Priest as Pastor, Servant and Shepherd | Fr. James McCarthy, Archdiocese of Sydney | Ignatius Insight
Priest as Pastor, Servant and Shepherd | Fr. James McCarthy, Archdiocese of Sydney | Ignatius Insight
http://www.ignatiusinsight.com/features2009/jmccarthy_priesthood_aug09.asp
The Easter season is a time for celebrating the Resurrection of Christ
Additionally in many places in the
Catholic world, the Easter Season is the time when celebrations of Ordinations
often occur. In fact, on the fourth Sunday of Easter, on May 3, 2009, the Holy
Father ordained nineteen men as priests for the Diocese of Rome. Three days
earlier, on Thursday, April 30th, in Sydney, Australia, Archbishop of Sydney
Cardinal George Pell ordained four men to the Priesthood of Jesus Christ, the
largest Ordination for Sydney since 1988.
This was particularly significant for me
as I returned home to Sydney from Rome, where I am currently studying, to be
ordained as one of the four. The Ordination was a magnificent celebration of
the presence of the Catholic Church in Australia, with over 3,000 in attendance
at Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral. As a 27-year-old recently ordained priest, I
am greatly consoled by the fact that throughout the world, the number of men
ordained every year is continuing to rise, as is the number of men who are
entering seminaries.
The priesthood is a unique
vocation, and it is unlike any career or profession. When I answered the call
to enter into formation for the priesthood, I was studying History and Politics
at the University of Sydney. It was in the context of a secular public
university that I heard the call to serve God, the Church and our world as a
priest.
Since the Ordination, I have been
delighted by the love, joy and support that the faithful have shown towards me
and it is clear to me that Catholics value the vocation, witness and ministry
of priests. However, I was most pleasantly surprised by the support shown by
many in our society, especially by people who are not Catholics. Often in
Australia, as in other places, faith is incorrectly described as a personal or
private concern.
The presence at the Ordination in Sydney
of over 30 politicians from all forms of government in Australia, including the
Governor of the State, and more than 40 judges and many people involved in
public life, was a sign that the ministry of the Church and the priesthood is a
public concern and public support and recognition is appropriate.
Furthermore, the large
number of representatives of different Ecclesial communities and other faiths
was another sign of the desire for unity in our world. The priesthood is not of
this world, but the priesthood is in this world and it affects our world in a
variety of ways.
Pope Benedict XVI, in his Homily for the
Presbyteral Ordinations in Rome earlier in May, commented that the priest is in
the world, but "we run the risk of also being 'of the world'". I was drawn
towards the priesthood not only because of the priest's role in the Church, but
because of the important contribution which priests make to our world, through
serving our society and helping to make our communities, with the grace of God,
into a more perfect reflection of the Heavenly Kingdom. Catholic priests appear
to spend most of their days serving Catholics, but the role and mission of the
priest includes the service of all of humanity.
Through translating our faith and belief
into a language that is accessible to all in our society, the priest dialogues
and expresses the truth of God, which nourishes the human consciousness with
the fullness of life, which can only be reached through Christ. Through
preaching the fullness of life in Christ, the priest is called to be a
peaceful, uniting and joyful presence among Christians and all people of
good-will. And in living the mission of Christ, the priest participates and
serves in Christ's three-fold work as Priest, Prophet and King.
The Church has now commenced the Year
for Priests, a year to celebrate and to pray for priests. Through the
generosity of the Holy Father, special graces are available, particularly on
the first Thursday of every month, where the faithful are encouraged to attend
Holy Mass and to offer prayers to "Jesus Christ, supreme and eternal Priest,
for the priests of the Church" both living and dead. If the faithful are unable
to attend Mass, they are encouraged to "perform any good work to sanctify and
mould" priests to the Heart of the Sacred Heart.
Pope Benedict XVI reminded
us that "God is love" and that the priest is truly called to participate and
share in God's love and life. The priest, in a unique and sacramental way,
participates in the mission of Christ, in persona Christi, and this incorporates the mission of the Trinitarian
God. The priest, through a relationship with God as Father, becomes a spiritual
father of all in our world.
Through a relationship with Christ, the
priest becomes the pastor, servant and shepherd, who gathers, teaches and leads
the flock towards the Kingdom of God, of which the priest is a sign. Through
the Sacraments, the Work of God, the priest enters into the sacrifice of God
and pours out the graces of God to our world. And through a relationship with
the Holy Spirit, a priest helps to sanctify the faithful and bring them into a
relationship with God, so that "they may have life, and have it to the full" (Jn 10:10).
As a young child, I often thought about
the possibility that God was calling me to be a priest. When I was preparing to
receive the Sacrament of Confirmation at the age of ten, I was introduced to
the story of St Maximilian Kolbe and I was deeply inspired by his life. I read
many of his writings on his life of sanctity and creativity in preaching the
Gospel using different forms of media, often borne out of necessity in opposing
the Nazis and preaching in Japan. His heroic death in the Nazi concentration
camp at Auschwitz truly inspired me to consider the priesthood as a legitimate
option to serve God, the Church and our world.
The witness and example of
Pope John Paul II also inspired me to seriously consider the priesthood. When I
entered into seminary formation, I knew of only one Pope and the life and
witness of Pope John Paul II showed me that the priesthood was not boring or
irrelevant, but that the service and contribution of priests was needed more
today than ever. He showed me that a commitment to faith and to preaching the
Gospel means working towards unity, peace and the fullness of life, not only
for Catholics, but for all within our society. I was privileged to be in St
Peter's Square when Pope John Paul II died and I was greatly honoured to be
able to sing in one of the choirs at his funeral. I owe a great deal to the
hope that Pope John Paul II gave, and continues to give, to me and to our
world. I have often heard it remarked that the ministry of the Holy Father of
the time impacts upon the approach and vision of those ordained in that
Pontificate.
I am truly blessed to be
ordained in the Pontificate and era of Pope Benedict XVI. He is one of the
great giants of theology and every day I am learning more and more from Our
Holy Father. As a student studying theology, firstly at the Pontifical
Gregorian University, and now at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas
(the Angelicum), I have been
given many opportunities to study and reflect on the writings of Cardinal
Joseph Ratzinger and now Pope Benedict XVI. His love for tradition and his
humble approach which highlights, among other things, the importance of a
theological continuity, has inspired me to study the early Church Fathers and
the Councils of the Church.
In the name of "modernity", many today
encourage widespread relativism and liberalism, which deforms our understanding
of God and the human person. Our Holy Father has inspired me to seek the Truth
about all the great questions of life, not only for myself, but for the good of
our entire world. Since 2004, I have been in seminary formation at the
Pontifical North American College, which is the seminary for the U.S. in Rome.
In 2004, the College first accepted Australian seminarians and we currently
have nine men in formation at the College. Despite a few sporting and
colloquial differences, there are many similarities between American culture
and Australian culture, and the countries are the closest of allies.
The friendships I have made
in Rome have helped me to further realize that the Church is truly universal
and I can now say that I have experienced the universality of the Church
first-hand. The formation I received at the College has further highlighted the
joyful role of the Catholic priest in our Church and society. I believe that I
have been equipped with the resources required to come to know the People of
God in a specific place, to preach the Gospel and give the Sacraments to the
faithful in such a way that all of humanity will be drawn ever more closely
into the life of Christ.
As I begin my life as a priest I am
overjoyed that most of my first year as a priest will be in the Year for
Priests. Knowing that the faithful will be praying regularly for me and for all
priests, that we will be holy, loving and truly good pastors and fathers after
the Heart of Christ, is an affirming sign that the Priesthood is an important,
necessary and worthy vocation and ministry in our world today.
Fr James McCarthy, 27, is a
priest of the Archdiocese of Sydney. He entered the seminary at 20 and was able
to continue his studies at the University of Sydney, where he founded the
University's famous Papal Bulls Cricket Team. He is now studying for a
post-graduate degree in theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in
Rome.
Related IgnatiusInsight.com Articles and Excerpts:
• Letter of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI Proclaiming a Year for Priests on the 150th Anniversary
of the "Dies Natalis" of the CurŽ of Ars
• Who Is A Priest? | Fr. Benedict Ashley, O.P.
• The Priest as Man, Husband, and Father | Fr. John Cihak
• St. John Vianney's Pastoral Plan | Fr. John Cihak
• The Blessed Virgin Mary's Role in the Celibate Priest's Spousal and Paternal Love | Fr. John Cihak
• Liturgical Roles In the Eucharistic Celebration | Francis Cardinal Arinze
• The Ingredient for Priestly Vocations |
Rev. Jacek Stefanski
• Why Preaching | Peter John Cameron, O.P.
• The Mass is Serious
Business | Rev. Bryce A. Sibley
• Women and the Priesthood: A Theological
Reflection | Jean Galot, S.J. | From Theology of the Priesthood
• The Real Reason for the Vocation
Crisis | Rev. Michael P. Orsi
• Pray the Harvest Master Sends
Laborors | Rev. Anthony Zimmerman
• Priestly Vocations in America:
A Look At the Numbers | Jeff Ziegler
• Clerical Celibacy: Concept and Method |
Alfons Maria Cardinal Stickler | From
The Case for Clerical Celibacy
• The Religion of Jesus | Blessed Columba
Marmion | From Christ, The Ideal
of the Priest
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