I believe in a Better Way - the original Way in spirit at least. (Priesthood Discussion)

by Oh Yet We Trust, Brisbane, Sunday, March 22, 2009, 09:01 (1518 days ago) @ Brian Coyne
edited by unknown, Sunday, March 22, 2009, 09:25

Below is perhaps not the original Way of the Gospels - it can't be, we don't live in the first century AD but it's just a thought for what it's worth.

When I belonged to a "charismatic community" (70s) they were just starting to develop a plan to 'choose' young men from that community to support and send to training for the priesthood so that they could then return and take up a role as sacramental ministers for that community. The church hierarchy didn't really approve of this so it never got off the ground which may or may not have been a good thing for that community.

But I have always since thought that it was a good model never the less: the laity would take on the overall leadership with a representative group (of which the priest would be part of) and take charge of almost everything else. The role and training of the priest was to oversee and concentrate on being spiritual/sacramental support to the community - it wasn't the priest's community, they were a part of (not apart from) the whole structure and ethos, a brother on the journey with their fellow pilgrims, equal in all ways to the laity.

I can see some problems with this especially of a community becoming too spiritually insular and isolated and unchallenged even and that is where promoting inter-community communication and relationships is vital, a role which would/should be taken on by the 'local' bishop'. (think St Mary's, and at the other end, Bethel).

What would be the quality of the young man (and perhaps, one day, woman) being "chosen"? Well obviously they should have especially all the qualities mentioned in Brian's post above. I've always thought they should have a deep desire to serve, a deep sense of compassion, the ability to really listen, someone who has dealt with any trauma in their childhood and is psycho/spiritually balanced, someone who is deeply committed to their own prayer life and spiritual, psychological and theological development (like all of us should be). Their priesthood should be not just based on theory but experience, often suffered through, so as to have real com-passion for those they minister to. I also have often fallen back on St Teresa's advice about choosing a spiritual director/advisor: She would always say if you have to choose between a holy man (woman) and a learned man (woman) choose the latter. Hopefully, though they will be both.

So, the priest would then be absolutely a perceived-to-be and actual equal community/family member (not "boss of the wash" or lord over) who intimately listens to and knows and understands the ethos of his particular community of fellow pilgrims, and the wider local community at large, very much what Frs Peter and Terry have been and are still, hopefully.

But in order for this model to eventuate, the hierarchy would have to start to trust the laity and to allow us to 'leave' their highly structured and controlled home in recognition that we aren't literally sheep but intelligent and autonomous men and women who are committed to God/Jesus/The Holy Spirit and church/community - the people. Every community, on the other hand, must be willing to be humble and be, in spirit, submissive to outside and internal 'instruction' if needed so as not to go off on some 'Brotherhood' (an extreme case) road of spiritually incestuous self-deception and fantasy but rather to maintain a locally-sensitive and grounded community of compassion, inclusiveness, holiness, effectiveness, humility - a sane, Jesus-centred, Gospel-living, body of Christ.

Can we do it? Yes we can! "I believe in a Better Way".

Oh yet we trust that somehow good
Will be the final goal of ill