A pitfall hidden in our faith. A potential rather than a known conspiracy.

Priests have the power to impose conditions on whether their sacramental ministry does anything for anyone. Secretly or otherwise.

It is thought the recipient will not be helped even if he does not reveal or even know that he violates such a condition.

Suppose a bishop imposed conditions on priestly candidates' ordination so that they could only help people who met the bishop's condition.

Suppose the priests ordained by the priests ordained by the bishop could also only help people who met the bishop's condition, whether or not the priests or the faithful realized.


Why might that prove misleading? Suppose the faithful were led to think violating the condition displeased God...

...when in fact the bishop who ordained the priest who ordained the fathfuls' priest simply withheld his intention to convey ordination which worked to help those who violate a given condition.


Suppose the bishop who started the condition belonged to some faction. Holy Orders remain valid even if the minister is in a state of mortal sin so it can't be assumed any given condition is not harmful.