The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-09-28
PASSIONS IN ANIMALS AND MAN.

Do the passions lead to action by
themselves, Independent of the will?
This is exactly their nature, that
the passions stir up the body and
lead it to act by itself, just as in the
animals.
How does this happens?
1t happens in wonderful way.
The feelings act on the nerves, and
the nerves act on muscles, and the
muscles act on the members and cause
movements which lead to action at
once, without the will acting at al.
Give some examples?
A baby begins to cry and to suck
as soon as it is born. If a man feels
itching, the fingers will at once go to
the place and begin to scratch. If a
stone is coming, or blow is aimed
at the head, the hand goes up at once
to ward off the blow. In g fit Of anger
4 man wal double his fist to strike.
Il a strong pleasure stirs the body,
the body viii move to indulge in it.,
and so on.
How can the will control such move
ments?
As soon as q sinful passion arises
and the mind becomes aware of it,
conscience says that it is wrong and
must be stopped, The will then
chooses whether to stop it or not.
Suppose the will neglects to choose?
II that came the action goes on to
the end; but the will is responsible
for letting it go on, and is guilty of
all the sin which is committed.
Why is the will guilty?
Because the will could stop it, and
is bound to stop it, and yet does not
stop it.
Suppose the will positively chooses
to go on with the action?
In that case the guilt is still worse
because the will not merely allows the
action but adds its own wicked desire.
Suppose the will decides to stop the
action, does the action stop?
If the will distinctly says no, and
tries to stop the action, the action
will stop; and gradually the passion
itself Will cease.
Suppose the passion still goes on
is the Will responsible?
Not if the will continues to prevent
the action and refuses to take any
pleasure in the passion But if the
viii takes any pleasure in the passion
it commits a sin OF thought, even
though the action itself is stopped
What is a sin Of thought?
A sin Of thought is when the mind
thinks Of a sinful action and enjoys
the thought of it and would like to
. commit it, even though it abstains
. from d0ing SO.
Is it dangerous as well as sinful to
tnEc pleasure in the thought CT pas
sion2
It is dangerous as well as sinful,
because the thought is likely to cause
the will to yield after all, and to allow
the action to go on.
Can Il passion be so sudden that
the action begins before the mind no.
tees it, and before the will has time
to act?
This can sometimes happen.
If the bad action is already going
on, are We allowed to finish it?
No; in sucn cases we must stop in
the middle, as soon as we notice it
and can apply our will to it.
Can q passion be so strong and alb
sorbing that the will has practically
no power to resist?
This can happen in people Of dis
eased mind or wild nature, and also
in states Of distraction, half-sleep OF
drunkenness.
In such cases how far is a man re
sponsibIe?
In such cases a man is responsible
just so far as he knows what is going
on, and feels the power to resist.
How do the passions lead us into
sin?
Love for what is pleasant leads us
to sin as means of getting what We
want or enjoying it; while dislike OF
lear causes us to act wrongly towards
others, or to shirk our duty by leaving
it undone when it is unpleasant,
Give some examples
ID A passionate love of some per
son can absorb US so much as to make
us neglect our duties. If the other
person is wicked it may cause us t.
join in wickedness. 1t can also tempt
US to forbidden sensuality.
GU A passionate love of money OF
good things can lead us to try to gel
what we desire by wrong means, sucf
as stealing Or cheating or fraud.
(3) A passionate love of honor
glory or power can lead us to seek. il
by unfair or violent means, or to be
come proud, naughty and brutal
ca A passionate love of amusement
or excitement can lead us to dissfpatt
our mind or waste our money, and ge
so absorbed in it as to neglect oul
duty.
90 Any passionate love OF bodily
pleasures or material things can alb
sorb all our attention and energy, Kill
our taste for spiritual things, make. u:
forget or dislike. the thought of Coo
and neglect religion as well as. NOR
atty, and lose all love for anything
which is high and noble and good.
How do dislike and fear lead us int
sin?
Dislike of a person can lead us tt
~ IL