Our People

Christ as King

Reflection on the Priesthood

By Most Rev. Julian Porteous
Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney
29 May 2004

Catholic theology has enshrined an understanding of Christ as being Priest, Prophet and King. It has come to be called the Triplex Munus – the threefold work of Christ.

Triplex Munus

The origins of this can be traced back into the Old Testament as the Jewish people awaited the Messiah, they envisaged his role as encompassing the ministry of priest, prophet and king – or, the roles of sanctifying, preaching and governing. We can see all these elements represented in Christ.

What is ascribed to Christ can be then attributed to the ministry of priests, for priests are Alter Christus, other Christs. A priest, in a unique way, continues the work of Christ in the world today. Each priest shares in the Priesthood of Christ and acts with his authority. Consider the words of Christ directed towards his apostles, “Whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven. Whose sins you retain, they are retained.” (Jn 20, 22-23) Real spiritual authority has been entrusted to those who are priests.

Consider then how Christ entrusted his mission to the Apostles at his Ascension, ''All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age'' (Mt 28:18-20). Notice that as the Lord was about to ascend to His Father he clearly passed on his authority to his apostles.

The New Testament presents the concept of “a royal priesthood”. St Peter speaks of the dignity of all Christians as members of God's People, quoting and claiming for the baptized a text from the Book of Exodus (19,6) – “For you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (I Pet 2,9).

Parish Ministry

But what does all this mean for an understanding of being a priest today?

When the Old Testament spoke of being a king, it had the image of one who presides over the people to govern them, but it saw the king exercising his role in a pastoral capacity. Being a king didn't just mean having power or authority to control things. It was seen as being devoted to the wellbeing of the people. The concept developed of the Shepherd King (You will be considering this idea of Shepherd tomorrow).

A priest in the diocesan situation is oriented towards parish ministry. We are like the GPs in the Church. We reflect the fundamental and most ancient understanding of priestly service – that of working among a community of believers. Being a leader in their midst.

The priest is the leader of the parish community. Even in times of shortage of priests, it is never understood in the Catholic Church that a parish community becomes lay lead. A parish is defined in terms of the role of a priest. The Code of Canon says, “The Parish Priest is the proper pastor of the parish entrusted to him. He exercises the pastoral care of the community entrusted to him under the authority of the diocesan bishop, whose ministry of Christ he is called to share, so that for this community he may carry out the offices of teaching, sanctifying and ruling with the co-operation of other priests or deacons and with assistance of lay members of Christ's faithful, in accordance with the law” (Canon 519).

In our time when there are not enough priests to go round all the parishes, then several parish communities are placed under the care of one priest.

The priest in the parish has the role of “ruling” as the Code says. These days there is provision and encouragement for priests to work in close collaboration with lay people, particularly through Parish Councils and the engagement of Pastoral Associates.

The Service of Truth

One aspect of this “ruling” over the parish community, is what could be called the “service of truth”. The priest has the role of being an authentic witness to the faith of the Church, and of ensuring the formation of the people in the faith.

Thus the priest ensures the instruction of the people prior to the sacraments, eg. parents bringing a child for baptism, children about the receive Holy Communion or Confirmation, couples coming to be married. This is the “bread and butter” daily work of a priest. He is the one to instruct and teach. He is the one the people expect to know and hand on faithfully the richness of the tradition of faith.

He is the one to oversee the celebration of the Mass and the Sacraments in the parish. So he is the one to ensure the proper formation of all those who are engaged in the celebration of the liturgy. His task is to ensure the proper expression of the faith in its liturgical expression.

People look to the priest for wisdom and guidance. They come with the problems and anxieties. They may be moral matters. They may be spiritual matters. In all these things the people turn to the priest as one that they expect will be able to give them not just his own ideas, but faithfully reflect the Catholic tradition and the mind of God.

Listen to the words of the prophet Malachi (2:5-7),

My covenant with him was one of life and peace; fear I put in him, and he feared me, and stood in awe of my name. True doctrine was in his mouth, and no dishonesty was found upon his lips; He walked with me in integrity and in uprightness, and turned many away from evil. For the lips of the priest are to keep knowledge, and instruction is to be sought from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.

This is why the Church puts such emphasis on the education of priests. The seven years of study helps form the mind of the seminarian, and gives them a grounding in an understanding of the faith and teaching of the Church. The priest then in his turn can hand on that knowledge and understanding.

The priest exercises a ministry of truth. At times this work of leadership will not be accepted either among some within the Christian community or others in the broader society. In these situations often special courage is needed. A priest will at times suffer being misunderstood or rejected because of his fidelity to the truth. But it is a vital service we must render within the Church and within the society. It is an exercise of leadership.

The Church and the society needs priests who are strong and valiant apostles of truth. Priests today need to be willing to hold fast to the truths of the faith.

St Paul gave this sober advice to the young Timothy (2 Tim 4, 1-2),

In the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you; proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favourable or unfavourable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching.

Being a priest is a noble calling. We participate in the most sublime of works. We enter into the work of Christ himself in and through his Church – a role of sanctifying, preaching and governing. This is the Triplex Munus.

As priests in the Church, we are called to be leaders in the local parish community and thus to share in a kingly role of governing, but always in relation to Christ. It is his ministry and his work that we are doing. We become the instruments of Christ's work being accomplished in the lives of people individually and collectively.

We claim nothing for ourselves, for all is Christ. It is a noble calling. It is a great work.