r time
in prayer both before and after their marriage, and how God rewarded
them. Advice is very necessary, as marriage is to last for life, and is
to make persons either happy or miserable. They should ask advice from
prudent persons, and should try to learn something of the former life of
the one they wish to marry. They should know something about the family,
whether its members are respectable or not, etc. It is an injustice to
parents for sons or daughters to marry into families that may have been
disgraced, or that may bring disgrace upon them. Sometimes, however,
parents are unreasonable in this matter: they are proud or vain, and
want to suit themselves rather than their children. Sometimes, too, they
force marriage upon their children, or forbid it for purely worldly or
selfish motives. In such cases, and indeed in all cases, the best one to
consult and ask advice from is your confessor. He has only your
spiritual interests at heart, and will set aside all worldly motives. If
your parents are unreasonable, he will be a just judge in the matter,
and tell you how to act.

I have now explained all the Sacraments, but before finishing I must say
a word about the Holy Oils. We have seen that oil is used in the
administration of some Sacraments. There are three kinds of oil blessed
by the bishop on Holy Thursday, namely, oil for anointing the sick,
called "oil of the infirm"; oil to be used in Baptism and in the
ordination of priests, called "oil of catechumens" (catechumens are
those who are being instructed for Baptism); the third kind of oil is
used also in Baptism, in Confirmation, and when the bishop blesses the
sacred vessels, altars, etc.; it is called "holy chrism." Therefore the
Sacraments in which oil is used are: Baptism, in which two kinds are
used; Confirmation, Extreme Unction, and Holy Orders.

Lesson 27
ON THE SACRAMENTALS

292 Q. What is a sacramental?
A. A sacramental is anything set apart or blessed by the Church to
excite good thoughts and to increase devotion, and through these
movements of the heart to remit venial sin.

It is not the sacramental itself that gives grace, but the devotion, the
love of God, or sorrow for sin that it inspires. For example, a person
comes into the church and goes around the Stations of the Cross. The
stations are a sacramental. In looking at one station he sees Our Lord
on trial before Pilate; in another he sees Him crowned with thorns; in
another, scour