of the Council of Nicea forbids
monks to claim the power of exercising those acts on the ground of
their being monks, but it does not forbid those acts being delegated
to them.

Reply Obj. 3: These two things are incompatible, namely, the ordinary
cure of ecclesiastical duties, and the observance of the monastic
rule in a monastery. But this does not prevent monks and other
religious from being sometimes occupied with ecclesiastical duties
through being deputed thereto by superiors having ordinary cure;
especially members of religious orders that are especially instituted
for that purpose, as we shall say further on (Q. 188, A. 4).
_______________________

SECOND ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 187, Art. 2]

Whether It Is Lawful for Religious to Occupy Themselves with Secular
Business?

Objection 1: It would seem unlawful for religious to occupy
themselves with secular business. For in the decree quoted above (A.
1) of Pope Boniface it is said that the "Blessed Benedict bade them
to be altogether free from secular business; and this is most
explicitly prescribed by the apostolic doctrine and the teaching of
all the Fathers, not only to religious, but also to all the canonical
clergy," according to 2 Tim. 2:4, "No man being a soldier to God,
entangleth himself with secular business." Now it is the duty of all
religious to be soldiers of God. Therefore it is unlawful for them to
occupy themselves with secular business.

Obj. 2: Further, the Apostle says (1 Thess. 4:11): "That you use your
endeavor to be quiet, and that you do your own business," which a
gloss explains thus--"by refraining from other people's affairs, so
as to be the better able to attend to the amendment of your own
life." Now religious devote themselves in a special way to the
amendment of their life. Therefore they should not occupy themselves
with secular business.

Obj. 3: Further, Jerome, commenting on Matt. 11:8, "Behold they that
are clothed in soft garments are in the houses of kings," says:
"Hence we gather that an austere life and severe preaching should
avoid the palaces of kings and the mansions of the voluptuous." But
the needs of secular business induce men to frequent the palaces of
kings. Therefore it is unlawful for religious to occupy themselves
with secular business.

_On the contrary,_ The Apostle says (Rom. 16:1): "I commend to you
Phoebe our Sister," and further on (Rom. 16:2), "that you assist her
in whatsoever business she shall h