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| Year for Priests'; 19 June 2009 to 19 June 2010 | |
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| Topic Started: Monday, 16. March 2009, 17:11 (881 Views) | |
| KatyA | Monday, 16. March 2009, 17:11 Post #1 |
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HOLY FATHER ANNOUNCES A SPECIAL YEAR FOR PRIESTS VATICAN CITY, 16 MAR 2009 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican the Holy Father received members of the Congregation for the Clergy, who are currently celebrating their plenary assembly on the theme: "The missionary identity of priests in the Church as an intrinsic dimension of the exercise of the 'tre munera'". "The missionary dimension of a priest arises from his sacramental configuration to Christ the Head", said the Pope. This involves "total adherence to what ecclesial tradition has identified as 'apostolica vivendi forma', which consists in participation ... in that 'new way of life' which was inaugurated by the Lord Jesus and which the Apostles made their own". Benedict XVI highlighted the "indispensable struggle for moral perfection which must dwell in every truly priestly heart. In order to favour this tendency of priests towards spiritual perfection, upon which the effectiveness of their ministry principally depends, I have", he said, "decided to call a special 'Year for Priests' which will run from 19 June 2009 to 19 June 2010". This year marks "the 150th anniversary of the death of the saintly 'Cure of Ars', Jean Marie Vianney, a true example of a pastor at the service of Christ's flock". "The ecclesial, communional, hierarchical and doctrinal dimension is absolutely indispensable for any authentic mission, and this alone guarantees its spiritual effectiveness", he said. "The mission is 'ecclesial'", said the Pope, "because no-one announces or brings themselves, ... but brings Another, God Himself, to the world. God is the only wealth that, definitively, mankind wishes to find in a priest. "The mission is 'communional' because it takes place in a unity and communion which only at a secondary level possess important aspects of social visibility. ... The 'hierarchical' and 'doctrinal' dimensions emphasise the importance of ecclesiastical discipline (a term related to that of 'disciple') and of doctrinal (not just theological, initial and permanent) formation". Benedict XVI stressed the need to "have care for the formation of candidates to the priesthood", a formation that must maintain "communion with unbroken ecclesial Tradition, without pausing or being tempted by discontinuity. In this context, it is important to encourage priests, especially the young generations, to a correct reading of the texts of Vatican Council II, interpreted in the light of all the Church's doctrinal inheritance". Priests must be "present, identifiable and recognisable - for their judgement of faith, personal virtues and attire - in the fields of culture and of charity which have always been at the heart of the Church's mission". "The centrality of Christ leads to a correct valuation of priestly ministry, without which there would be no Eucharist, no mission, not even the Church. It is necessary then, to ensure that 'new structures' or pastoral organisations are not planned for a time in which it will be possible to 'do without' ordained ministry, on the basis of an erroneous interpretation of the promotion of the laity, because this would lay the foundations for a further dilution in priestly ministry, and any supposed 'solutions' would, in fact, dramatically coincide with the real causes of the problems currently affecting the ministry". VIS Press Release VATICAN CITY, 16 MAR 2009 (VIS) - "Faithfulness of Christ, faithfulness of priests" is the theme of the Year for Priests announced today by the Holy Father, according to a communique issued by the Holy See Press Office. The Pope will inaugurate the Year on 19 June, presiding at Vespers in St. Peter's Basilica where the relics of the saintly 'Cure of Ars' will be brought for the occasion by Bishop Guy Bagnard of Belley-Ars, France. He will close the year on 19 June 2010, presiding at a "World Meeting of Priests" in St. Peter's Square. During the course of the Year, Benedict XVI will proclaim St. Jean Marie Vianney as patron saint of all the priests of the world. A "Directory for Confessors and Spiritual Directors" will also be published, as will a collection of texts by the Supreme Pontiff on essential aspects of the life and mission of priests in our time. The Congregation for the Clergy, together with diocesan ordinaries and superiors of religious institutes, will undertake to promote and co-ordinate the various spiritual and pastoral initiatives which are being organised to highlight the role and mission of the clergy in the Church and in modern society, and the need to intensify the permanent formation of priests, associating it with that of seminarians. Edited by KatyA, Monday, 16. March 2009, 17:12.
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| Derekap | Tuesday, 17. March 2009, 15:50 Post #2 |
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"He will close the year on 19 June 2010, presiding at a "World Meeting of Priests" in St. Peter's Square" There wont be many representitives from this country otherwise the Permanent Deacons and EMsHC will be working overtime. |
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| Fortunatus | Tuesday, 17. March 2009, 18:01 Post #3 |
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This will upset the "we are Church" brigade, not to mention those bishops who are happy to preside over a slow decline in vocations and have for years been enthusiastically planning "for a time in which it will be possible to 'do without' ordained ministry". Roll on the re-installation of altar rails if only to remind the laity which is their area of ministry and which is the ordained priest's. |
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| John Sweeney | Tuesday, 17. March 2009, 18:38 Post #4 |
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Yes that would be brilliant Fortunatus. I just yearn for a return of that jostling undignified scramble at the altar rails, your neighbour's elbow in my ear and a harassed priest jabbing the host at at a row of stuck out tongues. Really brings home the sanctity of the Sacrament John |
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| Derekap | Tuesday, 17. March 2009, 21:35 Post #5 |
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Don't worry John, by then it will probably be only on the third Sunday of the even months. |
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| Fortunatus | Tuesday, 17. March 2009, 22:57 Post #6 |
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I was fortunate enough to attend Mass in the Heilige Geist Kirche in Munich a couple of years ago. Brilliant. Readings said versus populum; rest of the Mass ad orientem (except for the bits where the rubric says 'The priest turns to the people and says ...') No Sign of Peace so no prancing about in the aisle. No Communion under both kinds so no needless lay upstarts around the place. Altar rails still there because no-one has decided to ruin 400 years of beautuful architecture for the sake of a passing fad. Communion in the hand or on the tongue standing or kneeling. No jostling undignified scramble at the altar rails. No sign of a harassed priest jabbing the host at at a row of stuck out tongues. Really brought home the sanctity of the Sacrament. Bit like what Vatican II actually meant the Mass to be like I would have said. |
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| Fortunatus | Tuesday, 17. March 2009, 23:00 Post #7 |
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Derekap — you're probably right. That will be about as often as we see a priest unless we get a grip of our reluctant prelates pretty soon. |
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| John Sweeney | Wednesday, 18. March 2009, 10:55 Post #8 |
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It might have been like that in Munich High Kirk a couple of years ago. it wasn't like that in St Brigids Kilbirnie in the 50s. Or in any neighbouring churches. Or in Chelsea when I moved there 1960s. Undignified scramble is about the kindest description. John |
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| Fortunatus | Wednesday, 18. March 2009, 21:57 Post #9 |
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Don't tar everyone with your brush, John. My experience in several churches in Hexham & Newcastle, Galloway, Northampton, Westminster, Clifton, Aberdeen and probably a couple more that I happened to pass through in the 40s and the 50s and the 60s was never of an "undignified scramble". The procedure was an orderly queue with the person at the front taking the place at the altar rail of the communicant who had just "vacated" it. Yes, there were some priests who tended to hurry things along a bit and I will happily concede that "The Body of Christ. Amen" has improved the situation (remember I never said that there was no room for improvement!) but the present "cafeteria queue" as everybody lines up for their turn is definitely not an improvement! |
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| K.T.B. | Thursday, 19. March 2009, 12:20 Post #10 |
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Ahem, Fortunatis...it's a procession, not a queue  . I find processing for Communion to be quite a sacred time. I've rarely noticed much irreverance at this time, mainly just quietness and humility; when I have, it's been mainly from small children or young people who do things I don't approve of like putting their hands in their pockets, thereby bringing out my inner pharisee. 
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| K.T.B. | Thursday, 19. March 2009, 12:24 Post #11 |
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Oops, sorry, moderators. I think I've gone  .
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| KatyA | Thursday, 19. March 2009, 12:27 Post #12 |
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I have to say that at churches where I have attended Mass, the communion line has far more in common with the checkout queue at Tesco's than any procession. KatyA |
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| Fortunatus | Thursday, 19. March 2009, 12:50 Post #13 |
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Well, there you go! The eye of the beholder and all that. A procession processes, Katie; it doesn't shuffle along like a cinema queue while you concentrate on trying not to trip over the person in front. No, I'm afraid I'm in a queue for my rations along with all those who are not there to receive Communion but "for a blessing" or because their mother daren't leave them behind in the pew. In fact the very criticism that John levels against kneeling/standing at the altar rail while the priest approaches the communicant I level against the shuffling line-up where the communicant approaches the priest. And — whichever is the "right" or "better" way of doing it (if indeed there is a "right" or "better" way) — it is not pharisaical to feel disapproval of those who show irreverence towards the Blessed Sacrament. Christ's accusation was not directed at those who obeyed the rules but at those who obeyed the rules to the exclusion of common humanity or who demanded mindless obedience while "finessing" the rules themselves. Read the passage which begins "Woe to you, pharisees ..." for a better understanding. (And also, as Sheed says, finally to lay to rest the idea of Christ as "meek and mild"!) There is no excuse for a casual approach to our Creator; the modern laxity of secular manners (and morals) is no excuse for us to follow suit though there are many in the Church who would like us to feel guilty for maintaining standards of behaviour that they think passé. Aaargh! I'm getting my Katy(ie)s mixed up again. And the two of you are getting in the way of my posting just to confuse me further! So I've corrected Katy to Katie and I agree with Katy. 
Edited by Fortunatus, Thursday, 19. March 2009, 12:54.
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| K.T.B. | Thursday, 19. March 2009, 14:00 Post #14 |
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Fortunatis wrote:
Just what I was going to say! Fortunatis wrote:
There are real graces to be gained from these blessings. My hubby sometimes comes up for one, on the times when he does darken the door of a church, and is quite spiritually moved by the experience.
Agreed, Fortunatis. I'm not really sure if there is a right or wrong way. It's what's in our hearts that God's interested in. Reverance is certainly an expression of our interior condition. I know about the meaning of "pharisaical". Perhaps I should have said, "judgemental". I find myself inwardly "tut tutting" about people's standards of dress, demeanor, etc. when I don't really know how close to God they are.
Yes, it's a bit confusing, isn't it? Perhaps I should change my user name again to something completely different! Edited by K.T.B., Thursday, 19. March 2009, 14:02.
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| Rose of York | Thursday, 19. March 2009, 14:36 Post #15 |
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You poor thing, do you get stuck behind some poor soul who may have served your parish well, may still be serving, and walks to slowly for you? Would you have been annoyed to be behind the old gentleman in our parish, El Alamein veteran, holder of the Military Cross, shuffling on his walking frame? He died a few years ago. The memory of seeing him, manfully walking up that aisle, bowing as deeply as he was able, to the Body of Christ, remains with me. You may be next. When we had altar rails, there was a requirement for courtesy to "people who shuffle along. We walked at a slow pace, behind them. |
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