Dignity of Labor and Mother Mary

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* 1. Being divorced means one cannot receive the Eucharist.

The answer is False

While Church teaching recognizes the seriousness of divorce, it understands that one of the spouses may be an innocent victim of a divorce decreed by civil law.  There are also situations in which civil divorce may be necessary, such as ensuring certain legal rights, the care of the children, or the protection of inheritance.  Neither of these cases constitutes a mortal offense, and the divorced person may continue to receive Communion  (see Catechism of the Catholic Church ¶2382 – 2386).

However, anyone conscious of a mortal offense (which requires full knowledge and complete consent on a grave matter) must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to Eucharistic Communion. (CCC ¶1385).   Therefore, if the divorced have sexual relations outside sacramental marriage (adultery) or remarry civilly (an invalid marriage), they find themselves in a situation that objectively contravenes God’s law. Consequently, they cannot receive Eucharistic Communion as long as this situation persists. Reconciliation may be granted only to those who have repented and who are committed to living chastely (CCC ¶1650).

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* 2. Which of the following is NOT one of the three states of the communion of the Church of Heaven and earth?

The answer is Church Universal

“Theologians have long taught that the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, has three states: suffering, militant and triumphant.  The Church, the Mystical Body, exists on this earth, and is called the Church militant, because its members struggle against the world, the flesh and the devil. The Church suffering means the souls in Purgatory. The Church triumphant is the Church in heaven. The unity and cooperation of the members of the Church on earth, in Purgatory, in Heaven is also called the Communion of Saints.”
https://diocesan.com/church-suffering-militant-triumphant/

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* 3. Saint Matthew (Feast on September 21) is remembered as the writer of the first Gospel and one the Twelve Apostles.  The Gospel of Matthew was written primarily for the audience of:

The answer is Jews

The Gospel of Matthew “was written by a Jew, Matthew the tax-collector, for a Jewish Christian audience. . . . Matthew emphasizes Jesus' continuity with and fulfillment of the Old Testament.  There are a few important events in the life of Jesus which are unique to Matthew's gospel. . . . Because of its rich theological content, Matthew was used as the primary catechetical text in the early Church and was the gospel most quoted by the fathers.  It presents a holistic and systematic perspective on Jesus, giving an account of his miracles and teachings while placing them in their historical and religious context."
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resources/bible/introduction-to-the-new-testament/gospel-of-matthew

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* 4. This Marian feast dates back to the 12th century and is celebrated on September 15:

The answer is Our Lady of Sorrows

The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows “is dedicated to the spiritual martyrdom of Mary, Mother of God, and her compassion with the sufferings of her Divine Son, Jesus. In her suffering as co-redeemer, she reminds us of the tremendous evil of sin and shows us the way of true repentance. . . . As Mary stood at the foot of the Cross on which Jesus hung, the sword of sorrow Simeon had foretold pierced her soul.”  By tradition, there are seven sorrows of Mary.
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2018-09-15

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* 5. While the Church proclaims the legitimacy of labor unions, it does not see the struggle of labor as being merely one group against another group, including management or ownership.

The answer is True

“Catholic social teaching does not hold that unions are no more than a reflection of the ‘class’ structure of society and that they are a mouthpiece for a class struggle which inevitably governs social life. They are indeed a mouthpiece for the struggle for social justice, for the just rights of working people in accordance with their individual professions. However, this struggle should be seen as a normal endeavour ‘for’ the just good: in the present case, for the good which corresponds to the needs and merits of working people associated by profession; but it is not a struggle ‘against’ others. Even if in controversial questions the struggle takes on a character of opposition towards others, this is because it aims at the good of social justice, not for the sake of ‘struggle’ or in order to eliminate the opponent.” 
LABOREM EXERCENS sec.20; http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_14091981_laborem-exercens.html

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* 6. (Bonus Question)   We celebrate the dignity of human labor in September.  The issue of a “just wage” has probably existed since the beginning of work itself.  For an employee earning $15 per hour in the state of New York (which has the third-highest average cost of living index for 2018), how much would an employee in Ohio need to earn to have the same buying power?

The answer is  $10.26

A worker in Ohio would need to earn $10.26 to have buying power equal to a New York worker earning $15.00 per hour.  A worker in Mississippi would need to earn $9.47 per hour; a New Jersey worker would need to earn $13.54 per hour; a Californian would need to earn $15.33 per hour.   Based on the cost of living index at http://worldpopulationreview.com/states/cost-of-living-index-by-state/

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