He adds: "But if that evil servant shall say in his
heart," etc. And the Apostle (1 Cor. 4:1) says: "Let a man so account
of us as of the ministers of Christ"; and afterwards he adds: "I am
not conscious to myself of anything; yet am I not hereby justified."
He was therefore certain that he was Christ's minister; yet he was
not certain that he was a just man. Consequently, a man can be
Christ's minister even though he be not one of the just. And this
belongs to Christ's excellence, Whom, as the true God, things both
good and evil serve, since they are ordained by His providence for
His glory. Hence it is evident that priests, even though they be not
godly, but sinners, can consecrate the Eucharist.

Reply Obj. 1: In those words Jerome is condemning the error of
priests who believed they could consecrate the Eucharist worthily,
from the mere fact of being priests, even though they were sinners;
and Jerome condemns this from the fact that persons defiled are
forbidden to approach the altar; but this does not prevent the
sacrifice, which they offer, from being a true sacrifice, if they do
approach.

Reply Obj. 2: Previous to the words quoted, Pope Gelasius expresses
himself as follows: "That most holy rite, which contains the Catholic
discipline, claims for itself such reverence that no one may dare to
approach it except with clean conscience." From this it is evident
that his meaning is that the priest who is a sinner ought not to
approach this sacrament. Hence when he resumes, "How shall the Holy
Spirit come when summoned," it must be understood that He comes, not
through the priest's merits, but through the power of Christ, Whose
words the priest utters.

Reply Obj. 3: As the same action can be evil, inasmuch as it is done
with a bad intention of the servant; and good from the good intention
of the master; so the blessing of a sinful priest, inasmuch as he
acts unworthily is deserving of a curse, and is reputed an infamy and
a blasphemy, and not a prayer; whereas, inasmuch as it is pronounced
in the person of Christ, it is holy and efficacious. Hence it is said
with significance: "I will curse your blessings."
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SIXTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 82, Art. 6]

Whether the Mass of a Sinful Priest Is of Less Worth Than the Mass of
a Good Priest?

Objection 1: It seems that the mass of a sinful priest is not of less
worth than that of a good priest. For Pope Gregory says in the
Register: "Alas, into what