The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1907-11-23
The ceIibacy of the CLERGY.

Those who have carefully read the
Popes Encyclical, will have noted the
statement therein made. that among
the MOdernists there are not few who
advocate that the ordinance of celibacy
be withdrawn. Distinctly, apropos of
the whole question, is an article con-
tibuted by Mr.. G. Kegan Paul. to the
C. 7. 5. publications. of which we here
give a digest:
When Gregory VII enforced the cell
bacy of the clergy in 1912, he gave ut
terance to no dogma, but made a decree
Tor the governance of the Church
which a succeeding Pope might, if he
Pleased, abrogate or suspend.
The Church has not, in any succeed
ing ages, attempted to make the rule
absolute. The innate Greeks. for in
stance, still retain their married cler-
gy and in the discussions which have
from time TO time taken place. on An
sHcan Orders. the possibility has ever
been present to the minds of the theo-
loglans that if Rome should declare
those orders valid, it would not nee
esSarlly follow that those Anglican
clergy who submitted to Papal author
NY, must put away their wives
mere is the essential difference be-
tween dogma and a custom; a dogma
is revealed by God, and has to be ac-
cepled as and because revealed by
him whether it be or be not discover
aoIe IN part by human reason. An &C.
CleSlastical custom is one which has
Deen' in the first place, introduced by
man and then sanctioned by supreme
authority. When so ratified, it is as
binding as doctrine within it's limits
ana with its exceptions, remembering
.llal the one is Interchangeable as God,
ue other arising out Of mans need,
ana therefore changeable as mans
needs vary
since it is almost automatic that HUI
man discovery does not return on it's
curse .-.-,s 1t is improbable that the Church
VIII be served by a married priesthood.
- us see if those who oppose the
esNoaey Of the clergy have any really
'e.cessiul arguments to oppose to it.
Two principles contended for mas
ly IN the primitive Church. The in
~, sanctity Of marriage. and the
llfe ii'ieS' y 'ii' O'iA''''e
49,. he ceiibate life was an accident, and
bo os an essential part of holiness. Long
o.i ayIe st. Gregory made the rule of
yn ,,loagy absolute in the Church. the |
rs 5gieulc usage Of the early centuries |
~ ~ become all but universal. and this |
-. reasons easy to understand. The |
i H. OF woman had been increasing |
r-,. lalSed in the Jewish Church. The /
f'es Ok patriaTchs and kings had Of |
i'm claimed an equality with-some-
NJ, indeed, superiority to-their hus
sb me fact therefore, that women
. sau lhelr husbands interests, made
Rs,9. Iaotal caste in the Church neces-
rsr s' I'D which women could have no
~, The Sacrament of Penance
]o1eI5l or itself require a celibate and
tert tis priesthood. for even with no in
raTsaI OF betraying condolences, a man
n,borIS lhFoluntarily the secrets of
mnoL 10 those with whom he lives
Too ,l. The greater the share any
fbe we takes in her husbands work,
bs a uLore does she discover what is in
otbe. llila' and read his thoughts about
Win even when she does not agree
fess den The teaching and healing pro-
m onl,I We're lntrusted to cIerics and
the ''n \, already vowed to celibacy, in
Cburolliu uIe ages. Thus rule of the
l2yerIs5 grew up which even in these
udys is maintained as far as the