The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-20
MANY QUERIES IN
THE QUESTION BOX
FATHER O'HERN EXPLAINS CATH
OLIC CHURCH'S LAW REGARD
ING CELIBACY-FATH HEALY
), SPEAKS ON CHRlSTS DIVINITY.

AT st. Paul's church last night the
that had been deposited in the query box
and the Rev. Father Healy delivered the
mission lecture, his theme being "A Be
lief in Christ" The audience was stuff
GENTLY large to fill all the pews and
most OF the chairs in the main aisle.
Before the lecture Father OHern en-
tered the pulpit and made a few remarks
with regard to the question box. He held
in his right hand a batch of inquiries
that he had taken from the box. He
read and answered several of them and
told his hearers that all the questions
would be answered before the course of
lectures came to an end; that he would
answer as many each night as time at
his disposal would admit. AS he held up
the first note HE smiled and said: Here
1t is-the question that never fails 10
find it's way in the box Why are Cath
Ollie priests not allowed to marry?
ANSWER: Because celebacy is one of
the disciplinary laws of the church which
those who are ordained priests VOW to
observe for life. Celebacy is law aris-
ing naturally from the peculiar duties
and dignity of the priesthood"
Father O'Hern continued by saying that
St Paul in his First Epistle to the CO.
rinthians, chapter 7, verses 80 and 81,
discussed the matter The speaker then
opened the Bible and read the passage
referred to as follows; He that is UNI
married careth for the things that belong
to the Lord; but he that is married careth
for the things that are of the world,
how he may please his wife,
There you have a very practical eX-
PLANTATION of the reason the church re-
uuires celibate priesthood. The Cath
oiic church realizes well that better work
can be done for Gods people by cell
bate than a married clergy. The mar
ried minister must needs divide his time
and his money with his family.
THE Catholic priest over and above
his preaching, and the like, is the servant
of the people--at their beck and call every
hour of the day and night He must
spend many a long hour in the con-
fessional bearing his peoples burden of
sin and sorrow; he must hurry out in the
cold and rain and snow, no matter what
the distance or the danger. to admins
ter the last sacraments to the dying; ne
must be ready to proceed on short notice
to fever stricken districts. He is freer 10
face danger because he never need ques-
ton the effect of his actions on the af-
fections health, interests or opinions or
wife and family.
with him there is never a conflict be-
tween the love he owes wife and the
duty he owes some needy member of his
flock, for both love and duty always lie
In the same direction"
Father Healy in discussing a belief in
t',-:st began by saying;
"The object of the present lecture is
two-fold: To bring out in strong relief
the fact of Christs divinity, and to es-
tablsh clearly the relations that exist
between us and Him, our divine teacher"
The speaker went on to say in part:
ut is true that many of the best and
most beautiful things ever spoken or
written of Christ are the generous and
sincere tributes of men who have denied
His divinity. They have said: He is,
in the nobest and most perfect sense,
the realized ideal of humanity (Herder)
that His Is a character ineXplcable on
human principles (Channing); yet He is
a man, not God. They have said that
He is the hottest among the mighty,
and the mightest among the holy who
with His pierced hands, has lifted en-
pires off their hinges. has turned the
mel ane still rules the ages yet, He is
only a man and not God Renan, the
famous French infidel writer, says: All
ages will proclaim that among man none
has been born greater than Jesus
Truly, indeed, Christ is foremost
among men; for he was sinless, innocent
and virtuous; when prosecuted He was
patient, when reviled He was meek and
humble, when illuminated He answered
not back, when insulted and injured He
prayed for His tormentors: Father, for
give them. for they know not what they
do As a public benefactor he went
about doing good, helping the needy, In
structing the ignorant. comforting he
sorrowful compassonating the afflicted.
calling the sinner to penance Yet all Is
not said until We have confessed him tc
be God For If Christ be not God, then
have ] failed to read Alright the story OF
His life have misunderstood His own
words-more. have failed to read Alright