Pope Tells Priests throughout the World to 'Be the Voice of the Good Shepherd'
'The priesthood is not chosen by anyone for himself. It is not a way of obtaining security in life or a social position. The priesthood is the answer to the Lord's call to become preachers, not of a personal truth, but of His truth. Priestly ordination means being immersed in the Truth'.
'The Christian people need to hear the teaching of the true ecclesial doctrine' that has as it point of reference 'Sacred Scripture, the writings of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, as well as the Catechism of the Catholic Church'.
PrintVATICAN CITY (VIS) - The ordained ministry was again the topic of catechesis by Benedict XVI at Wednesday's general audience held in St. Peter's Square and attended by 16,000 people. In particular, the Pope reflected on the "fruitful reality of the priest in the figure of Christ the Head in carrying out the tria munera that he receives, that is, in the three functions of teaching, sanctifying, and governing".
"However, in order to understand what it means to act in persona Christi capitis, that is, in the person of Christ the Head, and the consequences of a priest's duty to represent the Lord, it is necessary to understand," the Holy Father said, "that the presbytery represents Jesus 'who is never absent in the Church'".
"Therefore, a priest ... never acts in the name of someone absent, but in the person of the Risen Christ" and "the three offices of teaching,sanctifying, and governing are ... a clear specification of that effective representation because they are actually the three actions of the Risen Lord himself who teaches, sanctify, and guides the Church today".
Referring to the first task, the munus docendi, teaching, the pontiff affirmed that a priest "teaches in the name of Christ present, putting forward the Truth which is Christ. For a priest, it is true what Christ says of himself: my teaching is not my own ... It is the voice and the word of the Father. That is how the priest should act: I do not propagate my ideas ... but am the mouth and heart of Christ and I present this unique teaching that has informed the Universal Church and that gives life".
"The teaching that we are called to offer, the truths of the faith that we must communicate should be internalized and lived in an intense spiritual journey," the Pope emphasized, recalling that not infrequently can a priest's voice seem one that cries out in the wilderness.
'This is what its prophetic force consists in, not in being homogenized into any other dominant culture or mentality but of showing the unique newness capable of a profound and authentic renewal of the human being, that is to say that Christ is the Living One, God who is near to us, God who works in and through life in the world".
"In preaching, catechesis, academic teaching, and above all "in the unwritten book that is his life, a priest is always a teacher. Not with the presumption of those who impose their own truths but with the humble and joyful sincerity of those who have found the Truth, have been grasped and transformed by it and who therefore cannot stop announcing it".
"In fact, the priesthood," observed the Holy Father, "is not chosen by anyone for himself. It is not a way of obtaining security in life or a social position. The priesthood is the answer to the Lord's call ... to become preachers, not of a personal truth, but of His truth".
Addressing himself to priests the Pope affirmed: "The Christian people need to hear the teaching of the true ecclesial doctrine" that has as it point of reference "Sacred Scripture, the writings of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, as well as the Catechism of the Catholic Church".
"Priestly ordination," he continued, "means being immersed in the Truth ... which is not simply a concept or set of ideas to transmit and assimilate but the Person of Christ".
"The Pope finished by expressing the desire that St. John Mary Vianney may serve as an example for priests because, in him, the Christian people recognize "that which must always be recognized in a priest: the voice of the Good Shepherd".
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"present day crisis of Clergy sexual abuse" Sheeple will believe this instead of understand the media/liberal attack on the Catholic Church. Ask yourself why now? So called healthcare reform ring a bell. P.T. Barnum had it right.
As stated, pray for Our Holy Father, bishops, and priests.
Gregory
We need to pray for Our Holy Father, bishops, and priests. Pray that they are or become holy men of God. Yes, some have spoiled that. We need to do penance for the sins of our priests. I do know a lot of priests, majority of them are holy men. We must pray that the others become holy also. Remember Judas walked with Christ and look what happen to him. Peter denied Jesus three times but still made him the head of His Church.
creativekat people who choose to walk away from the church are those types of people who always want to find excuses, because there faith it's not strong. Quantitiy should not matter it's the quality of people that we need to bring back the church. Meaning people who are devoted truly to God. We are on this earth to worship Jesus Christ and no one else.
jo I agree with you 100%.
We practicing catholics feel a heavy burden when we read the present day crisis of Clergy sexual abuse. After considerable thought, I have to say the following
1 Before entering into seminary let the candidate spend many days in thinking about priesthood and ask himself if he has a personal conversion to Jesus Christ. If there is slightest doubt thin again hundred times with prayer
2 Once one has accepted priesthood, he should as himself every morning whether he is a christian priest, what is he required to do as a priest If the answer is " Yes", and "bringing to mind the church teachings and the faith in Jesus ", he should ask again himself , Should I continue to be a priest with obedience, chastity and poverty . If difficulty is experienced, immediately consult the cousellor and the confessor
3 If after ordination and after some years of priestly service, if one does not want to continue, it means he does not care for the vows he made to God. Only incessant prayer, good reading , good company, good personal determination can help Inn spite of all this one cannot, PLEASE GO AWAY WITHOUT A BLEMISH and pursue the normal way as prescribed by the Church
Let us all humbly pray for all of the ordained... priests, deacons, bishops, cardinals, the Holy Father himself, and all who work for Christ, that He may live in them and through them to do His everlasting work. The Church is not a "thing", but the Body of Christ made up of people who are prone to sin. May Almighty God and His Holy Spirit enable us to forever remember the words of Jesus who forgave the sinful woman, " Those among you without sin cast the first stone." Why are Christ's chosen ones..the ordained...only held to a higher standard when they sin? May they be held up always, for their loving works, for their fervent prayers, as they mingle with our own in one voice up to Heaven. May we be always willing to honor AND forgive, and may the Holy Spirit sustain and work through our cherished priests forever.
Priests are to be the disciples of Jesus Christ, the God Incarnate that bestows upon him the roles of a servant of God and man, the role of a teacher, the role of a healer, the role of a friend, the role of a father, the role of a preacher, the role of a guide to heaven, the role of a pastor and the role of a spiritual master.Today it is difficult to find priests who combine all these qualities in one person.The modern day priests are moved by the material longings rather than fulfilling the call of Christ to be his servant
Excellent article.
All the priests, and bishops involved in abuse and it's cover up have not been operating in truth. We all need forgiveness and renewal from our sins, but the sins of the clergy have deeply stained the Catholic church. I would like my friends who have fallen away from the church to return, but they will not until the iniquity is rooted out.