The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-11-13
FATHER TIM CASEY

mOOO. Inc TACT Is, ever SlHce lie udu
read that letter with the foreign post
mark, which came in the morning
mail, his phenomenal success" in St.
Mary's parish had looked pitifully
mean and small to him.
The young people had noticed his
preoccupation, and, after sundry whis-
pering, a little group had formed
around him to cheer him up. One
topic after another was introduced
with Indifferent success. At last the
thought uppermost in his mind found
expression in words.
Children" he exclaimed abruptly,
though, if the truth must be told,
some of his hearers were fairly old
children. children, how, think you,
will it stand with pastor and people
of st. Marys on. judgment day?' .
Several of them caught their breath
at the bluntness of this archaeological
consideration, but Kelvin Desmond's
Irish readiness came promptly to the
rescue.
GAS for the people," he said, "some
| of us will, get by with mighty close
| shadow of doubt about the big gold
crown and harp which will be waiting
for the pastor
There's neither harp nor crown for
any of u.s. said the priest sadly, eff
we persist until death in breaking
Gods law in serious matter"
The young people looked at him
anxiously. Their beloved pastor was
evidently disturbed in mind and they
felt their utter helplessness to offer
him consolation.
''That law of God, you know" he
said, "about assisting the neighbor in
extreme spiritual need"
| Clearly, from their puzzled express
sions, they did not know, though two
or three of them said, Eyes. Father"
Others, more honest, queried, What
law" and one asked, "W-who?"
Il see have not even taught you
the law, much less kept it," said the
priest. "The law of charity is the
law Our Father in heaven has i'm
posed upon us, His children, to oblige
us to be helpful to one another in all
our, needs. Now, you all know that
this law of charity obliges us to give
food to one of our fellowmen who is
dying of hunger, shelter and warmth
to one who is dying of cold If you
knew some one who was dying OF
hunger and cold and through stingi
ness or Indifference you let him perish
, your conscience would tell you plainly
that you had sinned against Gods law
! of charity, would it not?"
Eyes, Father" they replied.
well, if God obliges us to help ou1
neighbor when he is in danger of los
ing his life, don't you suppose He
obliges us to help our neighbor wher
he is in danger of losing his soul?'
) They said nothing. The case wa.
{ too clear to require an answer.
II "Of course He does,' continued TIT
5 priest. Goods law, the law of Chart,
} obliges us to help our neighbor, ever
at the cost of our goods and our life
3 when our neighbor is in extreme spir
5 itual need-that is, when it is certain
t / that we can help him save his soul
S and equally certain that he canno
IL save his soul without our help Thi
2 | is what is troubling me-are we com
E / hitting mortal sin by neglecting t,
t help our neighbors in extreme spil
/. itual need?"
i "Oh, dear, hope mott" crie'
t Blanche Cosgrove earnestly.
y "Three-fourths of the people in thi
9 town." said Arthur Howe refectively
"are living and dying outside of tn
i True Church Maybe we are all CON
: hitting mortal sin by not trying t
e convert them
d "But it would be so difficult for u
i ordinary people to be going about try
8 ing to convert the nome Catholics Of tn
s city, objected Blanche.
ell Makes no difference returned Al