Reclaiming Our Priestly Character

I would not often recommend a book or product on this site, but the new book by Fr. David Toups 'Reclaiming Our Priestly Character' warrants one. He does an excellent job in helping to clarify the doctrine of Priestly Character, and it is a 'must read' for all priests, I am convinced. In only three chapters, he helps to draw out the Church's teaching on priestly identity, attempts (and does so very well) to explain the reasons that this needs to be reclaimed, and gives some excellent suggestions for how to do this.

Further, in an article on Zenit, Fr. Toups gives a little taste of the book:

Q: Your book focuses on recovering what you call the “doctrine of the priestly character.” Can you describe this “doctrine” in a nutshell?

Father Toups: The “doctrine of the priestly character” is about the permanent relationship the priest enters into with Christ the High Priest on the day of his ordination.

The priest is always a priest; he is not a simple functionary who performs ritual actions, but rather he is configured to Christ in the depths of his being by what is called an ontological change.

Christ is working through him at the altar, “This is my Body,” and in the confessional, “I absolve you of your sins,” but also in his daily actions outside the sanctuary.

The character that the priest receives is a comfort to the faithful inasmuch as they realize that their faith is not based in the personality of the priest, but rather the Person of Christ working through the priest.

On the other hand, the priest is called, like all of the faithful, to a life of holiness. The character received at ordination is actually a dynamism for priestly holiness. The more he can assimilate his life to Christ and submit to the gift he received at ordination, the more he will be a credible witness to the faithful and edify the Body of Christ.

Q: Is it your view that the nature of the priesthood is unknown or misunderstood by many priests? Is mandatory “continuing priestly education” the answer?

Father Toups: Studies show that there has been confusion regarding the exact nature of the priesthood among priests themselves depending on the timing of their seminary training.

Immediately following the Second Vatican Council, there was confusion among priests and laity alike about the difference between the priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial priesthood.

Vatican II’s intention was not to suppress one in order to highlight the other, but rather to recognize the universal call to holiness and the dignity of both.

The ministerial priesthood is a specific vocation within the Church in which a man is called by Christ in the apostolic line to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Priests are different by virtue of ordination, as confirmed by the council itself in paragraph 10 of “Lumen Gentium,” which emphasized that the baptized and the ordained share in the one and the same priesthood of Christ, but in a way that differs “in essence and not only in degree.”

This difference certainly does not mean better or even holier -- that would be a major error -- but it does mean that there is a distinction.

Cardinal Avery Dulles points out that, if anything, the priesthood of the faithful is more exalted because the ministerial priesthood is ordered to its service. Hence, a recovery from the confusion lies in the need to understand the balance a priest is to find; he is both a servant and one who has been set aside by Christ and the Church to stand "in persona Christi" -- not as a personal honor, but as “one who has come to serve and not be served.”

The priest need not be embarrassed about this high calling, but should boldly live it out in the midst of the world. Pope John Paul the Great regularly reminded priests: “Do not be afraid to be who you are!”

Holy Thursday

Tonight, we celebrate the start of the Holy Triduum. With the Mass of the Lord's Supper, we remember the love of Christ in giving us not only the example of Service, which He further proves in His acceptance of the Cross. But most important, we remember the giving of the Priesthood and the Eucharist. Intimately tied together, the priesthood exists to provide the Eucharist, which makes the Church. The priest serves the Church, not the other way around!

This wonderful Day's liturgy ends with the transfer of the Blessed Sacrament, while singing the beautiful Pange Lingua, writen in Latin by St. Thomas Aquinas, the most influential theologian on the Eucharist. For our prayer, it is translated here:

Sing, my tongue, the Savior's Glory,
of His flesh the mystery sing;
of the Blood, all price exceeding,
shed by our immortal King,
destined, for the world's redemption,
from a noble womb to spring.

Of a pure and spotless Virgin
born for us on earth below,
He, as Man, with man conversing,
stayed, the seeds of truth to sow;
then He closed in solemn order
wondrously His life of woe.

On the night of that Last Supper,
seated with His chosen band,
He the Pascal victim eating,
first fulfills the Law's command;
then as Food to His Apostles
gives Himself with His own hand.

Word-made-Flesh, the bread of nature
by His word to Flesh He turns;
wine into His Blood He changes;-
what though sense no change discerns?
Only be the heart in earnest,
faith her lesson quickly learns.

Down in adoration falling,
Lo! the sacred Host we hail;
Lo! o'er ancient forms departing,
newer rites of grace prevail;
faith for all defects supplying,
where the feeble sense fail.

To the everlasting Father,
and the Son who reigns on high,
with the Holy Ghost proceeding
forth from Each eternally,
be salvation, honor, blessing,
might and endless majesty.
Amen.

Palm Sunday

Hosanna - save us. This is the cry of the people who lined the streets and placed their coats and palms as Jesus rode by. It is the cry that a child who is in danger cries out to his or her parents. Jesus comes into the city of Jerusalem, His own city, and they cry for salvation.

Just a few days later, the cry is that they want Him to die, to be crucified. In a prophetic statement, they tell Pilate "Let his blood be on us and on our children." Jesus is lead to Calvary, silently offering His life to the Father, and upon the cross pours out His blood. In this, He saves those who are willing to come to Him. By being immersed into His death and Resurrection, by being washed in His blood, we find salvation and healing of sin. Yes, may His blood be on us!

In responding to a vocation, we cry with all our being to Jesus Christ. We cry out that He would save us, lead us, and heal us.

Fifth Sunday of Lent

We hear the story of the raising of Lazarus. In this episode of the life of Christ, we learn something important about Jesus. When he is told that his friend is sick, he simply stays put. A close friend would have started traveling under the news, but Jesus simply states this sickness would demonstrate the glory of God. When He finally goes, he announces that Lazarus is asleep, and He must waken him. Martha, Mary, and the Jewish onlookers all accuse Jesus of not being there and doing all that He could to prevent the death. What a friend, huh?

In the end, though, Jesus knows exactly what he was going to do. He calls for the tomb to be opened. Martha objects - there will be a stench. The tomb is opened though, and Jesus calls Lazarus out, who rises and comes out bound, but alive. What he experienced was the resuscitation, a return to this natural life, and he will die again.

For us, we are so often like Martha and Mary. We might wonder why Jesus is not responding (at least the way we want), and we question whether we are really His friends. Yet, it is for the Glory of God - Jesus knows what he is going to do in our lives. We might object to opening up the places of death - after all, there is s stench around there. Jesus simply speaks our name and a command, and only in listening and responding, can we find freedom.

May we respond to the voice of Jesus calling us into life and freedom!

Fourth Sunday of Lent

We hear the account of the man born blind. The event starts with the question of whose sin prompted him to be born blind. Jesus replies that he is blind that all will see God's glory. Jesus knew what he was going to do. The man is healed, by being faithful to what Jesus Christ asks.
Others cannot believe it is him - it is simply more believable to them that there was someone who looked exactly like him. The validity of the man's claim is questioned, by neighbors, scribes, and the Sanhedrin.
Jesus reminds them, though, that sinful blindness is not being born physically blind, but to be spiritually blind to the point that one cannot see the work of God.

In discerning a vocation, one of our first prayers should be to open our hearts and eyes of our heart. Without this, we could simply ignore the work of God, and ignore His call in our lives. Christ is willing to heal us, if we are willing to let Him.

Third Sunday of Lent

This weekend, we hear the episode of the Samaritan woman at the well. To say this is a chance encounter between Jesus Christ and the woman is to miss the point. This woman was at the well at noon - this is not the typical time to be at wells, gathering your water for the day. There most have been a reason for her to avoid going in the morning, and certainly the fact that she had five husbands and appears to be in an adulterous relationship would have caused her to be shunned even by the Samaritans. She is there out of thirst - no matter how much we protest we need water. Jesus begins to speak to her, asking for a cup of water - and she is surprised that that he, a Jew would even speak to her. The conversation starts on a natural level - he is thirsty, and she is thirsty. But Jesus moves it into a spiritual level - if she knew who he was, she would ask for the living water, the water that flows out on its own and quenches all thirst. She desires this water - it would make her life easier after all. She no longer would need to go to the well, which was a place of great work, but must have been a place of shame, too. She begins to see Jesus as a man, a prophet, and finally the Messiah, the Christ. She goes through a conversion, and she converses with the townspeople. Jesus is calling her to repentance, certainly, but the fruits of conversion are already being seen.

Though it is an error to see priesthood as a career, it is a natural tendancy to initially begin to discern a vocation to the priesthood from the natural level - how am I to provide for myself. But the question needs to deepen and grow. As our faith in Jesus Christ grows, we begin to change our approach. No longer are we searching for the water that satisfies our natural thirst, but we seek the water of life that will lead us to salvation. May the Lord give us this water always!

New Seminarians

We are pleased to belatedly announce the acceptance of 2 new seminarians, both of whom are transfers to St. John Vianney College Seminary at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN. They are Paul Blaschko and Butch Hendrickson. They have been invited to become 'authors' for this blog, as well as the other 5 seminarians from our Diocese. Please continue to pray for all of their discernment!

Second Sunday of Lent

The Transfiguration is the preparation needed for the scandal of the Cross. The apostles Peter, James, and John are led up a mountain where Jesus reveals to them the glory that is his Divine right. He is seen conversing to Moses and Elijah, whose successors He is to be. He is giving a new Law, and He is the Word of God made flesh, fulfilling all prophetic messages. Peter, wrapped in the moment, wants to build tents (or tabernacles or booths, depending on the translation) - he wishes to stay. But it cannot be - Jesus must complete His mission. He refers to it only in veiled language when he tells them that they should not tell anyone until after he rises from the dead.

This event can tell us much about how to live the spiritual life. So often, when we are the midst of great consolation, we might be tempted to build walls to stay there. Yet the nature of the consolation is reveal just a portion of the glory and love of God, a 'grace enough for the moment' of sorts. With the encounter of that light, we walk with Christ, sometimes into the darkness. Often, discernment is the same. There are some moments of profound clarity, where we can see the path ahead for seemingly miles, and there are some moments (unfortunately sometimes too many), where there is confusion, lack of direction. But we continue to walk the path revealed to us, step by step, moment by moment, open to the next encounter with eyes ready to receive it.

Worldly Priests

Cardinal Rode of the Congregation for religious has recent stated that priests are getting too worldly in a story found on Catholic World News. I believe that he is right on - those communities and diocese where the priests and religious has a strict clerical dress or habits, where there a radical choice to live life as called by Christ, vocations seem to be flourishing.

First Sunday of Lent

This weekend, we hear two powerful episodes from the Scriptures - the first being the Fall - how our first parents sinned. This story is a theologically rich story. Eve is speaking with the snake, while Adam simply ignores the conversation. Instead of assisting her in resisting, he is silent. The serpent twists the truth, saying that God is wrong in limiting them from eating of the Tree of Knowledge, that they will not die but that they will become like God. The standard lie is to redefine things - while they physically did not die, at least on the spot, they did experience the death of their relationship with God, between them (they accused and blamed each other), Creation, and even in themselves (aware of their nakedness, they were ashamed).

In the temptation in the Wilderness, Jesus becomes perfectly obedient. While he was hungry and weakened, He was strong, and must have been well nourished by the Word of God - He quotes Deuteronomy to Satan. Satan tells Him if he is the Son of God, to take the rocks and turn them into bread. Satan takes Jesus to the Parapet of the Temple, and tells him to throw himself down and that God would send his angels to protect him. Last, Satan shows him all the Kingdoms of the world, and that he would give them to Jesus if he would just worship. Jesus turns him down, and as a result begins to undo the disobedience in the sin of Adam, and begins to bring the sure for original sin that we have because of Adam and Eve. This will be fully given in the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, in his self-emptying on the Cross. Note, though, that while the temptation was real, it was the grasping that would have been sinful. After all, Jesus turned water into wine and miraculously turned 5 loaves of bread into enough to feed 5000 thousand. He healed the sick, raised the dead, and in His resurrection and ascension does more than land on his feet! Because of his obedience, he is Lord of all, and his name is exalted beyond everything else in heaven and earth!

Our lenten journey of 40 days is an opportunity for us to seek freedom from the lies of Satan and to be obedient to the will of God.

Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time

The first sermon of Jesus recorded in Matthew's Gospel (of five - calling to mind the five books of the Torah) starts with Jesus proclaiming 8 beatitudes - blessed. To the original hearers, it must have taken them a little off-gaurd. After all, isn't having health and wealth, having enough to eat, laughter, etc, a good thing. In the time of Jesus, those who lacked were seen as falling short of God's blessings, and even today we can often hear of preaching that wealth is a sign of God's favor. But Christ preaches the opposite - blessed are the poor, the sorrowful, the meek, the hungry, the merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted. It is a reminder that true blessedness is not in what we do (or even perhaps what we are), but is a state of being in union with God. While we will experience the good and the bad in life, we must allow God to give us His blessing, and receive those blessings.

Third Sunday of Ordinary Time

Light is important - anyone who has walked in the dark through a strange place knows this by experience. The land of the gentiles were dark - not physically of course, but spiritually. Without the guiding light of faith that comes from God (who lead the nation of Israel with a pillar of fire), they were dwelling in gloom. But Christ bursts on to the scene, bringing light and guidance. His first words are a call to conversion - the light they were so desperate for is revealing their sins and need to follow Christ.

Jesus calls the fishermen Peter, Andrew, James and John to follow Him and to become in turn fishers of men - they too were to call others to repentance and call others into the light of the Kingdom of God. Now, 20 centuries later, we continue to be called and to call others. To be fishers of men ourselves, we need to live in the light ourselves, to be living a life of repentance. May the light of Heaven shine on us, casting out all our darkness.

Article on the Ten Suggestions

This month, we mark National Vocations Awareness Week(January 13-18). While so often we single out priesthood and religious life, we know that we need holy husbands and wives, following the model of the Holy Family. We need holy married couples to raise children in an environment of holiness. Any response to the call of God is first made possible by the loving example of family. Without holy families, the chances of responding to a call are greatly diminished, simply because no one has modeled how to respond to any call, whether to priesthood, religious life, the deaconate, the missionary life, or even holy marriage.
There seems to be a certain confusion among parents for the best practices that would open their children’s hearts to responding. Perhaps we should take comfort calling to mind Pentecost – despite all the confusion, it was the work of the Holy Spirit in which we find the trust that God to still be in control. We also know that more than the minimum is necessary. Following the precepts of the Church are the minimum. What follows are some humble ‘hints’ for parents in how to create an environment in which children will be open to hearing God’s voice and responding in love to that call.
1. Develop your relationship with Christ and impart a desire for discipleship in the lives of your children. Especially important would be participating in Eucharistic Adoration and even if possible daily Mass. Silence is necessary for growth (both your own and for your child), and in the presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, we are profoundly touched by His loving embrace. In frequent reception of the Eucharist, we grow in grace and freedom.
2. Live your vocation to marriage out as fully as you can. By responding to your vocation to marriage, asking for the fullness of grace that God offers, you will model to your children how to live and respond to God’s grace.
3. Speak of the holy and influential priests and religious in your life. Sharing these stories helps to show the impact a religious life can have.
4. Provide opportunities for your children to speak with priests and religious. Invite them to your house, or let your children interact with them after Mass or at various functions. Your children will see them as human beings and begin to ask if God might be calling them, too.
5. Pray for your children’s vocations, that they may understand their call, and place them in the care of the Blessed Mother, through praying the rosary as a family. By placing your children’s vocations to her maternal protection, she will lead them to Christ.
6. Speak of your children responding to whatever vocation they have, showing your support of them without pushing them. Be aware that the vocation comes from God, and that their free response will lead them to lasting happiness. Parents walk a fine line between showing support and forcing a response. Let your children know you are pleased by their response to God’s call.
7. Instill in your children a desire to serve and a proper understanding of stewardship. This can be done through your ‘open’ service and stewardship. Let your children see your joy-filled gift of self, and help them to find opportunities to do likewise.
8. Inspire a heroic life of virtue in your child by reading to them or with them about the lives of the saints and encouraging moral choices.
9. Help your child develop a wide range of activities and discern what gives them joy and what their talents are. By knowing their talents and gifts, your child may be able to know what God desires. There are certain skills that are useful in any lifestyle and vocation, and by learning to place these in the service of God, your child will more readily be able to cultivate other ‘specialized’ gifts that will led to discerning God’s will.
10. Develop a sense of the sacred and transcendent in your child. Great art, literature, and music can inspire us and teach us of the human condition.
There is nothing profound in any of these things. Together, we can build a culture for vocations in our homes, parishes, area faith communities, diocese, and world. We can create an environment which enables and encourages all of us to respond more deeply to God’s call. We can inspire our youth to take their proper places at the altar as lay men and women, as religious, as deacons, and priests, together worshipping God with one unified voice of praise!

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

This weekend, our readings invite us to ask how we ourselves are called to be servants and apostles (those sent out) of the Lord. Just as John the Baptist was given a purpose, so to do we. John, though, does something interesting - he forgets who Jesus is, but that the Father had to remind him.

We ask Christ to help us to know how we are called, to watch for the signs, and to respond.

Reflection on the Baptism of the Lord

This weekend, we celebrate another episode of manifestation. Jesus Christ approaches John the Baptist for his baptism for the repentance of sin - the Sinless Creator approaches the 'voice who cried out' to prepare His way. Jesus was not in need of this baptism except as a means to further identify with the rest of humanity. In His act of obedience, Jesus transforms the waters of the Jordan and all the waters of the world (according to the Church Fathers, anyway) to bring us the Baptism of regeneration. Sin is washed away, and we are renewed, restored, and set free to serve God. It is a great mystery that we have in Baptism - it restores us to Grace - the presence of God, the Holy Trinity.

Our life in God begins in Baptism. No matter how old we were when we were Baptized, whether our parents spoke on our behalf (as it is for most of us), or if we made the choice to be baptized, we continue to live out the grace that it brings. In reflecting on our own baptism and perhaps even renewing our Baptismal Vows even through reciting our Creed, we will can respond to God's will. While we may not hear a thunderous voice from the heavens tell us we are His beloved children, we may hear His still, small voice calling us to the next step.

Reasons To Be a Priest

The editors at the National Catholic Register ran an article 7 Reasons To Be a Priest. It is a thoughtful piece filled with great points that have potential to inspire.
The seven reasons are listed here, but read the article to find out what they mean.

First: The World Needs Heroes

Second: To Make Christ Present to More People.

Third: To Forgive Sins.

Fourth: To Be a Living Icon of Christ.

Fifth: To Be Like Mary.

Sixth: To Preach and Teach.

Seventh: To Expand Your Family.

You Cannot Be Serious

For some time, there has been a growing thought against the practice of the faith. Recently, Catholic World News reported of a British lawmaker's take on Catholic Education:

Barry Sheerman, the Labor party lawmaker who chairs a committee on schools, claimed that some Catholic bishops "appear to be taking a much firmer line," the Irish Independent reported. Sheerman said that parliament should question the bishops "to find out what is going on."

Sheerman's ire appeared to be directed at Bishop Patrick O'Donoghue of Lancaster, who has barred "safe-sex" instructions in parochial schools, and Bishop Arthur Roche of Leeds, who clashed with Sheerman over plans for an "inter-faith academy."

The Labor lawmaker argued that parliament should carefully monitor the expenditure of government funds, even at church-administered schools, the Irish Independent said. The newspaper quoted Sheerman as suggesting that religious education is healthy only if the schools do not take faith seriously:

It seems to me that faith education works all right as long as people are not that serious about their faith. But as soon as there is a more doctrinaire attitude questions have to be asked.

So, essential, according to Sheerman, we can teach (and by extension, I would assume, learn) whatever we want as long as we are not serious about any of it. This is so backward. True academia can only be found in holding to the true, timeless principles of life, and to take them seriously. There is no such thing as a mediocre saint - to be holy is to be wholly dedicated to God, and to be serious about holding and teaching the truths of the Church. To be a saint is to reject a life of lawlessness and submit to the life of love and truth as revealed in Christ and His Church!

The critic in me says: It seems to me that parliament style of government works all right as long as the lawmakers are making asinine statements and defending laws and policies that oppress, deceive, and prevent people from seeking the True Good.

Epiphany

In some parts of the Christian world, it is today that they exchange gifts, in honor of the wise men who came to worship Jesus Christ with gifts of Gold, frankincense, and myrrh. A few years ago, I read a little story meant to poke fun at the wise men questioning the wisdom of bringing such gifts. It made me wonder what the gifts may have meant to the givers and to the Holy Family. Gold, of course, we can understand. It is money, or worth money if it is not processed. But frankincense and myrrh - what are these? Frankincense is fine incense, the dried sap of the frankincense tree. When burned, it imparts a gentle odor that covers up strong smells (such as in a barnyard). But it is also a priestly and kingly gift - it was burned in the presence of the king and symbolized the prayers of the faithful rising to God. Myrrh is an even more fascinating item. It, too, is the resin of a tree. It was typically mixed with either wine or oil. In small amounts, myrrh in wine gave it a regal quality due to its ticklish/cooling taste, and in oil, it was a highly sought-after bath oil due to perfumed smell. In large amounts, myrrh-laced wine had a narcotic effect that deadened pain. In heavy amounts in oil, it was used in burials to mask the stench of death and unbeknowst to the ancient, had an antiseptic quality that kept the especially smelly bacteria inactive until the tomb was closed. Did the wise men understand that the gifts to be particularity fitting for the Son of God, made flesh, who would offer his life for us? Even if not, myrrh, until recently, could be found in diaper rash ointments! Let us bring our own gifts, fit for our savior.

Reflection on the Feast of the Holy Family

This weekend, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. Held within the Octave of Christmas, we remember that Jesus Christ, Son of God, is born into a family, and that He submits to St. Joseph's paternal protection and the Blessed Virgin Mary's Maternal nurturing. It is through His family that Jesus understood His humanity on an experiential level. Yes, He 'knew' what it meant to be human - He had a role in creating humanity, after all. But in taking on flesh, in becoming man for us, He now experiences it, and because of it, redeems all of humanity.

Most of us have families that more or less are attempting to follow the model of the Holy Family. Families have an important role in helping us discern our vocations. It is through the modeling of holy parents that children learn of God's love for us, and become willing and eager to respond. This does not mean, however, that in families where this is not the case that the child has no hope - we are never without hope - but that there is the difficulty. In most cases, the child has to be embraced, knowingly or unknowingly, by a father-figure at least, and perhaps even a mother-figure. It could be a grandparent, teacher, neighbor, or parent of a friend. We need families to help us understand our vocations!

Christmas Reflections

Christ is born for us. The Son of God is the Word become flesh, and dwells among us. He is the fulfillment of every human longing, giving us salvation, hope, and joy. He is Emmanuel - God with us. Is it any wonder that Angels offer a mighty song of praise? Is it any wonder that the shepherds made haste to see the child Jesus laid in the manger? Is it any wonder that the Star led the way of the wise men to worship the new born king? The true wonder is that God would choose to save us in such a way!

One of my favorite Christmas hymns, among many, is "What Child is This". Set to Greensleeves, even the melody is hauntingly simple. But the theology of the song is beautiful. I offer it for your Christmas Reflections.

What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?


CHORUS: This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.


Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.


Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.


So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,
Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.


Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary

Merry Christmas! May Christ Jesus fulfill in us the salvation He gives!