Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 3.djvu/849

 CHURCH

765

CHUSAI

pend for Masses and for everything else that may be accepted from the faithful in ecclesiastical functions, and let no priest infringe this decree under any circum- stances, nor ever let them think that they are allowed to deny the sacraments to those who, on account of their poverty, make no contributions. Let the bish- ops keep before their ryes these words of the Council of Trent (Sess. XXII): 'Let them prohibit abso- lutely those importunate and illiberal exactions of alms (for they are exactions rather than requests) and other similar things, which are not far removed from simoniacal guilt or the disgrace of seeking after lucre.'" The authority of the bishop is needed for unusual demands on the faithful. Thus the Second Provincial Council of In. mi ilS.Vt): "It is not per- mitted to any parish priest or ecclesiastical person or layman to make an extraordinary collection for any object whatever, unless the license of the bishop has been asked and obtained" (Deer. 6). In Australia, the Second Provincial Council of 1869 makes a similar precept (No. xii): "We prohibit any collection un- der any title or pretext, without the permission of the ordinary. " English bishops enter into greater details (II Prov. Westmin.): " Every one seeking alms from the faithful must have the autograph of the ordinary or of his own superior declaring the object of the col- lection, and the license of the bishop of the place where he collects, under the condition expressed in his letters that he is obliged to render an accurate account to the bishop or to his superior of all the money collected by him and stating explicitly when- he obtained it, what persons contributed it, and how long he remained in each place" (Deer. 21). In regard to stipends, the Second Provincial Council of Quebec decrees: "Lest parish priests and rectors of churches fall under suspi- cion or acquire a bad reputation among their flocks, let them carefully distinguish their own rights from those of their churches; nor may they change the tariff for ecclesiastical functions without the approbation of the bishop, nor may they take anything as their own, except such things as the diocesan law or approved custom ascribes to them" (Art. xvi, § 2, 8). Pope Gregory XVI, writing to the Vicar Apostolic of Gib- raltar, in 1841, declared: "As to what pertains to the administration of the sacraments, let it be your care to admonish the faithful subject to you, that these Divine gifts are not to be received for any earthly price; but that they are to be distributed grati> by the ministers of God who have received them gratis; nor can any probable custom contrary to the canon law (against simony) be pretended, for the purpose of asking money on tie' occasion of the administration of the sacraments, when this has been rightly forbidden by you or the Congregation of the Propaganda by faculties received from us for the preservation of the sanctity of the sacraments." Trie people are also warned against improper means for obtaining money for charitable purposes. The Pastoral Letter of the Second Plenary Council of Baltimore ■ lMiol says: " We warn our people most solemnly against the great abuses which have sprung UP in the matter of fairs, excursions and picnics, in which, as too often con- ducted, the name of charity is made to cover a multi- of sins. We forbid all Catholics from having anything to do with them except when managed in accordance with the regulations of the ordinary, and under the immediate supervision of their respective pastors." Certain abuses are sternly censured by the Vmerican bishops II Plen. Bait.): "It is reported, and we have learned it with L r reat sorrow, tint there are some priests in certain localities who during 'he Ifase i'- 1 If deso ad from the altar and go around in the church asking alms of the faithful. We repro- bate, and command the extirpation of this most dis- graceful abuse, which is injurious to the Church and its sacred rites, and which provokes the derision and contempt of non-Catholics. Concerning this matter

we lay the burden on the conscience of each of the bishops" (tit. vi, cap. i). Again in the same chap- ter the Fathers say: "We cannot but declare that it is an intolerable abuse and a profanation of holy things, when, as has often happened, public and fre- quent invitations to give alms for the foundation [of Masses] are inserted for many months together in public newspapers among profane business notices. We desire the bishops, and [regular] prelates to de- stroy this abuse without delay and prevent it. in the future." Likewise when treating of pew-rent, the synods decree that certain seats must be left free, nor can the pastor diminish the free space without the knowledge of the bishop (e. g. II Prov. Westmin., viii). As to collecting money at church entrances \\ Inn the Sacred Mysteries are celebrated, the Congre- gation of the Propaganda, writing to the American bishops in 1802 and again in 1866, declared that this practice was contrary to the desires of the sovereign pontiff.

Ways and Means. — The principal methods of ob- taining money for the support of the clergy and church ins! it ut ions, have been already touched on. We may summarize the main ones here. For England the Second Provincial Council of Westminster (viii, De. bon. eccl.) enumerates: pew-rent, collections during Mass, seat money, alms contributed on the occasion of a sermon by a distinguished preacher, and house- to-house collections. In the United States, the same methods are employed. In some parts of Canada, tithes are payable, and the Third Provincial Council of Quebec (No. ix) decreed for Upper Canada that a certain sum should be required of each of the faithful, to be computed on the basis of the civil assessment roll. In addition to the above, priests may accept fixed stipends for Masses, and although they may not demand money for the administration of the sacra- ments, yet they can receive what is spontaneously offered at baptisms, marriages, funerals, etc. The poor are to be buried gratis (II Plen. Bait., c. ii). No offering may be received for confession (II Prov. Westmin., viii, 14). Nor is any money to be asked for conferring extreme unction (Syn. Plen. Thurles for Ireland, xv). FY>r the pastor and his assistants, a definite salary is usually fixed, payable out of the revenues of the parish (III Plen. Bait., No. 273). To distinguish between parochial goods and sacerdotal perquisites, the following rule is given: When the things offered are adapted for ecclesiastical purposes, they are presumed to be given to the church; when they are for personal use, they are supposed to be L r i\en to the pastor. The latter rule applies also to sacred objects if they are presented by the congrega- tion to a particular priest, expressly as a token of gratitude and affection.

The decrees of synods cited in this article rnav be found in the Ada d Decreta s Cane. Recenlic < LacensU

(Freiburg im Br . lsr.Si. Ill, with the exception of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore (Baltimore, 1886).

William II. W. Fanning.

Church Music. See Music, Ecclesiastical.

Church of England. See Anglicanism.

Church Property. See Property. I i i i esi \stical.

Church Vestments. See Vestments.

Chusai (Heb. Tin), the Arachite, i. e. the native of Archi, a place south of the portion of Kphraim, near Bethel (Jos., xvi, 2). He i- called in I Par., xxvii, .'.:;, "the king's friend". This title is given him as that of counsellor is given to Achitophel, or that of leader of the army to Joab. We see a like use of the term in III K.. iv. 5. In the Books of Machabees it is an official title given by the Seleucides to persons of confidence who have important military