Conception Abbey

We priests of the Archdiocese just completed three days of working with our Archbishop on the topic of presbyteral unity, led by Fr. Ron Knott of St. Meinrad School of Theology (http://www.saintmeinrad.edu/). Fr. Ron characterized the diocesan priesthood as a intimate sacramental brotherhood whose holiness is found by being good and being good 'at it.' In other words, there is a holiness distinctive to diocesan priests, for they particularly are called to be holy through helping others to be holy. A diocesan priest, who has the threefold ministry of preaching, sanctifying and ruling but has no other distinguishing charism like a religious priest, must realize that the sacrament of Holy Orders is not the conferral of holiness in and of itself, but like a marriage produces holiness insofar as it serves the holiness of others. A diocesan priest, along with his brothers, then, takes on a particular responsibility to be good and competent at preaching, sanctifying and ruling, and this is as primary as his own personal pursuit of holiness. Fr. Knott demonstrated this theology through the documents Presbyterum Ordinis and Pastores Dabo Vobis, the latter of which he called the Magna Carta for the ongoing formation of diocesan priests.

This was a good week, and a beautiful one, experienced within the setting of Conception Abbey and Seminary College, where the Archdiocese has four college-aged men studying for the priesthood. Fr. Knott as well showed the tendencies toward weakness present among diocesan priests which in turn damage presbyterates and dioceses. He was convincing in his assertion that being a diocesan priest never gives a priest a license to be a lone range, even if a priest is asked to work in a remote assignment or to live alone. He challenged our diocese to give witness to our identity as an intimate sacramental brotherhood, saying correctly, I believe, that vocations to the priesthood will always be sporadic and few unless we become a team that others want to be a part of.