Thread by @jdflynn

Clericalism is a grave danger for Catholics.

Clericalism is a disordered understanding of priestly ministry. It elevates the priest by denigrating the laity, seeing the priesthood, and priestly life, as a kind of template for universal holiness, and seeing the priest (cont)

as somehow more responsible for the mission of the Gospel than others- somehow more called and somehow more empowered for holiness, and for advancing the Kingdom.

Clericalism can be attitude of laity, or an attitude of clerics. It prevents lay people and clerics from seeing the unique and complementary gifts of both vocations, and the ways in which they can and should powerfully work together for the Kingdom. (Cont)

Clericalism leads to misunderstanding the unique lay role in sacred worship, in evangelization, in catechesis, and pastoral care. It encourages laity to abdicate responsibility for the Gospel, or to ape the clerical way of living the Christian life. Both are unfortunate. (Cont)

Clericalism also hurts. I’ve worked in the Church my whole career, and been unreasonably excluded from meetings, despite my qualifications, because I am not a priest.

I was more than once told that I shouldn’t teach seminarians because I am not ordained.

That really hurt (cont)

But ANTI-clericalism is also a danger for the Church. Anti-clericalism, which can be an attitude of priests or laity, ignores the unique aspects of ordained ministry, and the unique powers and charisma of sacred orders (cont)

Anti-clericalism, which usually comes from a disordered sense of humility, or a genuine desire to encourage lay apostolate, acts with animosity to the ordained, or as if priesthood is “no big deal.”

Sacred orders are a very big deal.

(Cont)

The the genius of Vatican II, and, indeed, of JPII, BenXVI, & Francis, is the understanding that laity and clerics have complementary roles to play in the Kingdom, in unison with one another, in mutual trust and respect, in response to the universal call to holiness.

(cont)

This doesn’t mean we do the same exact things. It means we do things that are connected, and that build on each other. It means the perspective of priests, lay men, lay women, and religious are all important, and Church leaders should hear them all. (Cont)

It means that we build one another up, and rely on one another. It means that vocational identity is, ultimately, less significant than the identity that comes through Jesus Christ, in baptism- but that the role of all members of Christ’s body is respected, for what it really is

When we forget this, it’s usually because we’ve placed something ahead of Jesus, and ahead of our mission- that might be concern for our own status, concern for how others perceive us, or a desire to be liked. The desire to be liked, by the way, is poison for disciples of Jesus.

Priests, deacons, and bishops: thank you for what you do.
Consecrated men and women: thank you for what you do.
Lay men and women: thank you for what you do.

Let’s build the Kingdom together. The Master is returning soon.