For every right a duty [editorial]

Title

Language

English

Year

1972

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

EDITORIALS FOR EVERY RIGHT A DUTY This might be attributed to fallen human nature, but we notice in our society the propensity to demand and clamor for ones rights and privileges but little or no mention of ones duties and obligations. In the family there are husbands who are ready to lay down their lives in defense of their right to the wife’s fidelity and loyalty. But look how they fulfil their duty of fidelity and loyalty to the wife. There are children who raise hell over their right to parental care and support but they do not care about 4th Commandm'ent: “Honor they father and thy mother." And there are parents who gnash their teeth over the refusal of the offspring to give them the respect due to them. But look how they care foi' their own parents. In the school there are those who demand the best facilities, the best professors. But note how they cling to their tuition pennies, how they abuse the facilities like the use of electricity, how negligent they are in their studies. And vice versa there are school owners who collect the tuition and other fees due them but do not bother about the welfare of their teachers and students. In the nation there are those citizens who know by memory them rights to police protection, to health services, to good roads and means of transportation, etc. etc. but are deaf and dumb and blind about taxes, and other civic duties and obligations. And vice versa, we have also government officials who are so strict in collecting their salaries and allowances yet so remiss in the performance of their duties. In the Church, God’s kingdom on earth, there are those who want to enjoy the use of a clean, well lighted, well decorated EDITORIALS 501 house of prayer; who want all the lights on and all the bells ringing for their weddings and baptisms; who want the best service from their clergy because they are entitled to it; but note how much they give at the Colecta. And vice versa, there are those priests who collect their fees to the last centavo but do not sing the right notes in their sung Masses or Responso. Note further how some priests demand from their Bishops their rights to be heard, to be given due process, to be treated charitably and justly. See how these same priests deny freedom of speech to their fellow priests at their own meetings, how they refuse due process among themselves, how uncharitable and unjust they are among themselves and to their Bishops. And note also how a Bishop pines for the love and effection of his priests and seminarians when he is so aloof and unapproachable. May the good Lord forgive us for such a perversity. It may be attributed to human frailty. Why, we may not even be aware of such a defect. Perhaps there is a need for a meditation, perhaps a monthly meditation, on these words: "FOR EVERY RIGHT THERE 'IS A DUTY: FOR EVERY PRIVILEGE THERE IS A.V OBLIGATION:’ THE SAINTS OF AUGUST Saints are given us by Holy Mother Church for our emulation! The month of August is specially full of models for us priests. August 1st has St. Alfonso de Lifjiiori, the hero of the Confession Box. August 4th has St. John Vianney, Patron of Parish Priests, whose mediocrity in human intelligence was supplemented by piety and divine wisdom. August 8th has St. Dominic of Guzman, chief propagator of the Holy Rosary and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the one responsible for extending the power to preach, then reserved to Bishops, to the priests. August 10th has St. Lorenzo, Martyr, who could

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