erate the
promotion of a rich man to a position of honor in the Church, to the
exclusion of a poor man more learned and holier?" [*Augustine, Ep. ad
Hieron. clxvii.]

_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 1), respect of persons is a sin,
in so far as it is contrary to justice. Now the graver the matter in
which justice is transgressed, the more grievous the sin: so that,
spiritual things being of greater import than temporal, respect of
persons is a more grievous sin in dispensing spiritualities than in
dispensing temporalities. And since it is respect of persons when
something is allotted to a person out of proportion to his deserts,
it must be observed that a person's worthiness may be considered in
two ways. First, simply and absolutely: and in this way the man who
abounds the more in the spiritual gifts of grace is the more worthy.
Secondly, in relation to the common good; for it happens at times
that the less holy and less learned man may conduce more to the
common good, on account of worldly authority or activity, or
something of the kind. And since the dispensation of spiritualities
is directed chiefly to the common good, according to 1 Cor. 12:7,
"The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man unto profit,"
it follows that in the dispensation of spiritualities the simply less
good are sometimes preferred to the better, without respect of
persons, just as God sometimes bestows gratuitous graces on the less
worthy.

Reply Obj. 1: We must make a distinction with regard to a prelate's
kinsfolk: for sometimes they are less worthy, both absolutely
speaking, and in relation to the common good: and then if they are
preferred to the more worthy, there is a sin of respect of persons in
the dispensation of spiritual goods, whereof the ecclesiastical
superior is not the owner, with power to give them away as he will,
but the dispenser, according to 1 Cor. 4:1, "Let a man so account of
us as of the ministers of Christ, and the dispensers of the mysteries
of God." Sometimes however the prelate's kinsfolk are as worthy as
others, and then without respect of persons he can lawfully give
preference to his kindred since there is at least this advantage,
that he can trust the more in their being of one mind with him in
conducting the business of the Church. Yet he would have to forego so
doing for fear of scandal, if anyone might take an example from him
and give the goods of the Church to their kindred without regard to