ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT

New Zealand Tablet, 20 January 1916, Page 36

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT

D. M'c.—(l) Presbyterianism traces its origin to Calvin (Geneva). John Knox is the father of Scotch Presbyterianism. He drew up his Confession of Faith in 1560. The Presbyterian claim to historical continuity from the Apostles has been refuted " by their own historians. (2) ' Receive ye. the Holy Ghost,' in the twentieth chapter of St. John, means that Christ was giving the Apostles (who had already received the Holy Ghost by sanctifying grace) a new special grace and spiritual power, viz., as Christ explained, the power of forgiving sin, ' Whose sins you shall forgive they are for- >_' given.' (3) The Catholic Church does not admit of any priestly power in non-Catholic ministers, and therefore does not recognise any Sacrament conferred by them, except Baptism, which may be administered by any layman. Hence a person going through a . ceremony of Confirmation outside the Catholic Church would be bound on becoming a Catholic, and having the opportunity, to be confirmed in the Catholic Church. (4) A Catholic may receive the Sacrament of Matrimony before the Sacrament of Confirmation.