The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-01-25

Among these duties is that Of caring
for the child's spiritual welfare in
case the parents are dead or remiss
in their duty. 1t would seem rather in
iudicious to select for that purpose
a person who does not live up to his
religion. 1t would be a case OF the
blind leading the blind.
Is it proper for an unmarried man
to invite lady to a summer resort
and remain there for several days
with her, paying her expenses.
There are circumstances that alter
cases. In each particular case one
should know the conditions that sur
round the act. Ordinarily speaking, it
would be most improper for both per-
sons so to act. In an individual case,
however. it were we'll to thoroughly
understand the nature of the case be-
fore passing judgment-and then leave
the judgment to those who lawfully
should decide.
Is it sin to study your school les
sons on Sunday.
1t is a most laudable and praise,
worthy custom to study your school
lessons any day. In fact, it is duty
in conscience to apply yourself to
your school work The sanCtity Of the
Sunday is not violated by such appli-
cation.
Would it be proper for a Catholic
young lady to have Mass said or to
say her beads for her fiance, Prot
estant who has been killed in battle.
AS it is impossible to tell whether
such person might not have had
the grace to turn to God at the last
moment, it is quite proper to have
a Mass said or to say ones rosary,
that God may have mercy on his soul.
Please tell me how can send Mass
Stpends to some Missionary?
Mass stipends and other offerings
for missionaries may be forwarded to
the Diocesan Director of the Society
for the Propagation Of the Faith. He
will sec to it that all such offerings
are sent to missionaries who are in
need The Diocesan Director for this
Diocese is Rev. ]. A. Byrnes, st. Paul
Seminary, St. Paul, Mimi.
May a Catholic young lady act as a
bridesmaid for non-Catholic friend,
whether the wedding is to be church
or a house affair?
If you are to be one of many brides
maids-a small part of some big
scheme of ecoration-friendship for
the bride might justify you in appear
ing among her attendants; but if you
were asked to be her one attendant,
YOU could hardly consent to do so.
For, you would be in the capacity of
an official witness at a non-Catholic
religious celebration the minister
would be present in his Official capac-
ity; the ritual of a religious ceremony
would be followed out; prayers would
be recited parts of the Scripture
might be read. In other words, you
would be taking part in a non-Catho-
lie religious service, and your Catholic
conscience will not permit you to do
SO.
Suppose a convert wanted to be
baptized by immersion, what would
happen?
He would be persuaded to accept
the usual practice of the Church in
our day and place, and be baptized by
the pouring of the water upon his
head. If he should refuse to be bap-
TIED in this way, it would be taken
as an indication that he was still an
adherent of the heresy that baptism
can be administered only by INNER
sion, and he would be asked to make
a further study of the Church, and his
baptism would be postponed. That is
presumably what would happen. The
fundamental meaning of the word
baptism, is to wash, or to cleanse;
and this may be done in three ways
by immersion, by infusion (pouring),
or by dispersion (sprinkling). The
Church recognizes all three as valid,
and the Oriental Church has retained
some form of immersion. However
the liturgical laws Of the Church state
that baptism must be performed by the
pouring of water on the head of the
person to be baptized. If the appli
cant is not willing to abide by that
law, he is not worthy of baptism.
If young man is engaged to a
young lady and desires to break the
engagement to we'd another girl, can
the first young lady prevent him from
doing SO?
The rule of the Church requires
that an engagement, to be canonical,
should be in writing and signed by
both parties and by either the parish
priest or the Ordinary of the place.
or at least by two witnesses. Canonical
here means that the betrothal is rec
ognized by the Church, and begets
gree of consanguinity. So that, if a
man is economically engaged, to wom-
an and refuses to marry her, he can
not validity marry her mother, sister or
daughter In each case, however, cir
cumstances must be carefully consid-
cred. The civil law has a very effec-
tive remedy for a broken engagement.
Would il have been more mercjfuI