The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-18
PRIESTS MAY MARRY.
The Paris Court Of Cessation So Dc
Oidee.

marriage is exciting some notice in ecce-
siastical circles In England, il priest
marries, the law OF the land recognizes the
contract. In America the case is the same.
The priest is merged in the citizen.
In France, up to the present moment, a
priests marriage had been treated null
and void. This is why the Sterlin case,
before the court of cessation, has caused
great sensation. There are not many
priests in France who have run the gaunt-
let OF the marriage ceremony. The chief
of them all is Pere Hyacinthe Loyson,
who was Obliged TO 60 to registry Office
in London to legalize his wedding with an
American lady, the present Nine. Loyson.
According to French law, that marriage
was invalid, the result, OF course, being
that, strictly speaking, M. Loyson's son is
not legitimate. All this appears painfully
anti-modem.
A NEW DEPARTURE.
The Amiens court recently decided To
cut adrift, by making the inheritance Of
the Able Sterlin 60 TO his children. The
court OF cessation has now confirmed this
decision, and it may therefore be said that
from today every French priest who gets
married is rs much Benedict as anybody
else.
The Herald has interviewed two we'll
known Catholic priests Of Paris on the
vexed question. The subject is Of such
nature that the revelation OF their names to
their ecclesiastical superiors might compro-
mise them. But they are both attached
TO populous parishes, with young priests
under them, and they both hold opinions
Numerically opposed.
81 maintain" said the strong advocate
Of celibacy to the bitter end, 'that no man
is fit 10 be a priest who is not prepared to
eliminate from his life the episodes OF
courtship, marriage and family RESPONSE
bilities. Remember that the celibacy OF
the priesthood is not an article of faith.
Every Catholic can take what view he likes
Of the subject. Still, don't you think II
very remarkable that Christ never
married."
CHANCES DIsREdARDRD.
Statistics show that married clergy Is
neither better nor worse than an unmar-
ried priesthood. don't want TO be I'M
fair, mind, but fancy the disadvantage is
on tho married clergy's side"
In answer TO question about the social
side OF the subject, the priest replied, with
a strange twinkle In his eye: 'Now, my
dear, good sir, have you really any idea OF
priestly duty in the right down popish
sense? Suppose that an heiress is In the
habit OF coming 10 confession 10 me. i
tryto influence her for good. But human
nature Ia human nature, and what begins
in the spirit may end in the flesh. have
this girls confidence, and IL were mar
rying man YOU bet that / could win her
against all suitors.
Instead Of that she knows that am
only a confessor, and give her the advice
which my trimming M good priest las
hope | AMI has prepared me for. Our
preparation lisa very drastic affair. When
we pass through our studies our confcssor
are always bothering US 10 know whether
We clearly soc the position. IL took me
more than ten years TO train my poor old
heart for pastoral work. But once done, IL
was done forever"
THE OPPONENT.
The other priest said: 81 shall never
marry and don't want 10 marry. But I
believe that the Catholic church only
made tho rulc--well, for her own good
purposes. In the early church 81. Paph.
nutius, who lost his eyes for the faith and
whose empty orbit was kissed by Consian-
tine, opposed the enforced celibacy OF the
clergy. Personally am celibate In mind
and iact. / cannot even bring myself 10
realize married life. At night / have al
ways 10 run out 10 cases Of typhus, erysip-
elias and smallpox. And then there Is the
awful secret OF confession, which a wife
might whcedle out OF you somehow. In n
word, a married priest is 10 me something
just little grotesque."
sESsinLE SUGGESTION.
what, then, are your objections TO CO.
libacy7"
"Well. would allow priests 10 abdicate
their functions aud marry by dispensation.
Tho church gives dispcnsation 10 marry n
deceased wife's sister, first cousin, niece,
and, with greater difficulty, n step-daugh-
ter. She was made for human nature, aud
human nature was not made for her.
fear all this will read like dreaful heresy.
But tho fact IL We all know priests VINO
have gone astray have been suspended,
and, alas, who ought mover 10 have been
priests
81 would allow them 30 marry and hold
their peace over aftorward. With all this,
loathe the notion Of a married priesthood.
Tho arguments Of men OF the world on this
subject are not worth n row Of pins.
when | went 10 college first my con-
iessor told me that / must make up my
mind 10 be right down good priest. l
was a solidly virtuous youth, and was fond
81 the games and my books. As I got
older no limited about the celibacy qucs-
ton. And NO went on, and here am.
And yet with all that | am very morciful
10 the fallen priest whose heart becomes
en,anglcd with that OF q woman. Tho
only thing cut up rough about Is when 70
priest misusos his pastoral Office. That is
a monstrous otfense."
"what about Father IIyacinthe7"
ellis case Is peculiar ono. lie took
two VOWS. lilo became n secular priest In
the usual way, and then, in middle life,
he became n monk. As he IL an old
friend Of mine would rather say no more,
and, lust 20 discharge my conscience,
should like 10 say that the marriage Of
priests, a. priests, u open 10 great objec.
tons The black coat has ~ many at.
fractions NJ the rcd coat, and the best way
20 catch an hcircss Ia to become a mar.
riagcable priest | think you must own
that the church has been rather unselfsh
In the question.
"If In the middle aces she had allowed
her priests b. marry the whole OF Europe
would have fallen into her hands. There
were no middle classes. aud by marriage
the territorial riches Of the world would
have come 10 the clergy.
"Wiih oil this, unhcsitaiingly think
the cclibacy OF the priesthood will be
modified before the end of the world. The
cant argument against Il are the mcrcst