Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 7—The Georgia Bulletin, February 3,1977
Vatican Declaration—
(Continued from page 3)
church’s practice; and one
will conclude that the
controversies raised in our
days over the ordination of
women are for all Christians a
pressing invitation to mediate
on the mystery of the church,
to study in greater detail the
meaning of the episcopate
and the priesthood, and to
rediscover the real and
preeminent place of the priest
in the community of the
baptized, of which he indeed
forms part but from which he
is distinguished because, in
the actions that call for the
character of ordination, for
the community he is - with
all the effectiveness proper to
the sacraments - the image
and symbol of Christ himself
who calls, forgives, and
accomplishes the sacrifice of
the covenant.
6. The Ministerial Priesthood
Illustrated by the Mystery of
the Church
It is opportune to recall
that problems of sacramental
theology, especially when
they concern the ministerial
priesthood, as is the case
here, cannot be solved except
in the light of revelation. The
human sciences, however
valuable their contribution to
their own domain, cannot
suffice here, for they cannot
grasp the realities of faith:
the properly supernatural
content of these realities is
beyond their competence.
Thus one must note the
extent to which the church is
a society different from other
societies, original in her
nature and in her structures.
The pastoral charge in the
church is normally linked to
the sacrament of order: it is
not a simple government,
comparable to the modes of
authority found in states. It is
not granted by people’s
spontaneous choice: even
when it involves designation
through election, it is the
laying on of hands and the
prayer of the successors of
the apostles which guarantee
God’s choice; and it is the
Holy Spirit, given by
ordination, who grants
participation in the ruling
power of the supreme pastor,
Christ (cf. Acts 20:28). It is a
charge of service and love: “If
you love me, feed my sheep”
(cf. Jn. 21:15-17).
For this reason one cannot
see how it is possible to
propose the admission of
women to the priesthood in
virtue of the equality of
rights of the human person,
an equality which holds good
also for Christians. To this
end use is sometimes made of
the text quoted above, from
the Letter to the Galatians
(3:28), which says that in
Christ there is no longer any
distinction between men and
women. But this passage does
not concern ministries: it
only affirms the universal
calling to divine filiation,
which is the same for all.
Moreover, and above all,
to consider the ministerial
priesthood as a human right
would be to misjudge its
nature completely: baptism
does not confer any personal
title to public ministry in
the church. The priesthood is
not conferred for the honor
or advantage of the recipient,
but for the service of God
and the church; it is the
object of a specific and
totally gratuitous vocation:
“You did not choose me, no,
I chose you; and I
commissioned you . . .” (Jn.
15:16; cf. Heb. 5:4).
It is sometimes said and
written in books and
periodicals that some women
fee! that they have a vocation
to the priesthood. Such an
attraction, however noble and
understandable, still does not
suffice for a genuine
vocation. In fact a vocation
cannot be reduced to a mere
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personal attraction, which
can remain purely objective.
Since the priesthood is a
particular ministry of which
the church has received the
charge and the control,
authentication by the church
is indispensable here and is a
constitutive part of the
vocation: Christ chose “those
he wanted” (Mk. 3:13). On
the other hand, there is a
universal vocation of all the
baptized to the exercise of
the royal priesthood by
offering their lives to God
and by giving witness for his
praise.
Women who express a
desire for the ministerial
priesthood are doubtless
motivated by the desire to
serve Christ and the church.
And it is not surprising that,
at a time when they are
becoming more aware of the
discriminations to which they
have been subject, they
should desire the ministerial
priesthood itself.
But it must not be
forgotten that the priesthood
does not form part of the
rights of the individual, but
stems from the economy of
the mystery of Christ and the
Church. The priestly office
cannot become the goal of
social advancement; no
merely human progress of
society or of the individual
can of itself give access to it:
it is of another order.
It therefore remains for us
to meditate more deeply on
the nature of the real equality
of the baptized which is one
of the great affirmations of
Christianity: equality is in no
way identity, for the church
is a differentiated body, in
which each individual has
his or her role. The roles are
distinct, and must not be
confused; they do not favor
the superiority of some
vis-a-vis the others, nor do
they provide an excuse for
jealousy; the only better
gift, which can and must be
desired, is love (cf. 1 Cor.
12-13). The greatest in the
kingdom of heaven are not
the ministers but the saints.
The church desires that
Christian women should
become fully aware of the
greatness of their mission:
today their role is of capital
importance, both for the
renewal and humanization of
society and for the
rediscovery by believers of
the true face of the church.
His Holiness Pope Paul VI,
during the audience granted
to the undersigned prefect of
the Sacred Congregation on
October 15, 1976, approved
this declaration, confirmed it
and ordered its publication.
Given in Rome, at the
Sacred Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith, on
October 15, 1976, the feast
of St. Teresa of Avila.
Cardinal Franjo Seper
Prefect
Father Jerome Hamer, O.P.
Titular Archbishop of Orium
Secretary
FOOTNOTES
1. Acta Apostolica Sedis 55
(1963), pp. 267-268.
2. Cf. Second Vatican Council,
pastoral constitution Gaudium et
Spes, 29 (December 7, 1965):
A AS 58 (1966), pp. 1048-1049.
3. Cf. Pope Paul VI, Address to
the members of the Study
Commission on the Role of
Women in Society and in the
Church and to the members of
the Committee for International
Women's Year, April 18, 1975:
A AS 67 (1975), p. 265.
4. Second Vatican Council,
Decree Apostolicam
Actuositatem, 9 (November 18,
1965): A AS 58 (1966), p. 846.
5. Cf. Pope Paul VI, Address to
the members of the Study
Commission on the Role of
Women in Society and in the
Church and to the members of
the Committee for International
Women’s Year, April 18, 1975:
A AS 67 (1975), p. 266.
6. Cf. A AS 68 (1976), pp.
599-600: cf. ibid., pp. 600-601.
7. St. Irenaeus, Adversus
Haereses, 1, 13, 2: PG 7, 580-581 ;
ed. Harvey, I, 114-1 22; Tertulllan,
De Praescrip. Haeretlc. 41, 5:
CCL 1, p. 221; Firmilian of
Caesarea, in St. Cyprian, Epist.,
75: CSEL 3, pp. 81 7-81 8; Orlgen,
Fragmentum in I Cor. 74, in
Journal of Theological Studies 10
(1909), pp. 41-42; St. Epiphanius,
Panarion 49, 2-3; 78, 23; 79; 2-4:
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vol. 2, GCS 31, pp. 243-244; vol.
3, GCS 37, pp. 473, 477-479.
8. Didascalla Apostolorum, ch.
15, ed. R.H. Connolly, pp. 133
and 142; C o n stitutlones
Apostolicae, bk. 3, ch. 6, nos. 1-2;
ch. 9, nos. 3-4; ed. F.H. Funk, pp.
191, 210; St. John Chrysostom,
De Sacerdotlo 2, 2: PG 48, 63.
9. St. Bonaventure, In IV
Sent., Dlst. 25, art. 2, q. 1, ed.
Quaraccht, vol. 4, p. 649; Richard
of Middleton, In IV Sent., Dlst.
25, art. 4, no. 1, ed. Venice,
1499, f 177; John Duns Scotus,
In IV Sent., Dlst. 25: Opus
Oxoniense, ed. Vives, vol. 19, p.
140; Reportata Parislensia, vol.
24, pp. 369-371; Durandus of
Salnt-Pourcaln, In IV Sent., Dlst.
25, q. 2, ed. Venice, 1571, f 364.
10. Some have also wished to
explain this fact by a symbolic
intention of Jesus: the twelve
were to represent the ancestors of
the twelve tribes of Israel (cf. Mt.
19:28; Lk. 22:30). But In these
texts It Is only a question of their
participation In the exchatological
judgment. The essential meaning
of the choice of the twelve should
rather be sought In the totality of
their mission (cf. Mk. 3:14): they
are to represent Jesus to the
people and carry on his work.
11. Pope Innocent III, Epist.
(December 11, 1210) to the
bishops of Palencia and Burgos,
included in Corpus luris, Decret.
Lib. 5, tit. 38, De Paenit., ch. 10
Nova: ed. A. Friedberg, vol. 2,
col. 886-887; cf. Glossa in
Decretal. Lib. 1, tit. 33, ch. 12
Dilecta, v lurlsdictloni. Cf. St.
Thomas, Summa Theologlae, III,
q. 27, a. 5 ad 3; Pseudo-Albert the
Great, Marlale, quaest. 42, ed.
Borgnet 37, 81.
12. Pope Pius XII, apostolic
constitution Sacramentum
Ordinls, November 30, 1947:
AAS 40 (1948), pp. 5-7; Pope
Paul VI, apostolic constitution
Divlnae Consortium Naturae,
August 15, 1971 : AAS 63 (1971),
pp. 65 7-6 64; apostolic
constitution Sacram Unctlonem,
November 30, 1972: AAS 65
(1973), pp. 5-9.
13. Pope Plus XII, apostolic
constitution Sacramentum
Ordinls: loc. cit., p. 5.
14. Session 21, chap. 2:
De n si nger-Schonmetzer,
Enchiridion Symbolorum 1728.
15. St. Cyprian, Epist. 63, 14:
PL 4, 397 B; ed. Hartel, vol. 3, p.
713.
16. Second Vatican Council,
constitution Sacrosanctum
Concilium, 33 (December 4,
1963): “... by the priest who
presides over the assembly In the
person of Christ. . .”; dogmatic
constitution Lumen Gentium, 10,
(November 21, 1964): “The
ministerial priest, by the sacred
power he enjoys, molds and rules
the priestly people. Acting in the
person of Christ, he brings about
the eucharistlc sacrifice, and
offers it to God in the name of all
the people...”; 28: “By the
powers of the sacrament of order,
and in the image of Christ the
eternal high priest . . . they
exercise this sacred function of
Christ above all In the eucharistic
liturgy or synaxis. There, acting in
the person of Christ . . .”; decree
P r e sby tero r u m Ordinls, 2
(December 7, 1965): “...
priests, by the anointing of the
Holy Spirit, are marked with a
special character and are so
configured to Christ the priest
that they can act in the person of
Christ the head ’’f**'* 1 3: “As
ministers of sacred realities,
especially In the sacrifice of the
Mass, priests represent the person
of Christ in a special way”; cf.
1971 Synod of Bishops, De
Sacerdotlo Ministerial! I, 4;
Sacred Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith, Declaratio
circa catholicam doctrinam de
Ecclesia, 6 (June 24, 1973).
17. St. Thomas, Summa
Theologiae, III, q. 83, art. 1, ad 3:
“It is said that (just as the
celebration of this sacrament is
the representative image of
Christ’s cross: ibid., ad 2),
for the same reason the priest
also enacts the image of Christ, in
whose person and by whose
power he pronounces the words
of consecration.”
1 8. “For since a sacrament is a
sign, there is required in the
things that are done in the
sacraments not only the ‘res’ but
the signification of the ‘res’,”
recalls St. Thomas, precisely in
order to reject the ordination of
women: In IV Sent., dlst. 25, q.
2, art. 1, quaestiuncula 1, corp.
19. St. Thomas, In IV Sent.,
dlst. 25, q. 2, quaestuncula 1 ad
4.
20. Cf. Council of Trent,
Session 22, chap. 1 : DS 1 741.
21. Second Vatican Council,
dogmatic constitution Lumen
Gentium, 28: “Exercising within
the limits of their authority the
function of Christ as shepherd
and head”; decree Presbyterorum
Ordinls, 2: “That they can act in
the person of Christ the head”; 6:
“the office of Christ the head and
the shepherd.” Cf. Pope Pius XII,
encyclical letter Mediator Der.
“the minister of the altar
represents the person of Christ as
the head, offering in the name of
all his members”: AAS 39 (1947),
p. 556; 1971 Synod of Bishops,
De Sacerdotlo Ministeriaii, I, 4:
“(The priestly ministry) .
makes Christ, the head of the
community, present . .
22. Pope Paul VI, encyclical
letter Mysterium Fidei,
September 3, 1965: AAS 57
(1965), p. 761.
MORE VANDALISM -- Vandals
have burned two more religious images
in San Juan cathedral only six weeks
after a Madonna and Child statue was
set afire. This time the wooden crucifix
at the main altar and the statue of Our
Lady of Remedies were burned.
Vestments were used to start the fires.
Una Respunesta De Amor
POR JOSEFINA
AGUERO CROSS
Pronto emprenderemos
todos juntos una singular
aventura espiritual. Una
cruzada comunitaria que
puede ser la mas vigorizante e
inolvidable jornada de nuestra
vida. La Mision. No le demos
la espalda.
Dios nos llama, individual
y colectivamente, como
Catolicos, para que le
dediquemos a El y a su Amor
nuestra atencion por unas
cuantas horas. Para que
frenemos en nuestro correr
cotidiano, a veces alocado,
inconsciente, apatico, lleno
de dificultades, y hagamos
pausa para reflexionar seria y
profundamente sobre nuestra
vida espiritual. Sobre el lugar
que ocupa Jesucristo en
nuestro corazon y en nuestra
conciencia.
La Mision nos espera con
una realidad de Amor infinita
y ue gracia en abundancia. No
vayamos a ella ligeramente,
como quien va de paseo, a
una reunion mas o a una
visita cualquiera, por matar el
tiempo, por hacer algo.
Vayamos con espiritu de
hermandad, dispuestos a
aceptar el amor que Dios nos
tiene a ti, a mi, a todos.
Dispuestos a aceptar su
profunda e inagotable
amistad.
Y no es facil. No es nada
facil aceptar que Dios nos
quiere tal y cual somos, no
como pudieramos o
quisieramos ser. Que nos
acepta y nos quiere con
nuestros ideales y fracasos,
nuestros sacrificios y alegrias,
con nuestras victorias,
nuestras penas y todos
nuestros pecados. Pero esta
total aceptacion de Dios es la
mayor fuerza libertadora de
nuestra vida, la fuente de
toda pas interior. Es esta
aceptacion que nos da la
bienvenida a ser quienes
somos, que nos da el espacio
que necesitamos para
enmendar nuestros errores y
el respeto y el valor que
requerimos
superacion.
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y con amor tambien hacia
nuestro projimo y hacia
nosotros mismos.
Participemos en la Mision.
Como se ha repetido en
estos dias, la Mision es una
oportunidad especialisima
para renovamos - para damos
un bano purificador
espiritual. Nos ofrece la
infinita gracia del Espiritu
Santo para reevaluar nuestra
vida cristiana, para confirmar
y revitalizer nuestra fe y para
recibir totalmente a Dios en
nuestra alma.
Es una invitacion tambien
a la conversion de todos los
que llevamos una existencia
no enteramente satisfactory,
para hacer un cambio,
reorientando y dirigiendo
nuestra meta y todo el
sentido de nuestras vidas
hacia Dios y hacia un camino
mejor.
Y es una llamada, hecha
con alegria, entusiasmo y
espontaneidad para que lo
logremos todo en familia,
dentro de la comunidad
hispana Catholica de Atlanta.
Como apostoles y soldados de
Crist o.
No dejemos que la semilla
caiga por el camino, ni entre
piedras, ni entre espinos.
“Pero la semilla que cayo en
buena tierra son las personas
que eon corazon bueno y
dispuesto, eschuchan y hacen
caso del mensaje y,
siguiendolo fieles, dan una
buena cosecha.” (S. Lucas
8:15)
El mensaje es AMOR. La
Mision es una cruzada de
Amor. Aceptalo, hazlo tuyo,
vivelo. Dale tu “si”
incondicional. Responde con
AMOR.
Gerre Hancock In Concert
Gerre Hancock, Organist
^d Choirmaster at St.
Thomas Episcopal Church in
New York City, will present
an organ recital at the
Cathedral of Christ the King
on February 4, 1977 at 8:15
p.m. Hancock will perform
works of de Grigny, J.S. Bach
and Reger.
It will be remembered that
Hancock played the
dedicatory recital on the new
organ in the Cathedral in
197 2, displaying his
consummate artistry and
profound knowledge of his
instrument as well as his all
encompassing musicianship.
In addition to his activities
as a concert artist, Hancock is
a highly skilled Choirmaster
and composer and has also
served as a consultant in
organ design for churches
who have purchased new
instruments.
It is hoped that all will
plan to attend this cultural
event. A $2 donation is
requested at the door.
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Creating Community
BY DR. ELLEN L. BURNS
Ordinarily at this time of year the office of Community
Affairs (known formerly as the Office of Urban Affairs) has
sponsored a workshop for Catholics and others to inform them
of pending legislation in the Georgia legislature and to alert
them to strategies in effecting the passage of bills in which they
might have special interest. Since the directorship has been
transferred this year, and because it is now almost too late to do
anything significant about changing the budget for 1978, we
will postpone the legislative workshop until the fall, and, in the
meantime, get some priorities lined up for consideration.
Even without the workshop Representative Mike Egan
alerted our readers to important new legislation two weeks ago;
besides, the League of Women Voters are on top of bills from
day to day. The Atlanta Constitution publishes a chart and
status report on legislation every Monday morning. We feel that
most Catholic people are well aware of what is transpiring or
know where to go for information that they might need.
In case you may not know much about what is happening at
the Capitol these days, you might start by calling 659-1110 or
656-5082 to find out who your representative or senator is.
Should you have a particular interest in a piece of legislation,
such as a slight increase in AFDC or the Maternal and Infant
Care Bill, you may effect some action by calling in person on
your elected officials. They are usually available in the
mornings, and more often in assembly or in committee meetings
in the afternoon. A page at the Capitol will gladly carry a verbal
or written message to any person designated. Much of the time
representatives or senators get little or no feedback from their
constituents; they need support and suggestions and comments
to know where you stand on issues.
Even one personal visit during the session shows your
concern and gives you and your representatives an opportunity
to establish some rapport, totally different from a handshake in
the crowd. Your parking tickets can be validated by a secretary
in your representative’s office.
It is very important to know what committees your elected
officials are assigned to. (The important work on legislation is
done in committees. Most bills die there.) Possibly the most
they can do for the legislation you might be interested in is to
influence the members of the committee working on the bill.
Let us say that you are interested in cutting taxes for persons
over 65 whose income is very limited. Getting to the members
of the Committee on Aging is important; aiding the lobbying
efforts of AARP-NRTA is helpful; urging senior citizens to write
on their own behalf is even more strategic. Booklets containing
committee membership can be obtained free of charge from the
Speaker’s Office of the House of Representatives or from the
Secretary of the Senate.
It is very interesting to keep voting records on significant
pieces of legislation. Computer printouts of voting records on
specific bills and copies of the new legislation can be obtained
from the Clerk’s Office of the House and from the Secretary of
the Senate’s Office.
Another fascinating study is the allocation of monies in the
State Budget. One point of interest to this writer in the 1978
budget is the 1.4 percent allocation to Aid to Families with
Dependent Children. This welfare allotment in Georgia is the
third lowest in the nation -- $33 per person. This is nearly $40
below the national average of $72 per person.
' >Y. i. v r.*—». . - - -
The Georgia Coalition against Hunger have undertaken a
study and action plan to work on increasing the per capita
income for poor persons. Federal funding for AFDC would
double and the state’s allocation would double. That 2.8
percent of the budget would still reflect .9 percent less than the
cost of living raises for state employees.
mision
catolica hispana
deatlanta
Catedral Christ the King
febrero 7-11-1977
hora: 8 p.m.
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