The Catholic Priesthood

Thou Art a Priest Forever
J.B. Henri Lacordaire, OP

To live in the midst of the world with
no desire for its pleasure...
To be a member of every family
yet belonging to none...
To share all sufferings; to penetrate
all secrets; to heal all wounds...
To daily go from men to God to
offer Him their petitions...
To return from God to men
to offer them His hope...
To have a heart of fire for charity
and a heart of bronze for chastity...
To bless and be blest forever.
O God, what a life, and it is yours,
O Priest of Jesus Christ

Priests
A man of Prayer

The priest is above all a man of prayer. As an ordained representative of Christ, the priest's most important prayer is to re-present the sacrifice of Jesus during Holy Mass. His parish relies on him to offer a sacrifice "holy and acceptable to God." Throughout the week, too, at parish meetings and community functions, he is often asked: "Father, will you lead us in prayer?" He is seen as a man accustomed to speaking with God.   Every day, a priest prays the Liturgy of the Hours and spends time in private meditation. His private prayer is essential, for he must know Him of whom he speaks, teaches and preaches; he must come to have an intimate relationship with Him. Jesus is the raison d'etre of the priest.Since the beginning of Christianity, people have come to Jesus through preaching. Today, this is still the primary duty of the priest.

The large majority of Catholics get their information about the faith and their inspiration to practice it from the pulpit. Men who can articulate their excitement about their Faith are a great treasure to the Church. But it is not always easy to put one's faith into words, says Pope John Paul II: "The Church faces a particularly difficult task in her efforts to preach the word of God in all cultures in which the faithful are constantly challenged by consumerism and a pleasure-seeking mentality.

A priest's duty, then, is to teach his people how Christ's life is relevant to their own. He answers the question, "How can I live out my faith today?"  A priest is not a priest for himself. The ordained priest shares in the mission of Jesus as Priest, Prophet and King. As priest, he prays and celebrates divine worship. As prophet, he preaches and teaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And as king, he serves others. At the Last Supper, Jesus gave the Eucharistic mandate to His apostles, "Do this in memory of me." But not before the Lord had knelt down and washed their feet. Jesus said,  "What I have done for you, you must do for one another." A priest must be a servant to God's people. He brings the love and strength of Christ into the school, the hospital room, the prison, the ghetto…wherever God's people are and especially wherever they suffer, the priest is there.