The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-04-27

Is it a mortal sin to miss Mass on
rare occasions, in order to be with a
fishing party?
The Church commands us, under
penalty of mortal sin, to attend Mass
on all Sundays and holy days of obli-
cation, unless lawfully prevented.
Each unjustifiable omission of this
duty, even ION rare occasions" consti-
tutes a mortal sim To miss Mass in
order to be with fishing party, or to
indulge in any other form of pleasure
or recreation, is direct insult to God
and a fragrant Haunting of a solemn
command of Gods representative on
earth, the Church.
Is not the Church an ecclesiastical
autocracy and an enemy of democ-
racy?
A writer in the Brooklyn Tablet,
answering this charge by Doctor
Bailey, gives a clear reply. 1t is so
applicable that we herewith quote it:
The Catholic Church is not an autoc-
racy or monarchy; it does not claim
the right of universal empire. The
Catholic Church is pure Christian
democracy From the time of the
Apostles, who lived and worked
among the people, the Catholic
Church has fought for the rights of
every man, woman and child in every
part of the world during every cen
fury. When She came into existence
She found mankind in bondage; in
slavery, in vassalage She freed him.
For nineteen centuries She has
preached equality, liberty, justice and
mercy. Whether against state or
king, she espoused the cause of the
people, and, led by the Pope, worked
among the people, with them, for
them, by them. During the Middle
Ages when her power was greatest,
civilization, culture, art and science
were at their height. There was the
nearest approach to equality between
capital and labor. The guilds of the
Middle Ages were the very essence
of democracy. The Church's cham
pioning of democracy has been one
cause of Her great growth. At Her
altar, both rich and poor, man and
woman, black and white, worship.
Her Popes, Her Cardinals, and Her
Priests are drawn from all classes
of men, sanctity and love of God be-
ing the only necessary requisite. Her
Popes from st. Peter, who preached
to the people, from Gregory the
Great, who upheld the people, from
Leo TX, who defended the people
from the barbarians, to Leo XIII,
whose great encyclical on Christian
Democracy, to Plus X, who died with
a broken heart on account Of the suf-
ferings of the people, to Benedict XIV,
whose entire pontificate has been one
of Christ-like charity to ease the suf-
ferings of the people-all has been
one long reign of champions of
democracy.
1t might not be amiss to give one
or two Protestant authorities in proof
of our statements. First let US ap-
peal to Woodrow Wilson, president of
the United States, who is striving to
make the world safe for democracy"
1.-The only reason why government
did not suffer dry rot in the Middle
Ages under the aristocratic system
which then prevailed, was that so
many of the men who were efficient
instruments of government were
drawn from the Church; from that
great religious body which was then
the only Church, that body which is
now distinguished from other relig
iOuS bodies as the Roman Catholic
Church. The Roman Catholic Church
was then, as it is now, a great democ-
racy. There was no peasant so
humble that he might not become a
priest, no priest so obscure that he
might not become the Pope of Chris
tendon; and every chancellory in
Europe, every court in Europe was
ruled by these learned, trained and
accomplished men, the priesthood of
that great and dominant body. What
kept government alive during the
Middle Ages was this constant rise
of sap from the bottom, from the rank
and file of the great body of the
people through the open channels of
the priesthood. The New Freedom.
Listen to one or two other quota
tions: Ito destroy the liberty of the
Papacy would be to aim death blow
at the rights and liberty of the
people. 20 (Guizot, History of Civiliza-
tion.) "The Church was essentially
democratic" (Froude, Short Studies
on Great Subiects)
Does not Voltaire himself admit
that the Popes restrained princes,
protected the people, put an end to
the quarrels of the time by a wise
intervention, and reminded both kings
and people of their duties (Prctes-
tantism and Catholicity Compared,
BalmeZ.)
Anyone who is willing to take the
trouble to Investigate will find not
only that Catholicity is a democracy,
but that Professionalism is not Prot
estantism, devoid Of unity, laws, or
authority resembles religious anar
chy. 1t does not appeal to the com
mon people because it does not rep
rocnuf +hnra