the holy Councils of
Caesarea, Neocaesarea, Africa, Agde, Gironne, Meaux, and Orleans.
Thus the custom has been observed from the time of the Gospel and the
apostles that one who has been put into the office of priests has never
been permitted, according to law, to marry. It is indeed true that on
account of lack of ministers of God in the primitive Church married men
were admitted to the priesthood, as is clear from the Apostolic Canons
and the reply of Paphnutius in the Council of Nice; nevertheless, those
who wished to contract marriage were compelled to do so before receiving
the subdiaconate, as we read in the canon Si quis corum Dist. 32.
This custom of the primitive Church the Greek Church has preserved and
retained to this day. But when, by the grace of God, the Church has
increased so that there was no lack of ministers in the Church, Pope
Siricius, eleven hundred and forty years ago, undoubtedly not without
the Holy Ghost, enjoined absolute continence upon the priests, Canon
Plurimus, Dist. 82--an injunction which Popes Innocent I., Leo the Great
and Gregory the Great approved and ratified, and which the Latin Church
has everywhere observed to this day. From these facts it is regarded
sufficiently clear that the celibacy of the clergy is not an abuse, and
that it was approved by fathers so holy at such a remote time, and was
received by the entire Latin Church. Besides, the priests of the old
law, as in the case of Zacharias, were separated from their wives at
times when they discharged their office and ministered in the temple.
But since the priest of the new law ought always to be engaged in the
ministry, it follows that he ought always to be continent. Furthermore,
married persons should not defraud one the other of conjugal duties
except for a time that they may give themselves to prayer. 1 Cor.
75. But since a priest ought always to pray, he ought always to be
continent. Besides, St. Paul says: "But I would have you without
carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to
the Lord, that he may please the Lord. But he that is married careth for
the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife," 1 Cor.
7:32, 33. Therefore let the priest who should please God continually
flee from anxiety for a wife, and not look back with Lot's wife, Gen.
19:26. Moreover, sacerdotal continence was foreshadowed also in the Old
Testament, for Moses commanded those who were to receive the law n