The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-03-15
Is il certain that everybody goes to
Purqatory?

Is II certain that everybody yves "
Purgatory?
No: there arc many souls who pass
Immediately into Heaven. and there
are others who 80 straight to the
other place. Purgatory is for those
who die friends Of God, but who have
not fully satisfied the requirements OF
the divine justice. What the number
OF these may he cannot be deter
mined. We know that Gods graces
arc abundantly showeTed upon the
diving. and the Church surrounds the
last mcments with a plonteous sup
ply of prayers, deVotions and sacra-
ments. But the last f&rthing must be
maid. and for those who have net paid
if the punishments Of Purgatory sup
nlv their own deficiencies.
If person has certain sins she
does not want to confess 10 her reg
ular conTessor, can she tell part OF the
sins 10 him, and GO TO another COMES
sor with the others?
She may not; our confession must
be whole and entira-th2t is, we must
confess ali our mortal sins without ex-
ccpton. and this integrity is not had
If YOU confess part of your mortal SINS
10 one cOnfeSsOr and part to another.
Your intended program is ridiculous.
Common sense must reign in our re-
fyious life as well as in the other
rhaScs of our existence. Nor is there
any necessity for attempting what YOU
have III mind You may always go to
confe sion to whom you desire and
whenever Won desire. No c0nfessor
will be peeved because you prefer to
confess to some other priest
If 4 man were drunk when ne was
married would he he really married?
That would largely depend on what
STAGE Of drunkenness he had reached.
MARRIAGE is q contract, and whatever
vitiatCs the contract nvalidateS the
sacrament. You must be in posses
sion OF your senses TO enter into a
valid contract. If the drunkenness IS
such as to deprive a man of the eXar-
cises of his senses, SO that he really
does not know what he is doing, his
drunken state would invalidate the
marriage. But man may have con
sumed too rluch liquor and still re-
tain the use Of his senses: he could
know what he WAS doing and have the
will to do il. Such a man would be
validity married although he may have
been under the influence Of drink.
Are Catholics superstitieus in going
to ST. Anthony and St. Rita deVo.
items?
Some of them may be sur2rstitious,
for one may do anything from the
wrong motive: but the vast majority
OF those devCut souls are guided by
faith and by common sense. it is
common sense that the more effort we
exert in favor Of q certain project the
greater are the chances of success. In
business the man who uses his after
C{Iice hours for the purposes Of study
who is rot afraid Of a little extra
work, is the man who pushes ahead;
the man who confines himself strictly
10 Just what he is Obliged to do, that
and nothing more, seldom makes
much OF d success of life. 1t is some
what the same with religion and its
practice. Devout souls are willing tC
90 more than the law Of God com
mands them TO do; they practice spe
cial devotions and attend services ir
church, not only on Sunday and holy
days Of obligation, but whenever the
opportunity is presented. They have
faith in God and in His promises anC
are willing to be on friendly terms
with the saints. Such persons are no
sUpeTstitious: they are blessed with {
lively faith and they arc persuaded
that the more they Go for God tn,
moro God will do for them.
What obligation have Protestants Il
kee,, tire promises they make w',e,
they marry a Catholic?
They have the obligation of bein!
true to their word given in a solemn
sacred, serious matter, in the pres
ence of witnesses, and in writing
They enter into a contract with tn
Catholic party and pledge themselve
TO fulfill the terms Of that contract
The obligation is the more serious be
cause the marriage would not hav
been entered into without the signin
of that agreement. The agreemen
signifies that not only will the CatE
Ole be accorded full liberty in til
practice Of his or her religion (tha
freedom is already guaranteed by tn
constitution OF the country, but tina
all the children OF the marriage wi
be baptized, reared and educate
Cath Mics. No exception is made &c
the sex Of the children and the COZ
tract does not end with the death {
the Catholic party to the marriage
This matter so presses upon the COZ
science of the Catholic person that
the conditions are rot fulfilled, he {
she is bound in conscience to leav
the offending second party, or at lea;
to refer the matter to the highe
authorities of the Church. No col
sideration, such as preserving til
peace of the family, may be used 9
an excuse to escape the mutual dut
of strict adherence to the anti-nu
tial promises. Salvation of souls
OF more Importance than domest
harmony.
How late can person conie fl
Mass witkouf c0nnn1itt = sin?