Article I: On The Conditions Which Regard The Soul Of The Ordinand

Besides the STATE OF GRACE, which is necessary for receiving the Sacrament of Order,

1912. I. DIVINE VOCATION is required in the Ordinand, as is established from Heb. 5:4: "Nor does anyone take the honor to himself, but he who is called by God, as Aaron." And from John 15:16: "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you." The sublimity of Order, the holiness of the office, and the gravity of the burden plainly demand this divine vocation for themselves (cf. n. 2142).

The principal SIGNS of divine vocation are, says St. Alphonsus:¹³ 1. suitable knowledge; 2. probity of life (concerning which matters we must soon treat); 3. right intention or the desire of devoting oneself to the divine glory and the salvation of souls. But the signs from which it becomes known that someone is not called are, among others: a certain deformity of body, infamy, a habit of sinning, especially against chastity, natural levity, weariness of piety, sloth, a worldly disposition.¹⁴ "He who, without vocation explored from such signs, thrusts himself into the sacred ministry, certainly cannot be excused from grave presumption...; and since here he exposes himself to great danger of damnation, I do not know how he is excused from grave fault.¹⁵ - And those Bishops commit themselves to this danger of salvation so much the more, who promote those not called to sacred Orders, according to that saying of the Apostle (1 Tim. 5:22): "Do not impose hands quickly on anyone, nor communicate in the sins of others." Nor therefore is it to be wondered at, that in canon law it is prescribed, and expressly in can. Nullus, dist. 24: "that no one be ordained, unless he shall have been approved."¹⁶

1913. II. From Trent (sess. 23, cap. 4, de ref.) there is required an INTENTION OF BECOMING A CLERIC, i.e., of ascending to higher Orders: namely, if someone accepts a Benefice, to which offices of a higher Order are annexed; otherwise the Council requires in the Ordinand only the intention of remaining in the clerical state.¹⁷ "Let not those be initiated with first tonsure," it says, "of whom there is not a probable conjecture that they have chosen this kind of life not by fraud for fleeing secular judgment, but so that they may render faithful worship to God."

Hence: 1. He who receives minor Orders or first tonsure for the end that he may decline the lay forum, having in mind to return to secular life, sins; and indeed, according to the more probable opinion, mortally, insofar as he acts in fraud or gravely defrauds the Church, by abusing its sacred ministries for temporal ends. Yet another probable opinion "says that he does not sin mortally, because from Trent someone is then understood to commit fraud, when he receives Orders so that he may escape some secular judgment already begun, and this indeed will be mortal; otherwise it will be only venial by reason of the disordering of the end intended by the Church.¹⁸"

2. He who, after receiving minor Orders, takes a wife, speaking in itself, does not sin gravely; indeed not even lightly, if he does this from a just cause. - We said speaking in itself; for one who, being certain of his clerical vocation, withdraws from it in order to enjoy the world, can scarcely be judged to be established in a good state of soul.¹⁹

Note. Concerning a Cleric ordained by force or fear, see n. 1434.

1914. III. COMPETENT knowledge is required. From the Council of Trent (loc. cit.) it is required for those to be initiated to tonsure "that they have been taught the rudiments of faith and know how to read and write." For those to be initiated to minor Orders, "that they understand the Latin language." For subdeacons and deacons, "that they be instructed in letters, and in those things which pertain to exercising the Order." Finally, for those to be initiated to the priesthood, "that, after a diligent examination has preceded, they be approved as suitable to teach the people those things which it is necessary for all to know unto salvation, and to administer the Sacraments" (cf. n. 1787). But what is required for a Bishop, see among the Canonists.

To what has been said THREE things are still to be added, namely: 1. The Bishop is bound, unless he is certain from another source concerning the knowledge of the Ordinands, to examine his own subjects, "having called to himself for this purpose expert and suitable men," as Trent speaks (sess. 23, cap. 7). - 2. All who possess the degree of knowledge required by Trent, the Bishop can ordain with a safe conscience. Yet it is licit to require greater knowledge from his own subjects; and this, in present times, is laudably required in many places. - 3. The common opinion holds that less knowledge is required in Regulars devoted to the contemplative life, because they are ordained only for the service of choir and altar. Nevertheless, it must be said otherwise if Regulars are to be deputed to all priestly offices, as is commonly done today.²⁰

1915. IV. PROBITY OF LIFE is required, by which namely the cleric, existing faithful to the divine vocation, may furnish a certain pledge of future perseverance. Hence Trent (sess. 23, cap. 12): "Let Bishops know that only the worthy are to be assumed to these Orders, and those whose approved life is old age." And St. Thomas: "Not any sort of goodness suffices, but excellent goodness is required." Hence the Apostle (1 Tim. 3:6) prohibits neophytes from being ordained, that is, as the same Angelic Doctor explains, those who are neophytes not only in age, but also those who are neophytes in perfection.

From positive law, especially from Trent, sess. 23, caps. 5 and 7, de ref., and from the Pontifical, THREE SCRUTINIES must be sent before sacred Ordination. - The first is made by the pastor or by another appointed by the Bishop; and for this a proclamation must be made both in the parish of origin and in the parish of habitation of the Ordinand, if they are different. The second scrutiny is instituted by the Bishop himself with certain examiners, on Wednesday, or a few days, before Ordination: to this end, namely, that "he diligently investigate and examine the birth, person, age, instruction, morals, doctrine, and faith of the Ordinands." - The third scrutiny is made in the very Ordination (namely of deacons and presbyters) through those words of the Bishop: do you know that they are worthy? - These today are, together with the attestation itself of the archdeacon, a mere ceremony (cf. n. 1917). See more among the Canonists.²¹

1916. Questions. Q. 1. What must be done by the Bishop, that he sufficiently prove Candidates for sacred Orders?

Resp. St. Alphonsus:²² "For this proof, to be sought out by the Bishop, it does not indeed suffice that he himself knows nothing evil concerning the Ordinand; but he must become certain concerning his positive probity, according to the sublimity of the grade to which he pants to ascend, as Suarez, Sanchez, the Salmanticenses, etc., commonly say with St. Thomas... On which matter, Bishops in seeking this proof ought not to be content with the simple attestation of pastors, who, led by human respects, easily indulge clerics in granting attestations of this kind; but besides, after secret information has been taken from others worthy of trust, they must become certain, not only that the one to be initiated has not been evil, namely that he has not been quarrelsome, has not given scandal by frequenting games, depraved conversations, etc.; but also that he is positively good, that is, that he leads a spiritual life, is assiduous in churches, frequents the Sacraments and prayer, devotes himself to study, etc. Someone will say: If this were observed, ministers would indeed be lacking in the Church. Benedict XIV rightly responds to this: It is better to have fewer ministers, but upright and useful, than many who will be of no value."

Q. 2. What must be done by a Confessor with a cleric habituated in a base vice?

Resp. 1. An Ordinand²³ who is habituated in the base vice of lust (or of drunkenness²⁴), although he is disposed for the Sacrament of Penance, by that very fact is not yet disposed to receive sacred Order; but for some time he must devote effort to rooting out the depraved habit. The reason is, because, that someone ascend to the dignity of sacred Order, the simple and actual state of grace does not suffice; but there is also required surpassing and habitual goodness, which, according to the common law, is not acquired immediately. - But if one habituated in a base vice wished to ascend to sacred Order immediately, without experiment of amendment, that man, as rash, would also render himself unworthy of sacramental absolution.

Resp. 2. If nevertheless the penitent were endowed by God with such compunction, which would free him from his former frailty (which can rarely be supposed), and he firmly resolved to avoid sins and occasions, and to use efficacious remedies, so that he could lead a life worthy of a priest, he could be absolved, although he wished to receive Order immediately. But indeed, in this case also, for one wishing to be ordained immediately, it is more advisable that absolution be deferred, so that he may be better proved by an experiment of time; provided that from the delay there is not to be feared a proximate danger of infamy.¹

Q. 3. Whether a cleric, who has been judged worthy of some Order, can be compelled to receive it?

Resp. Neg., in itself, according to the decision of the S. PENITENTIARY (August 27, 1829), which responded that a cleric is not to be compelled, who, although chosen by his Superiors and judged worthy by his confessor for the sacred ministry, refuses to obey their admonitions, by reason of humility, or fear of dangers; nor did it judge that a deacon was to be compelled to receive the Order of the presbyterate, even if he is chosen by Superiors as most apt, and is judged worthy by his confessor.² - But except: 1. if it is judged that the absolute will of God intervenes through extraordinary signs, either exteriorly, or interiorly in the intimate state of the soul, manifested to the Ordinand; 2. if there is present a grave necessity of the Church, for which otherwise provision cannot be made.

Note. Innocent XI, through the S. C. OF BISHOPS AND REGULARS, October 9, 1682, commanded the Archbishop of Milan and all the Bishops of Italy and the adjacent islands, that individual Clerics, about to receive Orders both minor and major, should devote themselves for ten continuous days to SPIRITUAL EXERCISES. Nevertheless, from introduced custom, for sacred Orders alone, ten whole days are required (cf. n. 1367).³