The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-05-08

greet for even Protestant Christianity to have to
admit that outside of our large eastern cities he is
neither educated conscientious. He has no
faIth IN the divine character of his own religion.
IN the inspiration of the Scriptures or indeed, in
revelation from God to the human race Like the
sharks that follow in the wake of Pacific ships to
swallow the offal and garbage thrown overheard by
the cooks boy, the ministers Of our rural districts
INLAND towns and villages are feeding the scraps
OF science thrown out from Harvard. Yale and the
lnhdel Northwestern University of Chicago. His
only revelation today is the unfolding of the
crets OF geology, biology and kindred subjects.
What, then, can this hippant and sensational pull
piteer know of cebacy!
Fifty years ago ST. Paul stood in the repute of
Protestants next to our Divine Lord in honor and
dignity III the Apostolic congress- The only fault
they found III him was that he laid too much stress
on ylrginity. When he clearly and without equivo
cation declared that she who giveth his daughter
IN marriage, doeth we'll; he that giveth her not
doeth BETTER" they explained that the apostle
chosen out Of due time" was writing for other
times and other people. Now, what the facts
about celibacy? Those who feel themselves called
TO the divine vocation or work of the priesthood,
with their eyes open, with full knowledge of the
responsibilities of the high and holy office deliber
ately make their choice There is no obedience
forced upon them, there is no compulsion, they
ter and like Mary, the sister of Lazarus. choose
the better part"
The priest who day by day ascends the altar of
God to offer up sacrifice for the living and the
dead who stands, interceding, between God and the
people, who hears the sins of penitents and alb
Lo -, Il, + G. Da,,I
Timothy, is charged before God and Jesus Christ
to preach the word in season and out of season, to
reprove, entreat and rebuke with all patience and
doctrine and who ought to be example to those
redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, ought also
to be a celibate. No one is compelled to enlist i'll
he army of the Catholic clergy, the church compels
10 to become priest, she forces no mans |
WILL and if the Of "a years of age "makes him
elf eunuch for the kingdom of heavens sake"
what right has any man to censure him for his
hoice,
The mission Entrusted to the Catholic church is
o holy and of such transcendent Importance that
demands superior men, men masters of them
elves and lifted above worldly atmosphere The
minister's and coadjutors assisting the church in
er supreme mission, must be men generous enough
nd magnanimous enough to yield to a call of pity
nd give their whole time and energies to the in
comparable work of saving human souls. And if
ne candidate for the high and most honorable of
ce of the priesthood is not prepared to follow in
he footprints of his Divine Master. to bid good
We to the delights of conjugal life and to the pos
bility and solace of wife and children. then his
lurch tells him he does not measure up to the
andard set for the of her army and to step
OWN from the block.
When our Divine Lord said to his priests, "Go
therefore and teach all nations" and warned
lem that they going sheep among wolves:
hen he foretold that they would be imprisoned
eaten and murdered did he speak to men with
ives in tears clinging to them and with children
wiling and crying for the departing fathers2 Does
e Ogden preacher profess to be wiser than Jesus
hrist to proclaim st. Paul to be a fool when he
claimed II would that all men we're even as my
IT," that Is cebate priest.