Fruits of Study 2: Why Do We Have a Clergy?

The presence of clerics within the Catholic Church is, to many critics, inside and outside the Church, a problem and stumbling block. From the outside the Roman Catholic Church can seem like a “notoriously clerical affair”. It is often perceived that having a ‘clerical class’ amongst the people of God, acting as “rulers of God’s people”, is in direct opposition to Christ’s call for his followers to be characterized by profound humility. However to understand the need for bishops, priests and deacons within the Church, one must start by showing that the clergy was divinely established by Christ and present within the Apostolic Church.

The obvious starting point for any investigation into Orders is Jesus’ appointment of the twelve. All three synoptic Gospels describe Christ commissioning the twelve and John refers to Thomas as “one of the twelve”. The synoptic gospels portray the calling of the twelve as a major point within Jesus’ ministry. Jesus set aside a group amongst his followers, as an inner circle. In doing so Christ commissions the twelve as his heralds within the new Kingdom. In appearing to the twelve after His Resurrection, Christ establishes them as office-holders within his court and their special role is evident from the embryonic beginnings of the Church.

In St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, special mention is made of the relationship between the Risen Lord and the twelve. St Paul reminds his readers that the Lord appeared first to “Cephas, then to the twelve”. He stresses that the Good News he received and now passes on is received through a direct line from Christ through the Apostles. It is obvious that from the beginnings of the Church the apostles had a “special authority” in the preaching and teaching of the Faith, as the “accredited recipients of the message”. However they are also entrusted with a special authority in the field of “the worship or cultus of the New Covenant”. The Risen Lord, states that: “All authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to me. Go, therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising in my name”. The phrasing of the great commission displays a link between Christ’s ultimate authority and the authority of the disciples to baptise in his name. Baptism is of course a liturgical act. More importantly at the last supper, Christ passes the obligation to celebrate the Eucharist, in His remembrance, to the twelve. The New Testament shows that Christ gave his closest disciples the authority to baptise in his name and celebrate the Eucharist. Finally Christ institutes the twelve in matters of power and governance of the New Kingdom.

In choosing twelve men, Jesus establishes the twelve ‘new tribes’ of the new Israel. They however will govern and rule in a new way; a way based on humility and service. This is most clear in the Gospel of John, where Christ’s washing of the disciples’ feet could be considered a consecration of disciples in Christ’s life of service. Jesus makes it clear to Peter that if he does not accept this washing then he has no part in Christ. He then commands them to do as he has done. These structures of leadership or ordines have been and continue to be “perpetuated in unbroken succession through the sacrament” of Holy Orders and the laying on of hands in the manner of the Apostles.

Vocation Story: Sometimes a Man Got to Do, What A Man Got to Do

I am always slightly uncomfortable talking about my calling to the religious life. I suppose I suffer from a slight feeling of "vocation-story inadequacy". There is no obvious great conversion moment or period of intellectual realisation. I just did what felt natural and right. As the John Wayne-attributed saying goes "Sometimes a man got to do , what a man got to do" (this is actually a popular misquote he actually said "There are some things a man just can't walk away from" but i think the sentiment is the same").

I grew up in a Irish family in Camden, north London. Our neighbourhood mainly Irish and mostly culturally Catholic. The Church was very much a natural and normal part of life. The first memory I had of any 'calling' was painting myself as a priest at infant school. This got the FCJ sisters who ran the school very excited but I could not understand why. (I think they gave me a Milky-Bar).

Over the next twelve years I would occasionally think about the priesthood. I served Mass in the parish and at school, and I enjoyed RS and theology (I think I was thrown out of class at least twice for arguing with teachers who had been fuzzy in their interpretation of doctrine) yet I did not let it dominate my thoughts or actions. In fact at times I put it to back of my head but it would not go away. I often describe this as an 'itch' constantly rearing up. For example: we had a sixth-form retreat to Douai Abbey and I felt so strongly drawn to the community that I asked one of the monks how one would one enter. He rather sensibly told me to go off to university and get a girlfriend. Despite these moments of interest I spent most of my school years avoiding the issue, almost running away from it. I really was the perfect example of a lukewarm Christian.

I suppose the turning point came when I went off to Leicester University. I was certainly outside the little Catholic bubble of home and school. Most of my friends were typical of modern Britain; they had no faith or little. The rest were from the full spectrum of religious groups. Suddenly my faith was not part of some cultural or traditional sphere but stood alone. I realised that if I really believed and if I held that faith to be the Truth I had to live it more fully. I had to be more open to God and stop avoiding His call.

I was immensely lucky to be in a Chaplaincy served by Dominicans. Their preaching, community and humanity touched and inspired me. The 'itch' returned and I realised that this was what I wanted to do; this is what I wanted to be; and more importantly this is what God wanted me to be. The only way I could relieve this 'itch' was by doing it, by giving it a try. The year after I graduated, I applied to enter the novitiate. I was accepted and spent the rest of the year paying off my credit cards and overdraft. Within hours of beginning my postulancy I came to realise that the itch had been soothed and that has been the case every since. I have never been more happy and more fulfilled. More importantly I have never been more me. I feel more fully the person God made me to be. Sometimes it's easy to avoid God's call when there are not great lights, conflict or clear signs but each and every one of us is called by Him and He always gets His man (or woman) in the end. The most important thing is to place our trust in Him and "fill our hands".

WYD Pilgrimage - final sermon

Readings: 1 Thess. 1:1-5. 8b-10; Ps 149; Mt 23:13-22

There are many images of Mary being crowned, not least in the apse windows of this church and, to my mind, these celebrate Mary’s Queenship which is distinct from her Assumption which we celebrated a week ago. Her coronation, then, completes and perfects her life, so that although the Assumption is the end of her earthly pilgrimage of life – and there are many images to show this, her ‘dormition’ or death – there is something still more to come after that end. There is still another aspect of her life to celebrate: her Coronation.

So too, our pilgrimage has come to an end. But there is still something more to come. The journey home, of course, but also still another aspect of WYD to celebrate, something to crown it all. That something is holiness, becoming a saint. And we see this reflected in Our Lady. The graces that Mary received from God in her earthly pilgrimage were crowned by God in heaven with the reward of eternal life at His side. The promises given her were finally fulfilled and perfected in her Coronation as queen of all the saints; queen because she is so full of grace, and super-eminent in charity. And we? We have been given so many graces in this pilgrimage. We will have discovered something more about ourselves, made new friends and discovered something more about the Church. Above all, I hope, we will have come closer to Jesus Christ, and discovered anew just how much God loves us, and just how much he gives us with every breath we take. All these graces, every good thing we do, and every gift we have comes from God, the Father of all goodness, who (as St Paul says), has chosen us.

And we have been given all these so that God can crown them, and reward us with sainthood. With union with him, with the fullness of salvation, and eternal life. If … we persevere in grace, if we remain open to God’s Spirit. So, the graces that we have been given still await their coronation. We still await the fulfillment of God’s promises, and we await the perfection of our lives by Christ. We await, as St Paul says, the coming of God’s Son from heaven. So, let us look out for him.

He is found in the Mass and the sacraments, recognized in the Blessed Sacrament whom we adore and receive in communion. He is encountered in the forgiveness we extend to those who hurt us … in the mercy, reconciliation and peace we offer to those who offend us. He is seen in the poor whom we serve, feed, wash, visit, and help. Above all, he is seen in the love that we have for the other, who is not a stranger but a neighbour, not just some guy I sat next to on the coach, but a brother or sister, a friend. If we await and seek Christ, and we find him in these ways and more, then the graces God gives us will well up to eternal life. Then, by God’s grace we too, like Mary, will merit to be crowned with the glory of the saints, and rejoice with God in heaven forever.

In our pilgrimage we have had some glimpse of this … Eternity, I know you’ll say, given the interminable coach journeys etc, but also, I hope, a glimpse of friendship, love, delight, exuberance, peace, and joy, and feasting like kings and queens - which is what eternal life with God is (!), and to a more perfect degree than we can even imagine, and greater than any earthly pilgrimage can barely hint at.

Pilgrims' End

After showers and final packing we set off for London. Despite the long journey ahead the coach's air conditioning certainly made the hours fly by. We made very good time until we left the the ferry at Dover but the Father Ted DVDs took some of the sting out of the slow journey to North London. We arrived at St. Dominic's and made our way to the Lady Chapel to celebrate Mass for the Feast of the Queenship of Mary. In his homily, Brother Lawrence pondered the distinction between Mary's Assumption and her Coronation. He pointed out that likewise the journey to God does not end with the end of a pilgrimage but continues and only takes us to new heights.

Get set for Rio in 2013!

See Br. Lawrence's retrospective here.

Madrid: Vigil and Mass with the Pope

On Saturday we packed up what we would need for the Vigil and Mass at Cuatro Vientos Aerodrome. Brother Lawrence had thankfully arranged that we could stay at a Dominican convent to avoid the afternoon sun. After lunch, siesta and Mass with the Filipino Dominican group with whom we had shared Atocha, we set out for the aerodrome. As we approached the area we were held up by police, who had closed the road. This turned out to be quite a good turn of luck as we were able to see the Popemobile drive past at close range. (One of our pilgrims caught it on his phone camera. it is available on his blog here).

The apporach to the site did not, however, really lift our spirits. We were not able to enter our assigned area due to over booking and above the aerodrome hung black and angry looking clouds. As we found a good spot, slivers of lightning cut the evening sky at an ever more regular rate. Despite the impending weather the Pope was greeted with gusto and sheer joy. As he began his address the rain started to fall but this became intolerable as the winds picked up. The 'huracán' (as the official announcement described it) became too much and many of the pilgrims sought refuge in one of the Eucharistic adoration tents. Our tent proved very sturdy but sadly at least two tents were decimated by the high winds. The Holy Father's address was interrupted. He left telling the pilgrims in Spanish:

Thank you for your joy and your resistance. Your strength is stronger than the rain. Thank you. The Lord is sending us his blessings with the rain. With this, you are living by example.

After a short time the storm passed and the Pope returned to finish his address and expose the Blessed Sacrament. One could not help see some symbolism in this. From frantic irritations suddenly there was peace and silence and over a million people focused on the living Lord.

After the Pope left an eruption of man-made fireworks filled the sky, after which people had the opportunity to visit some of the remaining Exposition tents for confession and rosary. Despite the conditions spirits were high throughout the night and the sounds of laughter, singing and even bongos were a constant hum.

Most of the people in our group were awakened in the morning by a loud announcement looking for an 83-year old Polish woman (who was thankfully found). There was a sense of anticipation and excitement as the Community of St. John led Lauds with a beautiful musical setting. The arrival of His Majesty King Juan-Carlos and Queen Sofia made it clear the Mass was about to start.

The Mass itself was wonderful. It is astounding that such a large and excitable crowd could behave so reverently, prayerfully and yet still joyfully. In his homily (full text here), Pope Benedict pointed out that the example of Peter's confession shows us that knowing God in not an impersonal relation but a truly personal one built on firm faith and living friendship.

Madrid: Flags, Flags and More Flags

One of thing that you can not fail to notice at WYD is the amount and diversity of flags. They are everywhere. They represent nations, regions, counties, religious orders, groups and I even saw a Brighton and Hove Albion flag. It truly was a vexillologist's dream. One of the most amazing moments was seeing a group carrying the flag of South Sudan, the world's newest nation. The flags however are not just a marker form the different groups; they point towards the diversity and universality of the Church. Despite all the different allegiances we carry, be that to Ireland or Yorkshire, Iraq and the Legion of Mary, we are one in Christ and united in His body under the unity of his Vicar, the Pope.

Of course flags are also helpful for keeping the sun off during the hot Madrid afternoons...

Madrid: Via Crucis

On Friday evening Pope Benedict led The Stations of the Cross. The service used traditional Holy Week Spanish statues for each station. The prayerful hush of the crowd was as amazing as the variety of music which accompanied the carrying of the World Youth Day Cross to each station. In his reflection following the final station, Pope Benedict reminded the pilgrims that:

The Cross was not a sign of failure, but an expression of self-giving in love that extends even to the supreme sacrifice of one’s life. The Father wanted to show his love for us through the embrace of his crucified Son: crucified out of love. The Cross, by its shape and its meaning, represents this love of both the Father and the Son for men. Here we recognize the icon of supreme love, which teaches us to love what God loves and in the way that he loves: this is the Good News that gives hope to the world.

(full text available here)

Madrid: The Pope Arrives

Just before noon on Thursday our group were listening to a homily from Archbishop Timothy Dolan. During a pause the church bells started to ring. Suddenly the whole city was filled with the sound of church bells: The Pope had stepped upon Spanish soil. The Holy Father made his way to the Nunciature, where he rested before the official Papal welcoming ceremony in Plaza de Cibeles.

As might be expected the crowd were excitable and in good voice. Many had waited since the early afternoon to ensure a good view and The streets were lined with pilgrims hoping to catch a glimpse of the Pope-mobile.

Our group found a good spot to colonise, which thankfully had a good view of one of the many screens that had be erected in the City centre.

When the Pope finally the crowd erupted with chants of Viva il Papa and Benedicto peeling out from the assembled pilgrims. The atmosphere was akin to a rock concert or a football match. During the excitement the Holy Father received the keys to the city of Madrid from the Mayor and made his way to the podium. As he began his address the excitement turned to energetic attention as the successor of St. Peter addressed the near million Catholics from around the world.

After a celebration of the Liturgy of the Word, the Pope called on all to base their life on the firm and solid foundation of Jesus Christ. He pointed out that this can be the only way "to build the civilization of love and life" (the whole text may be found here)

Madrid: Catechesis Sessions

For the first three full days in Madrid, catechesis was given by the Bishops present to the various language groups. We were very fortunate to be next door to our English language centre in the Royal Basilica of Our Lady of Atocha, which is served by our Spanish Brothers.



World Youth Day is a wonderful chance for the bishops to fulfill their teaching role in a far more prominent way and we had three interesting and diverse speakers from each corner of the Anglosphere.

On the first morning we had the Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn,Mark Coleridge address the assembled huddle. He warned that both secularists and religious people create "false-gods": Images and idols which they claim represent the true God. He encouraged the pilgrims to use World Youth Day as an opportunity to get to know and love the True God and to strip away the images and shadows that people have tried to restrict God to.

On the second Morning, His Grace Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York gave his seven point plan to deepening

our relationship with Christ, pointing out that it was very similar to keeping and developing our relationships with each other: He called on the pilgrims to spend time with Christ in the Blessed Sacrament; to get to know him through scripture and theology; to get to know His Mother; to share the Eucharistic meal with him and to talk and listen to him.

The final catechesis session was given by the Cardinal Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh Keith Patrick O'Brien. This of course was a special treat for our pilgrims from the chaplaincy of the University of Edinburgh of which is not only part of the Cardinal's diocese but is his Alma mater. His Eminence reflected on how his relationship with Christ had affected the path of life from the school yard to the scarlet.

Pilgrim Profiles: Luke Frith-Powell, Niamh O'Connell and Erin Scott

The final three profiles in one bigger podcast, taken whilst on the move in Madrid.(which explains the sound quality)