INTRODUCTION
The priesthood is a gift, which comes from God in the
image of the vocation of Christ, the High Priest of the new covenant. A priest
is a member of the Christian faithful who has been permanently configured by
Christ through holy orders to serve the Church in collaboration with the local
bishop as representative and agent of Christ, the head of the church, and
therefore as representative and agent of the church community before god and
the world. The Decree Christus Dominus explicitely speaks that both the
diocesan and the religious priest participate equally in the one and the same
priesthood and ministry of Christ. Thus all the priests are made co-operators
of the Episcopal order at the diocesan level, in as far as they are united with
the diocesan bishop and the presbyterium of the diocese, and at the level of
the universal Church, in as far as they are united with the whole Episcopal
order and order of presbyters.
The
priests are ordained not only for the administration of the sacraments but also
for the preaching of the gospel and the guidance of the community. They are
ordained in order to preach the gospel and shepherd the faithful as well as to
collaborate divine worship as true priests of the New Testament. The priest as
a God’s ordained servant plays an important role in his ministry through the
celebration of the sacraments. Thus he essentially becomes the mediator between
God and men. A priest is also consecrated to live a better live therefore he
takes the vows of obedience, celibacy and poverty. As a God’s minister the
primary concern of the priest is to preach the gospel to all humankind. Thus
priests are always God’s ministers even what is secular must become priestly as
in Jesus, who was always a priest and always acted as a priest in all the
experience of his life.
CHAPTER ONE
THE INSTITUTION OF THE MINISTERIAL PRIESTHOOD
Jesus wanted his church, which he
founded to be a priestly people so that all might be able to participate in his
sacrifice. Jesus Christ instituted a ministerial priesthood for the service of
all the faithful in the church. Lumen Gentium says, “The ministerial priest, by
the sacred power that he has, forms and rules the priestly people, in the
person of Christ he effects the Eucharist sacrifice and offers it to God in the
name of the people. The faithful indeed, by the virtue of their royal
priesthood, participate in the offering of the Eucharist. The exercise
priesthood by the reception of the sacraments, prayer and thanksgiving, by the
witness of a holy life, abnegation and active charity.”[1]
a) Priests as Mediators:
A priest whether diocesan or
religious is a mediator between God and men, and he receives his priesthood
from Jesus Christ, the only mediator, he exercises his priestly office on behalf
of men in the name of Christ. There is only on mediator between God and
mankind, himself a man, Jesus Christ (1Tim.2: 5-6). Mediation ministerial
priesthood is a service to God and to human beings. Therefore authority in the
church has to be understood as service. As a mediator priest announces all the
word of God, exercises in a supreme degree their sacred functions, act s in the
person of Christ and proclaim his ministry to the faithful.
b) The Vocation Consecration and Mission of priests:
The
priest’s vocation consecration and mission are essentially related to one
another. In order to receive the mission of Christ, one has to be called and
consecrated by Christ, the High Priest of the new covenant.
a) The Priestly Vocation:
The
priestly vocation has three aspects. First it is the Lord who calls. Secondly,
it has a mission. Thirdly, person called has to give his free response. Jesus
tells his disciples, “You did not chose me I chose you and appointed you to go
and bear much fruit (Jn: 15:16). Thus all the priests are chosen by Good.
Therefore the priestly vocation is for the service of God, a service of
spreading the kingdom of God and leading the people to God. More precisely the
priestly vocation is to continue Christ’s priestly ministry in the church a
ministry of preaching the word of God, sanctifying the people of God through
the sacraments and guiding them to God. Jesus’ words, “Follow me and I will
make you fishers of men”(Mt.4: 19) remain valid for everyone whom Christ calls
for his mission. Thus priestly vocation necessarily demands discipleship of
Christ.
b) The priestly Consecration:
Speaking
of the ministry and the life of the priests, the Vatican Council says, “Christ
whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, gave himself for us to
redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who
are zealous for good deeds (Tit.2: 14). In a similar way, priests who are
consecrated by the anointing of the Holy Spirit and sent by Christ, mortify the
works of the flesh in themselves and dedicate themselves completely to the
service of the people, and in the holiness they have been enriched in Christ,
to make progress towards the perfect man”. By irrevocably calling a man to such
a ministry, God sets him apart, lays his hands upon him, claims him for himself
and for his work, so that the one who is called and commissioned has to put
himself, as an instrument of Christ’s disposal. At the same time priests have
to be with 5their people for whom they are sent. The council says, “They should be completely consecrated to the
task for which God chooses them. They could not be the servants of Christ
unless they were witnesses and dispensers of a life other than that of t6his
earth. On the other hand, they would be powerless to serve men if they remained
aloof from their life and circumstances.”[2]
c) The priestly Mission:
The mission of the
priests of Jesus Christ is above all a
mission of salvation. In fact, the priest is ordained to make known
Christ and his message to place his people in a living relationship with God
through the sacraments of faith, to build up and guide the community of those
who have become disciples of Christ through baptism. As we have seen that
priest’s mission is to continue the priestly ministry of Christ in the church.
“Through the sacred ordination and mission which they receive from bishops,
priests are promoted to the service of Christ, the teacher, priest and king;
they are given a share in his ministry through which the church here on earth
is being ceaselessly built up into the people of God, Christ’s Body and temple
of the spirit.”[3]
Priests are called to remain always with the Lord, to perpetuate friendship
with him day after day, in order to model themselves after his heart. Therefore
they should put themselves fully and without reserve at the service of Christ,
in order to become instruments of salvation without frontiers. Thus priestly
vocation, and mission are interrelated because Christ continues to share his
ministers in the Church.
CHAPTER TWO
THE IMPORTANCE OF VOWS
To
remain faithful to God, the priests take vows during their ordination. The
religious priests take vows of obedience, celibacy and poverty. Whereas the
diocesan priests take vows only of obedience and celibacy.
a) The Priestly Obedience:
The
second Vatican Council identifies the apostolic dimension of priestly obedience
in presbyterium ordinis. Priestly obedience inspired through and through by the
spirit of cooperation, is based on the sharing of the Episcopal ministry, which
is conferred on priests by the sacrament of order and canonical mission (n.7).
The priests not only make a promise of obedience at the time of ordination, but
they are asked to grow in obedience so that church’s mission may advance
through healthy collaboration between the bishop and the priests. The priests
need obedience in order to give credibility to his preaching ministry. One who
is available through obedience is able to put aside his own wishes, prejudices
and favourite interests for the sake of others. “The process of growing
obedience implies a real relationship between priests and their bishops, one
that is marked by honest and direct communication.”1
The religious priests through the profession of obedience offer to God a total
dedication of their own wills as a sacrifice of themselves. They thereby unite
themselves with greater steadiness and security to the saving will of God. In
this way the follow the pattern of Jesus Christ who came to the Father’s will.
Also the religious priests are bound to obey all the legitimate orders of the
Superiors Counsels, desires and admonitions in as much as they manifest the
will of God.
b) The Priestly Celibacy:
The
priestly identity in relation to Christ and to the Church has found expression
in the discipline of chaste celibacy for the priests. Priestly celibacy is the
gift of self in and with Christ to his church and expresses the priest’s
service to the church in and with the Lord. The priests take the vow of
celibacy at the time of their ordination and commit themselves for the sake of
the kingdom of God. The priestly celibacy involves the task of surrendering
one’s existence officially to represent Christ. Thus priestly celibacy is
integrated in the life of following Christ. The priests as men of God need celibacy
as divine gift to serve all kinds of people. As we know that Jesus also led a
celibate life so that he might be a person for all. Because of his celibate
life he could reveal god’s love for all, he could save people who were unable
to save themselves, he could act as a unique priest between God and men.
Therefore it is through celibate life that priests can render their total
commitment to Christ and for the service of all. Celibacy is an invitation to
deep intimacy with Christ. Through this a priest surrenders his sexual secret
to God, and able to love others in Christ, in a deeper and more universal way
(1Cor.7: 32-35). Therefore a priest, like Jesus has to be a man for all, and
that is the purpose of the gift of celibacy. “The priests motivation for the
celibate commitment is pastoral charity, the all encompassing love for Christ,
the good shepherd for their people.”2
For this, priests need to appropriate time to time the spiritual sense of
celibacy in the light of their lived experience. Therefore to live a celibate
life, priests should have a genuine sense of fraternity with all the faithful
of the church.
c) The Priestly Poverty:
Strictly
speaking, the evangelical counsel of poverty is not obligatory for the diocesan
priests. Because they don’t take a vow of poverty. However as every Christian
has a sharing in the life of Christ so the diocesan priests who are living
instruments of Christ have to follow Christ, who was born poor, lived poor, and
died poor. We may call it the spirit of the poverty of Christ or detachment
from created things. Though the Second Vatican council did not obligate the
diocesan priests to follow a strict evangelical council of poverty, yet the
council encourages the priests to follow voluntary poverty. “In fact, priests
are invited to embrace voluntary poverty. By it they become more clearly
conformed to Christ and more ready to devote themselves to their sacred
ministry. For Christ being rich became poor for our sake, that through his
poverty we might be rich.”3 Therefore
the priests I following Christ’s poverty, should renounce wealth, and
possessions, should tear apart the narcotic net of the desire for wealth, the
search for self-satisfaction and the craving for worldly things.
Religious
do take the vow of poverty. Vatican second declares that the religious members
of the community ought to be poor in both fact and spirit. It reminds religious
that each one should regard himself as “subject to the common law of labour.
“While making necessary provisions for their livelihood and undertakings,
religious should brush aside all undue concern and entrust themselves to the
providence of the heavenly Father.”4 It is
clear that religious priests should live a simple life and try to identify
themselves with the poor and share their life. They should willingly contribute
part of what they posses for the other needs of the church and for the support
of the poor. Thus poverty leads to solidarity with the poor, the greater
availability in love.
Chapter Three
The Pastoral dimension of Holiness
The spirituality of
the priest can be understood by the threefold ministry of teaching, sanctifying
and ruling the people of God. The Decree on the ministry and life of priest
says, “Priests will acquire holiness in their own distinctive way by exercising
their functions sincerely and tirelessly in the spirit of Christ”1 The threefold ministry of the priest is
not a mere opportunity for him to be sanctified rather it is the most essential
means for the priest to obtain holiness. Firstly, it is a means of
sanctification for the priest because he does it in the manner of
Christ.secondly, priestly ministry is the means for the holiness of priest it
is an action, which is to be done in union with the Holy Spirit, the
sanctifier. Finally, there is unity between the ministry and personal life of
the priest.
a) The Ministry of the Word:
The
ministry of the word comes as the first task of the priest in the order of time
for building up of the Church. As St. Paul says, “For everyone who calls on the
name of the Lord will be saved. But they will not ask his help unless they
believe in him, and they will not believe in him unless they have heard of him,
and they will not hear of him unless they get a preacher and they will never
have a preacher unless one is sent”(Rom.10: 13-15). Thus the purpose of the
preaching of ‘the word of God is the salvation and sanctification of souls,
which should be done first. “ Therefore
it is the first task of priests as co-workers of the bishop to preach the
gospel of God to all men.”2
b) The Ministry of the sacraments:
Thee
decree affirms that the ministry of the sacraments is a means of sanctification
for the priests, It says, “Priests as ministers of the sacred mysteries,
specially in the sacrifice of the mass, act in a special way in the person of
Christ who gave himself as a victim to sanctify men.”3 The Eucharist is the principal and
central part of the sacrament of the priests. The priests carry out their
principal mission and express themselves in all their fullness in celebrating
the Eucharist. Priests whether diocesan or religious as ministers of sacred
things, are first and foremost ministers of the sacrifice of the mass because
without the priests there can be no Eucharistic offering. Therefore the holy Eucharistic
sacrifice is the meeting point of God’s self-communication of life and holiness
and man’s response to God in faith and love.
c) The sacrament of reconciliation:
The
sacrament of reconciliation requires of priest’s availability and patience.
Since the priest imparts God’s forgiveness and mercy to his fellow beings, it
goes without saying that he becomes more and more Christ like. He becomes more
and more conscious of human sinfulness and the need of God’s salvation. He
represents Christ in this sacrament of reconciliation. Thus the sacrament of
reconciliation is a great mystery of God’s merciful love for us. Therefore St.
Paul says, “You were dead, because you were sinners and had not been
circumcised; he has brought you to life with him, he has forgiven us all our
sins”(Col.2: 13). The Code of canon Law (978.1) says, “In hearing confession
the priest is to remember that he acts as a judge as well as a healer and is
placed by God as the minister of the divine justice as well as mercy, concerned
with the divine honour and the salvation of souls.”4
CHAPTER
FOUR
THE
RELATION AND DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DIOCESAN AND RELIGIOUS PRIESTS
Pope John Paul II in his homily at
mass for men religious in Manila Cathedral on 17 Feb 1981 said, “Religious
priests should be happy to take part in the apostolate of the local church with
the diocesan priests, whose tasks they are called to share, not by way of
exception, but on a regular basis.” On the other hand, bishops, priests and
others members of the diocesan family should consider the religious as a living
part of the particular church, for which the bishop has a specific
responsibility. From ecclesial awareness there springs also the communion that
must unite priests with their fellow priests who share in the one priesthood.
a) The Decree
Christus Dominus says that both the diocesan and the religious priests are
equally in the one and the same priesthood and ministry of Christ. Thus all the
priests are made co-operators of the Episcopal order at the diocesan level, and
they are united with the diocesan bishop and the presbyterium of the diocese.
At the level of universal church they are united with the whole order of
presbyters.
b) The diocesan priests are attached to a particular
church and they are fully dedicated themselves to the service of the caring for
a single portion of Lord’s flock. The diocesan priests have the first place for
the care of souls. Whereas religious priests not fully dedicated to the
diocese, they do not have the organic and permanent bond with the diocese they
are lent temporarily to the service of the diocese.
c) Both the
diocese and religious are bound by the vow of obedience and celibacy.
d) Since the
diocesan priests do not take the vow of poverty they administer what they
receive. But church exhorts them to live poorly and help the needy. Whereas
religious priests take the vow of poverty. They hand over all they have to the
community, which supports them.
e) The
diocesan priests are subjected to the directions of their bishop in his ministry.
Whereas religious priests obey the local ordinary in all that regards pastoral
ministry exercised towards the faithful. Moreover, religious priests are
subjected to the directions of their superiors in the ordinary of their lives
according to the constitutions and regulations of the congregation to which
they belong.
f) The
diocesan priests are exhorted to live a kind of community life with their
fellow brother priests. Whereas God has given the religious priests a new
family where they live in brotherly union with the priests and brothers of the
community.
g) The
diocesan priests have their arrangements with their diocese and family to meet
the difficulties in time of illness, old age, mishaps etc. Whereas the
religious priests in their on-going formation, their community cares for
illness, old age, mishaps etc.
CONCLUSION
A
priest, whether diocesan or religious belongs to the same and one priesthood.
From the perspective of the identity, a priest is a mediator between God and
men and he receives his priesthood from Jesus Christ, the only mediator. He
exercises his priestly office on behalf of men in the name of Jesus Christ. The
priests through the sacramental ordination and mission are consecrated in a
special way for exercising the ministries of the priesthood of Christ, namely
the ministries of teaching, sanctifying and shepherding the people of God.
Therefore priestly vocation, consecration and mission are essential
requirements for ministerial priesthood. The loving invitation of God to
holiness is all the more supported when a young man is consecrated priest, a
living instrument of Christ the High Priest Because he takes the place of
Christ in his ministry to others in the Church, the Lord Jesus invites him to
follow him more closely. Thus the priests, who are his living instruments in
his work of sanctification, should be sanctified in their relationship with
their bishops, superiors, fellow priests and fellow brothers whom they serve.
Through
the sacramental ministry, the priest is sanctified. He encounters Christ, the
entire spiritual good of the Church in the Eucharistic sacrifice, which is the
source and summit of all the priestly ministry. Not only that a priest takes
the vow of obedience celibacy and poverty and tries to be faithful to God. The
celibacy is a gift, which Jesus gives to his priests that they may love him
with undivided hearts and be a father to all whom they care for in their
ministry, as Jesus himself showed in his example of his chaste life. Finally,
by following the example of Jesus, the good Shepherd, priests dedicate their
lives for the people. By loving service and leadership they build up the
Church. Thus through the works of charity, they are perfected in Christian
holiness.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
FLANNERY, Austin P. Ed, Documents
of Vatican II, The Conciliar and post Conciliar Documents, William
B.Eerdmans Publishing co. Grand rapids, Michigan, 1984.
FR.M.JEROME,
Sandanasamy, Shepherd’s Voice, A quarterly Journal of
Philosophical and Theological reflection Published by Good Shepherd Seminary,
Coimbatore.Vol.2.Jan-March-2003.
FR.M.JEROME, Sandanasamy, Shepherd’s
Voice A Quarterly Journal of Philosophical and Theological Reflection
Published by Good Shepherd Seminary, Coimbatore, vol. I Oct.-Dec. –2002.
LOBO, George s.j, New canon Law for religious,
St. Paul Publication, 1986.
VIDYA, Jyoti, Journal of Theological Reflection Vol.
64, No. 7 July 2000.
CONTENT
INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………. 1
CHAPTERONE: THE
INSTITUTION OF THE MINISTERIAL
PRIESTHOOD
………………………………………….. 2
a)
Priests as mediators …………………………………... 2
b) The
vocation, Consecration and mission of Priests ….. 2
a) The Priestly Vocation
………………………………… 2
b) The Priestly Consecration
……………………………. 3
c) The Priestly Mission
…………………………………. 3
CHAPTER TWO: THE IMPORTANCE Of VOWS ………………………... 4
a) The
Priestly Obedience ……………………………….. 4
b) The
Priestly Celibacy …………………………………. 4
c) The
Priestly Poverty …………………………………... 5
CHAPTER THREE: THE PASTORAL DIMENSION Of HOLINESS ……….. 6
a) The
ministry of the Word ……………………………… 6
b) The
ministry of the Sacraments ……………………….. 6
c) The
Sacrament of reconciliation ………………………. 7
CHAPTER FOUR: THE RELATION AND DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
DIOCESAN
AND THE RELIGIOUS PRIESTS …………... 8
CONCLUSION …………………………………………………………………… 9
BIBLIOGRAPHY ………………………………………………………………… 10
[1]
Cf. Lumen Gentium, Op cit, p. 361.
[2]
Cf. Presbyterorum Ordinis, Para No. 12, p. 866-67.
[3]
Cf. Presbyterorum Ordinis, Para No. 28, p.
1
Shepherd’s Voice, p. 52.
2
Shepherd’s Voice, p. 51.
3
Presbyterorum Ordinis, No. 17, p. 895.
4
New Canon Law for Religious, p. 95.
1
Presbyterorum Ordinis, No. 13 p. 887.
2
Presbyterorum Ordinis No. 4, p. 868.
3
Presbyterorum Ordinis, No. 13, p.887.
4 The Code
of Canon Law, no. 978-1, p.177.
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