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Views from the Choir Loft

Pope Francis on Collaboration of the Lay Faithful

Fr. David Friel · December 20, 2015

NLY A MONTH AGO, the German bishops were in Rome for their ad limina visits. During his time with them, Pope Francis took the opportunity to encourage the Germans in a definite direction—a direction that includes greater focus on spiritual poverty, sacramental confession, pro-life activism, and vocation promotion.

The Holy Father also shared interesting remarks on the role of the priesthood vs. the role of the laity. These remarks, directed to the shepherds of the Church in Germany, have bearing also on the life of the Church in much of the Anglophone world, including Ireland, the UK, Australia, and many parts of the USA.

Pope Francis said this during his remarks:

Pastoral plans that do not give adequate importance to priests in their ministry of governing, teaching, and sanctifying in regard to the structures and the sacramental life of the Church, on the basis of experience, are destined for failure. The precious collaboration of the lay faithful, above all where vocations are lacking, cannot become a surrogate for priestly ministry or make it even seem simply to be optional. Without the priest, there is no Eucharist.

In many dioceses, plans have been devised or enacted to make priest-less parishes almost normative. The Holy Father cautions us against ever thinking of this situation as normative.

Late last week, fellow-blogger Dr. Calabrese made a terrific post proposing sung vespers as an antidote to clericalism. The word “clericalism” is often misused or misunderstood. I have written about the topic before, as well, notably here.

As real as clericalism is in some places, anti-clericalism is just as real in other places, and both maladies are just as pernicious. Priests are not all there is to the Church, but nor are they merely a luxury in the Church. Priests are not the only ones capable of working within the Church, but nor are they merely functionaries intended to produce the Eucharist en masse for those in their spiritual care. Just as the Blessed Sacrament is, Itself, a gift to the Church, so, too, is the sacred priesthood.

Our Holy Father’s words to the German bishops challenge Catholics throughout the world to think deeply about the process of diocesan pastoral planning. As he explains so gently and yet so clearly: “The precious collaboration of the lay faithful, above all where vocations are lacking, cannot become a surrogate for priestly ministry.”

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Pope Francis Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Anselm Church in Northeast Philly before earning a doctorate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America. He presently serves as Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and teaches liturgy at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    Introit • Candlemas (2 February)
    “Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here's a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We still need to improve, but we're definitely on the right track!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
    Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful. From “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium” you can hear a live excerpt (Mp3). I'm not a fan of chant in octaves, but we had such limited time to rehearse, it seemed the best choice. After all, everyone should have an opportunity to learn “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium,” which summarizes Candlemas.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

To the extent that the new sacred music is to serve the liturgical celebrations of the various churches, it can and must draw from earlier forms — especially from Gregorian chant — a higher inspiration, a uniquely sacred quality, a genuine sense of what is religious.

— Pope John Paul II (June 1980)

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