d) THE LEARNING OF THE CLERGY

"The Church is founded on faith; yet knowledge is also necessary"

No human society can be instituted and endure without knowledge, and no one can fill any public office without the needed learning.  With even more reason will the Church flourish and increase with learning and her mission be more fruitfully and effectively fulfilled.  The Church is founded on faith; but to engender and guard the faith, knowledge is necessary. Through knowledge the faith leading to true blessedness is born, nourished, defended, and fortified.  Most of the faithful, says St. Augustine, do not have this knowledge even if they possess saving faith.

Just as it guards the faith, knowledge also protects the integrity of morals.  But in our times people despise or reject this knowledge of faith and morals, some out of hatred, others because they want to indulge their vices more freely, still others because priests do not encourage them to hold firmly to wholesome doctrine and stand up for it during public discussions.  So the need for a priest's knowledge increases.  In fact, the doctrine of the faith must be defended not only in the cities but everywhere because the enemy has sown the weeds of error all over.  And this is the duty of the priest, custodian of the faith and vindicator of the integrity of morals.  But how can he defend and preserve the faith if he does not know it or understands it badly?

The priest's ignorance or neglect of learning, then, is an evil.  First of all, because whoever fails to be instructed falls into evil (Prv 17:26).  Secondly, because the ignorant shepherd will be ridiculed by those around him.  Finally, because he will be witnessing the corruption of his people and be unable to do anything about it.  What can be expected from the ministry of a priest who does not possess the necessary knowledge?  What spirit of faith will he have in his performance of the

liturgical functions.  How sure will his guidance in the confessional be?  What kind of watch will he keep over the flock entrusted to him?  He is "the useless servant" who will receive the punishment he deserves: he will be cast out into the darkness, bound hand and foot.

If at times the Church has suffered harm from the defection of nations and the corruption of morals, this must be attributed in large measure to the ignorance of her ministers.²⁵

"Two qualities make an accomplished man of God: holiness and knowledge"

Two qualities make an accomplished man of God: holiness, which makes him pleasing to God, and knowledge, with which he instructs the faithful (...).  Without knowledge a priest does very serious and irreparable harm to the Church.

Every day and ever more tragically, the Church experiences how dangerous it is for the shepherd not to be able to find pastures, for the guide not to know the way, for the deputy not to know the will of the Lord (St. Bernard. Declam.).

It is not enough for a priest to stand out just for holiness or just for learning.  Where are those who say it is enough for a priest to be virtuous? (Hier. ad Fabiol.).  It is not enough for prelates to behave well and be known for integrity of morals if they do not also have knowledge of doctrine (Grat. Test. 36, c.2), because virtuous behavior in a priest without the word does indeed keep saints on the path of holiness through example but cannot lead back the straying and the ignorant to the knowledge of truth (Chrys. hom. 10 in Math.).  On the other hand, knowledge alone is dangerous if one's life is stained with evil deeds.

In fact, to emit light alone is useless; to be on fire alone is not enough; perfection lies both in emitting light and in being on fire.²⁶

"The need for study"

Although no one denies the need for learning, few nevertheless dedicate themselves to acquiring it.

There are some who before being entrusted with the care of souls

devote themselves passionately to their studies.  However, once they have obtained a benefice, they abandon their books, convinced they have learned enough for the uneducated people entrusted to them.  It is a vain excuse, venerable brothers.  Even if it is true that, most of the times, common knowledge is enough to handle ordinary questions, we often run into difficulties and complications that are not easy to wriggle out of.  So priests ought to follow the example of the more serious doctors and lawyers who, when free from the care of the sick or from court obligations, dedicate themselves to the study of matters in their particular fields.  Hence, our priests ought to dedicate themselves to serious study so as to come up with credible solutions to new, emerging problems.  As soldiers practice with their weapons even when there is no danger of enemy attack, so should priests keep poring over their books, which are their weapons, if they do not want to seriously compromise their conscience.²⁷

"The science of the saints"

The science of the saints is summed up in three points:

1)     The science to which priests must devote themselves is knowing the means of perfection.  Hence, they should learn the method of prayer and meditation and know perfectly the method of the examination of conscience and of the exercises of piety;

2)     They should dedicate themselves to the study of what has to do with the Sacrifice of the Mass and the other sacraments and with the recitation of the Divine Office so as to know the meaning of the rites and ceremonies as much as possible.

3)     The science that deals directly with the direction of souls, that is, dogmatic, moral, ascetical, and mystical theology.  Everyone ought to have the book of an approved author on each of these matters and consult it every day.  These are the main works; and they will help our priests acquire the necessary knowledge.  We warmly recommend them to one and all.

While we recommend this kind of knowledge to our priests, in no way do we disapprove of secular knowledge and culture.  Once we have taken care of ecclesiastical learning, we look favorably on secular learning as well.  The more power and honor to the priesthood if a priest wishes to outdo lay people even in the other sciences.  God is the Lord of sciences, and we must lead back even secular sciences to

the feet of Christ.²⁸