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Objection 1: It seems that it does not belong to a priest to
catechize and exorcize the person to be baptized. For it belongs to
the office of ministers to operate on the unclean, as Dionysius says
(Eccl. Hier. v). But catechumens who are instructed by
catechism, and "energumens" who are cleansed by exorcism, are
counted among the unclean, as Dionysius says in the same place.
Therefore to catechize and to exorcize do not belong to the office of
the priests, but rather to that of the ministers.
Objection 2: Further, catechumens are instructed in the Faith by
the Holy Scripture which is read in the church by ministers: for just
as the Old Testament is recited by the Readers, so the New
Testament is read by the Deacons and Subdeacons. And thus it
belongs to the ministers to catechize. In like manner it belongs,
seemingly, to the ministers to exorcize. For Isidore says (Epist.
ad Ludifred.): "The exorcist should know the exorcisms by heart,
and impose his hands on the energumens and catechumens during the
exorcism." Therefore it belongs not to the priestly office to
catechize and exorcize.
Objection 3: Further, "to catechize" is the same as "to
teach," and this is the same as "to perfect." Now this belongs to
the office of a bishop, as Dionysius says (Eccl. Hier. v).
Therefore it does not belong to the priestly office.
On the contrary, Pope Nicolas I says: "The catechizing of those
who are to be baptized can be undertaken by the priests attached to each
church." And Gregory says (Hom. xxix super Ezech.): "When
priests place their hands on believers for the grace of exorcism, what
else do they but cast out the devils?"
I answer that, The minister compared to the priest, is as a
secondary and instrumental agent to the principal agent: as is implied
in the very word "minister." Now the secondary agent does nothing
without the principal agent in operating. And the more mighty the
operation, so much the mightier instruments does the principal agent
require. But the operation of the priest in conferring the sacrament
itself is mightier than in those things that are preparatory to the
sacrament. And so the highest ministers who are called deacons
co-operate with the priest in bestowing the sacraments themselves: for
Isidore says (Epist. ad Ludifred.) that "it belongs to the
deacons to assist the priests in all things that are done in Christ's
sacraments, in Baptism, to wit, in the Chrism, in the Paten and
Chalice"; while the inferior ministers assist the priest in those
things which are preparatory to the sacraments: the readers, for
instance, in catechizing; the exorcists in exorcizing.
Reply to Objection 1: The minister's operation in regard to the
unclean is ministerial and, as it were, instrumental, but the
priest's is principal.
Reply to Objection 2: To readers and exorcists belongs the duty of
catechizing and exorcizing, not, indeed, principally, but as
ministers of the priest in these things.
Reply to Objection 3: Instruction is manifold. one leads to the
embracing of the Faith; and is ascribed by Dionysius to bishops
(Eccl. Hier. ii) and can be undertaken by any preacher, or even
by any believer. Another is that by which a man is taught the
rudiments of faith, and how to comport himself in receiving the
sacraments: this belongs secondarily to the ministers, primarily to
the priests. A third is instruction in the mode of Christian life:
and this belongs to the sponsors. A fourth is the instruction in the
profound mysteries of faith, and on the perfection of Christian life:
this belongs to bishops "ex officio," in virtue of their office.
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