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Show A SAD END. When a Catholio falls away from the Church, he long cherishes the hope that some day he will retnrn to it some day he will reform, some day he will give up th sin that caused his downfall some day he will turn over a new leaf, some day he will attend a mission, some day he will return to his heavenly Father as the Prodigal Son went back to the home of his childhood and find peace. This hope never quite leayes him so long as a spark of faith remains. It may grow dim. It may cease to trouble his conscience except at long intervals. in-tervals. He may aven put off the idea of conversion conver-sion until the rour of death. But that hope still cheers him amidst the gloom of soul' brought on by sin. If a nerson could "be sure of his time, it would not be so desperate a risk to defer his reconciliation reconcilia-tion with God. But there is no certainty of life from day to day, even from minute to minute-Death minute-Death comes in ten thousand ways. It often springs on its victim unexpectedly. To the Catholic, who has lost the state of grace, who has neglected his Easter duty, who has practically prac-tically excommunicated himself by attempting to contract marriage outside of the Church, or by any such otheg public sin, there is often no chance given. He is stricken with apoplexy or heart disease; dis-ease; he is killed in an accident; he is taken away suddenly, with no opportunity to call for the priest or even to make an act of 'contrition. Then the Church, that he disowned in life, disowns dis-owns him in death. His corpse may not be taken before its altar. Tts absolution and its last blessing bless-ing are not for him. He must be buried elsewhere than in consecrated ground. It is a sad end for the life that began, spiritually, spirit-ually, in the white innocence of Baptism. Catholic Catho-lic Columbian. |