The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-10-13
LETTER OF THE HOLY FATHER

be conferred by the Bishop alone
How shall they preach, unless they
be sent?' from. x:15). Now the
| Apostles were sent and sent by Him
| Who is the supreme Pastor and Bish-
op of our souls q Pet. ii:25); so too,
were the seventy-two first disciples;
nay, st. Paul himself, although con-
stituted. by Christ vessel of election
to carry His name, before Gentiles
and kings, (Acts iX:15) entered upon
| his apostolate only after the elders
in obedience to the command of the
| Holy Ghost, Separate me Saul for
the work" (Acts xiii:2), had imposed
hands upon him and sent him forth.
| The same practice was constantly
followed in the early days of the
Church For all without exception,
both those who distinguished them
selves in the priestly order like Origen,
and those who later on were raised to
the dignity of the episcopate, like
Cyril of Jerusalem, John Chrysostom,
Augustine and the other more ancient
Doctors of the Church, undertook the
office of preaching with the sanction
and authority of their Bishops.
Keep Out Unfit.
But now, Venerable Brethren, the
custom seems to be far different.
Among our sacred orators, there are
too many to whom might we'll be ap-
piled that complaint which the Lord
makes through the Prophet Jeremias:
Il did not send prophets, yet they ran"
tJer. xxiii:2D. For lest the man. who
owing to his peculiar bent of mind, or
any other cause, should choose to un-
dertake the ministry of the Word, may
find easy access to the pulpits of our
churches as to drill-ground where
any one may practise at will, there
fore, Venerable Brethren, it is your
duty to see that such grave abuse
should disappear; and since you will
have to render to God and to His
Church an account of the manner in
which you feed your flock, allow no
one to creep unbidden into the sheep
fold and to feed the sheep of Christ
according to his fancy. Therefore let
no one henceforth preach in your do
ceses, except on your summons and
with your approval.
Here therefore we would have you
pay the greatest heed to whom you
commit so sacred a duty. By the
decree of the Council of Trent Bishops
are permitted to select for this office
those only who are fit" i. e., those
who "can exercise the ministry of
preaching with profit to souls"
with profit to souls,' we'll note
that the word which expresses the rule
does not mean eloquently or with pop
ular applause, but with spiritual fruit.
This is the end for which the ministry
OF the Divine Word is instituted If
now you would have Us define more
exactly the qualifications of those who
are really to be considered fit, We
answer: those in whom you find the
signs of the Divine vocation. What
ever is required for admission to the
priesthood, is likewise needed if one is
to be considered eligible and fit for
the Office of preaching. Neither doth
any man take this honor to himself,
but he that is called by God" (Heb.
va. Such a vocation is easily deter
mined. For Christ Our Lord and Mas
ter, when about to ascend into heaven,
did not by any means bid His Apos-
ties forthwith go into diverse places
and begin their preaching: "But stay
you in the city," He said, "till you be
induced with power from on high
Iuke xxiv:49). This, therefore, is
the. sign by which you may know
whether any one is Divinely called to
this task: if he "is indued" with
power from on high. What this
means, Venerable Brethren, may be
gathered from what took place in the
case of the Apostles as soon as they
had received power from on high.
For when the Holy Spirit had
descended upon them, not to mention
here the wonderful gifts with
which they were endowed, they were
transformed from frail, unlettered dis
ciples into learned and perfect men.
| IL u pl1SoI luC
knowledge and virtue together with
those natural qualifications necessary,
without which he would be tempting
God, he may be considered as having
| true vocation for the Office of preach
ing and there is no reason why he
may not be admitted by the Bishop
! to his ministry. Such is the meaning
of the Council of Trent when it DEGREES
that the Bishop is not to permit any
to preach unless they are "of approv-
ed virtue and learning" (Loc. cit.).
Wherefore it is the duty of the Bishop
/ long and thoroughly to examine those
who are to be entrusted by him with
the function of preaching that he may
find out the nature and extent of their
learning. If any one acts carelessly
| and negligently in this duty, he clearly
offends in grievous matter, and on
1 him will fall the responsibility of the
errors which the unframed preacher
4 may spread or of the scandal and the
bad example which the unworthy one
lmay give.
Qualities Of Preachers.