The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-04-14
What is meant by a Doctor of the


Church,"
Doctor Of the Church is a tile
granted to certain ecclesiastical writ
ers on account of the benefit their
writings have conferred on the
Church. Three conditions are requir-
ed for doctor of the Church: great
holiness, great learning, and the
declaration of the Church. On the
feast of Doctors there is a special
Mass at which the Credo is always
said, and certain parts of the office
or breviary are also proper. The fol
lowing Saints, twenty-three in num-
Der, are Doctors of the Church: st.
Gregory, ST Ambrose, St. Augustine,
St Jerome, ST. Chrysostom, st. Basil,
St. Gregory Nazianzen. st. Athanasius,
St. Thomas AQuinas. st. Bonayenture,
ST. Anselm, ST. Isidore, st. Peter
Chrysologus, St. Leo, st. Peter Daml-
ian, St. Bernard, ST. Hilary, st, Al
phonsus Liguor, st. Francis de Sales,
st. Cyril of Alexandria, st. Cyril Of
St. Venerable Bede.
Why are priests Always asking for
money? Is not religion free?
First of ALL priests are not always
asking for money; and if they are
compelled to make many appeals, 1t
is because many persons do not APP
pTeciate the duty of contributing to
the support of Gods religion, and
others are so niggardly and par
simonioUs that their un-Catholic
spirit forces the priest to insist on
the fulfllment of this duty. More
over. the priest does not ask for him
self. The priest receives a salary,
and must give an account to the par
ish and to the Bishop Of all the mon
les received and expended. But the
pastor is charged with the care of
Gods temple, with the maintenance
of a school and is held responsible
for the material and financial side of
the parish as we'll as for the religious
aud spiritual. Is not religion free?
It is the fimsiest sort Of a pretcXt to
cIothe ones stineincss in thai garb:
it is the evidence of q shallow mind.
Are churches erected free of charge?
Are the bricks and stones, the steel
and wood the affairs and the statues
donated by some philanthrOpic so
Ciety? Arc schools built and main
tanned without the expenditure of
money? DO heating aud lighting and
repairing cost nothing? Religion is
free in the sense that you can not
pay your way into the Kingdom of
Heaven: it is not free in the sense
that it can be maintained without
cost, or on the empty promises of
niggardly knockers whose promises
can not be cashed in the banks OF
the country. The support of religion
is a duty imposed by God. The
Almighty legislated for this in the
old Law and a certain proportion OF
the family's income was given for
His honor and the maintenance OF
His religion. Christ, the Lord, i'll the
New Testament provided for the
support of His disciples; the apostles
ordered collections for the support OF
religion; and in all ages, Christians
Of faith have given freely to the
cause of God and the Church. The
most practical Catholics in any par
ish are those whose names appear
regularly on the monthly collection
list.
What is the Brcviary of the priests
The BrCviary is a book containing
psalms, most of the holy Scriptures
lessons from the lives Of the saints
extracts from the writings Of tho
Fathers, hymns and prayers. 1t is ar
ranged so that each day the pieces
are different. The readings from the
Scriptures are so arranged that III the
course of year much of the Bible is
read. The psalms are SO arranged
that the whole collection is recited a
least once a week Each day Of tho
year is dedicated to a particular saint
Accordingly the Breviary CommemO
rates the virtues of the saint Of the
day and the life of the saint is TeaC
on his feast The prayers and invoCa
lions are also suited to the feast o.
the day. The Office of the day i.
divided into seven parts: Mathis
Lauds, Prime, Terce, SoXt, None
Vespers and Complins. The lQngcs
portion is Mathis. The time required
to read through the Office of the day
is anywhere from an hour to an houl
and a half. In cathedral churches il
Europe and in the churches where
there is a college of canons, the Office
is rccited in common in the church
Certain portions are sung and certain
portions Chanted. The special foas
days are always days of beautiful
ceremony in the recitation of tht
office where there are such college:
of canons. The so-called Tencbrae o
Holy Week is nothing else than The
Office of Mathis and Lauds solemnly
chanted by the bishop and his assist
ants.
When the priest blesses the congre
cation with the Blessed Sacrament a
Benediction, which is the correct
thing to do-bow the head and cas-
down the eyes, or to look up at ths
Sacred Host?
Since there is no obligation either
way, you may follow the bent of YOU
piety, Bowling the head, casting dOWT