zeal a good life, a thoroughly upright life. Mark this well!
Those members of the Catholic Church who live in mortal sin, for instance, in sins of intemperance, enmity, or impurity; Catholics who do not give up improper connections, and do not seek to avoid occasions of sin, who steal and cheat, are dead members of the mystical body of Christ, and do but dishonor Him, and put Him to shame.
If, however, such persons show at least a certain regard for the Church and speak well of her ministers, and never assume a hostile position in regard to her, but on the contrary defend her, in short, although they are grievous sinners, but not as much from malice as from human weakness, they are yet better than those merely nominal Catholics, who unite to a sinful life contempt for the commands of the Church and hatred for her priests. For the former sin grievously in one respect, the latter in a double sense, according to the words of Our Lord Himself: "If he will not hear the Church, let him be as the heathen and publican" (Matt, xviii. 17).
6. Wherefore be and remain a good, pious Catholic, true to your convictions, a Catholic who honors and loves his Church, obeys her, and rejoices her by leading a truly Christian life. For it is, and must remain true, that a Catholic who does not honor and love his Church, but refuses to obey her, is not acknowledged by God to be His child. This opinion was expressed 1600 years ago by the Bishop, Doctor of the Church, and martyr St. Cyprian in the beautiful words: "He who will not have the Church for his mother, can not have God for his father." Therefore see that you are a
