rue, if all are fools with
thee, who can be wise? Nor will virginity be commendable, for if all
be virgins, and none marry, the human race will perish. Virtue is
rare, and is not desired by many." It is therefore evident that this
is a foolish alarm; thus might a man fear to draw water lest the
river run dry. [*St. Thomas gives no reply to the third objection,
which is sufficiently solved in the body of the article.]
_______________________

EIGHTH ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 189, Art. 8]

Whether It Is Lawful to Pass from One Religious Order to Another?

Objection 1: It seems unlawful to pass from one religious order to
another, even a stricter one. For the Apostle says (Heb. 10:25): "Not
forsaking our assembly, as some are accustomed"; and a gloss
observes: "Those namely who yield through fear of persecution, or who
presuming on themselves withdraw from the company of sinners or of
the imperfect, that they may appear to be righteous." Now those who
pass from one religious order to another more perfect one would seem
to do this. Therefore this is seemingly unlawful.

Obj. 2: Further, the profession of monks is stricter than that of
canons regular (Extra, De Statu Monach. et Canonic. Reg., cap. Quod
Dei timorem). But it is unlawful for anyone to pass from the state of
canon regular to the monastic state. For it is said in the Decretals
(XIX, qu. iii, can. Mandamus): "We ordain and without any exception
forbid any professed canon regular to become a monk, unless (which
God forbid) he have fallen into public sin." Therefore it would seem
unlawful for anyone to pass from one religious order to another of
higher rank.

Obj. 3: Further, a person is bound to fulfil what he has vowed, as
long as he is able lawfully to do so; thus if a man has vowed to
observe continence, he is bound, even after contracting marriage by
words in the present tense, to fulfil his vow so long as the marriage
is not consummated, because he can fulfil the vow by entering
religion. Therefore if a person may lawfully pass from one religious
order to another, he will be bound to do so if he vowed it previously
while in the world. But this would seem objectionable, since in many
cases it might give rise to scandal. Therefore a religious may not
pass from one religious order to another stricter one.

_On the contrary,_ It is said in the Decretals (XX, qu. iv, can.
Virgines): "If sacred virgins design for the good of their soul to
pass to another monastery