OGRADY INSTITUTE UPDATE June 24 and June 25, 2009

From Rome

On Wednesday, June 24, after celebrating the Mass for the Birth of St. John the Baptist, members attended the weekly Papal General Audience. At that audience, Pope Benedict XVI stated:


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"The Priest Is a Slave of Christ"

VATICAN CITY, JUNE 24, 2009 ( Zenit.org ).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI gave today during the general audience in St. Peter's Square.



Dear brothers and sisters,

Last Friday, June 19, the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the day traditionally dedicated to pray for the sanctification of priests, I had the joy of inaugurating the Year for Priests. The year was proclaimed on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the "birth into eternal life" of the Curé d'Ars, St. Jean-Baptiste Marie Vianney. Entering into the Vatican basilica for the celebration of vespers, almost as a first symbolic gesture, I paused in the Choir Chapel to venerate the relic of this saintly pastor of souls: his heart. Why a Year for Priests? Why particularly in memory of the holy Curé d'Ars, who apparently did nothing extraordinary?

Divine Providence has ordained that this personage would be placed beside that of St. Paul. As the Pauline Year is concluding, a year which was dedicated to the Apostle of the Gentiles, the epitome of an extraordinary evangelizer who made various mission trips to spread the Gospel, this new jubilee year invites us to gaze upon a poor farmer turned humble pastor, who carried out his pastoral service in a small town.

If the two saints are quite different insofar as the life experiences that marked them -- one traveled from region to region to announce the Gospel; the other remained in his little parish, welcoming thousands and thousands of faithful -- there is nevertheless something fundamental that unites them: It is their total identification with their ministry, their communion with Christ. This brought St. Paul to say: "Yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20). St. John Vianney liked to repeat: "If we had faith, we would see God hidden in the priest like a light behind glass, like wine mixed with water."

The objective of this Year for Priests, as I wrote in the letter sent to priests for this occasion, is to support that struggle of every priest "toward spiritual perfection, on which the effectiveness of his ministry primarily depends." It is to help priests first of all -- and with them all of God's people -- to rediscover and reinvigorate their awareness of the extraordinary and indispensable gift of grace that the ordained ministry is for he who receives it, for the whole Church, and for the world, which would be lost without the real presence of Christ.

Undoubtedly, the historical and social conditions in which the Curé d'Ars lived have changed, and it is justifiable to ask oneself how it's possible for priests living in a globalized society to imitate him in the way he identified himself with his ministry. In a world in which the customary outlook on life comprehends less and less the sacred, and in its place "useful" becomes the only important category, the catholic -- and even ecclesial -- idea of the priesthood can run the risk of being emptied of the esteem that is natural to it.

It is not by chance that as much in theological environments as in concrete pastoral practice and the formation of the clergy, a contrast -- even an opposition -- is made between two distinct concepts of the priesthood. Some years ago, I noted in this regard that there is "on the one hand a social-functional understanding that defines the essence of the priesthood with the concept of 'service': service to the community in the fulfillment of a function. … On the other hand, there is the sacramental-ontological understanding, which naturally does not deny the servicial character of the priesthood, but sees it anchored in the being of the minister and considers that this being is determined by a gift called sacrament, given by the Lord through the mediation of the Church" (Joseph Ratzinger, Ministry and Life of the Priest, in Principles of Catholic Theology).

The terminological mutation of the word "priesthood" toward a meaning of "service, ministry, assignment" is as well a sign of this distinct understanding. The primacy of the Eucharist is linked to the sacramental-ontological conception, in the binomial "priest-sacrifice," while to the other [conception] would correspond the primacy of the word and service to the proclamation.

Considered carefully, these are not two opposing understandings, and the tension that nevertheless exists between them should be resolved from within. Thus the decree "Presbyterorum Ordinis" from the Second Vatican Council affirms: "Through the apostolic proclamation of the Gospel, the People of God are called together and assembled. All belonging to this people … can offer themselves as 'a sacrifice, living, holy, pleasing to God' (Rom 12:1). Through the ministry of the priests, the spiritual sacrifice of the faithful is made perfect in union with the sacrifice of Christ. He is the only mediator who in the name of the whole Church is offered sacramentally in the Eucharist and in an unbloody manner until the Lord himself comes" (No. 2).

We then ask ourselves, "What exactly does it mean, for priests, to evangelize? What is the so-called primacy of proclamation?" Jesus speaks of the proclamation of the Kingdom of God as the true objective for his coming to the world, and his proclamation is not just a "discourse." It includes, at the same time, his actions: His signs and miracles indicate that the Kingdom is now present in the world, which in the end coincides with himself. In this sense, one must recall that even in this idea of the "primacy" of proclamation, word and sign are inseparable.

Christian proclamation does not proclaim "words," but the Word, and the proclamation coincides with the very person of Christ, ontologically open to the relationship with the Father and obedient to his will. Therefore, authentic service to the Word requires from the priest that he strains toward a deep abnegation of himself, until being able to say with the Apostle, "It is not I who lives, but Christ who lives in me."

The priest cannot consider himself "lord" of the word, but rather its servant. He is not the word, but rather, as John the Baptist proclaimed, (precisely today we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist), he is the "voice" of the Word: "A voice of one crying out in the desert: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths'" (Mark 1:3).

Now then, to be the "voice" of the Word doesn't constitute for the priest a merely functional element. On the contrary, it presupposes a substantial "losing oneself" in Christ, participating in his mystery of death and resurrection with all of oneself: intelligence, liberty, will, and the offering of one's own body as a living sacrifice (cf. Romans 12:1-2). Only participation in the sacrifice of Christ, in his kenosis, makes the proclamation authentic! And this is the path that should be walked with Christ to the point of saying with him to the Father: Let it be done, "not what I will but what you will" (Mark 14:36). The proclamation, therefore, always implies as well the sacrifice of oneself, the condition so that the proclamation can be authentic and effective.

Alter Christus, the priest is profoundly united to the Word of the Father, who in incarnating himself, has taken the form of a slave, has made himself a slave (cf. Philippians 2:5-11). The priest is a slave of Christ in the sense that his existence, ontologically configured to Christ, takes on an essentially relational character: He is in Christ, through Christ, and with Christ at the service of man. Precisely because he belongs to Christ, the priest is radically at the service of all people: He is the minister of their salvation, of their happiness, of their authentic liberation -- maturing, in this progressive taking up of the will of Christ, in prayer, in this "remaining heart to heart" with him. This is therefore the essential condition of all proclamation, which implies participation in the sacramental offering of the Eucharist and docile obedience to the Church.

The holy Curé d'Ars often repeated with tears in his eyes: "What a frightening thing to be a priest!" And he added: "How we ought to pity a priest who celebrates Mass as if he were engaged in something routine. How wretched is a priest without interior life!"

May this Year of the Priest bring all priests to identify themselves totally with Jesus, crucified and risen, so that in imitation of St. John the Baptist, we are willing to "decrease" so that he increases; so that, following the example of the Curé d'Ars, they constantly and deeply understand the responsibility of their mission, which is sign and presence of the infinite mercy of God. Let us entrust to the Virgin, Mother of the Church, this Year for Priests just begun and all the priests of the world.

[Translation by ZENIT]

[The Holy Father then addressed the people in several languages. In English, he said:]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Last Friday, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus – a day traditionally devoted to prayer for the sanctification of priests – marked the beginning of the Year for Priests commemorating the sesquicentennial of the death of the Curé of Ars, Saint John Mary Vianney, patron of parish priests. The Pauline Year now ending and the current Year for Priests invite us to consider how the Apostle Paul and the humble Curé of Ars both identified themselves completely with their ministry, striving to live in constant communion with Christ. May this Year for Priests help all priests to grow towards the spiritual perfection essential to the effectiveness of their ministry, and enable the faithful to appreciate more fully the great gift of grace which the priesthood is: for priests themselves, for the Church and for our world. Configured to Christ in the sacrament of Holy Orders, the priest is called to become an alter Christus, "another Christ". His personal union with the Lord must thus unify every aspect of his life and activity. During this Year for Priests, let us entrust all priests to Mary, Mother of the Church, and pray that they will grow in fidelity to their mission to be living signs of Christ’s presence and infinite mercy.

I offer a warm welcome to the English-speaking visitors present at today’s Audience, especially those from Norway, Sweden, Malawi, South Africa, Indonesia and the United States. My particular greeting goes to the Catholic educators participating in the annual Rome Seminar sponsored by the Lay Centre at Foyer Unitas. I also greet the many student groups present. Upon all of you I invoke God’s blessings of joy and peace!

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After that audience, the OGrady participants visited Caritas Roma operations. We met with the senior leadership of the Caritas Roma Migration Office. This office, open since 1981, has offered hospitality and legal-social-material resources to newcomers to Italy. They too are dealing with irregular and regular migrants (undocumented and documented) and shared many similar stories as us regarding the treatment of migrants, especially non documented ones. The Bishops Conference of Italy has advocated for many changes in immigration law in Italy, sometimes meeting with much social and political resistance.

We then visited the Caritas Roma Health Clinic for Migrants located under the Rome Termni or train station. There we witnessed a primary health clinic, with a pharmacy, mental health workers, social workers and a research center. Besides the amazing number of languages they have to interpret-translate in this center serves nearly 12,000 clients each year. Besides primary health, the clinic staff (3) with hundreds of volunteer doctors, nurses, pharmarcy assistants, and interpreters, this center provides information and assistance to help migrants and others navigate through the Italian health care system. We learned that there is a campaign going on in Italy that wants to require that physicians not treat non documented or irregular migrants. Caritas Roma and the Bishops have resisted this campaign and are actively advocating against this legislation. The director of this health clinic presented us with a banner used by Caritas Roma to educate the public about the injustice of this policy if it would be enacted.

On Wednesday evening, the group met at the international Mother House of the Sisters of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ. Sr. Teresa Wetta, ASC, formerly the mission director for Catholic Charities USA, is on the international general council for this order of women. We shared a meal with the Sisters of her house.

On Thursday, after celebrating our last Eucharistic liturgy together, the group met with Josef Cardinal Cordes, the President of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, and with newly named Monsignor Anthony Figuerdo from Newark who is on staff at Cor Unum. We discussed the focus of Cor Unum as an agent of inspiration and animation for the work of Caritas throughout the world. We presented to the Cardinal our workplan for our on going Catholic Identity project. He mentioned that he was happy with our dedication to such articulation of Catholic identity and our commitment to the formation of the heart of Caritas-Catholic Charities workers. Cardinal Cordes also mentioned that he will soon have a book translated into English that will be published by the University of Notre Dame Press on the work of Caritas and its spirituality. We welcomed that work.

Later that day we met with Msgr. Anthony Frontiero, who is an officialy of the Pontifical Council Justice and Peace. A priest from Manchester NH, Msgr. Frontiero manages the Human Rights Desk for that dicastery and represents the Holy See at many international meetings on the human rights agenda. We discussed how they work as a think tank regarding the theological reflection on social issues, and work closely with the Secretary of State. We discussed in detail a November 18, 2008 forum at their office on the international financial crisis that this dicastery held in response to requests from the UN to have a moral reflection on economic issues. We were provided with the results of that meeting.

After a final meal today, all of us will be flying back to the States. We now have all promised in follow up the following

1. To write a paper to share with each other and with CCUSA on our reflections on our experience and how we will implement what we learned back in our home dioceses.

2. To meet on the phone frequently to review-discuss our reflection papers and to read other materials together and discuss them.

3. To meet again, somehow, with Fr. Klaus Baumann to continue with our class reflection on the theology and wissenschaft of Caritas.

4. To provide a written evaluation of the OGrady Institute and promote it for others.

We all concurred at our face to face evaluation meeting that all of us grew in our faith, sharpened our spiritual reflection, learned from others, developed insights about our work, and saw how our work in anchored in our Tradition as part and parcel of the three aspects of the Mission of the Church: to preach the good news, to celebrate the Sacraments, and to serve others -- caritas.