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SIX GOLDEN CORDS

OFAMOTHER’S HEART

BY

REV. JOSEPH O’REILLY

Price, Five Cents

INTERNATIONAL CATHOLIC TRUTH SOCIETY

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THE SIX GOLDEN CORDS

CHAPTER I.
What is the Church, dear reader? The Church, as the

Catechism says, is the congregation of the faithful who

profess the faith of Christ, partake of the same Sacra-

ments, have the same Sacrifice, and are governed by their

lawful pastors under one visible Head.

The Church is consequently a society, and its ministers

are empowered by Jesus Christ Himself to loose and to

bind, to make laws. We have our President and under-
officials to see that the State law is made and carried into

effect. The Church is Christ's institution, and, like a

State, it embraces the government and the governed. He

gave it full power to enact laws, and He says expressly

and implicitly, “He that heareth you, heareth Me : and
he that despiseth you, despiseth Me’ (St. Luke x. 16) ;

and “He that hears not the Church (that is, the govern-

ing portion of it), let him be to thee as a heathen and

publican” (St. Matt, xviii. 17) ; i. e., let him be deprived

of the Sacraments and every spiritual advantage enjoyed

by those in communion with the Church whilst living, and

be buried without holy rites when dead.

Christ gave the Church power to teach and govern.

“Going therefore, teach ye all nations, baptizing them in

the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy

Ghost” (St. M'att. xxviii. 19) ; and to St. Peter He says,
“Feed My Lambs; feed My sheep” (St. John xxi. 15-17),
i. e., “guide, govern and preach to all My people,” who are
signified by “lambs” and “sheep.” And He promised the

Apostle that He would be with them, to the end of the world
—

“Behold, I am with you,” etc. (St. Matt, xxviii. 20)—
and that the gates of hell should not prevail against her.

At first the Church was small, numbering only the

twelve Apostles and some disciples, but after our

Divine Lord had appointed St. Peter as her head,

and had instructed him and the other Apostles in

Divine truths and duties, and had taken His departure

to Heaven to send the Holy Ghost upon them, those

Apostles went, full of zeal, throughout all parts, of the



2 THE SIX GOLDEN CORDS

world, to carry out the will of God in bringing pagans

and lost sheep to the one true fold.

Gradually, but surely, the Congregation, the Christian

society, the Catholic Church, increased in numbers. Our

Mother brought forth many children in pain and trouble.

The bark of Peter withstood the storms of Judaism,

paganism, heresy and false science, gloriously overcame

them all, and today is filled with over two hundred and

fifty million occupants. The powers of secret societies,

of diabolical persecutions, of lordly princes, of heresies

and hell united, could not and cannot overthrow the

Church of Jesus Christ, founded upon an immovable

rock. All the devices that hellish ingenuity could employ

have been used by ancient and modern haters of the

Catholic Church, as history attests, but it stands proudly

intact; its brow is still unstained, its fertility is still un-

impoverished, it has survived all, and preserves life even

more vigorous than ever. She is the bride of Christ,

spotless and undefiled.

This, our glorious and indestructible Church,our Mother,

is visible and known by four marks, noble characteristics

:

she is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. These are

the marks which wholly and exclusively belong to her.

The Church of Christ, consequently the true one, ours,

must be one

;

because our Lord says in St. M fatthew (xvi.
18) to St. Peter, “Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock

I will build My Church.” Here He does not say His
churches, but His Church, His one Church, and there is

only one rock, one solid foundation for that Church.

Besides, Christ speaks of “one Shepherd, one fold” (St.

John x. 16), “one body” (Eph. iv. 4), “one Head” (Col.

i. 18). Again, our Divine Lord expressly says, “Every

kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to deso-

lation” (St. Luke xi. 17). Now, the Church is a kingdom
;

therefore, if it is divided into two hundred or three hun-

dred churches, as the Protestant is, it must surely fall.

But it can never fall, for our Saviour assures us the gates

shall never prevail against it
;
consequently it can never

be divided, and therefore it must be one. Thus we have

unity in our church.



3OF a mother’s heart

She is holy. She is pre-eminently holy in her Founder,

Jesus Christ, the God of all sanctity; holy in her doc-

trines, teaching that marriage is indissoluble except by

death
;
teaching the unity and trinity of God, the vir-

ginity of Mlary, Mother of God, the necessity of charity,

chastity and penance. She is holy in all her teachings,

tendencies and aims
;
holy in her precepts, as we shall see

;

holy in her Sacraments
;
holy in millions of her martyred

members, and thousands who still live on earth saintly

lives, lives of mortification and martyrdom.

She is Catholic, or universal, as to time and place,

embracing all nations. She had her birth in Jesus Christ,

was nursed by the Apostles, and has grown large through

the blood of martyrs. She today can look back through

the varied scenes of nineteen centuries and behold her

dark and bright days, days of persecution, aad glorious

days of triumph.

Our Church is Catholic as to time. She is ancient, she

is glorious, she is the admiration of the world. No
country is without the Catholic Church

;
her power is felt

in every clime. South America, Ireland, Belgium, Spain,

Portugal, Austria, and other countries are almost entirely

Catholic. North America, Germany and other countries

are, in great part, Catholic. The name Catholic should

be dear to our hearts. In the first centuries the Holy

Fathers claimed the name Catholic, and felt proud in

doing so. “Christian is my name, Catholic my surname/'
proudly said St. Pacianus.

Our Church is Apostolic, for Christ founded it upon

the Apostles, and He said to their head, “Thou art Peter,'
etc. (St. Matt. xvi. 18, 19). He also said to the Apos-
tles, speaking of the descent of the Holy Ghost, “If I go

I will send Him to you" (St. John xvi. 7) ; and after-
wards He said, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost" (St. John
xx. 22). The Apostles received a command to go and

teach all nations, and a promise that Jesus would be with

them. Our Divine Lord said, “As the Father sent Me,
I also send you" (St. John xx. 21). He -had all power
in Heaven and on earth

;
therefore the Apostles received

their commission and all necessary power from, Him, and



4 THE SIX GOLDEN CORDS

could communicate their office and power to other Apos-

tles and send them, as they did. Apostle continuously

succeeded Apostle in the persons of the Popes (chiefs

of the Apostles) and bishops and priests from St. Peter

to this very day. So our Church is Apostolic.

Considering then, what the Church is : that she is the

congregation of the faithful who profess the true faith,

that she gloriously triumphed over the Jews, the Gen-

tiles, and all the powers of earth and hell, knowing well

that she, and she alone, is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apos-

tolic, it is sincerely to be hoped that all Catholics will

endeavor to have a great love for her, never feel ashamed

of her, always obey her laws and rules with fidelity, feel-

ing convinced that she is a tender Mother, always wishing

the instruction, enlightenment, sanctification and salvation

of her children.

CHAPTER II.

Dear reader, now we have seen what the Church is.

We have seen that our Saviour, in organizing the Catholic
Church, gave the charter members, the Apostles, power

of the keys to loose and unloose, power to make and

enforce laws; and He further said: “If anyone will not

hear the Church"—that is, obey the Church's laws and
commands—Met him. be to thee"—that is, to the Church
and each good member

—
“a heathen and a publican, i. e.,

a cast-off, a sapless branch. So we must obey the pre-

cepts of the Church, with which God is always present, or

fall under God's anger. The Church has enacted very

many laws, but there stand out prominently and rightly,

for the guidance and profit of her people, her children,

six of these golden protectors or cords, viz.

:

1. To hear Mass on Sundays and Holy-days of obliga-

tion.

2. To fast and abstain on the days appointed.

3. To confess our sins at least once a year.

4. To receive Holy Communion during Easter time.

5. To contribute to the support of our pastors.

6. Not to marry non-Catholics or persons who are

related to us within the fourth degree of kindred, nor



OF A mother’s H J?ART 5

privately, nor without witnesses, nor to solemnize mar-

riage at the forbidden times.

The first precept is, to hear Mass on Sundays and

Holy-days. The Church of God, the Bride of Christ, our

holy Mtoher, places the commandment to hear Mass on

Sundays and Holy-days in the first place, and with good

reason, because it relates immediately to the service and

worship of God, Who is first, above everything, and from
Whom all good things come. This easy precept, to hear
Mass on Sundays and Holy-days, to spend half an hour

or an hour, as the case might be, at the adorable Sacrifice

of the M !ass, thanking, adoring God and begging His
grace and mercy, is imposed, as has been said, by the

Church. But, even if there were no Church and no

Divine law commanding us to give some of our week,

some of our time, to God, our very nature, natural law,

our natural sense of obligation, for life and other bless-

ings, to God would irresistibly urge us to worship Him

often. But, besides the natural law to honour, worship

and serve God, there comes a law from God Himself, by

which, in the old dispensation, He positively set apart one

day in every week, and several days in the year, for the

purpose of receiving worship and thanks.

Our Church appointed Sundays and Holy-days as days

on which her children are obliged under pain of mortal

sin to assist at M !ass and thus thank and worship their
Creator. You may ask, Why did the Church change the
Jewish day of worship, the Sabbath, or Saturday, to Sun-

day? One reason is given by St. Paul to the Hebrews

(vii. 12). ''The priesthood/’ he says, “being translated,

it was necessary that a translation be made of the law,”

i. e., the Priesthood of Aaron, the prototype of Christ,

the priesthood of the old law, having been abrogated,

having ceased in order to give place to the Christian

priesthood, the priesthood according to Mlelchisedech,

established by Christ, there should also take place a

change in the public worship of God, and, amongst many

other things, this translation, or change, brought with

it a transfer of the Sabbath, the last day of the week, to

Sunday, the first day. St. Leo the Great, speaking on



G the: six golden cords

this subject, said: “This day, Sunday, is consecrated by

such great mysteries of divine appointment, that what-

ever has been constituted by God as specially wonderful

has been effected on that day. On this day the world
took its beginning. On this day, by the resurrection of
Christ, death met its end and life its commencement. On
this day, Sunday, the Apostles received orders to preach

the Gospel to the whole world. On this day they re-
ceived the power of forgiving sin. On this day the Holy
Ghost, as promised by our Lord, came upon the Apostles,

and so the Gospel law was published on the day of Pente-

cost/' These are good reasons why the Church, under

the Spirit of God, appointed Sunday to supersede the

Sabbath, Saturday, of the old law.

Holy-days, or festivals of obligation, are appointed to

be observed for the same object as Sundays, and so we

incur the guilt of mortal sin if we do not hear Mass on

Holy-days of obligation and thus fulfil our natural,

Divine and ecclesiastical duties of worshipping God and

gratefully acknowledging His many gifts to us. Fes-

tivals, or Holy-days, are days commemorating certain

great religious facts, or mysteries, or the virtues and

rewards of the Saints, so as to glorify God through them.

We have American holidays—for example, Washington's
birthday, Independence Day and other days commemora-

tive of other glorious national happenings
;
and nothing is

more natural or reasonable than that we should have re-

ligious festivals, celebrated with Mlass and solemnity, to

praise, bless and glorify God for His mercy, goodness

and power, so signally manifested in His mysteries, His

birth, and in His graces bestowed on the Saints, His

illustrious servants.

Festivals, or Holy-days, are dictated by reason, are

commanded by Divine law, also, and are appointed by

the Church to be kept religiously by Catholic people. Two
things are of special obligation to keep religiously Sun-

days and Holy-days, and they are: to hear Mass and to

refrain from servile work as well as from everything

that would profane these days. Other pious works or

exercises, such as saying the Rosary, reading pious works,



OE A mother’s HEART 7

teaching the Catechism, etc., are urgently recommended.

Some people offer some very flimsy pretexts for not

obeying the law of the Church in respect to what Nature

and God command, viz., to hear Mass on Sundays and

Holy-days of obligation, and to take a rest from manual

labor. They say, “I haven’t time to go to church,” or,

“If I go, my employment suffers.” Now, we have only
six Holy-days of obligation in the year, including Christ-

mas D'ay and New Year’s Day, and fifty-two Sundays,
and it takes only a half hour to fulfil our obligations

—

fifty-eight half hours for Divine worship in church out of

365 days. Just imagine: Fifty-eight half-hours, twenty-

nine hours, a little over one day in 365 for exclusive wor-

ship of God, our Heavenly Father, from Whom every-
thing we have and expect must come

;
and even that short

time is spent by, I might say, the majority, whilst at Mass,

in distractions! Think of this, dear reader! People will

say they cannot afford even this short time to go to Mass

on Sundays and Holy-days. They may lose more time

by sickness and other misfortunes which might be en-

tailed on them as punishments for neglecting the precept.

And look at all the time many people spend foolishly—yes,
often on the Sundays and Holy-days that they miss Mass.

These mere pretexts or foolish excuses which people

many times allege for not going to Mass when obliged

to do so by the Church of God, of Christ, of truth and

justice, of tenderness, will not prevent them from incur-

ring the guilt of mortal sin and the severe punishment

of Almighty God. And then, we should not do any

manual labor on Sundays or Holy-days. Our Church is a

good
v
sensible Mother, and if you have a really good

reason for absenting yourself from Mass, for staying at

home on Sundays and Holy-days, she does not oblige you

to hear Mass
;
on the contrary, she recommends you to

stay at home, and, if you have any very necessary work

to do on Sundays, do it.

Now, we have seen that the Church has power to

make laws
;
that she has enacted very many, but par-

ticularly six for our guidance and profit. The first of

these precepts is, to hear Mass on Sundays and Holy-



8 THE SIX GOLDEN CORDS

days of obligation. We have seen that even Nature itself,
if Divine and Church law were silent, would point out to

us the necessity of frequent Divine worship. We have
seen for many and good reasons why the day for Divine

worship was translated from Saturday to Sunday, the

first day of the week. We have seen that to observe Sun-
days and festivals two things we must do, viz., hear Mass

and abstain from servile work. Go to M&ss, then, every

Sunday and Holy-day, spend the balance of these days

well for God’s sake and your own soul’s sake and the

Church’s sake
;
and, if you do, your Sabbath after-life

will be everlastingly happy.

CHAPTER III.

Dear reader, the second of the six precepts or laws

which our Holy Mother, the Church, has formulated for

our betterment both here and hereafter, is “To fast and

abstain on the days commanded.” The Church in this

law, as well as in all her dealings with her children, acts

sensibly and lovingly in accordance with Nature and

Divine law
;
in fact, the Church in all her relations with

Christians behaves as the mouthpiece, the handmaid, of

- God, Who is with her and shall remain with her at all
times, even to the consummation of the world.

I presume you know the day of abstinence (Friday)

and the other days of abstinence and fast which occur in

Lent, and on other occasions during the year. The rea-

sons human beings have for fasting and abstinence are

many indeed. Let us consider some of them. In the

first place, as to ourselves, we are composed of a body

and soul. “In the beginning, when” (as Eccles. vii. 30

says) “God made man right,” the body and soul were

in perfect harmony. The inferior part, the animal part,

of our nature was subject to the spiritual portion; the

superior had almost perfect control over the inferior part

of our composition, but, after the law of abstinence was

broken by Adam and Eve in eating the forbidden fruit,

after the rebellion of man against his Creator was begun,

a revolt took place in man himself. The inferior part

of our nature refused submission to its spiritual superior,



OE A MOTHER’S HEART 0

and we all feel, and all human beings shall continue to

feel while time lasts, the almost constant jarring, strug-

gling relations between the body and the soul. The in-

ferior part of man, what we have in common with the

brute creation, propensities and inclinations after man’s

fall, disobeyed, refused submission to his nobler part,

just as man himself, God’s creature and servant, dis-

obeyed his Superior, his Creator.

"Man’s life is a warfare on earth” (Job vii. 1). Yes,

there is a war, a struggle for mastery within him, and

he has to do battle against the world and the devil be-

sides. Everything turned against man, in consequence

of man’s foolishly turning his disobedient head against

his Creator and infinitely sweet Benefactor. “I see an-

other law,” said St. Paul (Rom. vii. 23, 24), "in my mem-

bers, fighting against the law of my mind, and captivating

me in the law of sin, which is in my members. Unhappy

man that I am, who shall deliver me from, the body of

this death?”

Now, this is exactly how we stand, how we are consti-

tuted with fighting elements within ourselves, and no end

to warring, deadly, insidious enemies on the outside. Did

we ever ask ourselves seriously which shall be the con-

queror, the higher or the lower portion of our being;

the mean desires and inclinations of our corrupt nature

aided by outside enemies, or the immortal soul guided

by reason and religion
;
the animal or the Godlike nature,

animality or spirituality? We all ought to be determined
to restore the soul to its rightful position, to its former

commanding, controlling power. We should be anxious
if we are truly wise to make the immortal soul the su-

perior, and if we are so disposed, we must recognize and

utilize the second law of our Holy Mother the Church,

that knows men thoroughly. We must obey the com-
mand, "to fast and abstain on the days appointed.” The

Church is like the General who orders the reinforce-

ments, the auxiliaries, at the opportune time. The Church

orders for us in good time fast and abstinence, which are

invaluable allies in the soul’s combats with the passions.

Fasting and abstinence will enable us to gain a complete



10 4HG six golden cords

victory for the soul over all that is animal in us, and

force the enemy into reason and subjection. Fasting

and abstinence will most certainly remove animal ten-

dencies from us, and elevate our minds to the noble con-

sideration of spiritual things. Fasting and abstinence

were called into requisition by St. Paul. He says himself

he chastened his body, and brought it into subjection
;
lest

perhaps, whilst he preached to others, he himself might

become a castaway (1 Cor. ix. 27).

So our fallen nature renders fasting and abstinence

necessary if we are any way anxious to secure the soul’s

supremacy here and her everlasting happiness hereafter.

Another reason why we should fast and abstain, be-

sides the fact that God’s Church and nature require these

mortifications, is because God Himself in the Old and

New Testament has told us to fast and abstain. Again,

St. Paul says to us in inspired words, “If you live accord-

ing to the flesh (if you let the body and the passions domi-

neer over the soul), you shall die. But if by the spirit

you mortify the deeds of the flesh (you keep the pas-

sions and animal nature in subjection), you shall live”

(Rom. viii. 13). Mbreover, it is beyond all dispute that

we, all of us sinners, must do some penance for the many

crimes, offences, mortal sins we have committed against

high Heaven. “Unless you do penance, you shall all like-

wise perish.” “We must fill up those things that are
wanting in us of the sufferings of Christ” (Col. i. 24),

i. e., we must personally and individually fill up the void

of suffering, or affliction in ourselves for our own sins

by punishing ourselves. We must fill up the want of
similarity between us and our Savior, the suffering God-

man, and one of the best ways to do this is to fast and

abstain. Fasting and abstinence not only help to blot out

sins, but they also put us on our guard against future sins.

Our Savior’s atonement for the sins of men is super-

abundant, but we must none the less make atonement our-

selves. You know after mortal sin is forgiven in con-

fession, as to the eternal guilt and punishment, there

remains due to it a temporal punishment which must

be endured in this world or in the next. Now, God is so



OE A mother’s HEART 11

very good and loving that He by His Church, our loving

Mother, gives us the law of fasting and abstinence in

order that we may be enabled to easily satisfy His strict

justice by doing away with this temporal punishment.

He stands before each and every one of us with His

scourge in His hand, and He says, Either I shall punish

you—and “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands
of the living God”—or you must take the easy law of
M|y Church and willingly, voluntarily scourge, chastise

yourselves. I should think that, as children of a tender

and loving mother, we should be only too anxious to

obey her law, her very sensible command to fast and

abstain, and thus please God in punishing ourselves a

little for our past misdeeds. Willingly choose the easier

part, then, fast and abstain. Fasting and abstinence, con-

sequently, are indispensable for us poor human beings

in this land of exile, and our warfare with our fierce pas-

sions and other inveterate foes. Fasting and abstinence

are obligatory because of God’s and His Church’s com-

mands. Fasting and abstinence become necessary for us

when we consider the many insults we have offered to

the Most High. So, feeling convinced of the great and,

I might say, absolute necessity of fasting and abstinence,

I am sure that, instead of complaining and blaming our

Holy Mother the Church for enacting this law, viz., “To

fast and abstain on the days commanded,” and for ur-

gently bringing the matter before us in Lenten and other

times, we really feel grateful to her and to the Spirit

of God Who ever abides with and guides her. If we are
incapacitated for fasting and abstinence, if it is morally

impossible for us to obey the law strictly, we should ever

show our good dispositions to enter into the spirit of the

Church and endeavor frequently to do some little act of

devotion or mortification, so that the soul’s interest and

influence may dominate the body and its foolish inclina-

tions, so that we may pay off the debt that may be still

due upon some of our former offences. Fulfilling the

wish of the Church and God’s will manifested in this

law, our lives will be reasonably, religiously spent and

our homes beyond the grave blissful ones for all eternity.



n THE SIX GOLDEN CORDS

CHAPTER IV.

The third precept or commandment of our Holy

Mother the Church, of that society established by Christ,

empowered by Him to make and enforce laws, is “To

confess our sins at least once a year.” This precept is

another evidence of the Church’s good sense, good will

and pure love in our regard, for the worth of confession,

both as regards temporal and eternal affairs, has been

recognized and appreciated by all, and at all times. Our

Divine Lord gave His Apostles, and their legal successors,

the Pope, bishops, and priests, the power to forgive sins,

as you know, when He breathed upon them and said

solemnly, and communicating the power “Whose sins you

shall forgive,” etc. (St. John xx. 23). Now here in these
efficacious words, and on that solemn occasion, the Sacra-

ment of Penance was instituted in order to insure the

removal, by rightly-ordained ministers, of the sins poor

human beings unfortunately commit after Baptism. Sin-

ners must individually confess, tell their sins to the priest,

in order that, hearing them, he may judge of them and

forgive or not forgive—retain them.. Thus the Sacra-
ment of Penance includes the confession of sins. People

knew this in the early ages of the Church, but in very

many instances they were careless about confession, care-

less about utilizing the great gift of God, the Sacrament

of Penance, and so our ever-anxious Mother felt herself

sorrowfully constrained to step in and in the Fourth

Council of Lateran to enact a law binding all Catholics

under pain of mortal sin to confess their sins at least

once a year. This she did, for she knew that confession

would make people better, more moral, more charitable,

more pious and more sure of heaven.

Confession was abolished in Germany for a while, but,

on account of the fearful havoc in society on morals,

owing to its absence, a numerously signed petition was

handed to Emperor, Charles V., to have the practice of

confession restored. The Emperor and the people thor-

oughly realized the beauty and utility of the Church’s law

imperatively commanding confession once a year at least.



OF A MOTHER’S HEART 13

And what do you think of the Catholics who do not

go to confession nowadays? If many, with divinely-

instituted helps, or opportunities, unfortunately fall,

what of the confessionless multitudes? Confession is ab-

horred and shunned by the weak-minded, the ignorant or

the thoroughly bad. They say, as a foolish excuse, “Con-

fession is difficult, repugnant, hard for human nature,

and so we do not go
;
we avoid it.” Now, should we

avoid or shun a thing because it is hard or repugnant to

nature? If we would, then we should have but few sol-

diers or sailors, real heroes
;
we should have very few vir-

tuous, truly noble people on this planet. Purity, that

angelic virtue, is guarded and preserved with much diffi-

culty and hardship amid our many worldly allurements.

Should we, then, cowardly abandon it? No. All virtues

are difficult and hard to practise. Should they be all

avoided, therefore? No. True heroism, manliness, bra-

very of spirit and heart, shine out most brilliantly when,

in the greatest hardships and difficulties, we do what God

and right demand of us.

If there is any humiliation or unpleasantness connected

with confession, it results from our first having humili-

ated or enslaved ourselves by sin. Sin is a revolt of

pride, and it must be partially cured by the small humili-

ation of confession. Confession is an eminently profi-

table act, an act of heroism, too, and so the Church with

good reason prescribes its performance or use, at least

once a year for all Catholics of reasonable age. The

Church says, “at least once a year,” and so hints to us

that she wishes us to go to confession oftener.

And,- my dear reader, we should go to confession
oftener than once a year, if we have any mortal sin to

confess. For you know that, while we remain in mortal

sin our works, as far as a heavenly reward is concerned,

are dead
;
and besides, we are exposed at any moment

to be cut off and cast into eternal tortures. See how

anxious people are to insure their houses when there is

danger of a fire ! See how vigilantly people guard against

serious diseases ! And what fire can do more irreparable

damage than hell fire? And what diseases can bring



14 THE six golden cords

more dreadful consequences than the leprosy of mortal

sin? We who live in the light of faith, truth and grace
must strive to be as wise as children of the world. We
must insure by confession our souls against the torments

of hell and the fearful deadly poisons of soul-destroying

mortal sin.

Should we ever have the misfortune to fall into mortal

sin, we should at once go to confession and get rid of it,

and afterwards determine and strive to avoid it. It is

the only real destructive monster in this world
;

it poisons

soul and body. We should go to confession oftener than
once a year, for many other reasons besides these I have

just mentioned. We know that confession removes our
sins and brings new graces upon the soul, new helps to do

better. Confession brings us good advice from our Con-

fessor, who is our judge, father and physician. Confes-

sion puts us on our guard against sin and even tempta-

tion to sin, and it makes us more eager to work out our

salvation. Confession has converted many a drunkard,

prevented many a suicide and divorce.

Masters, mistresses, fathers and mothers are strictly

bound to put these good ideas permanently in their own

minds and hearts, and their position obliges them to see

that their servants and children are duly impressed with

these salutary notions too, and to see also that the law of

our time-sanctioned, God-inspired Mother the Church is

attended to
;
to confess at least, as she says, once a year.

Now, a great deal more could be said on this law of the

Church regarding confession at least once a year, and on

confession itself, but I think at the present time and in

the present circumstances enough has been said to show

you the good will and good sense of the Church in this

profitable precept, enactment. Love and obey your

Church, and endeavor to profit by the hint she gives you

in her “at least ” once a year.” Go often to confession,

always do the very best in your power, and, with the

grace and light of God, make your confessions with all

the proper conditions and dispositions. If you do, the

Church’s aim, or wish, will be accomplished; yourself

and society will be the better off by your acts
;
God will



OF a mother’s HEART 15

be glorified, the devil shamed, and Heaven will finally

rejoice at your souks salvation.

CHAPTER V.

We know, dear reader, that our Savior founded, insti-
tuted a society called the Church, for the carrying out of

His will and the salvation of souls, and He gave the gov-

erning, legislative and executive portion of that society

full power to enact and enforce laws. We have seen
that that society has certain notable and easily-recog-

nized characteristics : it is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apos-

toilc; that it has survived persecutions, and that it shall

last, that it shall prevail against the gates of hell until

the end of time. We have seen that our Lord said, “He
that will not hear the Church let him be to thee—to loyal
subjects and legal representatives—a heathen and a pub-
lican;” i. e.

y
a sapless, lifeless branch, unworthy of the

Church’s benefits here, and unworthy of a share in the

glories of its faithful members hereafter. We have seen,
moreover, that the Church, with the highest and even

Divine motive, made six prominent laws for the good

of Heaven and earth. We have considered already three
of these precepts, viz., “to hear M/ass,” etc., "to fast and

abstain,” etc., “to confess,” etc., and now let
%
us consider the

fourth one, i.e.
y
“to go to Communion at least once a year.”

In the early ages, in the infancy of the Church, the

people were exceedingly good, pious, honest, pure and

simple, because they were full of faith and good sense,

and in those good old days all the Catholics who assisted

at Mass would think it a sad loss if they did not receive

Holy Communion. Their presence at Mlass and their

receiving our Saviour went hand in hand, were always

most connected. Catholics—and all Christians were
Catholics at that time—realizing and adoringly treating
the presence of our Savior in Holy Communion, were

even allowed in the times of persecution to keep the

Blessed Sacrament, to have our blessed Lord in their

houses, so that they could communicate when in danger

of prison or torture
;
so that, fortified by the reception of

Holy Communion, they could easily, even joyfully, suf-



in THE SIX GOLDEN CORDS

fer and give up their lives for the faith. But many Cath-

olics in the course of the ages became worldly, cold, faith-

less, forgetful of their souls and Holy Communion, just

as they felt regarding confession; and our Holy Mother,

ever faithful, ever vigilant Guardian, felt herself with

keen sadness compelled to enact the law which is the

fourth law of the Church, forcing under terrible penal-

ties all her members to receive Holy Communion worthily

at least once a year.

The most striking idea in this commandment of the

Church, the one that forces itself upon reflecting Cath-

olics, is the shameful, negligent conduct of Catholic

Church members which brought the law into existence. A
Catholic believes in his Church, believes that God is

with it, that Jesus Christ is really and truly existing

under the appearances of bread and wine, and that the

receiving of our Saviour in Holy Communion is a neces-

sity for the vigorous temporal and eternal life of the

soul
;
and besides, that his Saviour, being his best and

unchangeable Friend, cannot deceive or be deceived; and

notwithstanding these facts, these beliefs, obliges the

Church to pass a law compelling him under pain of sin

and other penalties to do the most profitable, the noblest

action on earth,
#
viz., to receive Holy Communion at least

once a year. The idea must raise feelings of shame in

all reasonable Catholics, must bring a blush to the cheeks

of even the most indifferent.

Let me make this idea clearer, if possible. Just sup-

pose I met a fairly intelligent pagan, and told him what

all Catholics and I believe about the Blessed Eucharist,

that our Saviour assures us He is the Bread from

Heaven, and that unless we eat of the Flesh and drink

the Blood of the Son of Man we cannot have life in us;
and that He invites all of us to easily and without cost
reecive Him, the God of Consolation, the King of Heaven,

the source of grace and happiness, into our souls in Holy

Communion. And suppose I then told this decent pagan

that the society which our dear Saviour founded for the

guidance and salvation of men was necessitated to enact

a threatening precept, ordering all Catholics to receive



Ol‘ A mother’s heart 17

this Divine Food once in twelve months—the pagan, con-
sidering the wonderful, ineffable goodness, mercy and

love of our dear Lord, and the indifference of some

Catholics, would be amazed. He would surely say that

some Catholics were either absolutely faithless or sense-

less. We should feel saddened that the coldness and
apathy of former Catholics made the Church enact such

a law, and we should experience a sense of deep shame

to think that the Church’s law is with more reason than

ever in force at the present time.

The precept is usually complied with at Easter, or at

any time from the beginning of Lent up to Low Sunday,
in your own parish. The Church allows in some dioceses

about three months’ time wherein to receive our Lord

in the Blessed Eucharist after a good confession. Let

us sensibly and frequently consider our Church’s conduct

towards us; let us always admire the justice, wisdom

and charity of her laws
;
let us profit by the hint she gives

us in “at least once a year,” generously and wisely per-

suading ourselves that we should receive our Blessed

Saviour, our first Beginning and last End, not only at

Easter, once a year, under compulsion, but very often;

even daily, with faith, hope, humility and love, anxious

to satiate, nourish and strengthen our souls with the

Bread of Angels. Considering, admiring and loving the

Church’s good sense and good will in her laws, we will

gladly and profitably observe her commands, and espe-

cially the two which are most intimately connected, order-

ing us to confess and communicate at least once a year.

Thus God will be pleased, society bettered, and we, in

God’s good time, will reap the benefit of our obedience,

wisdom and piety in eternal happiness.

CHAPTER VI.

We have arrived now, dear reader, at the fifth precept
of our Church, which commands us to pay tithes, or to

contribute to the support of our pastors according to our

means. Besides saying a few words on this precept, I

shall also touch lightly on the sixth and last precept of

the Church, in which she tells her children, her subjects,



18 THE SIX GOLDEN CORDS

not to marry persons who are not Catholics, or who are

related to us within the fourth degree of kindred, nor

privately without witnesses, nor to solemnize marriage at

forbidden times.

The priests in the old law were, as they are always,

chosen by God from among the people for Divine min-

istrations and purposes, to minister at the altar, to pray

for and look after the spiritual welfare of the people.

There is not, and there never has been, in any priest any

particular gift that renders him worthy of God’s calling

him to the priesthood.

God gratuitously gives the vocation, or calling. “You

have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you.” God also

has provided for the priests’ support. He commanded

(Num. xviii. 26 and fob) the Jewish people to give a

tenth of all their produce towards the support of their

priests, and He, at the present time, by His Church, com-

mands Christian people “to contribute to the support of

their pastors.” Our Divine Lord in St. Luke (x. 7), said

to the Apostles and the people, “The laborer is worthy of

his hire, and after the Apostles had gone out and

preached and returned on a visit to our Divine Lord, He

asked them, in the words of St. Luke (xxii. 35), “When

I sent you without purse and scrip and shoes, did you

want anything?” But they said, “Nothing.” The priests

in those days and for several ages afterwards worked as

they do now, and the people, thoroughly appreciating the

priests’ work and their own obligations, acted so gener-

ously that the priests did not have to ask for anything.

Priests actually wanted nothing.

Miany people in the present age forget or ignore the

strict, natural and God-imposed obligation they are under

to provide for the decent support of their priests. They

do not seem to realize the great and binding law of God’s

Church, “To pay tithes, to contribute to the support of

their pastors.” This neglect makes people guilty of sin,

even of dishonesty, for it deprives the laborer of his

wages. The priests’ means of support are derived from

collections, pew-rents, donations, baptisms, funerals and

marriages. By generously contributing to these various



OF a mother’s heart 19

sources of revenue the children of the Church fulfil her

fifth precept, and in fulfilling the precept they are avoid-

ing sin, they are pleasing their Mother’s loving heart,

they are doing God’s will, and He, in turn, will gener-

ously reward them.

The sixth precept tells all the lay members of the

Church not to marry persons of a different religion not

to marry within forbidden degrees of kindred, not to

marry without their priests and witnesses, and not to

marry with solemnization during Lent and Advent.

The experience of ages, nations and individuals shows

the extraordinary wisdom, justice and goodness of this

law of our Church.

The Church can grant dispensations in cases falling

under the sixth precept, whenever there is an urgent good

cause—for the one who makes the laws can grant ex-
emptions from the law for justifiable reasons. But the

Church never gives dispensation from her rules, or laws,

without experiencing some fear or regret. Exemptions

from the law of the Church have turned out sometimes

exceptionally well
;
but in many, very many, cases inex-

pressibly sorrowful results followed, thereby in the excep-

tionally few good cases and the many bad ones proving

the great wisdom of the rulings of the Church in this

matter. Fathers and mothers should understand this

precept and tell their children about it. Marriageable

boys and girls should strive to remember the sixth pre-

cept of the Church. They should endeavor to select a

good life-partner of the Catholic faith. They must bear

in mind that a Catholic getting married by any other of-

ficial than by the priest commits 'sin, and they must under-

stand and ever remember that matrimony is a Sacrament,

which in conferring grace pre-supposes a soul in grace.

Now, I have endeavored briefly to explain to you the

facts that our dear Lord, whilst on earth, founded a

society—a Church—for the guidance and salvation of
souls. You have seen that this Church met with numer-

ous persecutions, and that today she gloriously stands

the smiling, unsullied survivor of all. We have consid-
ered that she is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. We



20 THE) SIX GOLDKN CORDS

have made ourselves acquainted with the fact that she,

acting by Christ's authority, has enacted and enforced

laws for the spiritual and the eternal welfare of her

members, and we have spent a little while in considering

the Church’s good will and good sense so easily seen in

the six prominent laws which are called the precepts of

the Church. We have seen how beautiful and natural
and profitable the command, “to hear Mass on Sundays

and Holy-days of obligation” is; how good and necessary

the law asking us “to fast and abstain on the days com-

manded” is
;
how useful and indispensable the orders

“to go to confession and Communion at least once a

year, are; also, just now we have endeavored to realize

the rectitude of the two last precepts, telling us “to con-

tribute to the support of our pastors,” and “to marry the

right persons and in the right way.”

Read over the precepts of your Church, study them

and, realizing the good will and sense and anxious love

they contain, each and all, you cannot but feel a sense

of admiration and gratitude for our Savior and the society

our Church, He has so wisely founded and guarded.

Loving our Holy Mother the Church, her Savior, Foun-

der and Guide, you will the more readily and cheerfully

obey her laws, keep her golden cords burnished, follow

in the footsteps of our Savior and secure the salvation

of your immortal soul.

After finishing these short, rather incomplete instruc-

tions on the “Six Golden Cords,” I thought a few ex-

planatory words on the “Hail Mary” and “Holy Mary,”

which bring us closer to the heart of our churchly Mother

and of our heavenly Mother Mary, would be profitable;

so with hope and pleasure I give them in the following

chapter, “Hail Mary,” “Holy Mary.”

CHAPTER VII.

“hail MARY,” “HOLY MARY.”

Dear Reader, I do not know whether it ever occurred

to you to ask yourself or others why Catholics usually

—

in fact, I may say invariably—place and say the “Hail
Mary” and “Holy Mary” after the Lord’s Prayer. Prob-



21OF a mother’s heart

ably the question never came to you before. Let us

strive to see some of the various reasons for so doing, and

also consider briefly the meaning of the words in the

“Hail Miary” and “Holy Mary
’ 7

and “Holy Mary” fol-

lowing our Saviour’s prayer. One very good and natural

reason is this, because Mary being the MJother of our

Lord and King, we stand a better chance of having our

petitions made in the Lord’s Prayer for needs of soul and

body, time and eternity, heeded and granted when we

enlist her influence and sympathy by these prayers. An-

other reason, and a good one, too, is because we know

through the Fathers of the Church, that as Jesus Christ

is Mediator between God and man, so the Blessed Vir-

gin is an advocate between us and her Divine Son
;
and,

besides, God is pleased to have us receive His gifts

through our Lady’s intercession and tender, motherly

hands. “Such is the Will of God, who desires that we

should have everything through Mary,” says St. Bernard.

Still another reason—the simplest and easiest to be
remembered by all—is because Miary, the Queen of
Heaven, is called and really is our Mjother. When our
Lord was dying on th ecross He entrusted the whole

human race to His Blessed Mother as her family, and'

He asked her as His expiring request, to be a mother

to us all. “Mother, behold thy son; son, behold thy

Mother.” These reasons are sufficient and satisfactory

enough, I hope, to account for our beautiful and profitable

custom of following up the Lord’s Prayer with an earnest

appeal to His and our Blessed Mother in the words of the

x\ngel Gabriel, St. Elizabeth and our Church.

Nbw let us try to understand the meaning of the words
in our Lady’s prayer.

The first word is “Hail.” This is the respectful, rev-

erential salutation of the Angel Gabriel when he appeared

before the young Jewish, saintly Virgin, as God’s mes-

senger to her. The angelic salutation is replete with sig*-

nificance. After receiving his high commission, the Angel

must have entertained some such thoughts as these

:

“Now, I am going on the most important mission ever

given to a messenger from heaven to discharge. One



22 THE SIX GOLDEN CORDS
' •

is chosen from amongst the daughters of Adam, from

the whole human race, to be the Mother of the promised

Redeemer. What a glorious privilege ! One far sur-

passing any conferred upon me or any of the highest

spirits under God. I am deputed to tell this Favorite of

Heaven about this ineffable dignity. I must show her

the greatest respect and reverence.” Such, very likely,

were the thoughts of Gabriel on his way to the poor cot-

tage of Mlary.

On entering the humble room of this sweet, incom-

parably favored and holy Vrigin, and beholding her who

was more holy and perfect than any of the Angels with

whom he had been associating in the court of Heaven,
the celestial messenger Gabriel with deepest reverence

bowed to Mary, and with the utmost possible respect

saluted her with “Hail.”

What do you think of the sad difference in our disposi-

tions and attention, when we address our “Hail,” not

to a little virgin girl, but to the glorious Queen of Heaven,

in our daily prayers?

Our words and feelings and minds are, unfortunately,

too often vastly different from those of the Angel when

from the “valley of tears” we salute our Heavenly

Mother with our “Hail.”

To “Mary” one meaning “bitter” is given. Again,

“Mary” is interpreted “Sweet.” Mary is bitter, terrible

to the infernal serpents, whose heads she crushed, but

sweet beyond expression to the angels and all saintly

people. Mary also means “illumination,” for she was

the illuminating morning star that rose and shone

brightly before the glorious Sun of Salvation day,

“M;ary,” moreover, has another significant meaning, viz.,

the Sea, or Mistress, Lady of the Sea.

Mary is the sea of blessings or graces. This last idea

will enable us to understand the meaning of the other

words of the Angel, “full of grace.’ Mary at the time

of the Angel’s visit was filled with the holiness or grace

of God, so that there was no place for sin in her. In

fact, at her conception, at the first moment of her exist-

ence, she had more grace than all the Saints and martyrs



OF A mother’s HEART 23

that ever lived. “To other/’ says St. Bernard, “grace is

given in parcels, in partial supplies, but in Mary the

whole fulness was poured out.” God created the earth,

and prepared the basin of the sea for its waters. A full
sea contains a wonderful amount of water, when com-

pared to a full barrel or river
;
and as God prepared Mary

for a Mother, to contain the Saviour of mankind, the

Ocean of Sanctity, so you may just imagine the fulness

of grace she possessed and enjoyed at the time of the

Annunciation, when Gabriel reverently and truthfully

said to her, “full of grace.”

“The Lord is with thee,” are the next words of the

Angel’s address, or salutation. The Lord, my dear
friends, is with all of us. We cannot get along without
Him in some degree, for “In Him we live, move, and

have our being” (Acts xvii.. 28). Besides, as St. Paul

says (1 Cor. iii. 16), “We are temples of God.”
The Lord, the Lord God, was with the Saints and

martyrs, for by Him they suffered the greatest priva-

tions and most exquisite tortures with pleasure and joy;

but the Lord God in a most especial manner was with

MSary constantly in her thoughts, in the affections of her

pure heart, in all her faculties, helping her to prepare

herself for her astonishing, incomprehensible dignity, the

Motherhood of His only Son. God was truly with Mary.

After the words, “The Lord is with thee,” the Angel

continued, “Blessed art thou among women.” Surely

when Mary was “full of grace,” and “the Lord was with

her” in a more singular way than He ever was or ever
will be with any other, the Angel could properly glee-’

fully say that she was blessed above and beyond all the

women of the human race. St. Elizabeth used the very

same words, “Blessed art thou among women,” when she

was visited by the Blessed Virgin shortly after the

Annunciation
;
and Mary said to her cousin in prophecy,

“Because the Lord hath regarded my humility, all gen-
erations shall henceforth call me Blessed.” Oh, yes, blessed,
thrice blessed was, is and shall be, our Heavenly Mother.

The remaining words of the “Hail Mary,” viz., “and

blessed is the Fruit of thy womb,” were spoken by St.



24 THE SIX GOLDEN CORDS

Elizabeth; and “Jesus,” meaning “Saviour,” Who was
Miary’s Son, was added by the Church. You all know

very well that Jesus Christ, the Fruit of Miary’s womb,

the Eternal Son of the Eternal Father, Whose sacred

Flesh and the Blood that runs through it were furnished

by Mary and Mary alone, is and shall ever be, blessed,

sanctified.

In the early part of the fifth century a heresy assailed

the dignity of Mary, hinted that she was not the Mother

of God A General Council of bishops was convened at
Ephesus to consider the case; the heresy was promptly

condemned, Mary was with pride and exultation pro-

claimed to the Ephesians and the whole Catholic world

as Mother of God, and thus by the Church was added

to the beautiful salutation of the Angel Gabriel and St.

Elizabeth the words, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray

for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

The excitement of the people at the time was intense,

and the enthusiastic joy of all Catholics when receiving

and hearing the words, “Holy Mary, Mother of God,”

etc., was indescribable, unbounded. After saluting our

Blessed Mother in the words of our Church we humbly,

lovingly, earnestly ask her, as Mother of God, to inter-

cede for us, to work for our welfare at the present time,

and especially at the all-eventful hour of our death.

Now, dear friend, we have briefly and I hope profitably

considered the explanation of the “Hail Mlary” and “Holy

Mary,” and we have seen some of the many good rea-

sons why we begin with addresses, prayers to our dear

Mlother and the true Mother of our loving Saviour,

immediately after offering our earnest, Saviour-taught

petitions to God, Himself. We should strive with all our
strength to say the “Our Father,” the “Hail Mary” and

“Holy Mary” as often as possible, with deepest respect,

attention and reverence. If we do, our Father and

Mlother in Heaven will take good care of us here below,

console us in trials, protect us from evil, teach us good

lessons and prepare us for a glorious position orsituation in

the eternal heavens, where with them and the Angels and

Saints, in joy and glory we can revel for ever. Amen.



Instructive Reading for Our

Catholic Men and Women

The Virgin Mother of Jesus. Mary in Faith, by
James C. Byrne, Mary in Scripture, by W. H.
Cologan; Mary in Art, by Eliza Allen Starr;
Mary in Song. Selected.

The Real Presence. By Rev. C. F. Smarius, S.J.

The Mass, the Proper Form of Christian Worship.
By Rt. Rev. Mgr. J. M. Lucey, with Supplement
“Why and How We Should Hear Mass Every
Sunday.”

Why In Latin? By the Rev. G. Bampfleld.

Daily Mass, or The Mystic Treasures of the Holy
Sacrifice. By Rev. J. McDonnell, S.J.

What is Benediction? By Rev. F. M. De Zulueta, S.J.

What the Catholic Church Is and What She Teaches.
By Rev. E. R. Hull, S.J.

Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. By Rev. G.
Bampfleld, B.A.

Miracles, What They Are and What Is Their Use.
By Rev. John Gmeiner.

Indulgences. By Very Rev. John Proctor, O.P.

How to Help the Sick and Dying.

The Sacrament of Penance. Facts About Confession.

By Rev. Matthew J. W. Smith.

*Credo. By Mother Mary Loyola.

Holy Mass. By Mother Mary Loyola.

Creeds and Dogmas. By Thomas F. Coakley, D.D.

Price, five cents each.

Pamphlet marked * seven cents a copy.

Special rates when ordered by the hundred.

International Catholic Truth Society

407 Bergen Street Brooklyn, N. Y.