The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-09-06
DISTRACTION OR BAcK-BlTlNG.

One of the greatest sources of de-
traction, or back biting, is found in
the willingness of people to; listen to
the detractor, to take pleasure in what
he says of evil concerning the neigh
Dor, and at times to encourage him IN
it's continuance. Detractors are some
what like thieves-they steal what
belongs to others; while those who
listen to the detraction are much ike
those who receive the stolen goods.
There would be no detractors If no
one was willing to listen to them.
This vice is most common, because
many lend their ears to the detractor,
express delight at what is told, and
by their questionings encourage the
evil. If detractors were not listened
to, they would fear to lose their own
reputation, and thus render them
selves worthy to be despised and
stunned by all.
| But, as ST. Paulinus says, 1.-The evil
| is so great and so general and finds
resting place in the minds of so
many, that it may be said that it is
one of the most general OF sins be-
cause of the many who willingly lis
| ten to it's suggestions" St. Bernard
says that it is difficult to judge which
| is the more criminal, the one who
| back bites his neighbor or the one
who listens to it. For this reason"
adds st. Jerome, ''be on your guard
more against curious ears than
against light tongue" There are
| three sinful ways of listening to de-
traction First, when one urges peo-
pie to detraction or encourages them
by the appreciation which is given to
their tales. This is not only a sin
against charity, but against justice as
well, because a man thereby is the
cause by which his neighbor loses his
reputation, and consequently there is
upon the detractor an obligation to
repair what has been damaged.
Secondly, when hatred for the per-
son detracted gives a certain malig-
nant satisfaction, or when there is
pleasure in listening to the detractor
who continues the detraction without
| any urging, the detraction is much
more wilful. Hence st. Paulinus ad-
vises us, do not by your consent give
authority to the detractor nor by your
encouragement cause him to cultivate
this evil vice."
| A third way of listening to de-
| traction is when one lacks the cour-
age to say to the detractor that there
1 1Srtn irnrr To hi
words against his neighboF. Although
detraction may displease, one commits
sin in not striving to oppose it if he
can. In all circumstances one should
be opposed to detraction and either
by word or by manner clearly show
unwillingness to allow a neighbours
character to be injured or detracted.
To illustrate the difficulty of restor-
alton after detraction, we may recall
the story of the saint, who after in
Weighing against detraction, proceed
ed to show the difficulty of repairing
opening bag of feathers and scatter
ing them to the four winds. He then
asked his listeners to go and collect
the feathers and bring them back and
place them in the bag. With surprise
they said it was impossible because
the winds of heaven had sent them
in all directions and many of them
far, far away. The saint then sale
that it was easier far to gather III
the many feathers that had been scat
tered than it was to restore the char
acter broken by the sin of detraction;
and yet, before God one is obliged tt
make restitution.
| --.s..- .. The Echo.