St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-03-05
THE PRIESTS FEES,
Father Cleary Says They Get None
for Forgiving Sins.

Father Cleary lectured to another
large audience at Labor Temple hall
last night. His subject was an inter-
esting one. 1t was 1.-The Priests Fees
for Forgiving SIM" During the course
of his remarks he denounced in strong
terms the false notion that priests re-
ceive money for forgiving the sins of
their congregation. He said:
Jesus Christ impaired marvellous
and extraordinary powers to the priest
His apostles 10 continue the mis-
sion which He had begun. After
His resurrection from the dead,
He appeared among the disciples,
who were assembled in terror for fear
Of the Jews, and said to them:
peace be to you. AS the Father hath
sent Me, also send you. Receive We
the Holy Ghost. Whose sins YOU shall
forgive, they are forgiven them, and
whose sins you shall retain. they are re-
tanned" The Savior of mankind
could not have used palmer Ian
guage in which to convey His
vine Jurisdiction upon the sacred
Office OF the priesthood. Unless we
ignore the plain words of the Bible, or
resort to the weak and objectionable
Subterfuge of repudiatlng the passages
of holy Scripture that do not harmonic
with our own peculiar notions, we are
forced to admit that Christ delegated
the power of fOrgivlng SINS to the min
iStry of His church.
God alone can forgive sin, we are
often reminded. No religious institu-
ton understands this any better than
the Catholic church, and no Christian
- n n na riN n nd ncic =
teaches the people that God alone can
pardon sin. Sin is a transgressiun of
Gods law. Sin Is an offense, an Insult
against God. The offended, or injured one
alone has power to cnndone the insult
against him. But the right and power
10 pardon the Offense certainly also in
clude the privilege aud power 10 dele
gate 10 another the authority 10 forgive
the offender. Christ transmitted to the
apostles and through them 10 the priest
hood of His church tue very same power
that mad been given to Hin "in heaven
ana OH earth"
God Himself will not and cannot for
give the obstinate and incorporating sim
ner. Christ granted the prayer of the
penitent thief dying upon the cross.
while the other maefactor died
unforgiven, because HE did not
appeal TO the Divine mercy, and did
not express sorrow for his manifold
offenses. The priest, acting in Christ's
name and with His authority, Cannot
grant pardon for sin to the unrepentant
sinner, i'll the sacrament of penance, no
matter how minutely he COM
plies with all the other pre-
scribed conditions. Contrltion for
sin. contriiion sincere, supernatural,
universal and sovereign is an ndispen-
sable condition, and all Catholics under
stand this for obtaining forgive uess of
sin. 70 say that priests are paid o. re-
cclve money for forgiving sin is
monstrous lie. Long, weary hours in close
confessionals, patiently receiving the
sacred condolences OF Sin-laden souls,
and lifting from burdened hearts load
OF misery and woe,iS the priests recon-
pense for forgiving sins in GODS name.
The priest finds his only consoling
reward for his oppressive fatigue and
for the most trying duties of his sacred
office in the sinners repentance and
amendment of life."