Church in the World

Lay people no answer to priest shortage

Rome

Pope John Paul II has acknowledged that the problem of declining numbers of ordained priests ?can no longer be underestimated?, Robert Mickens reports. But he has rejected suggestions that the shortage pointed to the need for greater ministerial responsibility for lay people.

In his annual Lenten meeting with the clergy of the diocese of Rome on 14 February, the Pope rejected what has become in some quarters an optimistic interpretation of the vocations crisis. Falling numbers of priests showed ?a waning intensity of faith and spiritual fervour?, he told the priests. He said the shortage would not be made up by ?a growth in the apostolic commitment of lay people?. Nor was the shortage ?willed by Providence in order to promote the growth of the laity?. The Pope insisted the contrary was true ?the greater the number of lay people who wish to live out their baptismal commitments generously, the more necessary it becomes to have the presence and specific work of ordained ministers?, he said.

The crisis currently afflicting vocations to the priesthood reflected a general reluctance before all choices that demanded a life-long commitment, John Paul II went on. He said there were many reasons why it was hard for people ?to conceive of and pursue? such ?full and definitive? life obligations, and why it was even harder to see them as a ?call from God?. The challenge facing the Church ? one that ?requires the work of lay people as well as priests and religious? ? was to show that ?every human life is the fruit of a call from God that can be positively lived out only as a response to this call?. The Pope said ordained ministry was ?at the centre of this great reality of life as a vocation? because it most fully demonstrated the ?mystery of gratuitous divine election?.

For this reason, he said, the seminary must be considered the ?apple of every bishop?s eye?. Through it, he said, the bishop sees the future of the Church. ?Thanks be to God?, the Pope added, ?Rome does not lack vocations.? There are more than 1,500 diocesan and nearly 6,000 religious priests working in the diocese. Last year 30 new priests were ordained for Rome and there are currently some 195 young seminarians.

Pope John Paul went on to say that prayer must be the first and most important element in promoting vocations. But prayer must go hand in hand with ?a complete pastoral plan that has a clear and explicit vocational stamp?. He urged families, catechists and parishes to suggest the possibility of a vocation to young people.