A similar idea was no doubt in the mind of Cardinal Manning when he
wrote that "The priest who is seldom seen in society is the priest
whom men desire most to have beside them when they die." By being
"seldom in society" he of course meant mixing in the society of men
and women as one of themselves. For it is abundantly possible to go
among mankind and freely mix with them even in social gatherings, in
the performance of one's pastoral duty, while at the same time keeping
all the reserve pleaded for by the writer of the pamphlet and
observing the rules of custody of the eyes and of the senses
inculcated by spiritual writers. In adapting these rules to ourselves,
it may be of use to consider some of the various classes of females to
whom they may apply.
First there are young girls who are almost or quite children. We
easily get familiar with them, call them by their Christian names,
join in their play or amusements, and should rightly resent the idea
of there being anything wrong or even dangerous. Yet too much
familiarity with the young is never very desirable. The author of the
_Imitation_ specially warns us against it. Their society is pleasant
and innocent; yet the very simplicity and irresponsibility of youth
tends to draw us rather to a lower than a higher level. In the case of
a priest among his people however, he has to bear in mind that as time
passes the child grows into a girl. Familiarity once admitted is not
easily broken off, though a time conies when it is more than
undesirable, and finally it becomes a scandal to others and a danger
to oneself. Sometimes one has heard a priest address a young lady by
her Christian name, perhaps in a contracted form; which sounds
startling; and the explanation is to be sought in the familiarity
acquired in past years when she was only a child. If a proper reserve
had been maintained then, the familiarity would never have reached its
final state.
Secondly, there are good and devout young ladies in the congregation--
Children of Mary, perhaps, who are zealous to run their confraternity.
They come to the Presbytery to discuss their plans and schemes, and to
organise the Confraternity devotions. Or they may be regular workers
in the sacristy, members of the Altar Society, or those who help in
collecting money, or in visiting the poor, and such-like. Or they may
be penitents, who come to discuss matters of conscience. We must not
be thrown off our guard by their being pious. There may be danger to
us, or even in their weakness, to them, in that which at first sight
looks so proper and desirable. Means must be found to give them all
the spiritual help they want, while avoiding all kind of familiarity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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