Dialogue with the Reader

Clergy redefined?

«In conversation with others with regard to issues going on in the Church today, I am often struck by an almost total ignorance about priesthood even by those who are practising. You get asked questions such as "Have you taken vows?" or "What was that appealed to you — living alone or working for others?" or "Have you not betrayed the cloth by not wearing the collar?". I have an overall sense that people see the clergy as a separate body set apart? What do you think?» —T.N. Turin

There are two aspects worth bearing in mind. On the one hand, it is true that there is a real ignorance on the part of many lay people concerning the the priest's identity and mission. On the other hand, an anachronistic life-style still exists among many priests who behave socially as if they were God only knows what. They seem to personify a sentiment expressed as follows: "God wanted me to be a priest and God help anyone who doesn't consider me such!".

The fact that most lay people don't understand who a priest is should not amaze us. One needs "ears to hear" and that is not easy in the secularised culture of today when those who don't get married are seen as misanthropist or latent homosexuals who are compensating for their difference by grasping a holy and powerful "dignity". A choice of God in service of one's fellow men and women, in a freedom from particular affective bonds through a "call" to follow Jesus in bringing the Gospel message of love to "all" is so remote from the mentality of the world that we shouldn't be suprised when it is not understood. Just think how hard it is for people to fit into their mental schemes that phrase which says: "my mother and my brothers and sisters are those who do the will of my Father". So it will always be true that "if they persecuted me, they will also persecuate you", in other words, "if they did not understand me, neither will they understand you".

It seems to me, however, there is no doubt that in the past and indeed still today, many priests falsely interpret their priestly status either because of the formation they received or because of an unconscious slipping into worldy "power" categories which distinguish people by making a few out to be something special, even if this be in the spiritual realm. I get the impression that deep down there still lurks in the subconscious of many priests the historical struggle for supremacy between priesthood (sacerdotium) and empire (imperium). But there is a distinction between these two realms as we see in the advice given by Jesus in such a wise and personal manner: "If anyone wants to be the first, he must be the least and the servant of all", rejoicing not becuase the devils sometimes obey us (which, after all, is due to the sacrament not to us) but rather because our names are written in heaven.

Mary, the model for all Christians, preserved the truth in her heart to such an extent that socially no-one noticed. The litanies which speak of her greatness came afterwards. Jesus, who did not claim equality with God, even though he spoke with extraordinary authority, did not accept any form of power other than that of washing the feet of the others and dying for all, men and women, as their brother.

If all of us priests would banish every form of individualism, self-sufficiency and indeed spiritual pride (defects which result in us being seen as a caste); and if we would lay the essential basis of our ordained priesthood in the life of the baptismal priesthood which we ask of the laity; and if we were really convinced that the the one who loves most is the greatest (and here there is no discrimination between priests and laity) I am not saying that we would be understood totally, but perhaps something would change.