The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-11-22
What are the conditions necessary
for first cousins to marry?

'~~~Oo'y
for first cousins to marry?
The first and important condition is
the permission of the Bishop, which is
obtained TIN rough a dispensation.
great scarcity of other suitable part
ners for marriage, avoidance OF scan
dial, PREPARATION for injury, necessity
to provide for family Of small chill
dren-theSe are some Of the reasons
upon which application for the dis
pensation might be based. First
cousin marriages are not desirable
and are only tolerated when greater
evil might result from refusal TO grant
the necessary dispensatiOn. Nature
seems to have a sort Of adherence
for such unions: the children are not
infreouently detective. Civil author
itv looks askanCe at them; in some
states, first cousins will rot be grant
cd marriage license The Church
frowns upon such marriages; dlspen-
sation is granted only in rare cases
and with great difficulty. If you are
contemplating such a marriage, aban-
don tie idea.
Why did not Ccd give the devil an
other chance as lie did man?
Because the perfection Of the an
cello nature and intellect is such that
once il places an act, that act is II
revocablc: if that act is good, the an
gel is confirmed in goodness; if the
act is bad. the angel is confirmed in
evil The mind of an angel is much
more perfect and Of a much higher
order than the mind Of man. We are
subject to many influences that come
from the weakness of our bodies and
from our material surroundings; an
angel is n pure spirit and is entangled
in none o. these distractions. The ac-
ton Of the intellect and Will OF an
angel is Interchangeable and irreVocable
whether for good or for evil. Hence
when the angels disobeyed God, their
disobcdence was fixed and eternal,
and they could not recall their choice.
Moreover, YOU must remember that
when man commits 4 mortal sin, 1t
is only the great mercy OF God thae
grants him a second chance; man has
no real right to that chance, and II
after his mortal sin, man were con-
demned Immediately to eternal pun
jshments. it would be a matter OF
strict Justice. 1t is only because GOD S
mercy oyerrules His justice that man
is given an opportunity to repent and
atone
viii it suffice for two practical
Catholic young people, who are men,
bers of a congregation having Mass
on Sunday twice a month, to have the
bans of matrimony announced in
church of the same pastors district,
where the couple is not known?
No. because this would defeat the
object for which the bans are pub
Hshed. which is to allow anyone who
knows of any impeachment to the mar
riage, opportunity to make it known
to the pastor. Having the bans pub
lished where the couple is not known
would make this impossible. Consult
vour pastor about this matter.
What was the reason that the sacri-
flee of Abel was acceptable to God
and that of Cain was not?
The sacrifice of Cain was not &C
ceptable to God because He saw the
wickedness that was in the heart OF
Cain and could not be pleased with an
offering from him. There surely Is
malice in the heart Of a man who
could murder his brother Immediately
NV
God.
What is the significance Of the Sane,
tuary Lamp?
The purpose of having light burn
ing constantly before the Tabernacle
is twofold In the first place it warns
rhe Catholic OF the Presence Of ou1
Lord in the Tabernacle, and it also
burns as an honor to Almighty God
In many churches, the Blessed Sacra
ment is reserved on side altar
which can be distinguished by the
Sanctuary Lamp.
Is it a sin for one to attend pri
vate dancing party during advent Of
Lent?
1t is not necessarily a sin, although
one fails thereby to follow the injunc
ton of the Church. The Church
wishes her children to enter into thu
spirit of Lent, and this is a spirit o
penance and sobriety A good Cath
Ollie avoids dancing parties ant
1heaters during the period devoted
10 serious thought and to mortified
tion.
Please tell me something about ST
RosaIia.
Rosalia was the daughter of SIM
bald, lord of Quisquina and Rosa, il
Italy She was a descendant o
Charlemagne She was born in Pa
ermo, Italy, in the early part of tn
twelfth century. In her youth sh
left her home and dwelt in a cave
Later on she went to another cave t
escape the visits of those who f1ocke
to her for advice In this cave nea
Palermo, she lived in continued per
ance and modification, and die
there in 1850. Her feast is recalle
on September 4.
wouId il he contrary to christia