Yesterday, 11:45 AM
PART SECOND.
XXI. How our Saviour and his Apostles differ on the Point of Sacerdotal Celibacy from Protestant Ministers.
— Few questions are better defined by the Bible than that of religious celibacy. The church only repeats what our Saviour and his great apostle, Saint Paul, have taught on this delicate subject.
The Pharisees question Jesus about marriage, and our Lord solemnly proclaims its indissolubility. The apostles, alarmed at the hard condition of married folks, consult him in their turn: "If the case of a man with his wife be so, it is not expedient to marry." "But," he said to them, "not all take this word, but they to whom it is given." Then he adds: "There are such who deprive themselves of marriage for the kingdom of heaven. He who can take it, let him take it." (Matt. xix. 10, etc.)
It seems as if the ministers, although very evangelical, are not of those to whom it is given to take the word; whereof our priests, papists though they be, ignorant as they are said to be of the genuine word of God, take it. They understand the counsel of the Master, and have heart enough to follow it.
The doctrine of virginity and celibacy is none the less beautifully defined by St. Paul, in his first epistle to the Corinthians, seventh chapter. The principles are so distinctly set down that Mme. de Gasparin, in her anti-Catholic zeal, declares, with charming ingenuity, that it is evident that such passages of the epistle as refer to celibacy are not inspired. "Inspiration returns," says she, "when St. Paul passes to other subjects."
Well, the apostle says: "Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give counsel, as having obtained mercy of the Lord, to be faithful." Just what the Catholic Church teaches; she forces no person to a life of celibacy. True, she makes a law of this counsel, a strict law for her ministers, but she forces no one to embrace the priesthood; and when a Christian expresses his intention to become priest, he acts on his perfectly free will, and it is only on his spontaneous determination that he accepts the condition of a perfect chastity.
The motives of this conduct of the Church will be also found in St. Paul. After showing that matrimony is good and honorable, he adds: "I would have you without solicitude. He who is unmarried, careth for the things of the Lord, how he may please God. But he who is married is solicitous about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and he is divided. And the unmarried woman and the virgin thinketh of the things of the Lord, that she may be holy in body and spirit. But she that is married, thinketh of the things of the world, how she may please her husband." And the apostle concludes thus: "Therefore both he that giveth his virgin in marriage, doth well; and he who giveth her not, doth better." Bene facit; melius facit.
There is the argument summed up. Marriage is good, celibacy is better. What have the ministers to say to this? It is not I that speaketh, but the Bible. Let us be candid. They care naught for the Bible, but they detest the priests, the only true ministers of the Gospel. They wish them to marry, that they may be unpriest ed. They are chagrined, because they cannot deprive them of that angelic celibacy, which crowns them with a holy halo, and justly secures to them the confidence and the veneration of the people.
Cunning Philistines, they would like to rob Samson of his strength, through their Delilahs! But, warned by the example of the first Samson, the latter will not give in. They reject Delilah, and fight against the enemies of God's people the unconquerable battles of faith.
XXI. How our Saviour and his Apostles differ on the Point of Sacerdotal Celibacy from Protestant Ministers.
— Few questions are better defined by the Bible than that of religious celibacy. The church only repeats what our Saviour and his great apostle, Saint Paul, have taught on this delicate subject.
The Pharisees question Jesus about marriage, and our Lord solemnly proclaims its indissolubility. The apostles, alarmed at the hard condition of married folks, consult him in their turn: "If the case of a man with his wife be so, it is not expedient to marry." "But," he said to them, "not all take this word, but they to whom it is given." Then he adds: "There are such who deprive themselves of marriage for the kingdom of heaven. He who can take it, let him take it." (Matt. xix. 10, etc.)
It seems as if the ministers, although very evangelical, are not of those to whom it is given to take the word; whereof our priests, papists though they be, ignorant as they are said to be of the genuine word of God, take it. They understand the counsel of the Master, and have heart enough to follow it.
The doctrine of virginity and celibacy is none the less beautifully defined by St. Paul, in his first epistle to the Corinthians, seventh chapter. The principles are so distinctly set down that Mme. de Gasparin, in her anti-Catholic zeal, declares, with charming ingenuity, that it is evident that such passages of the epistle as refer to celibacy are not inspired. "Inspiration returns," says she, "when St. Paul passes to other subjects."
Well, the apostle says: "Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give counsel, as having obtained mercy of the Lord, to be faithful." Just what the Catholic Church teaches; she forces no person to a life of celibacy. True, she makes a law of this counsel, a strict law for her ministers, but she forces no one to embrace the priesthood; and when a Christian expresses his intention to become priest, he acts on his perfectly free will, and it is only on his spontaneous determination that he accepts the condition of a perfect chastity.
The motives of this conduct of the Church will be also found in St. Paul. After showing that matrimony is good and honorable, he adds: "I would have you without solicitude. He who is unmarried, careth for the things of the Lord, how he may please God. But he who is married is solicitous about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and he is divided. And the unmarried woman and the virgin thinketh of the things of the Lord, that she may be holy in body and spirit. But she that is married, thinketh of the things of the world, how she may please her husband." And the apostle concludes thus: "Therefore both he that giveth his virgin in marriage, doth well; and he who giveth her not, doth better." Bene facit; melius facit.
There is the argument summed up. Marriage is good, celibacy is better. What have the ministers to say to this? It is not I that speaketh, but the Bible. Let us be candid. They care naught for the Bible, but they detest the priests, the only true ministers of the Gospel. They wish them to marry, that they may be unpriest ed. They are chagrined, because they cannot deprive them of that angelic celibacy, which crowns them with a holy halo, and justly secures to them the confidence and the veneration of the people.
Cunning Philistines, they would like to rob Samson of his strength, through their Delilahs! But, warned by the example of the first Samson, the latter will not give in. They reject Delilah, and fight against the enemies of God's people the unconquerable battles of faith.
"So let us be confident, let us not be unprepared, let us not be outflanked, let us be wise, vigilant, fighting against those who are trying to tear the faith out of our souls and morality out of our hearts, so that we may remain Catholics, remain united to the Blessed Virgin Mary, remain united to the Roman Catholic Church, remain faithful children of the Church."- Abp. Lefebvre