Choose a topic from Part 3 Suppl:
1. A man who receives the sacrament of orders is set tolead others. Therefore, he should be a man of holy and exemplarylife. Yet this is a requirement of precept and of propriety; it isnot of the essence of the sacrament. Even a sinful man who receivesorders is validly ordained, although he does great wrong inaccepting ordination.
2. A candidate for orders should have knowledge adequatefor the proper discharge of his sacred duties. He must have asufficiency of knowledge of the scriptures, and know the doctrinesof the faith, and the requirements of Christian morality.
3. The personal holiness of an ordained man has nothing todo with the sacrament itself; an ordained man does not advance indegree of orders as he advances in personal holiness.
4. A prelate who knowingly ordains a candidate whollyunworthy of the office he assumed, commits a grave sin, and showshimself an unworthy servant of the Lord.
5. A man in orders who, apart from necessity, exerciseshis office while he is in the state of mortal sin, is guilty ofanother grievous sin every time he performs a sacred function.
"Men should often renew their good resolutions, and not lose heart because they are tempted against them."
St Philip Neri
* * *
"If, devout soul, it is your will to please God and live a life of serenity in this world, unite yourself always and in all things to the divine will. Reflect that all the sins of your past wicked life happened because you wandered from the path of God's will. For the future, embrace God's good pleasure and say to him in every happening: "Yea, Father, for so it hath seemed good in thy sight." "
St Alphonsus de Liguori
* * *
"Does our conduct correspond with our Faith?"
The Cure D'Ars
* * *