The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1909-11-09
WHY PRIESTS UO
NOT MARRY,
Explanation Of Custom Given bv =
Paulist Missionary to Fine
Willie Audience.
WORK OF CATHOLIC MINISTRY
NEEDS UNMARRIED CLERGY
Outies of Priest Such He Must Be :
Man Free From the Claims
of Home.

of Home.
Every seat was filled and manv
ooHged to stand, SO great was the al.
tendance again last night at the paul
ISL mission at Pineville At the heain.
hlng OF the services Father O'Her,
answered the Questions" among
lhem being the following, why Don +
Priests Marry?" says the Alexandra
Town Talk.
IN answering this question Father
hern indicated two reasons for tho
law OF the Catholic church reouirine
ceilDacy as condition of priesthood
Ihe first reason is theoretical. so to
speak, resting on the dignity and
unique character of the priest. The
priests offices is such that he stands
as a representative of Christ. in the
Sehse that he baptizes in Christs
hdihe' he breaches the gospel in
Chrlsts name, he administers the va.
rlouS sacraments in Christ's name.
IN hne, is continuing the work of
| Christ on earth. Called into the dig.
nifty OF such an Office, it is only fitting
that he should be a man whose whole
lie is consecrated to his work. This
| ideal OF conservation is best realized
in celibate life.
The second reason is a nractic.1
one, viz, that things being constituted
as they now are, the work of the
catholic ministry can be done onlv
py unmarried clergy. The Catholic
priests duties are such that he must
De man who is absolutely free from
all claims Of home life, so that he
may be ready to answer every call
made upon his time, talents and devo.
tlon Such calls may take him on
long Journeys, to plague-stricken dis
trlcts, into dangerous places (such as
burning buildings or the firing line of
an army, and because he is an un-
married man he can obey the sum-
mons of duty with no counter-claim
of wife or children to hamper him in
any way. 1t is indisputable that !
greater and more generous and more
self-sacrificing service can be given
by an unmarried than by married
clergy. This is no reflection upon the
devotion of married clergy of other
churches, because their work is NOT of |
the same character as the priests. nor
are the same demands made upon !
their time and service.
The practical lesson here spoken of |
is referred to in st. Paul /. Corinth- |
ians vii, 1898
He that is unmarried careth for the |
things that belong to the Lord, how
he may please the lord but he that
is married careth for the things that
are Of the world, how he may please
his wife"
In concluding his answer, Father
O'Hern said: "Such life is possible
to those called to it, and who have
the assistance of divine grace; as ST
Paul remarks: "By the grace of God,
l am what am"
Our hats are the very latest style;
q big assortment to select from
Kahn's
The Rayne Cotton Incident Closed.
It will be remembered that about
two months ago considerable interest
was taken in Lafayette and in this
section generally in the matter Of the
charges brought by certain Rayne cot
ton ginners against our fellow-citizen,
Mr.. B. N. Corona. alleging that Mr..
Corona had violated the antitrust
law of this state.
The grand jury of the parish OF '
Acadia in its final report, filed last
Friday, completely ignored the
charges, thus confirming the assur-
ances Mr.. Corona made in the final {
words of his communication to the
public, which appeared in this paper
under date of Sept 16. 1909, that he
had violated no law of the land either
In act or in intention, and that he
had not the least fear of any truthful
evidence that could be brought to ,
bear to the contrary. Il
Notice.
OakbOurne Plantation is posted [
against hunting and trespassing
W. C. VAIL, Manager.