Why is Sunday the Christian Sabbath?

Why is Sunday the Christian Sabbath? (John Paul II)

The Jews by divine mandate rested and worshipped on the seventh day of the week since this is the day on which God "rested" and ceased creating the universe.

When Christ, the King of Creation died and rose on Sunday, He instituted a "new creation." By rising on the day after the seventh day Sabbath, He fulfilled the promise of the eighth day which had been mystically represented in the Old Testament sacrament of circumcision (Jewish boys were circumcised on the eighth day). So then, this eighth day mystically stands outside the weekly cycle. Moreover, the Holy Spirit descended upon the Church on a Sunday and this gave even more significance to Sunday worship.

The Apostles and early Christians celebrated the Holy Eucharist daily, but the obligation of attending the Eucharistic liturgy on Sunday was required since the moral precepts of Ten Commandments were not abrogated by Christ. Christians continued to worship and rest one day out of seven days - but Sunday was the now the "Sabbath day" of the New Testament.

Take for example the words of Saint Ignatius (died ca. AD 108) to the Magnesians:

We have seen how former adherents of the ancient customs have since attained to a new hope; so that they have given up keeping the sabbath, and now order their lives by the Lord's Day instead, the day when life first dawned for us, thanks to Him and His death.

I could cite literally hundreds of passages from the Church Fathers on this topic. Let it suffice that Sunday was universally the day of obligatory worship and rest.

Regrettably, Catholics have forgotten the obligation to rest from labor on Sundays. Rest on Sunday is still taught by the Catholic magisterium. For example, Blessed John Paul II's apostolic letter Dies Domini (On keeping the Lord's day holy) teaches Catholics the moral obligation of keeping Sunday holy through rest, recreation, and attendance at Holy Mass. He also urges Catholics to resist the "weekend mentality" in which Sunday becomes blended into a time of either labor or frivolous amusements.

Many of the great saints and many of Our Lady's messages have stressed the necessity of resting on Sunday and attending Mass on Sunday. As has always been taught, to purposefully miss Holy Mass is a mortal sin because it is very grave. Why is it grave? It is grave because we need grace more than we need food, water, and even air. Sanctifying grace is needed if we are to attain to our divinely ordered end - beatific communion with God forever.

ad Jesum per Mariam,

Taylor Marshall

Posture and Gesture

Posture and Gesture

Below are instructions on some of these ways of "adverting to Our Lord" by the use of posture and gesture...

Bow of the head
How:	Simply lower your chin toward your throat and hold a moment
When:	When you pass by a Church, bow your head and make the Sign of the Cross to honor the Real Presence of Christ in the tabernacle. Any time you hear the Name "Jesus" (note that "Christ" is His title, meaning "Annointed One"; there is no need to bow the head at just the mention of the word "Christ"). Men should remove their hats and bow their heads when passing a church or when His Name is spoken; this practice is for both inside and outside of Mass. All Catholics bow their heads at these times (yes, if you're having a casual conversation with someone on the subway and you pass a church or mention His Name, you actually are supposed to bow your head, removing your hat if you are a man). 1 Cross yourself and bow the head when the priest and the Crucifer walk down the aisle before and after Mass. After Mass, as the priest leaves the Altar, it is also customary to pray for him. (Some make a profound bow instead at these times) Not commonly known and practiced: any time you hear "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (or "Holy Spirit")" mentioned together; any time you hear the name of Mary; and, during Mass, when the name of the Saint in whose honor the Mass is being celebrated

Striking of the Breast
How:	With either a fist or with the tips of the fingers, held close together, strike your chest over the heart to express regret and sorrow 2
When:	at the Mass, formally: at each "mea culpa" during the Confiteor; at the Nobis Quoque Peccatoribus (priest); three times during the Agnus Dei; and three times during the Domine, Non Sum Dignus informally: at the "forgive us our trespasses" ("dimitte nobis debita nostra") in the "Our Father"; any time to express penitence or remorse inside or outside of the Liturgy

Bow at the waist (or "profound bow")
How:	Bow at the waist in the manner of the Japanese (about 30o forward)
When:	at the Aspérges at Mass when the priest sprinkles the congregation with holy water when the Altar boy incenses the congregation during the Mass Cross yourself and make a profound bow when the priest and Crucifer walk down the aisle before and after Mass. After Mass, as the priest leaves the Altar, it is also customary to pray for him. (Some simply bow the head instead of making a profound bow at these times) when greeting a hierarch who doesn't have jurisdiction over you (e.g., the Bishop of a diocese other than one in which you live). As you bow, kiss the hierarch's ring. This bow and ring-kissing are only done if the Pope is not present.

Genuflection on Left Knee
How:	Kneel on your left knee for a moment, bringing the left knee all the way to the floor and keeping the back straight. Hold for a moment, then stand. (The word is pronounced "jen-you-flek'-shun")
When:	When greeting or leaving the Pope or other hierarchs with the rank of Bishop or above and who have jurisdiction over you (only when the Pope is not present) -- e.g., to the Bishop or Archbishop of your diocese, not of a neighboring diocese. During the left-knee genuflection, a kiss is given to the hierarch's ring. Then stand.

Genuflection on Right Knee
How:	Looking at what you are genuflecting toward, kneel on your right knee for a moment in the manner of a man proposing to a woman, bringing the right knee all the way to the floor, close to the heel of the left foot, keeping the back and neck erect. Hold for a moment, then stand.
When:	Genuflect toward the Tabernacle where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved, and each time you pass in front of it (except when you're in procession, such as standing in line for Communion, or returning to your seat afterward). While this should, on one level, be a matter of habit, it shouldn't be done thoughtlessly. Remind yourself when genuflecting toward the Tabernacle that you are kneeling before God. Praying mentally, "My Lord and My God" is a good habit to get into while genuflecting on the right knee. If the Tabernacle is not on the Altar, genuflect toward the Altar and the Altar Crucifix. Before a relic of the True Cross when it is exposed for public adoration. On Good Friday to Holy Saturday, after the ceremony of the Adoration of the Cross, genuflect when passing in front of the exposed Crucifix on the Altar.

Kneeling (Double Genuflection)
How:	Kneel on both knees
When:	any time the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, to show adoration and humility many times during the Mass: during the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, after the Sanctus, after the Agnus Dei, at the altar rail, and at the Last Blessing during Confession, inside or, in emergencies, outside of the Confessional when receiving a priestly blessing, inside or outside of the Liturgy. If you are unable for some reason to kneel, then bow your head. during private prayer (see St. Dominic's "Fourth Way"" of prayer)

Prostration
How:	Keeping your legs together, drop to your knees and then lie down flat on the floor on your face, crossing your hands underneath your forehead forming a "pillow" on which to rest your forehead
When:	Prostrations, which signify total humility and penance, are made during the Rite of Ordination, during rites of religious profession (i.e., entry into religious orders), as penance in religious orders, and by anyone during private prayer before a Crucifix or the Blessed Sacrament. It is also occasionally made by adults, at the priest's invitation, before the Profession of Faith in the solemn Rite of Baptism. (See St. Dominic's "Second Way" of prayer)

Kisses
How:	To paraphrase Lauren Bacall in "To Have and Have Not," you know how to kiss, don't you? You just put your lips together... but don't blow.
When:	Kissing Crucifixes and Icons (2-D or 3-D): In icons that depict more than one person, kiss first Our Lord (His Feet, Hem of His garment, or hands), then Our Lady (her hands or veil), then the the angels and Saints. To reverence a Crucifix or icon that you can't reach too well with your lips, kiss your fingers and then touch where you would kiss. Kissing rings of hierarchs: see above under "Genuflection on Left Knee" Kissing a priest's hands: the priest's hands may be kissed when greeting or leaving him because they alone are able to confect the Holy Eucharist. They are also kissed on Palm Sunday when receiving a palm (which is also kissed). During the Mass, the priest's hands are kissed by the acolytes/altar boys.

Orans
How:	Raise arms either at your sides and with hands up to shoulder height, or raise arms up over your head as a child would when wanting his father to pick him up
When:	Priests perform this gesture (the first method mentioned) during the Mass. Laymen sometimes adopt this position during private prayer. It should not be used by laymen at the Mass. (See St. Dominic's "Seventh Way" of prayer) 3

For more information on when to kneel, etc., during Mass, see the Order of the Mass page. For an interesting work that shows how St. Dominic used posture in prayer, see "The Nine Ways of Prayer of St. Dominic." Also, see the special page on the Sign of the Cross which will teach you about the different Signs of the Cross and when, where, and how they are made. Footnotes: 1 The custom of bowing the head at the mention of His Name was formally written into law at the Second Council of Lyons, A.D. 1274, convened by Pope Gregory X: "Those who assemble in church should extol with an act of special reverence that Name which is above every Name, than which no other under Heaven has been given to people, in which believers must be saved, the Name, that is, of Jesus Christ, Who will save His people from their sins. Each should fulfil in himself that which is written for all, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow; whenever that glorious Name is recalled, especially during the sacred Mysteries of the Mass, everyone should bow the knees of his heart, which he can do even by a bow of his head." 2 The Catholic Encyclopedia cites St. Augustine (A.D. 354-430) as saying in his Sermo de verbis Domini, "No sooner have you heard the word 'Confiteor' than you strike your breast. What does this mean except that you wish to bring to light what is concealed in the breast, and by this act to cleanse your hidden sins?" It also cites St. Jerome (ca. A.D. 340-420) as saying in Ezechiel, c. xviii, "We strike our breast because the breast is the seat of evil thoughts: we wish to dispel these thoughts, we wish to purify our hearts." 3 The orans position is frequently depicted in the art of the Catacombs where figures praying in this manner represented departed souls praying for the soul of the one whose tomb the figures adorn. The Catholic Encyclopedia says, "Numerous Biblical figures, for instance, depicted in the catacombs—Noah, Abraham, Isaac, the Three Children in the Fiery Furnace, Daniel in the lions' den—are pictured asking the Lord to deliver the soul of the person on whose tombs they are depicted as He once delivered the particular personage represented." It goes on to say that in addition to the Biblical Orans figures, there are idealized figures in that "ancient attitude of prayer" which symbolize the soul of the entombed one in heaven, praying for its friends on earth. "This symbolic meaning accounts for the fact that the great majority of the figures are female, even when depicted on the tombs of men."

Extraordinary ministers of Eucharist barred from purifying vessels

Extraordinary ministers of Eucharist barred from purifying vessels
By Nancy Frazier O'BrienCatholic News Service

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- At the direction of Pope Benedict XVI, extraordinary ministers of holy Communion will no longer be permitted to assist in the purification of the sacred vessels at Masses in the United States.

In an Oct. 23 letter, Bishop William S. Skylstad, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, asked his fellow bishops to inform all pastors of the change, which was prompted by a letter from Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.

The U.S. bishops had asked the Vatican to extend an indult -- or church permission -- in effect since 2002 allowing extraordinary ministers of holy Communion to help cleanse the Communion cups and plates when there were not enough priests or deacons to do so.

Bishop Skylstad, who heads the Diocese of Spokane, Wash., said Cardinal Arinze asked Pope Benedict about the matter during a June 9 audience, "and received a response in the negative."

Noting that the General Instruction of the Roman Missal "directs that the sacred vessels are to be purified by the priest, the deacon or an instituted acolyte," the cardinal said in his Oct. 12 letter that "it does not seem feasible, therefore, for the congregation to grant the requested indult from this directive in the general law of the Latin Church."

Although receiving Communion under both kinds is a "more complete" sign of the sacrament's meaning, Cardinal Arinze said, "Christ is fully present under each of the species."

"Communion under the species of the bread alone, as a consequence, makes it possible to receive all the fruit of eucharistic grace," he added.

Another "legitimate option" when "the high number of communicants may render it inadvisable for everyone to drink from the chalice" is intinction -- the practice of dipping the consecrated host into the consecrated wine -- "with reception on the tongue always and everywhere," the cardinal's letter said.

Along with the letters from Bishop Skylstad and Cardinal Arinze, bishops received a new resource prepared by the bishops' Committee on the Liturgy titled "Seven Questions on the Distribution of Holy Communion Under Both Kinds."

The committee document also suggested distribution of Communion by consecrated bread alone or by intinction when the number of communicants makes the purification of vessels by priests, deacons or instituted acolytes alone "pastorally problematic."

"Priests should also keep in mind potential risks associated with intinction, especially in the coming flu season," the document added.

The committee said extraordinary ministers of holy Communion may continue to "consume what remains of the precious blood from their chalice of distribution with permission of the diocesan bishop."

The document notes that the "extraordinary ministry" by which laypeople distribute Communion "was created exclusively for those instances where there are not enough ordinary ministers to distribute holy Communion, due to the consummate importance of assuring that the faithful have the opportunity to receive holy Communion at Mass, even when it is distributed under both species."

Ordinary ministers of Communion are priests and deacons, with instituted acolytes being permitted in the Roman Missal to help the priest or deacon "to purify and arrange the sacred vessels."

In the United States, instituted acolytes, who must be male, generally are seminarians preparing for priesthood or men in formation for the permanent diaconate.

END

Guidelines for Extraordinary Ministers ... - Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Guidelines for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

Introduction

The Office for Worship has prepared the following guidelines for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion serving during Sunday Mass, as well as other Eucharistic celebrations.
The purpose of these guidelines is to provide some general observations and principles on this important ministry of the Church. For a smooth functioning of this ministry, the needs of the particular faith community must be taken into account. These guidelines define the contents of the liturgical law on this matter, the demands of a good Eucharistic liturgy, and the expectations of the universal and local Church.

Ministry of Holy Communion

1. The administration of Holy Communion during the Mass is truly a ministry. It is the ministry of bringing the sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ to the People of God. It is also the ministry of witnessing to faith in the real presence of Christ in the action of sharing in the Eucharistic meal of Christ’s sacrifice. The ministry of the Eucharist should, therefore, be treated with utmost dignity and reverence.
2. In every celebration of the Eucharist there should be a sufficient number of ministers for Holy Communion so that it can be distributed in an orderly and reverent manner. Bishops, priests, and deacons distribute Holy Communion by virtue of their office as ordinary ministers of the Body and Blood of the Lord (Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion Under Both Kinds in the Dioceses of the United States of America #27).
When the size of the congregation or the incapacity of the Bishop, priest, or deacon requires it, the celebrant may be assisted by other Bishops, priests, or deacons. If such ordinary ministers of Holy Communion are not present, “the priest may call upon extraordinary ministers to assist him, i.e., formally instituted acolytes or even some of the faithful who have been commissioned according to the prescribed rite. In case of necessity, the priest may also commission suitable members of the faithful for the occasion” (Norms #28; General Instruction of the Roman Missal #162, 284).
The faculty is granted to pastors and priests chaplains to appoint extraordinary ministers of Communion in their parishes or institutions.

Requirements

3. Baptized and Confirmed Catholics, fifteen years of age or older, are eligible for this ministry. They should be persons who sincerely try to live the Gospel message in their communal and individual lives. They should faithfully participate in the Sunday Eucharist and with God’s grace strive to live their faith in every aspect of their lives.
4. Candidates for the ministry of Holy Communion are to be properly trained before they are commissioned for service in the parish (Norms #28).
5. All new Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion should be commissioned, preferably during a Sunday Mass. The Rite of Commissioning is found in the Book of Blessings (chapter 63, page 795 [Catholic Book edition]).
6. The names of newly commissioned ministers are to be submitted to the Office for Worship so that individual cards noting their commissioning may be sent for each minister.
7. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion may wear clothing in keeping with their primary role as members of the assembly.

Concerning the placement and garb of liturgical ministers, a parish policy should reflect the following values: a) liturgical ministers are first and foremost members of the worshiping assembly, and should appear as such; b) flexibility in these areas, in keeping with an attitude of reverence and service, is desirable (The Day On Which We Gather: A Pastoral Letter on Sunday Eucharist by Archbishop Roger Mahony, March 1988, IIC5, p. 16).

8. At least once a year, each community should arrange some program or retreat to renew the faith, prayer and commitment of the present ministers. These meetings/retreats could also include discussions of issues that have arisen in the course of their ministry.
9. All ministers of Communion should be encouraged to attend the Archdiocesan workshops on liturgy sponsored by the Office for Worship as well as relevant workshops offered by other Archdiocesan Offices (e.g., Religious Education Congress).

Procedure During Mass

10. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion ordinarily take their places within the assembly before the liturgy begins.

All ministers of Holy Communion should show the greatest reverence for the Most Holy Eucharist by their demeanor, their attire, and the manner in which they handle the consecrated bread or wine (Norms #29).

11. At the Preparation of the Gifts, the priest prepares the bread and wine on the altar. If the number of communicants is small, the chalice should contain an adequate amount of wine for the Communion of all. If the number is large, one or more flagons of wine are placed on the altar (in addition to the chalice). The flagons should be of a design and quality as befits the celebration of the Eucharist.
12. At the Sign of Peace, the ministers of communion enter the altar area [presbyterium] but remain at a distance from the altar so that the focus of the assembly is on the breaking of the bread by the presider [celebrant]. As soon as the Fraction Rite (Lamb of God) Litany begins, additional chalices may be brought to the altar for filling from the flagons. (If there are an exceptionally large number of chalices to be filled, the flagons may be brought to the side table where the chalices may be filled by a designated minister). In the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, it is permissible, when necessary, for designated ministers to assist in the distribution of the consecrated bread from the one ciborium into additional ciboria and in pouring of the consecrated wine into additional chalic es.

This action is usually carried out at the altar, so that the sharing of all from the one cup is signified; in the case of large assemblies, it may be done at the side table within the area around the altar (presbyterium) (Norms #37).

13. The priest presider [celebrant] receives Communion first. After the priest has received Communion, he distributes Communion under both kinds to the assisting deacon, if present. Then Communion under both kinds may be given to the ministers by the priest, assisted by the deacon who ordinarily distributes the Blood of the Lord. (NB: If the whole assembly is not being offered the Blood of the Lord, it is not appropriate to offer it to the ministers only).
The practice of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion waiting to receive until after the distribution of Holy Communion is not in accord with liturgical law (Norms #39).
As the priest or deacon approaches the minister with the Body or Blood of the Lord, the minister bows his or her head as a sign of reverence and responds with a clear “Amen” to the invitation, “The Body of Christ” or “The Blood of Christ.” Next, a vessel containing the Body or Blood of the Lord is handed by the priest or deacon to each minister, and he/she goes to the respective station for the distribution of Communion to the assembly (Norms #38-40).
14. Since enough bread and wine for each assembly’s Eucharist is brought forward at the time of the Preparation of the Gifts, the need to go to the tabernacle is avoided.
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal states, “It is most desirable that the faithful, just as the priest himself is bound to do, receive the Lord’s Body from hosts consecrated at the same Mass and that, in the instances when it is permitted, they participate in the chalice (cf. no. 283), so that even by means of the signs Communion will stand out more clearly as a participation in the sacrifice actually being celebrated” (85). Further supporting this understanding is the fact that the GIRM makes no mention of bringing the ciborium(a) with hosts consecrated at an earlier Mass to the altar during the Eucharistic Celebration.
However, if the ministers of the Body of Christ realize that they do not have sufficient hosts for the number of communicants, a minister (e.g., the Master of Ceremonies or one of the Ministers of Communion) should be ready to go to the tabernacle and bring the ciborium(a) to the Ministers of Communion who do not have sufficient hosts.
In the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, extraordinary ministers may assist the ordinary ministers in handing the vessels to others for the distribution of Holy Communion.

Distribution of the Body of Christ

15. The Body of Christ (Communion under the form of bread) is administered with the words: “The Body of Christ.” After the communicant has responded “Amen,” the (consecrated) bread/host is placed in the hand or on the tongue according to the manner indicated by the communicant. (The communicant may choose whether to receive the Body of Christ in the hand or on the tongue.) (Norms #41).
“When receiving Holy Communion, the communicant bows his or her head before the Sacrament as a gesture of reverence and receives the Body of the Lord from the minister….When Holy Communion is received under both kinds, the sign of reverence is also made before receiving the Precious Blood” (GIRM #160).
16. The Body of Christ is always ministered to the communicant. Communicants are not permitted to take their own consecrated bread/hosts and communicate themselves.
17. If a host/piece of consecrated bread falls to the ground during distribution, the minister Revised November 2003 4 should pick it up, place it in the ciborium, and consume it after the distribution is over.
18. If someone who is not receiving Communion comes in the Communion Procession to the minister of the Body of Christ, the minister may offer a simple greeting, e.g., “May Jesus be with you always.” Especially in the case of children, the minister may gently touch the person’s head. Words or gestures of blessing should be avoided.
19. After the distribution of Communion, if the number of hosts is not too great and providing that there are sufficient hosts in the tabernacle to provide for Communion to the sick, the remaining hosts should be reverently consumed by the ministers of Communion at a side table or in the sacristy. If the number of hosts remaining is great, they are reserved in the tabernacle. Care should be taken with any fragments remaining on the corporal or in the sacred vessels (Norms #51).
NB: In preparing the unconsecrated bread before the Liturgy prudence should be exercised to insure that the number of hosts consecrated corresponds to the number of communicants to be expected at the Liturgy.
20. The ciboria which held the hosts should be placed on a side table or taken into the sacristy. Ordinarily they should be placed on a corporal and suitably covered. Ideally, they are cleansed immediately following the Liturgy by the designated ministers. However, the ciboria may be cleansed immediately following the distribution of Communion (Norms #53).

Communion from the Chalice

21. In the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Communion under both kinds, the Body and Blood of Christ, is normative on Sundays and holy days – as well as at weekday Masses. In order to insure that this is done in a reverent and orderly manner, the availability of sufficient ministers is essential. Also, ongoing catechesis on the theological and liturgical aspects of this practice is important. The freedom of each communicant to choose or not to choose Communion under both kinds should be stated. If a person is unable to receive Communion under the form of bread, he/she may choose to receive Communion under the form of wine – the Blood of Christ (Norms #24, 25, 46).

Holy Communion has a fuller form as a sign when it is distributed under both kinds. For in this form the sign of the Eucharistic banquet is more clearly evident and clear expression is given to the divine will by which the new and eternal Covenant is ratified in the Blood of the Lord, as also the relationship between the Eucharistic banquet and the eschatological banquet in the Father’s Kingdom (GIRM #281).
So that this “fuller light” may foster the faithful’s greater participation in the mystery, Communion under both kinds is to be desired in all celebrations of the Mass, although this is not possible in all cases. For in this sacred rite “the sign of the eucharistic meal stands out more explicitly”, and the act of drinking the consecrated wine, the Blood of Christ, strengthens the faith of communicants in the sacrificial nature of the Mass.
Communion under both kinds can therefore manifest more fully the nature of the Mass as a sacrifice and as a sacred banquet, ritually expressing that “the sacrifice and the sacred Meal belong to the same mystery, to such an extent that they are linked to one another by a very close theological and sacramental bond” (This Holy and Living Sacrifice: Directory for the Celebration and Reception of Communion under Both Kinds #19).
It is the choice of the communicant, not the minister, to receive from the chalice (Norms #46).

22. When the members of the assembly drink from the chalice, ordinarily there should be two ministers of the chalice for each minister with the ciborium; but each community needs to determine what ratio is most suitable. Ministers should stand an appropriate distance from each other to facilitate the Communion procession and not unduly impede the assembly’s easy movement.

Ministration of the Chalice (The Blood of Christ)

23. The chalice is offered to the communicant with the words, “The Blood of Christ,” to which the communicant responds, “Amen.” Generally, the communicant should hold the chalice firmly in both hands and drink from it. However, in the case of physical disability or weakness, the minister should be ready to assist in holding the chalice.
24. After each person has received the Blood of Christ, the minister should wipe both sides of the rim of the chalice with a purificator and turn the chalice slightly before repeating the procedure for the next communicant.
25. Any danger of spilling the Precious Blood should be carefully avoided. If, by chance, the wine should spill, the area should be marked, covered immediately and washed after Mass.
26. The chalice may never be left on the altar or another place to be picked up by the communicant for self-communication (except in the case of concelebrating bishops or priests), nor may the chalice be passed from one communicant to another (Norms #44).
27. Following the distribution of Communion, the ministers of the Eucharist consume the remaining Precious Blood from their chalices at a side table or in the sacristy (except as noted below, #28). The ministers of the Body of Christ or other appropriate people may be asked to assist in the consumption of the Precious Blood if needed. The chalices and other vessels that held the Precious Blood are placed on the side table or taken into the sacristy. Ordinarily, they should be placed on a corporal and suitably covered. Ideally, the designated ministers cleanse the chalices and other vessels in the sacristy immediately following the conclusion of the Liturgy. However, all the vessels may be cleansed following the distribution of Communion (Norms #52-53).
28. The Precious Blood may not be reserved, except for giving Communion to someone who is sick and who is unable to receive Communion under the form of bread. The Blood of the Lord is kept in a properly covered vessel and is placed in the tabernacle after Communion. The Precious Blood should be carried to the sick in a vessel that is closed in such a way as to eliminate all danger of spilling. If some of the Precious Blood remains after the sick person has received Communion, it should be consumed by the minister, who should also see to it that the vessel is properly purified (Norms #54).
29. The reverence due to the Precious Blood of the Lord demands that it be fully consumed after Communion is completed and never be poured into the ground or the sacrarium (Norms #55).
It should be remembered that all movements in the liturgy must be carried out with dignity and reverence. Liturgical movements are never hurried.

Communion by Intinction

30. Communion by intinction, that is, by dipping the host into the Precious Blood is legally allowed. However, since it eliminates the communicant’s legitimate option to receive Communion in the hand, and also denies the right of the faithful to receive Communion under the form of bread only, intinction is not recommended.

Because of its ancient sign value “ex institutione Christi,” Communion from the cup or chalice is always to be preferred to any other form of ministering the precious Blood (This Holy and Living Sacrifice #44).

31. If a community still chooses Communion by intinction, the following should be remembered:
a. The formula to be used by the minister is: “The Body and Blood of Christ.” After the communicant responds, “Amen,” the dipped host is placed on the tongue. b. The communicant is not allowed to dip his/her own host into the cup. It is dipped and administered to the individual by the minister.

Children and Communion from the Chalice

32. In the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Communion under both kinds is normative at all Eucharistic celebrations and is offered to all who have received their first Communion. Children are to be prepared catechetically and liturgically for the option of Communion under both kinds.
Special care shall be given when children receive Communion from the chalice. Parents should be instructed that Communion under both kinds is an ancient tradition for children old enough to drink from a cup. Ideally, children should have some familiarity with drinking wine at home before they are offered the chalice (This Holy and Living Sacrifice #49).

Guidelines for Ministers to the Sick

33. Ordinarily each commissioned Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion may take Communion to the sick. However, there may be certain specifically commissioned persons who are sent by the community to minister to the sick of the parish on a regular basis.

Priests with pastoral responsibilities should see to it that the sick or aged, even though not seriously ill or in danger of death, are given every opportunity to receive the Eucharist frequently, even daily, especially during the Easter Season (Pastoral Care of the Sick: Rites of Anointing and Viaticum #72).

34. Ideally, ministers to the sick are sent by the parish community each Sunday to take the Eucharist to those who are prevented from being present because of age or illness. This is usually done after the Prayer after Communion. The ministers may be blessed and ritually sent to extend the unity of the Eucharist with those who are sick. The formula for the ritual sending may be in these or similar words:

“My brothers and sisters, you are sent to bring the Word of God and the Bread of Life from this assembly to the sick and shutin members of our parish family. Go to them with our love and our prayers in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord” (Liturgical Life 1988, Vol. II, No. 4, p. 9).

Ministers may be sent in this manner at weekday Masses also.
35. The minister to the sick may celebrate the Communion Service in one of two ways: a) in context of a liturgy of the Word; b) or in a brief form for use in more restrictive circumstances (Pastoral Care of the Sick, chapter 3). It is recommended that whenever possible a group of sick or aged persons be brought together to celebrate the Liturgy of the Word and the Communion Service in a communal manner. If this is impossible, the minister should try to celebrate the Communion Service as fully as possible depending on the condition of the patient.
36. When the Eucharist is brought to the sick it should be carried in a pyx or small closed Revised November 2003 7 container. Ideally, a table is to be prepared with a cloth and a lighted candle for the Eucharist. A vessel of holy water may also be available.
37. If the sick person can only receive Eucharist under the form of wine, a container of consecrated wine may be brought from the Sunday or weekday celebration of the Eucharist. It is to be placed in a properly covered container and kept in the tabernacle until the minister is able to take it to the sick person. If any of the Precious Blood remains after the Communion Service, the minister is to consume what remains and properly purify the vessel.
38. Those who care for the sick or family members may also participate in the Communion Service and receive Communion even if they have already received Communion that day. 39. The pastor or priest-chaplain should see that worthy Eucharistic containers are available for use by Extraordinary Ministers to the sick and homebound. The Host is not to be carried in a handkerchief, envelope or similar unworthy container.
40. It is recommended that Hosts for the sick and homebound be consecrated in the Mass from which they will be taken and in which the Extraordinary Ministers have participated. Hosts which cannot be distributed immediately and consumed at once by the sick and homebound should be consumed by the minister or returned to the tabernacle.

Viaticum

41. The norm for the reception of viaticum is within the context of the celebration of Mass with the dying person. However, when this is not possible due to circumstances and/or the condition of the dying person, a minister of Holy Communion may distribute viaticum outside of Mass (Pastoral Care of the Sick, chapter 5).

Conclusion

“Receiving the Bread of Life, the disciples of Christ ready themselves to undertake with the strength of the Risen Lord and his Spirit the tasks which await them in their ordinary life. For the faithful who have understood the meaning of what they have done, the Eucharistic celebration does not stop at the church door. Like the first witnesses of the resurrection, Christians who gather each Sunday to experience and proclaim the presence of the Risen Lord are called to evangelize and bear witness in their daily lives.” (Dies Domini #45).

www.archdiocese.la/prayer/worship/guidelines/communion.html

Ordinary and Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers

Ordinary and Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers

ISSUE: What is an “extraordinary” Eucharistic minister? What is the role of lay people in the distribution of HolyCommunion?

RESPONSE: An extraordinary minister of the Eucharist is a Eucharistic minister who is not ordained. The “ordinary” ministers of Holy Communion are bishops, priests, and deacons, all of whom have received the sacrament of Holy Orders.
The Church does permit the use of extraordinary Eucharistic ministers under certain circumstances. The Catechismof the Catholic Church, quoting Canon Law, provides:
When the necessity of the Church warrants it and when ministers are lacking, lay persons . . . can also . . . distribute Holy Communion in accord with the prescriptions of law (no. 903).

DISCUSSION: Following the liturgical renewal of Pope St. Pius X via his decree Sacra Tridentina Synodus (1905), there was a great increase in the number of laity who receive Holy Communion on a regular basis. In the last generation, there has been a decrease in the number of ordinary ministers, i.e., bishops, priests, and deacons. In light of these changes, the Church has authorized non- ordained or “extraordinary” ministers to distribute Communion.
The use of extraordinary ministers has been a controversial issue in some circles, with clergy and lay people disagreeing on when extraordinary ministers should be used.
First, we need to understand our terms properly. As noted above, the ordinary ministers of Holy Communion are bishops, priests, and deacons. Every other Eucharistic minister is extraordinary. “Ordinary” in this sense does not mean what is customary or usual. It simply means “ordained.” Further, the term “extraordinary” minister unfortunately gives the impression that such ministry should be exercised—if at all—rarely (i.e., only when extraordinary circumstances exist). Some therefore incorrectly conclude that regular use of extraordinary Eucharistic ministers is an abuse. However, in this instance “extraordinary” simply refers to those who are not ordained.
There are two types of extraordinary Eucharistic ministers, in that some are acolytes. The ministry of acolyte, according to canon law, is open to lay men who have reached a specified age, and there is an installation liturgy at which the candidate receives this non-ordained ministry. Practically speaking, this ministry is usually reserved to seminarians who are preparing for priesthood. The vast majority of parishes in this country do not have formally installed acolytes. Others who are not acolytes are simply called extraordinary Eucharistic ministers, or commonly “Eucharistic ministers.”
The foregoing is summarized in Canon 910 of the Code of Canon Law:
§1 The ordinary minister of Holy Communion is a bishop, a presbyter [priest], or a deacon.
§2 The extraordinary minister of Holy Communion is an acolyte or other member of the Christian faithful deputed in accord with [Church law].
There is a 1973 Instruction of the Vatican Congregation for the Discipline of the Sacraments (Immensae Caritatis), which lists the circumstances in which local bishops may permit lay persons to distribute Communion. The first of these circumstances is “whenever no priest, deacon, or acolyte is available. ”The Vatican Congregation for the Sacraments further addressed the matter in its 1980 Instruction Concerning Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery (Inaestimabile Donum):
The faithful, whether religious or lay, who are authorized as extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, can distribute Communion only when there is no priest, deacon, or acolyte, when the priest is impeded by illness or age, or when the number of the faithful going to Communion is so large as to make the celebration of the Mass excessively long. Accordingly, a reprehensible attitude is shown by those priests who, though present at the celebration, refrain from distributing Communion and leave this task to the laity (no. 10).
As the two aforementioned Church documents indicate, it is also impermissible for a lay person to conduct a communion service when a priest or deacon is available, a subject the Church has addressed elsewhere:
The local Ordinary [i.e., bishop] may give to other extraordinary ministers the faculty to give communion whenever it seems necessary for the pastoral benefit of the faithful, and when a priest, deacon, or acolyte is not available (On Holy Communion and the Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery Outside of Mass, 1973, no. 17).
The foregoing guidelines, in some circumstances, are open to interpretation. For example, when is the congregation so large that the use of extraordinary ministers is necessary to keep Mass from being “excessively long?” In such circumstances, the decision is ultimately subject to the discretion of the pastor. Regarding liturgical rites, the Church teaches the following at Vatican II in Sacrosanctum Concilium (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy), no. 22:
· Regulation of the sacred liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, that is, on the Apostolic See [the Pope and those directly under him], and, as laws may determine, on the bishop.
· In virtue of power conceded by law, the regulation of the liturgy within certain defined limits belongs also to various kinds of bishops’ conferences, legitimately established, with competence in given territories.
· Therefore no other person, not even a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority.
In dealing with liturgical concerns, we must make sure that our orthodoxy (right belief and discipline) is accompanied by orthopraxy (right action). In other words, we need to cultivate and use the virtues that right Faith avails us-—virtues such as patience, fortitude, and, above all, charity. Orthodoxy requires us to promote the truth, but never allows us to offend against charity. As Vatican II teaches us, “[O]ne who does not . . . persevere in charity is not saved” (Lumen Gentium, no. 14; cf. Catechism, no. 837).
If your efforts are not successful, resist the desire to speak uncharitably toward your pastor and/or bishop (cf. Ex. 16:2-12; Num. 16). Instead, we should offer any such imperfections and distractions as a sacrifice in union with our Eucharistic Lord, for our salvation and that of the universal Church. And we should look for a providential opportunity to express our concerns in a manner which respects both the person and the office of a pastor. It is this genuine fidelity to Christ and His Church that is most effective in fostering authentic liturgical renewal.
Further inquiries in this matter can be directed to CUF, your diocesan liturgy office, or, if necessary, the Secretariat for the Liturgy, National Conference of Catholic Bishops, 3211 4th St., N.E., Washington, D.C. 20017-1194.

VOICE OF THE FAITHFUL

VOICE OF THE FAITHFUL

Its Right to Exist According to Canon Law
Thomas P. Doyle, O.P., J.C.D.

The revised Code of Canon Law, promulgated in 1983, provides a basis for the existence of the Voice of the Faithful as an organization of the faithful, clergy and lay, of the Roman Catholic Church.
The revised code, reflecting the theology of the Church that emerged from the Second Vatican Council and especially formulated in the conciliar constitution Lumen Gentium, contains a new section entitled "The People of God." This section begins with a series of canons under two chapter headings: "The Obligations and Rights of All Christ's Faithful" and "The Obligations and Rights of the Lay Members of Christ's Faithful."
According to the code, the Christian faithful are divided into two groups: lay and cleric. This division is based on Church law in that clerics are defined not by divine Law or God's will, but by man-made Church law. A further distinction is made between those who are in holy orders and those who are not, and this distinction is viewed as being founded in divine law.
All Christian faithful, lay and those in orders, have a mission in the Church that is defined in Lumen Gentium as "The People of God." (Canon 204).
Canon 212 states that the faithful are bound to follow what the sacred pastors (the bishops) declare as teachers of the faith. This statement is balanced off, however, by an annunciation of the right and obligation of all the faithful to provide intellectual input to the governance and indeed the very life of the Church.

Can. 212 �3 They have the right, indeed at times the duty, in keeping with their knowledge, competence and position, to manifest to the sacred Pastors their views on matters which concern the good of the Church. They have the right also to make their views known to others of Christ's faithful, but in doing so they must always respect the integrity of faith and morals, show due reverence to the Pastors and take into account both the common good and the dignity of individuals.

The source of this canon is Lumen Gentium n. 37. This canon reflects the fact that the institutional Church and its leadership recognize the fact that the Church is a community and that all faithful have a right to provide input into that is good for this community. The right to share information and opinions is extended between the faithful (lay and cleric) and the bishops as well as among the faithful themselves.
The code also gives the faithful the "right of assembly," which means that they may found and run organizations for "charitable and religious" purposes.

Can. 215 Christ's faithful may freely establish and direct associations which serve charitable or pious purposes or which foster the Christian vocation in the world, and they may hold meetings to pursue these purposes by common effort.

The fact that this right is enshrined in the code itself means that it implies a practical application. Does the right to assembly mean that the group assembling must first receive permission from ecclesiastical superiors such as bishops? The answer is negative unless this assembly leads to the foundation of what the canons refer to as "associations of Christ's faithful" in the Church. These are not simply groupings of the faithful, but organizations that receive official recognition by Church authority. The right of assembly mentioned in Canon 215 does not mean that all assemblies or gatherings of the faithful, even those that exist on a more stable basis, need approval of Church authorities.
"Associations of Christ's faithful" are treated in Canons 298-311. The first canon in the series defines an association:

Can. 298 �1 In the Church there are associations which are distinct from institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life. In these associations, Christ's faithful, whether clerics or laity, or clerics and laity together, strive with a common effort to foster a more perfect life, or to promote public worship or Christian teaching. They may also devote themselves to other works of the apostolate, such as initiatives for evangelization, works of piety or charity, and those which animate the temporal order with the Christian spirit.

One of the restrictions for associations is that the use of the term "Catholic" is restricted to those having official approbation. Some examples of such associations are "Third Orders" which are attached to many religious orders. The canons go on to distinguish between "private" and "public" associations. In all cases these organizations have some form of official approval by a Church authority.
Canon 215 does not specify a list of rights for assemblies of the faithful. Do they automatically have the right to use property owned by official Church organizations, such as parish property, school property, diocesan property, or facilities owned by religious orders? This is not specified in the canons; however, it could be reasonably argued that use of Church buildings is required to fully respect the right of the faithful to assemble. This right to assemble does not depend on whether or not Church authorities agree with the purpose of the group. It depends on the purpose of the group itself provided these purposes are not opposed to fundamental Church teaching or good order. For example, the Catholic Theological Society of America and the Canon Law Society of America are both examples of the faithful assembling for a specific purpose. Both organizations often use Church buildings for their meetings. Both organizations often discuss or debate issues that are controversial and, at times, at odds with Church discipline.
The section in the canons entitled "The Obligations and Rights of the Lay Members of Christ's Faithful" begins with a canon that sets forth the basic foundation of the mission of the lay faithful:

Can. 225 �1 Since lay people, like all Christ's faithful, are deputed to the apostolate by baptism and confirmation, they are bound by the general obligation and they have the right, whether as individuals or in associations, to strive so that the divine message of salvation may be known and accepted by all people throughout the world. This obligation is all the more insistent in circumstances in which only through them are people able to hear the Gospel and to know Christ.
�2 They have also, according to the condition of each, the special obligation to permeate and perfect the temporal order of things with the spirit of the Gospel. In this way, particularly in conducting secular business and exercising secular functions, they are to give witness to Christ.

This charge is especially important relative to the impact the lay faithful are expected to have in the so-called "temporal" order. This "temporal" order refers to the general ebb and flow of life. The Church exists in the world as a political organization. The lay faithful are called to use their influence as followers of Christ to help bring perfection to the world.
Since Voice of the Faithful was founded in part, in reaction to the scandals surrounding the sexual abuse of children and young people by the clergy, it might be pointed out that one of the fundamental rights set forth in this section pertains to parents and their right to educate their children.

Can. 226 �2 Because they gave life to their children, parents have the most serious obligation and the right to educate them. It is therefore primarily the responsibility of Christian parents to ensure the Christian education of their children in accordance with the teaching of the Church.

By "educate" the code refers to the broad concept of "nurture." It is obvious that protection of their children from physical, spiritual or moral abuse, or reacting to such abuse, is well within the rights set forth in the canon.
Voice of the Faithful, then, is the response of a group of Catholic faithful, including persons in orders and lay, to their rights to express their opinions to the bishops, to assemble for the promotion of the good of the Church, and to protect their children. The members seek to improve the "temporal order" by calling attention to the obligations of all members of the Church to obey the civil laws, to extend Christian compassion and charity to those in need, to support those in holy orders who seek to promote the Church's teaching especially with regard to the obligation to safeguard the moral welfare of all members of the Church.
The right to express opinions and the right to assemble do not mean that these rights depend on the agreement of the Church authorities with opinions expressed. Individual members may hold opinions that are different from Church law or teaching. This does not negate the right of a group to assemble nor does it imply that the group itself espouses these ideas.

평신도와 목자와의 관계

평신도들은 자기 의무를 의식하면서 그리스도를 대표하는 거룩한 목자들이 신앙의 스승으로서 선언하고 교회의 지도자로서 교회법에 따라 결정한 바를 그리스도교적 순명 정신으로써 받아들이고 따라야 한다.
평신도들은 교회의 목자들에게 자기들이 필요로 하는 것, 특히 영적 도움을 청하고 받을 권리가 있다는 사실을 명심해야 한다. 영적 도움이란 하느님의 말씀과 성사를 통하여 받는 부를 가리킨다.
한편 자기들의 학식과 능력과 지위에 따라 교회에 필요하고 유익한 일에 자기 의견을 표명함으로써 목자들을 도울 권리와 의무가 있음을 알아야 한다. 그러나 이같은 경우 신앙과 도덕과 목자들에 대한 존경 및 공동선과 인격 존중에 항상 유의해야 한다.
학문을 연구하는 사람들은 교회의 교도권에 합당하게 순종하면서 자기 전문분야를 연구하고 자기 견해를 현명하게 밝힐 자유가 있다(교회법 212-213조;218조 참고).

Holy Days of Obligation - 의무 축일

Holy Days of Obligation - 의무 축일

http://www.archdiocese.la/prayer/worship/calendar/liturgical.html

Holy Days of Obligation

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles usually observes 4 solemnities designated as Holy Days of Obligation with the obligation to participate in Mass:
Christmas (December 25), Mary, Assumption (August 15), All Saints (November 1) and the Immaculate Conception (December 8).
The Ascension of the Lord is celebrated on the Seventh Sunday of Easter.
In the dioceses of the California province (including the Archdiocese of Los Angeles), the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (January 1) is not celebrated as a holy day of obligation.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy has provided the following guidelines for determining exceptions to the above observations:
•when January 1, August 15, November 1 fall on a Saturday or a Monday, the obligation to participate in Mass does not hold.
•when December 8 falls on a Saturday or a Monday, the obligation to participate in Mass remains.
•when December 8 falls on a Sunday, the observance is transferred to Monday, December 9 and there is no obligation to participate in Mass.

미국 천주교회의 의무축일 규정 (의무축일은 주일과 동일: 헌금의 의무가 있음)

1. Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God 천주의 모친 성 마리아 대축일. (01/01)*

2. Ascension of the Lord 예수 승천 대축일. (부활 후 40일째 되는 부활 제6주간 목요일)

3. Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary 성모 승천 대축일. (08/15)*

4. Solemnity of All Saints 모든 성인의 날 대축일. (11/01)*

5. Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary 복되신 동정 마리아의 원죄없으신 잉태 대축일. (12/08) 

6. Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ 예수 성탄 대축일. (12/25)

단,  1, 3, 4번의 축일이 토요일이나 월요일에 해당될 때에는 의무가 부여되지 않는다.

참고 : 한국 천주교회에서는 아래 3개의 축일을 의무축일로서 주일과 동일하게 지낸다.

1. 천주의 모친 성 마리아 대축일 (01/01)

2. 성모 승천 대축일 (08/15)

3. 예수 성탄 대축일(12/25)

The seal of confession: some basics

The seal of confession: some basics
written by Fr Tim Finigan,
Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Southwark, parish priest of Our Lady of the Rosary, Blackfen, visiting tutor in Sacramental Theology at St John's Seminary Wonersh, and tutor in Dogmatic Theology at St Hugh's Charterhouse, Parkminster.

The seal of confession is a strict obligation upon the priest to keep secret the sins that have been confessed and to abstain from any use of knowledge of those sins which might betray the penitent. The confessor may not speak in any way that might give those who hear him any grounds for suspecting the penitent of any sin that he has confessed.

A direct violation of the seal occurs when the priest reveals the identity of the penitent and the sin that they have committed. This is a serious crime in canon law and it incurs the penalty of automatic (“latae sententiae”) excommunication. This penalty is reserved to the Apostolic See which means that if a priest incurs this penalty, he can only be absolved from it by the Apostolic See. He cannot be absolved from it by another priest or Bishop.

An indirect violation of the seal occurs when the priest does not directly reveal the identity of the penitent and the sin that they have committed. This can happen if a confessor speaks of a sin told in confession without revealing who the penitent was. If people work out who it was, or even if they suspect whom it might have been, an indirect violation has been committed. An indirect violation can occur when a priest foolishly tells stories from the confessional in a sermon or in conversation. Even though he does not reveal who the penitent was, somebody might “put two and two together” and the priest has committed the crime of indirect violation. The code stipulates that this crime is to be punished “according to the gravity of the delict.”

The priest is also strictly forbidden to use any other knowledge acquired in the sacrament (i.e. knowledge about matters not connected with sin) if this would be in any way to the detriment of the penitent. This is not strictly speaking a violation of the seal itself, since it does not concern sins confessed. Nevertheless it is completely prohibited by the code, even when any danger of revelation is excluded. For example, if the confessor learned in the sacrament that a person was wealthy, it would be unlawful use of knowledge if he were to pester the penitent for a contribution to a building project.

One matter that is sometimes not realised is that the penitent himself is not bound by the seal. A penitent is free to say that he has confessed such and such a sin (provided, of course, that he does not commit the sin of scandal.) The penitent may also give permission to the priest to talk to him about his sins outside of confession or at a subsequent confession. The priest is not to do this unless the penitent has freely and explicitly given him permission to do so.

In some cases, this is a good thing to do. A regular penitent who has explained the circumstances of his life, and past sins, to the confessor, or who has particular temptations to which he often succumbs, may give permission to the confessor to refer to this matter in order to receive appropriate counsel regularly as he engages in the spiritual battle. But the confessor may not presume this and should ask explicitly for permission if the penitent seems to presume that the priest will refer to previously confessed sins.

That’s enough for today. We also need to look at the reasons why the seal is binding, the proper place, time and vesture for hearing confessions, one or two more particular crimes in canon law, the question of jurisdiction and the much misused expression “Ecclesia supplet”, and, of course, what to do if the civil authority tries to compel a priest to break the seal.

Some Things That Catholics Do Not Believe

Some Things That Catholics Do Not Believe

Very Rev. Joseph Di Bruno, D.D.

We have already passed in review what seem to be the principal points of Catholic belief, and now, in order to meet the most common of the misapprehensions and misrepresentations on these matters, we will here state, though it may be in part a repetition, some things that Catholics do not believe.  1. Catholics do not believe that there is any other Mediator of Redemption than our SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, "For there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved" than that of JESUS (Acts of the Apostles, iv.12); and when they call the Blessed Virgin or any other Saint a mediator, it is not in the sense of Mediator of Redemption attributed to our Saviour, but in the sense of intercessor or pleader, in which sense any Christian may be called a mediator, whenever he intercedes, or mediates between God and his fellow-man, as Abraham and Moses and St. Paul did, and thus prays for his neighbor. God Himself commanded Eliphaz and his friends to apply to the Patriarch Job that he should pray for them, and God promised to accept his prayers. Go to my servant Job, and offer for yourselves a holocaust; and my servant Job shall pray for you; his face I will accept, that folly be not imputed to you" (Job xlii. 8.) In this sense Moses could also say, "I was the mediator, and stood between the Lord and you". (Deuteronomy v. 5) 2. Catholics do not believe that the blessed Virgin is in any way equal or even comparable to God, for she, being a creature, although the most highly favored, is infinitely less than God. Nor do they claim for her any power beyond that which she derives from Him; for she is entirely dependent on God for her existence, her privileges, her grace and her glory. The strong, loving expressions used oftentimes by Catholics, which seem to attribute  to the Blessed Virgin more than is here stated, are to be understood in the limited sense meant by Catholics themselves, as here explained; that is, in a way consistent with the Catholic teaching and not in the unlimited, un-Catholic sense which persons not understanding that teaching may be led to apply to them. These tender expressions, I say, ought not to be judged of by cold or hostile criticism, for they spring from fervent, heart-felt devotion and unmeasured love. If it were permitted to take offence at expressions which are only true in a limited sense, surely from those words of Scripture: "I have said; you are gods" (Psalm lxxxi. 6), one might argue that Holy Scripture holds certain men to be really gods. From the words of the Gospel: If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, . . . . he cannot be by disciple" (St. Luke xiv. 26), one might pretend that Christ encourages the hating of parents and other relatives. That direction of our Lord: "If thy right hand scandalize thee, cut it off" (St. Matth. v. 30) might be taken to justify self-mutilation. And from the words: "How knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife;" (I Corinth. vii. 16) some might argue that according to Scripture, a man can be the saviour of his wife. If, therefore, even in the interpretation of Holy Scripture, it would be wrong to take in the full extent expressions that were meant in a qualified sense so still more unjust would it be to apply this wrong principle to expressions found in books of devotion or in religious poetical compositions, in which a certain latitude to the expansion of a warm heart is allowed. It is a common practice among men to use expressions which are true only in a secondary and limited sense. For instance, a great poet or artist is spoken of as "divine," mothers often call their children their little "angels," "kings," and "queens," and are said to "adore" or "idolize" them, and no one t hinks of blaming such tender exaggerations. And again, in the Marriage-Service in the Book of Common Prayer of the Established Church of England, the bridegroom has to say to the bride: "With my body I thee worship". No one should take offence at these expressions; indeed, it would seem captious to do so; more especially when the speaker declares his meaning. 3. Catholics do not believe that there is any authority upon earth or in heaven that can give leave to commit any sin, even the least; or that a sin can be forgiven for money; or that a Priest can give valid absolution to a sinner who does not repent and truly purpose to forsake sin and amend his life. 4. Catholics do not believe that a man can by his own good works, independently of the Merits and Passion of Jesus Christ and of His grace, obtain salvation, or make any satisfaction for the guilt of his sins, or acquire any merit. 5. Catholics do not believe that it is allowable to break a lawful oath, or tell a lie, or do any other wicked thing whatever for the sake of promoting the supposed interest of the Church, or for any good, however great, likely to arise from it. The false and pernicious principle that the end justifies the means, or that we may do evil that good may come, is utterly condemned by the Catholic Church. 6. Catholics do not believe that it is in the power of the Church to add to the truths contained in the "deposit of faith," that is, to frame or enforce any doctrine which has not for its source the written or unwritten word of God, or authority from the same. Nor do they believe, when the Church makes a Definition in matters of faith, that this definition or article of faith is a new doctrine; it is only a solemn declaration and a clearer statement of what was believed, at least implicitly (that is, in an implied way, or inferentially), in the time of the Apostles, though some private persons might have doubted of it. 7. Catholics do not believe that Protestants who are baptized, who lead a good life, love God and their neighbor, and are blamelessly ignorant of the just claims of the Catholic Religion to be the one true Religion (which is called being in good faith), are excluded from Heaven, provided they believe that there is one God in three Divine Persons; *that God will duly reward the good and punish the wicked; that Jesus Christ is the Son of God made man, who redeemed us, and in whom we must trust for our salvation; and provided they thoroughly repent of having ever, by their sins, offended God. Catholics hold that Protestants who have these dispositions, and who have no suspicion of their religion being false, and no means to discover, or fail in their honest endeavors to discover, the true Religion, and who are so disposed in their heart that they would at any cost embrace the Roman Catholic Religion if they knew it to be the true one, are Catholics in spirit and in some sense within the Catholic Church, without themselves knowing it. She holds that these Christians belong to, and are united to the "soul," as it is called, of the Catholic Church, although they are not united to the visible body of the Church by external communion with her, and by the outward profession of her faith. Very different is the case of a person who, having the opportunity, neglects to learn from genuine trustworthy sources what the Catholic Religion is and really teaches, fearing, that were he to become convinced of the truth of the Catholic Faith, he would be compelled by his conscience to forsake his own religion, and bear the worldly inconveniences attached to this step. This very fear shows a want of good faith, and that he is not in that insurmountable ignorance which could excuse him in the sight of God, nut that he is one of those of whom it is said in Psalm xxxv. 4, "He would not understand that he might do well." Fairness, no less than common sense, teaches that a man should study and examine the teaching of the Catholic Church from Catholic sources before condemning her. Surely no man ought to reject Catholic doctrine if he has not made himself well acquainted with them. Nor is is fair to form a judgment from misrepresentations made by ill-informed, interested, or prejudiced persons; one should rather, by the study of authorized Catholic works, judge of the truth with that calm and unprejudiced mind which the all-important subject of Religion deserves. Thus having heard both sides, you will be in a state to pass a right judgment and not in danger of being misled by prejudice. Our Saviour gave no hope of salvation to the Samaritan woman unless she entered the one true Church of the tine, saying to her who was destitute of a sure guide: "You adore that which you know not; we adore that which we know; for SALVATION IS OF THE JEWS". (St John iv. 22.) So likewise there is no salvation for any one who, having by God's grace come to the knowledge of the truth, obstinately refuses to join the true Church of God. There was no safety out of the Ark of Noah during the deluge, and no one can be saved who is in no sense within the true Church, prefigured by the Ark. According to St. Cyprian: "No one can have God for his Father who has not the Church for his Mother. If any one could escape the deluge out of the Ark of Noah,  he who is out of the Church may also escape." (Book on the Unity of the Church.) It is hard to understand how a Protestant can daily say in the Apostles' Creed, as many happily do still say, "I believe in the Holy Catholic Church," without at least a thought arising in his mind, that perhaps after all the Church which alone is truly Catholic or universal, both in name and in fact, has more claim on his love and obedience than his own denomination, which really is not Catholic. Catholic Belief: A Short and Simple Exposition of Catholic Doctrine, Chapter XLIV. (NY: Benzinger Brothers, 1884).