The Morals of the Clergy

In Matthew 23, 13-22, we read of The Lord Jesus rebuking the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy and for misleading the people.  Poor behavior of religious leaders has always plagued the Church, beginning with Judas Iscariot. Bishop Baldwin of Canterbury (d. 1190) delivered an impassioned plea to his clergy, making it clear that their behavior was partly responsible for the murder of St. Thomas a Beckett a few years before.  The following is taken from this plea, entitled, "On the Corruption of the Morals of the Clergy and People":

" 'The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of The Lord should come' (Joel 2, 31).  The sun and moon in the heavens signify the life of the life of those who govern and those who are governed, in the order of the Church.  That is, ecclesiastical authority and the secular power.  The moon is inferior to the sun and does not shine by its own light, but by the light of the sun.  Thus it is with the life of the laity and the life of the clergy, through whom they ought to be warmed and enlightened.  It is to the clergy that it is said: 'You are the light of the world' (Matthew 5, 14).  The sun is 'turned into darkness' in those clergy who are ignorant, who sin, who are blind and are the blind leading the blind.  Therefore 'the moon' -- the life of the laity -- is 'turned into blood': the blood of corruption and cruelty.  Behold, the charity of many grows cold and iniquity abounds.  Blood rises from the press even to the horses's bridles (cf. Revelation 14, 20) -- even to the rulers of the peoples -- and, 'blood touches blood' (Hosea 4, 2).  The laity do not find in us what ought to be imitated; they find that which they want to imitate.  They imitate us with calumnies, injuries, curses, disclosures, and words of hatred.  Lastly, they imitate us with swords.  Recently, the fury of those imitating us has wounded us in the 'head': they struck even to death Thomas, our prelate, most blessed of Christ our Lord, on account of his remarkable defense of the liberty of the Church.  And if it is true that the news of this event has spread, and has caused the consciences of many to fear, our undisciplined life is the nursery of such an evil deed as this, and it furnished the kindling of such hatred.  For men did not esteem us as ministers of God and dispensers of the mysteries of God, but they will bear the judgment of God, whoever they are.  We seemed unworthy for the ancient privileges granted for the peace and liberty of the clergy by the indulgence of the Roman Pontiff, and by ancient and noble kings.  We were certainly unworthy in every way according to our way of life to be given respect.  However, in whatever priest, there is ever the holy priestly ministry, and the honorable sacrament of the priesthood."