Could you be a priest?

Photo by Michael Nolan and Natalia Nash

Fr Philip Dyer-Perry, Parish Priest at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, Staines, west London, writes: Today is Good Shepherd Sunday, when the Church asks us to pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood. So let's not beat about the bush - I want to ask you right now, directly, to consider whether you or a member of your family might have a vocation to the priesthood. I'm serious about this!

Now the first thing that might strike you when you think about priesthood is about how different it is to just being a regular Catholic. It's that sense of difference that either puts people off, or else encourages the wrong kind of people to want to be priests. It doesn't help that those of us who are priests seem to be a bit crazy, a bit cranky, a bit quirky anyway - in case you hadn't noticed.

But in a sense, priesthood isn't actually that different. When I was very young, I received a Sacrament that marked me out for a life of service, that gave me the grace to speak up about the faith, and the power to make things holy. That Sacrament is Baptism and almost everyone here has been baptised. Yes, I was ordained later, but Baptism is the 'big one'.

Now you might say, well surely a priest is priest different because they're an official representative of the Church? Well, yes we are - but so is everyone who is baptised.

You might say, 'what about celibacy then'? Well yes, priests are called to be celibate, but it's not a huge difference, because everyone who's baptised is called to chastity, that is to try to express their sexuality in a way that's appropriate for their state of life. And for a lot of people it's practically the same thing!

You might ask 'What about obedience?' Aren't priests expected to do what the Bishop says? Well, we are, but so are you!

But what about poverty? Aren't priests expected to be poor? Well, not necessarily. I could be Donald Trump and still be a priest (well, there might be some issues). Priests don't get paid loads of money, but we're not badly off - and besides aren't all of us who are baptised called to reflect seriously on whether we're taking more than our fair share of the world's resources?

What about the fact that priests are called to give their lives to care and serve the community, to be shining examples of Christ's love? Doesn't that make us different to everyone else? Well, again, every one of us is called to do this. Just because a person is not a priest doesn't mean they are somehow less responsible for the mission of the Church. There is not two-tier system of holiness in the Church!

So, what is it about the ordained priesthood that makes it what it so special? Well, here's another disappointment, priests aren't actually priests - not in the biblical sense. Jesus is the true priest, but we, by being baptised, share in his priesthood.

So, the thing about the ordained priesthood is that it's not some kind of magic superpower. It's a simply a way of sharing in Jesus' priesthood specifically through the exercise of leadership. Everything that ordained 'priests' do, from presiding at the Eucharist, reconciling people, anointing the sick - to climbing up ladders and making the tea, all flows from that vocation. You don't need to be all 'holy' and pious, you don't have to talk in hushed churchy tones, you don't have to be interested in RE at school and you don't have to be some kind of religious enthusiast - I'm mainly interested in railways! Just love God, love the people God has given you, love the world in which you live, and try to do your best.

The Church does need priests. There's no shortage of people wanting to come to Church, there's no lack of interest in Catholicism. Quite the opposite in fact. But we need priests, we need a broad cross-section of people to step up to this role of leadership.

So, if you have the slightest inkling that you could serve in this way, please for the sake of people sitting next to you right now, and for those who maybe could do with being here - please do something about it. In the first instance, come and have a chat with me.

LINK

Our Lady of the Rosary parish, Staines: https://parish.rcdow.org.uk/staines/