Lineamenta on the Clergy

Lineamenta on the Clergy

RENEWED CLERGY IN A RENEWING CHURCH

The visible Church, the Mystical Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ, is a community of Christ’s faithful entrusted to the care of His Shepherds. God does not abandon His people and He sent His Son Jesus to be the “good shepherd” (Jn 10:11) who called his Apostles and their successors to minister to the Church, His flock (Jn 21:15f)[Pastores Dabo Vobis(PDV), 1]. “Christ sent the apostles just as He Himself had been sent by the Father…made their successors, the bishops, sharers in His consecration and mission [and share] in the authority by which Christ Himself builds up, sanctifies, and rules His Body” (Presbyterorum Ordinis[PO]2,) This ministry is shared to the priests or as Vatican II states, “ Their ministerial role had been handed down to priest in a limited degree. Thus established in the order of the priesthood, they are co-workers of the Episcopal order in the proper fulfillment of the apostolic mission to the latter order by Christ.”(PO, 2). In taking care of the Church, the primary duty of the priests is the “proclamation of the gospel of God to all”(PO, 4) and as sharers of the work of sanctification, administer the sacrament of renewal and reconciliation. (PO,5) As part of the renewal process, the priests have to “teach and admonish men as dearly beloved sons” and work for the “formation of a genuine Christian community” centered in the “celebration of the most Holy Eucharist”(PO, 6)
In the National Congress of the Clergy on July 5-9, 2004, Cardinal Ricardo Vidal spoke of this ministry of the priesthood in the ever renewing Church as both a gift and a mystery (The Priesthood: Gift and Mystery in History & Grace, National Congress of the Clergy, 2005, pp.13-23). As a gift out of the gratuitous love of God, which none of us truly deserve, the priesthood is a sign of God’s infinite love which He had paid a great price: the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Our Lord (Ibid., pp.15-16) for us to gain the fullness of life. As a mystery, it is a call to communion and intimacy with the Most Holy Trinity that impels the priest to restore persons to their proper relations with God through the sacraments and ministry, to build Christian communities and to facilitate in the formation of truly Christian families (Ibid.pp.21-22). Every renewal of the clergy has to be seen in this light. Moreover, this renewal of the clergy is also the process of purification in a constantly renewing Church as a people of God in our times. As Bishop Socrates Villegas clearly pointed out that this renewal is to be aware of our need to be forgiven and to be sign of God’s mercy and forgiveness to others (The Paschal Mystery and Priesthood in History & Grace, pp. 26-30). To be renewed, according to Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, OMI, is to “renew our lives in a radical way.” (Homily, History & Grace, p.31). This calls for a compassionate ministry which is rooted in the Paschal Mystery of the Lord and attuned to the demands and the signs of the times. It is a contextualized ministry yet deeply in touch with the Divine Source of our life and ministry: God. Hence, a renewed clergy means that all aspects of his ministry like the proclamation of Word, the presidency of the liturgical celebrations, pastoral care and concern shall manifest his being an alter Christus, another Christ to the people. This means that he is bringing the transforming, healing and renewing touch of Christ so that the people of God will be renewed and be made holy through his life and ministry.

Questions for Small Group Discussions:
1. How would you want your priests to be?
2. How can you help your parish priest to live towards a life of a truly renewed priesthood in a renewing Church?
3. How can you promote and sustain priestly and religious vocation with quality in your parish?