The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-11-22
The Law of the Church from Early Times
Excludes Married Men from
the Holy Office.
The Sacred Scripture Shows that a Life
Of Celibacy is Higher than
the Married Life.

| false gods and began to offer sacri-
fees We're obliged to lead a chaste
life. Some of you who remember
your classics will recall that the chief
priest had to be single man. Demos
themes said, II am firmly convinced
that one who enters the sanctuary,
touches holy things, presides over
divine worship, should be chaste not
only for time, but during his entire
life."
How was it in the old law given
to Moses? 1t was death for any Of
the Levites to exercise their functions
unless prepared for them by the prac
tice Of this virtue. The priest who
came to the temple to offer sacrifice
must have been away from his fam
lily, must have been chaste. If this
regulation was enforced OH pagans of
old who offered false sacrifices to
idols; if it was given by God in the
old law, where were offered only the
figure and the type of the sacrifice
of the new law, how much more
should it be required of the priests
of the new law, who offer not the
shadow, not the figure, but the real
sacrifice; not once year, but every
morning-a clean ollation, as the
prophet Malachi says-a clean obla-
ton is offered among the gentiles
from the rising to the setting of the
sun. He offers the body and blood
of Christ every morning. He holds in
his hands the chaste body of Christ,
and it is for this reason principally
that the church insists OH chastity for
it's priesthood.
Then again from the words of sa-
cred Scripture we learn that the life
of celibacy or virginity chosen for
Gods sake is higher life than the
married state. The church says
nothing in disparagement of matri-
mony, nor does she consider it de-
graded state. She knows that for
the majority of people it is the proper
state. She tells them it is holy
one, full of responsibilities, and those
who enter it with proper dispositions
do so with Gods blessing and do Him
honor and glory by living in it in the
proper way. She teaches us, how
ever, that the state of virginity is a
higher and holier state. St. Paul
tells us that he would that all were
even as he himself. Why? Because
the married man thinks of the things
of the world. Because the unmarried
man is freer to give himself to God
and the service of God.
Can such life be lived? Is it
possible? 1 must answer in the af
firmative, because if our nobler ma
ture goes out to and loves this virtue
it must be possible. Moreover, Christ
holds Himself up as our model and
thus asks us to practice it. It is a
little delicate, but I know the express
sions made use of by those who con-
slider themselves intelligent ana re-
fined ladies and gentlemen. priests
and sisters cannot live thus. They
only impose on the people" Let us
take this subject up and examine it.
What does celibacy mean? It means
that we abstain and keep free from
those things forbidden by the law Of
God. These are covered by two COM
mandments, "Thou shalt not commit
adultery" and "Thou shalt not covet
thy neighbor's wife," Not only the
celibate, but the married state is re-
quired by these commandments to be
chaste in thought, word and deed.
Who is so bold as to say these COM
mandments cannot be kept? You have
seen thousands who have observed
these commandments. "But those
who pretend to be celibates are hyp-
ocrites." Was John the Baptist a
hypocrite? Was Christ a hypocrite?
Was Paul a hypocrite?
There is a temporary celibacy as
we'll as perpetual celibacy. Every
unmarried person is bound by tenn
porary celibacy. Perpetual celibacy is