Whether Parish Priests and Archdeacons Are More Perfect Than
Religious?
Objection 1: It would seem that also parish priests and archdeacons
are more perfect than religious. For Chrysostom says in his Dialogue
(De Sacerdot. vi): "Take for example a monk, such as Elias, if I may
exaggerate somewhat, he is not to be compared with one who, cast
among the people and compelled to carry the sins of many, remains
firm and strong." A little further on he says: "If I were given the
choice, where would I prefer to please, in the priestly office, or in
the monastic solitude, without hesitation I should choose the
former." Again in the same book (ch. 5) he says: "If you compare the
toils of this project, namely of the monastic life, with a
well-employed priesthood, you will find them as far distant from one
another as a common citizen is from a king." Therefore it would seem
that priests who have the cure of souls are more perfect than
religious.
Obj. 2: Further, Augustine says (ad Valerium, Ep. xxi): "Let thy
religious prudence observe that in this life, and especially at these
times, there is nothing so difficult, so onerous, so perilous as the
office of bishop, priest, or deacon; while in God's sight there is no
greater blessing, if one engage in the fight as ordered by our
Commander-in-chief." Therefore religious are not more perfect than
priests or deacons.
Obj. 3: Further, Augustine says (Ep. lx, ad Aurel.): "It would be
most regrettable, were we to exalt monks to such a disastrous degree
of pride, and deem the clergy deserving of such a grievous insult,"
as to assert that "'a bad monk is a good clerk,' since sometimes even
a good monk makes a bad clerk." And a little before this he says that
"God's servants," i.e. monks, "must not be allowed to think that they
may easily be chosen for something better," namely the clerical
state, "if they should become worse thereby," namely by leaving the
monastic state. Therefore it would seem that those who are in the
clerical state are more perfect than religious.
Obj. 4: Further, it is not lawful to pass from a more perfect to a
less perfect state. Yet it is lawful to pass from the monastic state
to a priestly office with a cure attached, as appears (XVI, qu. i,
can. Si quis monachus) from a decree of Pope Gelasius, who says: "If
there be a monk, who by the merit of his exemplary life is worthy of
the priesthood, and the abbot under whose authority he fights for
Christ his King, ask that he be made a priest, the bishop shall take
him and ordain him in such place as he shall choose fitting." And
Jerome says (Ad Rustic. Monach., Ep. cxxv): "In the monastery so live
as to deserve to be a clerk." Therefore parish priests and
archdeacons are more perfect than religious.
Obj. 5: Further, bishops are in a more perfect state than religious,
as shown above (A. 7). But parish priests and archdeacons, through
having cure of souls, are more like bishops than religious are.
Therefore they are more perfect.
Obj. 6: Further, virtue "is concerned with the difficult and the
good" (Ethic. ii, 3). Now it is more difficult to lead a good life in
the office of parish priest or archdeacon than in the religious
state. Therefore parish priests and archdeacons have more perfect
virtue than religious.
_On the contrary,_ It is stated (XIX, qu. ii, cap. Duce): "If a man
while governing the people in his church under the bishop and leading
a secular life is inspired by the Holy Ghost to desire to work out
his salvation in a monastery or under some canonical rule, since he
is led by a private law, there is no reason why he should be
constrained by a public law." Now a man is not led by the law of the
Holy Ghost, which is here called a "private law," except to something
more perfect. Therefore it would seem that religious are more perfect
than archdeacons or parish priests.
_I answer that,_ When we compare things in the point of
super-eminence, we look not at that in which they agree, but at that
wherein they differ. Now in parish priests and archdeacons three
things may be considered, their state, their order, and their office.
It belongs to their state that they are seculars, to their order that
they are priests or deacons, to their office that they have the cure
of souls committed to them.
Accordingly, if we compare these with one who is a religious by
state, a deacon or priest by order, having the cure of souls by
office, as many monks and canons regular have, this one will excel in
the first point, and in the other points he will be equal. But if the
latter differ from the former in state and office, but agree in
order, such as religious priests and deacons not having the cure of
souls, it is evident that the latter will be more excellent than the
former in state, less excellent in office, and equal in order.
We must therefore consider which is the greater, preeminence of state
or of office; and here, seemingly, we should take note of two things,
goodness and difficulty. Accordingly, if we make the comparison with
a view to goodness, the religious state surpasses the office of
parish priest or archdeacon, because a religious pledges his whole
life to the quest of perfection, whereas the parish priest or
archdeacon does not pledge his whole life to the cure of souls, as a
bishop does, nor is it competent to him, as it is to a bishop, to
exercise the cure of souls in chief, but only in certain particulars
regarding the cure of souls committed to his charge, as stated above
(A. 6, ad 2). Wherefore the comparison of their religious state with
their office is like the comparisons of the universal with the
particular, and of a holocaust with a sacrifice which is less than a
holocaust according to Gregory (Hom. xx in Ezech.). Hence it is said
(XIX, qu. i, can. Clerici qui monachorum.): "Clerics who wish to take
the monastic vows through being desirous of a better life must be
allowed by their bishops the free entrance into the monastery."
This comparison, however, must be considered as regarding the genus
of the deed; for as regards the charity of the doer it happens
sometimes that a deed which is of less account in its genus is of
greater merit if it be done out of greater charity.
On the other hand, if we consider the difficulty of leading a good
life in religion, and in the office of one having the cure of souls,
in this way it is more difficult to lead a good life together with
the exercise of the cure of souls, on account of outward dangers:
although the religious life is more difficult as regards the genus of
the deed, by reason of the strictness of religious observance. If,
however, the religious is also without orders, as in the case of
religious lay brethren, then it is evident that the pre-eminence of
order excels in the point of dignity, since by holy orders a man is
appointed to the most august ministry of serving Christ Himself in
the sacrament of the altar. For this requires a greater inward
holiness than that which is requisite for the religious state, since
as Dionysius says (Eccl. Hier. vi) the monastic order must follow the
priestly orders, and ascend to Divine things in imitation of them.
Hence, other things being equal, a cleric who is in holy orders, sins
more grievously if he do something contrary to holiness than a
religious who is not in holy orders: although a religious who is not
in orders is bound to regular observance to which persons in holy
orders are not bound.
Reply Obj. 1: We might answer briefly these quotations from
Chrysostom by saying that he speaks not of a priest of lesser order
who has the cure of souls, but of a bishop, who is called a
high-priest; and this agrees with the purpose of that book wherein he
consoles himself and Basil in that they were chosen to be bishops. We
may, however, pass this over and reply that he speaks in view of the
difficulty. For he had already said: "When the pilot is surrounded by
the stormy sea and is able to bring the ship safely out of the
tempest, then he deserves to be acknowledged by all as a perfect
pilot"; and afterwards he concludes, as quoted, with regard to the
monk, "who is not to be compared with one who, cast among the people
. . . remains firm"; and he gives the reason why, because "both in
the calm and in the storm he piloted himself to safety." This proves
nothing more than that the state of one who has the cure of souls is
fraught with more danger than the monastic state; and to keep oneself
innocent in face of a greater peril is proof of greater virtue. on
the other hand, it also indicates greatness of virtue if a man avoid
dangers by entering religion; hence he does not say that "he would
prefer the priestly office to the monastic solitude," but that "he
would rather please" in the former than in the latter, since this is
a proof of greater virtue.
Reply Obj. 2: This passage quoted from Augustine also clearly refers
to the question of difficulty which proves the greatness of virtue in
those who lead a good life, as stated above (ad 1).
Reply Obj. 3: Augustine there compares monks with clerics as regards
the pre-eminence of order, not as regards the distinction between
religious and secular life.
Reply Obj. 4: Those who are taken from the religious state to receive
the cure of souls, being already in sacred orders, attain to
something they had not hitherto, namely the office of the cure, yet
they do not put aside what they had already. For it is said in the
Decretals (XVI, qu. i, can. De Monachis): "With regard to those monks
who after long residence in a monastery attain to the order of
clerics, we bid them not to lay aside their former purpose."
On the other hand, parish priests and archdeacons, when they enter
religion, resign their cure, in order to enter the state of
perfection. This very fact shows the excellence of the religious
life. When religious who are not in orders are admitted to the
clerical state and to the sacred orders, they are clearly promoted to
something better, as stated: this is indicated by the very way in
which Jerome expresses himself: "So live in the monastery as to
deserve to be a clerk."
Reply Obj. 5: Parish priests and archdeacons are more like bishops
than religious are, in a certain respect, namely as regards the cure
of souls which they have subordinately; but as regards the obligation
in perpetuity, religious are more like a bishop, as appears from what
we have said above (AA. 5, 6).
Reply Obj. 6: The difficulty that arises from the arduousness of the
deed adds to the perfection of virtue; but the difficulty that
results from outward obstacles sometimes lessens the perfection of
virtue--for instance, when a man loves not virtue so much as to wish
to avoid the obstacles to virtue, according to the saying of the
Apostle (1 Cor. 9:25), "Everyone that striveth for the mastery
refraineth himself from all things": and sometimes it is a sign of
perfect virtue--for instance, when a man forsakes not virtue,
although he is hindered in the practice of virtue unawares or by some
unavoidable cause. In the religious state there is greater difficulty
arising from the arduousness of deeds; whereas for those who in any
way at all live in the world, there is greater difficulty resulting
from obstacles to virtue, which obstacles the religious has had the
foresight to avoid.
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