[Title according to cod. A] IX. On priests coming back to their spouses.

[Title according to cod. R] IX. If a married presbyter or deacon comes back to the bed of his wife.

[Title according to the Hispana collection] IX. On presbyters and deacons who come back to marital sexual intercourse.

 

It is also proper that if married presbyters or deacons want to come back to the beds of their wives, the regulation of Pope Innocentius or the authority of Bishop Siricius, which are inserted in these canons, should be observed.

 

Innocentius to his dearest brother Exuperius.

You ask what should be observed concerning those, who, serving as deacons or holding the office of presbyter, reveal that they are intemperate and beget sons. Concerning those there is both a teaching of divine laws and evident warnings of bishop Siricius of blessed memory, that those holding this kind of office who are intemperate should be deprived of all ecclesiastic dignities, and should not be admitted to those positions that only continence should occupy.

For there is an old authority of most sacred law that was observed from the very beginning, that the priests should be instructed to live in the temple during the year of their turn, so that those who serve sacred offerings would perform divine mysteries pure and purged of all stain, as it is not proper to admit those who engage in carnal union with their wives to sacrifice, because it was written: For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy [Lev 11:44]. For these certainly the use of wives was relaxed so that they could produce offspring, since no one from the other tribes could be appointed to priesthood.

How much more these priests and levites should guard their chastity whose priesthood or ministry is without a succession and there is no day when they are free from divine sacrifices or baptismal duty. For if Paul wrote to Corinthians: Abstain for some time, in order to give yourselves to prayer [1 Cor 7:5], and this he taught most certainly to the laymen, so much more priests, whose duties include constant prayer and sacrifice, should always abstain from whatever type of intercourse. If someone were contaminated by carnal desire, with what decency would he usurp to sacrifice, with what conscience or what merit would he deign himself worthy of being heard, because it was said: Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure [Tit 1:15].

However, one could believe that this is permitted, as it was written: The husband of one wife [1 Tim 3:2]. But [Paul] said it not to one who has permanent desire to beget, but on account of future incontinence. And he does exclude [from priesthood] those who have uncorrupted flesh, saying: For I would that all men were even as I myself [1 Cor 7:7], and declares in open words, saying: So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit [Rom 8:8-9]. And [Paul] does not call him one who begets but one having sons: this is clearly a different and separate expression.

Therefore, if it happens that someone has not been reached by this decree and teaching of ecclesiastical life, which was sent to the provinces by bishop Siricius, he will be pardoned on account of his ignorance. However, he should abstain as a penitent and remain in the same office he holds, but it is not proper for him to ascend to higher positions. They should be grateful that they will not lose the place they currently keep.

On the other hand, if it is uncovered that some people knew about the way they should conduct their life from the writings of Siricius, but they did not right away abandon their libidinous desires and seem to prefer pleasure and ignore the admonition, they should be by all means demoted.

 

(trans. J. Szafranowski)