The
Catholic Christian Instructed
Catholic Christian Instructed
Popular FAQ by Bishop Richard Challoner (1691-1781) of the Sacraments, Sacrifice, Ceremonies and Observances of the Church by way of question and answer. Printed in 1852, (over 100 editions). The preface of Challoner’s book is a response to Middleton’s printing of “A Letter From Rome”. The copy at this site has a large section by Middleton in reply to what Challoner says here. The Bishop of Debra ruled the new Catholic churches in the early days of America. The book is amazingly good and fun to read.
“Q. What if a person, through the absolute necessity of his unhappy circumstances, should be tied to a place where he can never hear Mass, do you think he might not then be allowed to join in prayer with those of another communion, by way of supplying this defect?
A. No, certainly. It is a misfortune, and a great misfortune, to be kept like David, when he was persecuted by Saul, at a distance from the temple of God, and his sacred mysteries; but it would be a crime to join one’s self upon that account with an heretical or schismatical congregation, whose worship God rejects as sacrilegious and impious. In such a case therefore a Christian must serve his God alone to the best of his power, by offering to him the homage of prayer, adoration, contrition, &c. And must frequently hear Mass in spirit, by joining himself with all the faithful throughout the earth, wherever they are offering to God that divine sacrifice; ever sighing after these heavenly mysteries, and praying for his delivery from that Babylon, which keeps him at a distance from the temple of God.”