The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-14
CELIBACY OF THE CLERGY.
MATRIMoNY IMPUTED As a SIN TO
EPIsCoPALI1N PRIESTS.

And PronIEacS Preferred TO II by n Protestant
Docter or Diviuity-Protcuinnt "MenLa"
nnd Such Lik who Boast or Breaking
on Other prieats' Marriage En~EaEements.
A certain agitation which has been going on
in England for some time, having in view tho
enforcement of clerical cclibacy, has made its
appearance here. Letters from correspond
ents advocating tho cclibacy Of the American
clergy have been printed In tho Catholic Cham.
pfon, n monthly paper edited by the Rev. Arthur
Ritchic, rector OF st. IgnatiuS's ritualistic
church, and publikhed by tho guild OF st. lg-
natius. As 10 well known, the Church Of st. IR-
natius ia ono of tho most advanced" Of all tho
churches belonging to the Episcopal diocese Of
New York. Writers In the columns OF the
Catholic Champion have denounced the mar
ried clergy, especially such priests as havo mar.
ried after ordination, and have not hesitated to
call them no better than he .etics.
In the matter Of ritualistic practices 1t is
commonly understood that there is no church
in the Episcopal communion in this city moro
advanced" than Is that Of st. Mary tho Virgin,
not oven excepting st. Ignatius's. But 1t has re-
manned for one of the clergy of the Church of
st. Mary tho Virgin, tho Rev. John A. Staun.
ton, Jr., curate, to take up the cudgels in be.
half Of the married priests. As is shown by a let
ter from him In tho current issue Of the Church
Standard, the Rev. Mr.. Richie refused to pub
lish q defence of married priests which Mr..
staunton had sent to that paper. So Mr..
Staunton sent tho letter to the Standard. He
say in It:
That there arc among the Anglican clergy
priests who teach that the marriage Of the
clergy after ordination has the nature OF sin.
and that an ordained priest cannot contract
marriage. has been made generally apparent
pion. 1t Is not generally known. however. that
these published statements are but indications
S St 1na fe eon rs Ha : pa iniu wnieA ana mas w fIrsad y
engaged in n most despicnhlc propaganda.
! ave on my desk a copy Of q letter written
married. and who now is married. This letter
the young priest is about to commits; he had
better break his engagement than risk his soul
and Intnrer the Church and give scandal to the
the marrying of the priest something so degrad-
ing" He speaks Of The marriage OF the clergy
God, whether of the East or of the West, would
have looked upon a.; a sin and q eoncqbinary
of marriage" and he does not hesitate to write
the following, which, under the circumstances.
may be regarded as having the nature OF ad-
The priest who has been Married ,subse-
quently 10 his ordination, and with full knowl-
lie Church has always been upon the subject,
has less chance of attaining perfection than
the priest VINO from time TO time mas fallen
into carnal but natural transgression."
have seen the signed original Of this letter.
so l can vouch for its ,gcnuincness, But it is
not from this letter alone that l have lcsti-
mony that the current teaching of this clique
is that it is better for an unmarried priest to be
the former act is a sin that may be repented of,
while the latter binds the priest to n life OF per.
petual degradation. make no charge of Ier-
sonal immortality against these men; no doubt
their lives are blaIneless; but bad seed newt
ably yields a bad crop. Since my last, letter to the
munications which reveal the depths OF the
moral abyss into which mon do not hesitate to
the Church to the Importance of this subject.
But not only are the principles Of these men
endcavor to destroy the honorable esteem in
which married priests are held. have been in
ding Of n priest which recently appeared in q
New York paper was dictated to the reporter
by one woaf. these fsso,. .Gelib "a. on pri,ISs Incl ne.r whose whose
of others of the set that they have succeeded in
breaking engagements between priests and
one was n monk-who. when invited TO a parish
by a rector to do spiritual work, so far violated
ings of inanlincSs as TO endeavor to, break ur
the engagement between his host and n lady Of
the parish who had kindly entertained him.
And these arc not isolated cases. but types and
examples of what is constantly going on. These
acts will. certainly continue unless they are
checked by a force stronger than that %instinc:
tive feeling Of honor and manliness which God
gives to every man, but which fanaticism never
hcsitates to tranplc under foot.
The agitation for enforced clerical ceiibacy
is II combat which "celibates on principle
must pursue until either they have conquered
or they have been eXterminated. Either they
must drop their belief that for IA priest to marry
Is sin, or priests must not marry. For consider
what it means to say. as your last correspond
ent did, that the Church Universal declares
without qualification that an ordained priest
cannot contract matrimony.' In the light of
the context of the quotations1 have given. and
words cnn have but one meaning. Their mean
ing Is this, that every priest and Bishop of the
Anglican Communion who has married after
ordination is living in cOncubinage, that his
sin AMI ministering sacraments in sin, that be.
ing himself perversely defiant of the obliga-
tons Of sanctity, he Is not competent to lead
any one else, into holiness of life; These are de-
auctions which must inevitably be drawn
from the tenets of this clique.
To expose these men, | admit, is not pleas
ant. Many common interests tempt one to let
the matter drop. But to shield a traitor Is no
or in the Church. s~editious sentiments OK
pressed, even In private. make q man an out
law. entitled to no protection. What pertains
to the public good is more important than any
its origin than after it has corrupted the Church.
Tho responsibility. for present scandal is upon
those who are teaching pernicious doctrine; the
responsibility hereafter will be upon those who
have allowed this clique to develop under the
protection OF their silence.
Once more let. mo add: / am not arguing
against unmarried priests: tho Church has need
OF priests in both states OF life: but j am argu.
ing against the unprinciplcd men who teach
that all priests must be 'colihates on principle"
JOIN A. ~STAUNToN, JR.
NEW YORK, March A.