The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-05-20
OUR HOLY FATHERS ENCYCLI-
Continued from Page H.

Xviiii4) From the same doctrine We
learn prudence of the spirit, by means
of which we are enabled to shun the
prudence of the flesh, justice which
teaches US TO give every one his due,
fortitude which makes US ready to SUI
fer all things. and by means of which
we do heroically suffer all things for
the sake of God and eternal happiness,
and, finally. temperance, through
! which we find it possible to love even
poverty for the sake of the Kingdom
| of God and actually to glory in the
cross, paying no heed to contempt. IN
fine, the science of Christianity is ii
| fount not only of light for the intel
| lect, enabling it TO attain truth, but
warmth to the will, whereby we raise
ourselves up to God and unite our
selves with Him for the practice of
virtue.
! We indeed do not mean TO say that
! a knowledge of religion may not -
| joined with a perverse will and un-
bridled conduct Would TO God that
facts did not too abundantly prove the
contrary. What we do maintain is
that the will cannot be upright nor the
conduct good so long as the intellect
is the slave of ignorance, A man using
his eyes may certainly turn aside from
the right path. but the one who has
become blind is certain to walk into
the mouth of danger Besides, there
is always some hope for the reform OF
perverted morality so long as the light
of faith is not wholly extinguished;
whereas, if want of faith is added to
corruption as result of ignorance
the evil hardly admits of remedy, ana
the road to eternal ruin lies open.
Such, then, are the unhappy consc-
quences of ignorance in matters OF re-
ligion; such, too, are the necessity ana
utility of religious instruction. Vain,
indeed, would it be to expect one to
perform the duties of Christian who
does not know them 1t remains, then,
to inquire whose duty it is to elimi-
nate this ignorance from the minds OF
the people, and to impart to them a
knowledge that is so necessary. And
here, venera BILE brothers, there is no
room for doubt, for this most import
ant duty is incumbent upon all who
are pastors of souls. On them, by
command of Christ. rests the obliga-
ton of knowing and feeding the flocks
entrusted to them. To feed implies
first of all to teach. Il will give YOU"
God promised through Jeremith, pas
tors after My own heart, and they
will feed you with knowledge and doc
trine" (Jer iii:15) Hence the Apos-
tie St Paul said: Christ sent me not
to baptize, but to preach the gospel
q Cor i:1O, thus indicating that the
first office of all those who are en-
of the Church is to instruct
the faithful.
We do not think it necessary to speak |
here of the noble nature of this in |
struction or to show how meritorious
it is in the sight of God, Assuredly |
the aims with which we alleviate the |
trials of the poor is highly praised by |
the Lord. But who will deny that far |
greater measure of praise is due to the |
zeal and labor expended, not on the |
1eeting welfare of the body, but on the |
eternal welfare of souls by teaching and |
In truth than this moth
ing is nearer or dearer TO the heart
Of Jesus Christ the Saviour of souls,
who, through the lips of Isaias, af-
irmed of Himself: Il have been sent
o preach the gospel TO the poor.
Luke iv., 49,
For our present purpose it viii be
better to dwell on a single point and to
insist on it, viz, that for a priest there
s no duty more grave or obligation
more binding than this one. Who will
leny that knowledge should be Joined
With holiness of life in every priest?
For the lips of the priest shall keep
(Mal. IL. - The church
oes, in fact, require it most vigorously
n those who are to be raised to the
acerdotal ministry. Why? The answer
5 because from them the Christian
PEOPLE expect to learn, and it is for
hat end that they are sent. by God,
and they shall seek the law at his
hp &c Hn nf hp
Hosts" Gbid.) Thus the bishop, in
rdaining, addressing the candidates
or orders, says to them: Let your
piritual doctrine be as medicine for
he people of God: let them be prudent
of our order, in order
hat, mediating day and night on His
lw they may believe what they shall
cad, and teach what they shall be-
eve. (Pont., Rom.) If what we have
ust said is applicable to all priests,
With what greater force does it apply
o those who possess the title and the
uthority of parish priests, and who
Y virtue of their rank and in sense
Y virtue of a contract. hold the office
f ruling souls. Thess, to certain ex-
ent, are to be numbered among the
astors and doctors designated by
hTist, in order that the faithful may
o longer be as children tossed to and
70. and carried about by every wind
doctrine by the wickedness of men,
ut that doing the truth in charity .
ney may in all things grow up in Him
-ho is the head, even Christ" (Eph. I
=, IA, 15)
II T.
Hence the sacred Council of Trent,
eating of the pastors of souls lays
own as their first and chief duty the
lstruction Of the faithful II pre-