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THE PRIEST'S HOUSE.

an advanced age, modest, prudent, and of a blameless life, ascertained by experience, that the injunctions of the Canons be obeyed.'[1] Therefore let priests by all means beware of certain women, who, by domineering and despising the poor of Christ, and sowing discords by whispering, become truly the pests of the mission. Furthermore, we forbid the clergy to allow the schoolmistresses or their pupil-teachers, or the women-servants of the house, to sit at table with them."

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4. "Let no priest reside in a hired or private house without the previous consent of the Bishop."[2]

5. "Whosoever is set over a church, whether he be simple missionary, or be entitled missionary rector, is held to be the steward of God, to whom is intrusted a part of the Lord's vineyard. Let him, therefore, be useful and faithful, in everything laborious, remembering that the safety or the danger of the commander of the ship and of those who are on board is the same. Where, then, there are two or more priests in a mission, let one only, independently of all except the Ordinary, exercise the office

  1. I. Conc. Westm. Dec. xxiv. 4.
  2. Synod. Thurles. De Vita et Hon. Clericorum, n. 16, p. 33.