CHAPTER XXVI

CONCERNING THE WORKS THAT A RELIGIOUS MAY LAWFULLY UNDERTAKE

IT remains, now, for us to consider which are the works befitting those living in the religious state. We have already fully treated of this matter elsewhere. We will, therefore merely add a few words, in the hope of putting the calumniators of religious to silence. The following words of St. Jerome which are found in the decrees (distinct. LXV. Olim) are quoted by the enemies of the religious life. "Before study was, by the suggestion of Satan,

introduced into the religious life," etc. I wonder if they who quote these words are of opinion that religious ought not to study? For study, especially of Holy Scripture, peculiarly befits men consecrated to a life of contemplation. St. Augustine thought study a fit occupation for religious. He writes, (XIX. De Civitate Dei), "None ought to be hindered from knowledge of the truth, a knowledge which beseems meritorious leisure." If they who quote the saying of St. Jerome, intend to prove that study is reprehensible in religious, the words that follow in the same chapter ought to convince them of their error. "The people will say among themselves: I am of Paul, I am of Apollo." Whence it is clear what is meant by the words cited, "Before, by the suggestion of the devil, there was study," i.e. dissensions in the Christian religion.

             It is also maintained, that the power of binding and loosing, or rather the right to exercise this power, does not belong to religious who are priests. I wonder what those who speak thus, mean by their words. If they mean, that because monks are ordained priests, they cannot ipso facto exercise the power of the keys, they are perfectly right. This applies, likewise, to secular priests. For a secular priest does not receive faculties to exercise the power of the keys because he is ordained priest. He has these faculties given him on account of the cure of souls, wherewith he is entrusted. Therefore, if it be argued, that monks, as monks, may not exercise the power of the keys, it is a plain falsehood. This is evident from the following words (XVI. quaest. L.): "Certain men, supported by no authority whatsoever, and inflamed rather by presumptuous and bitter zeal than by charity, assert that monks, being dead to the world, and living only to God, are unworthy to exercise the functions of the priesthood. They hold that monks cannot instruct men in penance, or in the truths of Christianity, and that they are unable, by the power divinely committed to them in their priestly office, to absolve sinners. But this is completely erroneous. Blessed Benedict, the gentle guide of monks, has never prohibited them from performing this office. And, it is observed, that those things only, are unlawful to religious, which are forbidden them by their rule."

             Those who would fain limit the sphere of activity open to religious, also quote the following words: "The office of a monk is not that of a doctor, but of a mourner" (XVI. quaest. I.). If, by these words, they intend to prove that because a man is a monk, he need not, necessarily, be a teacher, the proposition is perfectly true. Otherwise, every monk must needs be a teacher. But, if they mean that the fact that a man is a monk, is in some way incompatible with his being, likewise, a teacher, their opinion is clearly erroneous. On the contrary, the office of teaching, especially of teaching Holy Scripture, belongs, pre-eminently, to religious. On the words of St. John's Gospel, "The woman therefore left her water pot," etc., the Gloss says, quoting St. Augustine: "From these words let those intending to preach the Gospel learn to put away worldly anxieties and cares. Our Lord entrusted to those who had left all things and followed Him, the office of universal teaching, saying to His disciples, 'going, therefore, teach ye all nations'" (Matt. xxviii.).

             The same answer may be made to all other objections of the same sort: as, for instance, to the argument, that the position of the cleric and the monk differ, for the cleric having charge of souls, says "I feed my sheep," but the monk says "I am fed." The same reply must, also, be made to those who say, "Let the monk sit solitary and hold his peace." These words, and others resembling them, certainly point out the conduct beseeming a monk as a monk; but they do not forbid him to undertake superior offices, if such be entrusted to him. A secular priest cannot, by reason of his being a priest, pronounce excommunication; but he has, nevertheless, power to do so, if he be commissioned by his bishop to excommunicate.

             Again, it is urged that only two orders were established by Our Lord: one being that of the twelve Apostles represented by bishops; the other that of the seventy-two disciples, represented by priests exercising the pastoral office. If, from these premises, it be argued that monks, unless they be bishops or pastors, have not, as a matter of course, the care of souls, the conclusion is perfectly true. But, if it be maintained that religious have not power to preach, or to hear confessions, even with the sanction of their bishop, the conclusion is clearly false. For the higher the dignity of any man, the greater is his power (XVI. quaest. I. Sunt nonnulli). Hence, if secular priests, not engaged in pastoral work, can, with the permission of a bishop, discharge these functions, religious are certainly better entitled to do so, if they have the same commission.

             It has occurred to me to say these things in answer to those who strive to detract from the perfection of religious life. Nevertheless, I abstain from reproaches. For, "he that uttereth reproach is foolish" (Prov. x. 18), and "all fools are meddling with reproaches" (Prov. xx. 3). If anyone desire to send me a reply, his words will be very welcome to me. For the surest way to elucidate truth and to confound error is by confuting the arguments brought against the truth. Solomon says, "Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of a friend" (Prov. xxvii. 17).

             And may the Lord God, blessed for ever, judge between us and them. Amen.

Footnotes

   Published by Messrs. Sands and Co. (12, Burleigh Street, Strand) under the title An Apology for the Religious Orders.

   In the Roman edition of St. Thomas's works it is the eighteenth Opusculum. In the Parma edition it is the second.

   "The state of perfection," i.e. the religious state. The name is suggested by the words of Jesus Christ to the young man: "If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast, and give to the poor; and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me" (Matt. xix. 21). St. Thomas also applies the words "state of perfection" to the Episcopal life. See chapters xvi. et seq.--EDITOR.

   The words in the Latin are "Cor stulti faciet iniquitatem ut perficiat simulationem." In the Douay version the translation given is "to practise hypocrisy."--EDITOR.

   "Attained to beatitude." The Latin word "Comprehensoribus," which our author uses in this title, has no equivalent in English. It is a theological term which is applied to the blessed in heaven, who see God "face to face." St. Thomas in his Summa Theologica (1a Par. Quaest. xii. Art. 7) defines Comprehendere, from which Comprehensor is derived, by saying, that "that is 'comprehended' which is known in every way perfectly. That only is known perfectly which is known as far as it is knowable," in such sort, that there is nothing about it, either absolutely or relatively, which is not known, so that again the mind grasps it and with it everything, in any way, involved in the cognition. In this sense, God is incomprehensible to the human mind, which in this world "sees in a dark manner," and which, being finite, cannot exhaust the Infinite, cannot know God infinitely, even when it sees Him "face to face" in heaven. "God most perfectly comprehends Himself, knowing Himself as far as He can be known" (1a Quaest. xiv. Art. 3); but a created intellect knows God indeed, but does not "comprehend" Him, i.e. does not know Him as perfectly as He can be known, does not exhaust His perfections. "O most mighty, great, and powerful, the Lord of hosts is Thy name; great in counsel, and incomprehensible in thought" (Jer. xxxii. 18, 19). As love is proportioned to knowledge, our author concludes in this chapter, as well as in the last, that we cannot, as creatures, love God with absolutely perfect love, which is found in God alone. In speaking of the created intellect, St. Thomas does not include the human intellect of Jesus Christ, which by virtue of the hypostatic union is united to the Godhead. See Summa, 3ia Par. Quaest. ix. Art. 2. --EDITOR.

   "Nisi simul fuerit viator et comprehensor."--EDITOR.

   The title of this work, so often quoted by St. Thomas in the following pages, is: "De Diversis Quaestionibus Octaginta Tribus--liber unus."--EDITOR.

   In the Latin Version, "malum cogitationum vestrarum (evil of your thoughts)."--EDITOR.

   In Latin, "Vae qui cogitatis inutile."--EDITOR

   As the words "religion," "religious state" and "religious" are of frequent occurrence in these pages, it will be well for the reader to remember that they are not used by the author in the general acceptation of the terms. "Religion" and "Religious state" are synonymous with the life and profession of those who belong to religious orders. In like manner, the word "Religious" is meant to express, not merely a good or pious man, but a member of a religious order.--EDITOR.

   As this form of reference is of frequent recurrence in the following pages, and in the Apology for the Religious Orders, which may be considered as the sequel to this book, it may be well to state, once for all, that the quotations thus cited are from the collection of Decrees of Councils and Papal Bulls which form the CORPUS JURIS CANONICI, or Canon Law, of the Church. The compilation from which St. Thomas generally, though not invariably, quotes is that made by the Benedictine monk Gratian, A.D. 1151, and known as the "Decretum Gratiani." The reference is given in an abbreviated form. If it were quoted in full, the above would read thus: "CAUSAE 33a, QUAESTIONIS 2dae, CAPUT (or CANON) ADMONERE." Admonere is the first word of the chapter. The first and third parts of the decretum are divided into Distinctiones et Capita. The second part is divided into Causae, under each causa there being a number of quaestiones. This will account for the different forms of citation from Gratian's decretum which are found in St. Thomas's works. The Causae in the above quotation points at once to the second part of the decree. Occasionally, the word extra appears before the reference, to show that the passage quoted is from an authority outsidethe decree.

             The "Decretum Gratiani" with subsequent decrees, including several issued by Pope Gregory IX., were, at the instance of that pontiff, collated by the Dominican Canonist St. Raymund of Pennafort, and were authoritatively published in the year 1234, under the title, "Decretals of Gregory IX."

             Other decrees were afterwards added to the "Corpus Juris," such as "the Decretals of Boniface VIII.," sometimes called "liber sextus" or the sixth book of Decretals (A.D. 1298); "The Clementines," drawn up by Pope Clement V. (A.D. 1316); the "Extravagantes" of John xxii.; the "Extravagantes Communes"; and many others emanating from different councils and popes down to our own time.--EDITOR.

   Divine worship or service.--EDITOR.

   The word monk (in Latin monachus) being derived from the Greek monakos (solitary).--EDITOR

   Dionysius here speaks of the purely monastic or contemplative orders. The active orders, as will be seen later on, and more fully in the Apology for the Religious Orders, to which we have referred, were instituted to "lead others forward."--EDITOR.

   "Liber regulae pastoralis." St. Thomas uses an abbreviated form of the title of this most excellent work of St. Gregory.--EDITOR.

   In the first part of this chapter, as will be seen, St. Thomas adduces the arguments brought against his thesis. In the second part of this and in the succeeding chapter he cites the objections made against the reasons which he has given in support of his view. In the following chapter he refutes one and the other.--EDITOR.

   When a solemnly professed religious is "secularised," he is not dispensed from the three vows of religion, nor does he cease to belong to the religious state. The vow of obedience is generally transferred to a bishop; that of poverty is only modified to suit the exigencies of his life outside the cloister; the vow of chastity remains unchanged. If he returned to his order, he would not have to renew his profession. See Bouix, De jure Reg., vol. ii.par. 6, cap. 4.--EDITOR.

   If they are bound by oath, or are under an obligation, to the diocese, they need the leave of the Bishop, or a dispensation from the Holy See; in certain cases, both one and the other are required. (Bouix, De jure Reg., vol. i. p. 4, sect. 1).--EDITOR.

   St. Thomas treats exhaustively of this and other kindred subjects in the two Opuscula, of which an English translation has been published by Messrs. Sands and Co., 12, Burleigh Street, London, under the title, An Apology for the Religious Orders.--EDITOR.