An excellent question...

Usually when I receive a comment to a blog, I respond within the comments section, but in this case I am going to make an exception because the question is such an excellent one and a very legitimate one often asked by Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

This question was posted as a comment to my dialogue this past Friday describing the 4th promise made by a deacon at his ordination. The person who posted this question, and her husband, have been close friends of mine for years and she always has such insightful and challenging questions. She asked the following:

You said "We ARE the bridegroom to our bride, the Church. When we are ordained to the diaconate, we promise celibacy in order to be completely faithful to our bride." Can you explain the idea that priests/deacons are the bridegroom to the Church? Coming from a Protestant background, I've been taught that Christ is the Bridegroom. How is it that priests can fill that role?

First, I want to point out that my friend is VERY insightful by using the words 'priests/deacons' in that the concept of the ordained as bridegroom applies primarily to the priest. I my case, many of my insights on the promises made by the deacon spill over into and apply to the priest as well. This is mostly because I am being ordained to the transitional diaconate, God willing, and not the permanent diaconate. The transitional diaconate is for those who will be ordained priests soon thereafter, hence it is a transitional order. Many of the promises we make foreshadow those necessary for a priest.

Anyway, while my friend's question is important in helping the laity understand the relationship of the Church and its ordained ministers, it is absolutely vital to a priest in understanding his role. My friend is correct in saying that Christ is the bridegroom. The Church is the bride, the beloved of Christ and Ephesians 5:25 makes this clear in saying: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her "

The Catechism of the Catholic Church beautifully expresses the relationship between Christ as bridegroom, Church as bride and the place of the priest in this 'marriage'. In para. 796, which is actually a quote from St. Augustine, it says: ...it is Christ who speaks. He speaks in his role as the head (ex persona capitis)... Another passage, from para. 1348 says, ...It is in representing him [Jesus] that the bishop or priest acting in the person of Christ the head (in persona Christi capitis) presides...

In essence, my friend is absolutely right in that Christ is the bridegroom. The Catholic priest, by his ordination, is configured to Christ and acts in the person of Christ the head (in persona Christi capitas in Latin). If Christ is the bridegroom and the Church his bride, the priest becomes the bridegroom by his acting in the person of Christ.  

In the ecclesial service of the ordained minister, it is Christ himself who is present to his Church as Head of his Body...This is what the Church means by saying that the priest, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, acts in persona Christi Capitis - Catechism para. 1548

Hopefully, this explanation helps my readers understand the role and relationship of the priest to Jesus and His Church. If anyone, including my friend, would like a more in-depth explanation, please feel free to ask and I will do my best to elaborate more. Hopefully, the explanation also helps us to realize that the priest himself MUST not only understand his role and relationship, but also LIVE out this role and relationship. That is why the sex crisis of 2002 hurt the Church as Body so much. The priests who committed these horrible acts disgraced their relationship of acting in the person of Christ, not to mention the devastation caused to their victions. These priests did NOT act in the person of Christ and did NOT serve His Body the Church. They not only did not live their role and relationship but denied the very elements and thereby denied the truth of the priesthood.

I want to humbly thank my friend for posting this comment and question. Not only was it a very insightful question that is good for all to know, but it also challenged me to explain what I am called to live for the rest of my life as an ordained minister of the Catholic Church. Thank you very much for the question and for giving me the chance to reflect on the importance of this relationship.

I want to close with a paragraph from a well respected and very knowlegable person of the Catholic faith.

Christ is the High Priest and Bridegroom...the priest acts in Christ's place as the Bridegroom in the celebration of the Eucharist, the Eternal Wedding Feast, here, in time. The spiritual life is a courtship...the celibate priest approaches Christ's Bride, the Church, in Persona Christi, (in the person of Christ) at the altar of God, and brings Divine Life to her in their shared sacramental love in the Eucharist. Written by John Mallon, who is contributing editor to Inside the Vatican magazine and was a consultant at the 2002 U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops when the sexual crisis was discussed. You can read his whole article titled, The Nuptial Nature of the Church, at: http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=2127

As always, I encourage comments or questions (especially so insightful ones such as this) and I promise to respond to the best of my ability. Until next time...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 19:41 | link | comments |
blog