Inaccuracy
by VP
Posted on Sunday October 19, 2025 at 12:00AM in Sermons
François-Auguste Biard: The Sermon
"A preacher will be careful to shun doubtful narratives, historical fallacies, exaggerated and unreliable statistics (for instance, such as exalt Catholicity and depress its adversaries), discredited legends, pious fictions, ludicrous incidents, frivolous references and childish anecdotes - all of which, though perhaps acceptable to vulgar minds, bring ridicule and contempt on the Catholic pulpit. "It is unseemly," says St. Augustine, "for Christians, -turpe est et perniciosum - who pretend to speak according to the Scriptures, to give utterance to absurd views which pagans cannot help laughing at." "As to legends, pious stories, miracles, and holy apparitions," observes Dr. Hedley, "I would always be pleased to see pious credulity rather than indifference on the part of the flock ... but I should on no account force them on others or think the worse of those who rejected them: and if Protestants inquired, I should try to impress upon them that it was entirely a matter of evidence." And the Second Synod of Baltimore directs a preacher to use the greatest caution - summa prudentia - in relating miracles and prodigies."
Source: The Priest of today : his ideals and his duties by Rev. Thomas O'Donnell, pub. 1911 (page 225)
