The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-01-27
What is the "Canon Law?

what Is IHS SdIluH GdW
Canon Law is a fixed code of laws
approved by the authorities of the
Church for the right government Of all
things pertaining to the Church.
If student can not 60 to school and
so to Mass on holy days of obligation,
which should he do? Is he supposed to
stay home from school in order to go
to Mass?
1t is a sad fact, which priests iii
spite of their best wishes, are forced
to admit, that the holy days of obliga-
ton are not observed in the religious
manner that should obtain; nor in the
Catholic spirit that formerly prevailed.
Is not the reason of this unfortunate
situation implied in the above ques-
ton?
Every child that has learned even
the elements of his catechism knows
that holy day of obligation is to be
observed as the Sunday The reason
Of this is plain. The same authority
imposes the same obligation and at
taChes to it the same penalty in one
case as in the other. In each case for
a Catholic deliberately through his
own fault to miss Mass is to be guilty
OF mortal sin. The scandal resulting
from the sin may be greater in one
case than in the other, but, in each
case, the sin in itself is the same.
1t is true that the Church does not
hold to the observance of the law
those who are ill., or those who would
suffer some very grave loss; for in
stance, if a man by absenting himself
from work on a holy day of obligation
would be discharged from his employ
mCnt, the one means of livelihood for
himself and his family. In such case,
IN order that the absolutely essential
part of the law may be fulfilled, the
Mass is put at an hour early enough
to allow the workman to be present at
Mass before beginning his days toll.
This does not mean, however, that the
mind of the Church is satisfied by
seeing her members present at Mass
at an early hour on a holy day of obi
cation. The Church wishes the whole
day to be kept holy, the same as the
Sunday, that no servile labor be done
IN one case any more than in the other
Many reasons urge the Church TO
take this course. Her office is to teach
the truth. The mystery of faith com
mCmOratCd on a holy day Of obliga,
ton is a part of the truth; the Immac-
ulatc Conception of the Blessed Vir.
gin Mary; the birth of Christ; the AS
M L.
are not sufficiently taught TO the PEG
pie by the priest announcing the fcs
tival, nor by the people assisting al
an early Mass and then spending the
remainder Of the day the same as any
work day. Further, we owe special
gratitude and alteration to God be
cause He has manifested this mystery
of faith to us. A half-hour taken from
the whole day can scarcely fulfill AIDE
quatoly this obligation. Again, to the
Catholic heart the mystery of faith is
the occasion of spiritual rejoicing
His mind and heart are lifted to Goo
throughout the day. This cannot fit
tingly be done when his face is turned
toward the earth in servile toll The
from labor; to be given to the works
of religion, to be kept holy to the
Lord.
To come now directly to the ques
tion proposed: Can a child be eX
peCted to fulfill this obligation impos
cd by the Church by going to schoo
on holy day; could he be expected
to learn anything of the mystery com
memorated from his school teacher
or his school books? If he goes tc
school on such a day could he be ex
pected to distinguish very readily the
holy day from any other day? How
do we impress upon children, and keeI
alive in the land, the meaning of ouI
independence as a nation? Is it not
by making the day civic holiday? Dc
you need to tell children when the
Fourth of July is at hand, or what il
means? The religious holy days
should be equally and even more clear
~ present to the mind of the child
Let the child then spend the holy day
as he would the Sunday; by assisting
at Mass, listening to an instruction
having some hours of recreation, anC
better dinner than usual for him viii
not be out of place. The Church gives
us meat even on Friday, when the Fri
day is a holy day of obligation. No
only then must the child go to Mas!
rather than to school on holy day o
obligation, but we believe that the
child should not go to school ever
though he could at an earlier hour at
tend Mass on such a day.
The loss he will suffer by his alb
sence from school will be insignifican
and may very easily be recovered. II
the whole school year there are a
most only three holy days of obliga
ton which are not at the same time
civic holidays. One of these three oc
casionally falls on Saturday or +;
Sunday. That no permanent injur.
need be suffered is evident from thu
fact that Catholic schools which oh
serve these days in a religious man
ner do the same amount of work AM
do it as well or better than public