Tar on my Heels. . . by Dale Francis
Priests in the Modern World
Let me end my discussion of the role of priests in
social and political problems with some quotations from
a priest who has perhaps the best qualifications for the
discussion of any priest in the nation.
He is Father Vincent J. Giese. Father Giese has unique
qualifications because he once was one of the nation’s
outstanding lay leaders. Nearly twenty years ago we were
classmates and friends at the University of Notre Dame.
He was then active in the Christian Student Movement.
He later became editorial director of Fides Press, wrote
, two important books of the work of the layman in the
Church. He worked in the lay apostolate in Chicago.
A FEW YEARS ago he recognized there was an ex
tension of his apostolate to the priesthood and he went
to Rome to prepare for the priesthood at Bea College. He
is today a priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago.
He gave a talk before a Serra group in Chicago re
cently and what he said coincides with what I’ve been
trying to say in the columns I’ve written. What follows
are quotations from Father Giese:
“We must avoid conceiving the lay apostolate as a
competitor with the priesthood or religious life. We are
all members of the People of God; it is a question of dis
covering the different functions of the members.
“There has ,been a tendency in some quarters for
priests to react against the rise of the layman in the
Church, to roar back in a kind of ‘me tooism’ that the
priest can do everything the layman can do in the Church.
“In my mind, this defensive attitude will only generate
a new clericalism and an unhealthy competition. Rather
we must search out the exact role of the priest in the
Church, especially his role in the formation of the laity.
“The priesthood is not the lay apostolate. It is not
the Peace Corps or the Papal Volunteers; it is not the
lay missionary work, or community organization work
in the inner city, or a human relations organization, social
work, or the civil rights movement.
“PRIESTS have a relationship to all this kind of activ
ity; they have a role in the apostolic formation of the
leaders of all these movements. At times a priest may
be called upon to give a personal witness in all this, in
protest against injustice, and to be deeply involved in the
^ aspirations and work of these movements.
“But never can one or the other of these become co
extensive with his priesthood. The priest, as Prophet, Med
iator, Minister of the Word, as a representative of the
Church, has an altogether unique function in the People
of God.
"in the Uia Testament sense, tne priest is a Tropnei;
he reminds people of God’s plan for the world; he must
provide the laity with an appropriate doctrine and spiri
tuality which will guide them in responding to the needs
of the Church.
'**“ “At times this will demand that he stand in opposi
tion to the social injustices of our age, testify against
them by word and example, as for example the priests
and religious who participated in the march of Selma.
“As Mediator, the Priest represents Christ the High
Priest in a very special way. He has the power to perform
the acts of Christ in the very name of Christ. When he
absolves it is Christ who absolves. When he consecrates
the bread and wine, it is Christ-who speaks, ‘This is My
Body, this is My Blood.’
“With the recent renewal of the sacred liturgy, the
priest now truly becomes the President of the People at
worship. He presides over the community of the faithful.
The new liturgical changes present a new challenge to
priests and make the role ojf^ Mediator much more mean
ingful. '
“FINALLY, the priest is the Minister of the Word.
It is his function to proclaim the Word of God to the
People of God, to celebrate the liturgy of the Word. He
himself must be the living embodiment of the Word. This
role of the priest has taken on renewed meaning as a re
sult of the Council, with a whole new emphasis on biblical
** homilies, bible vigils, biblical institutes for priests.
“These are just a few aspects of priestly live that
gives us a basis for reflection on the vocation of the
priest in the modern world. They open up rich potential
ities of the priestly life, neither inferior or superior to a
fully dedicated life, but altogether unique and indispen
sable in the life and growth of the Church.
“Let us never forget that men need priests, and our
* lay movements above all need dedicated priests; without
priests there can be no lay apostolate. A famous dictum
comes to mind here, ‘Everything by themselves; nothing
without the priest.’ ”
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Week of Renewal
Slated by Parish
In Chapel Hill
CHAPEL HILL — Next Sun
day the Rev. Carl Bufalini, of the
Holy Cross Fathers of Notre Dame,
will conduct a Week of Renewal
at St. Thomas More Church.
The opening will be at 5 p.m.
Sunday and wil' include a Bible
Vigil Service lasting until 6 p.m.
During the rest of the week to
Friday inclusive th j service will
last an hour. The same program
will be followed at noon and at
5:30 p.m. each day, with Masses
at 12 Noon and 6 p.m., in order
to afford . greater opportunity for
everyone to attend. A nursery
service will be provided at Noon.
Father Bufalini will be available
for personal conferences by ap
pointment through the Rectory—
942-1129.
The preacher was born in Ali
quippa, Pennsylvania in 1939. He
was chosen for theological studies
at the Gregorian University in
Rome, obtaining his degree there
in July, 1964. For two years he
served as chaplain to students at
the University of Rome. He spent
the summer of 1963 and 1964 on
the French Riv'era working with
French University students on a
project known as “Camp Mission”
—bringing Christ to the beach.
Father Murphy, pastor of St.
Thomas More Church, has an
nounced that a cordial welcome
is extended to everyone to attend.
Smithfield Plans
Spaghetti Supper
St. Ann’s Parish, Smithfield,
will serve a spaghetti supper in
the educational building Shrove
Tuesday, February 22, from 5:00
to 7:00 in the evening.
Tickets can be obtained at the
door: $1.25 for adults, and 75c for
children. Proceeds will be used to
obtain new hymnals for the parish.
First Communion was received
last Sunday by Evelyn Jones,
Theresa Sanders, Bobby Brown
and Steven ■ ndreaus, and a break
fast followed the Mass. Confirma
tion will be administered on March
23 by Bishop Vincent S. Waters.
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Greetings to the Readers of
North Carolina Catholic
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