Vol 11 Issue 49 ~Editor: Rev. Fr. Courtney Edward Krier
December 8, 2018 ~ Feast of the Immaculate Conception
1. What is the Sacrament of Confirmation
2. Second Sunday in Advent
3. Saint Hipparchus & Companions
4. Family and Marriage
5. Articles and notices
Dear Reader:
Last Sunday we listened to the Gospel of Saint Luke telling us: and upon the earth distress of nations, by reason of the confusion of the roaring of the sea and of the waves;
men withering away for fear, and expectation of what shall come upon the whole world. (Luke 21:25-26)
Possibly an allusion to the present time as everyone is told that the climate change is going to cause severe hurricanes and the waves from a rising sea will cause greater erosion and flooding along coastlines and cover islands and cities. Earthquakes set fear also for those along the coasts that maybe a tsunami may strike as witnessed though the media in Sumatra (2004) and Japan (2011). These events, because of media, are able to be broadcast throughout the world and cause universal consternation as also set the course of future decisions that affect everyone with governments imposing taxes on its citizens—as witnessed now in France. None of this is to say humans should not be conservative in their consumption—in fact it is part of Catholic morality not to waste or exploit. As these events come to pass, we should hear the words of John the Baptist, a voice crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. (Cf. Mark 1:3) In the Gospel of Sunday we read of John in Prison, but not before declaring as he saw the Christ while baptizing: Behold the Lamb of God! (Cf John 1:36) John the Evangelist continues:
And the two disciples [Andrew and Philip] heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. And Jesus turning, and seeing them following him, saith to them: What seek you? Who said to him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? He saith to them: Come and see. They came, and saw where he abode, and they stayed with him that day: now it was about the tenth hour. (John 1:37-39)
Christ’s abode with us is in His Church, where He comes to us through grace in the Sacraments, but above all, by His physical presence in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. May we stay with Him in His Church for it is certainly after the eleventh hour.
As always, enjoy the readings and commentaries provided for your benefit. —The Editor
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WHAT IS THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION?
by Rev. Courtney Edward Krier
The Rituale Romanum’s Section on Confirmation
THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION
Instruction of the Sacred Congregation of the Sacraments Published on May 24, 1934
For the Administration of the Sacrament of Confirmation
By an Ordinary Priest
By Delegation of the Holy See
In an audience held on March 2 of the same year, His Holiness, Pope Pius XI, deigned to ratify and confirm the response referred to him by the secretary of the same Sacred Congregation.
Lest from this response there should arise any error or false understanding of the intention and precept of the sacred canons regarding the age of those to be admitted to first Holy Communion, the same Sacred Congregation declared it to be indeed appropriate and more in conformity with the nature and effects of confirmation that children do not receive first Holy Communion until they have received confirmation, which is the complement of baptism, and in which the fulness of the Holy Spirit is given (St. Thomas, III P., q. 72, a. 2). Yet it is not to be understood that children are forbidden to receive first Holy Communion, after reaching the years of discretion, because they were not able to be confirmed beforehand.
If, therefore, there is a question of a child so seriously ill that he be in danger of death, not only is it not forbidden to administer holy Chrism to him before the age of seven, but it ought to be done, in order that on departing this life he may, according to the teaching of St. Thomas (III P., q. 73, a. 8, ad 4), have greater glory in heaven. In addition to the aforesaid practice, there may be other legitimate reasons for administering this sacrament to children before they reach their seventh year, according to the approved opinion of many theologians. Especially would this be true whenever it is foreseen that the bishop or the priest (to whom the faculty of confirming has been granted) would be unable to return for confirmation for a long period of time. Or the same might be urged because of some other necessity or just and weighty reason.
II
The new discipline introduced by the Code of Canon Law regarding the administration of confirmation when performed by an ordinary priest.
The priest to whom this faculty has been granted should clearly understand that the sacrament of confirmation must be conferred by imposition of hands, and anointing the brow with Chrism, and saying the words prescribed in the Pontifical approved by the Church (canon 780).
2. This sacrament imprints a character, and for this reason cannot be received more than once. But in the case where a reasonable doubt exists as to whether it has been given validly or at all, it should be conferred conditionally (canon 732).
3. The Oil of Chrism to be used in administering this sacrament, even when the minister is a priest, must have been consecrated by a bishop in communion with the Holy See on the preceding Maundy Thursday; and one may not use the old oil except in an emergency. So soon as the consecrated oil has diminished to a small quantity, nonconsecrated olive oil should be added to it, but in a lesser amount than the consecrated each time this happens (canons 734, 781). It is never allowed to administer confirmation without Chrism, nor to receive it from a heretical or schismatic bishop. The anointing is not to be performed with some kind of instrument but by the minister’s hand, properly placed on the head of the subject who is being confirmed (canons 781-782).
4. A priest belonging to the Latin rite, who possesses this faculty by virtue of indult, can confer confirmation validly only on the faithful of his own rite, unless the indult expressly provides otherwise. Priests of the Oriental rite have the power and the privilege of administering confirmation along with baptism to infants who belong to their own rite; yet it is gravely unlawful for them to administer it to infants of the Latin rite (canon 782, 4-5).
5. The priest who is empowered by an Apostolic local privilege may licitly confirm, within the territory designated to him, even people from outside his province, provided their Ordinaries have not expressly forbidden it (canon 784).
6. A priest endowed with an Apostolic privilege is in duty bound to administer this sacrament to them in whose favor the faculty was granted, whenever they request it within reason and in the proper way (canon 785, 1-2).
7. One who is not yet baptized cannot be confirmed validly. Besides, one must be in the state of grace in order to receive confirmation licitly and with spiritual profit. If the subject has attained the use of reason, he should be properly instructed (canon 786), in accord with his mental capacity, concerning the nature, dignity, dispositions, and effects of this sacrament, so that he may receive it worthily. Since it was the custom in the early Church to be fasting when receiving confirmation, it is to be desired that the same practice be retained today.
8. Although this sacrament is not absolutely necessary unto salvation, no one is allowed to neglect it who is afforded an opportunity to receive it. On the contrary, let every pastor see to it that the faithful approach it at the proper time (canon 787).
9. Regarding the age of subjects for confirmation (canon 788)—it should be recalled what we have said at length under I, 3 above.
10. The candidates for confirmation should take care that they approach this sacrament with clean countenance and hair properly combed. They as well as the sponsors should be dressed modestly and simply. The female candidates especially and their sponsors should not come to church decked out with ornaments of vanity or rouged faces; instead they should be modest and reverent in attire and appearance.
11. If more than one are to be confirmed, all should be present at the first imposition or extension of hands, and should not leave until the whole ceremony is completed (canon 789).
12. This sacrament may be conferred at any time, but it is most fittingly administered within Pentecost week (canon 790).
13. Although the church is the proper place for administering confirmation, it may also be conferred in any other becoming place, provided the minister has a just and reasonable motive for doing so (canon 791).
14. As at baptism, so also at confirmation a sponsor must be employed if possible, in accord with most ancient ecclesiastical custom (canon 793).
15. Each sponsor acts as such for only one or two candidates, unless the minister deems otherwise for a just cause. And each candidate has only one sponsor (canon 794).
16. To serve in the capacity of sponsor it is required:
a) that one is confirmed, has attained the use of reason, and has the intention of acting in this capacity;
b) that he does not belong to a heretical or schismatic sect, is not excommunicated whether by condemnatory or declaratory sentence, nor legally infamous, debarred from legal acts, nor a deposed or degraded cleric;
c) nor is the father, mother, or spouse of the one confirmed;
d) that he is chosen by the one confirmed, or by the parents, guardians, or if these are wanting or decline, by the minister;
e) that during the act of confirming the sponsor (or his proxy) physically touch the one confirmed (canon 795).
17. To lawfully act as sponsor it is required:
a) that the person is not the same as the sponsor for baptism, unless confirmation is conferred immediately following baptism, or the minister decides in favor of it for a good reason;
b) that the person is of the same sex as the one confirmed, unless the minister decides otherwise in a particular case for a good reason;
c) that he has reached the age of fourteen, unless the minister sees fit to admit a younger person for some valid reason (canon 796);
d) that he is not excommunicated for a notorious crime, nor excluded from legal acts, nor legally infamous (even though no sentence has been issued to that effect), nor interdicted, nor a public criminal, nor infamous in fact;
e) that he knows the rudiments of faith;
f) that he is neither a novice in religion nor a professed religious, unless necessity urges it and the sponsor has the express permission from at least the local superior;
g) that he is not in sacred orders, unless he has the express permission of the local Ordinary (canon 766).
18. A spiritual affinity between the sponsor and the confirmed results from a valid confirmation, by force of which the sponsor is obligated ever to regard his godchild as a personal charge, and to see to his Christian upbringing (canon 797). However, this spiritual relationship does not constitute an impediment to matrimony (canon 1079).
19. The pastor should enter the names of the minister, the ones confirmed, their parents and sponsors, and the date and place of confirmation in a special register, in addition to the annotation made in the baptismal register (canon 798).
20. If the pastor of the person confirmed was not present, the minister directly or through another must notify him of the confirmation without delay (canon 799).
21. To prove that confirmation has been conferred, the testimony of one trustworthy witness or the oath of the confirmed person himself if he was confirmed in adult age is sufficient, unless the rights of another party are prejudiced thereby (canon 800).
(To be continued)
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The Sunday Sermons of the Great Fathers
M. F. Toal
SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT
MATTHEW xi 2-10
At that time: When John had heard in prison the works of Christ: sending two of his disciples he said to him: art thou he that art to come, or look we for another? (And Jesus making answer said to them: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he that shall not be scandalised in me. And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: What went you out into the desert to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went you out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are clothed in soft garments, are in the houses of kings. But what went you out to see? A prophet? Yea, I tell you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: Behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.
Gloss: The Evangelist had previously told how through both signs and wonders, and by teaching, the Disciples as well as the people were being instructed by Christ. Now he goes on to tell in what manner this instruction came to be imparted to the disciples of John; who appeared to be governed by an attitude of rivalry towards Christ. Accordingly, he says: Now when John heard in prison the works of Christ: sending two of his disciples he said to Him: art thou he that art to come, or look we for another?
GREGORY, Homily 6 in Evang: Here we have to ask ourselves this question: John, a prophet, and more than a prophet, who had himself pointed out the Lord to his own disciples, as He came to John to be baptized, and the Baptist had said: Behold the lamb of God, behold him who taketh away the sins of the world; Why now from his prison does he send these two disciples to ask: art thou he that art to come or look we for another? As if he did not know Him Whom he had himself proclaimed by prophesying concerning Him, by baptizing Him, by pointing Him out to others?
AMBROSE, in Luke Ch. vii: Some however understand the passage in this way. John was truly so great a prophet that he could discern the Christ; that he could proclaim the future forgiveness of sins. But though he had acknowledged Him as the Holy Prophet Whom he had believed was to come, nevertheless he had not believed that He was to die. He doubted therefore, not through lack of faith, but through piety. He doubted as Peter doubted when he said: Lord, be it far from thee, this shall not be unto thee (Mt. xvi. 22).
CHRYSOSTOM, Hom. 37 ln Matth: But this interpretation is not reasonable. John was not ignorant on this point. For he had testified from the beginning regarding it, saying: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who taketh away the sins of the world. By calling Him lamb, he proclaimed the Cross. For it was only by the Cross that he took away the sins of the world. How is he greater than a prophet, if he knows not what the prophets knew? For Isaias says: As a lamb he was led to the slaughter (Is. liii. 7).
GREGORY, Hom. 7 in Evang: The question may be answered in another way, if the time of the action be considered. By the Jordan John had confessed Him to be the Redeemer of the world. Now from his prison he sends to ask if He is to come. He doubts not that He is the Saviour of the world, but he seeks to know if He Who, of His own will, came into this world, will also of His own will descend into hell? JEROME: Hence he does not say: Art thou He Who hast come? But, art thou he that art to come? And the meaning is: send word to me, as I am about to descend into hell, whether I am to announce Thee there, or will you send another to fulfil this mission?
CHRYSOSTOM as above: but how can this interpretation be justified? John did not say: art thou the one that is about to descend into hell, but simply, art thou he that art to come? It is even more absurd that he should speak in this manner for the added reason, that descending into hell he might preach Him there. For the present life is the time of grace; after death there is but judgment and justice. Hence there was no need for a Precursor there. It would be different if the unbelieving could believe after death, and then be saved. Then no one at any time would be lost, for all would then do penance, and all would adore, every knee shall bend.
Gloss: We must note that Jerome and Gregory did not say that John was so to announce the Coming of Christ in hell, that by his preaching some unbelievers might be converted; but that he might bring to the Just, who waited in expectation of the Coming of Christ, some consolation by the tidings of His near approach.
HILARY Ch. XI in Matth: It is nevertheless certain that, as Precursor, he foretold that Christ was to come; as Prophet, he knew that He was already in the midst of men; as Confessor, he had venerated Him before men. Error did not shadow his perfect knowledge. Nor can we believe that the grace of the Holy Spirit was denied him in prison, when the light of that same Power was later to be given to the imprisoned Apostles.
JEROME: He asked, not as one who was ignorant, but as the Saviour asked where they had laid Lazarus: so that those who indicated the place of the sepulchre would be so much the better prepared to believe when they should see the dead rising. So John, soon to be put to death by Herod, sends his disciples to Christ, so that by seeing the signs and wonders wrought by the Master they would believe in Him, and by speaking with Him, would learn for themselves. That John’s disciples had a certain feeling of bitterness towards the Lord, because of envy, is apparent from their question on a previous occasion, as when they said: why do we and the Pharisees fast, and your disciples do not fast?
CHRYSOSTOM: As long as John was with his disciples, he strove continually to convince them of the truth with regard to the Christ. Now, being about to be put to death, he strove even more earnestly. For he was fearful lest he leave his disciples in an unsettled state of mind, and that they might remain alienated from Christ, towards Whom, from the beginning, he had striven to lead them. If he were simply to say to them: go, follow Him; for he is greater than me, he would not at all have persuaded them. More, by speaking in this way, they would only think that he wished to humble himself, and thus they would have become even more attached to him.
What therefore does he do? He waits till in due time he hears from them, that Christ is working miracles. Neither does he now send all of them, but only two, whom he perhaps knows to be more open to conviction than the rest, so that they themselves might make a straightforward enquiry, and, from what they saw, might learn for themselves how great was the distance between the Baptist and Christ.
HILARY, as above: John therefore was not studying his own ignorance, but that of his disciples. In order that they might learn that he had been preaching none other than this Christ, he sends his disciples that they might behold His works; so that what he had himself taught them, concerning Christ, might now be confirmed by Christ’s own signs and wonders.
CHRYSOSTOM, as above: Christ, discerning the purpose of John, did not simply say in reply: Yes, I am he. Because by such a reply He would but revive their antipathy. For they would think, though they might not say, that which the Pharisees had already said to Him: Thou givest testimony of thyself (Jn. viii. 13). For this reason he made them learn the answer from His miracles, thus giving a reply that was simple and unanswerable. For the testimony of deeds is more credible than that of words. Accordingly, He there and then cured the lame, the blind, and many others. He did this, not in order to teach John, who already knew, but these disciples, who were still doubtful. Hence the Gospel goes on: and Jesus making answer said to them: go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the gospel preached to them.
JEROME: What is last mentioned is not the least significant. For the poor understand either the poor in spirit, or, without doubt, the poor of this world. So that in the preaching of the gospel there is no distinction between high and low, rich and poor. This proves the impartiality of the Master, the truthfulness of the Instructor, since He seeks without preference the salvation of each one.
CHRYSOSTOM: Saying: blessed is he that shall not be scandalised in Me, He reproaches John’s messengers. For they had been scandalised in Him. Without openly making known their doubt, leaving it within their own hearts, He secretly forgives their offence.
HILARY: He makes clear that of which John had already warned them, saying: blessed is he in whom there was nothing of scandal concerning Himself. For it was through fear of this, lest they be scandalised, that John had sent his disciples. So that they would learn from Christ Himself. GREGORY Hom. 6 in Evang: The minds of those who had not believed suffered grave scandal in regard to Christ, when after so many miracles they beheld Him dying. Hence Paul has said: We preach Christ crucified a stumbling block to the Jews (l Cor. i. 23). What then does He mean here: Blessed is he that is not scandalised in me, unless signifying in clear terms the abjection and lowliness of His own death? It is as if He openly said: “I perform wonders, but I do not refuse also to suffer humiliations. Because in my death I shall go the way of men, men must take care that they do not despise Me in death, though they now honour Me because of these wonders.”
HILARY, as above: Mystically, an even fuller understanding is to be had of that which John did here. For as a prophet he prophesied even in the very circumstances of his imprisonment; because in him the Law became silent. The Law had been foretelling of Christ and the forgiveness of sins, and had promised likewise the kingdom of heaven. And John had brought to completion this work of the Law. The Law now silent, imprisoned by the wickedness of men, as it were held in bonds and shut away, so that Christ might not be made known, then sends to look upon the Gospel, so that doubt may be changed to belief in its doctrine, through seeing the works of the Gospel.
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December 9: SS. HIPPARCHUS AND HIS COMPANIONS, THE SEVEN MARTYRS OF SAMOSATA (A.D. 297 or c. 308?)
WHEN the caesar Galerius returned from his campaign against the Persians (or when Maximinus was ruling in Syria), he celebrated a festival at Samosata upon the banks of the Euphrates, and commanded all to assist at the sacrifices which were to be made to the gods. Hipparchus and Philotheus, magistrates of the city, had some time before received the Christian faith, and in the house of Hipparchus they made an image of the cross, before which they worshipped the Lord Christ. Five friends, young men, named James, Paregrus, Abibus, Romanus and Lollian, coming to visit them, found them in this room praying before the cross; and they asked them why they prayed at home at a time when by the emperor’s orders all were assembled in the temple of Fortune. They answered that they worshipped the Maker of the world. “Do you take that cross for the maker of the world?” they asked, and Hipparchus answered, “We worship Him who hung upon the cross. We confess Him to be God, and the Son of God. It is now the third year since we were baptized by James, a priest of the true faith, who now gives us the body and blood of Christ. We therefore find it unlawful to stir out of doors during these three days, for we abhor the smell of the offerings with which the whole city reeks.” After much discussion the five young men declared that they also desired to be baptized, and Hipparchus sent a messenger to the priest James with a letter. James forthwith covered the sacred vessels with his cloak, and coming to the house found the seven men. Saluting them he said, “Peace be with you, servants of Jesus Christ, who was crucified for His creatures”. James and his fellows fell at his feet and said, “Have pity on us and give us the mark of Christ, whom we worship”. When they had prayed together the priest, saluting them, said, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all”. When they had made a confession of their faith and abjured idolatry he baptized them, and immediately gave them the sacred Body and Blood. This being done, he took up the holy vessels and, again covering them with his cloak, made haste home, fearing lest the pagans should discover them together; for the priest was an old man in ragged garments, while Hipparchus and Philotheus were men of rank and the other five also of good birth.
On the third day of the festival the emperor inquired whether the magistrates had all performed the duty of sacrificing on this public occasion. He was told that Hipparchus and Philotheus had for three years past constantly absented themselves from public worship. Thereupon the emperor gave orders that they should be led to the temple and compelled to sacrifice. The messengers, coming to the house of Hipparchus, found the seven above-mentioned together, but at first took only Hipparchus and Philotheus. The emperor asked them why they scorned both him and the gods, to which Hipparchus replied that he blushed to hear wood and stone called gods. The emperor commanded that he should receive fifty stripes, and promised to make Philotheus praetor if he complied. The confessor replied that honours upon such terms would be ignominy. He then began to explain the creation of the world with great eloquence, but the emperor interrupted him, saying he saw that he was a man of learning and that he would not put him to the torture, hoping that his own reason would convince him of his errors. He gave orders that he should be put in irons, and confined in a separate dungeon from Hipparchus. In the meantime an officer was sent to seize the five that were found with them. When they also refused to sacrifice the emperor urged on them that they were young, and threatened that if they persisted in their obstinacy they should be beaten and then crucified like their Master. Their answer was that they were not frightened of torture, so they were chained and kept in separate cells, without meat or drink, till the festival should be over.
The solemnity in honour of the gods being concluded, a tribune was erected in a meadow near the banks of the Euphrates, and the emperor having taken his seat the confessors were brought before him. The two old magistrates were led first by chains about their necks, and the others followed with their hands tied. Upon their refusal to sacrifice they were all stretched upon the rack and each received twenty stripes. Then they were carried back to their prison, with orders that no one should be allowed to see or help them and that they should be given just enough bread to keep them alive. They were left thus for over two months, when they were again brought before the emperor, looking more like corpses than living men. When again invited to sacrifice, they asked him not to seek to draw them from the way which Jesus Christ had opened to them. The emperor replied with fury, “You seek death! Your desire is granted, that you may cease to insult the gods.” He then commanded that gags should be put in their mouths, and that they should be crucified. They were being hurried towards the place of execution when several magistrates represented that Hipparchus and Philotheus were their colleagues in the magistracy, who ought to settle their accounts and the public affairs which had been left in their hands, and that the others were patricians who ought to be allowed at least to make their wills : they therefore begged that some respite might be granted them. The emperor assented and gave the condemned into the hands of the magistrates for the stated purposes. They led them into the porch of the circus and, having taken the gags from their mouths, said to them privately, “We obtained this liberty under pretence of settling public business with you, but in reality to have the chance of speaking to you in private to beg your intercession with God and to ask your blessing for this city and ourselves.” The martyrs gave their blessing and addressed the people that were assembled. The emperor was informed and sent a reprimand to the magistrates for letting criminals speak to the people. Their excuse was that they dare not forbid it for fear of a tumult.
The emperor ordered seven crosses to be set up near the gate of the city, and again ordered Hipparchus to obey. The old man, laying his hand upon his bald head, replied, “As this in the course of nature cannot be again covered with hair, so shall I never change and conform to your will “. Whereon the emperor had a goat’s skin fastened on his head and then jeeringly said, “Your bald pate is now covered with hair. Sacrifice, therefore, according to your own condition.” They were fastened to their crosses; and at noon several women came out and bribed the guards to let them wipe the faces of the martyrs and sponge away the blood. Hipparchus died on the cross in a short time. James, Romanus and Lollian died the next day, being stabbed by the soldiers as they hung. Philotheus, Abibus and Paregrus were taken down while they were yet alive and their heads pierced with spikes. It was ordered that their bodies should be thrown into the river, but Bassus, a Christian, redeemed them from the guards for money and buried them in the night at his farm in the country.
(Butler’s Live of the Saints)
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The Catholic Marriage Manual
Reverend George A. Kelly
Random House, New York 1958
9
Money Values
in Marriage
Budgets help prevent money conflicts; the wheels of marriage will turn more smoothly if a husband and wife learn the art of intelligent money management. By educating yourself to avoid traps set up for unwary consumers, following a plan of family spending, disciplining your tastes, and learning to make things last longer and to do without, you can make your income buy more for you.
Many families find that a budget helps them to develop habits of thrift and limits spending for unnecessary items. A budget can help you find leaks through which your money flows. It can also lessen your financial worries, because you always know exactly where you stand. A budget helps you keep accurate records showing the cost of various elements in your standard of living. You are then able to choose intelligently the expenditures which may be increased or cut down.
Before a good budget can be determined, two things must be considered—who will draw it up and the principles according to which it should be composed. As to the first, it seems agreed by most experts on family finances that the entire family, including the older children, should sit in on budget conferences. Particularly is it important that husband and wife work the program out together. Too frequently conflict arises because the husband does not appreciate what happens to food money or because the wife does not realize how heavy the fixed family expenditures are. The principles underlying a good budget are simple. Spend money first on absolute necessities, food, clothing, shelter; then on conveniences, which are a normal part of living for your walk of life, the television set, the radio; and finally on luxuries, the high-priced car, the expensive vacation.
The actual budget ought to consider four items: fixed expenses, an emergency fund, day-to-day expenditures, and savings.Before anything else is considered the couple should set down all the fixed obligations they have for the year—rent, insurance, gas and electric, union dues-and divide the total by fifty-two so that they know how much remains of the weekly wage for other living costs. Some money, even though a small amount, ought to be reserved weekly for emergencies such as the inevitable winter sickness, tooth extraction, parish building campaign, etc. If a person makes $100 a week [based on wages 60 years ago-Editor] of which $65 automatically must be deducted for fixed expenditures and the emergency fund, he knows that he has only $35 for his day-to-day expenditures to be divided among the various needs of husband, wife, and children. Every family ought to save at least one dollar a week, not only for the discipline it encourages, but to provide the extra decencies that make for warm family living around Christmas, birthday time, etc.
You will be more inclined to maintain a permanent budget if you keep records simple. An allowance of $25 per week for food is easier to live with than a detailed record specifying so much for milk, so much for meat and so much for vegetables. If you spend more for meat one week, you can make up for it by cutting down on desserts or elsewhere within the same broad category. It is also wise to recognize your own limitations when making a budget. If you allow too little for essentials, you may become discouraged at your repeated failure to remain within the established limit. You may then be tempted to drop your budget entirely.
In working to make ends meet, the intelligent couple will learn to avoid three wasteful types of buying: credit buying, installment buying, and impulse buying.
Credit buying, through the use of charge accounts, is a great convenience, of course. But it often makes it too easy for you to buy things you do not really need. Stores encourage you to be a charge customer because they know from experience that customers who buy on credit invaribly buy more merchandise than those who pay cash. For instance, surveys have established that if you have a charge account in a store, there is a 57 per-cent chance that you will buy something when you shop there. Moreover, those with charge accounts tend to shop less critically. It is easier to say “Charge it” than to go to another store where the same merchandise may be sold for cash at a few dollars less.
Installment buying also makes it easy to obtain things you do not need. The habit of buying “on time” is particularly serious for young couples. Many newlyweds do not even bother to ask the full price of merchandise; their sole concern is the cost per month. When you buy “on time,” you pay about 12 or 15 per cent more in carrying charges than if you pay cash. When you pay cash to the store, but borrow the money to do so from a commercial bank, you also generally pay about 10 per cent extra. On loans made at finance companies, you may pay interest amounting to 36 per cent per year. Obviously, the couple that learns to pay cash can make their income work much more effectively for them.
Impulse buying is the kind you do when you purchase items you never intended to get when you left home. University researchers who investigated factors that cause budgets to go haywire found that impulse buying heads the list. Usually you do not think about impulse purchases very carefully. The attractive hat on the bargain counter, the expensive toy which Junior will play with for a few days, then discard, the brightly packaged delicacies which stand invitingly by the supermarket’s checkout counter—you probably would never miss these items if you did without them. If purchased, however, they may leave little money at the end of the budget period for more important things.
Excellent books have been written by home economists on the subject of money management. Several are listed at the end of the book. By reading them, you can discover many other ways of avoiding stress on your family budget. You can learn efficient shopping practices. For example, by buying your necessities at sales whenever possible, paying cash, dealing at self-service stores and carrying purchases home instead of having them delivered, you often can obtain everyday necessities at prices 20 or 30 per cent below those generally paid. You can learn to do home maintenance jobs yourself. Experienced persons in this field claim that painting a house inside and out, doing minor plumbing, heating and carpentry repairs, mending furniture, etc., can be learned by almost anyone. You can cut automobile maintenance bills substantially by being careful about oil, grease and tires; tests have proved that the average motorist who learns to drive ten miles an hour slower than his present speed can save fifty dollars a year on gasoline consumption alone.
In addition to adopting ways of keeping expenses down, you can avoid friction over money matters by cultivating saving habits. Probably the best way to build up a reserve for rainy days is to set aside a certain amount in a savings account each pay day. Insurance savings policies, government bond purchasing programs and company pension plans in which employees participate all have the merit of deducting a certain amount for savings before you receive your salary; what you do not have in your hand, you are not tempted to spend. Other devices can be used to make savings automatic. For instance, you might decide to save every nickel or dime which comes into your hands and to deposit these in a piggy-bank. You might yourself perform some service for which you usually pay (ironing shirts, for example) and put away what the service would have cost. You might also eliminate one luxury (the weekly bowling game or the weekly “night out,” perhaps) and add the amount to your savings.
Who should manage the money? Difficulties about money in the home usually stem from two sources: the problem of who should manage the money and the question of how much a husband and wife each should spend for personal purposes. Each couple will have to answer these questions in their own way. Before husbands and wives adopt an inflexible attitude on this subject, they should recognize that their opinions about money management are probably based primarily on their experiences in their childhood homes. The husband who as a child has seen his father keep a tight rein on family finances will conclude that this is the proper way to handle money matters. As a child, the wife may have seen her father turn over all his wages on pay day and then beg for spending money every day. This childhood experience will naturally color her outlook. If husband and wife were brought up in an immigrant environment, they have to learn principles of partnership which were not practiced when they were young.
The question of who should manage the money can be an explosive one. It should be discussed calmly by both husband and wife. The answer, it probably will be concluded, depends on which partner does the best job at it. Some men have no head for figures and hate to balance a checkbook; others feel that since they have full responsibility for the home’s financial welfare, they can fulfill their obligation only by controlling family expenditures. The husband, however, should never abdicate his authority to make decisions when necessary. An arrangement that works well in many marriages is one in which the husband handles the major expenses (rent or mortgage payments, medical bills, utilities, etc.) while the wife has a regular allowance to cover food, household expenses, etc. No major purchases (of a car, television set, or living-room sofa, for example) are made without the prior agreement of both partners. The husband has an allowance for his personal expenses (lunches, cigarettes, etc.) and the wife has an allowance for her personal expenses (hairdressers, accessories, etc.). Neither husband nor wife need explain how this allowance is spent. This type of arrangement makes both partners responsible for spending the family income efficiently, yet gives each a certain amount of freedom. To make this or any other financial arrangement work in marriage, both partners must develop an unselfish attitude. Whenever disputes over money matters reach a point where outside aid is needed, marriage counselors almost always find that the problem has its roots in a lack of understanding and in the selfishness of one or both of the partners.
(To be continued)
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Father Krier will be in Los Angeles December 13 and in Pahrump December 20. He will be in Eureka on December 27.
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