Trained lay people can contribute to many ministries of the Church that do not require priesthood.

During the past several years the Church has been experiencing a shortage of vocations in the western world. The average age of priests and religious is on the rise and great difficulty is faced when it comes to staffing parishes and to keeping the usual apostolic activities running.

Several reasons have been given for this situation, some somewhat shallow like, “The contemporary world is not interested in spiritual matters”, and others more realistic, such as, smaller families and more opportunities in the secular world. The last mentioned cause assures us that those who join are more likely to be rightly motivated.

However, the analysis of this situation would be begging the question if it does not lead to a deeper reflection on what the Holy Spirit is trying to communicate to the Church. Ultimately we have to ask whether this situation, which at first glance may appear to be so dismal, is the work of the evil or the good spirit. Donal Dorr, the untiring writer on social justice, reproaches the hierarchical Church for practically limiting the word ‘vocation’ to the call to the priesthood and the religious life. He rightly insists that there are other ministries in the Church and some are called to these ministries without being called to the priesthood.

Dorr does not need much to prove his point. The ecclesiology of Lumen Gentium makes this very clear in founding the priesthood of the faithful on Baptism. However, it does not seem that this doctrine is being taken very seriously by the hierarchy.

The mentality that the apostolate is the prerogative of priests lingers on, and any contribution by the faithful continues to be seen as the laity being the priest’s extended fingers. Eucharistic ministers make up for the shortage of priests.

And yet many ministries of the Church do not require priesthood. Spiritual direction doesn’t require ordination, nor is priestly ordination an assurance that a priest is capable of being a spiritual director. The same thing can be said about catechists, people who can contribute to formation, including priestly formation, and about many other ministries.

In my opinion, the ecclesiology that emerges from the Council makes three specific demands on the Church.

The Church needs lay people, including women, in positions of responsibility and decision-making

In the first place, the Church needs to be grateful that, “God has appointed first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership,” (I Cor. 12,28). It is the duty of the Church to create a space for all who are called to the various ministries.

A second duty of the Church is to provide an adequate formation to those who are called to these ministries, who also need to be screened for aptitude and motivation. The Faculty of Theology and the Pastoral Formation Institute in Malta are contributing well. The Jesuit Centre of Ignatian Spirituality trains people – priests, religious and lay people – to become retreat directors.

Being called is not enough; one needs to be trained in order to be of true service. Amateurs could do more harm than good, be they laity or priests. In the past, the Church was mainly concerned with the formation to the priesthood. This formation needs to be extended to the other ministries within the Church.

Thirdly, the Church needs to have lay people, including women, in positions of responsibility and decision-making. In certain areas, lay people often have much more expertise than many priests, whose formation often consists solely in Philosophy and Theology. Apart from this fact, as baptised Christians, these people have the right to fully participate in the life of the Church and they exercise this right also by being involved in the decision-making process.

Pope Francis’ words on the matter in his now famous in-flight press conference are very encouraging.

In no way does this imply that there is no room for priests and religious in the Church. They too have specific missions to fulfill. However, they need to be careful not to clericalise the Church by claiming and occupying all the spaces.

alfred.j.micallef@um.edu.mt

Fr Alfred Micallef is a member of the Society of Jesus.