We rejoice in the gift of the priesthood

My Brothers and Sisters in the Lord:

For the last decade, I have proposed a theme for prayer and reflection each month of the calendar year. Quite often the topics have emerged in concurrence with themes suggested by our Holy Father. And so, we had the years of preparation for the Jubilee, the year of the Holy Eucharist, and so on. Throughout this new year, 2006, each month I will focus on some aspect of "developing a culture of vocation" — that is, helping all members of our Church to come to a deeper appreciation of the way God calls us to live our Baptismal relationship with Him and one another — through marriage, the single life, religious life or the sacrament of Holy Orders as priests or deacons. During the course of the year, I intend to reflect on each of the seven sacraments and offer some thoughts on religious life, the permanent diaconate, pastoral ministry and the single life.

This month of January, I ask that we prayerfully and gratefully consider the ministerial priesthood and the Sacrament of Holy Orders. This month, a monstrance blessed by our late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, will be used for Eucharistic adoration and Holy Hours for vocations to the priesthood and religious life throughout the Archdiocese Jan. 11-15.

We all know how vital the ministerial priesthood is for the life of the Church: Priests celebrate the sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist, preach the Gospel, and lead our parish communities. Most of us have a very limited understanding of the theology and spirituality of priestly life and ministry and very little idea of what priests do in the course of a day or a week, other than when we see them at the altar on the weekend. As I prepare to celebrate my own 50th anniversary of priestly ordination May 26 of this year, I would like to reflect with you on my own experience of the adventure of priestly life. Hopefully, these thoughts will be a source of inspiration and encouragement for many men to consider this wonderful calling, a life of full-time, life-long service of the Lord and the Church.

At the time I was ordained a half-century ago, well before Vatican II, the usual formula for describing the priesthood was "alter christus," that is, "another Christ." We understood that we had been called and set apart to celebrate the Holy Eucharist and all the sacraments in the name of the Lord Jesus, acting in His person as head of His body, the Church. Our service centered primarily around the sacraments, especially the Mass; everything else flowed from that core or central aspect of our life and ministry.

Holy orders accordingto Vatican II

When the Council Fathers of Vatican II discussed the ministerial priesthood, they recognized the importance of broadening the perspective of our understanding of the priesthood. First of all, the Council Fathers emphasized that the fullness of Holy Orders resides in the person of the bishop who represents Christ as priest, teacher, and shepherd to the local Church or diocese. Priests share with the bishop in the one priesthood of Christ. On the one hand, this teaching underscores the humility necessary to be a good priest: Priests can never act independently from the bishop or their brother priests. But it also affirms the dignity of priestly ministry for it means that priests share in the same three-fold mission as the bishop — that is, they have the privilege and responsibility of preaching the Gospel, celebrating the sacraments and shepherding the flock entrusted to them.

The "Decree on Priestly Ministry and Life" from Vatican II went through seven drafts and was one of the final documents issued by the Council Dec. 7, 1965. At the time of the fourth draft, there was a decisive change in approach by the Council Fathers of Vatican II; that fourth draft had a new title, indicative of a new approach — "On Priestly Ministry and Life." Note the sequence of words: first ministry, then life.

The previous approach to priestly spirituality had emphasized the priest's own personal devotional and ascetical life and practices; if he followed these things, he would have enough energy to be a good minister. As the Council Fathers reflected on the example of St. Paul and priestly saints throughout the centuries, it became clear that priestly spirituality must flow from ministry itself. In other words, priests become holy in and through the exercise of their daily service to God's people. Priests become ever closer to the Lord Jesus as they grow in loving obedience to their bishop and in brotherhood with their fellow priests, and as they mature in generous loving service of their flock.

The Council Fathers of Vatican II reaffirmed the Church's longstanding tradition and teaching regarding the sacramental character conferred through the sacrament of holy orders, the ontological change which happens in the Rite of Ordination. Put in plain English, we believe that just as baptism and confirmation change our deepest identity and make us like Christ, so, too, in a very profound and unique way, through the sacrament of holy orders, the priest is so configured to Christ that he is changed in his very being itself. As the Council Fathers describe it, thanks to the anointing of the Holy Spirit, "priests are marked with a special character and are so configured to Christ the priest that they can act in the person of Christ, the Head" (PO 2). For this reason, priestly ministry is of a whole different order than the service done by all baptized believers. They join the priest in the offering of the eucharistic sacrifice, but he alone presides or celebrates this sacrament; only an ordained minister act in the person of Christ, the head of the body, leading and shepherding the community.

Priests, sacraments of the Church

As the Council Fathers further studied ministry in the New Testament, they began to appreciate the fact that priests can act in the person of Christ inasmuch as they are also acting in the name of the whole Church — hence the importance of his close association with the bishop and his brother priests. Since Vatican II, we speak of ordination "into the Presbyteral order," that is, a priest is ordained into a particular presbyterate and into a rank of priesthood which is universal in its scope and service. Just as there is a worldwide episcopal order, so, too, by comparison, we can speak of a "presbyteral order." Notice the language of the Council on this point:

"Priests, prudent cooperators with the episcopal order … are called to serve the people of God. They constitute one priesthood with their bishop.… Associated with their bishop in a spirit of trust and generosity, priests make him present in a certain sense in the individual local congregations of the faithful and take upon themselves, as far as they are able, his duties and concerns, discharging them with daily care. As they sanctify and govern under the bishop's authority that part of the Lord's flock entrusted to them, they make the universal Church visible in their own locality and lend powerful assistance to up-building of the whole Body of Christ…" (LG 28).

The reality of what Vatican II was teaching has become more clear and visible in recent decades as we moved from each priest saying his own "private Mass" to the beautiful concelebrated Masses with the bishop and his priests gathered around him, sharing together at the Lord's table. Note also in the text the reference to the fact that in every Eucharist, the priest not only makes Christ present to His congregation, but He also makes the bishop present, for the bishop represents fullness of the mission of Christ to the local Church or parish.

Proclaimer of the Gospel

Another important insight from Vatican II was the emphasis on preaching the Gospel as the first and primary role of the priest. Consider these words of Vatican II: "The People of God find their unity first of all through the Word of the Living God which is quite properly sought from the lips of priests. Since no one can be saved who has not first believed, priests, as co-workers with their bishops, have as their primary duty the proclamation of the Gospel of God to all" (PO 4). The Council Fathers also explained that the preaching of the Gospel obviously has as its ultimate goad, the celebration of the Eucharist: "The Eucharist shows itself to be the source and the apex of the whole work of preaching the Gospel" (PO 5). This ministry of the Word means that priests must be good teachers, first of all within the community — catechizing and deepening the faith of believers, but also, reaching out beyond the community in the work of evangelization, bringing the Gospel and its message into issues of civic and social importance (for example, the life issues of our day).

The life of a priest after Vatican II is still very sacramentally focused. But Vatican II tried to put the Sacraments into a larger context, a triad of "word-worship-service." The preaching of the Gospel forms the community and calls it into being, preparing them to celebrate the sacraments and worship the Lord; from these celebrations, the community is then energized to go forth in works of Christian service. The heart of the priest ministry today, therefore, is the work of preaching and celebrating the sacraments, especially the Mass, with devotion and fidelity.

Builder of Community

As the representative or extension of the bishop, the priest has a true responsibility for shepherding the flock and building it up in the ways of the faith. He does so precisely by being a "brother among brothers," acknowledging, affirming and promoting the dignity and gifts of the lay people and religious with whom they are privileged to serve. Again, to quote the Council Fathers of Vatican II, "Priests have been placed in the midst of the laity to lead them in the unity of charity…. It is their task, therefore, to reconcile differences of mentality in such a way that no one will feel himself a stranger in the community of the faithful. Priests are defenders of the common good which they are charged in the name of the bishop. At the same time, they are strenuous defenders of the truth, lest the faithful be tossed about by every wind of opinion…" (PO 9).

Earthen vessels

With the exception of Jesus Christ, there is no "perfect" priest. Every one of us has our human foibles and failings; we are sinners who struggle to be instruments of God's grace. As St. Paul reflected on his own apostolic ministry, he spoke of it as "holding a treasure in an earthen vessel." We are surely "earthen vessels," but nonetheless, necessary for the celebration of the Mass and the sacraments and the proclamation of God's Word. It is important for all of us to look beyond the personality of any particular priest, focusing instead on Christ Himself, rejoicing in Christ's commitment to remain with His Church until the end of time. Please know that we, your priests, struggle daily to be prayerful and faithful, never getting in the way of the Holy Spirit, being as transparent as possible so we can be "other Christs" for you.

In chapter 5 of the Letter to the Hebrews, we are reminded that no one takes the office of priesthood upon himself; he must be called and chosen. New Testament priesthood — distinct from the hereditary priesthood of the Old Testament — clearly involves the unique call, gift, and action of God. Men can propose themselves as candidates for priesthood but the Church itself — together with the man in question — must discern whether he has the right blend of gifts necessary for this very challenging ministry. Hence, the long formation process at the seminary. Here in our Archdiocese, we are blessed to have two seminaries — Sacred Heart Major Seminary, which has approximately 40 candidates studying right now for diocesan priesthood here in Detroit, and Orchard Lake Seminary, which works with candidates for ministerial priesthood from Poland who hope to serve in dioceses of the United States.

Priestly formation requires four years of post-graduate work in theology; a bachelor's degree — preferably in the liberal arts or philosophy — is a prerequisite. A vital component of formation is ongoing spiritual direction as well as experiences of pastoral ministry in parishes and hospitals. And formation never ends! Just as all the other professions today require ongoing continuing education, the same is true of priesthood. Priests must read and study, pray and dialogue so they will be fresh, accurate, and articulate in their proclamation of the Gospel.

Priestly celibacy and the Church's judgment regarding candidates for priesthood

People often ask about priestly celibacy: What does it mean and might it change in the future? Some distinctions might be helpful in this regard. First of all, we distinguish celibacy and chastity: Every Christian is called to chastity, that is, being faithful to the vows and commitments of our state of life. For instance, married couples are chaste when they are faithful to each other. A single person is chaste when he or she does not engage in sexual activity, inasmuch as he or she is unmarried. Priests and religious are called to chastity — that is, consecrating themselves to the Lord for the service of the Church, setting aside any exercise of genital sexuality. Priestly celibacy is a commitment on the part of the candidate to live as perfectly as possible his chastity so that he might be a sign of the Kingdom; as the Vatican II teaches us, celibacy "signifies and stimulates pastoral charity and is a special fountain of spiritual fruitfulness on earth" (PO 16).

The Church has always recognized that celibacy is not demanded by the very nature of the priesthood — as evident in the practice of the earliest Church and the tradition of the Eastern Churches. But in general, celibacy accords well with the priesthood and allows the man to be consecrated to Christ with "undivided heart." It is a challenge to live celibacy but it is certainly not impossible; basically, it means trying to love all people rather than focusing on simply one person and the creation of one family. It is also helpful to remember that celibacy is truly a charism or gift of God; the Church chooses from the pool of people who feel they have that calling or gift. In no way should people think of celibacy as a state of life superior to that of married couples. Rather, there is a beautiful and necessary correspondence and complementarity of the different graces of God in the Church.

Will celibacy always be a requirement for candidates to the ministerial priesthood? In the past, obviously there have been priests who have been married. Even today, there are cases of married men who convert from the Anglican faith and then pursue priestly ordination. Could the expectations of the Latin Rite change? Since celibacy is a discipline — not a doctrine — it could change. The same is not true with regard to the inadmissibility of women as candidates for priesthood. Let me explain.

The constant tradition of the Church throughout the centuries, reaffirmed more than once by our late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, has taught that only men can act in the person of Christ, Head of the Body of the Church. Christ was male and we speak of Christ being the "bridegroom" of the Church; the priest represents that bond of love between Christ and His Church and, therefore, must be male. Obviously, women have special gifts and share them for the building up of the Church and society; again here, we need to think of complementarity and sharing of gifts. In the end, it is the Church — through her leaders, the Holy Father and bishops — who must discern who are the proper candidates for priestly ministry.

Celebrating holy orders

If you ever have the chance to participate in an ordination ceremony, I encourage you to do so; it is truly a very moving experience. The Rite of Ordination follows after the Liturgy of the Word and precedes the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The candidates are called forth, and after a brief homily from the presiding bishop, they are asked to state their intentions and pledge their commitment to a life of celibacy, prayer, and service. One by one, they place their hands within the hands of the ordaining bishop and promise their bishop (and his successors) their obedience and respect.

During the Litany of the Saints which follows, the candidates lie prostrate on the floor, a sign of their utter dependence and unworthiness for this ministry. At the end of the Litany of Saints, they kneel before the bishop who imposes hands on their heads; other priests concelebrating at the Ordination join the bishop in this same action. This action of the Imposition of Hands—a Biblical symbol stretching back throughout the centuries—along with the concluding consecratory prayer constitutes the essential moment of ordination. Immediately thereafter, the newly ordained are vested with stole and chasuble. They have their hands anointed for the offering of sacrifice and then receive the chalice and paten as the bishop says, "Accept from the holy people of God the gifts to be offered to Him. Know what you are doing, and imitate the mystery you celebrate: Model your life on the mystery of the Lord's cross." The bishop then offers them the kiss of peace and the liturgy resumes with the newly ordained joining the bishop at the altar in concelebration for the first time.

Discerning a vocation

As I have explained above, priesthood is not simply about a person proposing himself for a particular job. The priesthood is much more than just the fulfillment of various functions. It is ultimately about a whole way of life — hence the importance of the sacramental character and priestly consecration. As members of the Church, each of us needs to take seriously our responsibility to consider whether the Lord might be calling us, or alternatively, whether we know men who might be good candidates for ordination as priests.

Fr. James Bilot and his staff in the Vocations Office regularly visit parishes and schools, encouraging people to consider the possibility of a calling to ministerial priesthood. They work with people over a period of weeks and months as they go through psychological testing and discussion, prayer and spiritual direction, moving toward a decision whether or not to formally apply to the seminary as a candidate for priesthood. The seminary weighs the gifts and strengths of each candidate and considers their suitability for ministry. Once admitted, the process of discernment by the individual and the seminary formation staff continues until a more formal decision is rendered at the time of diaconate and priesthood.

Here in the Archdiocese of Detroit, we are blessed to have a group called the Serra Club, which has as its primary mission prayer for candidates to the priesthood and encouraging vocations to the priesthood. For more than a half-century, they have met on a monthly basis for this very purpose. If you are interested in joining the organization or would like to learn more about them, please feel free to contact them at (313) 883-8771. And of course, Fr. Bilot can be reached at (313) 237-5875.

Concluding thoughts

In the half-century I have been privileged to serve the Church as a priest, many things have changed in the Church, the world, and the priesthood, but essentially, the priesthood remains the same: being Christ's representative in Word and sacrament, calling the Church to growth and unity through sharing of gifts and resources so that we can be a sign of hope and encouragement, an impetus for others to come to know and to love the Lord Jesus. The whole journey has been quite an adventure and I never would have guessed as a little boy growing up in East Vandergrift, Pa., that God would one day use me to help elect a pope and to be chief shepherd of this great Archdiocese of Detroit.

God's gifts and God's call are present for every one of us. For some, it is the gift and call to ministerial priesthood, a voice we discover in the core of our being, something we recognize as God's doing, not our own. I felt that call many decades ago — perhaps in large part because of the goodness of my own parents and their Polish ethnic heritage. In any event, I have tried to respond to that call each day, and although there have been times of challenge, basically, I can attest to the fact it is a life of great joy and satisfaction. It has been a great privilege and joy to know that God has used me to form and shape people in the ways of the Lord, giving them hope and encouragement at critical moments of their journey and sustaining them with the Word of Life and the Bread of Life.

Complementarity of all vocations

Finally, it is important to remember that all Christian vocations complement one another: The example of faithfully married spouses helps priests and religious be true to our commitment of celibacy and/or consecrated chastity. The diversity of ministries in the Church is also a great blessing, and since Vatican II we appreciate more than ever the way these various ministries complement, support, and sustain the life of the Church, while always remembering the unique blessing and gift of the ministerial priesthood. In the months ahead, we will be reflecting on the permanent diaconate, pastoral ministry, and so on. For now, let us rejoice in the gift of the ministerial priesthood and pray for vocations to this great calling.

Sincerely yours in the Lord,
†Adam Cardinal Maida
Archbishop of Detroit