Presentation of His Eminence Joachim Card. Meisner, Archbishop of Cologne

The Missionary identity of the Priest in the Church,

as the Intrinsic Dimension of the Exercise of the “Tria Munera”

THE situaTion in EuropE

“Model your lives daily on the Lord’s own loving self-oblation in obedience to the will of the Father. You will then discover the freedom and joy which can draw others to the Love which lies beyond all other loves as their source and their ultimate fulfillment”.

(Benedict XVI, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney, 19 July 2008)

Introduction

The missionary identity of the priest is undoubtedly a decisive dimension of his existence and of his service within the Mystery of the Church and its universal Mission. It is, one could say, a point of sacramental crystallization of the Church, which is, as the icon of the Trinity, “missionary by its very nature,” (i.e. the pilgrim apostolic proclamation). It draws from the mission of the Son and the mission of the Holy Spirit, according to the plan of God the Father (Ad gentes 2; cfr. Lumen gentium 17). For this reason, the intrinsic and extrinsic characteristic of the Church is inherent in the priest in virtue of his ontological assimilation to Christ, the Redeemer of man, which is profoundly and inseparably tied to his being and his mission. In other words, one can understand the figure of the priest as someone sent by God only in the missionary sense. His is a divine mission as witness of authority and service.

If we consider the present situation in Europe, this ontological definition of the Church and the priest is exceptionally relevant. John Paul II was thinking particularly of the European continent when he spoke of the need for a “re-evangelization” of the entire Church as a fundamental task in the present and in the future (cfr. Redemptoris missio 1). In order to be able to give an idea here of the situation of priests in Europe, it is first of all necessary to premise with what we mean by “Europe”.

After World War II, Europe was divided for more than forty years. This division, resolved symbolically with the fall of the Berlin wall, but whose effects can still be felt, created for many years various rifts in Europe. Besides the North-South rift (the Scandinavian countries, of a Protestant majority, and the predominantly Catholic countries of the southern area), the rift between East and West lead to different economic situations which also effected the Catholic Church and it priests. While Western Europe was rapidly influenced by the typical characteristics of the whole Western world (social market economy, affluence, but also excessive materialism, a growing secularization, indifference, atheism, etc.), Eastern Europe was characterized by the supremacy of communism and its dictatorial nature (persecutions, poverty, government ideologies contrary to faith, but also an intense religious life, intense devotion, vocations, etc.).

The Western world ran the serious risk of a weariness of the Church and of its priests which showed itself, ultimately, in a weakened missionary consciousness. In Eastern Europe, we see instead, precisely as a result of the persecutions, a strong sense of Christian solidarity and an untiring missionary strength. It is enough to think, for example, of the situations of diaspora in the former German Democratic Republic, but also of the solid Catholicism of Poland and of the figure of John Paul II, who brought an important contribution to the political changes at the end of the ‘80s. Priests in the two parts of Europe, therefore, were characterized by different forms of awareness of their identity and mission.

The political transformations and the changes which took place within the environs of the Church, along with the increased mobility of people, left their mark, after almost twenty years, on the understanding that priests have of themselves. The boundaries of the two parts, which had been fairly evident to that point, began to weaken; increasingly European priests find themselves faced with a secularization that envelopes all of Europe, along with an ever more dominant “dictatorship of relativism” (Benedict XVI), which also in part affects priests themselves. Europe has by now become a vast missionary tract. At the same time, we notice efforts of ecclesial renewal (World Youth Day, new communities and spiritual movements) present especially among the youth, but which also involve many priests, young and old, they “help Christians to live a more radically evangelical life. They are a cradle for different vocations, and they generate new forms of consecration. Above all, they promote the vocation of the laity, and they help it to find expression in different spheres of life. They favour the holiness of the people. They are able to be both the messenger and the message for people who otherwise would not encounter the Church” (Ecclesia in Europa [2003] n. 16).

What does all this mean for the priest in Europe? If we look at the situation carefully, we see lights and shadows. St. Ignatius of Loyola, in his book of spiritual exercises, advises beginning the daily examination of conscience with the light, that is giving thanks for benefits received (EB, n. 43). If we make a brief analysis of the various circumstances of the life of priests in Europe, which at the time were cause for (great) concern, we must not do so with pride, in light of this wise suggestion of the Saint. On the contrary, we should put elements of encouragement in even greater evidence, in this context, in order to be able to draw impetus and benefits for the future.

I. A reason for concern.

The critical question of our times is the same as Pilate’s in the Gospel: “What is truth?” (Jn 18:38). Faced with widespread indifference with respect to the great questions of life, we must acknowledge that modern man in Europe also asks the same question, especially in the pursuit of lasting values, he asks himself where he comes from and where he is going. “What is truth?”. The Church responds, in the whirlwind of opinions, religious and otherwise, to the vision of today’s world by embracing and repeating the words of our Lord: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn 14:6). In Christ, man finds the truth of life and the way of life. He is the way to Holiness. The absolute and universal proclamation of Jesus Christ and of his Annunciation through of the Church clashes, however, with the great contradictions of European society, perhaps even within the Church itself. The idea of an absolute truth which purports to be relevant is not accepted. One notices a certain religiosity, for the most part relegated and confined to the private sphere, which expresses itself in the phenomenon of a subjective view of the world. The political decisions of recent years have contributed to this development (see, for example, the lack of an explicit reference to God in the project for a European constitution).

Thus, the Church and its priests find themselves before numerous theological and spiritual problems which, even for priests, make the lasting awareness and necessity of the mission ever more difficult.

These problems include above all convictions of a religious pluralism, which consider all religions – without making distinctions – as opportunities for happiness and fulfillment, to the point of arriving at syncretistic forms of religiosity. Religion, in this context, is a private matter just as any other, to be managed and formed according to one’s own tastes and which need have no consequence for the “politically correct” co-existence of European citizens. Instead, the ecclesial mission (also in the sense of evangelization) is seen as an attempt to control the freedom of the individual, and is therefore considered anachronistic. Frederick the Great’s motto is more valid than ever today in the European context: “Everyone must find his happiness in his own way!”.

Unfortunately, the tendency to religious pluralism can also be found in the European ecclesiastical institutions, not least of all in schools of Theology. Such tendencies, therefore, risk suffocating the missionary spirit in its first moments, which is found decisively and anew among the youth of the movements of renewal in the Church and among seminarians. As a result, the conviction in the absoluteness of Jesus Christ is increasingly lost. The vague consciousness of mission is, therefore, always expression of an erroneous or reduced understanding of the profession of faith in Christ. This vague awareness of mission also obscures the proper and irreducible character of the Church in the social context.

Relating phenomena deriving from such ideas are visible also in the life and works of some priests. Many priests today are not adequately prepared to face theses situations in society and amongst believers. Formation is significantly lacking; often times priests do not have the necessary knowledge of the faith, they have no perception of their own priestly identity (key word: alter Christus) nor the skills necessary to proclaim the faith, particularly in homilies and catechesis. In this context we notice, in reference to the faithful, a pervasive absence of a complete and ongoing catechesis, in particular among the generation of so-called young adults and also among adults properly so called. The absence of instruction in the faith also weakens missionary consciousness in the long-run, both on the part of the catechists as well as the students.

In virtue of this theological situation, and because of a tangible lack of “success” of the priestly apostolate, a sort of “mentality of retreat” back into the normality of the everyday “ecclesiastical ghetto” is spreading among many priests. The object of their daily actions becomes no longer the expansion of the faith and the Church within society (this being the priesthood as a sort of “platform for the mission”), but rather restricts the Church’s internal space to a bastion of people who think along the same lines. They become satisfied with what they already have. The distinctive mark of this attitude of closure is that the priests no longer wear the attire of secular priests or the habit of their order. They are known to one another, thus there is no longer any need to be recognized from without. Such spiritual leadership is lacking the missionary impulse to be shared with the other believers. This amounts to nothing more than a “safeguarding an inheritance”.

This tendency is accompanied by an increasingly evident crisis that affects two fundamental pillars of the priest’s existence: spirituality and brotherhood. Many priests today have the desire to serve God and man with total dedication, consecrating their lives in holiness. What is often missing is communion, mutual support and the theological and spiritual assistance that, considering current dangers, can help to deepen and give new vitality to the priestly calling. Accordingly, what is needed is a specifically priestly spirituality that includes communion with other priests. The priestly spirituality, in truth the spiritual and fruitful relationship in the love of Christ, the Lord of the Church, and also with other priests and laypersons, is the foundation of the true existence and mission of the priest. The dangers that priests face, in terms of exteriority and superficiality, are enormous. The spiritual life, characterized by a priestly spirituality that unites the priest to other priests, is often weakened in intensity or even abandoned. What follows is that the spiritual competence of the priest is lost in the “daily routine”; the priest becomes isolated and is no longer fruitful according to a missionary point of view.

II. A reason for thankfulness

On the other hand, it is true that, if we look beyond the shadows, there is much light. This is the case especially, not only for the faithful service of older priests, but also for the new generation of young priests (and seminarians) that is increasing in the countries of Europe. Even if the majority of them come from the parish contexts, we cannot deny the fact that more and more young people were fascinated by the charism of John Paul II, thanks to the World Youth Day and to the new spiritual communities and movements. We can highlight a number of characteristic elements from this.

Among young priests (as well as among others of their age) a positive attitude and respect towards the Church and its mission is spreading once again. They consciously ask us the question: what does the Church teach? What answer has the Church for these who speak to her in the world of today? How can it be communicated to the men and women of today? There emerges a great concern for catechesis and a healthy Catholic theology that tries to give answers founded on doctrine of the Church. The desire for clarity and the search for truth are evident. The young in general – including young priests – are zealous in the faith, in such a way that they have the capacity to hand on the faith as missionaries of the truth and the love of God. This is tied – and appears to be an interesting new aspect of the missionary consciousness – to a profound disappointment faced with the lack of faith and of knowledge among the new generations. This could represent a turnaround for the missionary future of the Church in Europe. According to the saying “one can do no more”, an increased missionary capacity within and outside the Church (ad intra mission and ad extra mission) becomes urgent and necessary. In this way, one can also find the courage to object: the courage to contest the ‘politically correct’ ideas which go contrary to the truth of God and man, and to dare to say the truth. The first fruits of this can be seen, for example, in ‘prayer festivals’, doctrine or catechism courses, conferences for young people run by priests, missions in the cities, communities of priests, etc.

Another positive point which is worth mentioning, especially with respect to the new generation of priests, is their great spiritual competence. Influenced by the spiritualities of the ecclesial movements of renewal, the life of the sacraments, personal prayer (interior and contemplative), Eucharistic adoration, the reading of Sacred Scriptures, regular confession, Marian devotion (especially the recitation of the Rosary), adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and annual retreats - to mention but a few - all play an important role in their lives. The (young) priest possesses a spirituality that gives him support through traditional forms of devotion and allows him to frame his priestly service in a missionary perspective, according to the words of Pope Benedict on the occasion of the ordination of new priests in Rome on 27^th April 2008: “In order to be collaborators for the joy of others, in a world that is often sad and negative, the fire of the Gospel must burn brightly within each of you and the joy of the Lord dwell in you. Only then will you be able to be messengers and multipliers of this joy, bestowing it upon all, especially upon those who are sorrowful and disheartened”.

The consciousness of a healthy priestly authority that expresses itself not only in the homily and catechesis but also in the unity between word and deed, is closely bound to spiritual competence. Many young priests are clear about their priestly identity and try to live the authority that comes from it with believers. The priest is able to recognize and realise that authority not only from his theological formation (there are young priests who have never heard of caracter indelebilis or of the priest as alter Christus!), but also – indeed above all – in the living ecclesial community (seminary, spiritual community, priestly community).

Furthermore, we see a new cooperation between priests and the laity. Young priests are ever more aware of the particular vocation of the laity, as Vatican II explained in Lumen gentium 35: fewer lay theologians in the Church and more witnesses of hope within matrimony and the family (the school of the apostolate), in the world of work and politics, in temporal spheres and various contexts of the world. It is therefore necessary to build small nuclei in the Church: families that become schools of the apostolate, schools of authentic missionary vocation. Many young priests have therefore the role of a spiritual father who with patience and humility works in the name of Jesus Christ. Thus, the prayer for new spiritual vocations for priestly service and for consecration in congregations and secular institutions is particularly dear to the heart.

In this sense, we must recognize the new readiness to create bonds with other priests for the mutual enrichment of their own priestly vocation from the spiritual and human point of view (priestly communities). These links also contribute to a new missionary consciousness through community type brotherhood, theological reflection, spiritual communion and reawakening, as well as the accompaniment of vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life.

We also find among priests an ever more marked understanding of the Church in the world and her needs, as well as a conscious love for the Pope and the bishops. This can also be ascribed to the experience of World Youth Day. The local Church is not an association of people directed to its own ends who all think alike, but rather it is with Christ a missionary community for the world. The priest becomes also a guarantor of this, and he strives, for the good of the entire Church, to create an ecclesial (Catholic) consciousness in the world.

III. Consequences

In articulating these reflections, we can draw three consequences from them that must be translated into concrete assistance for the priests of Europe today:

1) In the permanent theological formation of priests a more incisive catechesis must be introduced, keeping in mind their (often) weak knowledge of the faith. This is necessary to so as to help them to be able to face the phenomena of religious pluralism, relativism, and secularization in today’s society. This theological formation must be placed at the service of the formation of faith and the capacity to catechize.

2) The missionary identity of the priest must orient itself, within the Church, to the exercise of the tria munera: formation and accompaniment of the laity within marriage and the family, in the working world, etc. so as to build small (but strong) nuclei of missionary renewal (re-evangelization) and, therefore, prepare the ground for spiritual vocations. The missionary identity of the priest must, on the other hand, be orientated outwards, towards the world: a witness in word and in deed, being recognizable, placing oneself with courage and self-awareness in Christ, like St. Paul on Areopagos.

3) A fundamental trait of the priest’s missionary identity must be his spiritual competence, founded on a spirituality lived in Christ, bound to the life of the Church and to the communion with other priests and lay people, mindful of the words of Pope Benedict XVI: “In approaching the altar, your daily school of holiness, of communion with Jesus, of the way of entering into his feelings, in order to renew the sacrifice of the Cross, you will increasingly discover the richness and tenderness of the love of the divine Master, who today is calling you to a closer friendship with him. If you listen with docility to him, if you follow him faithfully, you will learn to express in your life and in your pastoral ministry his love and his passion for the salvation of souls. With Jesus' help, dear Ordinandi, each one of you will become a Good Shepherd, ready, if necessary, to lay down your life for him“. (Presbyteral Ordinations, Rome, 29/04/2007).