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SECTION 1.
THE VOCATION OF PRIESTS TO THE LIFE OF PERFECTION
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12. Priests are made in the likeness of Christ the Priest by the
Sacrament of Orders, so that they may, in collaboration with their
bishops, work for the building up and care of the Church which is the
whole Body of Christ, acting as ministers of him who is the Head.
Like all other Christians they have received in the sacrament of
Baptism the symbol and gift of such a calling and such grace that even
in human weakness[92] they can and must seek for perfection,
according to the exhortation of Christ: "Be you therefore perfect,
as your Heavenly Father is perfect" (Mt 5:48). Priests are
bound, however, to acquire that perfection in special fashion. They
have been consecrated by God in a new manner at their ordination and
made living instruments of Christ the Eternal Priest that they may be
able to carry on in time his marvelous work whereby the entire family of
man is again made whole by power from above.[93] Since, therefore,
every priest in his own fashion acts in place of Christ himself, he is
enriched by a special grace, so that, as he serves the flock committed
to him and the entire People of God, he may the better grow in the
grace of him whose tasks he performs, because to the weakness of our
flesh there is brought the holiness of him who for us was made a High
Priest "holy, guiltless, undefiled not reckoned among us sinners"
(Heb 7:26).
Christ, whom the Father sanctified, consecrated and sent into the
world,[94] "gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all
iniquity and cleanse for himself an acceptable people, pursuing good
works" (Tt 2:14), and thus through suffering entered into his
glory.[95] In like fashion, priests consecrated by the anointing of
the Holy Spirit and sent by Christ must mortify the works of the
flesh in themselves and give themselves entirely to the service of men.
It is in this way that they can go forward in that holiness with which
Christ endows them to perfect man.[96]
Hence, those who exercise the ministry of the spirit and of
justice[97] will be confirmed in the life of the spirit, so long as
they are open to the Spirit of Christ, who gives them life and
direction. By the sacred actions which are theirs daily as well as by
their entire ministry which they share with the bishop and their fellow
priests, they are directed to perfection in their lives. Holiness
does much for priests in carrying on a fruitful ministry. Although
divine grace could use unworthy ministers to effect the work of
salvation, yet for the most part God chooses, to show forth his
wonders, those who are more open to the power and direction of the
Holy Spirit, and who can by reason of their close union with Christ
and their holiness of life say with St. Paul: "And yet I am
alive; or rather, not I; it is Christ that lives in me" (Gal
2:20).
Hence, this holy council, to fulfill its pastoral desires of an
internal renewal of the Church, of the spread of the Gospel in every
land and of a dialogue with the world of today, strongly urges all
priests that they strive always for that growth in holiness by which
they will become consistently better instruments in the service of the
whole People of God, using for this purpose those means which the
Church has approved.[98]
13. Priests who perform their duties sincerely and indefatigably in
the Spirit of Christ arrive at holiness by this very fact.
Since they are ministers of God's word, each day they read and hear
the word of God, which it is their task to teach others. If at the
same time they are ready to receive the word themselves they will grow
daily into more perfect followers of the Lord. As St. Paul wrote
to Timothy, "Let this be thy study, these thy employments, so that
all may see how well thou doest. Two things claim thy attention,
thyself and the teaching of the faith, spend thy care on them; so wilt
thou and those who listen to thee achieve salvation" (1 Tim
4:15-16). As they seek how they may better teach others what
they have learned,[99] they will better understand "the unfathomable
riches of Christ" (Eph 3:8) and the manifold wisdom of
God.[100] If they keep in mind that it is God who opens
hearts,[101] and that power comes not from themselves but from the
might of God,[102] in the very fact of teaching God's word they
will be brought closer to Christ the Teacher and led by his Spirit.
Thus those who commune with Christ share in God's love, the mystery
of which, kept hidden from the beginning of time,[103] is revealed
in Christ.
Priests act especially in the person of Christ as ministers of holy
things, particularly in the Sacrifice of the Mass, the sacrifice of
Christ who gave himself for the sanctification of men. Hence, they
are asked to take example from that with which they deal, and inasmuch
as they celebrate the mystery of the Lord's death they should keep
their bodies free of wantonness and lusts.[104] In the mystery of
the Eucharistic Sacrifice, in which priests fulfill their greatest
task, the work of our redemption is being constantly carried
on;[105] and hence the daily celebration of Mass is strongly
urged, since even if there cannot be present a number of the faithful,
it is still an act of Christ and of the Church.[106] Thus when
priests join in the act of Christ the Priest, they offer themselves
entirely to God, and when they are nourished with the body of Christ
they profoundly share in the love of him who gives himself as food to
the faithful. In like fashion they are united with the intention and
love of Christ when they administer the sacraments. This is true in a
special way when in the performance of their duty in the sacrament of
Penance they show themselves altogether and always ready whenever the
sacrament is reasonably sought by the faithful. In the recitation of
the Divine Office, they offer the voice of the Church which
perseveres in prayer in the name of the whole human race, together with
Christ who "lives on still to make intercession on our behalf."
As they direct and nourish the People of God, may they be aroused by
the example of the Good Shepherd that they may give their life for
their sheep,[107] ready for the supreme sacrifice following the
example of priests who, even in our own day, have not shrunk from
giving their lives. As they are leaders in the faith and as they
"enter the sanctuary with confidence, through the blood of Christ"
(Heb 10:19) they approach God "with sincere hearts in the full
assurance of the faith" (Heb 10:22) they set up a sure hope for
their faithful,[108] that they may comfort those who are depressed
by the same consolation wherewith God consoles them.[109] As
leaders of the community they cultivate an asceticism becoming to a
shepherd of souls, renouncing their personal convenience, seeking not
what is useful to themselves but to many, for their salvation,[110]
always making further progress to do their pastoral work better and,
where needful, prepared to enter into new pastoral ways under the
direction of the Spirit of Love, which breathes where it
will.[111]
14. In the world of today, when people are so burdened with duties
and their problems, which oftentimes have to be solved with great
haste, range through so many fields, there is considerable danger of
dissipating their energy. Priests, too, involved and constrained by
so many obligations of their office, certainly have reason to wonder
how they can coordinate and balance their interior life with feverish
outward activity. Neither the mere external performance of the works
of the ministry, nor the exclusive engagement in pious devotion,
although very helpful, can bring about this necessary coordination.
Priests can arrive at this only by following the example of Christ our
Lord in their ministry. His food was to follow the will of him who
had sent him to accomplish his work.[112]
In order to continue doing the will of his Father in the world,
Christ works unceasingly through the Church. He operates through his
ministers, and hence he remains always the source and wellspring of the
unity of their lives. Priests, then, can achieve this coordination
and unity of life by joining themselves with Christ to acknowledge the
will of the Father. For them this means a complete gift of themselves
to the flock committed to them.[113] Hence, as they fulfill the
role of the Good Shepherd, in the very exercise of their pastoral
charity they will discover a bond of priestly perfection which draws
their life and activity to unity and coordination. This pastoral
charity[114] flows out in a very special way from the Eucharistic
sacrifice. This stands as the root and center of the whole life of a
priest. What takes place on the altar of sacrifice, the priestly
heart must make his own. This cannot be done unless priests through
prayer continue to penetrate more deeply into the mystery of Christ.
In order to measure and verify this coordination of life in a concrete
way, let priests examine all their works and projects to see what is
the will of God[115]-namely, to see how their endeavors compare
with the goals of the Gospel mission of the Church. Fidelity to
Christ cannot be separated from faithfulness to his Church. Pastoral
charity requires that priests avoid operating in a vacuum[116] and
that they work in a strong bond of union with their bishops and brother
priests. If this be their program, priests will find the coordination
and unity of their own life in the oneness of the Church's mission.
They will be joined with the Lord and through him with the Father in
the Holy Spirit. This will bring them great satisfaction and a full
measure of happiness.[117]
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SECTION 2. SPECIAL SPIRITUAL REQUIREMENTS IN THE LIFE OF A PRIEST
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15. Among the virtues that priests must possess for their sacred
ministry none is so important as a frame of mind and soul whereby they
are always ready to know and do the will of him who sent them and not
their own will.[118] The divine task that they are called by the
Holy Spirit to fulfill[119] surpasses all human wisdom and human
ability. "God chooses the weak things of the world to confound the
strong" (1 Cor 1:27). Aware of his own weakness, the true
minister of Christ works in humility trying to do what is pleasing to
God.[120] Filled with the Holy Spirit,[121] he is guided by
him who desires the salvation of all men. He understands this desire
of God and follows it in the ordinary circumstances of his everyday
life. With humble disposition he waits upon all whom God has sent him
to serve in the work assigned to him and in the multiple experiences of
his life.
However, the priestly ministry, since it is the ministry of the
Church itself, can only function in the hierarchical union of the
whole body. Pastoral charity, therefore, urges priests, as they
operate in the framework of this union, to dedicate their own will by
obedience to the service of God and their fellow men. In a great
spirit of faith, let them receive and execute whatever orders the holy
father, their own bishop, or other superiors give or recommend.
With a willing heart let them spend and even exhaust themselves[122]
in whatever task they are given, even though it be menial and
unrecognized. They must preserve and strengthen a necessary oneness
with their brothers in the ministry, especially with those whom God
has selected as visible rulers of his Church. For in this way they
are laboring to build the Body of Christ which grows "through every
gesture of service."[123] This obedience is designed to promote
the mature freedom of the children of God; by its very nature it
postulates that in the carrying out of their work, spurred on by
charity, they develop new approaches and methods for the greater good
of the Church. With enthusiasm and courage, let priests propose new
projects and strive to satisfy the needs of their flocks. Of course,
they must be ready to submit to the decisions of those who rule the
Church of God.
By this humility and by willing responsible obedience, priests conform
themselves to Christ. They make their own the sentiments of Jesus
Christ who "emptied himself, taking on the form of a servant,"
becoming obedient even to death (Phil 2:7-9). By this
obedience he conquered and made up for the disobedience of Adam, as
the Apostle testifies, "for as by the disobedience of one man, many
were made sinners, so also by the obedience of one, many shall be made
just"(Rom 5:19).
16. (Celibacy is to be embraced and esteemed as a gift). Perfect
and perpetual continence for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven,
commended by Christ the Lord[124] and through the course of time as
well as in our own days freely accepted and observed in a praiseworthy
manner by many of the faithful, is held by the Church to be of great
value in a special manner for the priestly life. It is at the same
time a sign and a stimulus for pastoral charity and a special source of
spiritual fecundity in the world.[125] Indeed, it is not demanded
by the very nature of the priesthood, as is apparent from the practice
of the early Church[126] and from the traditions of the Eastern
Churches. where, besides those who with all the bishops, by a gift
of grace, choose to observe celibacy, there are also married priests
of highest merit. This holy synod, while it commends ecclesiastical
celibacy, in no way intends to alter that different discipline which
legitimately flourishes in the Eastern Churches. It permanently
exhorts all those who have received the priesthood and marriage to
persevere in their holy vocation so that they may fully and generously
continue to expend themselves for the sake of the flock commended to
them.[127]
Indeed, celibacy has a many-faceted suitability for the priesthood.
For the whole priestly mission is dedicated to the service of a new
humanity which Christ, the victor over death, has aroused through his
Spirit in the world and which has its origin "not of blood, nor of
the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man but of God (Jn
1:13). Through virginity, then, or celibacy observed for the
Kingdom of Heaven,[128] priests are consecrated to Christ by a
new and exceptional reason. They adhere to him more easily with an
undivided heart,[129] they dedicate themselves more freely in him
and through him to the service of God and men, and they more
expeditiously minister to his Kingdom and the work of heavenly
regeneration, and thus they are apt to accept, in a broad sense,
paternity in Christ. In this way they profess themselves before men
as willing to be dedicated to the office committed to them-namely, to
commit themselves faithfully to one man and to show themselves as a
chaste virgin for Christ[130] and thus to evoke the mysterious
marriage established by Christ, and fully to be manifested in the
future, in which the Church has Christ as her only Spouse.[131]
They give, moreover, a living sign of the world to come, by a faith
and charity already made present, in which the children of the
resurrection neither marry nor take wives.[132]
For these reasons, based on the mystery of Christ and his mission,
celibacy, which first was recommended to priests, later in the Latin
Church was imposed upon all who were to be promoted to sacred orders.
This legislation, pertaining to those who are destined for the
priesthood, this holy synod again approves and confirms, fully
trusting this gift of the Spirit so fitting for the priesthood of the
New Testament, freely given by the Father, provided that those who
participate in the priesthood of Christ through the sacrament of
Orders-and also the whole Church-humbly and fervently pray for it.
This sacred synod also exhorts all priests who, in following the
example of Christ, freely receive sacred celibacy as a grace of God,
that they magnanimously and wholeheartedly adhere to it, and that
persevering faithfully in it, they may acknowledge this outstanding
gift of the Father which is so openly praised and extolled by the
Lord.[133] Let them keep before their eyes the great mysteries
signified by it and fulfilled in it. Insofar as perfect continence is
thought by many men to be impossible in our times, to that extent
priests should all the more humbly and steadfastly pray with the Church
for that grace of fidelity, which is never denied those who seek it,
and use all the supernatural and natural aids available. They should
especially seek, lest they omit them, the ascetical norms which have
been proved by the experience of the Church and which are scarcely less
necessary in the contemporary world. This holy synod asks not only
priests but all the faithful that they might receive this precious gift
of priestly celibacy in their hearts and ask of God that he will always
bestow this gift upon his Church.
17. (Relationship to the world and temporal goods, and voluntary
poverty.) In their friendly and brotherly dealings with one another
and with other men, priests are able to learn and appreciate human
values and esteem created goods as gifts of God. By living in the
world, let priests know how not to be of the world, according to the
word of our Lord and Master.[134] By using the world as those who
do not use it,[135] let them achieve that freedom whereby they are
free from every inordinate concern and become docile to the voice of
God in their daily life. From this freedom and docility grows
spiritual discretion in which is found the right relationship to the
world and earthly goods. Such a right relationship is of great
importance to priests, because the mission of the Church is fulfilled
in the midst of the world and because created goods are altogether
necessary for the personal development of man. Let them be grateful,
therefore, for all that the heavenly Father has given them to lead a
full life rightly, but let them see all that comes to them in the light
of faith, so that they might correctly use goods in response to the
will of God and reject those which are harmful to their mission.
For priests who have the Lord as their "portion and heritage,"
(Num 18:20) temporal goods should be used only toward ends which
are licit according to the doctrine of Christ and the direction of the
Church.
Ecclesiastical goods, properly so called, according to their nature
and ecclesiastical law, should be administered by priests with the help
of capable laymen as far as possible and should always be employed for
those purposes in the pursuit of which it is licit for the Church to
possess temporal goods-namely, for the carrying out of divine
worship, for the procuring of honest sustenance for the clergy, and
for the exercise of the works of the holy apostolate or works of
charity, especially in behalf of the needy.[136] Those goods which
priests and bishops receive for the exercise of their ecclesiastical
office should be used for adequate support and the fulfillment of their
office and status, excepting those governed by particular
laws.[137] That which is in excess they should be willing to set
aside for the good of the Church or for works of charity. Thus they
are not to seek ecclesiastical office or the benefits of it for the
increase of their own family wealth.[138] Therefore, in no way
placing their heart in treasures,[139] they should avoid all
greediness and carefully abstain from every appearance of business.
Priests, moreover, are invited to embrace voluntary poverty by which
they are more manifestly conformed to Christ and become eager in the
sacred ministry. For Christ, though he was rich, became poor on
account of us, that by his need we might become rich.[140] And by
their example the apostles witnessed that a free gift of God is to be
freely given,[141] with the knowledge of how to sustain both
abundance and need.[142] A certain common use of goods, similar to
the common possession of goods in the history of the primitive
Church,[143] furnishes an excellent means of pastoral charity. By
living this form of life, priests can laudably reduce to practice that
spirit of poverty commended by Christ.
Led by the Spirit of the Lord, who anointed the Savior and sent him
to evangelize the poor,[144] priests, therefore, and also
bishops, should avoid everything which in any way could turn the poor
away. Before the other followers of Christ, let priests set aside
every appearance of vanity in their possessions. Let them arrange
their homes so that they might not appear unapproachable to anyone,
lest anyone, even the most humble, fear to visit them.
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SECTION THREE.
AIDS TO THE LIFE OF PRIESTS
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18. (Aids to encourage the spiritual life.) In order that, in
all conditions of life, they may be able to grow in union with
Christ, priests, besides the exercise of their conscious ministry,
enjoy the common and particular means, old and new, which the Spirit
never ceases to arouse in the People of God and which the Church
commends, and sometimes commands,[145] for the sanctification of
her members. Outstanding among all these spiritual aids are those acts
by which the faithful are nourished in the Word of God at the double
table of the Sacred Scripture and the Eucharist.[146] The
importance of frequent use of these for the sanctification of priests is
obvious to all. The ministers of sacramental grace are intimately
united to Christ our Savior and Pastor through the fruitful reception
of the sacraments, especially sacramental Penance, in which,
prepared by the daily examination of conscience, the necessary
conversion of heart and love for the Father of Mercy is greatly
deepened. Nourished by spiritual reading, under the light of faith,
they can more diligently seek signs of God's will and impulses of his
grace in the various events of life, and so from day to day become more
docile to the mission they have assumed in the Holy Spirit. They
will always find a wonderful example of such docility in the Blessed
Virgin Mary, who was led by the Holy Spirit to dedicate herself
totally to the mystery of man's redemption.[147] Let priests love
and venerate with filial devotion and veneration this mother of the
Eternal Highpriest, Queen of Apostles and Protector of their own
ministry.
In the fulfillment of their ministry with fidelity to the daily
colloquy with Christ, a visit to and veneration of the Most Holy
Eucharist, spiritual retreats and spiritual direction are of great
worth. In many ways, but especially through mental prayer and the
vocal prayers which they freely choose, priests seek and fervently pray
that God will grant them the spirit of true adoration whereby they
themselves, along with the people committed to them, may intimately
unite themselves with Christ the Mediator of the New Testament, and
so as adopted children of God may be able to call out "Abba,
Father" (Rom 8:15).
19. (Study and pastoral knowledge.) Priests are admonished by
their bishop in the sacred rite of ordination that they "be mature in
knowledge" and that their doctrine be "spiritual medicine for the
People of God."[148] The knowledge of the sacred minister ought
to be sacred because it is drawn from the sacred source and directed to
a sacred goal. Especially is it drawn from reading and meditating on
the Sacred Scriptures,[149] and it is equally nourished by the
study of the Holy Fathers and other Doctors and monuments or
tradition. In order, moreover, that they may give apt answers to
questions posed by men of this age, it is necessary for priests to know
well the doctrines of the magisterium and the councils and documents of
the Roman pontiffs and to consult the best of prudent writers of
theological science.
Since human culture and also sacred science has progressed in our
times, priests are urged to suitably and without interruption perfect
their knowledge of divine things and human affairs and so prepare
themselves to enter more opportunely into conversation with their
contemporaries.
Therefore, let priests more readily study and effectively learn the
methods of evangelization and the apostolate. Let opportune aids be
prepared with all care, such as the institution of courses and meetings
according to territorial conditions, the erection of centers of
pastoral studies, the establishment of libraries, and the qualified
supervision of studies by suitable persons. Moreover, let bishops,
either individually or united in groups, see to it that all their
priests at established intervals, especially a few years after their
ordination,[150] may be able to frequent courses in which they will
be given the opportunity to acquire a fuller knowledge of pastoral
methods and theological science, both in order that they may strengthen
their spiritual life and mutually communicate their apostolic
experiences with their brothers.[151] New pastors and those who
have newly begun pastoral work, as well as those who are sent to other
dioceses or nations, should be helped by these and other suitable means
with special care.
Finally, the bishops will be solicitous that there will be some who
dedicate themselves to a deeper study of theology, that there will not
be lacking suitable teachers for the formation of clerics, that the
rest of the priests and the faithful will be helped to acquire the
doctrine they need, and that healthy progress will be encouraged in the
sacred disciplines, so necessary for the Church.
20. (Providing equitable remuneration for priests.) As those
dedicated to the service of God and the fulfillment of the office
entrusted to them, priests deserve to receive an equitable
remuneration, because "the laborer is worthy of his hire," (Lk
10:7)[152] and "the Lord directed that those who preach the
Gospel should have their living from the Gospel" (1 Cor
9:14). Wherefore, insofar as an equitable remuneration of the
priests would not be provided otherwise, the faithful themselves-that
is, those in whose behalf the priest labors-are truly obliged to see
to it that they can provide what help is necessary for the honorable and
worthy life of the priests. The bishops, however, should admonish
the faithful concerning this obligation of theirs. And they should see
to if whether each individual for his own diocese or, more aptly,
several together for their common territory-that norms are established
according to which suitable support is rightly provided for those who do
fulfill or have fulfilled a special office in the service of the People
of God. The remuneration received by each one, in accord with his
office and the conditions of time and place, should be fundamentally
the same for all in the same circumstances and befitting his station.
Moreover, those who have dedicated themselves to the service of the
priesthood, by reason of the remuneration they receive, should not
only be able to honorably provide for themselves but also themselves be
provided with some means of helping the needy. For the ministry to the
poor has always been held in great honor in the Church from its
beginnings. Furthermore, this remuneration should be such that it
will permit priests each year to take a suitable and sufficient
vacation, something which indeed the bishops should see that their
priests are able to have.
Special importance ought to be given to the office fulfilled by sacred
ministers. Therefore the so-called system of benefices should be
relinquished or at least so reformed that the place of the benefits, or
the right to revenue from the endowment attached to an office, would be
held as secondary, and the first place in law would be given to the
ecclesiastical office itself. From this it should be understood that
whatever office is conferred in a stable manner is to be exercised for a
spiritual purpose.
21. (On setting up common funds and establishing a system of social
assistance for priests.) We should always keep before our eyes the
example of the faithful of the early Church in Jerusalem, who "held
all things in common" (Acts 4;32) "and distribution was made to
each according to each one's need" (Acts 4:35). So it is
supremely fitting, at least in regions where the support of the clergy
completely or largely depends on the offerings of the faithful, that
their offerings for this purpose be collected by a particular diocesan
institution, which the bishop administers with the help of priests
and, when useful, of laymen who are expert in financial matters.
Further it is hoped that insofar as is possible in individual dioceses
or regions there be established a common fund enabling bishops to
satisfy obligations to other deserving persons and meet the needs of
various dioceses. This would also enable wealthier dioceses to help
the poorer, that the need of the latter might be supplemented by the
abundance of the former.[153] These common funds, even though they
should be principally made up of the offerings of the faithful, also
should be provided for by other duly established sources.
Moreover, in nations where social security for the clergy is not yet
aptly established, let the episcopal conferences see to it that-in
accord with ecclesiastical and civil laws-there may be either diocesan
institutes, whether federated with one another or established for
various dioceses together, or territorial associations, which under
the vigilance of the hierarchy would make sufficient and suitable
provision for a program of preventive medicine, and the necessary
support of priests who suffer from sickness, invalid conditions or old
age. Let priests share in this established institute, prompted by a
spirit of solidarity with their brothers to take part in their
tribulations[154] while at the same time being freed from an anxious
concern for their own future so that they can cultivate evangelical
poverty more readily and give themselves fully to the salvation of
souls. Let those in charge of this act to bring together the
institutes of various nations in order that their strength he more
firmly achieved and more broadly based.
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