|
|
A. By the command of confessing at least once a year is meant that we are
obliged, under pain of mortal sin, to go to confession within the year.
A. We should confess frequently, if we wish to lead a good life.
A. We should go to confession at our usual time even if we think we have not
committed sin since our last confession, because the Sacrament of Penance has
for its object not only to forgive sins, but also to bestow grace and
strengthen the soul against temptation.
A. Children should go to confession when they are old enough to commit sin,
which is commonly about the age of seven years.
A. He who neglects to receive Communion during the Easter time commits a mortal
sin.
A. The Easter time is, in this country, the time between the first Sunday of
Lent and Trinity Sunday.
A. Trinity Sunday is the Sunday after Pentecost, or eight weeks after Easter
Sunday; so that there are fourteen weeks in which one may comply with the
command of the Church to receive Holy Communion between the first Sunday of
Lent and Trinity Sunday.
A. We are obliged to contribute to the support of our pastors, and to bear our
share in the expense of the Church and school.
A. The duty of contributing to the support of the Church and clergy originated
in the Old Law, when God commanded all the people to contribute to the support
of the temple and of its priests.
A. The obligation of supporting the Church and school implies the duty of
making use of the Church and school by attending religious worship in the one
and by giving Catholic education in the other; because if the Church and school
were not necessary for our spiritual welfare we would not be commanded to
support them.
A. The fifth commandment of the Church includes the support also of our holy
father, the Pope, bishops, priests, missions, religious institutions and
religion in general.
A. The meaning of the commandment not to marry within the third degree of
kindred is that no one is allowed to marry another within the third degree of
blood relationship.
A. Second cousins are in the third degree of blood relationship, and persons
whose relationship is nearer than second cousins are in closer degrees of
kindred. It is unlawful for persons thus related to marry without a
dispensation or special permission of the Church.
A. There are other relationships besides blood relationship that render
marriage unlawful without a dispensation, namely, the relationships contracted
by marriage, which are called degrees of affinity, and the relationship
contracted by being sponsors at Baptism, which is called spiritual affinity.
A. Persons about to marry, if they suspect they are related to each other,
should make known the facts to the priest, that he may examine the degree of
relationship and procure a dispensation if necessary.
A. The command not to marry privately means that none should marry without the
blessing of God's priests or without witnesses.
A. It is a mortal sin for Catholics to be married before the minister of
another religion, and they who attempt to do so incur excommunication, and
absolution from their sin is reserved to the bishop.
A. The meaning of the precept not to solemnize marriage at forbidden times is
that during Lent and Advent the marriage ceremony should not be performed with
pomp or a nuptial Mass.
A. The nuptial Mass is a Mass appointed by the Church to invoke a special
blessing upon the married couple.
A. Catholics should be married at a nuptial Mass, because they thereby show
greater reverence for the holy Sacrament and bring richer blessings upon their
wedded life.
A. The Church places several restrictions on the ceremonies of marriage when
one of the persons is not a Catholic. The marriage cannot take place in the
church; the priest cannot wear his sacred vestments nor use holy water nor
bless the ring nor the marriage itself. The Church places these restrictions
to show her dislike for such marriages, commonly called mixed marriages.
A. The Church dislikes mixed marriages because such marriages are frequently
unhappy, give rise to many disputes, endanger the faith of the Catholic member
of the family, and prevent the religious education of the children.
|
