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Show Theatre-Going in Lent. There are some Catholics who have rather loose and ill-informed ideas concerning con-cerning the proper observation of Lent, especially with reference to attendance at the theatres and other places of public pub-lic amusement during that holy season. "We therefore deem it timely to reprint the following extract from a sermon delivered some years ago by Cardinal Gibbons, which contains much useful and salutary instruction on this sublet. "And now I will say something I have rarely had ocasion to refer to the attendance at-tendance of Christians at the. theatres during the holy season of Lent. Now you will bear me out when I say that I am far from being opposed to innocent inno-cent recreation of healthy enjoyment. On the contrary, I know that they are necessary to the generality of mankind, for the bow cannot be kept bent too long. While we clergymen voluntarily debar ourselves, we like to see others enjoy themselves. But I would draw the line at theatres during Lent. "But you will ask me is it sinful to attend the theatre during Lent? I will not say that it is. I believe that the witnessing of a Shakespearan play is instructive in-structive and ennobling, providing the performance is not marred by certain interludes which are calculated to gratify grati-fy prurient tastes. "Christian life does not consist only in avoiding sin, but in practising virtue. vir-tue. It consists in growth in righteousness, righteous-ness, for growth is the law of both animal and spiritual life. It Is a very hazardous thing to be habitually walking walk-ing on the battlements of a tower overlooking over-looking a steep precipice. Sooner or later you may loose your head and fall over. It is a serious thing to be playing play-ing with fire, or to use a military phrase, to walk too close to the dead line. For they that love danger, says the Scripture, shall perish in it. . 'If you ask me is it right and proper and edifying and seasonable and a mark of sanctification to frequent public or private theatres in Lent, I answer emphatically em-phatically that it is not." Church Progress. |
