Presbyterorum ordinis
Presbyterorum ordinis (PO) means, after its opening words , the decree on the service and life of priests , which was formulated by the Second Vatican Council and on December 7, 1965 by Pope Paul VI. was promulgated.
theology
Lumen Gentium , the Constitution of the Second Vatican Council on the constitution of the Church , had on the one hand the role of the laity , within the hierarchy above all the office of bishops theologically profiled and later further developed in the decree Christ Dominus , the role of priests (and deacons) remained but little reflected on until the end of the council; Nevertheless, the role of priests has been addressed in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium , in the Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, in the Decree on the Pastoral Mission of Bishops Christ Dominus and, above all, in the Decree on the Formation of Priests Optatam totius . However, the council theologian Giuseppe Alberigo formulated: "The three chapters of the decree were already out of date at the time of their approval and little suited to provide guidance for future developments."
Emergence
The decree goes back to a worldwide survey that took place immediately after the announcement of John XXIII. to want to convene the council was carried out. The preparatory Commissio de Disciplina Cleri et Populi Christiani had 32 members, and 34 consultors were called in . It was chaired by Cardinal Pietro Ciriaci , the secretariat of the Opus Dei priests Álvaro del Portillo .
The results of the interviews were collected and edited by the commission, discussed in the council hall from October 13, 1964, revised several times and accepted in the final vote on December 7, 1965 with 2,390 votes to 4. At the end of the 22 chapters, the text is divided into a preface, three main parts and a closing reminder. From the missionary perspective of the Council, the decree is aimed primarily at diocesan priests , but allows - where appropriate - the application of their norms to religious priests . In the sense of the aggiornamento, it wants to support the office of priests "in pastoral and humanly so profoundly changed circumstances [...] more effectively and take better care of their lives [...]." (1)
content
I. The Priesthood and Mission of the Church
The ministerial priesthood grows out of the general priesthood of all believers, with the special task of offering the sacrifice and forgiving of sins in order to “administer the priestly office publicly before the people in Christ's name.” It is subordinate to the office of the bishops as their employees (2).
The priests are expressly designated as brothers of men; their separation is done “not to be separated from [the community of God's people] [...], but for total consecration to the work for which God has chosen them”. They are not allowed to conform to the “world”, but at the same time they have to “live in the midst of people so that they know their flock like good shepherds and also seek to bring in those who are outside” (3).
II. The priestly service
The priestly duties
One of the priestly tasks is first and foremost the preaching of the Gospel : "They should never express their own thoughts, but always teach God's Word and urgently move everyone to repentance and sanctification." (4)
The priests are specially consecrated to lead the liturgical activities of the Church with special participation in the priesthood of Christ , that is, on the one hand, to administer the sacraments ( baptism , reconciliation , anointing of the sick and the celebration of the Mass ), making the bishop present to the faithful, on the other hand To celebrate the Liturgy of the Hour "by asking God in the name of the Church for all the people entrusted to them, indeed for the whole world." (5)
As "educators in the faith" it is their responsibility to ensure that "every believer is guided in the Holy Spirit to develop his personal vocation according to the principles of the gospel, to sincere and active love and to the freedom to which Christ has set us free" . The priest is committed to all in this mandate, but should “especially care for the poor and the lowly” and with particular zeal for the youth, as well as the spouses and parents. He is to honor all men and women religious of their own concern for their spiritual progress, but most of all “care for the sick and dying, visit them and raise them up in the Lord”. His pastoral task is not only aimed at the individual believers, but strives for an “education in the spirit of community”, without whose work the liturgical celebration would not be sincere and complete, if it did not lead to charity and solidarity , “to missionary action and to the diverse Forms of Christian witness ”. (6)
The relationship of priests to others
The decree then formulates the relationship between the priests and the bishops, their confreres and the laity .
The bishops should regard the priests as their “necessary helpers and counselors” and “their brothers and friends”. For this purpose, a circle or council of priests should be created in each diocese to represent the presbytery. For their part, priests should respect the authority of the bishops, in whose office they participate through ordination and canonical mission. The unity of the priests with the bishops has become all the more necessary as their apostolate is less and less territorial in modern society (7).
The priests should be united to one another by bonds of apostolic love and mutual service in sacramental brotherhood. They form the one presbytery within their diocese. In different functions and in different ways - also as worker priests - they work on the same work. The decree urges older and younger generations of priests to show mutual respect and support. All priests are obliged to give hospitality and help to one another , especially displaced and persecuted priests. At this point, the decree also expressly requests the promotion of a common life ( Vita communis ) for priests. They should give help and tactful warnings to their colleagues in office who are suffering from difficulties, and meet with kindness those who “have failed in any point” (8).
In relation to the laity, the priests must see themselves as “brothers among brothers” and therefore “exercise their leadership office in such a way that they seek not their own cause but rather the cause of Jesus Christ.” “The priests should recognize the dignity of the laity”, their due freedoms , especially in the political field, and after careful examination "trustfully [...] entrust them with offices for service in the Church". In addition to leading the entrusted congregation, they are given special care for those "who no longer receive the sacraments, perhaps even who have fallen away from the faith". Christians of other denominations and non-Christians are also entrusted to them. The laity, in turn, are called to appreciate and support the ministry of their priests (9).
The distribution of priests and the offspring of priests
In view of the worldwide mission of Christ, "the priests of those dioceses that are blessed with a greater number of vocations should gladly show themselves ready to carry out their service in areas, in mission areas or in pastoral work where there is a lack of clergy ." Norms regarding incardination and excardation are adapted to modern pastoral needs, so that priests can incardinate not only territorially determined dioceses, but also international seminars, special dioceses or personal prelatures and other such institutions. Mission priests should not be sent out alone if possible. In addition to their spiritual life, their mental and physical well-being should also be kept in view and they should be used according to the abilities and characteristics of the individual (10).
So that “the Church always has the priests who are necessary for the fulfillment of her divine mission, [...] it must therefore be very close to the heart of the priests [as the first], through their service to the word and the testimony of their own life [...] To show believers the majesty and necessity of the priesthood. ”Parents, teachers, and all educators should educate young men with clear understanding of the needs of the Church so that they“ will be ready, when the Lord calls, to respond generously with the prophet : 'Here I am, send me'. "(11)
III. The life of the priests
The calling of the priests to perfection
Priests are particularly obliged to strive for perfection , since every priest represents Christ according to his degree of ordination (12).
They attain holiness through the sincere and tireless exercise of their offices in the Spirit of Christ. By reading and meditating the Word of God, by making the Eucharistic sacrifice, by administering the sacraments and in breviary prayers , they connect with Christ, they do not shy away from martyrdom , “forego their own advantages and do not seek their benefit, but that of the many ", And strive for" more and more perfect fulfillment of their pastoral care , ready, if necessary, to tread new paths of pastoral care . "(13)
The modern world, however, presses many with the danger of fragmentation, especially priests with their large number of official duties. The council promises them: “The priests will […] give their life a single line when they unite with Christ in knowing the will of the father and in devotion to the flock entrusted to them. If they take on the role of the Good Shepherd in this way, it is precisely in the exercise of pastoral love that they will find the bond of priestly perfection that unites their life and work. ”(14)
Special requirements for the spiritual life of priests (Evangelical councils)
The decree determines the evangelical councils with regard to the priestly existence and is devoted first to obedience , then to celibacy and finally to voluntary poverty .
The virtue of humility is required by the missionary situation in which priests are placed “not to seek their own will, but the will of the one who sent them.” Within the hierarchical community of the church , they must “accept and carry out a believing spirit what the Pope and his own bishop as well as other superiors prescribe or suggest. "(15)
The Church “always valued perfect and constant abstinence for the sake of the kingdom of heaven”, especially with regard to the priestly life ”. It is "not required by the nature of the priesthood itself, as the practice of the earliest Church and the tradition of the Eastern Churches shows, [...] if this Holy Synod nevertheless recommends ecclesiastical celibacy, it does not in any way want to change that other order that is in the Eastern Churches is legally valid. […] Celibacy, however, is in many ways appropriate to the priesthood. ”In this way the priests would be consecrated to Christ in a new and excellent way; They followed him more easily with an undivided heart and devoted themselves more freely to the service of God and men, served more freely and were “thus even more capable of understanding fatherhood in Christ more deeply.” The council affirmed the law imposed on the Latin Church and asked “not only the priests, but all believers, they would like to make the precious gift of priestly celibacy a real concern, and may all ask God that he will always give this gift to his church in full. "(16)
In dealing with earthly goods, the priests can only attain that “freedom [...] for the voice of God in daily life”, “if they [...] use the things of the world as if they did not use them.” Therefore, they may “ to use temporal goods only within the framework set for them by the teaching of Christ the Lord and by the instruction of the church. Church property in the true sense of the word should be administered by the priests appropriately and in accordance with the guidelines of ecclesiastical laws , if possible with the help of experienced lay people; These goods are always to be used only for the purposes for which the church may possess temporal goods, namely for the proper execution of divine service , for the appropriate maintenance of the clergy and for apostolic and charitable works, especially for those that benefit the poor The council encourages priests to voluntary poverty and refers them to a common use of goods based on the community of goods of the early Church in order to realize in them the spirit of poverty recommended by Christ (17).
Help for the priestly life
Among the spiritual aids, the decree recommends that priests first of all be nourished with the word of God in all situations at the “double table, Holy Scripture and the Eucharist”. In addition, the “frequently practiced sacramental penance”, daily prayer, even whole days of spiritual seclusion and the trusting acceptance of spiritual guidance (18).
In addition to the recognized reading canons of theological basic education from Holy Scripture to Church Fathers , Church Doctors and other documents of tradition , Council documents and other magisterial writings to the "best and recognized theological writers", a sufficient general education must also appear in the discussion on contemporary issues. In order to improve the formation of priests, the decree recommends the organization of “courses or congresses, the establishment of centers for pastoral studies, the building of libraries and appropriate leadership by suitable personalities”, regular training in pastoral methods, deepening of theological education, and exercises "An exchange of pastoral experiences [the priests] with their brothers". (19)
In addition, the decree grants priests “a right to fair remuneration ” which “must be basically the same for all who live in the same circumstances” and which must also be “so that it allows priests, annually to take the well-deserved and necessary vacation . ”The previous“ benefit system [must] be given up […] ”, the income associated with it may no longer be awarded without“ fulfilling a spiritual purpose ”(as a sinecure ) (20).
Finally, the council once again presents the early church of Jerusalem. Richer dioceses should support poorer ones. Where this is not yet the case, "under the supervision of the hierarchy, sufficient reserves and so-called health insurance as well as the proper maintenance of the sick, disabled and old priests should be provided" and the priests themselves "such an institution [...] support in the spirit of fraternal solidarity ”in order“ to be able to cultivate poverty and give oneself completely to the salvation of souls without fear of the future, with a cheerful mind, according to the Gospel. ”(21)
After the council the priests in view of growing alienation in the modern world consolation awarded and has assured his predisposition and its appreciation ( "peramanter grates agit"), the decree includes a doxological formula.
literature
- LThK ² 14, Freiburg 1968, 127-239. Extensively introduced and commented Latin-German parallel text.
Individual evidence
- ^ Giuseppe Alberigo, The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), in: ders. (Ed.), Geschichte der Konzilien, Wiesbaden 1998, p. 468.