The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-01-11

Was the Mass celebrated in the first
days of the Church with the same Ger.
emonies that We have today.
While the Payers and ceremonies
associated wi,dl the Mass are very an
Gent they &ere introduced gradually
by the CAurch. The essential parts
of the N<ass, the Offertory, Consecra-
ton ofFbread and wine and the Com
MUNICH by the priest, have always
beeD part of the Mass. .-i
Is there any law for1idding Cath
olic to be President?
There is no such law. either civil or
ecclesiastical. We might answer BY
quoting the recent words of former
President Roosevelt. They were in
answer to letter addressed to him
by some Evangelical Lutherans, in
which they took him to task because
In letter he declared that st is sub
Versire of the basic principles Of a
real separation OF Church and State
TO permit the religious belief of any
candidate for public office to determine
the casting of one vote for or against
any such candidate The action of
the Lutherans in taking exception was
condemned by practically every news.
paper in the United States.
What do we mean when we say
that Christ's Soul descended into hell7
After the death of Christ His Soul
went to that place where the bodies
of the Just who died before Christ
were detained awaiting the Redemp.
ton. We read in the Epistle OF Saint
Peter: Gle was put to death indeed
in the flesh, but enlivened in the spir-
it; in which also coming He preached
10 those spirits that were in prison"
The Greeks applied the one word to
amy place outside OF heaven to which
soul went after death. 1t need not.
De said that hell in this instance does
not mean the place of the condemned.
On what authority do VIC believe
that Adam was the first man?
There is no higher authority than
the Word of God. We know from the
first pages of the Bible that Adam
was the first man.
have given up confession because
! see SO many hyPocrites going to con-
fession year after year.
Your reasoning would lead to queer
results. One should cease consulting
doctors because some of the medical
profession are Quacks; lawyers should
not be consulted. because our peni-
tentiaries house many a dishonest bar
lister; married persons have been I'M
faithful to their VOWS, therefore the
married state should be cast aside;
business men have been dishonest,
therefore all business should be dis
continued. Initiate those who are
honest in their profession; of reIig-
ion as we'll as their practice of bust
ness. Many are weak in faith
through ignorance Of faith, or because
of loOseness in moral practices. Cure
yourself, and you will be in a better
position to criticize others.
What should we do if person is
dying and the priest is not present?
The first thing of course is to send
for the priest that the dying person
may receive all the sacraments and
the rites of the Church This is to
be done even if the patient has lost
consciousness and is apparently dead
For death is often only apparent, and
the sacrament of extreme JUNCTION may
be administered hours after apparent
death is present. Before the priest
arrives, II the sick person is con.
scious, the bystanders should reeitc
prayers, especially acts of contrition:
crucitX should be presented for the
Veneration of the dying person who
should be eXhorted to kiss the cross
of Christ and to invoke His holy
name and ask His mercy; the pray
ers for the dying may be read and
the rosary recited. The devotion and
the faith of Catholics will suggest to
them many things that they can do
to assist the last moments OF the dy-
ing. 1t is a proof of the truth of our
religion that in various and practical
ways it comes to our assistance at
the solemn moment of the last Strug-
gle; many converts have been made !
through attendance at the death-bed
of Catholics and by hearing the beau
tiful prayers the Church offers for the
dying. Catholics can be of real serv-
ice to nOn-Catholics when these lat.