OCR Text |
Show Question of a Vocation. (Very Rev. William Stang in the Ecclesiastical Ec-clesiastical Review.) On the other hand, all those who either directly or indirectly keep persons per-sons from embracing the religious state injure both their own souls and the souls of others. St. Alphonsus teaches ! that parents and others who, without a just and certain cause, prevent persons per-sons from entering the religious state cannot be excused from mortal sin. The fathers of the council of Trent pronounce anathema against any one who, without a just cause,: prevents young people from embracing the religious re-ligious state. ; : In certain cases, however, it is not only allowable -to advise- persons against entering the religious life, but it is the positive duty of the confessor or spiritual director to keep people from a state for which they have not aptitude, ap-titude, where they evidently will not persevere or from which they are debarred de-barred by some canonical impediment.' Moralists, and canonists especially. give a list of such legitimate Impediments Impedi-ments to entrance into religion. The principal, of these are defect of mind (unbalanced), ill health, unsuitable age a state of life Incompatible with the practice of the religious profession, indebtedness, in-debtedness, public infamy, necessity of supporting parents. ' . The limitations and restrictions placed by the church upon entering the convent will, when rightly observed, prevent an Increasing number of ex-religious. ex-religious. If persons leave -a convent, it is not a proof in itself that they had no vocation for the religious life, but it generally proves that they neglected neglect-ed to pray fervently for the grace of perseverance, or preferred a life of ease . and comfort to the penitential practices of religion, or sought their own will rather than the will of God. There was nothing lacking on the part of God, but they failed in the spirit of sacrifice so essential to the religious life, and they omitted to implore it from the giver of all good things. Such defections, however, will not dispar. age the superior claims of a religious life which St. Bernard sketched ac |