Card. Sarah: The Priesthood is in Mortal Danger. Wherein Fr. Z rants to priests

[OraLabora]

what about the unbeliever? your good works do nothing for his salvation. he needs the gospel preached to him or all is for naught, saved by grace is catholic teaching.

Where have I said that teaching the Gospel was not required? I said it wasn’t an either/or proposition. The social aspects of pastoral care are every bit as much part of the Gospel as the spiritual aspects. Omitting one or the other does injury to the Gospel.

Some are better at the social aspects, some better at the teaching ministry. But both are required.

Most homilies I hear do emphasize both. Maybe not always at the same time, but both are emphasized.

 

[jack63]

I’d think that if Viri Probati married men were allowed to be ordained in limited circumstances, many of these men would be very interested in practicing the TLM.

 

[yankeesouth]

we don’t need the entire gospel

Well yes preach the entire Gospel. That is the problem…we only hear about Jesus as just another social worker but no more as Christ the King.

 

[Randolph]

Fr. Z seems to have way too much time on his hands. He should roll up his sleeves, learn Portuguese and volunteer for duty in the Amazon. He’d save a lot more souls than he does sowing division over liturgical minutiae.

Quite a slight and unfair comment toward Father Z. Don’t you think? I am surprised at you. You may disagree with the father about the TLM and his assessment about what ails the Church today. But to dismiss his priestly work as in saving less souls because you—Mr. knows it all—deign it not so is quite astonishing and wrong. Who are you to make that judgement about Father Z—or to any clergy???

At one time, I valued your sensible opinions and good judgements on this Forum. But of late, sadly… no longer so.

 

[OraLabora]

True I have no knowledge of his private ministry. However his public writings sow division.

And that is bad for the Church. He needs to dial it back.

 

[po18guy]

Do tell???

 

[JimG]

The interview with Cardinal Sarah, to which Fr. Z refers, can be found HERE.

Cardinal Sarah makes some very forceful points about priestly celibacy.

 

[twf]

To be fair, Fr Z has a very sharp tongue when it comes to priests and bishops he is critical of… I think he can handle some respectful criticism in turn. His situation is definitely unique. He’s a priest of an Italian diocese who resides in the Midwest, runs a blog, and seems to travel a great deal. There is surely much value in his ministry, but it is definitely a non-normal situation and he isn’t above criticism.

 

[po18guy]

So, which part of the Gospel was Jesus spoofing us about? I do not recall Him saying, “Hey, guys, just do 1 through 7 and forget the rest…”

 

[Randolph]

To be fair, Fr Z has a very sharp tongue when it comes to priests and bishops he is critical of… I think he can handle some respectful criticism in turn. His situation is definitely unique. He’s a priest of an Italian diocese who resides in the Midwest, runs a blog, and seems to travel a great deal. There is surely much value in his ministry, but it is definitely a non-normal situation and he isn’t above criticism.

No one is above criticism—including all popes, bishops and priests. They all have their priestly duty and obligation. During their earthly pilgrimage, they have to answer to their immediate bishop/superior, to the Church, and to a large extent their flock for their words and deeds. In time, they will stand in the judgment of God for their earthly actions.

People can disagree with Father Z’s various positions about what’s going on in the Church, or about what he does with his own time. To some, Father Z has brought insights and thoughts that are worthwhile to consider. To others,…not so much. He has those who agree with him, and those who disagree with him. It’s reasonable to have conversations/debates about them. But to unjustly attack him as a priest without offerings concrete reasons, or to belittle/diminish his priestly work administering the Sacraments and pastoring souls as in playing God on where he should go, are wrong and inappropriate.

 

[upant]

So, which part of the Gospel was Jesus spoofing us about? I do not recall Him saying, “Hey, guys, just do 1 through 7 and forget the rest…”

are you saying only those people who are given the entire gospel are the only ones saved by grace?

our works won’t earn an unbeliever their salvation.

saved by grace is just that,

8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

 

[Emeraldlady]

One of the persistent criticisms of Mother St Teresa of Calcutta by Hindus and Christopher Hitchens, was that she converted the Indians “by stealth”. Meaning people were drawn to know more about her beliefs simply because of her love and care for them where they were at. She just really believed in Scripture and the Holy Spirit did the rest. John 13 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

 

[mythbuster1]

Both are necessary. If we neglect preaching, we disobey the Great Commission. If we neglect charity, we reveal ourselves to be hypocrites and undermine our preaching.

 

[Randolph]

Excerpts from the Cardinal Sarah interview:

—Your Eminence, why did you want to write this book?

Because the Christian priesthood is in mortal danger! It’s going through a major crisis. The discovery of the great number of sexual abuses committed by priests, and even bishops, is an indisputable symptom of this. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI had already spoken out strongly on this subject. But then his thinking was distorted and ignored. Just like today, attempts have been made to silence him. And like today, diversionary maneuvers were mounted to divert attention from his prophetic message. Yet I am convinced that he has told us the essential — what no one wants to hear. He has shown that at the root of the abuses committed by clerics, there is a deep flaw in their formation. The priest is a man set apart for the service of God and the Church. He is a consecrated person. His whole life is set apart for God. And yet they wanted to desacralize priestly life. They wanted to trivialize it, to render it profane, to secularize it. They wanted to make the priest a man like any other. Some priests were formed without putting God, prayer, the celebration of Mass, the ardent search for holiness at the center of their lives. As Benedict XVI said, “Why has pedophilia reached such proportions? In the final analysis, the reason is the absence of God. It is only where Faith no longer determines man’s actions that such crimes are possible.”

—Precisely how poor has this formation been that you mention, and what have been the effects?

Priests have been formed without teaching them that God is the only point of support for their lives, without making them experience that their lives only have meaning through God and for him. Deprived of God, they were left with nothing but power. Some have fallen into the diabolical logic of abuse of authority and sexual crimes. If a priest doesn’t daily experience he is only an instrument in God’s hands, if he doesn’t stand constantly before God to serve him with all his heart, then he risks becoming intoxicated with a sense of power. If a priest’s life is not a consecrated life, then he is in great danger of illusion and diversion. Today, some would like to take a further step in this direction. They would like to relativize the celibacy of priests. That would be a catastrophe! For celibacy is the most obvious manifestation that the priest belongs to Christ and that he no longer belongs to himself. Celibacy is the sign of a life that has meaning only through God and for him. To want to ordain married men is to imply that priestly life is not full time, that it does not require a complete gift, that it leaves one free for other commitments such as a profession, that it leaves time free for a private life. But this is false. A priest remains a priest at all times. Priestly ordination is not first of all a generous commitment; it is a consecration of our whole being, an indelible conformation of our soul to Christ, the priest, who demands from us permanent conversion in order to correspond to him.

To be continued…

 

[Randolph]

…continue…

Does Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI share this point of view?

I am certain of it, and he has told me so, face-to-face, on several occasions. His greatest suffering and the most painful trial of the Latin Church is the crime of pedophile priests, priests who violate their chastity. One only has to read all that he wrote on this subject as a cardinal, then during his pontificate, and, most recently, in From the Depths of Our Hearts .

He never ceased to stress the importance of priestly celibacy for the whole Church. Let me remind you of his words: “If we separate celibacy from the priesthood, we will no longer see the charismatic character of the priesthood. We will see only a function that the institution itself provides for its own security and needs. If we want to take the priesthood in this light … the Church is no longer understood except as a mere human institution.”

But they wanted to muzzle Benedict XVI. I must confess my revolt at the slander, violence and rudeness to which he has been subjected. Benedict XVI wanted to speak to the world, but they tried to discredit his words. I know that he takes on everything that is written in this book with determination, and I know that he is delighted with its publication. He wanted to write and publicly express this joy, but they would like to prevent him from expressing it. But to recount in detail, hour by hour, these maneuvers is useless. I prefer not to dwell on these sordid machinations, for which those responsible will one day give an account before God.

 

[Randolph]

…continue…

—What is behind this opposition?

The opponents of the priesthood don’t want to get to the bottom of the debate. They know their arguments are based on historical errors, on theological misunderstandings. They know that celibacy is necessary for evangelization in mission countries. So they try to delegitimize the book itself. Having nothing to oppose in the text, they attack the cover. What a pity! They make the pope emeritus out to be an old man. But have you read what he writes? Do you think one can write pages of such depth without having all one’s faculties? Some people want to pass us off as naïve. They try to make us believe that our publishers have manipulated us and have taken advantage of a misunderstanding to mount I don’t know what kind of communication stunt. This is totally false! There is no misunderstanding. Our French publisher has simply implemented what I personally worked out with the pope emeritus. I’ve already mentioned this. I would like to pay further tribute to the loyalty and professionalism of all my publishers, especially my French publisher.

All these polemics are a diversionary tactic to avoid talking about the essential, the content of the book.

—In view of the timing of the book, coming just before the Feb. 12 planned publication of his post-synodal apostolic exhortation, which may accept the synod fathers’ proposal to ordain some married men in the Amazon as priests, did you want to put pressure on Pope Francis?

I have already written that “whoever is against the Pope is outside the Church,” but I am always made out to be opposed to him. I am even at the top of the list of opponents of Pope Francis. These accusations break my heart and sadden me deeply. But I remain serene and confident that the Pope pays no attention to such false insinuations.

I am in no way in opposition to Pope Francis! Those who claim I am are trying to divide the Church. They lie and play the devil’s game. I have written this book in order to humbly and filially offer my contribution to the Pope in a spirit of true synodality. I challenge you to find in everything I have written a single line, a single word of criticism against the Pope!

But I am uneasy. In Germany, a strange synod clearly envisages the questioning of celibacy. I wanted to cry out my concern: Do not tear the Church apart! By attacking the celibacy of priests, you are attacking the Church and her mystery!

The Church does not belong to us; she is a gift of God. She perpetuates herself through the ministry of priests, who are also a gift of God and not a human creation. Each priest is the fruit of a vocation, of a personal and intimate call from God himself. Benedict XVI explains this in depth in this book. One does not decide by oneself to become a priest. One is called by God, and the Church confirms this call. Celibacy guarantees this call. A man can only renounce starting a family and having a sexual life if he is certain that God is calling him to this renunciation. Our priesthood hangs on God’s call and on the Church’s prayer for vocations.

 

[yankeesouth]

Cardinal Sarah seems to be following Fr. Z’s lead and is doing some ranting himself!

All these polemics are a diversionary tactic to avoid talking about the essential, the content of the book.

Just like this thread lol.

 

[Randolph]

Just like this thread lol.

Lol. “Ranting” seems to be the word of the day…

 

[upant]

If we neglect charity, we reveal ourselves to be hypocrites and undermine our preaching.

charity has its place but your charity doesn’t help the unbeliever be saved. it is a gift of grace from God. to think we can save people by our works is not biblical.

 

[mythbuster1]

Who will accept the medicine of the soul if we do not first attend to the needs of the body? Did not Christ first show Himself by signs and wonders before proclaiming the mysteries of salvation?