The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-06-12
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lowering our neighbours reputation.
The degree of the sin committed by
calumny or detraction is measured by
the mischief done, and this mischief
will depend not only on the thing said,
but also on the position and status of
the person talked against. 1t is in this
way that talking against the clergy,
where it is sinful at all, becomes more
sinful because they are clergy. A
priest from his very profession needs
to be held in higher respect and rever-
ence than layman, because of the
higher relation which he holds towards
his people Thus it is bad enough
if prominent layman gets into bad
repute through the wagging of criti-
cal tongues, but it is still worse If
priest gets into the same evil case. 1t
is not question of the person, but
of the Office The work of clergy
man depends very much upon the
esteem in which he is held by those
with whom he has to deal; and, more
over, people expect so much more from
him than they expect from layman.
Hence the spirit of criticism which
tends to engender a feeling of distrust
or dislike or depreciation among the
parishioners is certainly a most mis-
chievous spirit-one which ought to
be suppressed in themselves by all
well-disposed Catholics and discour-
aged and discountenanced by them
whenever they come across it in
others. The cordial and cooperative
relation which is supposed to exist be-
tween clergy and laity is of the great
est Importance for the spiritual we'll
being of both parties, and is well
worth preserving even at great per-
sonal sacrifice.
We will not undertake to define eX-
actly where talking against the clergy
becomes a sin and where it passes into
mortal sin. Enough in general to
say that it becomes a sin as soon as
it begins to injure this cordial and
cooperative relation; and it would be-
come a mortal sin as soon as the in
Jury became serious. Better and more
stimulating will it be to dwell on the
other side and to say with st. James:
IF any man offend not in word, he is
perfect man; he is able with bride
to lead about the whole body. For
when we put bits into the mouths OF
horses, that they may obey us, we can
turn about their whole body. So the
tongue also is, indeed, little member,
but it uttereth big things. Behold
how small fire kindleth great wood.
So also the tongue is fire, a world
of iniquity. The tongue is placed
among our members, and it defileth
the whole body and infiameth the
whole circuit of our nature, being set
in fire from hell. For every nature
of beasts and birds and of the rest
is tanned by man; but the tongue no
man can tame, being as it is an un-
quiet evil, full of deadly poison. Who,
then, is a wise man among you? Let
him show forth his work by good con-
versation in the meekness of wisdom.
But if you have bitter zeal, and there
! be contention in your hearts, do not
glory in it, thus belying the truth;
| for this is not wisdom from above, but
is something earthly, sensual, devilish.
For where envying and contention are,
there are Inconsistency and every evil
work. But the wisdom which is from
above is first chaste, then peaceable
and modest, easy to be persuaded,
sympathetic with good, full of mercy
and good fruits, without judging and
without discrimination. And thus the
fruit of justice is sown in peace, to
them who are of peaceful mind
You see that st. James says it much
better than we can. If his words are
taken to heart there will be no need
/ for discussion about mortal sin; there
will be no sin at all.