Interesting Canons
When reading up on celibacy, the Council of Elvira (c. 305, Spain) is always cited as the first one to say bishops and priests shouldn’t have sex with their wives. Having located them, I found a number of other interesting rules. Just imagine what the Church would be like if these were still in effect. However, they’ve all be superseded by a thousand later rules, all just as useless.
18. Bishops, presbyters, and deacons, once they have taken their place in the ministry, shall not be given communion even at the time of death if they are guilty of sexual immorality. Such scandal is a serious offense.
(No clerical hanky-panky allowed!)24. Individuals shall not be admitted as clergy in a province other than the one where they were baptized. Otherwise their life would not be known by those who examine them.
(Even then, bad priests would seek other dioceses.)Comments Off
During the Middle Ages, the Inquisition pushed many unacceptable clerical behaviors underground. Black magic in particular was an activity peculiarly suited to fallen priests because it mirrored the “white” magic of sacred liturgy. Plus, during the Middle Ages, only the clerical class had the education, free time, and most of the tools needed at hand. So there in the darkness, heresy, sex, and lingering pagan practices subversively combined into Satanism.