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to comply with the precepts of Christ and His Apostles,1 provided for the bodily support of the clergy, in return for the spiritual gifts received at their hands and through their ministry. The offerings of the people and the contributions received on Sundays, and on other occasions, were also, in part, intended for the maintenance of the clergy, that they might not be under the necessity of engaging in pursuits either derogatory to, or incompatible with, the spiritual functions of their office. Such pursuits were frequently forbidden by direct law.3

§ 85. The Celibacy of the Clergy.

Möhler, Exam. of the Memorial (to the Second Chamber of Deputies of Baden) for the Abolition of Celibacy, prescribed to the Cath. Clergy, with acts. (Miscell. Papers, Vol. I., p. 177-267.) (Clarus) * Celibacy, with the motto, Sokā kȧyà πveõμa dɛov èxɛi.—I think that I also have the spirit of God. 1 Cor. vii. 40, in two parts, Ratisbon, 1841. Cf. Celibacy, in the Freiburg Eccl. Cycloped., Vol. II., p. 656–663. Hefele, Contrib. to Ch. Hist., Vol. I., p. 122135. Pavy, évêque d'Alger, du célibat ecclésiastique, ed. 2, Par. 1857.

The great importance attached by the Church from earliest times to the dignity of the priestly office, and the exalted idea entertained of its character, may be inferred from the care and formality with which the election and ordination of the higher orders of the clergy were conducted, but principally from the practice of celibacy—an institution which has always been regarded by the Catholic Church as the most efficient and powerful engine for good, and as conferring a character the most holy and sublime. The fundamental idea of the Christian priesthood is that of representatives of Christ, the second and spiritual Adam, whose work they continue, and in whose unmarried state they early recognized the prototype and pattern of their own. Even the Pagans could not conceive of a perfect priesthood without the accompanying state of virginity.

1Matt. x. 10; Luke x. 7; 1 Cor. ix. 13; 1 Tim. v. 17.

2 Cyprian, Clerici in honore sportulantium fratrum tanquam decimas ex fructibus accipientes ab altari et sacrificiis non recedant, sed die ac nocte coelestibus rebus et spiritualibus serviant, ep. 66, p. 246.

3 Canon Apost., can. 6. Episcopus vel presbyter vel diaconus saeculares curas non suscipiat: alioqui deponatur. (Mansi, T. I., p. 30. Harduin, T. I., p. 10.)

The honor and reverence paid to the Vestal virgins and Sibyls are examples of this universal feeling, and another, perhaps still more striking, was the rule prescribed to the high-priest of Eleusinian mysteries, forbidding him to enter into the married state after he had assumed his office, or, if already married, enjoining abstinence from all intercourse with his wife. The Jewish priests were also forbidden to have intercourse while engaged in their ministrations at the temple.

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The following reasons have always been regarded as sufficient to justify and commend the practice of celibacy: 1. It is fitting that he who would worthily celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, an office destined to continue till the end of time, should be distinguished by eminent purity of body;1 2. No one who does not enjoy this freedom, can give his life undivided to Christ and His Church, and labor with the single purpose of advancing His interests and glory,' since the married state necessarily implies a divided heart and pursuits directed to other ends; 3. The married state would limit that absolute independence so necessary to the successful ministry of the priest.

The realization of an ideal, at once so spiritual and so exalted, was possible only when a living and energetic faith in the divinity of Christ took such fast hold and complete possession of man, that his whole being was renewed and transformed by the influence of the Holy Ghost. Our Divine Savior spoke of some who are born eunuchs, and of others

1Even Paganism prescribed: Ad Divos adeunto caste! (Cicero de legibus II. 8.) The words of Lampridius, in his vita Alex. Severi, c. 29, are worthy of notice: Usus vivendi eidem (Alex. Severo) hic fuit: primum ut, si facultas esset, i. e. si non cum uxore cubuisset, matutinis horis in larario suo, in quo et divos Principes, sed optimos et electos et animas sanctiores, in queis et Apollonium et quantum scriptor suorum temporum dicit, Christum, Abraham et Orpheum et hujusmodi caeteros habebat ac majorum effigies, rem divinam faciebat. (Historiae Augustae, ed. Bipont, 1787, Vol. I., p. 278.)

2 Creuzer, in his Mythology and Symbolism, 3 ed., Pt. I., p. 600, relates the following Indian legend: "But Brahma, created by Birmah, complained that he alone, among his brothers, was without a partner, and Birmah answered that he, as a priest, should not suffer himself to be distracted, but should give himself wholly to prayer and to the divine service."

31 Cor. vii. 39.

who make themselves so for the sake of gaining Heaven;1 and the Apostle of the Gentiles, inspired with the sentiments of his Divine Master, declared to the faithful: "He that giveth his virgin in marriage, doeth well: and he that giveth her not, doeth better;" and "It is good for man not to touch a woman, and I would that all men were even as myself;" at least those to whom it hath been given."

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The Apostles, catching the spirit and following the inspiration of such exhortations, relinquished all things, and forsook even their wives, to follow their Divine Master, and be able to serve Him with single-minded earnestness. Even among the laity there were to be found many ascetics, who, desirous of being free from distractions, that they might lead more holy and perfect Christian lives, observed perpetual continence. These were chosen in preference to married men for the work of the ministry, as being by their manner of life most fitted and best qualified for the exercise of sacerdotal functions. As, however, those who voluntarily took upon themselves a life of continence and chastity, were not in sufficient numbers to supply the Church with clerics, the Apostle St. Paul permitted also married men to enter the ministry, yet only such as had been married once, marriage after the death of the first wife being regarded as an evidence of incontinence. He therefore gave the following instructions to Timothy and Titus: "It behooveth, therefore, a bishop

to be the husband of one wife. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife;" and speaking of deaconesses, he says: "Let a widow be chosen not under threescore years of age, who hath

→ 1 Matt. xix. 12.

21 Cor. vii.

3 Matt. xix. 27.

"Many men and women of sixty and seventy years of age, who, from childhood up, have been Christians, are still undefiled; and I am prepared to point out many such among all classes of men." (St. Justin apol. I. 15.) Similarly Athenagoras: Among us you may find many men and women who grow old unmarried, in the hope of thus being more intimately united with God." (Legat., c. 33.)

51 Cor. vii. 5.

61 Tim. iii. 2, 12; Tit. i. 6.

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been the wife of one husband," i. e. who has been but once. married. The opposition to married priests began to manifest itself at a very early date. The practice of celibacy, at first voluntarily entered upon by the clergy in Apostolie times, became, later on, an element in the very life of the Church; so much so, indeed, that when the spirit which had inspired it began to languish, it was enforced by special law. The course of the Church in this instance affords a good example of the manner in which her laws were called forth in analogous cases. They sprung in the first instance, naturally and spontaneously, from the very life of the Church; but when faith grew weak and fervor cooled, or other causes intervened, it was found necessary to exact, by positive enactment, a line of conduct which before had been followed from motives of duty and devotion.

The first mention of the practice of celibacy among the Christian clergy is found in an oracle of the Montanist prophetess, Priscilla,3 which runs thus: "It is meet that only the holy should have the ministry of things holy, and that only the pure should come in contact with things pure." Is this not a proof, it will be asked, that celibacy originated with the Montanists? The answer is obvious. The Montanists retained in this instance, as in many others, the teaching and practice of the Church, in which, at this period, celibacy was quite general. If celibacy had really originated with the Montanists, they would certainly have mentioned, in their violent attacks upon the Church, a circumstance which would, if true,

11 Tim. v. 9.

2 The apostolical Father Ignatius writes: Whoever can remain in chastity for the honor of Him, who is Lord of the flesh, let him remain therein. But if he pride himself on that account, and think himself higher than the bishop, he is lost." (Ep. ad Polycarp., c. 5.)

3 In an old manuscript of Tertull. de exhortat. castit., c. 10, Rigaltius found, after the words "vita aeterna sit in Chr. Jesu Dom. nostro,” the following oracle of Priscilla (between 150 and 160), which he surmises was afterward "ob nimias laudes Priscillae," expunged from the text: "Item per sanctam prophetidem Priscam ita evangelizatur, quod sanctus minister (the unmarried priest) sanctimoniam noverit ministrare. Purificantia enim concordat, ait, et visiones vident, et ponentes faciem deorsum etiam voces audiunt manifestas, tam salutares, quam et occultas, etc." Cf. observation. Rigaltii in ed. opp. Tertull., p. 114. VOL. I-26

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contribute so powerfully to their cause. Rather the contrary was the fact; for it was required that whoever proposed to enter the Christian priesthood, should be one who had either been married but once, or, if unmarried, should, upon taking orders, make a vow of chastity. Origen states that those who had twice married, were debarred the higher orders of the clerical state. And this prejudice in favor of a continent life among the clergy was so deeply rooted in the popular mind and so sensitive of its honor, that the faintest suspicion of sinful intercourse with females caused the greatest scandal. Thus, Paul of Samosata and his clergy were openly reproached because they allowed women (ovvsioanto juvačzes, spiritual sisters) to dwell in their houses.3

It was but natural that a rule of life, which, though inspired by the very genius of the clerical state, had been nevertheless freely adopted by the body of the clergy, should, by and by, become burdensome to some, and that an attempt should be made to break through it. Such was really the case; and it was found necessary, toward the close of the third and the opening of the fourth centuries, to enact stringent laws, enjoining clerical celibacy under severe penalties. The Apostolic Canons make its practice obligatory on all the higher orders of the clergy, beginning with deaconship, only the lectors and chanters being allowed to take wives. In

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1 He says: "Et commendabis illas duas (uxores) per sacerdotem de monogamia ordinatum, aut etiam de virginitate sancitum ?" (Exhortat. castit., c. 14.) 2 Origen. hom. XVII. in Luc.: ab ecclesiasticis dignitatibus non solum fornicatio sed et nuptiae repellunt; neque enim episcopus nec presbyter nec diaconus nec vidua possunt esse bigami. (T. III., p. 953.) Cf. Apostolor. constit. VII. 17, ad princip. (Galland. T. III., p. 155.) Epiphan. expos. fidei opp. T. I., p. 1103, cum notis Petavii et haeres. 59, No. 7.

3 3 Euseb. h. e. VII. 30. Against this the Conc. Illiberit., c. 27, decreed: Episcopus vel quilibit alius clericus aut sororem aut filiam virginem dicatam Deo tantum secum habeat; extraneam nequaquam habere placuit.

4 Canon. Apost. can. 25. Innuptis autem, qui ad clerum promoti sunt, praecipimus, si voluerint, uxores ducere, lectores cantoresque solos. This serves to explain can. 5. Episcopus vel presbyter vel diaconus uxorem suam ne ejiciat religionis praetextu (ñpopáσɛɩ ɛỷλaßɛías, contrary to the will of the wife, and in order no longer to be obliged to provide for her); sin autem ejecerit, segregetur; et si perseveret, deponatur. (Mansi, T. I., p. 34 et 30. Harduin, T. I., p. 15 et 11.)