the Gospel and the apostles that one who has been put into
the office of priests has never been permitted, according to
law, to marry. It is indeed true that on account of lack of
ministers of God in the primitive Church married men were
admitted to the priesthood, as is clear from the Apostolic
Canons and the reply of Paphnutius in the Council of Nice;
nevertheless, those who wished to contract marriage were
compelled to do so before receiving the subdiaconate, as we
read in the canon Si quis corum Dist. 32. This custom of the
primitive Church the Greek Church has preserved and retained
to this day. But when, by the grace of God, the Church has
increased so that there was no lack of ministers in the
Church, Pope Siricius, eleven hundred and forty years ago,
undoubtedly not without the Holy Ghost, enjoined absolute
continence upon the priests, Canon Plurimus, Dist. 82 - an
injunction which Popes Innocent I., Leo the Great and Gregory
the Great approved and ratified, and which the Latin Church
has everywhere observed to this day. From these facts it is
regarded sufficiently clear that the celibacy of the clergy
is not an abuse, and that it was approved by fathers so holy
at such a remote time, and was received by the entire Latin
Church. Besides, the priests of the old law, as in the case
of Zacharias, were separated from their wives at times when
they discharged their office and ministered in the temple.
But since the priest of the new law ought always to be
engaged in the ministry, it follows that he ought always to
be continent. Furthermore, married persons should not defraud
one the other of conjugal duties except for a time that they
may give themselves to prayer. 1 Cor. 75. But since a priest
ought always to pray, he ought always to be continent.