessed
Virgin was not a necessary requisite
for Gods incarnation; but it was most
fitting
Are all the miracles related in the
lives of Saints matters of faith?
Many things related in the old lives
of the Saints are undoubtedly legends.
AS histories they must be weighed
carefully as any history that depends
on human and faIlible testimony The
Catholic Historian Lingard, speaking
of many undoubted miracles in the
Anglo-SaXon Church admits that
there are also many which must
shrink from the frown of criticism;
some which may have been the effect
of accident or Imagination; some that
are more calculated to excite the
smile than the wonder of the readers !;
and some which depend on the dis
tant testimony of writer's not remark.
able for sagacity Or discrimination. .
The Church is most careful in accept
ing miracles. The rules laid down
by Benedict XIV in his Treatise on
"The Canonization of Saints" are
most rigid. The Sacred Congregation
of Rites has frequently rejected al
legged miracles which have been ad-
mitted by learned critics
What is the best way to get rid OF
distractions in prayer?
Sometimes the only way to get rid
of distractions is to stop praying
Distractions are not sins; they are
hindrances to the full benefit Of the
prayer. Our earthly condition rem
ders it practically impossible that VIC
should hope to be entirely free from
distractions. Prayers said with dis
fractions are better than no prayers
whatsoever
When does the Catholic priest take
upon himself the duty of living 6
single life?
Attached to what is known as the
order of the subdiaconate is a VOW OF
chastity which stands back of the
duty of clerical celibacy. About a year
or a year and a half before his final
ordination the young candidate fol
the Catholic priesthood, then about
twenty-three or twenty-four years OF
age, makes his decision on the reality
of his vocation. When he is raised
to the Office of the subdiaconate he
realizes that unmarried years are be
fore him. He foregoes the pleasures
of marriage life, not through any
warped views on the moral worth of the
state, but solely, as st. Paul wrote
in order to give himself unreservedly
to 'the things of Cod Any one who
dIclol CApCI1CASS Will 1ll0 IGdtlZCS
how practical the Catholic Church
has shown herself to be in this fact
Her clergy are always ready, unfet
tered by family ties, to give them
selves to any projects of religion that
may press upon attention. The wal
chaplains come in numbers from the
Catholic priesthood because the
priests freedom allows him to make
a choice of such life. 1t is not how
ever to be forgotten that the Church
has gone on record in holding the
state of virginity, no matter where
found, to be higher in the estimate
Of God than the state of married life
This is not to be twisted into charg
ing Catholics with despising wedlock
since in the Catholic Church, as in
few others, marriage is sacred enough
TO be numbered among the sacra
ments, alongside baptism and the
Eucharist.
Is it proper for Catholic at large
public meeting to stand and take par
in the invocation with which it opens
Catholics should stand and ac
most reverently when present at any