Untitled - Saints' Books

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INSTR. in.] The Chastity of the Priest. 245
this evil," says St. Gregory,
has that is controlled
by the concupiscence of the :
flesh."
Even the pagans, as Plutarch writes, required purity
in the priests of their false gods; because they thought
that whatsoever related to the divine honor should be
clean. 2
And of the Athenian priests Plato says, that for
the more effectual preservation of chastity they lived
3
apart from the rest of the people. Hence St.
Augus
tine exclaims: "O
great misery among Christians!
the pagans have become the teachers of the faithful.
Speaking of priests of the true God, Clement of Alex
andria says that they only that lead a life of chastity
5
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are, or should be, called true priests. Let the priest
be humble and pious,"
said St. Thomas of Villanova;
if he is not chaste, he is nothing." Chastity is neces
sary for all, but principally for priests.
all," says St.
Augustine, "chastity is most necessary, but especially to
the ministers of the altar." 7 Priests have to treat on the
altar with the immaculate Lamb of God, who is called the
Lily of the valleys? and feeds only among the lilies? Hence
Jesus Christ would have no other mother than a virgin
no other guardian or precursor than a virgin. And
St. Jerome says that Jesus loved John above the other
i, c. ii.
Jugem habet scabiem, cui carnis petulantia dominatur." Past. p.
2
Diis omnia "
munda."
3
Ne " contagione aliqua eorum castitas labefactetur."
grand is christianorum miseria! ecce pagani doctores fidjlium
facti sunt." Ad Fr. in er. s. 37.
5 "Soli
qui puram agunt vitam, sunt Dei Sacerdotes.
Strom. 1. 4.
6 Sit humilis Sacerdos, sit devotus; si non est castus, nihil est.
De D. Ang. cone. 3.
Omnibus castitas pernecessaria est, sed maxime ministris Christi
altaris."
Serm. 291, E. B. app.
8 "
9 "
Lilium convallium."
Qui pascitur inter lilia." Cant. ii. 1-16.