Priestly identity begins always with Christ and His One Sacrifice of the Cross!
After Vatican II, there was a great deal of confusion about the role and identity of the priest.
Because of the ideology of social justice warriors in the Church, the priesthood was configured not to the Sacrifice of the Altar, Christ’s One Sacrifice on the Cross, but to doing social work, protesting, political involvement, feeding the hungry, housing the homeless and all the other corporal works of mercy.
None of that, of course, is wrong and in fact has an important place in the Church, but those who are not priests are the ones called to be the “boots on the ground” in this regard of social justice and being warriors for it. It is the domain of religious orders of men and women who are not priests, but also and specifically of the laity who live in the world.
Social Justice Warriors applied to priests in the 1960’s and then recovered once again under Pope Francis’ nostalgia for the 1960’s and 70’s prior to the papacies of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, reduces the priest to a coordinator of social justice needs of the people of God, something that can and should be accomplished by others in the Church and certainly in an ecumenical and interfaith way.
For Pope Leo XIV, and quoting St. Pope John XXIII prior to the Second Vatican Council, recovers in continuity with the pre-Vatican II Church what the life, ministry and prayer of the priest should be and it is directed toward the Celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
This is the money quote from Pope Leo’s splendid letter to seminarians in Peru:
3 comments:
"Because of the ideology of social justice warriors in the Church, the priesthood was configured not to the Sacrifice of the Altar, Christ’s One Sacrifice on the Cross, but to doing social work, protesting, political involvement, feeding the hungry, housing the homeless and all the other corporal works of mercy."
"...but those who are not priests are the ones called to be the “boots on the ground” in this regard of social justice and being warriors for it."
Nonsense.
Jesus Himself, was a social justice warrior. To be, "configured ... to the Sacrifice of the Altar, Christ’s One Sacrifice on the Cross,..." necessarily includes boots on the ground action. Witness today's Gospel: "The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
By his own actions, Jesus modeled the role that priests should play in society. He was a warrior for justice, for inclusion, for feeding the hungry, for defending the powerless - widows, orphans, and strangers.
Yes, our spiritual and intellectual lives are oriented toward the altar where priestly identity is built and revealed. But from that foundation must flow the actions that build up the Kingdom of God on this earth in preparation for its full revelation.
Interesting, AI. We Byzantines adhere to this as well.
The purpose of the Orthodox priesthood is to shepherd God's people by presiding over divine services and sacraments, teaching and preaching the faith, and providing spiritual healing and pastoral care. Priests act as intermediaries, ministering to the needs of the community through their pastoral roles, which include administering sacraments like Baptism and Confession, blessing the people, and providing counseling and comfort in times of sickness and death. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Key purposes of the priesthood
• Sacramental ministry: Presiding over the sacraments and Divine Services, which are central to the life of the parish. The priest is the celebrant of the Eucharist and administers other sacraments, with the exception of Holy Orders (ordination).
• Teaching and preaching: Educating the faithful in the Orthodox faith through sermons, Bible studies, and catechetical instruction for both newcomers and existing members.
• Pastoral care: Providing spiritual guidance and support to the community. This includes counseling, visiting the sick, caring for the dying, and burying the dead.
• Spiritual healing: Offering the sacrament of Confession, where they hear confessions and offer guidance and forgiveness. They are also considered spiritual healers for the community.
• Blessing and leadership: Blessing the people in the name of the Lord and leading their communities in prayer and worship.
• Example for the community: Living an exemplary spiritual life to serve as a model of self-discipline, conduct, and faith for their parishioners. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]
AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] https://www.facebook.com/groups/ask.about.the.orthodox.faith/posts/24435848792675727/
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priesthood_(Eastern_Orthodox_Church)
[3] https://myocn.net/the-role-of-the-priest/
[4] https://www.oca.org/orthodoxy/the-orthodox-faith/worship/the-sacraments/holy-orders
[5] https://stmichaelscleveland.org/qna/old-testament-priest/
[6] https://www.saintbarbara.org/our_faith/seven-sacraments/priesthood
[7] https://www.oca.org/reflections/berzonsky/the-priest-as-a-role-model
[8] https://www.facebook.com/SPPOC.org/videos/on-the-priesthood-pt-1/3716682338579628/
More interesting AI. Again, we Byzantines are aligned.
The term "social justice warrior" (SJW) is a modern, often pejorative, political buzzword and is generally not an official descriptor used within the Orthodox Church. While the Orthodox Church has a strong tradition of social concern, charity, and actively working to eradicate poverty and injustice, its approach is distinct from the secular political movement often associated with the "social justice warrior" label. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Key Distinctions in the Orthodox View: • Motivation and Goal: Orthodox Christian social action is rooted in divine love (agape), the belief that every human being is created in the image and likeness of God, and the eschatological vision of the Kingdom of God. The goal is not solely to achieve an earthly utopia or a specific political ideology (which the Church generally avoids endorsing), but to express Christ's love, lead people to eternal salvation, and transform society based on Christian principles of love and justice.
• Methodology: The Orthodox Church emphasizes personal charity, service (diakonia), and inner spiritual transformation (repentance) as the primary means of addressing suffering and injustice. It seeks to work for the "common good" and upholds human dignity through practical help to the needy (the hungry, poor, sick, etc.).
• Terminology: The term "social justice" itself can be viewed prudently in Orthodox circles, partly due to its past association with communist or socialist regimes in Eastern Europe and its current association with specific Western political movements. Some in the Church believe that the "fruit" of modern, secular "social justice" movements is often "chaos, division, hatred, [and] intolerance," which contrasts with the Church's pursuit of peace and unity in Christ.
• Role of Priests: Priests are called to be spiritual fathers and serve as a "prophetic presence in the world," calling people to justice and mercy. Their primary role is liturgical and pastoral, focusing on spiritual guidance and the sacraments. While some priests historically have taken active secular leadership roles in times of national crisis, the general canonical tradition discourages priests from taking up arms or becoming entangled in partisan political conflict in a way that would compromise their universal calling to all people within their community. [2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16]
In essence, Orthodox priests are obliged to pursue God-commanded justice and love for the marginalized, but they do so from a theological foundation and with methods distinct from the contemporary cultural and political phenomena often labeled "social justice warrior". [12, 13, 17]
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