Volume 50 — INSTRUCTIONS TO THE SECULAR CLERGY
Reading edition
1. Retirement and abstraction [from the world]; the priests shall not enter any house except to administer the sacraments, or to perform some function proper to one who has the care of souls.
2. They shall explain the Christian doctrine and the gospel, using at least half of the time for this holy exercise in the Castilian language.
3. They shall visit, both afternoon and morning the schools for boys, which our curas shall be under obligation to promote in their villages with every endeavor; and, if it be possible, the schools for girls.
4. [They shall pay] all respect and courtesy to the governors of their villages and the officials of justice, not allowing the latter to remove their caps when in the presence of the priests, and much less to serve them at the table—warning them that they must not leave their wands or insignia of justice on the stairs or in any other place, but always and everywhere carry these with them.
5. They shall not meddle with elections; and the affection and reverence of the people will be won if they attend solely to the welfare of souls and give personal advice.
6. They shall promote peace among their parishioners by all means; and shall exhort them to shun idleness and cultivate their lands.
7. They shall strive to banish the sport of cock-fighting, not sparing any effort for this, and the same with drunkenness.
8. They shall not allow the dalagas [i.e., young girls] or any woman to clean the church; the sacristans must perform this duty.
9. Any cura who shall not attend to the adornment and cleanliness of his church will be punished with the utmost severity.
10. No woman shall enter the clergyman’s house.
11. The priests shall spend the day in prayer and study, after having celebrated mass and divine service.
13. They shall conform, without any exception, to the tariff in the exaction of parochial fees; but if the parishioner shall be poor, the cura shall not for that reason neglect the administration of the sacraments, the burial ceremonies, etc.
14. They shall proceed to remove the abuses in [furnishing] cross and candlesticks of wood for the poor man, and of silver for him who pays the fees.
15. They shall immediately propose, in a kind and gentle manner, the [formation of] settlements [for their people], and shall expatiate to their parishioners on the advantages which will result to them from living in a settled community and village.
16. Games of cards are prohibited to our curas, even among themselves.
17. They shall be careful to reside in their respective villages; and they shall leave these only for conferences or for hearing one another’s confessions, when they have [in charge] no sick person in danger; but under no pretext shall they pass the night outside their own parishes.
18. On all occasions they shall wear their long robes.
20. Even within the house they shall go dressed and shod through the day; and any one who shall descend to saying mass in a tipsy condition [con la turca], or shall take his seat in the confessional without collar and cassock, shall undergo severe penalties.
21. In every respect they shall render obedience to our vicar forane.