Pope Benedict: 'the role of priests is irreplaceable'

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Pope Benedict: 'the role of priests is irreplaceable'
Topic Started: Friday, 18. September 2009, 01:11 (515 Views)
Rose of York	Friday, 18. September 2009, 01:11 Post #1
Administrator Posts: 14,517 Group: Admin Member #2 Joined: September 25, 2006	http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=14838 Independent Catholic News It is important to avoid the secularisation of clergy and the 'clericalisation' of the laity", Pope Benedict said this morning in his address at Castelgandolfo, to a group of Bishops from Brazil, who had just completed their 'ad limina' visit. Highlighting the functions of the various members of the Church, the Pope explained how "the particular identity of priests and laity must be seen in the light of the essential difference between priestly ministry and the 'common priesthood'. Hence it is important to avoid the secularisation of clergy and the 'clericalisation' of the laity". He said: "In this perspective, the lay faithful must undertake to give expression in real life - also through political commitment - to the Christian view of anthropology and the social doctrine of the Church. While priests must distance themselves from politics in order to favour the unity and communion of all the faithful, thus becoming a point of reference for everyone". Benedict XVI indicated that "the lack of priests does not justify a more active and abundant participation of the laity. The truth is that the greater the faithful's awareness of their own responsibilities within the Church, the clearer becomes the specific identity and inimitable role of the priest as pastor of the entire community, witness to the authenticity of the faith, and dispenser of the mysteries of salvation in the name of Christ the Head". "The function of the clergy is essential and irreplaceable in announcing the Word and celebrating the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist. ... For this reason it is vital to ask the Lord to send workers for His harvest; and it is necessary that priests express joy in their faithfulness to their identity". The Pope made it clear that "the shortage of priests must not come to be considered as a normal or typical state of affairs for the future". In this context he encouraged the prelates "to combine efforts to encourage new priestly vocations and find the pastors your dioceses need, helping one another so that all of you have better-trained and more numerous priests to support the life of faith and the apostolic mission". Referring then to the 150th anniversary of the death of the "Cure of Ars", which the Church is currently commemorating with the Year for Priests, Benedict XVI indicated that St John Mary Vianney "continues even now to be a model for priests, especially in living a life of celibacy as a requirement for the total giving of self, expressed through that pastoral charity which Vatican Council II presents as the unifying centre of a priest's being and actions". The Holy Father concluded by assuring the prelates of the existence of "many signs of hope for the future of particular Churches, a future that God is preparing through the dedication and the faithfulness with which you exercise your episcopal ministry". Reproduced in full, by permission
	$Posted Image$ Catholic and proud of it! Talk to God before Mass. Talk to each other afterwards


Rose of York	Friday, 18. September 2009, 01:15 Post #2
Administrator Posts: 14,517 Group: Admin Member #2 Joined: September 25, 2006	Now I know I'm not totally nutty. The Pope agrees with me, or rather, I agree with His Holiness.
	$Posted Image$ Catholic and proud of it! Talk to God before Mass. Talk to each other afterwards


Richard Hannay.	Friday, 18. September 2009, 06:24 Post #3
Posts: 463 Group: Members Member #243 Joined: August 25, 2009	I pity the Pope nutty enough to disagree with a Yorkshire Rose, but this article does indeed make good reading and I shall reflect more fully tonight but now I must rest it has been a long night.



saundthorp	Friday, 18. September 2009, 14:46 Post #4
Posts: 135 Group: Members Member #90 Joined: June 29, 2007	I think this is a timely reminder from the Pope for Catholics who seem determined to blur the different roles of priests and laity. http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=14838
	Truth is still the truth even if no one believes it. Error is still error even if everyone believes it. (Archbishop Fulton Sheen)


Gerard	Friday, 18. September 2009, 15:18 Post #5
Posts: 3,099 Group: Members Member #12 Joined: September 26, 2006	If you want to make God laugh - tell Him your plans. Gerry
	"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).


Rose of York	Friday, 18. September 2009, 15:46 Post #6
Administrator Posts: 14,517 Group: Admin Member #2 Joined: September 25, 2006	Gerard Friday, 18. September 2009, 15:18 If you want to make God laugh - tell Him your plans. OK Gerry, you did ask: A census in every parish identifying: Requirements (which could be connected with sickness, catechesis, family problems, any other needs) Services offered (they could be manual tasks, administration, catering, acts of charity, membership or even setting up of a parish society, professional skills, liturgical services such as reading or playing an instrument. There would be a facility by which envelopes marked CONFIDENTIAL would be seen only by the parish priest, some needs may be delicate and personal. GIfts and talents would be analysed and matched with needs of the community and individuals. Once the priest knew who was able and willing to do what, he could then get stuck in with the initial organisation, and once done he could spend less time in the office and more on sacramental and other spiritual ministries. That could signal a return to the days when young men saw their priests as men of prayer, Ministers for Christ. Virtually all of them are men of prayer, but they are running around like azure posteriored insects, dashing about trying to get everything organised for two or three parishes. We laity could rediscover our role - supporting the priest and parish, being available to give a hand to a person, Catholic or not, who is in any need, evangelising in our daily lives. having time to chat and answer when asked "why do you Catholics do (or forbid) whatever). When we help the priest to devote as much of his time to his ordained ministry, the example will be seen and who knows how many vocations will follow. Seeing a priest making regular visits to a dying grandparent might set off the spark of a vocation in a young man. Who knows,he might think "I want to follow in that priest's footsteps".
	$Posted Image$ Catholic and proud of it! Talk to God before Mass. Talk to each other afterwards


saundthorp	Friday, 18. September 2009, 16:55 Post #7
Posts: 135 Group: Members Member #90 Joined: June 29, 2007	Rose of York Friday, 18. September 2009, 15:46 Gerard Friday, 18. September 2009, 15:18 If you want to make God laugh - tell Him your plans. OK Gerry, you did ask: A census in every parish identifying: Requirements (which could be connected with sickness, catechesis, family problems, any other needs) Services offered (they could be manual tasks, administration, catering, acts of charity, membership or even setting up of a parish society, professional skills, liturgical services such as reading or playing an instrument. There would be a facility by which envelopes marked CONFIDENTIAL would be seen only by the parish priest, some needs may be delicate and personal. GIfts and talents would be analysed and matched with needs of the community and individuals. Once the priest knew who was able and willing to do what, he could then get stuck in with the initial organisation, and once done he could spend less time in the office and more on sacramental and other spiritual ministries. That could signal a return to the days when young men saw their priests as men of prayer, Ministers for Christ. Virtually all of them are men of prayer, but they are running around like azure posteriored insects, dashing about trying to get everything organised for two or three parishes. We laity could rediscover our role - supporting the priest and parish, being available to give a hand to a person, Catholic or not, who is in any need, evangelising in our daily lives. having time to chat and answer when asked "why do you Catholics do (or forbid) whatever). When we help the priest to devote as much of his time to his ordained ministry, the example will be seen and who knows how many vocations will follow. Seeing a priest making regular visits to a dying grandparent might set off the spark of a vocation in a young man. Who knows,he might think "I want to follow in that priest's footsteps". Rose that is all very well, but what do you do when your PP is a control freak and won't let parishioners do the simplest of things.
	Truth is still the truth even if no one believes it. Error is still error even if everyone believes it. (Archbishop Fulton Sheen)


Rose of York	Friday, 18. September 2009, 17:40 Post #8
Administrator Posts: 14,517 Group: Admin Member #2 Joined: September 25, 2006	saundthorp Friday, 18. September 2009, 16:55 Rose that is all very well, but what do you do when your PP is a control freak and won't let parishioners do the simplest of things. Saundthorp when you are in that situation you are powerless. Each parish priest determines his own policies. Believe me I know how it feels. That is why I wrote "A census in every parish". All of them, no choice about it, and the results of every census lodged at the diocese and reviewed by a suitable employee at diocesan level.
	$Posted Image$ Catholic and proud of it! Talk to God before Mass. Talk to each other afterwards


Powerofone	Friday, 18. September 2009, 20:47 Post #9
Posts: 759 Group: Members Member #210 Joined: October 2, 2008	Benedict says that "the lack of priests does not justify a more active and abundant participation of the laity". What then is in fact warrented by the lack of priests? Apathy? Dull resignation?



Rose of York	Friday, 18. September 2009, 20:56 Post #10
Administrator Posts: 14,517 Group: Admin Member #2 Joined: September 25, 2006	Powerofone Friday, 18. September 2009, 20:47 Benedict says that "the lack of priests does not justify a more active and abundant participation of the laity". What then is in fact warrented by the lack of priests? Apathy? Dull resignation? Quote: Benedict XVI indicated that "the lack of priests does not justify a more active and abundant participation of the laity. The truth is that the greater the faithful's awareness of their own responsibilities within the Church, the clearer becomes the specific identity and inimitable role of the priest as pastor of the entire community, witness to the authenticity of the faith, and dispenser of the mysteries of salvation in the name of Christ the Head". "The function of the clergy is essential and irreplaceable in announcing the Word and celebrating the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist. ... For this reason it is vital to ask the Lord to send workers for His harvest; and it is necessary that priests express joy in their faithfulness to their identity". that is followed by Quote: The Pope made it clear that "the shortage of priests must not come to be considered as a normal or typical state of affairs for the future". In this context he encouraged the prelates "to combine efforts to encourage new priestly vocations and find the pastors your dioceses need, helping one another so that all of you have better-trained and more numerous priests to support the life of faith and the apostolic mission". I think the Pope meant the shortage of priests does not justify a more active and abundant participation of the laity in the sacramental and liturgical life of the Church. Fair enough for laity to gather to pray, there is much we can do, spiritually, with or without a priest. Families do it at home. Friends can gather in a house, or parishioners in a church building, but we must not blur the ordained ministry of the priest with the ministry that is appropriate to laity.
	$Posted Image$ Catholic and proud of it! Talk to God before Mass. Talk to each other afterwards


Powerofone	Saturday, 19. September 2009, 15:11 Post #11
Posts: 759 Group: Members Member #210 Joined: October 2, 2008	So on the assumption (Benedict's) that the shortage of priests is just a temporary little setback, that normal service will resume shortly, the laity, ought not to get any uppity ideas and should just sit back patiently and await the inevitable surge in vocations. Is that the gist? At what point in the future, when the short persists, and in all probability worsens, will this pius delusion be abandoned? How bad does it have to get before Benedict or somebody says, "you know what boys, this plan isn't working. It's time to wheel out plan B"?



Gerard	Saturday, 19. September 2009, 16:19 Post #12
Posts: 3,099 Group: Members Member #12 Joined: September 26, 2006	Power, That was what I was getting at when I suggester making God laugh by telling Him your plans. And to answer your question, it wont be this pope who comes to that realisation. Gerry
	"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).


Rose of York	Saturday, 19. September 2009, 17:34 Post #13
Administrator Posts: 14,517 Group: Admin Member #2 Joined: September 25, 2006	Gerry you have a point. Nobody fully grasps the situation of people actually affected by priest shortage, until they are in that situation. The Pope will see the statistics, of how many priests, deacons, seminarians and parishioners there are per diocese, I doubt whether he has the time to grasp the difference between, say the large town of Middlesbrough and the tiny village of Egton high up on the moors, sometimes cut off by snow drifts. The reality is where there is a grave shortage of priests, the country dwellers feel like spare parts, abandoned figures on sheets of statistics. Until we have sufficient priests, we must get things right. For starters I would encourage the daily opening of churches for prayer, but not restrict leadership of worship to Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. Most of them do a fine job, going out to people who wish to receive Holy Communion once a week, but - why is it that it is assumed leadership of Stations of the Cross, Rosary and Divine Office come under their remit. That does blur the distinction between clergy and laity, indeed it defines a distinction between the Extraordinary Ministers and The Rest. Unfortunately in our local chapel of ease we have just two people who see themselves as little priestlets, deciding together what forms of prayer will take place and when. The other Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion humbly carry out the duties for which they are commissioned and do not look upon themselves as having a different status from other members of the parish. That is as it should be.
	$Posted Image$ Catholic and proud of it! Talk to God before Mass. Talk to each other afterwards


Rose of York	Saturday, 19. September 2009, 17:40 Post #14
Administrator Posts: 14,517 Group: Admin Member #2 Joined: September 25, 2006	Opinions please: In a rural chapel of ease there is, once a week, Holy Hour and Devotions. A poster on the outdoor notice boards says "Holy Hour (Eucharistic Devotion with Exposition, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and rosary). There is no priest in attendance. The timing, 6 p.m. on a weekday.
	$Posted Image$ Catholic and proud of it! Talk to God before Mass. Talk to each other afterwards


Derekap	Sunday, 20. September 2009, 14:56 Post #15
Posts: 3,408 Group: Members Member #14 Joined: September 26, 2006	I would say better than not at all. I would also say that there should be some form of prayer or hymn singing at the beginning and end but a period of silence to allow for personal silent prayer and/or meditation. Obviously it would be better if there was a priest (or deacon) to lead the prayer but of course I don't know the priest's commitments nor the distance involved. In default, surely where possible an EMHC should lead. It is of course essential that the occasion should be performed (for want of a better word) properly and with devotion. Before Vatican 2 I heard that some congregations of nuns were allowed to display the Blessed Sacrament themselves and return It to the Tabernacle when required. This was of course when a priest was not available.
	Derekap


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