§ III. On Bearing Arms and Hunting

103. • The bearing of arms, necessity excluded, is prohibited to clerics. This is established, besides other things, from the Decretals, bk. 3, tit. 1, De vita et honest. Cleric., ch. 2, where it is said: "Let clerics bearing arms be excommunicated." The reason is that bearing arms is unbecoming to the character of clerics, who, after the example of Christ, ought to be meek and humble of heart. From another side, the arms of clerics ought to be merely spiritual, since it belongs to them to fight against the powers of darkness. Hence the theologians with Benedict XIV, note 101, say that clerics in sacred Orders who embrace military service sin gravely. Nevertheless they are not to be reprehended who cooperate in a just war by counsel, exhortation, or even aid, provided they do not bear arms nor discharge the office of leader. These things are established from various places of Canon Law. I said outside necessity, because necessity has no law.

104. • Hunting is prohibited to clerics; but understand hunting to be noisy hunting, or that which is done with dogs and the noise of arms, or with hawks; but not quiet hunting, for example, with snares or other instruments. This is established from various places of Canon Law, but especially from the Fourth Lateran Council, canon 15, where it is said: "We interdict hunting and fowling to all clerics; whence let them not presume to have dogs or birds." Likewise from the Council of Trent, sess. 24, ch. 13. - See St. Ligorius, bk. 5, n. 606.

But it is disputed whether noisy hunting is a grave sin if it happens rarely. St. Ligorius denies, scandal being excluded. Likewise hunting with a gun and one dog does not seem strictly prohibited of itself; but generally it involves indecency, nor is it free from some scandal, unless perhaps it happens rarely, for example, without running, in a garden, etc.