3. Who are obliged to hear Mass on Sundays and Holy-days of obligation?

All who have sufficiently attained the use of reason (which is generally the case about the age of seven), are strictly bound to hear Mass, unless weighty reasons, as illness, nursing the sick, &c., excuse them from it.

4. When do we sin against the Second Commandment of the Church?

1. When, through our own fault, we lose Mass either entirely, or a part of it; and 2. When during Mass we give way to voluntary distractions, look about through curiosity, talk, laugh, or otherwise behave irreverently.

"The Lord is in His holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before Him." (Hab. 2, 20.)

5.* Where should the faithful hear Mass on Sundays and Holy-days?

In the Parish Church when it is possible; but they can also fulfil this obligation in any other public church.

6.* Why does the Church wish that the faithful should attend Divine Service especially in their Parish Church?

Because in the Parish Church the Pastor preaches, and offers the Sacrifice of the Mass principally for his parishioners.

7. Does the Second Commandment of the Church also command us to hear the Sermon?

According to the letter it does not; but according to the spirit, it certainly does; for the hearing of the word of God also belongs to the worthy celebration of the Sundays and Holy-days, and is, in general, an essential duty of a Christian.

In the primitive Church, the Sermon was generally preached at Mass after the Gospel; therefore, the Church which commands us to hear Mass, had no occasion for giving a particular and express Commandment to hear the Sermon.

8. Why are all Christians bound to hear the word of God?

1. Because the word of God is for all a most powerful means of sanctification, ordained by God himself; 2. Because it is indispensable to all, to be repeatedly reminded of the truths of religion, and to be admonished to live up to them; and 3. Because all are obliged to mutual edification, by setting one another an example of Christian piety.

"He that is of God, heareth the words of God; therefore you hear them not, because you are not of God." (John 8, 47.)-It is, therefore, a bad sign, when people neglect to hear the word of God.

9. How should we hear the word of God?

We should 1. Listen to it with earnest attention, and with an ardent desire of working out our salvation; and 2. We should reflect well upon it, apply it to ourselves, and faithfully follow it.

"Blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it." (Luke 11, 28. Comp. Luke 8, 5-15.)

Application.-Make it a rule, to assist with devotion on Sundays and Holy-days at the Divine Service in the morning and in the afternoon, and to prefer your Parish Church to any other.

The Third Commandment of the Church.

1. What are we commanded by the Third Commandment of the Church?

By the Third Commandment, we are commanded to observe the days of fasting and abstinence appointed by the Church.

2. Which are the days of fasting appointed by the Church?

1. The "Forty Days of Lent," that is, every day from Ash-Wednesday to Easter, the Sundays excepted;

2. The "Ember-days," that is, the Wednesday,

Friday, and Saturday, 1. After the third Sunday of Advent; 2. After the first Sunday of Lent; 3. After Whitsunday; and 4. After the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.

3. The "Vigils" or Eves of great Festivals.

The Forty Days of Lent are ordained in imitation of the forty days' Fast of Jesus Christ, in remembrance of His bitter Passion and Death, and that we may worthily prepare ourselves for the celebration of Easter. The Ember-days are ordained that the faithful may thank God for the blessings they have received in each quarter of the year; that in each season they may be reminded to do penance; and also, that they may obtain of God worthy Priests, these being generally the days of their ordination. By the Vigils, we are to prepare ourselves for the worthy celebration of great Festivals.-In many places most of the Vigils have been abolished, and two Fast-days (Wednesday and Friday) in each week of Advent, have been substituted.

3. Is it only commanded to abstain from fleshmeat on these Fast-days?

No; it is also commanded to take but one meal in the day, and that not before noon. However, a small collation at night is not forbidden.

The assertion, that "the fast is not broken by eating little at repeated times," has been condemned by the Church. (Alexand. VII. Propos. 29.)

4. Who is obliged to fast in this manner?

Every Christian who has completed the age of twenty-one, and is not excused by any just cause. 5. Who are excused from fasting ?

Those who are sick, convalescent, worn out with age, and such as have either to work hard, or would by fasting be prevented from discharging the duties of their calling.

6. When is it commanded to abstain from fleshmeat?

It is commanded to abstain from flesh-meat, unless a dispensation be obtained, 1. On all Fridays and Sa

turdays (Christmas-day excepted); 2. On the Sundays of Lent; and 3. On all Fasting-days.

In several Dioceses, however, this has been greatly mitigated; so that on many days, on which, according to the general Precept of the Church, the eating of fleshmeat is forbidden, it is now allowed by a dispensation, which the Bishops, authorized by the Pope, give annually to their diocesans. Every one has to conform himself to the practice approved of by the Ecclesiastical Superior of his Diocese.

7. Who are bound to abstain from flesh-meat?

All Christians who have attained the age of seven, unless a just cause, as illness, poverty, &c., excuse them from it.

8. What ought they to do who cannot well abstain from flesh-meat ?

They must, through their Pastor, apply to the Bishop for a dispensation, and perform other good works instead.

9. Why does the Church command fasting?

Because fasting is acceptable to God, and very wholesome to us.

10. Why do we say that fasting is acceptable to God? 1. Because God has often recommended fasting, and shown His favour and mercy to those who practised it;† 2. Because Jesus Christ, the Apostles, and the Saints of all times, have fasted; and 3. Because fasting humbles our pride,§ and moderates our sensual desires.

"Be converted to Me with all your heart, in fasting, and in weeping, and in mourning." (Joel 2, 12.)" This kind (of devils) is not cast out but by prayer and fasting." (Matt. 17, 20.)-Examples: Deut. 9, 18. 19. Judith 4, 7-12. II. Paral. 20, 3. &c.- Matt. 4, 2. Acts 13, 3. & 14, 22. So did Moses, Samuel, David, Daniel, Judith, Esther, the Macchabees, the widow Anna, and others.§"I humbled my soul with fasting." (Ps. 34, 13.)

II. How is fasting useful and wholesome to us?

1. By fasting, we make satisfaction to God for the sins we have committed, and thus avert the punishment deserved; (The Ninivites. Jonas 3.)

2. We bring our passions into subjection, and thus gain strength not to relapse into sin;

3. Prayer and the practice of virtue are rendered easier to us, and we obtain the more certainly the grace of God and eternal salvation.

12. Is it not superstitious to abstain from certain kinds of food?

It is superstitious, if we abstain from certain food, as if it were bad and unclean in itself, as some Heretics asserted;† but it is not so by any means, if we do it in the spirit of obedience and penance, as the Catholic Church prescribes.‡

St. Paul combated this heresy (1 Tim. 4, 1-4); and also the Catholic Church has at all times combated and condemned it.- God Himself forbade certain meats to the Jews (Levit. 11, 2. &c.), and the Apostles to the first Christians. (Acts 15, 29.)-St. John, the Baptist, ate nothing but locusts and wild honey. (Mark 1, 6.)— Eleazar and the seven Machabean Brothers, with their mother, chose to suffer the most painful death, rather than transgress the law of God by eating swine's flesh.— (2. Mach. 6 and 7.)

"Not

13. But does not our Saviour clearly say: that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man ?” Yes; but the disobedience which proceeds from the heart defiles him (Matt. 15, 11. 18), as it is proved by the fall of our first parents.

Let, however, no one believe that the breaking of the fast is only then a grievous sin, when it proceeds from a contempt of the Commandment, or from a deliberate resistance to the Church. This opinion is erroneous, and has been expressly condemned by the Church. (Alexand. VII. Propos. 23.) Nay, it is even a culpable disobedience, when one knowingly and deliberately does what the Church has forbidden, though it be neither attended with obstinacy, nor with contempt of the Commandment.