The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-02-09
HOW TO TREAT PRIESTS.
A Fine Piece OF Sarcasm Which H.
pays PeruSal.

P&JS ASAuodAs
The following ironical production
taken from the True Witness, is worth
reading:
PRIESTS are not like other people.
They expect to be treated differently.
In the twentieth century it is we'll that
we should get rid of old-world fancies.
and set down some common-sense
rules for the treatment of priests.
i. The first duty of priest is to
live on nothing. The work of priest
is spiritual and heavenly; when, there
fore, he became priest he gave nm
food. Air and water should content
him.
-. BE particularly careful there.
fore to give him nothing. If it is nee
cssary for your neighbours sake to put
something in the plate, see that Won
nave copper or two about you. Sill
vcr should never be given unless Won
desire to make Il show; then YOU NAV
put five-cent piece in or even ten
cents at Easter and Christmas. Re
careful in this: 1t is highly dangerous
Tor the clergy to become too rich: for
lay people there is no danger in it; but
it is the ruin of the clergy.
.. Whatever care the laity NAV
take in keeping their priest Door. be
sure that as a fact all priests are roll.
ing III wealth. Never, therefore, be.
ilcve Your priest if he tells YOU he is
poor. 1t is only one of his WAYS of
adding I" his enormous wealth. and
getting money out of Door pconlos
pockets If he shows you that he is
Obliged TO spend 5000 and only receives
Sloo shut your ears. Tie thing is RI
alrulouS; how can he spend $500 out Of
$3.50? If he tells YOU he is in debit
speak to him seriously, for il is very
wrong I" 80 into debt and il all comes
"l his want of business habits.
II. AS Il priest wants nothing for
himself. it is clear that he must hovn 4,
great deal to give TO others. This in
h''d is his great duty. If YOU are i'll
YOU Will take care that he provides Won
with portWnc and all other urcrsso
lirs of life Whenever he comes to
You tell him how much You require
these things. If he tries To nut Won off
by talking of Confession or nsLinr
why YOU don't go To mass, bc sure no
IS "hly trying {" save his money, and
come steadily back 4" the lmrt-wine:
let him know that ii is the duty of n
good shepherd to feed his flock.
''lf you have children il is tbc
priest duty to take them off your
hands. llr must clolllc them and feed
them and send them to school. Whom
anybody is out of work the priest is
bound to find him Observation-Disclosures
it he lost his place for bad conduct.
-. BE very careful never To thank
nm for those things, or show him any
gratitude. IL is this sort OF thing
which makes priests proud. Who
should help you, il not the priest? Be-
sides or course he does it for ouc-hc
TOOK ncighbor Smiths clild-why
can't he as easily take all the children
In the mission?
'G. Some priests will 90 on with
the old fancy that their work is with
the soul. and that they have a right
to look after your soul, ANA oven to
rcprovc you. DO not give way to the
notion. 1t is not a twentieth century
ldca. You must keep your priest hum
bic and good, and never let him grow
tyrannical. Sec therefore that Won
never take scolding from him. If
lie scolts you, tell him his own faults.
ana If he will go on, tell him YOU will
never go to the church again. and that
you wont have him at your dcathbcd
- No priest has anything to do
therefore never on any prctcnce let
him keep you waiting. If he does NOT
visit you often enough, or if he passes
by your door and goes into another
house, listen 10 no excuses about mr
~ and work. be sure you never make
it up with him.
IS. Sermons ought to be made to
| '''' .ii' J''Iit. w Il;tL OlucF Inl1SD-
lncnt is there on a Sunday? If they
don't suit you, therefore, let him know
It, 1t keeps him humble. Tell him
after each sermon that he was too long
or too short, too excited or too dull
Young people especially should do this.
this.
by these rules the priest will he
Kept good. You see in the dark ages the
shepherd looked after his flocks: but
now the flock are so full of light that
they can look after themselves and
their shepherd too; so much has Chris
tianity advanccd''
Il suppose" said the wife sarcastic-
ally, you've been sitting up with a
sick friend again?" "Wen, yes: he
certainly was Sick" replied Jacksup.
Indeed! What's the complant?"
| Tie cOulDlnincl thai ,yo u,rlod thu