Untitled - Saints' Books

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CHAP, x.] The Vocation to the Priesthood. 197
Council of Trent, in reference to the words of Scripture,
And a spotless life in old age? prescribes to the bishops to
admit to ordination only those who show themselves
worthy by a conduct full of wise maturity. 2
And of this
positive virtue it is necessary, according to St. Thomas,
to have not a doubtful but a certain knowledge. 3
This,
according to St. Gregory, is particularly necessary with
regard to the virtue of chastity:
"No one should be
admitted to the ministry of the altar unless an assurance
has been given of his perfect
4
chastity."
With regard
to chastity, the holy Pontiff required a proof of many
years. 5
From this we may
infer that God will demand a
terrible account of the parish priest who gives to per
sons aspiring to the priesthood a testimony of their
having frequented the sacraments and led exemplary
lives, though they had neglected the frequentation of
the sacraments, and had given scandal rather than good
example. Such parish priests by these false attesta
tions, given not through charity, as they pretend, but
against the charity due to God and the Church, render
themselves guilty of all the sins that shall be afterwards
committed by the bad priests who were ordained in
consequence of these testimonials. For in this matter
bishops trust to the testimony of parish priests, and are
deceived. Nor should a parish priest in giving such
attestations trust the testimony
of others: he cannot
give them unless he is certain that what he attests is
1 "
^Etas senectutis, vita immaculata." Wisd. iv. 9.
Sciant episcopi debere ad hos (sacros) Ordines assumi dignos
3 "
dumtaxat, et quorum probata vita senectus sit." Sess. 23, cap. 12.
Sed etiam habeatur certitude de qualitate promovendorum."
4 "
5 "
Suppl. q. 36, a. 4.
Nullus debet ad ministerium altaris accedere, nisi cujus castitas
ante susceptum ministerium fuerit approbata." Lib. I, ep. 42.
Ne unquam
ii
qui ordinati sunt, pereant, prius aspiciatur sr vita
eorum continens ab annis plurimis
fuit." Lib. 3, ep. 26.