Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1905-05-25

our Of souls, who, through the lin
OF Isaias, affirmed Of Himself: $.
have been sent 70 preach the gospe
TO the poor" (Luke iv. 1S).
For our present purpose ID will b,
better to dwell on . single point ane
10 insist on it, viz, that>for no prizes
Is there q duty more grave or ar
obligation more binding than thi:
one- VIII anyone deny that knowi
edge ought TO be joined with holiness
OF life in every priest FOR ths
lips OF the priest shall keep kuowl
edge" (Mal. IL. d. And the Church
does in fact require it most rigorous
iy Ia those who are to be raised 4
The sacredotal ministry. And why
this Z Because it is from them thai
the Christian people are 20 learn
and it Is for that end that they are
sent by God. Aud they shall seel
the law at his mouth for he Is the
angel Of the Lord Of Hosts" Qbid.
Thus the Bishop In ordainiug ad
dresses the candidates for orders in
these words: LET your spiritual
doctrine be as medicine for the peo-
pie OF God let them be prudent co.
operators Of our order; in order tina,
meditating day and night on his law
they may believe what they shall
read and teach what they shall be-
lieve" c'Pont. Rom"D
II this Is true OF all prie sts, what
is to be thought with rega ri to those
who possess the title and the authori-
~ o. parish priests, and who by vir-
tue Of their rank, and ia q sense by
contract. have the Office of ruling
souls ? These. in certain measure,
are TO be numbered among the pas
tors and doctors designated by Christ
in order that the faithful may be no
longer children tossed to and fro
and carried about by every wind OF
doctrine by the wickedness of men,
but that doing the truth in charity
they may in all things grow up in
him who is the head, even Christ
(Eph. iv. IA, 15).
Hence the sacred Council OF Trent,
treating OF the pastors of souls, lays
down as their first and chief duty
that of instructing the faithful. II
prescribes that they must speak TO
the people on the truths of religion
on Sundays and the more solemn
feasts and do the same either daily
or at least three times a week during
the holy seasons of Advent and Lent.
Nor is il content with this for il adds
that parish priests are bound either
by themselves or through others TO
instruct the young. at least on Sun
days and feast days, in the princi.
pies OF faith and in obedience to oGod
and their parents (Sess. 5 ch. 2 de
ref; Sess. 22 ch. 8 Sess. Zach. a and
liz de ref.). And when the Sacra-
ments are to be administered, it en-
joins upon them the duty ofexplain-
ing their efficacy In the vulgar ton
que to those who are about to receive
them.
These prescriptions of the sacred
Council of Trent have been option.
ised aud still more clearly defined
by Our Predecessor, Benedict XIV,
in his Constitution "Etsi Minime"
in the following words: 1.-TWO chieI
obligations have been imposed by
the Council Of Trent on those who
have the care of souls: first, that
they addresses the people on divine
things on feast days and, second,
that they instruct the yonng and ig.
norant in the rudiments q the law
of God and of faith" Rightly does
that most wise Pontiff make q dis
tinctiUn between those two duties oil
the sermon, commonly known as the
explanation OF the Gospel and Of the
catechism. For itmay be that there
are some who to save themselves
trouble, are willing to believe that
the explanation of the Gospel may
serve also for catechetical instruc-
tion. This is an error which should
be apparent to all. For the sermon
on the Gospel is addressed to those
who may be supposed to be instruct
ed in the rudiments of faith. II is,
SO TO say, the bread that is broken
foradults. Catechetical instruction,
on the other hand, is that milk which
the Apostle St. Peter wished to be
desired with simplicity by the faith.
full as newly born children. The
task of the catechist is to take ur
one or other Of the truths of faith OF
Christian precept, and TO explain il
in all its parts and since the scope
of his instruction is always directed
to amendment of life, he must ne.
cessarily institute q comparison be
tween what is required Of US By
Our Lord, and our actual conduct
and he should. therefore. by appro
pirate examples skilfully selected
from the Holy Scriptures, Church
history, and the lives of the saints
use persuasion with his hearers anC
point out TO them how they are Il
shape their conduct, concluding with
an efiicacious exhortation in order
that they may be moved to shun and
detest vice and to practise virtue.
We are aware that the Office Of cat
echist isl not much sought after, be
cause, as a rule. it is deemed of lit
tie account and does not lend itseli
easily to the winning OF applause
But this, in Our view, is an estimat'
born of vanity and not of truth. w,
are quite willing to admit the merit.
OF those sacred orators who dedi
cate themselves with genuine zeal {.
| the glory Of God by the defense ant
maintenance Of the faith, or by ex
tolling the heroes Of Christianity
But their labour presupposes laboul
Iof another kind that OF thecatechist
Where the latter is wanting. thi
foundations are wanting, and the,
labour in vain who build the house
Too often IL happens thatornate ser
mons which win the applause @
crowded congregations serve onl,