Dignity and Duties of the Priest; Or, Selva

DIGNITY AND DUTIES OF THE PRIEST; OR, SELVA.

A COLLECTION OF MATERIALS FOR ECCLESIASTICAL RETREATS. RULE OF LIFE AND SPIRITUAL RULES.

X

BY ST. ALPHONSUS DE LIGUORI

Doctor of the Church.

EDITED BY REV. EUGENE GRIMM,

Priest of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.

NEW YORK, CINCINNATI, CHICAGO 1889.

X

APPROBATION. 4

NOTICE. 4

A COLLECTION OF MATERIAL FOR SERMONS AND INSTRUCTIONS, FOR ECCLESIASTICAL RETREATS, AND ALSO FOR PRIVATE SPIRITUAL READING. 6

ADMONITIONS NECESSARY FOR HIM WHO GIVES THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES TO PRIESTS, 6

PART I. MATERIAL FOR SERMONS. 7

CHAPTER I. THE DIGNITY OF THE PRIESTHOOD. 7

I. Idea of the Priestly Dignity. 7

II. Importance of the Priestly Office. 8

III. Grandeur of the Priestly Power. 8

IV. The Dignity of the Priest Surpasses all other Created Dignities. 9

V. Elevation of the Post Occupied by the Priest. 11

VI. Conclusion. 12

CHAPTER II THE END OF THE PRIESTHOOD. 13

I. The Priesthood Appears to the Saints a Formidable Charge. 13

II. What is the End of the Priesthood. 14

III. Principal Duties of the Priest. 14

CHAPTER III. THE SANCTITY NECESSARY FOR THE PRIEST. 16

I. What should be the Sanctity of the Priest by Reason of his Dignity. 16

II. What Should be the Sanctity of the Priest as the Minister of the Altar. 19

III. What should be the Sanctity of the Priest as Mediator between God and Man. 20

IV. What should be the Sanctity of the Priest given to the People to be their Model. 21

V. Practical Consequences. 22

CHAPTER IV. GRIEVOUSNESS AND CHASTISEMENT OF SIN IN A PRIEST. 24

I. Grievousness of Sin in a Priest. 24

II. Chastisement of the Sinful Priest. 26

III. Exhortation. 29

CHAPTER V. THE INJURY THAT TEPIDITY DOES TO THE PRIEST. 31

I. To what the Tepid Priest is Exposed. 31

II. A Priest cannot be Satisfied with Avoiding Grievous Sins. 34

III. Exhortation. 35

CHAPTER VI. THE SIN OF INCONTINENCE. 37

Necessity of Purity in the Priest. 37

II. Malice of Impurity in the Priest. 38

III. Sad Effects of Impurity. 39

1. BLINDNESS OF THE SOUL. 39

2. OBSTINACY OF THE WILL. 41

3. ETERNAL DAMNATION. 41

IV. Remedies for Incontinence. 42

CHAPTER VII. THE SACRILEGIOUS MASS. 42

I Purity Required in the Priest to Celebrate Worthily. 42

II. How Great is the Crime of the Priest that Celebrates Mass in Mortal Sin. 43

CHAPTER VIII. THE SIN OF SCANDAL. 48

CHAPTER IX. THE ZEAL OF THE PRIEST. 54

I. The Obligation of Every Priest to Labor for the Salvation of Souls. 54

II. The Pleasure that a Priest who Labors for the Salvation of Souls gives to God. 59

III. How Secure the Priest who Labors for the Salvation of Souls Renders his own Salvation, and how Great the Reward that he shall receive in Heaven. 61

IV. The End, the Means, and the Labors of the Priest who has Zeal. 63

I. THE END TO BE PROPOSED. 63

2. MEANS TO BE EMPLOYED. 63

3. WORKS OF A ZEALOUS PRIEST. 64

CHAPTER X. THE VOCATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD. 65

I. Necessity of a Divine Vocation to take Holy Orders. 65

II Marks of a Divine Vocation to the Sacerdotal State 67

I. PURITY OF INTENTION. 68

2. SCIENCE AND TALENTS. 68

3. POSITIVE GOODNESS OF CHARACTER. 69

III. To what Dangers one Exposes Ones Self by taking Holy Orders without a Vocation. 70

PART II. MATERIAL FOR INSTRUCTIONS. 74

INSTRUCTION I. THE CELEBRATION OF MASS. 74

I Importance of the Holy Sacrifice and what it Exacts of the Priest. 74

II. The Preparation for Mass. 75

III. The Reverence and the Devotion with which the Priest should Celebrate Mass. 77

IV. Thanksgiving after Mass. 80

V. The Priest who Abstains from saying Mass. 81

INSTRUCTION II. THE GOOD EXAMPLE THAT THE PRIEST SHOULD GIVE. 81

INSTRUCTION III. THE CHASTITY OF THE PRIEST. 86

I. The Merit of this Virtue, and its Necessity for the Priest. 86

II. Means of Preserving Chastity. 88

I. FLIGHT OF THE OCCASION. 88

2. MORTIFICATION. 92

3. HUMILITY. 92

4. PRAYER. 93

INSTRUCTION IV. PREACHING, AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 94

I. Preaching. 94

II. The Administration of the Sacrament of Penance. 96

I. GRAVE RESPONSIBILITY OF CONFESSORS. 97

2. THE KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED TO HEAR CONFESSIONS WELL. 97

3. CHARITY AND FIRMNESS THAT THE CONFESSOR SHOULD HAVE. 98

4. HOW TO ACT IN REGARD TO THOSE LIVING IN THE OCCASION OF SlN AND THOSE WHO ARE RELAPSING SlNNERS. 100

INSTRUCTION V. MENTAL PRAYER. 103

I. Necessity of Mental Prayer for Priests. 103

II. Answer to Excuses. 104

III. The Recitation of the Divine Office. 108

INSTRUCTION VI. HUMILITY. 109

I Necessity of Humility. 109

II. The Practice of Humility. 110

1. To HAVE A HORROR OF PRIDE. 110

2. NOT TO GLORY IN THE GOOD THAT WE DO. 111

3. WE MUST DISTRUST OURSELVES. 113

4. TO ACCEPT HUMILIATIONS. 114

INSTRUCTION VII. MEEKNESS. 115

I. We must Repress Anger. 115

II. We must Bear Contempt. 118

INSTRUCTION VIII. MORTIFICATION, AND PARTICULARLY INTERIOR MORTIFICATION. 120

I. Necessity of Mortification in General. 120

II. Necessity of Interior Mortification. 122

III The Practice of Interior Mortification. 123

1. PROPERTY. 123

2. HONORS. 125

3. RELATIVES. 126

4. SELF-WILL. 128

5. MEANS OF CONQUERING SELF-WILL. 129

INSTRUCTION IX. EXTERIOR MORTIFICATION. 129

I. Necessity of Exterior Mortification. 129

II. Practice of Exterior Mortification. 131

1. THE EYES AND THE WHOLE EXTERIOR. 131

2. THE TASTE OR APPETITE. 134

3. THE TOUCH. 135

4. INVOLUNTARY MORTIFICATIONS. 136

III. The Good that is derived from a Mortified Life. 136

INSTRUCTION X THE LOVE OF GOD. 137

I. Special Obligation for the Priest to belong Entirely to God. 137

II. Means to be Employed for belonging Entirely to God. 140

1. DESIRE FOR PERFECTION. 140

2. THE INTENTION OF PLEASING GOD IN ALL THINGS. 142

3. PATIENCE IN PAINS AND HUMILIATIONS. 143

4. CONFORMITY TO THE WILL OF GOD. 145

INSTRUCTION XI. DEVOTION TO MOST HOLY . MARY. 147

Moral Necessity of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin. 147

II. Confidence that we should have in the Intercession of the Mother of God. 149

III. Practice of Devotion to the Blessed Virgin. 151

APPENDIX. 152

Rule of life for a Secular Priest, 152

I. Morning Exercises. 152

I. THE FIRST ACTS ON RISING. 152

2. MENTAL PRAYER. 152

3. THE HOLY MASS. 153

4. CONFESSIONS AND STUDY. 153

5. REMARK IN REGARD TO THE ORDER OF THE EXERCISES. 153

6. DINNER. 153

II. Exercises after Dinner, 154

1. SPIRITUAL READING. 154

2. THE VISIT TO THE BLESSED SACRAMENT AND TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 154

3. RECREATION. 154

III. Exercises of the Evening. 154

1. BEFORE SUPPER. 154

2. SUPPER. 154

3. THE LAST ACTS BEFORE GOING TO BED. 155

IV. Exercises that are not Performed Every Day. 155

1. CONFESSION. 155

2. THE MONTHLY RETREAT. 155

3. SPECIAL COUNSELS. 155

SPIRITUAL RULES FOR A PRIEST WHO ASPIRES TO PERFECTION. 155

I. TO AVOID SIN, AND TROUBLE AFTER SIN. 155

2. EFFICACIOUS DESIRE TO ADVANCE IN THE LOVE OF GOD. 156

3. DEVOTION TO THE PASSION OF OUR LORD AND TO THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 156

4. THE INTENTION OF DOING ALL FOR GOD. 157

5. LOVE OF SOLITUDE AND OF SILENCE. 157

6. CONFORMITY TO THE WILL OF GOD. 157

7. DESIRE FOR DEATH. 158

8. DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 158

9. TO BE HUMBLE OF HEART. 158

10. TO RENDER GOOD FOR EVIL. 158

11. INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR MORTIFICATION. 158

12. TO PRAY WITHOUT CEASING. 159

SPIRITUAL MAXIMS FOR PRIESTS. 159

EXHORTATION TO YOUNG MEN WHO DEVOTE THEMSELVES TO THE STUDY OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL SCIENCES.* 160

DISCOURSE ON THE NECESSITY OF MENTAL PRAYER FOR PRIESTS* 161

I. Without Mental Prayer it is Difficult for a Priest to Save his Soul. 162

II. Without Mental Prayer it is Impossible for the Priest to Attain Perfection. 164

X

APPROBATION.

By virtue of the authority granted me by the Most Rev. Nicholas Mauron, Superior-General of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, I hereby sanction the publication of the work entitled "DIGNITY AND DUTIES OF THE PRIEST," etc., which is Volume XII. of the new and complete edition in English of the works of St. Alphonsus de Liguori, called "The Centenary Edition."

ELIAS FRED. SCHAUER, Sup. Prov. Baltimorensis.

BALTIMORE, MD., August 15, 1888.

Copyright, 1888, by Elias Frederick Schauer.

X

NOTICE.

WE begin the series of works composed especially for the clergy. The work that comes first appeared in 1760 after the True Spouse of Jesus Christ, when the author had attained the age of sixty-four. It is the fruit of researches and of studies that he had made during nearly forty years, either for the purpose of regulating his own conduct, or of directing ecclesiastical retreats, and exercises which, by order of the archbishop, he preached for the first time to the clergy of Naples, in 1732, when he had been a priest only six years. He was then regarded as a model for imitation, and as a master worthy of being entrusted with the duty of educating ministers of the sanctuary of every grade.

This book is one that has had most success, thus giving us a high idea of the good that it has effected. It was at once translated into the principal languages of Europe. There are at least five translations of it in French, among which the translation by Mgr. Gaume, an author of very many valuable works, deservedly holds a high rank. To several of these translations the first word of the Italian title Selva 2 has been given, the word Selva meaning wood, forest, material, collection of the translation of this we give as the sub-title of the work. We have, however, preferred to give to this work and to this volume a title that clearly expresses its aim, namely, DIGNITY AND DUTIES OF THE PRIEST.

1 Volumes XIII. and XIV. treat of the Holy Mass and of the divine Office; volumes XV. and XVI. of missions and of preaching, and a subsequent volume containing Pastoral letters.

2 Selva di materie predicabili ed istruttive, per dare gli esercizj ai Preti, ed anche per uso di lezione privata a proprio profitto ; The author informs us in his preface that he did not endeavor to put much order into the collection of ideas suitable for each subject; we, however, perceive that there is more order in it than he would have us believe.

In order the better to understand the author, we have, as much as possible, divided each subject into paragraphs; by such an arrangement the subjects are not only more easily grasped and retained, but we may most conveniently use this book either for meditation or for spiritual reading.

We think it to be not amiss if we call to mind what we have elsewhere said, namely, that all the citations from authors, accompanied by references to the margin, have been carefully verified and corrected when necessary. St. Alphonsus was not always able to draw from original sources: he was often obliged to content himself with what was offered him by the authors whom he had at hand, and who themselves only reproduced the mistakes of their predecessors, which were increased by the mistakes of copyists or of printers. Hence it was necessary to consult the original texts in order to obtain exact citations.

As to the value and utility of this Collection, we take pleasure in quoting the following passage from the preface of Mgr. Gaume:

"We have Massillon, Sevoy, le Miroir du clergé What have you are three authorities that are without doubt respectable; but they are, after all, private authorities, and your reason, so often the dupe of such authorities, hesitates, distrusts, and using its right, judges, adopts, rejects, and never raises itself to a philosophical faith. Useful at all times, these works monuments of eloquence or of piety suffice no longer at the present day.

To the vast development of error we must oppose the analogous development of truth; to this invasion of private spirit we must oppose the imposing authority of the Catholic spirit. Read Selva, and say whether it is possible to reach this end in a better manner. Here is not mans thought that is given to you as a rule for your thought: it is the thought of ages; it is not the Bishop of St. Agatha; 1 it is solely tradition that preaches that instructs, that forbids, that commands, that encourages, or that terrifies. This book is as a sacred tribune from which speak one after another the prophets, the apostles, the apostolic men, the martyrs, the solitaries, the most illustrious pontiffs of the East and the West, the most famous Doctors, the most skilful masters of the science of the saints, the successors of St. Peter and the councils, the organs of the Holy Ghost; in a word, antiquity, the middle ages, modern times, the entire Church.

"In the midst of this august assembly what does the holy bishop do? Nearly always he limits his task to the modest role of a narrator; often even he leaves to you the care of drawing conclusions. There are no long reasonings, inductions, special interpretations. In this consist the particular merit and providential character of Selva. More than at any other epoch did the world and the clergy, who should save the world, stand in need of Catholic thought, and the saint gives it pure and entire; he feared to weaken it by mingling his own with it." 2

1 St. Alphonsus was not yet a bishop when he published this work; he was appointed to this office two years later.

2 We read in a treatise entitled L INFALLIBILITE ET LE CONCILE GENERAL, ch. 8, written by Cardinal Dechamps, a note that is to the point. After having called St. Alphonsus "the most faithful and the most powerful Echo of tradition in modern times," the eloquent Cardinal explains that our author was, however, not a simple echo in his dogmatical, in his moral. .or in his ascetical works, on which he passes a eulogy which he concludes as follows: "Among his ascetical works there is one that St. Alphonsus has modestly entitled a COLLECTION of texts." At first sight one might believe that this is true; but if one reads the book attentively one sees that the thought of the author is the framework of the whole, and that the strongest and the sweetest that tradition contains he skilfully adapts to the service of his pen.

We know that nothing is more difficult than the composing of such a work, in which the texts are not in juxtaposition, but are united by a living thought that revivifies them. If St. Alphonsus is an echo, it is after the fashion of St. Bernard. This judgment seems to us to be perfectly just; we thence conclude that our venerated author is an echo that thinks, that admirably chooses the most proper sounds to express his thought with an irresistible energy; but he also knows how to speak in another manner when the subject demands it, as one may especially see in his Fourth Instruction, in which he speaks of preaching and the administration of the sacrament of Penance.