The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-11-02

What effect will the Russian situa-
ton have upon the Catholic Church in
that country?
The religious situation in Russia
seems as much involved in obsCurity
and uncertainty as the civil and mill
tary situation: those who are best
versed in Russian affairs confess their
ignorance as to the outcome Of it all.
The old Russian government was OPP
posed 10 the Catholic Church and did
Its best Tor worst) to deprive it of
chance to grow and make progress
About the year 1905 a certain amount
of freedom was conceded and the
result was the gaining of so many
converts that the government found
ways OF curtailing liberty of worship.
The common people of Russia are
religious at heart and are members of
the Russian orthodox church, which
does not accept the spiritual suprem-
acy of the Pope Of Rome. The be-
trayers of Russia, who sold the liGer-
ties CT the people to the German auto
Gratis are anti-religi0us and, Of course,
anti-Cathohc. Should they remain in
power. the Catholic Church could not
hope for much freedom and could eX
pect rather a Curtailment OF its libeT-
ties. With the defeat OF Germany,
the liberation of Russia will follow as
an inevitable consequence, and the
Russian peoples will be granted full
liberty in religious as well as in civil
affairs When this becomes a fact,
and the Catholic Church is granted
fair share Of freedom, we can expect
that tho Church will make great
progress.
Why does the Catholic Church re-
fuse to become Involved in political
difference?
Since the Church not only is a
perfect society in herself hut superior
to every other society of human
growth, she absolutely refuses,
prompted by right and by duty, to
subject herself to the Aeeting eXigen-
Cies of politics. To attempt to in
volyo the Church in party strife, and
seek to bring about her support to
bear against those who take opposite
views is only worthy of partisans.
Why tell God our needs when God
knows them beforehand?
The object of prayer is not to i'll
form God of our necessities or of our
inmOst sentiments of love, praise, sor-
row, or THANKSGIVING, for He, the
Omniscient One, knows all the secrets
of our hearts. The Christian pGays.
however, to fulfil duty written in
the heart OF man and insisted on con
stantly by the Son OF God. The ele
mental principle of religion is the
acknowledgment of God as our
Creator, Lord, and Final Destiny, and
our utter dependence upon him. The
revelation OF Jesus Christ, unfolding
TO us so many new proofs Of that
Creators love makes this acknowledge
ment the moro imperative. The Son
of God teaches us how to praise, bless.
adore, thank and crave pardon Of God,
and promises us favors through the
invocation Of His holy Name: IF
you ask the Father anything in my
name, he will give it to YOU
Docs the Catholic Church approve
of any kind Of government above
others!
The Church, the guardian always
of her own right and most obedient to
that of others, holds that it is not her
province to decide which is the best
among many diverse forms of govern
ment and the civil institution of
Christian states, and amid the various
kind of state rule she does rot disap-
prove of any, provided the respect due
TO religion and the observance of good
morals be upheld.
Why does priest sometimes refuse
absoIuton?
The priest can absolve only one who
is in the proper disposition, that is
who has cOntrition, which implies a
firm purpose Of amendment A thief
who refuses to make restitution OF
one who will refuse to give UP the
DroXimate cause of sin, in a word any
one who has formed a grievous habit
of sin and makes no effort to over
come the same, such are not worthy
of dissolution,
Is it possible for a dead man to
come lack and haunt a place?
1t is not possible for soul separ-
ated from the body to haunt" place,
for it could not make itself either
seen or heard. Living men gain all
their knowledge through their senses,
and unless the senses can be affected
this knowledge cannot he given to
them by another creature. A soul
separated from its body has no way
to affect these senses God could
allow a soul TO assume a body and
come back, but this probably does not
happen. 1t would be necessary for
the soul TO undergo a substantial
change, an entire alteration of it's
nature. When the dead arose from
their graves at Christ's death, the
visions seen were either angels repre-.
senting souls or perhaps these mems
judgment had been deferred and they
were reunited with the bodies, as hap
pened with Lazarus, later dying again
1t is not impossible for an angel to
occI1me a material bodv md +buS