Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-19
PROPOSED INNOVATION.
CeIibacy and the Roma Ia Priesthood

CeIibacy and the Roma II Priesthood
A cable telegram contains some start
ling information 1t is to the effect that,
at a meeting of bishops and cardinals, in
Rome, several reformatory measures were
introduced, favorabIy received and dis
cussed Two Of the measures are specls
fed, tO.wit:
l Toreverse the dogma with reference
to the celibacy of the Catholic clergy,
,. TO abolish the Latin liturgy, and to
substitute therefor the language of each
people among whom the services are
held.
Both Of these innovations are marked
in their character The firstenamed Is
particularly So OF the two, there is
possibility that the latter may be adopt
ed but there is scarcely the remotcst
chance Of any success in the case Of the
former
In fact, so vital is this dogma with re-
ference to celibacy to the policy Of the
Catholic Church, that one is almost
tempted to believe thatthe announcement
of the proposed reform is hoax In the
missionary enterprise of the Roman
Church, prime cause Of success is be
Iieved to lie in the prohibition Of marriage
to the clergy.
A Catholic priest has no home, no ties,
no relatives, outside Of the church. He
is supposed to have no interests in goods,
family, or place. The church claims ali
his thoughts, his labor, his devotion. I'm.
der the workings Of the machinery Of
Catholicism, he may be here tomorrow,
and rext week located thousand miles
away. The exactions Of obedience by
the Methodist conference from its young
clergy are weak when compared to the
power which is exercised by the govern
ing forces of Catholicism over its priest
| hood
To the outside observer, there is no
doubt that the marriage of the clergy
within certain limits, would be beneficial.
We may take the cases of the Christian
lied portions of the old world, IN which
the location of priest is very apt to be
permanent In such cases, the effect OF
| marriage would be to humanize-so to
speak-the pastor. Hewould be brougL t
| into more intimate relations with his
charge, by acquiring fruitful experience
of which he has no knowledge.
But when missionary work Is to he
! done; when the exigencies Of the cause
| demand the exclusive attention OF the
| servant-a married priest would be
| almost the same as a married solder
during an active campaign. And, IN fact,
there Is, in the missionary portion Of the
labor Of Catholicism, the same reason Ion
ceiibacy that there is why soldiers should
be unmarried.
Catholicism, in this country is making
enormous strides Where it loses one by
apostasy, it gains dozen through
proselytizing. Unlike Its rival, Pro-
testantism, it is united. t does no
scatter It's energies. One never sees, il
small place, halfsdozen Catholic
churches The policy Is that Of concen'
tratioD. The array Of the Catholic forcC'
is always that of large and cOmPac
masses All these things it aecOmplishe
through the excellence Of Its system 0
labor, and the superiority of its instru
ments. As we have seen, the absence o
, marriage ties and encumbranccs Is on
of the chief reasons why these instru
ments are 50 efficient
If distinction could be made between
the clergy who are performing what ma,
be termed permanent garrison duty, AM
those who are in the field doing actiV
service, we believe that the former might
without detriment to the church, assum
4 the responsibilities and Cncumbrance
r of marriage. But could this distinction
: lie made without impairing the usefulness
r of those destined to singleness? Nigh
| not it have the effect to impede recruitln
for the ranks Of the latter
l We think it entirely safe to promis
. that, in case this proposed marital lie
= form be submitted to the approaching
y Ecumenical council, it will be decisivel
. rejected The measure may do for dis
: cussion, and even favorable considerable
a among the French ecclesiastics at til
t Papal capital, but it will hardly progress
a beyond this body, except to receive 1t
Chicago Times.