The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-07-26
What is meant by the Discipline Of
the Secret?

What is meant by the Discipline Of
the Secret?
The early Christians were COM
PEELED to worship God in the cata-
combs during the first three hundred
years of the Churchs existence, ow-
ing to many and violent prosecutions.
Through fear of their enemies and
also as mark of respect for their
faith, they withheld the principal
mysteries of faith from the pagan and
the catechumen They based this
practice upon the words of Christ:
Give not that which is holy to dogs:
neither cast We your pearls before
swine, lest perhaps they trample them
under their feet, and, turning upon
you, they tear you" (Matthew VII,
g. Knowing the ignorance of the pa
gans concerning the supernatural
these early followers of Christ realized
how difficult it would be for them to
grasp the meaning of the more sub
lime articles of faith. Fear of their
malice was a second motive urging re-
serve. We read, too, of certain re-
catechumens. ST. Paul's great prin-
ciple was-milk for babies, meat for
men. This, no doubt, was the guiding
motive of their action. There may
have been reason as well to suspect
some of the early converts to the
faith. Some were weaklings. others
were spies. To the pagan no mention
was made of the Blessed Trinity or
Holy Eucharist. In fact, no public
discourse about the Blessed Sacra-
ment was ever heard in their pres
ence. Holy Orders were not conferred
publicly. The principal mysteries
were spoken CT in yelled terms to the
uninitiated, The Lords Prayer and
the Mass were shielded in the same
way.
If the Body and Blood of Christ are
present under each species why does
the priest have to receive under both
forms during the Mass?
The priest receives under both
species during the Mass, not that he
may receive Communion but that he
may complete the Sacrifice of the New
Law. During the Mass Christ offers
Himself as a Victim for our sins in
an unbloody manner as He did on
Mount Calvary when He shed His
Blood for our redemption. There is
present at the Altar the same Sacri-
flee, the same Victim and the same
70 of
Bread and Wine represents in a mys-
tIcal manner the separation of flesh
and blood at the death of Christ
The priest receives under both forms
10 complete that sacrifice by the de-
Struction of the Victim When the
faithful receive Holy Communion it is
not sacrifice but only a sacrament
Hence it is not necessary for them to
receive under both forms.
Kindly explain the PortiuncuIa?
This is the name OF one of the
three churches at or near Assist,
which were repaired by ST Francis.
According to a tradition Jesus Christ
is supposed to have appeared to st.
Francis in 1921, and 'bade him go to
the Pope, who would give a plenary
Indulgence to all sincere penitents
who should devoutly visit that
church" Two years later, Honorius
III, at the request of st. Francis,
granted the indulgence, combining it
to the second day of August, and to
the Church of the Portiuncula. Now
this Indulgence may be gained in any
Church in which the Third Order of
st. Francis is economically erected.
This indulgence may be gained be-
tween the First Vespers and sunset on
August 2. The First Vespers means
about 2 O'Clock Of the preceding day.
This indulgence may be applied by
way of suffrage to the souls in purga-
tory.
Does the Papacy exist when the
Pope is dead?
The Papal power is spiritual and
supernatural. When no subject exists
IN which that power resides it can
not be exercised until such a subject
is again provided, which is done by
the election of a Pope The Papal
power resides in the Bishop of Rome
If there is no Bishop of Rome there is
no one to exercise that power but it
is exercised as soon as one is elected
to the Episcopal See of Rome, because
by that fact he becomes the successor
of Saint Peter, the Vicar of Christ on
earth.
l. What is meant by the c!oister.
2. How does person know that she
is called to be nun?
1. In Roman law the word cloister is
used and signifies a rampant or bar
rier In modern ecclesiastical usage
the word cloister in the material
sense means an enclosed space for
religious retirement. In the formal
sense it signifies the legal restrictions
opposed to the free egress of those
who are clustered or enclosed and to
the free entry and free introduction
of outsiders within the limits of the
material cloister. There are many
laws governing the cloister applicable,
to the different religious orders. 1t
would require lengthy article to go
into detail.