§ 7. On Solicitude For Promoting Good

2278. • The PASTOR ought not only to avert evil, but also TO PROMOTE good. To the point thus St. Alphonsus: "Good pastors," he says, "do not cease to exhort to frequency of the Sacraments and Congregations, to visits of the Most Holy Sacrament and of the divine Mother, to Novenas, to accompanying the Venerable One when Viaticum is carried about," and to other things of this kind.²⁰

Now, that the good may be PROMOTED more efficaciously: 1. "Let him very often take care that the people pursue with singular zeal devotion to Most Holy Mary, suggesting how great is her power and mercy toward her devoted ones.... Happy is that

pastor who keeps his sheep fervent toward devotion to Mary! for they, with the Virgin helping, will live rightly, and he himself at the end of life will have a powerful advocate."¹

2. "Let him especially suggest the use of petition: namely that they often commend themselves to God, especially by asking from him holy perseverance on account of the love of Jesus and Mary; explaining more often that divine graces, and especially the gift of perseverance, are not obtained unless they are asked: Ask and you shall receive. And let him often publish that great promise of Jesus Christ, that whatever we ask the Father in his name, the Father will give us (John 16:23). Let him also insistently suggest the use of mental prayer, and take care that it be made in church together with the people on any day, or at least on any feast-day; also teaching the manner in which it can be done at home."²

3. That the people may be enticed to sacred functions, let him especially TAKE CARE of these THREE things, namely: in the church, decency of furnishings; in singing, religious observance; in all ceremonies, diligence. For by these duly performed, as by signs, says Cardinal Bona, "the soul is stirred up to veneration of sacred things, the mind is elevated to heavenly things, piety is nourished, charity is fostered, faith increases, devotion is strengthened, the simpler are instructed."³

4. Let him bring much care to the sacred Sodalities of laymen, by stirring up their zeal, fostering their concord, and patiently sustaining them. For through Sodalities the worship of God is wonderfully increased and propagated⁴ (cf. n. 2254, 1, fin.).

5. Let him take altogether special care concerning schools, so that they be instituted and governed according to the Catholic norm, as far as can be done. Wherever he detects schools in which the faith or good morals of youth are endangered, he ought to warn parents that these cannot be frequented by their children, and that they themselves are stained with the guilt of true prevarication if they send their offspring into gymnasia infected with a plague of this sort. - Recall what was said n. 712.

6. "Before the rest, let him be of good example to his subjects. For the Pastor is that shining and burning lamp which is described in the Gospel, burning with holy zeal inwardly, and shining by good example outwardly. Otherwise let him preach, and warn others with all his strength, as much as he wishes, to walk through the paths of virtues; unless he himself goes before by example, his subjects will not even furnish faith to the things which he himself says: for men believe more by eyes than by ears."⁵

"Finally, on good pastors depend the good morals and salvation of peoples. If a good pastor is present in regions, there devotion, frequency of the Sacraments, mental prayer, and good example will be seen to flourish; but if the pastor is depraved, the whole region will overflow with vices and scandals."⁶

2279. • It is ASKED. What are the principal RIGHTS of the Pastor?

Resp. They are the following: 1. The right of administering the Sacraments, namely of baptizing, of hearing the confessions of his parishioners everywhere, of giving paschal Communion, of assisting at matrimony, and also of ministering Viaticum and Extreme Unction. - 2. Honorific rights: namely, the pastor in his own church precedes others even constituted in dignity; outside his own church pastors sit after the Clergy of the Cathedral Church; among themselves they precede by priority of assumption, but a perpetual pastor precedes one removable. - 3. Useful rights are the right of burying or of taking part in funerals, stole-rights, the right of receiving offerings.⁷ Concerning these, see the Canonists.

2280. • Of these some are perpetual curative Vicars, and these are equated with pastors: but others are temporary Vicars.

I. A CURATIVE Vicar is he who is canonically instituted by the Bishop in a parochial church, whose actual care he receives, independent from the primitive and habitual pastor, e.g. from a Chapter. - To him generally belong the very rights and offices of pastors, concerning which we have just spoken.⁸

2281. • II. TEMPORARY Vicars, who perform the duties of an absent or deceased pastor, are called stewards, vice-pastors, administrators, or substitutes, and are bound by the same obligations as the pastor himself; but if they help a present pastor, they are called coadjutors or vicars properly so called.⁹

Concerning these we NOTE: - 1. From the law of Trent (sess. 21, cap. 4, de Ref.) the pastor ought to join to himself as many Vicars or Coadjutors as suffice, after they have been approved or confirmed by the Bishop for this duty. - But at present, on account of the necessities of the times, the deputation and removal of vicars pertain in many places to the Bishop alone.

2. A Vicar, whether constituted by the pastor or by the Bishop, exercises care in the name of the pastor, and after his likeness. But he enjoys those faculties which the express will of the Bishop or pastor, or at least the usage and practice of places, determine.

3. The mutual relations between pastor and vicars ought to be ordered not so much by law as by charity. - There are especially two OFFICES of Vicars. One is diligent help in the care of souls: which is so understood that the pastor can always, if he wishes, perform by himself any ministerial acts whatever. - The other is obedience, by which they exercise the care of souls not separately, but conjointly with the pastor. But let Vicars always remember that they are inferiors and disciples of the pastors.

Note. Concerning Chaplains and Almoners, see the Canonists: e.g. Craisson, n. 1530 and sqq. - Ferraris, v. Capellanus.