First pf all, the Sacrament of Holy Orders is conferred in three ranks of clergy: Bishops, Priests, and Deacons.
Bishop:
Priest:
“Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in THE PRIESTS of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." (James 5:14)
Deacon:
"Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ; to all the saints in Christ Jesus, who are at Philippi, with the bishops and DEACONS." (Philippians 1:1)
I think it is a fair assumption to say that Protestant claims against Holy Orders rests in the notion that the Priesthood, as understood by Catholics, is not Scriptural. After all, Protestants assume if they can destroy the Catholic Priesthood then all the rest of the Sacraments fall.
In a previous blog we've looked at the Apostles as Bishops, and we've seen there are successors to the Apostles in their Office. But, is there are particular verse in Scripture that Protestants believe undermines the Catholic Priesthood? And, should we call any man "Father?"
Protestants interpret the following verses and say the Catholic understanding of the Priesthood has to be false because in the New Testament there is only one Priest, Jesus Christ.
In Hebrews 7:22-25 we read:
22: "By so much is Jesus made a surety of a better Testament."
23: "And the others indeed were made many priests, because by reason of death they were not suffered to continue."
24: "But this, for that he continues forever, has an everlasting priesthood."
25: "Whereby he is able also to save forever them that come to God by him; always living to make intercession for us."
When Protestants, and others, see there are "many priests" in the Catholic Church they conclude this is evidence that Catholics have a wrong understanding of the Priesthood in the New Testament. But they have come to a false conclusion.
In 1st Peter 2:5 we read:
5: "Be you also as living stones built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."
And in 1st Peter 2:9 we read:
9: "But you are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people" that you may declare his virtues, who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
It would please Jesus to take from among the common Priesthood those He would select for the "Ministerial Priesthood" in His Church. In fact, Jesus spent the entire night in prayer before He selected those who would be His apostles.
In Luke 6: 12-13 we read:
12: "And it came to pass in those days that he went out into a mountain to pray, and he passed the whole night in the prayer of God."
13: "And when day was come, he called unto Him his disciples; and he chose twelve of them (whom he also named apostles)."
This shows we are no longer talking about the common priesthood of the Mystical Body of Christ. And He is the one choosing, not us.
In John 15:16 we read:
16: "You have not chosen me: but I have chosen you, and have APPOINTED you, that you should go, and should bring forth fruit; and your fruit should remain: that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you."
And we know that St. Paul was also called to the Ministerial Priesthood. He even speaks about the "Doctrine of the Imposition of Hands."
In 1st Timothy 4:14 we read:
14: "Neglect not the grace that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with IMPOSITION OF THE HANDS OF THE PRIESTHOOD."
Now let us look at the word "Priest."
It comes from the Greek word "Presbuteros," and is also known as "Presbyter," or "Presbyters," as a contraction of the word "Presbuteros." So let us look closer.
In the Greek Lexicon we find the original word "presbu.terov," an adjective, is transliterated as "Presbuteros."
In the secular world it means:
- Elder of age
- The elder of two people
- Advance in life, an elder, a senior
- Forefather
- Members of the Great Council or Sanhedrin (because in early times the rulers of the people, judges, etc., were selected from elderly men).
- Of those who is separate cities managed pubic affairs and administered justice.
- Those who presided over the assemblies (or churches). The New Testament uses the term "Bishops, Elders, and Presbyter" interchangeably.
- The Twenty four members of the heavenly Sanhedrin, or court seated on thrones around the throne of God.
16: "That I should be the minister of Christ Jesus among the Gentiles; sanctifying the Gospel of God that the oblation of the Gentiles may be made acceptable and sanctified in the Holy Ghost."
Jesus also gave the Keys to the Kingdom in Matthew 16:19 which reads:
19: "And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven."
Do we see Christ confirm His selection of men that He appointed as "Ministerial Priests?"
Yes, in Luke 10:16 we read:
"He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me reject him who sent me."
And St. Paul reconfirms, and even terms the "Ministerial Priests" as Ambassadors of God through whom God appeals to the Corinthians to be reconciled to God.
In 2nd Corinthians we read:
"So, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."
Do we see other instances where the Priests of the Church are called to Ministerial duties?
Yes, in James 5: 14-15 we read:
14: "Is any man sick among you? LET HIM BRING IN THE PRIESTS OF THE CHURCH, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord."
15: "And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man: and the Lord shall raise him up: and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven."
Do we see any evidence that distinguishes a Bishop as having authority over Priests who are not Bishops?
Yes. The word "Episkipos" which means "Bishop."
In 1st Peter 2:25 we read:
25: "For you were as sheep going astray; but you are now converted to the shepherd and BISHOP of your souls."
If Protestants want to say "Episkopos" means "Elder" when referring to the Apostles, or "Overseers," nothing changes. As we know, Bishops have a right, a responsibility, and a duty to ordain men as Priests and Deacons for every Church so that Priests can provide the Sacraments for the flock to which he is appointed.
In Acts 14:22 we read:
22: "AND WHEN THEY HAD ORDAINED TO THEM PRIESTS IN EVERY CHURCH, and had prayed with fasting (the doctrine prayer and Penance which Protestants reject) they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed."
Are Priests to be esteemed for their Office, in spite of their failings? Yes.
In 1st Timothy 5:17 we read:
17: "Let the Priests that rule we be esteemed worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine."
Alright, if there was ONE ISSUE that Protestants are most confused about concerning the Catholic Priesthood it would be the following.
Without doubt, it is the issue of Celibacy. Protestants think the Catholic Church teaches that Celibacy is a "Dogma." The Catholic Church actually teaches it is only a "discipline" which the Pope is free to change at any time he wishes. And what most Protestants are not aware of, is that the discipline of the Eastern Catholic Church is different. There are over 20 Catholic Rite, all under the Pope, that are allowed to ordain married men. And the Pope also allows married men who convert from the Lutheran and Episcopalian denominations to the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church to be ordained Priests as well.
Can a Priest get married AFTER he is ordained? No, they cannot. Once they are ordained they can never contract a valid marriage in the eyes of the Church. And if they are married and then ordained, if their wife were to die, he is obligated to be celibate for the remainder of his life. And even in these Rites, the Bishops generally come from Monastic Orders and are celibate.
As to the question about celibacy, Protestants want to pretend this is an invention of the Church as though it came up with it out of the blue. The facts are quite different. The Protestant position actually collides with St. Paul and Jesus Christ Himself.
Jesus and St. Paul both counseled for celibacy for the Priesthood.
In Matthew 19: 10-13 we read:
10: "His disciples say unto him: If the case of a man with his wife be so, it is not expedient to marry."
11: "Who said to them: All men take not this word, but they to whom it is given."
12: "For there are eunuchs, who were born so from their mother' s womb: and there are eunuchs, who were made so by men: and there are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven."
This would mean it is important to be constant in both Marriage AND Celibacy. A failure to live as one ought to live in either state of life is a failure of the vocation itself. But Jesus said more about Celibacy.
In Mark 10: 29-30 we read:
29: "Jesus answering, said: Amen I say to you, there is no man who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands, for my sake and for the gospel."
30: "Who shall not receive a hundred times as much, now in this time; houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions: and in the world to come life everlasting."
And what did St. Paul say about celibacy? He reiterates what Jesus said.
In 1st Corinthians 7:2, 6-9 we read:
2: "Let every man have his own wife."
So, Protestants conclude that St. Paul is exhorting the unmarried to get married. On the contrary, he exhorts men NOT to get married. But he does not do so by way of a commandment, rather by way of indulgence.
6: "But I speak this by indulgence, not by commandment."
7: "For I would that all men were even as myself: but every one hath his proper gift from God; one after this manner, and another after that."
8: "But I say to the unmarried, and to the widows: It is good for them if they so continue, even as I."
9: "But if they do not contain themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn."
And in 1st Corinthians 7: 27-29 we read:
27: "Art thou bound to a wife? Seek not to be loosed. Are thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife."
28: "But if thou take a wife, thou hast not sinned. And if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned: nevertheless, such shall have tribulation of the flesh. But I spare you."
29: "This therefore I say, brethren; the time is short; it remains that they also who have wives, be as if they had none."
And in verse 32-38 we read:
32: "But I would have you to be without solicitude. He that is without a wife, is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please God."
33: "But he that is with a wife, is solicitous for the tings of the world, how he may please his wife: and he is divided."
34: "And the unmarried woman and the virgin think on things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she that is married thinks of the things of the world, how she may please her husband."
35: "And this I speak for your profit: not to cast a snare upon you; but for that which his decent, and which may give you power to attend upon the Lord, without impediment."
36: "But if any man think that he seems dishonored with regard to his virgin, for that she is above the age, and it must be so: let him do what he will; he sins not if she marry."
37: "For he that has determined being steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but having power of his own will; and has judged this in his heart, to keep his virgin, does well."
38: "Therefore, both he that takes his virgin in Marriage, does well, and he that takes her not does better."
What about the qualifications of a Bishop? Are they required to be married?
In 1st Timothy 3: 2-5 we read:
2: "It behooves therefore a bishop to be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, prudent, of good behavior, chaste, given to hospitality, a teacher."
3: "Not given to wine, no striker, but modest, not quarrelsome, not covetous, but."
4: "One that rules well his own house, having his children in subjection with all chastity."
5: "But if a man knows not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?"
St. Paul was himself a Bishop and leader in the Church. He was the one writing the very verses which Protestants cite to attack the Church saying a Bishop must be married. That would make St. Paul a hypocrite. He was a "Celibate Bishop" because he was NOT married. So, according to their own words, St. Paul was disqualified to teach a single thing because he was an imposter Bishop and a false leader in the Church.
St. Paul had exhorted and counseled men telling them it is better to be celibate as Priests and Bishops so they can serve the Church undivided. Now if a priest was divided as a married man, how much more a Bishop would be divided were he to be married with all the responsibilities that a Bishop carries.
What about those who call the Catholic Church an apostate church because it forbids marriage? First of all, there is a difference between a "Dogma" and a "Discipline." You cannot be an apostate Church over a discipline.
In 1st Timothy 4:3 we read:
3: "Forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful and by them that have known the truth."
Protestants fail to see several things here. No one has a RIGHT to be a Priest. Christ calls, and no one can demand. The priesthood is a Marriage between the Church and a person called to the Priesthood. And like any other Marriage, both must be willing to consent to each other. And if the Church says celibacy is the norm, those are the conditions to enter into the marriage.
Furthermore, let the Protestant show where the discipline of celibacy prevents a man from being married? No one is "obligation" to take a vow of celibacy because no one is "obligated to become a Priest." Any man who does not wish to become a Priest is free to marry any time he wishes. The Church does not forbid anyone from marrying. In fact, the Church will bless the Marriage as a Sacrament.
Entrance into the Priesthood is a Marriage between a Priest and the Church which is now his spouse. So when the Church speaks of celibacy it is the same fidelity required of a man who is married to a woman. He too must be faithful to his bride in the Priesthood of Christ.
One major thing which Protestants conveniently overlook is that celibacy ii a Priest is modeled after the Priesthood of Jesus Christ Himself who was CELIBATE.
Let us look now at the Protestant claim that we are to call no man FATHER.
Protestants cite Matthew 23:9 which reads:
9: "Call no man your FATHER on earth, for you have ONE FATHER who is in heaven."
We must understand what Christ was speaking of when He said this.
Is God guilty of telling us to violate His own Commandments not to call any man on earth "Father" when he told us to "Honor thy FATHER and Mother?" In fact, Jesus Himself would be guilty of misleading us by referring to the 10 Commandments if we were not to use the word "Father."
This is how foolish Protestants have become in their desperation to attack the Priesthood because they know the Priesthood is the foundation of the Sacramental life in the Church.
When Christ said we are to call no man "Father" He was not speaking about our biological fathers, nor was He condemning the use of the word "Father" regarding church leaders. He was only attacking the arrogance found in the Jewish leaders of His day.
I would point out that the word "Father" is used 841 times in the Old Testament, and 81 times in the New Testament. That is a total of 922 instances of the word "Father" being used in Scripture. It's used when speaking of biological Fathers, ancestral Fathers, and Spiritual Fathers that are NOT God.
In James 2:21 we read:
21: "Was not Abraham our FATHER justified by works, offering up Isaac his son upon the altar."
We are going to take a look at a typical example of How Sola Scriptura loses "Scriptural Contextual Objectivity" and ends up corrupting Scripture.
In Matthew 23: 8-10 we read:
8: "But you are not to be called RABBI, for you have ONE TEACHER, and you are all brethren."
9: "And call no man your FATHER on earth, for you have ONE FATHER, who is in heaven."
10: "Neither be called MASTERS, for you have ONE MASTER, the Christ."
Jesus was going after the Jewish leaders who corrupted the faith. They were usurping God's glory. He sought them out and criticized them for their love and need to be honored by men as Rabbi's, Fathers, and Teachers. But Protestants do not want to look at this "fact."
In Matthew 23: 6-7 we read:
6: "And they love the first places at feasts, and the first chairs in the synagogues."
7: "And salutations in the market place, and to be called by men, Rabbi."
Protestant fail to see there are times that Jesus would use "hyperbole" to make a point.
In Matthew 5:29 we read:
29: "If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away: it is better that you lose one of your members than your whole body be thrown into hell."
Does this mean we are supposed to pluck out our eyes so that we are not tempted to lust, and to pride? No, Jesus is not telling us to "Hack off members of our body."
Jesus went after the Scribes and Pharisees to show them that God is the ultimate teacher. Tis was use of hyperbole, pure and simple.
Furthermore, why would Jesus say call no man "Teacher" and then appoint men to go out into the world to "Teach?"
In Matthew 28:20 we read:
20: "TEACHING them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world."
In 1st Timothy 2:7 we read:
7: "Whereunto I am appointed a preacher and an apostle, (I say the truth, I lie not) a TEACHER of the Gentiles in faith and truth."
In 2nd Timothy 1: 11 we read:
11: "Wherein I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and TEACHER of the Gentiles."
In 1st Corinthians 12:28 we read:
28: "And God indeed hath set some in the Church; first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly TEACHERS; after that miracles, then the graces of healing, helps, governments, kinds of tongues, interpretation of speeches."
In Ephesians 4: 11 we read:
11: "And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelist, and others some pastors and DOCTORS."
What about Protestants who would argue some interpretations render "Teacher" to be "Doctor." Does that change anything? No, not at all.
First, Protestants do not have the "official" canon of Scripture. The Catholic Church in the only one authorized to interpret Scripture. Second, Protestants conveniently neglect "etymology" which deals with the root meaning and origin of words. The word "Doctor" is the Latin word for "Teacher."
And what about the word "Master?"
The titles of "Mister, Mistress, Mr., Mrs., Miss, Mz., Miz., and Ms/." are derived from the word "Master."
Then, we have the "Father" relationships to the faithful among the Apostles.
St. Paul is fatherless. He had no biological children of his own, but we have evidence of St. Paul being a Spiritual "Father" to the children of God.
In 1st Corinthians 4: 14-15 we read:
14: "I write not these things to confound you; but I admonish you as my Dearest Children."
15: "For if you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, by the gospel, I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU."
We see the same in 1st Corinthians 4:17 which reads:
17: "For this cause have I sent you Timothy, who is my dearest son and faithful in the Lord; who will put you in mind of my ways, which are in Christ Jesus, as I TEACH everywhere in every Church."
In 2nd Corinthians 12:14 we read:
14: "Behold now the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome unto you. For I seek not the things that are yours, but you. For neither ought the children to lay up for the parents but the parents for the children."
And in Galatians 4:19 we read:
19: "My little children, of whom I am in labor again, until Christ be formed in you."
In Philippians 2:22 we read:
22: "Now you know the proof of him, that as a son with the father, so has he served with me in the Gospel."
In 2nd Timothy 1:2 we read:
2: "To Timothy my dearly beloved son, grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from Christ Jesus our Lord."
In Titus 1:4 we read:
4: "To Titus my beloved son, according to the common faith, grace and peace from God the Father, and from Christ Jesus our Savior."
And in Philemon 1:10 we read:
10: "I beseech thee for my son, whom I have begotten in my bands, Onesimus."
And do any of the other Apostles refer to themselves as "Fathers?"
Yes, St. Peter and St. John did as well.
In 1st Peter 5:13 we read:
13: "The church is in Babylon, elected together with you, salutes you: and so does my son Mark."
In 1st John 2:1 we read:
1: "My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. But if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just."
In 3rd John 1:4 we read:
4: "I have no great grace than this, to hear that my children walk in truth."
More importantly, does God Himself ever refer to an earthly man as a "Father?"
Yes , in many instances. One such example of this is seen in Isaiah 22:21 where God calls Eliakim shall be the "Father" to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
21: "And I will clothe him with thy robe, and will strengthen him with thy girdle, and will give thy power into his hand: and he shall be as a FATHER to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Juda."
The Protestant claim that we are prohibited from using the word "Father" is patently absurd. I will cite 81 instances of references of the title of "Father" in the New Testament. They are as follows:
Matthew 2:22, Matthew 3:9, Matthew 4:21, Matthew 4:22, Matthew 8:21, Matthew 10:21, Matthew 10:35, Matthew 10:37, Matthew 15:4, Matthew 15:5, Matthew 15:6, Matthew 19:5, Matthew 19:19, Matthew 19:29, Mark 1:20, Mark 5:40, Mark 7:10, Mark 7:11, Mark 7:12, Mark 9:20, Mark 9:23, Mark 10:7, Mark 10:19, Mark 10:29, Mark 13:12, Mark 15:21, Luke 1:32, Luke 1:62, Luke 1:67, Luke 1:73, Luke 2:33, Luke 2:48, Luke 3:8, Luke 8:50, Luke 8:51, Luke 9:43, Luke 9:59, Luke 11:11, Luke 12:53, Luke 14:26, Luke 15:12, Luke 15:18, Luke 15:20, Luke 15:21, Luke 15:22, Luke 15:27, Luke 15:28, Luke 15:29, Luke 16:24, Luke 16:27, Luke 16:30, Luke 18:20, John 4:12, John 6:42, John 8:38, John 8:39, John 8:53, John 8:56, John 18:13, Acts 4:25, Acts 7:2, Acts 7:4, Acts 7:14, Acts 16:1, Acts 16:3, Acts 28:8, Romans 4:1, Romans 4:11, Romans 4:12, Romans 4:16, Romans 4:17, Romans 4:18, Romans 9:10, Ephesians 5:31, Ephesians 6:2, Philippians 2:22, 1 Thessalonians 2:11, 1 Timothy 5:1, Hebrews 7:10, Hebrews 12:7, James 2:21.
I'd like now to turn to what the Early Church Fathers had to say about the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
From Ignatius of Antioch we read:
“Now, therefore, it has been my privilege to see you in the person of your God-inspired bishop, Damas; and in the persons of your worthy presbyters, Bassus and Apollonius; and my fellow-servant, the deacon, Zotion. What a delight is his company! For he is subject to the bishop as to the grace of God, and to the presbytery as to the law of Jesus Christ.” (Letter to the Magnesians, 2, A.D. 110)
“Take care to do all things in harmony with God, with the bishop presiding in the place of God, and with the presbyters in the place of the council of the apostles, and with the deacons, who are most dear to me, entrusted with the business of Jesus Christ, who was with the Father from the beginning and is at last made manifest.” (Letter to the Magnesians, 6:1)
"Take care, therefore, to be confirmed in the decrees of the Lord and of the apostles, in order that in everything you do, you may prosper in body and in soul, in faith and in love, in Son and in Father and in Spirit, in beginning and in end, together with your most reverend bishop; and with that fittingly woven spiritual crown, the presbytery; and with the deacons, men of God. Be subject to the bishop and to one another as Jesus Christ was subject to the Father, and the apostles were subject to Christ and to the Father; so that there may be unity in both body and spirit.” (Letter to the Magnesians, 13:1–2)
“Indeed, when you submit to the bishop as you would to Jesus Christ, it is clear to me that you are living not in the manner of men but as Jesus Christ, who died for us, that through faith in his death you might escape dying. It is necessary, therefore, and such is your practice that you do nothing without the bishop, and that you be subject also to the presbytery, as to the apostles of Jesus Christ our hope, in whom we shall be found, if we live in him. It is necessary also that the deacons, the dispensers of the mysteries (Sacraments) of Jesus Christ, be in every way pleasing to all men. For they are not the deacons of food and drink, but servants of the Church of God. They must therefore guard against blame as against fire.” (Letter to the Trallians 2:1–3, A.D. 110)
“In like manner let everyone respect the deacons as they would respect Jesus Christ, and just as they respect the bishop as a type of the Father, and the presbyters as the council of God and college of the apostles. Without these, it cannot be called a church. I am confident that you accept this, for I have received the exemplar of your love and have it with me in the person of your bishop. His very demeanor is a great lesson and his meekness is his strength. I believe that even the godless do respect him.” (Letter to the Trallians, 3:1–2)
“He that is within the sanctuary is pure; but he that is outside the sanctuary is not pure. In other words, anyone who acts without the bishop and the presbytery and the deacons does not have a clear conscience.” (Letter to the Trallians, 7:2)
“I cried out while I was in your midst, I spoke with a loud voice, the voice of God: ‘Give heed to the bishop and the presbytery and the deacons.’ Some suspect me of saying this because I had previous knowledge of the division certain persons had caused; but he for whom I am in chains is my witness that I had no knowledge of this from any man. It was the Spirit who kept preaching these words, ‘Do nothing without the bishop, keep your body as the temple of God, love unity, flee from divisions, be imitators of Jesus Christ, as he was imitator of the Father.’” (Letter to the Philadelphians, 7:1–2, A.D. 110)
From Clement of Alexandria we read:
“A multitude of other pieces of advice to particular persons is written in the holy books: some for presbyters, some for bishops and deacons; and others for widows, of whom we shall have opportunity to speak elsewhere.” (The Instructor of Children 3:12:97:2, A.D. 191)
“Even here in the Church the gradations of bishops, presbyters, and deacons happen to be imitations, in my opinion, of the angelic glory and of that arrangement which, the scriptures say, awaits those who have followed in the footsteps of the apostles and who have lived in complete righteousness according to the gospel.” (Miscellanies 6:13:107:2, A.D. 208)
From Hippolytus we read:
“When a deacon is to be ordained, he is chosen after the fashion of those things said above, the bishop alone in like manner imposing his hands upon him as we have prescribed. In the ordaining of a deacon, this is the reason why the bishop alone is to impose his hands upon him: he is not ordained to the priesthood, but to serve the bishop and to fulfill the bishop’s command. He has no part in the council of the clergy, but is to attend to his own duties and is to acquaint the bishop with such matters as are needful.
"On a presbyter, however, let the presbyters impose their hands because of the common and like Spirit of the clergy. Even so, the presbyter has only the power to receive the Spirit, and not the power to give the Spirit. That is why a presbyter does not ordain the clergy; for at the ordaining of a presbyter, he but seals while the bishop ordains.
"Over a deacon, then, let the bishop speak thus: ‘O God, who have created all things and have set them in order through your Word; Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom you sent to minister to your will and to make clear to us your desires, grant the Holy Spirit of grace and care and diligence to this your servant, whom you have chosen to serve the Church and to offer in your holy places the gifts which are offered to you by your chosen high priests, so that he may serve with a pure heart and without blame, and that, ever giving praise to you, he may be accounted by your good will as worthy of this high office: through your Son Jesus Christ, through whom be glory and honor to you, to the Father and the Son with the Holy Spirit, in your holy Church, both now and through the ages of ages. Amen.’” (The Apostolic Tradition 9, A.D. 215)
From the Council of Elvira we read:
“Bishops, presbyters, and deacons may not leave their own places for the sake of commerce, nor are they to be traveling about the provinces, frequenting the markets for their own profit. Certainly for the procuring of their own necessities they can send a boy or a freedman or a hireling or a friend or whomever, but, if they wish to engage in business, let them do so within the province.” (Canon 18, A.D. 300)
From the Council of Nicaea I we read:
“It has come to the knowledge of the holy and great synod that, in some districts and cities, the deacons administer the Eucharist to the presbyters (i.e., priests), whereas neither canon nor custom permits that they who have no right to offer the Eucharistic sacrifice should give the Body of Christ to them that do offer it. And this also has been made known, that certain deacons now touch the Eucharist even before the bishops. Let all such practices be utterly done away, and let the deacons remain within their own bounds, knowing that they are the ministers of the bishop and the inferiors of the presbyters. Let them receive the Eucharist according to their order, after the presbyters, and let either the bishop or the presbyter administer to them.” (Canon 18, A.D. 325)
From John Chrysostom we read:
“In Philippians 1:1 Paul says, ‘To the co-bishops and deacons.’ What does this mean? Were there plural bishops of some city? Certainly not! It is the presbyters that Paul calls by this title; for these titles were then interchangeable, and the bishop is even called a deacon. That is why, when writing to Timothy, he says, ‘Fulfill your diaconate’ (2 Tim. 4:5), although Timothy was then a bishop. That he was in fact a bishop is clear when Paul says to him, ‘Lay hands on no man lightly’ (1 Tim. 5:22), and again, ‘Which was given you with the laying on of hands of the presbytery’ (1 Tim. 4:14), and presbyters would not have ordained a bishop.” (Homilies on Philippians 1:1, A.D. 402)
From Patrick of Ireland we read:
“I, Patrick, the sinner, am the most rustic and the least of all the faithful had for my father Calpornius, a deacon, a son of Potitus, a priest, who belonged to the village of Bannavem Taberniae. At that time I was barely sixteen years of age, and I was led into captivity in Ireland with many thousands of persons, in accordance with our deserts, for we turned away from God, and kept not his commandments, and were not obedient to our priests, who were wont to admonish us for our salvation.” (Confession of St. Patrick 1, A.D. 452)
“I, Patrick, the sinner, unlearned as everybody knows, avow that I have been established a bishop in Ireland. Most assuredly I believe that I have received from God what I am. And so I dwell in the midst of barbarous heaths, a stranger and an exile for the love of God.” (Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus 1, A.D. 452)
An article was written by Cardinal Hume on the "Gift of priestly celibacy."
From Zenit.org, March 24, 2007 we read:
VATICAN CITY, MARCH 24, 2007 - Here is an article written by Cardinal Cláudio Hummes, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, on "The Importance of Priestly Celibacy." It was published in the Italian edition of L'Osservatore Romano.
At the beginning of the 40th anniversary of the publication of the Encyclical "Sacerdotalis Caelibatus" of His Holiness Paul VI, the Congregation for the Clergy deems it opportune to recall the magisterial teaching of this important papal document.
Scholars note that the origins of priestly celibacy date back to apostolic times. Father Ignace de la Potterie writes: "Scholars generally agree that the obligation of celibacy, or at least of continence, became canon law from the fourth century onwards ... However, it is important to observe that the legislators of the fourth and fifth centuries affirmed that this canonical enactment was based on an apostolic tradition.
"The Council of Carthage (390), for instance, said: 'It was fitting that those who were at the service of the divine Sacraments be perfectly continent (continentes esse in omnibus), so that what the Apostles taught and antiquity itself maintained, we too may observe.'"[1]
In the same way, Alfons-Marie Stickler mentions biblical arguments of apostolic inspiration that advocate celibacy.[2]
Historical development
The Church's solemn Magisterium has never ceased to reaffirm the measures regulating ecclesiastical celibacy. The Synod of Elvira (300-303?) prescribed in canon 27: "A bishop, like any other cleric, should have with him either only one sister or consecrated virgin; it is established that in no way should he have an extraneous woman"; in canon 33: "The following overall prohibition for bishops, presbyters and deacons and for all clerics who exercise a ministry has been decided: they must abstain from relations with their wives and must not beget children; those who do are to be removed from the clerical state."[3]
Pope St. Siricius (384-399), in his "Letter to Bishop Himerius of Tarragona" dated February 10, 385, affirmed: "The Lord Jesus ... wished the figure of the Church, whose Bridegroom he is, to radiate with the splendor of chastity ... all of us as priests are bound by the indissoluble law of these measures ... so that from the day of our ordination we may devote our hearts and our bodies to moderation and modesty, to please the Lord our God in the daily sacrifices we offer to him."[4]
At the First Lateran Ecumenical Council of 1123, we read from canon 3: "We absolutely forbid priests, deacons or subdeacons to cohabit with concubines or wives and to cohabit with women other than those whom the Council of Nicea (325) permitted to live in the household."[5]
So too, at the 24th session of the Council of Trent, the absolute impossibility of contracting Marriage for clerics bound by sacred orders or for male religious who had solemnly professed chastity was reasserted; and with it, the nullity of Marriage itself was declared, together with the duty to ask God, with an upright intention, for the gift of chastity.[6]
In more recent times, the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council reaffirmed in the Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests, "Presbyterorum Ordinis,"[7] the close connection between celibacy and the Kingdom of God. It saw in the former a sign that radiantly proclaims the latter, the beginning of a new life to whose service the minister of the Church is consecrated.
With the encyclical "Sacerdotalis Caelibatus" of June 24, 1967, Paul VI kept a promise he had made to the Council Fathers two years earlier. In it, he examined the objections raised concerning the discipline of celibacy. Subsequently, by placing emphasis on their Christological foundation and appealing to history and to what we learn from the first-century documents about the origins of celibacy and continence, he fully confirmed their value.
The 1971 Synod of Bishops, both in the presynodal program "Ministerium Presbyterorum" (Feb. 15) and in the final document "Ultimis Temporibus" (Nov. 30), affirmed the need to preserve celibacy in the Latin Church, shedding light on its foundations, the convergence of motives and the conditions that encouraged it.[8]
The new Code of Canon Law of the Latin Church in 1983 reasserted the age-old tradition: "Clerics are obliged to observe perfect and perpetual continence for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven and therefore are obliged to observe celibacy, which is a special gift of God, by which sacred ministers can adhere more easily to Christ with an undivided heart and can more freely dedicate themselves to the service of God and humankind."[9]
Along the same lines, the 1990 synod resulted in the Apostolic Exhortation of the Servant of God, Pope John Paul II, "Pastores Dabo Vobis," in which the Pontiff presented celibacy as a radical Gospel requirement that especially favors the style of spousal life and springs from the priest's configuration to Jesus Christ through the Sacrament of orders.[10]
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, published in 1992 and which gathers the first fruits of the great event of the Second Vatican Council, reaffirms the same doctrine: "All the ordained ministers of the Latin Church, with the exception of permanent deacons, are normally chosen from among men of faith who live a celibate life and who intend to remain celibate 'for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.'"[11]
At the most recent Synod on the Eucharist itself, according to the preliminary unofficial draft of its final propositions authorized by Pope Benedict XVI, in proposition. 11, "the importance of the priceless gift of ecclesiastical celibacy in the practices of the Latin Church is recognized" despite the scarcity of clergy in certain parts of the world as well as the "Eucharistic hunger" of the People of God.
With the reference to the Magisterium, particularly that of the Second Vatican Council and of the most recent Pontiffs, the Fathers asked that the reasons for the relationship between celibacy and priestly ordination be properly described, with full respect for the tradition of the Eastern Churches. Some of them referred to the matter of the "viri probabi," but the hypothesis was judged to be a way not to be taken.
Only recently, on Nov. 16, 2006, Benedict XVI presided at one of the regular meetings held in the Apostolic Palace of the Heads of the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia. On that occasion, the value of the choice of priestly celibacy in accordance with the unbroken Catholic tradition was reasserted and the need for the sound human and Christian formation of seminarians and ordained priests was reaffirmed.
Reasons for holy celibacy
In his encyclical "Sacerdotalis Caelibatus," Paul VI begins by presenting the situation of priestly celibacy at that time, from the viewpoint of the appreciation of it and of the objections to it. His first words are crucial and ever timely: "Priestly celibacy has been guarded by the Church for centuries as a brilliant jewel, and retains its value undiminished even in our time when the outlook of men and the state of the world have undergone such profound changes."[12]
Paul VI revealed what he himself meditated upon, questioning himself on the subject in order to be able to respond to the objections. He concluded: "Hence, we consider that the present law of holy celibacy should today continue to be linked to the ecclesiastical ministry. This law should support the minister in his exclusive, definitive and total choice of the unique and supreme love of Christ and of the Church; it should uphold him in the entire dedication of himself to the public worship of God and to the service of the Church; it should distinguish his state of life both among the faithful and in the world at large."[13]
"It is true," the Pope added, "that virginity, as the Second Vatican Council declared, is not demanded of the priesthood by its nature. This is clear from the practice of the early Church and the tradition of the Eastern Churches (cf. "Presbyterorum Ordinis," no. 16). But at the same time the Council did not hesitate to confirm solemnly the ancient, sacred and providential present law of priestly celibacy. In addition, it set forth the motives which justify this law for those who, in a spirit of faith and with generous fervor, know how to appreciate the gifts of God."[14]
It is true. Celibacy is a gift that Christ offers to men called to the priesthood. This gift must be accepted with love, joy and gratitude. Thus, it will become a source of happiness and holiness.
Paul VI gave three reasons for sacred celibacy: its Christological, ecclesiological and eschatological significance.
Let us start with its Christological significance.
Christ is newness. He brings about a new creation. His priesthood is new. He renews all things. Jesus, the only-begotten Son of the Father sent into the world, "became man in order that humanity which was subject to sin and death might be reborn, and through this new birth might enter the Kingdom of Heaven."
"Being entirely consecrated to the will of the Father, Jesus brought forth this new creation by means of his Paschal Mystery; thus, he introduced into time and into the world a new form of life which is sublime and divine and which radically transforms the human condition."[15]
Natural Marriage itself, blessed by God since creation but damaged by sin, was renewed by Christ, who "has raised it to the dignity of a Sacrament and of a mysterious symbol of his own union with the Church. ... But Christ, 'Mediator of a more excellent covenant' (cf. Hebrews 8:6), has also opened a new way in which the human creature adheres wholly and directly to the Lord, and is concerned only with him and with his affairs; thus, he manifests in a clearer and more complete way the profoundly transforming reality of the New Testament."[16]
This newness, this new process, is life in virginity, which Jesus himself lived in harmony with his role as Mediator between heaven and earth, between the Father and the human race. "Wholly in accord with this mission, Christ remained throughout his whole life in the state of celibacy, which signified his total dedication to the service of God and men."[17] The service of God and men means that total love without reserve which distinguished Jesus' life among us: virginity for the sake of the Kingdom of God!
Now Christ, by calling his priests to be ministers of salvation, that is, of the new creation, calls them to be and to live in newness of life, united and similar to him in the most perfect way possible. From this derives the gift of sacred celibacy, as the fullest configuration with the Lord Jesus and a prophecy of the new creation. He called his apostles "friends." He called them to follow him very closely in everything, even to the cross. And the cross brought them to the Resurrection, to the new creation's completion.
We know, therefore, that following him with faithfulness in virginity, which includes sacrifice, will lead us to happiness. God does not call anyone to unhappiness; he calls us all to happiness. Happiness, however, always goes hand in hand with faithfulness. The late Pope John Paul II said this to the married couples whom he met at the Second World Meeting of Families in Rio de Janeiro.
Thus, the theme of the eschatological meaning of celibacy is revealed as a sign and a prophecy of the new creation, in other words, of the definitive Kingdom of God in the parousia, when we will all be raised from the dead.
As the Second Vatican Council teaches, "She [the Church] is, on earth, the seed and the beginning of that kingdom."[18] Virginity, lived for love of the Kingdom of God, is a special sign of these "final times," because the Lord announced that "in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in Marriage, but are like angels in heaven."[19]
In a world like ours, a world of entertainment and superficial pleasures, captivated by earthly things and especially by the progress of science and technology -- let us remember the biological sciences and biotechnology -- the proclamation of an afterlife, of a future world, a parousia, as a definitive event of a new creation is crucial and at the same time free from the ambiguity of aporia, of din, suffering and contradictions with regard to the true good and the new, profound knowledge that human progress brings with it.
Finally, the ecclesiological meaning of celibacy leads us more directly to the priest's pastoral activity.
The encyclical "Sacerdotalis Caelibatus" affirms: "The consecrated celibacy of the sacred ministers actually manifests the virginal love of Christ for the Church, and the virginal and supernatural fecundity of this Marriage."[20]
Like Christ and in Christ, the priest mystically weds the Church and loves the Church with an exclusive love. Thus, dedicating himself totally to the affairs of Christ and of his Mystical Body, the priest enjoys ample spiritual freedom to put himself at the loving and total service of all people without distinction.
"In a similar way, by a daily dying to himself and by giving up the legitimate love of a family of his own for the love of Christ and of his Kingdom, the priest will find the glory of an exceedingly rich and fruitful life in Christ, because like him and in him he loves and dedicates himself to all the children of God."[21]
The encyclical likewise adds that celibacy makes it easier for the priest to devote himself to listening to the Word of God and to prayer, and prepares him to offer upon the altar the whole of his life, marked by sacrifice.[22]
Value of chastity, celibacy
Even before it is a canonical disposition, celibacy is God's gift to his Church. It is an issue bound to the complete gift of self to the Lord.
In the distinction between the age-old discipline of celibacy and the religious experience of consecration and the pronouncement of vows, it is beyond doubt that there is no other possible interpretation or justification of ecclesiastical celibacy than unreserved dedication to the Lord in a relationship that must also be exclusive from the emotional viewpoint. This presupposes a strong personal and communal relationship with Christ, who transforms the hearts of his disciples.
The option for celibacy of the Latin Rite Catholic Church has developed since apostolic times precisely in line with the priest's relationship with his Lord, moved by the inspiring question, "Do you love me more than these?"[23] which the Risen Jesus addressed to Peter.
The Christological, ecclesiological and eschatological reasons for celibacy, all rooted in the special communion with Christ to which priests are called, can therefore be expressed in various ways, according to what is authoritatively stated in "Sacerdotalis Caelibatus."
Celibacy is first and foremost a "symbol of and stimulus to charity."[24] Charity is the supreme criterion for judging Christian life in all its aspects; celibacy is a path of love, even if, as the Gospel according to Matthew says, Jesus himself states that not all are able to understand this reality: "Not all men can receive this precept, but only those to whom it is given."[25]
This charity develops in the classical, twofold aspect of love for God and for others: "By preserving virginity or celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven, priests are consecrated in a new and excellent way to Christ. They more readily cling to him with undivided heart."[26]
St. Paul, in the passage alluded to here, presents celibacy and virginity as the way "to please God" without divided interests:[27] in other words, a "way of love" which certainly presupposes a special vocation; in this sense it is a charism and in itself excellent for both Christians and priests.
Through pastoral charity, radical love for God becomes love for one's brethren. In "Presbyterorum Ordinis" we read that priests "dedicate themselves more freely in him and through him to the service of God and of men. They are less encumbered in their service of his Kingdom and of the task of heavenly regeneration. In this way they become better fitted for a broader acceptance of fatherhood in Christ."[28]
Common experience confirms that it is easier for those who, apart from Christ, are not bound by other affections, however legitimate and holy they may be, to give their heart to their brethren fully and without reserve.
Celibacy is the example that Christ himself left us. He wanted to be celibate. The encyclical explains further: "Wholly in accord with this mission, Christ remained throughout his whole life in the state of celibacy, which signified his total dedication to the service of God and men. This deep connection between celibacy and the priesthood of Christ is reflected in those whose fortune it is to share in the dignity and mission of the Mediator and the Eternal Priest; this sharing will be more perfect the freer the sacred minister is from the bonds of flesh and blood."[29]
Jesus Christ's historical existence is the most visible sign that chastity voluntarily embraced for God's sake is a solidly founded vocation, both at the Christian level and at that of common human logic.
If ordinary Christian life cannot legitimately claim to be such if it excludes the dimension of the cross, how much more incomprehensible would priestly life be were the perspective of the crucified One to be put aside.
Suffering, sometimes weariness and boredom and even setbacks have to be dealt with in a priest's life which, however, is not ultimately determined by them. In choosing to follow Christ, one learns from the very outset to go with him to Calvary, mindful that taking up one's cross is the element that qualifies the radical nature of the sequela.
Lastly, as previously stated, celibacy is an eschatological sign. In the Church, from this moment, the future Kingdom is present. She not only proclaims it but brings it about through the Sacraments, contributing to the "new creation" until her glory is fully manifested.
While the Sacrament of Marriage roots the Church in the present, immersing her totally in the earthly realm which can thus become a possible place for sanctification, celibacy refers immediately to the future, to that full perfection of the created world that will be brought to complete fulfillment only at the end of time.
Being faithful to celibacy
The 2,000-year-old wisdom of the Church, an expert in humanity, has in the course of time constantly determined several fundamental and indispensable elements to foster her children's fidelity to the supernatural charism of celibacy.
Among them, also in the recent Magisterium, the importance of spiritual formation for the priest, who is called to be "a witness of the Absolute," stands out. "Pastores Dabo Vobis" states: "In preparing for the priesthood we learn how to respond from the heart to Christ's basic question: 'Do you love me?'. For the future priest the answer can only mean total self-giving."[30]
In this regard, the years of formation are absolutely fundamental, both those distant years lived in the family, and especially the more recent years spent at the seminary. At this true school of love, like the apostolic community, young seminarians cluster round Jesus, awaiting the gift of his Spirit for their mission.
"The relation of the priest to Jesus Christ, and in him to his Church, is found in the very being of the priest, by virtue of his Sacramental consecration/anointing and in his activity, that is, in his mission or ministry."[31]
The priesthood is no more than "'living intimately united' to Jesus Christ"[32] in a relationship of intimate communion, described "in terms of friendship."[33] The priest's life is basically that form of existence which would be inconceivable without Christ. Precisely in this lies the power of his witness: Virginity for the sake of the Kingdom of God is a real element, it exists because Christ, who makes it possible, exists.
Love for the Lord is authentic when it endeavors to be total: Falling in love with Christ means having a deep knowledge of him, it means a close association with his person, the identification and assimilation of his thought, and lastly, unreserved acceptance of the radical demands of the Gospel.
It is only possible to be witnesses of God through a deep experience of Christ; the whole of a priest's life depends on his relationship with the Lord, the quality of his experience of martyria, of his witness.
Only someone who truly has Jesus for his friend and Lord, one who enjoys his communion, can be a witness of the Absolute. Christ is not only a subject of reflection, of a theological thesis or of a historical memory; he is the Lord who is present, he is alive because he is the Risen One and we live only to the extent that we participate ever more deeply in his life. The entire priestly existence is founded on this explicit faith.
Consequently, the encyclical says: "The priest should apply himself above all else to developing, with all the love grace inspires in him, his close relationship with Christ, and exploring this inexhaustible and enriching mystery; he should also acquire an ever deeper sense of the mystery of the Church. There would be the risk of his state of life seeming unreasonable and unfounded if it were viewed apart from this mystery."[34]
In addition to formation and love for Christ, an essential element for preserving celibacy is passion for the Kingdom of God, which means the ability to work cheerfully, sparing no effort to make Christ known, loved and followed.
Like the peasant who, having found the precious pearl, sold all he had in order to purchase the field, so those who find Christ and spend their whole lives with him and for him cannot but live by working to enable others to encounter him.
Without this clear perspective, any "missionary urge" is doomed to failure, methodologies are transformed into techniques for maintaining a structure, and even prayers can become techniques for meditation and for contact with the sacred in which both the human "I" and the "you" of God dissolve.
One fundamental and necessary occupation, a requirement and a task, is prayer. Prayer is irreplaceable in Christian life and in the life of priests. Prayer should be given special attention.
The Eucharistic Celebration, the Divine Office, frequent confession, an affectionate relationship with Mary Most Holy, spiritual retreats and the daily recitation of the holy rosary are some of the spiritual signs of a love which, were it lacking, would risk being replaced by unworthy substitutes such as appearances, ambition, money and sex.
The priest is a man of God because God calls him to be one, and he lives this personal identity in an exclusive belonging to his Lord, also borne out by his choice of celibacy. He is a man of God because he lives by God and talks to God. With God he discerns and decides in filial obedience on the steps of his own Christian existence.
The more radically a priest is a man of God through a life that is totally theocentric, as the Holy Father stressed in his Address at the Christmas Meeting with the Roman Curia on Dec. 22, 2006, the more effective and fertile his witness will be, and the richer in fruits of conversion his ministry. There is no opposition between fidelity to God and fidelity to man: On the contrary, the former is a prerequisite for the latter.
Conclusion: a holy vocation
"Pastores Dabo Vobis," speaking on the priest's vocation to holiness, having underlined the importance of the personal relationship with Christ, expresses another need: The priest, called to the mission of preaching the Good News, sees himself entrusted with it in order to give it to everyone. He is nevertheless called in the first place to accept the Gospel as a gift offered for his life, for himself, and as a saving event that commits him to a holy life.
In this perspective, John Paul II has spoken of the evangelical radicalism that must be a feature of the priest's holiness. It is therefore possible in the evangelical counsels, traditionally proposed by the Church and lived in the various states of consecrated life, to map out the vitally radical journey to which, also and in his own way, the priest is called to be faithful.
"Pastores Dabo Vobis" states: "A particularly significant expression of the radicalism of the Gospel is seen in the different 'evangelical counsels' which Jesus proposes in the Sermon on the Mount, and among them the intimately related counsels of obedience, chastity and poverty. The priest is called to live these counsels in accordance with those ways and, more specifically, those goals and that basic meaning which derive from and express his own priestly identity."[35]
And again, taking up the ontological dimension on which evangelical radicalism is founded, the postsynodal apostolic exhortation says: "The Spirit, by consecrating the priest and configuring him to Jesus Christ, Head and Shepherd, creates a bond which, located in the priest's very being, demands to be assimilated and lived out in a personal, free and conscious way through an ever richer communion of life and love and an ever broader and more radical sharing in the feelings and attitudes of Jesus Christ. In this bond between the Lord Jesus and the priest, an ontological and psychological bond, a Sacramental and moral bond, is the foundation and likewise the power for that 'life according to the Spirit' and that 'radicalism of the Gospel' to which every priest is called today and which is fostered by ongoing formation in its spiritual aspect."[36]
The nuptial dimension of ecclesiastical celibacy, proper to this relationship between Christ and the Church which the priest is called to interpret and to live, must enlarge his mind, illumine his life and warm his heart. Celibacy must be a happy sacrifice, a need to live with Christ so that he will pour out into the priest the effusions of his goodness and love that are ineffably full and perfect.
In this regard the words of the Holy Father Benedict XVI are enlightening: "The true foundation of celibacy can be contained in the phrase: Dominus pars (mea) -- You are my land. It can only be theocentric. It cannot mean being deprived of love, but must mean letting oneself be consumed by passion for God and subsequently, thanks to a more intimate way of being with him, to serve men and women, too. Celibacy must be a witness to faith: faith in God materializes in that form of life which only has meaning if it is based on God.
"Basing one's life on him, renouncing Marriage and family, means that I accept and experience God as a reality and that I can therefore bring him to men and women."[37]
Roger L.
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