"Bishops rule the Church but it is the priests who do most of the work" | Fr. Kenneth Baker, S.J. | Editorial for the August/September 2009 issue of Homiletic & Pastoral Review
On
March 16 in a talk to the Congregation of the Clergy Pope Benedict XVI
announced that he was declaring a “Year for Priests” to begin on June
19, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, and to end on June 19,
2010. This special year dedicated to the priesthood affects all of us
who have been ordained for service in the Church.
The Pope lists
two main purposes for the Year for Priests: 1) “to encourage priests in
striving for spiritual perfection on which, above all, the
effectiveness of their ministry depends”; and 2) to make clear to all
“the importance of the priest’s role and mission in the Church and in
contemporary society.”
Bishops rule the Church but it is priests
who do most of the work. Priests are appointed by the bishop to be his
representatives in parishes and in many other works of the diocese. It
is common knowledge among priests that, if the bishop mandates
something and the pastors do not support it, very little will be done.
An example of this is a special collection that the pastors do not
support. If they do not promote it, it will bring in very little money.
Priests
have taken a big hit since Vatican II, especially with regard to the
sex abuse scandals in the USA and elsewhere. A few traitors among us,
abusing children and teenagers, have tarnished the reputation of all of
us. It will take time and sacrificial service on the part of priests to
restore the good will and good reputation which priests once enjoyed.
At the present time there are many who suspect all of us of being a
danger to children, even though the guilty ones were small in number
percentage-wise and the vast majority of priests are faithful, chaste
servants of the Lord.
A wonderful commentary, and I might offer the amendment: "Bishops rule the Church, but it is priests and the Pope who do most of the work"
Posted by: Robert Miller | Friday, August 07, 2009 at 12:18 PM