The Irish standard., 1891-01-10
CATHOLIC. CLERGY.
Qualifications Necessary for the,
Responsible Position.

Responsible Position.
III The Two Glasses, Removable and IRE
movable Rectors-Work of tho Diocesan
Priests.
There are two kinds of rectorships in
the Catholic Church, removable and ire
/ movable. The removable rectors may be
displaced at any time by the Bishop. The
irremovable rectors can only be removed
on charges after trial. They are called
missionary rectors and there are only
thirteen of them in the archdiocese OF
New York. A church, to be entitled to
an irremovable rector, must have certain
qualifications, chief among which is that
it shall be free from debt, and that it
shall have parochial school
1t often happens that pastorates not in
the irremovable class are most desirable
for many reasons, as, for instance, the
location in Or near the city or the char
acter OF the congregation.
When an irremovable passionate be comes
vacant the Bishop gives notice TO such
priests as are deemed qualified to attend
for the special examination which is
necessary according to the law of the
Church before the rector can be ap-
pointed. This examination is conducted
by the Bishop and Vicar-General and by
the Church officials called the Diocesan
Examiners, who are appointed by the
so1~ 4 Soki1, al oQf
for learning in the history, laws and Or
dinances of the Church. They are APP
pointed for three years. There must be
at least three of the examiners present,
as rule, at an examination. This ex-
animation is called the concursus. 1t is
competitive. The notices to the candidates
are sent out usually within thirty days
after the vacancy occurs. Only those
priests are notified who are deemed by
the Bishop fit to compete.
In such competition only those
priests have right to compete who have
served or g. mission for at least ten years
and have been for at least three years
rectors of simple parishes, or in some
other way have shown their fitness for
governing b. CuuICA 1OOA opAAAoNoAAy "AN
in temporals.
The examination is both oral and writ
ten. The questions may cover the whole
range of moral theology and dogmatic
theology and canon law. These questions
are not purely speculative and theoretical
for the purpose of testing mere learning,
but they are practicable questions for the
- III; i,,fo at In
she ability of the candidates to manage
parish. The rector in office is liable to
be called upon at any time at a moments
notice to give prompt answer to some
important question relating to the doc
trines of the Church in their practical
application. and the examination is de-
signed to put test cases in order that a
likely to give forth false doctrines.
The candidates competing in one exam
ination are all placed on equal footing,
and have the same questions put to
them. They must answer without prep
.aration They must give extemporaneous
instruction in the Catechism. They must
show their ability to instruct children as
we'll as adults They must show ability
to make the doctrines of the Church
clear to the rudest, plainest and simplest
Intelligence Each candidate must also
write g. short sermon then and there on
tonic given out by the examiners.
The examiners are generally very par
ticular to ascertain whether the candi-
dates are fully fitted for the duties of the
confessional, especially as to restitution
cases and matrimonial cases. The utmost
,tlelicacy and soundness of Judgment is
necessary in these cases. The active
rector is called upon to give not only adj
vice but directions on the spur of the
moment, and the examiners use the ut
most precaution to secure rectors of
sound Judgment and decision.
The examination also is generally rigid
ON the matrimonial question; as to the
degrees of consanguinity OF affinity and
the impediments to marriage; and the
candidates are closely catechised on the
statutes of the Church relating to these
subjects, and a candidate not we'll pre-
pared on these topics will, in all proba-
bility come to grief.
The argument is usually in Latin, and
che young priest IS always confronted
with skilled opponents who PROFOUND
the most abstruse and forcible arguments
in opposition to the thesis. It is not, of
course, required that the disputants
should believe what they say. They
present the strongest arguments they can
find against their own belief, in fact; but
their purpose is to find out whether the
young priest is duly fortified with argu-
,nents to defend his belief
The Diocesan Examiners, besides OK
a,nining candidates for promotion, also
make periodical examinations of priests
to keep them up to the mark in eccle-
.siastical knowledge.
Cardinal Newman and Walter Scott.
Cardinal Newman was q great admirer
OF Walter Scott, and every year he offered
Waverley novels as prizes in the Oratory
School at Edgbarton, and the students
were expected to pass creditable examin-
ations in them. To Mrs. Hope Scott, the
! , ~.