The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-06-15
What good does it do to have an

NNbGN SSS~ S~~> - 49,
article blessed?
The blessing dedicates the article in
some way TO the service of God draws
down the benediction of God and
serves to remind us that in the use OF
that article, as in the. use Of every,
thing. we must serve God All things,
belong to God; He is the Creator ami;
Preserver of all things. The Church.
gives evidence of belief in this, by
blessing all things and practical Cath
olics manifest their faith by asking
the blessing of the Church on any and
every object. All may be used for
the greater honor and glory of God
"A glass of cold water viii not pass
without its reward" "All whatsoever
Won do in word or in work. do We IN
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
giving thanks to God and the Father
bv Him" (Colossians, iii, lD;
therefore. whether We eat or drink,
or whatsoever else you do, do all to
the glory of God" Ct Cor. X, 3D.
Since we may and should perform ey
erv action for Gods honor, we ma!
ask Gods blessing on the articles that
we use in daily life. Gods blessing Is
given officially by the Church.
How can we be sure that we have
the right kind of contrition?
We may never be able to sensibly
feel our contrition for sin. 1t is
sorrow and a hatred of sin, coupled
with a firm purpose of amendment. II
is said that the proof of the puddin'
lies in the eating. If we make SIN
cere effort to avoid sin we may b'
sure that we have contrition for the
sins of our past life.
Is the Pope forbidden to leave th'
Vatican?
There is neither civil nor ecciesias
teal law prohibiting the Pope leav
inc the Vatican. Plus TX and his sue
cessors have been voluntary prisoner
because to leave the Vatican would
equivalent to acknowledgment of thu
right of the present government
Rome to treat him as subject.
Vicar of Christ the Pope cannot b.
subject to any earthly prince.
Is there any obligation to read TIL
Bible? I
There could not be an obligation
all people to read the Bible, as GU
Protestant brethren would contend, be
cause it is impossible for millions VIII
could not read it even if they Woult
From st. Peter we learn that Their
are many things in the Epistles of S
Paul which are hard to be under
stood which the unlearned and uT
stable wrest, as they do also the othe
Scriptures, to their own destruction.
1t is quite evident that it is pruden
for many not to read the Bible unles'
they are willing to submit their jude
ment to that authority which A
mighty God placed here upon earth a
the infallible interpreter of His writ
ten word. From st. Paul we also lear
that Faith cometh by hearing.
Do not gather from this that Cathc
lies are forbidden to read the BIb1e
AS matter of fact, the average Catl
Ole is more familiar with the Scrip
ture than is the average Protestant
Portions of the Bible are read to tn
people and explained to them ever
Sunday in the vernacular language. A
Indulgence of three hundred days ma
be gained once a day and Plenar
Indulgence once a month, under the
usual conditions, to those who de
voutly read the Bible for a quarter o
an hour each day. While this lndul
gence was granted by Leo XIII to in
crease reading of the Bible it does no
mean that he was the first Pope wht
encouraged Bible reading. Pope Piu
vi in an address to the clergy, deliv
cred in 1778, admonishes '"The faitf
full should be excited to the readin.
of the Holy Scriptures; for they ar
the most abundant sources whicl
ought to be left open to every one
draw from them purity of morals an
doctrine"