Ice, and the consequential dangers of slipping and falling, prevented us from having our Parish Pastoral Council meeting last week. Our main topic of discussion was to be focussed on the question as to how we can best highlight the topic of the ‘Year of the Priest’ for our parishioners. Cancellation of the meeting effectively postpones this discussion for a month, but, in the light of ‘eternity’, that is not a long time, and the exploration about ‘priesthood’ will go on for a long time – even after this year is over. At the same time, it allows more time to reflect, ponder and let life pass quietly by, and that is, perhaps, the best way to learn and understand.

In the Baptismal ceremony, the second anointing with Holy Chrism explains that, when we have been baptised, we are given the joy and task of sharing in the role of Jesus, who is the Priest, Prophet and King. What does that mean? Unquestionably, books upon books could the written on the subject: but, here goes for a short summary:

• A priest is a bridge-maker (pontifex in latin: pons is a bridge, facio, I make) and that is quite meaningful for ordained priests, in a specific way, and also for un-ordained laity: bridge-makers between heaven and earth of course.
• A prophet is somebody who speaks out for the things of God – rather than simply somebody who can foretell the future. In the Old Testament, one thing Prophets were famous for was the denunciation of those who, on the surface, followed all the precepts of the law, but then cheated on their neighbours, those who did not welcome strangers and but who lived in a self-centred way, again superficially and ‘religiously’ keeping all the rules and making a show of saying their prayers so that everyone could see them. Human nature teaches us that, in some circumstances, ordained priests and un-ordained laity could be this kind of ‘prophet’, but no Christian ‘worth his salt’ should fall willingly into hypocrisy – even if that is hard to achieve, wholly, to the ultimate degree.
• A king is somebody who reigns, and is free with ‘largesse’ and power – power to be used wisely, with mercy and justice and with caring fairness – and who is respected for such qualities. A person who loves, totally, is free like that – because they are not overburdened by self-preoccupation, and which gives them a certain authority. A notable example was Don Borelli, an Italian priest who lived among the “poorest street boys” in Naples, dressing like them, and who was, apparently, indistinguishable from them. I remember him well as he used to come and visit my parents, who lived in Naples. He told us that when he went with these Neapolitan urchins into the courtyards of the blocks of flats of the rich, they felt really free – even when chased out by the ‘warden’ – because they then simply went to another, seated themselves in the sun, and ‘accepted’ the grapes off the vines that were there and, on all such occasions, never did anyone any harm. I have noticed that some of those who are least well off, materially, in our Parish, and who are good at loving God and neighbour, can have this sense of royalty, independence, joy and respect. Ordained priests are not powerful, rich men on the whole, but they are often ‘free as birds’, as the saying goes, and that is nothing to do with being un-married, or any other such restriction. It is true that un-ordained laity can share the same gift.

The unanswerable question is whether Pope Benedict proclaimed the “Year of the Priest” because of the shortage of ordained priests, because of a crisis in the identity of the ordained priest, or for other various reasons?  We do not know for certain! However, one thing is certain: our ordained priests come from those who are lay people, and lay people are “Royal Priests”, i.e. those who share in the baptismal gifts and responsibilities. Furthermore, if all do not “live out” their Royal Priesthood well, there will be a serious crisis among the Ordained Priests. For one thing, young men (in our Catholic case) will not learn from others – family, friends or parishioners – the things of God, and secondly, the ordained priests would find a laity that is seriously deficient in living the Christian life and would get discouraged.

There are so many reasons – at least here, in Leyland – defining continuing encouragement for us in our monastic/priestly community, and this is not just a case of looking at things with ‘rose-tinted spectacles’, for in human society, there is always room for improvement.  Take those who simply take the initiative and do things that are practically helpful. Recently, somebody left a note where all the mud and salt had seriously dirtied the link between the Sacristy and the Church, saying “take care, slippery floor”, at the same time, leaving it spotlessly clean. Others came on their own initiative and cleared paths through the ice, on the piazza outside our Church. Many others do unknown good deeds to many – like those people who sorted out the burst pipe in the Narthex toilet.

More recently still, a family in the Parish have lost their teen-age son in tragic circumstances. The parents, too, are sharing the things of God with me by their good attitude, in the face of a great personal loss that is so difficult – so difficult, it is almost impossible to imagine. Their lad was like the “Benjamin” of the family and so their loss is all the more poignant.

Another example and one that touched me deeply concerns Mary Mueller, a parishioner who lived in Euxton. Somebody came up to me after Mass and said: “When is Mary’s funeral?” I was surprised that this person knew her, and I could see that he was agitated, with tears in his eyes, so I explained that I thought it had already happened. The other said: “She was the most influential person in my life,” and this made me ask why? His reply was: “When we had a baby out of wedlock, we thought about having an abortion, and Mary talked to us and as a result our ‘young person’ was born”.  I was amazed, because I knew the ‘young person’ in question, and with high respect for both child and parents. Significantly, that ‘young person’ has had a good effect on others. As to this issue, I have also experienced, personally, the devastation caused to ‘mums’ and ‘dads’ that have been involved in abortion issues together with the healing ,through God’s mercy, that is available to them, and I can witness to the good such people can do for others, even after all these things have happened.

In my heart I thank God for the Royal Priesthood and for Mary Mueller and for all the others. Let us learn from them, and, for my own part, I pray each day for the vocations that God desires for us, in the Priesthood and Religious Life, each day. Certainly, this will demand sacrifices from individuals and from families, but it is also brings the greatest joy of a life well-lived, with a great purpose that ultimately gives Glory to God.