Priesthood is one of three orders in the Catholic Church, including ordained priests or presbyters. The other two orders are bishops and deacons. Only men can receive holy orders, and the church does not allow any transgender people to do so. Church doctrine also sometimes refers to all baptized Catholics as a "common priesthood".
The Church has different rules for priests in the Latin Church - the largest Catholic concrete church - and in the 23. It should be noted that priests in the Latin Church must take a vow of celibacy, while most Eastern Catholic churches allow married people to be ordained. Deacons are male and generally belong to the diocesan clergy, but, unlike almost all Latin Rite (Western Catholic) priests and all bishops from Eastern or Western Catholicism, they can marry as laymen prior to their ordination to the clergy. The Catholic Church teaches that when a person participates in the priesthood after receiving Communion from the Priesthood, he is acting in the person of Christy Capitis, representing the person of Christ.
Unlike usage in English, "Latin words Sacerdos And sacerdotium are used to refer generally to the priesthood divided by bishops and presbyters. Words presbyter , Presbytery And presbyteratus refer to priests in English usage of the word or presbyters." According to Annuario Pontificio 2016, as of December 31, 2014, there were 415,792 Catholic priests worldwide, including both diocesan priests and priests in religious orders. A priest from the regular clergy was usually addressed with the title "Father" (abbreviated Frome, in the Catholic and some other Christian churches).
story
Catholic priests are ordained by bishops through the sacrament of ordination. The Catholic Church maintains that Catholic bishops were ordained in an unbroken line of apostolic succession back to the Twelve Apostles, depicted in the Catholic Bible. The ceremony of the Eucharist, which Catholics believe can only be performed by priests, is particularly derived from the story of the Last Supper, when Jesus Christ distributed bread and wine in the presence of the Twelve Apostles, in some versions of the Gospel of Luke commanding them to "do this in memory of me" " (Some Protestant critics have questioned the historical accuracy of the unbroken sequence claim.)
Catholic tradition says that the apostles in turn chose other people to succeed them as bishops ( episkopoi, Greek for "controllers") of the Christian communities with which the elders were associated ( presbyteroi , Greek language for "elders") and deacons ( diakonoi, Greek for "servants of the people"). As communities multiplied and grew in size, bishops appointed more and more presbyters to preside over the Eucharist in the bishop's place in several communities in each region. The diaconate became the bishop's liturgical assistants and his delegate to administer church funds and programs for the poor. Today, the title "presbyter" is usually what one thinks of as a priest, although the Church Catechism views both bishop and presbyter as "priests".
Various churches that separated from catholic church make the same claim to apostolic succession, including the Church of the East (divided in 424), the Eastern Orthodoxy (schism in 451) and the Eastern Orthodox Church (schism with the East-West schism of 1054). During the Reformation, Martin Luther and Tyndale advocated the priesthood of all believers, the idea that all baptized Christians are priests. This was not generally accepted, which contributed to the split between the various Protestant churches. The doctrine has been interpreted differently by different Protestant denominations, with some throwing off the apostolic succession and holy orders as a sacrament, as well as the various requirements that can perform the rite of the Eucharist. Through the principle of ecclesiastical economics, the Catholic Church recognizes as valid the ordination of priests in denominations with unbroken apostolic succession, for example in the Eastern Orthodox Church, the National Polish Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Assyrian Church of the East, the Church of Sweden and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, but not other Lutheran churches. Recognition of the ordination of Anglican church priests was denied in 1896 by Pope Leo XIII through a bull Apostolicae curae, due to a dispute over the edition of the Anglican commissioning ceremony in the 1500s.
Theology of the Priesthood
Easter and Christ
The theology of the Catholic clergy is rooted in the priesthood of Christ and to some extent the shares of elements of the ancient Hebrew priesthood as well. The priest is the one who presides over the sacrifice and offers this sacrifice and prayer to God on behalf of the believers. The Jewish clergy who functioned in the Temple in Jerusalem made animal sacrifices in different time throughout the year for various reasons.
In Christian theology, Jesus is the Lamb provided by God himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. Before His death on the cross, Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples (the Last Supper) and offered blessings over bread and wine, respectively, saying: "Take and eat this is my body" And " Drink from this, all of you, for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for the remission of sins.". (Matthew 26:26-28 Jerusalem Bible). The next day, Christ's body and blood were clearly sacrificed on the cross.
Catholics believe that it is the same body that was sacrificed on the cross and rose again on the third day and united with Christ in divinity, soul and blood, which is made present in the offering of every Eucharistic sacrifice, which is called the Eucharist. However, Catholicism does not believe that transubstantiation and the doctrine of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist involve a change in material in “accidental” functions: i.e. Under normal conditions, scientific analysis of the Eucharistic elements will indicate the physical-material properties of wine and bread.
Thus, Catholic priests, in the Eucharist, will unite each offering of the Eucharistic elements in union with the sacrifice of Christ. Through their celebration of the Holy Eucharist, they do represent Christ's one eternal sacrifice on the cross.
Catholicism does not teach that Christ is sacrificed again and again, but it is " The Sacrifice of Christ and the Sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single victim ." Instead, the Catholic Church has a Jewish concept of a memorial in which ".. a memorial is not just a memory of past events.... these events become in some way present and real." and thus, "... Christ offered the sacrifice once and for all on the cross remains always present." As a matter of fact, in Catholic theology, as expressed by Saint Thomas Aquinas, "Christ alone is the true priest, the rest are only their ministers." Thus, Catholics share the clergy in one, unique, Priesthood of Christ.
education
After the Great Schism
During the century of the Great Schism of 1054, the churches of East and West arrived in different disciplines to abstain from sexual intercourse during marriage. In the East, candidates for the priesthood could be married with permission to have regular sexual relations with their wives, but were required to abstain before receiving the Eucharist. An unmarried person, once ordained, could not marry. Besides, Christian East demanded that, before becoming a bishop, a priest separately from his wife (she was allowed to the object), with her, as a rule, becomes a nun. In the East, more usually, bishops are chosen from among those priests who are monks and are therefore unmarried.
In the West, the law of celibacy became mandatory by Pope Gregory VII in the Roman Synod of 1074. This law stipulated that in order to become a candidate for ordination, a person cannot marry. The law remains in force in the Latin Church, although not for those priests of the Eastern Catholic Churches, who remain under their own discipline. (These churches either remained or returned to full communion with Rome after the schism, unlike, for example, the Eastern Orthodox Church, which is now completely separate). The issue of compulsory celibacy in the Latin Church continues to be discussed.
Duties of a Catholic Priest
Bishops, priests and deacons who wish to become priests are also required to recite the major and minor offices of the Liturgy of the Hours daily, a practice that is also followed by non-ordained people in some religious orders.
The priest, who is the pastor, is responsible for the administration of a Catholic parish, usually with a single church building dedicated to worship (and usually nearby residence), and for seeing to the spiritual needs of the Catholics belonging to the parish. This involves performing ceremonies of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, and counseling people. He may assist other diocesan priests and deacons, and serves under the local diocesan bishop, who is responsible for many parishes within the territory of a diocese or diocese. In some cases, due to a shortage of priests and the account of a full-time priest for depopulating parishes, a team of priests in solidarity may participate in the management of several parishes.
According to Catholic teaching, a priest or bishop is necessary in order to perform the ceremony of the Eucharist, receive confession and perform the Blessing of Anointings. Catholic deacons and laymen may receive Holy Communion after the priest or bishop has blessed the bread and wine. Priests and deacons usually perform baptisms, but any Catholic may baptize in emergency circumstances. In cases where a person dies before a baptism ceremony is performed, the Catholic Church also recognizes baptism of desire, when a person wishes to be baptized, and baptism of blood, when a person is martyred for his faith. According to church teaching, a priest or bishop usually performs Holy Matrimony, and a deacon or layperson may be delegated if this is not practical, and in an emergency, the couple may perform the ceremonies themselves as long as there are two witnesses. (Church doctrine says that this is actually a couple assigning marriage to each other, with the priest only helping that it be done correctly.)
Eastern Catholic Churches
The Catholic Church has different rules for the priesthood in the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches than in the Latin Church. The main difference is that most Eastern Catholic churches ordain married men, while the Latin Church imposes compulsory clerical celibacy. This issue has caused tension among Catholics in some situations where Eastern churches established parishes in countries with established Latin Catholic populations. In the Americas and Australia, this tension led to bans on married Eastern Catholic priests, all of which were lifted by Francis in 2014.
Demography
Worldwide, the number of priests has remained relatively constant since 1970, declining to around 5,000. This stagnation is due to the balance of large increases in Africa and Asia and significant declines in North America and Europe.
| Registration of priests around the world | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Asia
Singapore
| Year | Priests | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 119 | + 32,2% |
| 2000 | 140 | + 17,6% |
| 2004 | 137 | -2,1% |
Europe
Belgium
| Year | Priests | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 9912 | -22,2% |
| 2000 | 6989 | -29,5% |
| 2004 | 6366 | -8,9% |
France
Luxembourg
Poland
Sweden
| Year | Priests | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 110 | + 11,1% |
| 2000 | 134 | + 21,8% |
| 2004 | 151 | + 12,7% |
Switzerland
North America
Mexico
United States
| Historical number of priests in the United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Includes both diocesan and religious priests. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Robert Jacklin was a priest of the Roman Catholic Trinitarian Order for ten years. Holy Trinity), founded in the 12th century. He served in Georgia, Ohio and southern California. With the permission of Rome, he left the priesthood and got married. Later he converted to Orthodoxy. About the rapid decline of spiritual life in the Catholic Church after the Second Vatican Council and other disorders that prompted him to leave Catholicism, and about his path to the Orthodox Church - his conversation with a journalist from Ancient Faith Radio.
– Robert, you were brought up in a traditional Catholic family?
– I was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My father was a Roman Catholic; my mother was a Greek Catholic, but after marrying my father she became a Roman Catholic. I have two brothers and a sister. As a child, I had little experience of Eastern liturgical life: I went with my grandparents to Greek Catholic services, and I really liked them. But first of all, I was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition.
– Did you study in Catholic parochial schools?
– Yes, and also at a Catholic preparatory school. Then I served for two years, and when the service ended, I wanted to direct my life along a special path. He entered the seminary, where he studied philosophy for two years, and then theology for four years.
– Were you taught Eastern patristics?
– Eastern patristics we were taught for a semester by a member of the community - a Catholic Eastern rite by origin. What, by the way, he never thought about until he became a novice: he had to ask permission to join our order. I was so captivated by this course! Memories of my grandparents came flooding back, but above all, this was my first deep acquaintance with the East. Of course, we are talking now about the Eastern Catholic Churches.
– We call them Uniate.
- Correct name. But this course gave me excellent basic knowledge.
– You were ordained a Trinitarian priest. Why did you choose this order?
“We were missionaries, and I felt that was what I wanted to do.” My parents, however, wanted me to become a diocesan priest: I would be closer to home and could see them more often. I wanted to belong to a missionary group of priests and brothers, so I joined the order.
– You said that you had to face many changes related to the decisions of the Second Vatican Council, both in your private life and in your priestly ministry. Can we say that you grew up a Catholic of the pre-conciliar formation, before Vatican II?
– But you knew what you were getting into when you became a priest after the Second Vatican Council. I would like you to talk about those changes that turned out to be the most destructive - both for your spiritual life and for the life of the entire church.
“When I was ordained in 1968, the Novus Ordo Missae had not yet been introduced, so for the first year I celebrated Mass half in Latin and half in English. But over time, changes in worship not only began to bother believers - people simply stopped feeling comfortable at Mass and did not consider it necessary to come to it. This has had a detrimental effect on our community. Radical changes also affected the organization of the order: I witnessed how many of my brethren became extremely disillusioned and left, sometimes without official permission from Rome, and some got married. I saw the destruction of my community. For me it was the saddest thing, because for 18 years this was my life, my home, my family - and then everything tragically fell apart.
– Why does the transition from Latin to English seem so counterproductive?
The new rite has changed the Mass beyond recognition! She looked like a Protestant
“If they took the Tridentine Mass and translated it from Latin into English, there wouldn’t be much of a problem.” But the new rite changed the Mass beyond recognition! If, for example, a Catholic who died in 1945 had come to Mass in 1972, he would not have recognized it!
– Regardless of language?
– Regardless of the language. The traditional Tridentine Mass was completely destroyed. If you remember, the order of “Novus Ordo” was compiled with the participation of eight Protestant clergy. They were allowed to contribute to the composition of the new mass. Everything strictly Catholic, everything connected with the old mass was discarded!
It is interesting that after my marriage one Lutheran woman appeared among our friends. Soon she married a Catholic. After their wedding, we were invited to the celebration, and she confessed to me: “Your (Catholic) service is so beautiful! It reminded me of our Lutheran service!” You see how badly the Mass has been spoiled in just a few years.
- Yes it is.
– Tell us more about this.
Both John Paul II and Benedict XVI were part of the progressive, reform movement in the church
– The future Pope Benedict XVI, at that time Father Ratzinger, was a theologian from the so-called “Rhine Group”. And he was a progressive. As the pontiff himself admits, he supported the way the council was held, how documents were adopted and the new theology of the church was formed. Father Ratzinger was involved in all those changes. The young bishop from Poland - the future Pope John Paul II - was also progressive. They both opened the door to something new. As Pope John XXIII said: “We must open the windows to let some fresh air into the church.” Archbishop Lefebvre was a traditionalist. They oppressed him and those fathers who supported him. Yes, I say quite sincerely that both of them - John Paul II and Benedict XVI - were part of the progressive movement in the church of that period.
“Not many people see them in that light now.”
– Nevertheless, it is so. It happens that a person does something and is delighted with it, but over time he sees the fruits of his labors, begins to think and reconsiders his activities from the very beginning. This is exactly what happened with the two previous pontiffs.
– I read somewhere the confession of Pope Benedict that the Second Vatican Council went too far.
“And it’s the same as “locking the stable door when the horse has already been stolen.”
– When the genie is already out of the bottle.
– What are the consequences!..
– Just look at the depressing statistics on the Catholic Church for Lately.
– The number of priests, monastics and laity has decreased to a terrifying extent. While before Vatican II it was believed that at least 65% of Catholics regularly attend Mass, today it is between one quarter and one third of Catholics – 25–33%.
– I also saw such a stunning statistic: today 65-70% of Catholics believe that the Eucharist is just a symbol. One of the most fundamental, immortal teachings early church– that the true Body and Blood of Christ are taught in the Eucharist. And the vast majority of modern Catholics do not believe in this...
- Alas, this is exactly so.
– The number of Catholic high schools and universities has declined, and the list goes on.
The number of Catholic women who have abortions is equal to the number of non-Catholic women who have abortions. It's a pretty scary situation
“Also, according to a study done four or five years ago, the number of Catholic women who have abortions is approximately equal to the number of non-Catholic women who have abortions.” It's a pretty scary situation. For all these reasons, I began to understand that the church in which I was born and raised was no longer the Church. Therefore, I need to look for the spirituality and religiosity in which I grew up somewhere else.
– What ultimately prompted you to act: some special event, crisis or all together?
– It was all together. But there was also an event: the sex scandals in the Catholic Church that erupted in 2000 and 2002.
– How many years had you been a priest by then?
“By that time I was no longer a priest.
– It’s clear that you left the priesthood even earlier. Have you heard of anything like this during your priesthood or seminary years?
- No, I didn’t hear or know anything, and that was good and bad at the same time. When the Cardinal Law pedophile scandal broke in Boston in 2002, I was extremely devastated and could not believe what I was hearing. What especially angered me was that the bishops in our country (as in other parts of the world) did nothing but move these priests from parish to parish, from school to school, allowing them to continue serving. The bishops covered up their crimes, and I could no longer remain in this church. This is one of the reasons why I turned to Orthodoxy. No one is saying that this is not the case at all Orthodox Church, but in Catholic there was simply an epidemic. In my opinion, the Catholic Church and the Catholic bishops in the United States completely lost moral authority at that time.
– How was your departure received? You were not the first to leave, but how did the hierarchy react to this?
“I met with the head of the order and said that I was going on vacation, which stunned him. I clearly remember the answer: “But Bob, we had such big plans for you.” I replied that I needed to think, be away from the community and take a break from ministry. He decided that it was only for a year, and, although reluctantly, he let me go. Nine months later I called and informed the head of the order that I would not return and that I was asking to be released from my vows in order to become a layman again. This was not received favorably. The reason for his dissatisfaction was the fact that they, as it turned out, were going to make me the deputy head of the West Coast province - the youngest in the entire huge province. These were the “big plans” they had for me. We parted with him on not very good terms. good relations, but warm, friendly communication remained with many of my former fellow priests.
– After leaving the priesthood, did you meet your wife and marry in the Catholic Church as a full-fledged Catholic?
– And you remained a faithful Catholic afterwards? Tell us about it.
He read the anaphora in his own way, using words that are not found in any Catholic missal!
- Yes. In one parish in San Diego, my wife Peg and I led a catechetical program that served 1,500 children. We had an extraordinary active work in this parish. But one unpleasant thing happened. We had a close priest friend who taught at San Diego International University. He came and celebrated masses in our parish because we lacked a priest. But we began to notice that he read the anaphora in his own way, using words that are not in any Catholic missal! This went on for some time. Finally, my wife and I looked at each other and decided: “We can’t continue this anymore.” After the mass, we met him on the street, hugged him and said: “Forgive us, but we can’t come here anymore because of what you’re doing.” This was the end of my attendance at Masses under the new rite.
What were we supposed to do? We have two children whom we raised in the faith. And it so happened that I read in the newspaper about the Society of St. Pius X. I knew that it was associated with Archbishop Lefebvre, but I had heard little about this organization or about the archbishop himself, except that he was sort of a dissident. They called a college in Kansas and got an address in Carlsbad where they held masses. We arrived and immediately felt at home. And we were part of this traditionalist movement from 1980 to 2001.
- This is very interesting story. The Catholic Church viewed this movement as being outside of it. Lefebvre was the bishop of Dakar (Senegal). He was also apostolic visitator of all North Africa, a member of the Congregation of the Fathers of the Holy Spirit and its head. He saw how the people of North Africa were losing faith due to all the changes that Vatican II brought, and so he said: “I cannot continue this.” And he also said: “You know what I’m going to do: retire and settle in some small apartment where I can say Mass privately and live out my life in peace.” Several seminarians approached him: “We have heard about you and that you are a supporter of the traditional Mass. We want to learn the traditional Mass, train to be priests and then celebrate it.”
– At that time, was the celebration of the traditional Tridentine Mass in Latin prohibited by the Catholic Church or not?
– The Tridentine Mass was, one might say, abolished. It was allowed to celebrate only Mass according to the rite of “Novos Ordo”. Lefebvre gathered these young people in Rome and began to teach them himself. Over time, their number increased, and he began to look for a place where they would receive a good Catholic theological education. The Archbishop went to Switzerland and, with the help of his friend, was able to redeem old monastery, which has long been empty. There he organized his first seminary.
– How old was he then?
– He was somewhere around 70. Lefebvre died in 1991 at the age of 81. When people in Rome heard about the seminary, they were at first happy. They sent visitors there to check whether anything incompatible with the faith was happening there. But the visitors did not find anything of the kind and returned to Rome with a positive report on what wonderful work Lefebvre was doing. But the local, especially the French bishops, were unhappy with him because he attracted many seminarians, including from their seminaries. They did not like the idea of a traditional mass, since they were entirely loyal to official Rome. The bishops put a lot of pressure on the Vatican, and it condemned Lefebvre. He was told that he no longer had the right to recruit seminarians or ordain priests and must close his seminary. Then it was temporarily banned, hoping that in this way the movement would fade away.
– Does every Roman Catholic bishop have the canonical right to ordain priests? Shouldn't he ask permission from the hierarchy for this?
- Should not. But the problem is that the archbishop did not have his own diocese. He was not a diocesan bishop. Rather, he was a “vagrant bishop.” His seminary was a kind of "international seminary" not assigned to any city or region. So, it was banned, but the movement did not die out. It strengthened even more. More and more seminarians came, he ordained 20–25 priests in his seminary annually, while other European seminaries only ordained 2–3 per year. The situation reached a critical point on June 29, 1988. For a long time, Lefebvre asked Rome for permission to ordain a traditional bishop, that is, one who could travel around the world, visit the parishes of traditionalists, confirm children, and ordain priests. Rome kept repeating: “Okay, we will do this in the future...”
– Rome banned him, but he continued to serve?
- Absolutely right.
- That is, he was on the way to a split.
“The Church called him “rebellious.” But in 1988, Lefebvre was promised a bishop. Rome said something like this: “We will stage it in March... In April... In May... No, we’ll wait until August.” And Lefebvre replied: “I don’t have long to live. I am already very old and I am afraid that after me there will be no bishop left who will continue to do my work, and my work will die with me.” He, together with one Brazilian bishop, ordained four vicars. But they have no jurisdiction. They can only travel for missionary purposes and perform traditional sacraments. It was at this time that Rome excommunicated Lefebvre, excommunicated four bishops, all the priests, and the laity also thought that they had been excommunicated.
- Oh my God!
– But this movement still continued to grow...
– Who did you and your family consider yourself to be at that time? Were you a member of the official church of Rome or a traditionalist?
– We were traditionalists.
– Were you excommunicated from the church at that time?
– No, the laity were not excommunicated from the church. Even Vatican theologians admitted this. They affirmed that our sacraments were still valid and that we were still “fulfilling our obligation” by attending Sunday Mass.
– Explain how the sacraments remain valid for a priest or bishop who has been officially excommunicated by the Catholic Church.
– Valid sacraments are those performed by a priest or bishop who has been correctly (canonically) ordained or consecrated.
– From the point of view of the mechanical laying on of hands?
- Exactly. Each of the four bishops and all the priests are “properly” ordained and consecrated. They are ordained and ordained not “legally” or “according to the law.” But every Mass they celebrate is valid, and every sacrament they perform is valid.
– This is a difficult issue in the Catholic Church due to its special understanding of apostolic succession. Basically, you can't excommunicate a bishop who has been properly consecrated, even if he left Catholicism?
– The apostolic grace to perform the sacraments and ordain is not taken away from an excommunicated bishop. If he is ordained and consecrated, then this is for life.
“And therefore the sacraments are effective.”
- Yes. Here is an example from my life. I was released from the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, that is, I became a layman for the church. But in case of an emergency, such as war, natural disaster, I can still say mass or absolution if there is no one else to do it. I kind of still have the priesthood in me, because the Catholic Church believes that ordination is for life.
– Do you think this is why the hierarchs of the Catholic Church at one time (under pressure) recognized the sacraments of the Eastern Orthodox Church as valid?
- Exactly.
“They transferred the same mechanical look to the Orthodox.
– It’s the same with the Old Catholics, because it relates to apostolic succession.
– In a nutshell, how and why do Catholics not consider the Anglican sacraments valid?
- Because the ordinal Anglican Church for the ordination of priests and the consecration of bishops has been so changed that it no longer reflects the true sacrificial power of priests as the Church has long seen it, and therefore the Catholic Church does not consider Anglican ordinations to be valid.
– So this mysterious transfer of apostolic power through the laying on of hands was broken?
– Yes, therefore, roughly speaking, when the last Catholic bishop ordained before the break with Rome died in England in the 16th century, that was the end. After all, each subsequent bishop was consecrated through a new ordinal.
- Thanks for the explanation. Our Orthodox Church understands apostolic succession differently, not as a mechanical laying on of hands. But let's get back to you. You were in the traditionalist movement, and what happened then?
– I became very seriously ill in 2001. I was unable to go anywhere, but for some reason I was attracted to the Orthodox Church that I saw while driving along the highway. I visited this church several times and was simply captivated. It was as if I was back in childhood again and found myself in the church of my grandparents during the Liturgy, although in my case the services were served in English, while at my grandparents they were served in Church Slavonic. It felt like God led me to this church, and I continued to go to it. In June 2003, he finally decided to convert to Orthodoxy and joined the Church through confirmation.
– Here I would like to draw your attention to this. You were born and raised a Roman Catholic, educated in Catholic schools, graduated from seminary, and entered the Trinitarian Order. They became a priest, a traditionalist Catholic. And in the end they ended up in the local parish of the Orthodox Church. There must have been problems you were struggling with!
– My thoughts and decision were very simple. In the Catholic Church, the pope has always been a unifying factor. But I saw with my own eyes that there was no more of this left in Catholicism. Every country in the world now has a Catholic Bishops' Conference. The Pope as a unifying factor was replaced by these Conferences, which in many cases made their own rules, often contrary to what the Vatican says.
I said to myself, “I no longer believe that the pope is a unifying force in the church.” And what attracted me to Orthodoxy, among other things, was the lack of a unifying personality, so to speak. The Orthodox Church is united in faith and not necessarily united in jurisdiction.
– Did you have other questions regarding spirituality and piety? Do you see any differences in the veneration of the Mother of God in Eastern Church and in Western?
– I assure you, the veneration of the Mother of God is much more organic and holistic in Orthodox worship, than in Catholic.
- Now or before Vatican II?
Spirituality in the Orthodox Church is not legal - in Catholicism it is exactly like that: this can be seen in confession
– This was the case even before the Second Vatican Council... How many times do we remember Mother of God at the Orthodox service! This in Catholic service simply no. This is the first thing. And secondly, spirituality in the Orthodox Church is not legal in many respects. In Catholicism it is exactly like this. In Orthodoxy, the main focus is on the unity of man with God. For example, if you want to confess in the Catholic Church, then go into the church and announce: “I have come to confession!” Then you announce your sins, and not only what you sinned with, but also how many times. And this is very important. You say to the priest not “Father, lately I have begun to lie more often than before,” but “I have lied 12 times.” Confession in the Orthodox Church is rather a process of healing the soul, in my opinion. There is no sense of “legalism” here. There is a more “open” spirituality here.
– In the East, “practical mysticism” is allowed to exist in the Church. Not everything can fit into systematic theology...
– I really love the mystical side of our Orthodox faith. You can see this all the time in our parish: how people react to icons, prayer, and the Eucharist. Such a mystical, “homey” spirituality, and so wonderful to witness.
– And we still have ancient traditions of worship and prayer: prayer rule, The Jesus Prayer is not the same as the “rosary” among Catholics. We have kept all this unchanged. I'm sure that in traditionalist Catholic circles these traditions are still adhered to, but sometimes, when talking to modern Catholics, you wonder if they understand what it means to be a true Catholic.
“I don’t think they understand it yet.” Pope Benedict himself admitted that catechesis in the Catholic Church has been terrible for the last 40 years. That is, there are many Catholics living now who are over 40 and 50 years old, and they do not have a spiritual foundation.
– A striking example: 65–70% of Catholics do not believe in the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
– And what will they pass on to their children?
– And, of course, the key factor is the understanding of apostolic succession as the transmission of the entire faith as we received it. Therefore, we cannot be Orthodox and not believe in the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
Since Vatican II, spirituality has changed, worship has changed, the church has changed
- Certainly. And although many Catholics today say that there is no difference between the Catholic Church before and after Vatican II, in fact there is – and a very significant one. Spirituality has changed, worship has changed, the church has changed. If you go to many new ones these days Catholic churches, you will not feel the atmosphere of holiness. Come to our parish and you will feel the spirit of holiness immediately, already at the entrance. This cannot be refuted. And everyone feels the feeling of holiness.
– We understand the Liturgy as a common cause of believers... Participation of people in a union...
– This is what the Catholic Church has been trying to do all the time since Vatican II: participation, participation, participation... But it has not had much effect. Some parishes are very good, but for the most part they are not.
– In conclusion, I would like to make a reservation that the purpose of our conversation was not criticism of the Roman Catholic Church, as it might seem to someone. We just wanted to figure out why you decided to leave Catholicism and convert to Orthodoxy.
- This is true. And, Kevin, I would like to say that my family remains in the Catholic Church. So far, I am the only one in the family who has converted to Orthodoxy, and my wife and children are Catholics. Catholics are still very dear to me. This has been my church for 60 years, but now I feel great sadness towards this church.
Celibacy is the religious vow of celibacy accepted in Catholicism, Protestantism and Orthodoxy. In the latter case, it is selective. Monks do not marry because their obedience implies a complete renunciation of all worldly pleasures and worries. Orthodox priests have the right - and it is even desirable - to marry.
According to the order established since the 7th century, the priest must be married even before taking orders. This provision was established by VI Ecumenical Council. An Orthodox priest can enter into a marriage, but it must be inviolable (divorce is not allowed) and cohabitation with his wife must take place according to the order established by the church.
Sexual contact between husband and wife is permitted only in certain days, not on holidays, and there should be no excesses. The church fathers who established this rule were guided by the provisions of the Gospel. It states that legal marriage is sacred and the marital bed is not unclean (Heb. 13:4). Thus Orthodox Fathers and received the go-ahead to conduct regular human life while simultaneously serving the Lord.
Celibacy among Catholic priests
In Catholicism everything is much more complicated and stricter. Mandatory celibacy for pastors was elevated to the rank of law under Pope Gregory (7th century). Celibacy was then recognized as an absolutely necessary measure. It is believed that only an unmarried man is not distracted by worldly affairs and completely devotes himself to God. He does not divide his love between the Lord and the woman.
Celibacy is not just a ban on marriage and having children. This is a complete refusal of any sexual contact. A Catholic pastor has no right to start romantic relationship or looking at a woman with lust. An applicant who was previously married will not receive priestly rank.
The 16th point of the Vatican Council, which took place in 1962-1965, is entirely devoted to the issue of celibacy. It is interesting that before celibacy was legalized for minor ranks (deacons, etc.) catholic church It was allowed to get married, but practically no one did this, because any such rank is just one of the steps on the path to ordination as a pastor. In Catholicism, not only spiritual self-improvement is important, but also a certain “career” growth of priests.
In the 20th century, the institution of so-called “permanent deacons” was established. They can enter into marriage, but cannot be ordained a priest. In very rare cases, a married pastor who converted to Catholicism from Protestantism may be ordained. In recent decades, the issue of the need for celibacy has been actively discussed, but there have been no changes in church laws yet.
A presbyter, or Catholic priest, refers to the second degree of priesthood, and there are three of them - deacon, priest, bishop. Only the bishop has the right to carry out elevation to rank, or ordination, to all three degrees.
This rite belongs to the sacraments of the church, but is performed only by laying the hands of the bishop on the head of the initiate and praying for the descent of the Holy Spirit on him. In this rite there is no secret formula inherent in other sacraments. Before the rite of ordination itself, the initiate prostrates himself before the altar, depicting a cross as a sign of humility, reverence and dedication of his entire life to Christ.
Celibacy as an indispensable condition
A Catholic priest, with rare exceptions, has no right to marry because celibacy, or celibacy, is legalized in the canonical practice of the Roman Catholic Church. In Orthodoxy, the marriage of priests is not only allowed, but also encouraged with the only prerequisite, so that the sacrament of marriage should be performed only before initiation into the degree. In Protestantism, a priest can marry even after ordination.
Knowledge is the best weapon
Before being ordained, a Catholic priest studies a lot. The Roman Catholic Church has always attached great importance to education - the first theological universities arose in the Middle Ages. In Europe, a mandatory condition for ordination to the first rank is four years of study. And when entering the priesthood, the candidate is required to study at the Higher Theological Seminary for at least 4 years. In Russia, in St. Petersburg, there is the only Higher Theological Seminary in the country, called “Mary - Mother of the Apostles” and training Catholic priests. The duration of study is 6 years. In Novosibirsk there is a pre-seminary that prepares candidates for admission to the Higher Academy.
Features of the rank of a Catholic priest
A Catholic priest has the right to perform five of the seven sacraments. The exceptions are the sacraments of priesthood and anointing. And the sacrament of confession can be performed even by a presbyter removed from worship. The important fact is that Orthodox priest can be excommunicated from the church, and he turns into a defrocked priest. And a legally ordained priest of the Catholic Church can never be deposed by anyone - upon ordination he receives the “indelible seal of the priesthood.” As in Orthodoxy, Catholic clergy are divided into black (monastic) and white (diocesan) clergy. It is customary to address the presbyter as “Father Imyarek.” There is such a thing as Catholic parish priest. It is clear that such a presbyter must have a parish or he must be the rector of an abbey. In France, such priests are called curés.
Features of the priest's clothing
Outwardly, a Catholic priest is always recognizable by the robe consisting of a cassock (a long outer garment with long sleeves), worn outside of services. It has a stand-up collar into which the most important distinguishing feature Western clergy - colorado, or Roman collar. This is a hard white insert, which used to be solid and wrapped around the neck, representing a collar and thus denoting a devoted servant of God. Catholic priest's clothes different color, which indicates the degree of cleric.
Liturgical vestment
The attire for the liturgy, the main Christian service, looks completely different. Its most important detail is the alba - a long white garment made of thin fabrics: linen, cotton or wool, belted with rope. Its prototype was an ancient Roman shirt worn under a tunic. A casula (cloak) or ornate is worn on the alba. This is an embroidered robe, similar to the deacons' cloak - dalmatica, but without sleeves. The next element of the presbyter’s clothing is the table, which is a two-meter ribbon, 5 to 10 cm wide, decorated at the edges and in the middle with crosses. It is worn around the neck over the ornate.
In general, in the Roman Catholic Church there are three types of church vestments - liturgical, for attendance at worship, and ceremonial. There are many more details in the liturgical clothing of a priest, such as the maniple, which is worn on left hand(obviously, the word “manipulate” comes from it).
Birthdays
