Fr. Don's Daily Reflection - June 23, 2024
Psalm 62: “In you alone is my soul at rest. My help comes from you.”
A letter addressed by Pope Francis to the clergy/hierarchy of Latin America, (April, 2016) reiterates some basics.
"It is good for us to remember that the church is not an elite of priests or consecrated people, of bishops -- but that everyone forms the Holy Faithful People of God."
"One of the greatest deformations that Latin America must confront, and to which I ask you to give special attention (is) clericalism."
(Comment by Fr. Don, not Pope Francis.)
Clericalism is a perspective unfortunately found among bishops and priests. It is characterized by such convictions and practices: Father (the priest) has all the answers, an attitude that is blind to the fact that many laypeople are much better educated and informed than he; it does not entrust decisions to laypeople. It would coerce consciences rather than inform them.
It believes that clerics deserve every privilege they can get, whether earned or not. A priest afflicted with this disease, for instance, abolishes the parish council, gets rid of the Eucharistic ministers, girl servers and ends communion under both bread and wine. In extreme form a newly ordained priest tells his congregation: “Priests have different souls than laypeople.”
“We trust that the Holy Spirit works in and with them (laypeople), and that this Spirit is not only the 'property' of the ecclesial hierarchy."
"It is not the pastor who must say to the layperson that which they must do and say; he or she knows more and better than us. It is not for the pastor to decide what the faithful must say in their diverse settings."
"It is illogical, and even impossible, to think that we as pastors should have the monopoly on solutions for the many challenges that modern life presents to us. On the contrary, we must remain at the side of our people, accompanying them in their work and stimulating that capable imagination of responding to current problems."
"We are called to serve them (lay people), not them to serve us."
Psalm 27: “I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness / in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong; / be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord!”
