The Catholic bulletin., 1920-07-24

World?
AS far as we can learn the MaCca-
bees is an insurance organization and
as such we see no reason why Catho-
lies should not take out insurance in
the Society if they believe it to be
safe from the financial standpoint.
~ Why is the Holy Father called
the Holy See? (2) Is there a St.
Wilfred? (3) Who was St. Wilma?
Is her name spelled with one or
two?
1D The Holy Father is not called
the Holy See. You are confounding
two different things. The Pope is
frequently referred to as the Holy
Father. The Holy See is a name Civ
en- to the Episcopal See of Rome of
which the Holy Father is Bishop. CD
Wilfred is a form of Wilfrid. There
are two saints of that name and the
feast is celebrated on April "a. CD
There is no mention of a st. Wilma in
the list of saints names accessible to
us. May it not be a contraction of
WilhClmina?
What is incense and why is it used
in Church?
Incense is an odorous substance
composed of various gums and spices
which, when burned, eXhale a sweet
perfume. To find the origin Of it's
use in divine worship we must go
back several thousand years to the
deserts about Sinai, and hear the Lord
say to Moses, as is related in the
Book of Exodus: Take unto thee
spices, statcte and onycha, galbanum
of sweet SAVIOUR, and the clearest
frankincense, all shall be of equal
weight. And thou shalt make incense
compounded by the work of the per-
fumer we'll tempered together, ana
pure and most worthy of sanctification.
And when thou hast beaten all into
very small powder, thou shall set of
it before the tabernacle of the testi-
mony, in the place where | will ap-
pear to thee. Most holy shall this
incense be unto you"
Jewish priest was to burn incense
upon the altar of perfumes. The
pagans likewise employed it in their
religious ceremonies. And the Cath
olic Church-led by the example of
our blessed Saviour Who doubtless
inspired the Magi to include it
among their gifts. and Who complain
ed of the Pharisee because no sweet
ointment was placed upon His head
perhaps, even by His directions
adopted it, and used it in her most
solemn and important rites.
1t is intended to honor God, and to
convey to the minds of the faithful
several mystical Specifications. The
burning of incense is a means to honor
God because like the holocaust it sig
nifies the absolute dominion of the
Creator, and testifes how every crea-
ture should be engaged and consumed
in His service and for His glory. 1t
denotes divinity, hence it was offered
by the Wise Men to the Infant Jesus.
AS it burns at the altar and spreads
throughout the church, it represents
the sweet odOr of Jesus Christ. 1--WE
run in the OdOr of Thy ointments,'
says the Canticles.
1t is an emblem of prayer. An
other angel" says st. John in the
Apocalypse, came and stood before
the altar, having a golden censer;
and there was giving him much in
cense, that he should offer the pray
ers of all the saints" Let my pray
er, o Lord, be directed as incense
in Thy sight, said the Royal Psalm
list; and these words are repeated by
the priest at the altar.
How do you prove that the Bible is
the Word of God?
The only conclusive proof that the
Bible is the written word of God is the
authority of the Church The Bible
is generally recognized as true his
tory. From that history one can e3-
tablish the existence of a Church with
authority to decide in matters of
faith and morals. That authority has
decided what is the Bible and what
is the worth of the Bible.
How may we explain the belief that
spirits have no material shape when
the Bible speaks of spirits appearing
to people?
When the angels appeared, as re-
corded in the Sacred Scriptures, they
assumed human forms. This body is
taken on for the time being and is
not part of the angelic nature. When
the spirit or the Archangel appeared
to the Blessed Virgin Mary, ne, the
Archangel, assumed the form of
young man. She did not see the pure
spirit but saw only the material form
which God allows His angels to as
sumo in order that man may be en-
abled to see and therefore to believe
the message.
What do Catholics mean by Bene-
diction of the Blessed Sacrament?
How is it given?
By Benediction of the Blessed Sac
rament is meant the imparting of a
blessing by Jesus Christ Himself,
through the instrumentality of the
Eucharist in which He is truly pres
ent.
The religious service known as ben
ediction consists of prayer and adora-