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covered with the sacred veil”, etc. Even the Lutheran Bingham allows that the sacred veil was synonymous with religious profession, and given not only to virgins, but to widows.[1] Now, it may be seen how the canon mentioning the veiled wife, if it does not clearly prove the celibacy of the clergy, is surely reconcileable with the wholesome discipline that I have established by irrefragable proofs. It may appear strange, but it is what could be done at the present day, if need were, agreeably to the opinion of all Catholic theologians and the letter of the canon law.[2] It says: “No married person is to be promoted to holy orders, unless with the consent of the wife, who must vow continence”. How foolishly then indeed would one infer at the present day the absence of celibacy from the above canon. The necessities of the Church would reduce the canon to practice at the present day. But how much greater the necessity for allowing married men to the service of the Church in her infant state, while the former wives took the veil. It was peculiarly necessary in Ireland. The conversion of the people as a nation was rapid beyond precedent. The harvest was great, and required many labourers. It were long to wait to have the young grow up. A spirit of zeal seized the married after conversion. The wife contracted chaste espousals with the Heavenly King. The goodness, the merits, the learning of the husband, marked him out as a fit minister for the altar. Synesius, who was consecrated Bishop of Alexandria during the life of the wife, represents such a class. Dr. Lanigan, then, in meeting the objection from the Irish canon given by me, lay under no necessity of saying, that it did not necessarily include the priests. But no inconvenience would follow, though it did include even the priests and bishops. Look over the canons drawn up at the Council of Tours, in the year
