INTRODUCTION.

Wonders of the church - We are born of Christ - The church ever the same - Why God created - Fall of the angels - Creation and fall of man - How sin disturbed God's works - Why God had mercy on us - The Incarnation - Adam's lost empire - Christ now takes the place of Adam - The church Christ's empire - How we are born of Christ - Politics and Religion - The Trinity the model of the church - The mission of Christ and of the Holy Ghost - The five hierarchies of heaven and of the earth, &c. 13-25

CHAPTER II.

GOD IS THE HEAD OF CHRIST.

How Christ became the new Head of the human race - Why the Father sent the Son - How Christ sent the apostles - Christ's prayer for unity of his church - The wonders of the Incarnation - Christ wishes all men to partake in his glories - The church one with Christ and by him one with the Persons of the Holy Trinity - The Holy Ghost the Soul of the church - God rules Christ and Christ rules the church - The mystery of the God-man explained - The atonement of Christ - The grace of Christ flowing down on the church - The church the mystic body of Christ - Christ as head of the church - Christ the only Redeemer of mankind, &c. 26-40

CHAPTER III.

CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH.

The Father generates the Son - The Father and Son give rise to the Holy Ghost and the latter forms the church - Christ feeds and the Spirit animates the church - Christ lays down the constitution of the church - All Christ received from his Father he gave the church - The parish and diocese coming from the universal church as she comes from Christ, as the latter comes from his Father - The glories of the church - Union of the members of the church through Christ - The clergy sending the Holy Ghost into the souls of her members - The church reproducing the processions of the Persons of God - Union of the church members - Union of the episcopacy and of the clergy - Creation of new parishes and dioceses - How clergy and laity are born of the church - The clergy espoused to their churches - The sufferings of the martyrs - The authority of the church, &c 41-51

CHAPTER IV.

THE ETERNAL PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST.

Figures of Christ's Priesthood in the Old Testament - The eternal High Priest of the human race - Ordination of the apostles - Substance and acts in creatures - Orders and jurisdiction in the church - Christ offering his sacrifice to his Father - Christ giving his priesthood to his clergy - Diverse ranks in holy orders - Christ exercising the order of porter, exorcist, reader, subdeacon, deacon, priest and bishop - Christ gives his clergy the same powers - The priesthood of Christ ever in act - In men holy orders is limited by jurisdiction - The clergymen's titles to their churches - First was the universal church, then the diocese, then the parish - Clergymen first belong to the church universal, then to the diocese, then to the parish - This is the foundation of their titles - The spouse partakes in the dignity of her husband - The church has the authority of Christ her spouse - Clergymen are the agents of Christ and bind the latter by their ministry - Neither faith or morals required in the minister - Christ and his clergy are one - Reasons for addressing clergymen as Rev., Most Rev., &c. - The clergy preach, sanctify and rule for Christ - Appointing delegates - Vicars apostolic - The church governed by law - The nature of juris- diction - The Priesthood of Christ will last forever - Ordination of the clergy sent by Christ to do his work till he comes again, &c 60-78

CHAPTER V.

THE CHURCH TEACHING, SANCTIFYING AND GOVERNING.

Jesus Christ the Prophet, Priest and King sends his clergymen as teachers, sanctifiers and rulers - Civil governments compared to the church - Christ's Priesthood given by holy orders - Clergymen as teachers of the nations - What is truth ? - The constitution of the church given by Christ - The church cannot change her doctrines - The church is infallible - All truth Christ received from the Father he gave the church to teach for him - She cannot teach error - The teaching Chair of the church - The church sanctifying souls - What is holiness? - The Sunday services - The wondrous works of the sacraments - How the church differs from schools and colleges-How the clergy dispense the redemption of- Christ - The nations first taught, then sanctified and governed - The church governing her members - The church above all earthly powers supreme in spiritual things - The Bishop of Rome the Vicar of Christ and Teacher of the church - The church has legislative, judicial and executive powers over her own members - Effects of rebellion against the church - The glories of the church foretold by the prophets - How she teaches, sanctities, rules and civilizes the nations nf the earth, &c 79-98

CHAPTER VI.

THE CHURCH IS ONE AND HOLY.

The oneness of the Godhead revealed - One church of the Jews before the coming of Christ - One human race - The church the mystic body of Christ - His kingdom oft foretold - His spiritual monarchy ruling the souls of men - All other churches are national - Origin of the Protestant churches - The divisions of Christianity - The church the image of the Divinity - Necessity of union in examples of other denominations - The Holy Spirit the bond of union - The one church foretold in holy Writ - The judge of faith and morals - We believe what the church teaches - The church mentioned in the Old and New Testaments - How the diocese and parish come forth from and live in the universal church - Politics and religion - How the Holy Ghost unites the members of the church - The church as the one living body of Christ - The church bringing forth and nourishing her children - The unity of faith- One God one church - The Spirit of Christ embracing the church - Holiness of the church, &c 99-118

CHAPTER VII.

THE CHURCH IS UNIVERSAL AND APOSTOLIC.

Meaning of the word catholic - Universal regarding time and extent - No change in the teachings of the church - She was the origin of all constitutional governments - The church and civilization - Extent of the church - She comes down from the apostles - Works of the apostles - Meanings of the apostles' names - History of Sts. Matthew, Mark, Luke, Paul, John, &c. - Figures of the Evangelists - Meaning of the word apostle - History of Sts. Andrew, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Jude, Simon, Mathias and Judas the Traitor, &c 110-128

THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH.

CHAPTER VIII.

CHRIST'S VICAR ON EARTH.

Christ founds his church in the persons of his apostles, ministers and converts - As a wise statesman he appoints his prime minister - The apostles in holy orders were equal and required a head - The nature of a vicar - The vicar-general in the diocese and in the universal church - Christ did not lower the bishops by appointing one over them - Christ founding the Papacy in Peter - Simon's name changed to Peter - "The Rock " - Peter receives the Keys - Christ made Peter one with him in the government of the church - Peter is commissioned to " confirm " his brethren - Explanation of the Greek text - The apostles went fishing - Peter three times told to "Feed" the members of his church - The word "Phileo" - The words St. John wrote in Greek explained - In no other place did God repeat three times his words - The words "Feed my lambs, Feed my sheep" - In giving the care of his church to Peter Christ used not the same expression twice - The first "Feed my Lamb-folds" - The next "Govern my Sheepfolds " the last "Feed my Sheep-folds" - The Greek words in which St. John wrote his Gospel - Christ foretells the crucifixion of St. Peter at Rome - His eternal See where the Papacy remains till our day - Peter ever appears as the first among the apostles - The power and the Primacy of Peter overshadowing the other dioceses - Spiritual and civil powers - The human and divine elements in the church - The private and public lives of the clergy - The other apostles were the heads of holy orders, having authority over the sacraments and the true body of Christ - To Peter Christ also gave jurisdiction over his mystic body his holy church - Christ and his Vicar are one authority - Christ the head of each diocese - Nature of the supremacy given to Peter - The Papacy founded on Peter must last till the end - The apostles as universal bishops with Peter as their head - The Papacy keeps the church united - Wife and husband are one flesh and authority - Peter and the Roman church one - The universal dominion of Rome foretold in the Roman empire before Christ - Christ, heir of David and Solomon by his Vicar now rules his universal church - Foundation of the Roman empire as a preparation for the Papacy - Peter at Antioch where he founded the Maronite Rite - Peter established the patriarchal sees of Alexandria and of Antioch - Peter over the other sees in the apostolic age, &c 129-150

CHAPTER IX.

PETER'S THRONE.

The constitutions of nations - How Christ founded the constitution of the church - A congress making laws - A congress of bishops could not rule the church - Why the apostles wrote but little - The works of the great fathers of the church - The bishops in council - Peter comes to Home - Sts. John, Paul and James ruling churches - Supremacy of Peter's See - Hennas 7 book - Testimony of Sts. Ignatius, Polycarp, Ireneus, Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian, Athanasius and the bishops of Egypt - What the apostolic fathers say about Peter - St. Augustin on the Papacy - The community he founded at Hippo - The Cyrils, Theodoret and the early councils - Remarkable proofs of Peter's authority - The African churches - The testimony of the Eastern churches - Jerusalem sends for help to Rome - The errors of Phyrus - St. Boniface first apostle of Germany - The English church - In the time of Charlemagne - The church in France - Hincmar, Raban Maur. and others - The first council of the apostles at Jerusalem - The first council at Nice in 325 - The first council at Constantinople - The council at Ephesus in 481 - Eutyches the heretic condemned in 451 - The second council at Constantinople - The next council at the same city - The Imagebreakers - The fourth council at Constantinople against Photius - The "Libellus" of Pope Adrian - Sts. Leo and Chrystom on Rome, &c 151-176

CHAPTER X.

THE TEACHER AND RULER OF THE CHURCH.

The teacher of faith and morals - Dogmatic and moral theology - The Bible a book of faith and morals - The Son enlightens the mind, the Holy Spirit rules the will - The bishops are the teachers of faith and morals - The Bishop of Rome is their teacher - The Pope in his public and private life - In what the Pope is not infallible - Meaning of infallibility - Private interpretation of the Scriptures - The Church teaches through her head animated by the Holy Spirit - Bishops and priests reflect his teachings - Peter still teaching, sanctifying and ruling Christ's mystic body - How doctrines are examined - The Papacy defines the constitution of the church - What are morals? - The Pope as heir of Peter teaches the whole church - What is faith? - The supernatural virtues of faith, hope and charity - How we believe what the church teaches - The clergy teach only the doctrines of the church - Each Protestant preacher teaches his private opinions - What is the Mass? - The church is Christ's empire of redeemed souls - Ancient empires were images of her - Civil government rules only exterior actions - The church rules the souls of men - The bishops at Nice, at Florence, Trent and at the Vatican - The church like a monarchy - A republic of which Jesus is the king - Meaning of the words Roman Catholic - The capital of Christ's Kingdom - Could the Papacy be removed from Rome? - The Bishops of Rome before the council of Nice - Words of the early fathers - Acts of a Roman emperor in the third century - The great bishop of Milan - The bishops at Aquilia, Antioch, &c. - The Arian heresy denies the Divinity of Christ - St. Jerome at Bethlehem - Pope Zozimus teaches the bishops of Africa - The learned bishop of Hippo - The bishops at Melevit - The Ephesian council - The monarch of religion - What the schismatics hold - Constantine moves his empire to Byzantium and founds Contantinople - The council of Chalcedon - The Popes ruling the East- How they deposed the bishops of the most famous sees - Early appeals to Rome - The Popes teaching the other bishops of the early Church - Popes dispensing in her universal laws and punishing the disobedient - The Pope is over the laws of the church, but he too must obey her constitution, founded or revealed by Christ, &c 177-208

CHAPTER XI.

THE FIRST BISHOPS OF ROME.

The first Bishops of Rome were the intellectual lights of the whole church - All important measures which spread to the whole church came from them - They first founded the parishes in Rome and the nuptial Mass - They beautified the Sunday services, - Condemned errors which led to the denial of the Divinity of Christ, - Ordered Advent and Lent to be kept each year, - Condemned Cerdo - Incorporated strange clergymen into the Roman diocese, - Sent missionaries to Brittany and other nations, - Commanded the clergy to shave, - Laid down regulations for nuns, - Marked the times for the ordination of the clergy, - Reserved appeals to the Roman courts, - Established the Quarter Tenses, - Regulated the offerings of the people, - Nominated seven deacons for the seven regions of Rome, - Forbade vestments worn except during the services, - Decided against the bishops of Africa that lay-baptism was valid, - Defined the doctrine relating to the Trinity, - That Mass should be said only over the martyr's remains, - Reorganized the 25 parishes of the city of which the pastors were called cardinals, - Condemned the Donatists, - Forbade fasting on Sundays and Thursdays, - Excommunicated Arius, who denied Christ's Divinity, - Upheld Athanasius of Alexandria against the Arians, - Deposed Arian bishops and appointed catholic bishops to their sees, - Called the bishops to councils and presided by themselves or by their legates, - Ruled the whole church from the days of Peter to the X century, &c 209-267

CHAPTER XII.

THE COLLEGE OF CARDINALS, THE SENATE OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH.

Peter came to Rome and made her his spouse to aid him in his universal government of the church - When he was crucified Rome became his heir - The Bishop of Rome the heir of Peter's authority - The cardinals are the advisers, the councillors of the Pope - Origin of the cardinals - Meaning of the word cardinal - The Presbytery of the Roman church - The six cardinal bishops - The 50 cardinal priests - The seven cardinal deacons - The cardinals are the pastors of the Roman diocese - The six cardinal bishops - The corporate body of cardinals - The venerable senate of cardinals helping the Pope in his government of the church - The election of cardinals - The reception of new members - Who are made cardinals ? - The senate advises the Pope, administers the church during a vacancy, and elects his successor - The cardinals at the death of the Pope - Ceremonies when the Pope dies - Preparing for the election - Arranging for the conclave -The senate enclosed - Preparing to vote for a Pope - Manner of casting the ballots - Rules relating to the election - The ballots - How the ballots are cast and counted - Asking the consent of the candidate - The new Pope at his election - The coronation ceremonies - Taking possession of the church of St. John Latern &c 267 288

CHAPTER XIII.

THE ROMAN CONGREGATIONS, GOVERNMENT BUREAUS, AMBASSADORS, LEGATES, VICARS APOSTOLIC, NOTARIES, &c.

Antiquity and dignity of the Roman congregations - The ancient presbytery of the Roman church aiding the Pope - A consistory - The business before the Roman courts - Prelates and curials - The congregations of the holy office of the index - Of the council of Trent - The congregation of rites - Of bishops and regulars - The congregation of Propaganda - Of indulgences and relics - The penetentiary and the ruta - The Apostolic chancery office - The secretary of state - Apostolic legates - Ablegates, Nuncies, Embassadors, Vicars Apostlolic, &c 289-300

CHAPTER XIV.

THE PATRIARCHS, PRIMATES AND ARCHBISHOPS.

Complete jurisdiction given to Peter - Archbishops, primates and patriarchs, branches of the Papacy - Their origin - The two Archbishops established by Peter - Antioch and Alexandria next after Rome - In the early church - Constantinople jealous of Alexandria - Bishops over bishops in the early church - History of the patriarchal sees of antiquity - Metropolitans - The chief churches after Rome - The patriarchal sees of the present time - Meaning of the word patriarch - " The forms of Peter impressed on the whole church " - The nature of dioceses over others - How they elected and consecrated bishops - The clergy of metropolitan sees over the other clergy of the province - Branches of the Papacy partaking in the Primacy of Peter - Papal delegations in the early church - Primates in the middle ages - The patriarchs of the oriental rites at the present time - The first bishops of America - Meaning of the patriarchate - The ancient councils on the patriarchs - Primates and archbishops - Their powers regulated by canon law - Cases on appeal before them - The primate - Nature of the office of primate - The archbishop's powers now more restricted - His duties defined by canon law - The pallium, archiepiscopal cross, &c 301-322

CHAPTER XV.

THE BISHOPS AS PASTORS OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH.

The universal church as the diocese of Christ of which the other bishops are pastors - The bishops as pastors of the universal church - The Roman diocese only immortal - How the apostles founded dioceses - The Papacy sending missionaries to all pagan nations - Missionary countries subject direct to Rome - How dioceses are established - Bishops have a radical jurisdiction over the whole church but subject to Peter - Dignity of bishops - Why one bishop is over others - Ancient episcopal deans - Senior bishops - The image of the Trinity - The bishop's mission - Episcopal jurisdiction - The fulness of jurisdiction only in the Bishop of Rome - Who elects bishops? - Appointment of bishops in the early church - The bishop a complete priest can consecrate another bishop - Only Rome can give jurisdiction - Consecration of bishops in the early church - Jurisdiction of bishops in the first ages - The schism of the Greek church - The bishops of Rome gave jurisdiction to all bishops in all ages of the christian religion 323-345

CHAPTER XVI.

THE BISHOPS GATHERED IN COUNCIL.

The Son the Council of the Father in heaven - The council of the Jewish church - A council a congress of the whole church - Object of councils - They cannot define new doctrines - Only bishops are members of the congress - Ecumenical councils - The Pope alone can call, preside over and ratify the proceedings of councils - Every bishop in union with Rome has a right to take part - They are the pastors of the universal church - All bishops are equal in the councils - As teachers of faith and morals all vote - Bishops of old sees are the witnesses of the traditions of their churches - The Pope alone personally or by his legates confirms the decrees - A papal confirmation may extend decrees of any partial council to the whole church - Genera), national and provincial councils - In what they differ - Decisions of all councils must be reviewed by Rome - A diocesan synod - The celebrated council held in Africa - Episcopal deans and prothonotaries in the early church - Patriarchs, primates and archbishops presiding over plenary and provincial councils - When councils should be held, &c 346-361

THE PARTICULAR CHURCH OR DIOCESE.

CHAPTER XVII.

HISTORY OF THE DIOCESE.

St John the Apostle established the church services - The diocese in the apostolic age - Formation of the Liturgies - Charity of the apostolic converts- -The bishop and the presbytery formed a court - Description of a church in the days of the apostles - Piety of the early christians - Prominence of the Bishop of Rome - The conversion of Europe - The selection of the clergy - The establishment of schools - The incursions of the barbarians - They destroyed the Roman empire - The church converts Europe the second time - The clergy the saviours of society - The Popes taught the world civilization - Rise of the temporal power of the church - Famous churchmen - Founding the great Universities - The constitution of the diocese defined in canon law - The origin of the aristocrats and nobles from robber captains - The church protects the poor - The feudal system - The formation of christian nations - The governments claimed the right of appointing the clergy - Gregory VII. and Henery IV. of Germany - The golden epoch of christianity - Building the great cathedrals - Converting the nobility - Establishing the parishes - Rome teaching the world - The epoch of the great writers of the church - The conquests of the Turks - Relaxing of discipline - Officials of the diocese - Adopting strange clergymen - Causes of the reformation - Establishing the religious orders - The reforms of the council of Trent - Wonderful religious activity of modern times, &c 362-387

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE DIOCESE OF ROME.

Rome the eternal city becomes the seat of the Papacy - Other dioceses liable to fall - The Mother of churches - Christ's Vicar- General on earth - Meaning of the Pope's tiara - How Christ established the church universal - The Pope the model bishop - The Pope above the church but cannot change her constitution given by Christ - Peter was the "Rock," one with Christ the "Rock of Ages" - Pilate's letter about the death of Christ - Peter comes to Rome - Converts Pudens and his family - Simon Magus and his errors - Nero the emperor - Corruption of the Roman Court - Simon the Magician persecutes Peter and Paul - Many converts - The great disputes between Sts. Peter, Paul and Simon Magus, who claims to be the Son of God - Death of Simon - Sts. Peter and Paul put to death at Rome - Visits to their tombs - The common law of the church coming from the Bishops of Rome - The Popes gave laws to Europe - The clergy from Rome teaching the nations - The official books of the Roman diocese - Church architecture, &c 300-405

CHAPTER XIX.

THE ELECTION OF BISHOPS.

Election of the apostles - Laymen taking part in the early church - How the apostles elected bishops - St. Cyprian says by apostolic tradition the clergy elect their bishop, and the bishops consecrate him - The Popes and councils on the election of bishops - Role of the archbishops and bishops - A vacancy of a diocese - The visitor bishop - Manner of voting - Examination of the candidate - The way the great fathers of the church were elected - Interference of governments - Princes abuse their veto power - Election of bishops in the middle ages - The election of archbishops - Kings selling episcopal sees stopped by Gregory VII - Rulers usurp concessions given the laity - Abuses condemned - The cathedral chapter - Confirmation of bishops reserved to the Pope - The oath the bishop takes at consecration - Patriarchs, primates and archbishops as papal delegates - Confirming the election of the bishops of the East - Elections in Europe reserved to the Pope - The first archepiscopal sees of Europe - Establishing the hierarchy in England - Archbishops and primates act and consecrate in the name of the Bishop of Rome - Election and consecration of archbishops at the present time - The Bishops of Rome ever reserved the right of rejecting unworthy candidates - Historic facts - Rome first .appointed all the episcopal sees of Europe - St. Augustine in England, St. Patrick in Ireland - The archbishops of Thessalonica and others became the apostolic delegates - The Bishops of Rome confirmed or rejected the candidates for the historic sees - Bishops when elected by the laity and clergy of the diocese - A bishop elected by the clergy and laity forbidden to be consecrated in the early church - From the apostolic age the laity proposed the candidate, the clergy of the diocese voted for him, the archbishop or patriarch with the bishops of the province confirmed and consecrated him acting as the delegates of the Roman See - Manner of selecting bishops at the present time - Proceedings at Rome for the confirmation of bishops, &c. 405-429

CHAPTER XX.

THE BISHOP AND THE DIOCESE.

The bishop coming down from the universal church into his diocese - How the bishop was named in the early church - Bishops are superior to priests - Bishops have both external and internal jurisdiction - Only a bishop can ordain priests and confirm - The bishops are the successors of the apostles - Each diocese ruled by a bishop - The bishop is a complete high-priest - Is the episcopacy a sacrament? - Regular bishops of their diocese and vicars apostolic - The jurisdiction of bishops in their dioceses - Christ the head of the diocese - How one bishop is over others - The perfections of the diocese in the bishop - The bishop brings the perfections of the universal church into his diocese - The bishop married to the diocese - Christ as head of the diocese - The bishop should be a saint - The diocese surrounding the bishop - The government of the diocese compared to civil governments - Fallen dioceses still live in the persons of their titular bishops - The church universal represented by the diocese - The bishop bringing forth his sons, his clergymen of the diocese - The mission of the bishop - The bishop as the teacher of the diocese - The bishop as the sanctifier of the diocese - The bishop pontificating at the altar - The beauties of the liturgy - The diocese an image of heaven - The Latin rite - The bishop sending the Holy Ghost - The bishop the ruler of the whole diocese according to the common law of the church, &c. 429-455

CHAPTER XXI.

THE BISHOP'S DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS.

Members of the hierarchies coming down to rule their churches - The relations of the bishop to the cathedral parish - The Papacy, the episcopacy, the priesthood - Custom makes law - What bishop defines matters of faith and morals ? - Papal laws in the diocese - What is a dispensation? - In what laws the bishop can dispense - Fasting, abstinence, work on Sundays - The bishop's powers relating to church services - Interference of civil governments - The bishop's powers regarding liturgical books, church music, chapels, oratories, &c. - The sacrament of marriage - Impediments of marriage - The bishop and the clergy of the diocese - Dimissoral letters - The support of the clergy - The education of the clergy - Ordination and confirmation - Papal and episcopal reservations - The faculties of the diocese - The religious orders in the diocese - The dispensations from vows - The ordination titles - Strange priests coming into the diocese - Indulgences - Offerings for the sacraments - Appointing assistants - Clerical dress, vestments, &c 457-477

CHAPTER XXII.

THE CATHEDRAL CHAPTER, THE SENATE OF THE DIOCESE.

The apostles established the presbytery of the diocese - The ancient fathers of the presbytery - The presbytery of the apostolic age formed of priests and deacons - Twelve priests and seven deacons - The bishop administered the whole diocese - How the apostles founded churches - The cathedral, the mother church of the whole diocese - The bishops of the early church did nothing without consulting their presbytery - The senate of the diocese in the early ages - Divisions between the bishops and chapters - The cathedral chapter - Rome regulates their duties - The cathedral chapter a corporate body of clergymen - The rural dean and his office - Origin of the archdeacon and his duties - Head of the deacons, he was often the bishop's vicar - The archpriest - The teacher of the Bible - The penitentiary - The bishop's court - The duties of each member of the chapter - The celebrated chapter of Lincoln cathedral, England - The first chapter of Montreal - The chapter as a senate aids the bishop in his administration of the dioceses, and attends him on ceremonies - Singing the divine office - The place where they meet - The chapter as a senate - The chairman of the senate - The duties of the senate - The bishop must get the advice of the senate and follow their advice in important matters - Separate from the bishop they have not authority in the diocese - They have over their own members - Enactments of the senate must be signed by the bishop - The chapter gets their powers from the common law - Bishop and senate together administer the diocese - The chapter admonishes the bishop of his faults - The administration of seminaries - Canonical vestments - The chapter during a vacancy of the see - The chapter appoints an administrator of the diocese - The bishop's council in the U. S., &c 477-502

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE PARISH PRIEST.

The diocese was first called a parish - Before the IV. century the bishop administered the whole diocese as a large parish - Parishes began first in Rome and then in Alexandria - Country parishes established in the IV. century - City parishes founded in the X. century - Before this the archpriest as vicar of the bishop administered the country parts of the diocese - Were the seventy-two disci pies priests? - Errors of the University of the Sorbonne - The ancient presbytery of the diocese aided the bishop - They administered the sacraments in the name of the bishop - The errors of Aerius - The parish is an imperfect church - The Jansenist's errors regarding parish priests and bishops - Parish priests have only internal jurisdiction - They cannot excommunicate like bishops - Meaning of the word parish - Parish priests have the care of souls in their own name - A parish must have but one rector - The common law gives the rectors their rights - The trial of rectors in this country - Who appoints pastors ? - The clergy are first missionaries, then they become pastors - The Pope can suppress all dioceses and parishes in any country - The appointment of all officers in the church - The selection of rectors for vacant parishes - Monsignors, apostolic, Notaries, etc. - The removal of pastors only for cause given in the law - Assistant pastors - Pastoral rights regarding the sacraments - Marriage laws - The offerings of the people - Financial reports - Baptismal and marriage records - Duties of the pastor relating to The religious orders not essential to the church - The precepts and counsels of the Gospel - The whole church follows the commands of Christ, while the religious orders follow also his advices - The religious state the perfection of the christian - The religious orders strive for perfection - The three chief passions of the soul - The three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience - The property of the religious orders - Their mode of living - They die to the world and live for God - The religious orders founded on the holiness of the church - Our Lord gave them the example - The hermits and religious of the early church - The great fathers of the church were the religious of that epoch - The dioceses and the monasteries of the early church - The secular and the regular clergy - The religious orders belong to the diocese of Home - The approval of religious orders - The novitiate - Breaking their vows and rules - Leaving the community - A religious vocation - Solemn and simple vows - The three vows of religious - They can administer the sacraments to their own members in every diocese, but not to the clergy or laity without the consent of the bishop - The religious men of ancient Egypt - his people, &c 503-520

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE RELIGIOUS ORDERS.

St. Antony the father of monks - Where they built the great monasteries - The lay brothers - The monk's title at ordination - The Mohammedans .drove the monks to Europe - The monks unite into associations for mutual protection - St. Augustine establishes a house of monks at Hippo - The community founded by St. Benedict - St. Francis and his followers - The Jesuits, Dominicans, Lazarists, Christian Brothers, and other religious orders, &c. 551-564