PRIESTS: SERVANTS OR S ARMANS?
LAWRENCE CROSS
LL THE PEOPLE of the Church have decade past. Perhaps this was more from been shamed by the clerical sexual embarrassment than fear of censure Aabuse scandals that have ravaged the Let it be clear from the outset that, Church over the last two decades, and none particularly in the face of recent events, the more so than the priests. So maybe it is time to exercise of the priesthood in the Catholic look at one of the possible strands that may communion is in need both of aggiornamento contribute to the phenomenon of the pedophile and support. Whether the ' ear of the Priest' priest. This particular strand has many names, achieved this is uite another matter. Indeed, but for the present we might call it 'angelism', a the statements on priesthood inaugurating term to cover the pietistic miasma and practices that special year may indicate that Rome has descending from ansenism to the present day theologically shot itself in the foot. and that have passed themselves off as In a speech in Rome on 2 une, Pope Catholic spirituality. But most alarmingly, a Benedict declared that 'The priest is a slave of resurgent attempt to elevate the priest to a Christ in the sense that his existence, status of being above all others in the Church, ontologically configured to Christ, takes on demonstrates that life-denying ansenism is an essentially relational character'. On the same alive and well in Catholic seminaries and day, citing his own observations from years houses of priestly formation. past, the Pope identified what he believes to When Pope Benedict I opened the year be the two contrasting and even opposed for the priesthood on Friday 1 une 2 he concepts of priesthood that are employed in endorsed the idea that priests are the formation of clergy. 'On the one hand a fundamentally different spiritual beings from social-functional understanding on the other the rest of humanity. This idea is gaining hand there is the sacramental-ontological momentum and is still being taught in understanding.' Priesthood declares the Pope, seminaries and from the point of view of the is 'anchored in the being of the minister.' As it eastern Churches, and the Apostolic tradition happens, neither of these concepts represent for that matter, is as close as it gets to being the Tradition, but the 'ontological change' crypto-heretical. theory is that espoused increasingly from the It the same week of Pope Benedict's latter part of ohn Paul II's pontificate. Cardinal pronouncement, Nicholas Lash cited Rat inger was one of its chief ideologues. Newman's warning that 'the Church is never Then, as Pope, he was very much 'spokesman in greater danger than when a Pope becomes for his own party'. the spokesman for his own party.' ( e a et, However. the honour for the most 27 une 2 ) This is exactly what is occurring extravagant insistence on ontological change in Rome and a particular theological issue, has to be that of ohn Cardinal O'Connor in an embedded in Rome's announcement of the address in Fatima on une 18, 1 , ‘The ' ear of the Priest', raises the alarm. It also is Necessity of Continuing Formation for the surprising that the theologians of the wider Priest’. The Cardinal uses the word ontological Catholic world have not reacted to this a five times in almost as many sentences and
11 COMPASS finishes with ridiculous analogies drawn from r riest r La ren e the mystery of the Holy Incarnation and from ross is t e astor the transforming consecration of the o o rinit St eucharistic elements. He deserves to be cited i o as ussian in full. The saddest thing about this Fatima at o i ur in ast address is that not one of the clergy or faithful St i da and eader o t e present on that day cried out, 'nonsense ' ussian antine at o i ission in Above all, formation, the Pontiff tells us, must ustra ia be rooted in 'awareness of the s e i i onto ogi a ond which unites the priesthood to Christ the High Priest and Good Shepherd'. n. 11 In my udgment, this concept of the dissemination of this novelty. A good example ontological nature of the priesthood, is critical. of how this word is generally understood in We don't ust put on vestments; we don't ust theological circles came to light during the first receive an assignment. Neither makes us priests. visit to the United States of His All-Holiness We e ome priests at ordination. There is an 'ontological change' in our spiritual nature. Such the Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew of is a profound mystery. Is it too bold an analogy Constantinople in 1 1. In a speech at the to compare the change to Christ the Son of God's University of Georgetown he said that the retaining His ivinity while becoming a man separation between the Eastern and Western Or to observe that after bread becomes the Sacred churches was not merely one of geography, Body of Christ, it still tastes like bread and structure, or religious law. Rather, he declared, feels like bread, but is now the Body of Christ 'the manner in which we exist has become There has been an ontological change. A cup of ontologically different.' Ecumenical panic wine still smells like wine and tastes like it, but ensued on both sides. The Patriarch later it is now the Blood of Christ. At ordination an declared he did not intend this literally. He onto ogi a change takes place. meant something like er di erent. The use of the term 'ontological' and On the uestion of priestly ordination there 'ontologically' is novel and risky. The Fathers is indeed solid tradition, from the time of the of Nicaea in 2 A agoni ed over the use of Fathers variously expressed, concerning the omoousios realising that it was a risk to character bestowed upon the one ordained. introduce a philosophical term with no biblical Words such as 'indelible', 'mark' and 'grace' or theological pedigree into the deliberations spring to mind, but ontological change is a on the uestion of identity of being in the Holy bridge too far, much too far. Priesthood is not Trinity. Introduce it they did because there merely functional, nor does it involve was no other way of expressing orthodoxy. ontological transformation. The Eastern Scripture could not provide the term. The same Christian approach to the matter, always degree of caution should be exercised before liturgical in nature, may help clarify the issue, using 'ontological change' which strictly e orandi, e redendi. At the Great Entrance means a change in being, that something new in the By antine ivine Liturgy the priest or has come to be in the world. bishop prays, Admittedly many use the word onto ogi a By the power of the Holy Spirit, make me very loosely and in areas other than theology worthy—since I am clothed with the grace of and generally mean di erent, which is the word the priesthood—to stand before your holy altar with which onto ogi a is often paired in a and consecrate your sacred and immaculate body kind of tautology. However, that is not how it and precious blood. is being used by the Pope and the atican An ontologically changed being is not theological school responsible for the speaking here, but your sinful and unprofitable
12 PRIESTS: SER ANTS OF SHARMANS servant to whom the Holy Spirit is faithful Altar, to proclaim the Gospel of your ingdom, because of the grace bestowed, by that same to minister the word of your truth, to offer you Holy Spirit, at ordination. The ordination spiritual gifts and sacrifices, to renew your prayers say this clearly. The Christian priest is people through the bath of regeneration. no shaman, which the use of onto ogi a Clearly it is the Holy Spirit who will make ange can imply. Rather, up whatever is lacking in this unworthy ivine Grace, which always heals, that which candidate. is infirm, and completes that which is wanting, Pushed too far, Rome may be generating elevates, through the laying-on of hands, the yet another ecumenical theological obstacle most devout (Subdeacon to eacon, eacon to with the Orthodox Church which most definitely Priest). Wherefore, let us pray for him, that the does not subscribe to the theory of ontological Grace of the All-Holy Spirit may come upon change. It will also cause little surprise to learn him. that the atican theological school also uses The second prayer at ordination makes it this novel theory to bolster the argument for even clearer. clerical celibacy. That is another story. o you, the same Lord, fill with the gift of your However, the connection between the angelic, Holy Spirit this man whom it has pleased you ontologically changed man who falls from to advance to the degree of Priest, that he may grace into shameful sexual abuse is a strand in be worthy to stand in innocence before your the tangled skein that deserves to be examined.
nd t en, e does somet ing t at t e dis i es don’t understand as ing t e eet n t at time, t is as usua , it as ustomar , e ause en t e eo e arri ed in a ome, t eir eet ere dirt it t e dust o t e road t ere ere no o estones at t at time ere ere dust roads nd at t e entran e to t e ouse, t e as ed t eir eet t as not done t e master o t e ouse ut t e s a es at as t e tas o a s a e nd i e a s a e, esus as es our eet, t e eet o is dis i es, and t at is e sa s at am doing ou do not no no , ut a ter ard ou i understand’ n esus’ o e is so great t at e e ame a s a e to ser e us, to ea us, to eanse us oda , in t is ass, t e ur ou d i e t e riest to as t e eet o eo e, in memor o t e ost es ut in our earts e must e ertain, e must e sure t at, en t e Lord as es our eet, e as es us entire , e uri ies us, e ets us ee is o e et again ere is a er eauti u rase in t e i e, t e ro et saia sa s an a mot er orget er i d ut e en i a mot er ou d orget er i d, i ne er orget ou’ od’s o e or us is i e t is nd toda i as t e eet o o ou, ut a o ou are in t ese rot ers and sisters, a o ou, e er one er one o i es ere ou re resent t em ut too need to e as ed t e Lord, and or t is ou ra during t e ass, t at t e Lord a so as a a m im urities, t at mig t e ome a etter ser ant to ou, a etter s a e at t e ser i e o t e eo e, as esus as —Pope Francis, oly Thursday, 2015.
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