The Most important role of a priest

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FrDavid96 said:
The single most important thing a priest does is to celebrate the Mass.

But keep in mind that priests, just like everyone else have to prioritize their time.

A properly decorated Church enhances the beauty of the Mass. A properly decorated Church is one of the means to the end of “providing spiritual food.”
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well said. I agree.
 
In RCIA (2004), we were told that the priest has two required duties:
  1. To pray Mass
  2. To pray the Office
Is this not true?
 
Cat said:
In RCIA (2004), we were told that the priest has two required duties:
  1. To pray Mass
  2. To pray the Office
Is this not true?
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Actually, it should be celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and pray the office. Of the two, the first is certainly most important, as Pope Benedict told the ordinandi. The office is also certainly important. My parochial vicar likes to come into the church before Mass to pray his office. The office helps keep the priest deeply rooted and ingrained in prayer.
 
To be a good shepherd to his flock (parish), and in so doing, he celebrates sacraments, gives pastoral care, etc.
 
benedictgal said:
Actually, it should be celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and pray the office. Of the two, the first is certainly most important, as Pope Benedict told the ordinandi. The office is also certainly important. My parochial vicar likes to come into the church before Mass to pray his office. The office helps keep the priest deeply rooted and ingrained in prayer.
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You know what I meant. I’m glad you know the correct language. I wanted to say “celebrate Mass,” but that probably would have attracted a lot of criticism from those who say that Mass is a Sacrifice and shouldn’t be celebrated, but prayed."

Semantics.
 
Cat said:
You know what I meant. I’m glad you know the correct language. I wanted to say “celebrate Mass,” but that probably would have attracted a lot of criticism from those who say that Mass is a Sacrifice and shouldn’t be celebrated, but prayed."

Semantics.
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Yes, I know what you mean about the word celebrate. In fact, in Latin, it is celebrandis, if I remember correctly.

I hope your foot is doing better.
 
As Fr.Corapi would say…no priests, no Eucharist. The offering of mass and the consecration of the Blessed Eucharist is key. And the second most important is th sacrament of reconciliation. That is why the devil is attacking our priesthood with both barrels. But we do know we can ask our Heavenly Father and the intercession of the Blessed Mother to please help our priests and spur those who are being called to the priesthood to answer the call.

God hasn’t stopped calling priests, they just are turning a deaf ear to a call that is said to never go away.
 
stbruno said:
As Fr.Corapi would say…no priests, no Eucharist. The offering of mass and the consecration of the Blessed Eucharist is key. And the second most important is th sacrament of reconciliation. That is why the devil is attacking our priesthood with both barrels. But we do know we can ask our Heavenly Father and the intercession of the Blessed Mother to please help our priests and spur those who are being called to the priesthood to answer the call.

God hasn’t stopped calling priests, they just are turning a deaf ear to a call that is said to never go away.
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Maybe they are not hearing as well as they used to because the secular world is screaming at them. :rolleyes:
 
benedictgal said:
Yes, I know what you mean about the word celebrate. In fact, in Latin, it is celebrandis, if I remember correctly.

I hope your foot is doing better.
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Foot’s doing well. I really on crutches. Thanks for asking!
 
The most important role of the priest to is to celebrate the sacraments, most especially the Most Blessed Sacrament. For this is the reason these men have been consecrated.
 
Remember at the Last Supper, Jesus said to them “DO THIS” not when you do this, so I’d say its the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass too. (and of course that includes preaching the Gospel, / The Liturgy of the Eucharist and The Liturgy of the Word.)

They usually have set times for Confession, so if you inturrupted one while he was decorating the Church I think they would be in their right to tell you that, they only have 24 hours in a day like the rest of us and if they aren’t getting as much help as they might need and have to do it all themselves, or even if they prefer to do it themselves, they can’t do everything at our beck and call, now if someone were dying, I think that is more important then.
 
The first importance of a priest would be to uphold the perpetuation of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. But much more is conferred in a priestly ministry.
The Church that Jesus Christ founded on Peter as it’s rock was from the beginning a hierarchical Church because of the ministry of the word and sacrament (“Holy Orders”) committed to the Apostles. In the words of Saint Tertullian: The Church from the Apostles, the apostles from Christ, and Christ from God. But the Church is likewise established as a sacrament of salvation in that it comes to us from God in Christ. Intimately united with Christ as Head, the Church is an organic body that shares in the various functions of Christ as Priest, Prophet, and King. Hence, all the people of God constitute a priestly people. However; to the apostles was given a ministry that differed specifically from the ministry of the priesthood of the laity, and particularly as regards to the prophetic ministry of the word, the priestly ministry of the sacraments, and the kingly or pastoral ministry of government of churches. to provide for the continuation of these various ministries, the apostles designated certain men to be pastors of the flock. The ministerial priest is therefore configured to Christ through the gift of the Holy Spirit and the character recieved at ordination, which is given through the Church and administered by the bishop. The priesthood received (“IS”) the priesthood of Christ, as is the power that is meant to be used for the service of the people. The priest is therefore a man for others and is ordained for ministry. But the ministry is exercised to the whole Church, to build up the body of Christ and extend his kingdom. The priesthood is eminently a spiritual ministry and even when it touches the temporal or secular order; it is always in view of every man, woman, and child’s sanctification and salvation, as was the ministry of Christ and the apostles. Like all Christians, bishops, and priests are obliged by their baptismal commitment to strive for the perfection of charity and configuration to Christ. However; a priest commitment is a special obligation by reason of their priestly ordination and their pastoral ministry. The priest is identified with a holy mission and he should sanctify himself by the very works of his ministry, but prior to that, in his very person, he has been sealed by the Holy Spirit and configured to Christ as (“alter Christus”). Therefore; in speaking of the priest’s important call to perfection. Vatican Council II states that there is a relationship between the holiness of the priest and the fruitfulness of his ministry and ("God ordinarily prefers to show his wonders through those men who are submissive to the impulse and guidance of the Holy Spirit and who, because of their intimate union with Christ and their holiness of life, are able to say with Saint Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me”). Gal. 2:20
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Diocesan priest and members of secular institutes are sometimes exposed to the same dangers and difficulties that threaten the lay person who traditionally has no definite vocation in life. The diocesan priest must be in the world, but not of this world. His apostolate is such that it keeps him in constant contact with the people, and for that reason his way of life is evident to all. He must, therefore, be conscious of his personal obligation to strive for holiness and give good example to the faithful. It goes without saying that he needs some schedule or plan in life as an individual Christian, and also in view of the demands of his priestly apostolate. In this respect, he must avoid the same mistake the laity must avoid, namely, attempting to live a watered-down religious life. The diocesan priest is above all a man of the people, and although it may prove very satisfying to follow a plan of life that would provide many hours of recollection and solitude, he would run the risk of withdrawing too much from the people he has been sent to serve. At the other extreme, the diocesan priest without any plan for life is a constant contradiction in the eyes of his people; they cannot understand how a priest would be a worthy priest and still give no sign of regularity in the practices of the spiritual life. A priest is expected to be a man of needs of his people, to have that delicate sense of prudence that enables him to be in the world without becoming worldly. The diocesan priest should seek to draw up a plan of life enabling him to dedicate himself completely to his apostolate and at the same time to utilize certain hours of the day for his own personal sanctification. Unlike the religious priest, the diocesan priest does not have a schedule of daily life provided for him by a rule; except for the demands of his ministry and the care of souls, he is left to himself reguarding the schedule of his daily life.
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wow this is interesting reading exactly what ppl have to say about the most important part of being a priest is. i would have to say giving the eucharist… also, being able to know
how to talk to people during confession. i only had one priest that i could fully talk to
and understand exactly what was going on with my faith. great communcation is
definitely a key to becoming a priest
 
centurionguard said:
Diocesan priest and members of secular institutes are sometimes exposed to the same dangers and difficulties that threaten the lay person who traditionally has no definite vocation in life. The diocesan priest must be in the world, but not of this world.
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This applies to all Christians, including Religious!

“There is no monastery so remote, nor convent wall so high as to keep out the spirit of the world” (don’t know who first said this)
 
JMJ_coder said:
This applies to all Christians, including Religious!

“There is no monastery so remote, nor convent wall so high as to keep out the spirit of the world” (don’t know who first said this)
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Part of what you imply has a certain truth due to the fact that all humans of the flesh are bound bodily by this world. The human spirit does not (“always”) have to remain in this world.
The two strictest religious orders in the Catholic church (“The Benedictine Monks and the Trappist Priest”) follow a monastic self-cloistered spiritual life. Saint Francis a Franciscan Monk led a very profound mystical spiritual life. At times he would be seen praying to God in the woods levitating high in the sky. Though his body was bound by the physical nature of this world, his soul was bound in God’s domain outside of our three-dimensional universe.
 
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