Priestly Ministry and the People of God: Hopes and Horizons

by Richard R. Gaillardetz (Editor), Thomas H. Groome (Editor), Richard Lennan (Editor)

Overview

For two years a Boston College faculty seminar explored the history, theology, and practice of the ordained priesthood within the wider ministerial life of the Catholic community. The fruit of that process was a document, “To Serve the People of God: Renewing the Conversation on Priesthood and Ministry,” which was shared with the Vatican and distributed with bishops’ conferences throughout the world. The original document and a selection of responses are collected in this volume—an essential reflection on the hopes and horizons for the future of the priesthood in the Catholic Church.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781626984615
Publisher:	Orbis Books
Publication date:	04/20/2022
Pages:	218
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.46(d)

About the Author

Richard R. Gaillardetz is the Joseph Professor of Catholic Systematic Theology at Boston College and the current chair of the BC theology department.

Thomas H. Groome is director of the PhD program in theology and education at BC’s School of Theology and Ministry, and former director of BC’s Church in the 21st Century Center. Richard Lennan is a priest of the diocese of Maitland-Newcastle (Australia) and is professor of systematic theology and Professor Ordinarius in BC’s School of Theology and Ministry, where he chairs the Ecclesiastical Faculty.

Read an Excerpt

With this collection, we bring to completion—though not conclusion— conversation about the future of Catholic priesthood that began at Boston College (BC) some years ago. In September 2016, the Church in the 21st Century (C21) Center at Boston College established a faculty seminar to study and imagine “the future of priesthood.” The sentiment was that, while the state of priesthood shows ample signs of crisis, this might also be a moment of grace to forge a new horizon so urgently needed.

The seminar group was made up of twelve working members and a student scribe. Of those, six were distinguished theologians with particular competence on the theme, three were priests, two were university personnel who work in spiritual formation, two were Boston College PhD students in theology, and two were priest leaders from the Archdiocese of Boston; there were eight men and five women in all. Richard Lennan, Richard Gaillardetz, and I served as cochairs.

The ninety-minute breakfast seminar met four times each semester for two years, adding a final gathering, making a total of seventeen meetings. The first three semesters were spent in intense study and conversation, with the fourth dedicated to writing a consensus statement that went through many drafts. While concerned for the state of Catholic ministry, in general, we realized early on that it would be wise to limit our focus to diocesan priesthood, in particular. Further, while we hoped our research might bear fruit for the whole church, we limited our focus to our context here in the United States.

Table of Contents

List of Abbreviations vii

Introduction Thomas H. Groome ix

Part I The Document

To Serve the People of God: Renewing the Conversation on Priesthood and Ministry 3

Boston College Seminar on Priesthood and Ministry for the Contemporary Church, December 18, 2018

1 Ministry in the Life of the Church Richard Lennan 29

2 A Profile of a Well-Formed Priest Richard R. Gaillardetz 37

3 Shaping the Future Liam Bergin 46

4 Renewing the Conversation on Priestly Ministry Reinhard Cardinal Marx 54

Part II Responses

5 Crisis and Hope Catherine E. Clifford 61

6 Reclaiming the Parish Dimension John Kartje 69

7 The Priest as Sacramental Minister John F. Baldovin, SJ 76

8 Faithful Pastors and Fellow Pilgrims Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv. 84

9 Imagining New Optics for Catholic Priesthood Jacqueline M. Regan 92

10 Transforming Priestly Identity and Ministry Bradford E. Hinze 101

11 "Animators According to the Spirit" Boyd Coolman 109

12 Priests at the Service of God's People Raúl Gómez-Ruiz, SDS 117

13 Priesthood as Discipleship for Mission Emily Jendzejec 125

14 Ordained Discipleship Stephen Bevans, SVD 132

15 A New Vision for Priestly Formation Diane Vella 140

16 The Future of the Priesthood Archbishop John C. Wester 149

17 The Once and Future Priesthood Phillip J. Brown, PSS 159

18 The Catechesis of Priesthood Thomas H. Groome 168

19 The Prophetic Ministry to the Word Susan K. Wood, SCL 177

20 The Dawn of "Crisis" Richard Lennan 185

Bibliography 195

List of Contributors 199

Editorial Reviews

And the people of God say: Amen! A brilliant practical theological examination of the Catholic priesthood. Both the process and the content of this book can lead us to a better future.”—Kathleen A. Cahalan, Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary, author, Introducing the Practice of Ministry

“This book is like a well-tuned and multi-layered orchestra voicing the future of the Church and the ministries that will enable it to flourish. We have long needed fresh and deep thinking about the priesthood involving all the people of God. Courageous in reimagining new ways of theologising about priesthood, Priestly Ministry and the People of God is essential reading for anyone interested in the leadership of the Church and the formation of its ministers and priests.”—Maeve Louise Heaney, President, Australian Catholic Theological Association

“There is no more pressing topic for scholarly as well as pastoral
consideration in the Church at this time than the future of priesthood and ministry. If you have any doubts then read this book. The fresh approach to questions simultaneously ancient and new is engaging, creative, and thought-provoking.”—Eamonn Conway, Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick

From the Publisher