Bishop Hubbard dispels myths about priesthood

During the Christmas break, I offered a day of recollection for some young men discerning the priesthood.

During the course of our time together, I was asked to respond to some contemporary myths about priests and the priesthood.

Perhaps you might find the questions and my attempts to respond helpful.

ISN'T PRIESTLY MINISTRY RATHER DULL AND BORING?

Quite the contrary, priesthood is quite exciting and enriching. There is such variety of possibilities offered by the priesthood.

A priest can be a pastor, high school teacher or chaplain, college campus minister or professor, or hospital or nursing home chaplain.

Priests can serve in our inner-cities, suburbs or rural communities. They minister to children, youth, young adults, families, the widowed and the elderly.

They can be involved in special ministries to the poor, inmates, the growing Hispanic community, the separated and divorced, or gays and lesbians.

Sometimes, doing those things is a full-time ministry; more often than not, it's coupled with a parish assignment.

Whatever one's priestly ministry, it will never be boring. There is always so much to do: preparing people for Baptism, Confirmation, marriage, Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick; celebrating the Eucharist daily, on weekends and days of funerals or weddings; attending wake services; going to parish, deanery and diocesan meetings; working with clergy from other faith traditions in ecumenical and interfaith gatherings and on issues of social justice; visiting and speaking to students in our Catholic schools or parish faith formation programs; being a presence at community and sports events; preparing homilies for daily liturgy, weekend Masses, marriages, funerals and other special occasions; counseling individuals or couples; organizing activities; planning events; recruiting volunteers; developing plans for a church building or renovation projects; raising money -- and the list goes on and on.

However, the key to it all is to focus not on the activity but on the people to be served; to bring to them the joy of the Good News and to draw from them the joy of the Lord, "whose yoke is easy and whose burden is light."

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AREN'T PRIESTS EXPECTED TO SACRIFICE TOO MUCH?

All of us as disciples and followers of Jesus are called to sacrifice, to pick up our cross and to follow Jesus.

Married couples have to sacrifice their own needs, wants and feelings for the sake of their spouses. They cannot think and act only for themselves because, as Scripture says, "they are no longer two but one flesh."

Parents must sacrifice for the needs of their children. They have to figure out their household budgets, and prioritize their interests and pleasures, which are always subordinate to the needs of their children.

Not infrequently these days, in light of the prevalence of divorce, one spouse has to take the lion's share of parenting and do it alone without the love, support and companionship of a soulmate.

Often, people have to sacrifice their own dreams for the good of the family -- taking care of elderly parents; assuming the responsibility of raising grandchildren when parents die or are separated; bearing the responsibility for carrying on the family business.

Even in intact marriages, there are often periods of loneliness, when spouses feel alienated from one another and from their children. With celibacy, that loneliness can be intensified.

No life is ever without its sacrifice, including the priesthood. But these sacrifices are not unbearable. The loss of intimacy and affection coming from not having a spouse or children is frequently offset by the affirmation, support and admiration of parishioners; by the privileged experience the priest often has of being considered part of many families; by the sense of fraternity among colleagues; by the freedom to be available for service at any time, day or night, without feeling that one's spouse or children are being short-changed.

In this context, let me say a word about celibacy. There is no question about the fact that a lifelong commitment to anything these days is much more difficult than it was 50 years ago when I entered the seminary.

The so-called sexual revolution of the 1960s, with its emphasis on the attractiveness of sexual intimacy; the increased mobility of families, so that parents and siblings may no longer be living near where the priest ministers; and the decline of the Catholic culture which once reinforced a priest's celibate commitment -- all of these contemporary realities have made the embracing of a celibate life much more challenging.

Some people in the contemporary culture find priestly celibacy simply anachronistic. They point to the productive lives of married priests in other Christian communities or to priests of the Eastern Church to belie the argument that celibacy is necessary for selfless ministerial service. They point to the presence of married priests in the early Church and claim that celibacy is merely a vehicle that the institutional Church developed historically to maintain power and control over its priests.

Others not only consider celibacy outmoded and irrelevant but also hint darkly, and unfairly, that celibacy is unnatural and a seedbed for pedophilia and ephebophilia.

But a true understanding of celibacy is that it is both a vocation and a charism. Appropriately understood, celibacy is not a burden to be endured but a gift to be embraced, a positive way of living, loving and serving. It is not a denial of relationships, but a spiritual gift and a freedom to relate to God and others in love.

Priests have the same basic human emotional needs as other normal men: the need for love, belonging, intimacy, self-esteem and autonomy. And the charism of celibacy can enable priests to meet those fundamental needs. Not without difficulties or challenges, but marriage also presents its own unique obstacles and barriers to self-fulfillment.

The evidence of the Scriptures, the tradition of the Church, and the lived celibate experience of countless saints and of ordinary priests and religious through the centuries cannot be dismissed simply because we are now living in a sexually compulsive society -- a society that is sex-orientated and sex-saturated but not truly sexual in the fullest and finest sense of that term.

Celibacy is truly a gift of the Spirit. Indeed, it is only through the Spirit that priests can live the celibate life. And in so living this life, priests witness to God's unconditional love and to that kingdom in which there is "neither male or female, Jew or Greek, servant or free but where we are one in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Experience tells us that, if priests are not vigilant, celibacy can lead not to selflessness but to selfishness and they can become little more than bachelors indulging themselves with the latest gadgets, the swankiest cars, the finest meals, the best booze and the most exotic vacations.

Such self-centeredness can easily lead to addiction, escapism or isolationism. The other extreme, of course, is workaholism, leading to burn-out and to physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual exhaustion.

That is why it is so important that priests keep in close contact with family and friends. They must have their intimacy needs met through healthy, mature relationships with family and friends, both clerical and lay. That's why participation in priests' support groups, and attending deanery and diocesan gatherings is so important. That is also why days off and time devoted to exercise, hobbies, reading and prayer are absolutely essential for a balanced priestly life.

When the priest takes such time, he is not being self-indulgent, nor is he engaging in escapism or hedonism. Rather, such time aside is absolutely necessary for a healthy living.

Remember: Priests are earthen vessels, flesh and blood human beings who need to be restored and renewed; who need to be mended and healed; who need to experience affirmation and intimacy. It is only by self-care, and by putting aside quality time for God, for friends and for themselves that priests can be the hopeful, joyful, spirit-filled heralds of the Good News and stewards of the mysteries of God they are meant to be.

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DON'T THE SALARY AND STATUS OF PRIESTS SUFFER BY CONTEMPORARY STANDARDS?

If someone is going into the priesthood with the expectations of a lucrative career or great financial success, he should pursue another career.

Priests receive a modest salary, between $27,000 and $30,000 a year, depending on years of service. In addition, all priests receive housing, healthcare insurance and an allowance for transportation. With most priests living alone these days, they must also be prepared to make their own meals (or, if they are like me, to use the microwave), do their own shopping and laundry, and clean their own living space.

Diocesan priests do not take a vow of poverty. They are allowed to own cars, purchase property and receive inheritances. They must plan for their own retirement through savings, Social Security benefits and a pension of about $2,000 per month. They must also pay taxes on their income like any other citizen.

I know of few priests who find themselves in difficult financial straits. But there are not many who have accumulated much of an estate; where that is the case, it is usually the result of a family inheritance.

Anyone considering the diocesan priesthood should expect to live comfortably but not ostentatiously, in accord with one who is called "not to be served, but to serve."

The social status of priests today is considerably different from what it was when I entered the seminary in the mid-1960s. In those days, movies and TV shows generally offered positive and affirming, although somewhat homogenized, images of priests and the priesthood.

Priests -- along with doctors, teachers and lawyers -- were often the only college-educated people in the community. Parents and society in general looked upon the priesthood as a lofty vocation for a family member to aspire to, and encouraged such a pursuit.

Today, however, in the conventional sense at least, priesthood is no longer on a lofty pedestal. Many in the community are as well or more credentialed academically.

Also, the image of the priesthood has been tarnished by the terrible scandal of clergy sexual abuse. Parents often discourage sons from considering the priesthood because they believe it is not a happy life (with the number of priests who have resigned to marry or for other reasons) or because, with smaller families today, a son entering the priesthood may mean no grandchildren and the perpetuation of the family name.

Quite frankly, in terms of social status and prestige, the priesthood does not enjoy the privileged position it once held in the community.

Ironically, priests today are as well or better educated than were the priests of a generation or so ago. All have bachelor's and master's degrees in theology and in other disciplines. Some have doctorates. They are expected to be multi-taskers, serving as preachers, teachers, liturgists, confessors, counselors, healers, reconcilers, administrators, collaborators, community organizers and jacks of all trades.

Are they successful? In terms of dollars and status, maybe not. But in terms of what ultimately counts, then, most certainly, they are. To quote the words of the great French spiritual writer Lacordaire, "To live in the midst of the world without wishing its pleasures; to be a member of each family, yet belonging to none; to share all sufferings; to penetrate all secrets; to heal all wounds; to go from men to God and offer Him their prayers; to return from God to men; to bring pardon and hope; to have a heart of fire for charity and a heart of bronze for chastity; to teach and to pardon; console and bless always. My God, what a life! And it is yours, O Priest of Jesus Christ!"

Even when measured by a more secular standard, I believe, priests more than fill the bill. The great American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, "To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success."

I am convinced that priests achieve and surpass this Emersonian definition of success.

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IS THE PRIESTHOOD RELEVANT TODAY?

What people need and want most today is a deeper understanding of Jesus, the Christ. They want to know, feel and experience Jesus, and to see how His story intertwines with their own.

As Father Patrick Carroll suggested in an excellent article in Church magazine, few parishioners today evidence a passionate interest in biblical exegesis, but they do have deep longing for meaning in their lives. They want to know that what life is about has to do with saving and being saved, freeing and being set free, loving and being loved, and that all this counts for something! And the story of Jesus -- when it becomes our own story -- provides such meaning.

To most people, it matters little that Jesus walked on earth some 2,000 years ago and that Peter walked with Him. What matters to them, however, is to know that when they are sinking, this Jesus in whom they've put their trust and faith will lift them up. What matters to them is whether they can muster the courage to step out of the boat and into the storm. What matters to them is whether they can invite others to take bold new steps into unfamiliar territory with confidence in this same Jesus.

Priests, then, must seek to enter into the mystery of Jesus, seeing how His life, words, temptations, choices, and facing and overcoming death relate to the demands of the day, to the needs of God's people and to the fears of the nations.

Priests are able to do this only if they are immersed in a meaningful relationship with Jesus. At the beginning of His public ministry in the synagogue of Nazareth, Jesus read from the scroll a passage from the prophet Isaiah. When He finished, He handed the scroll to the attendant and sat down. Then, we read, "all eyes were fixed on him" (Luke 4:20). Not only were Jesus' listeners on common ground, but they were also looking in the same direction.

The same must be true today. Whether we are deemed liberal or conservative, our eyes must be focused on Jesus Christ, present in the Scriptures and the sacraments, and in the lives of those whom we encounter in our ministry. He must always be the measure and not what is measured.

Jesus must always be the vine to which we are grafted. He must always be the head of the body of which we are members, and He must always be the cornerstone of the edifice where we dwell.

In this regard, we can learn from the story of Martha and Mary. The latter sat at the Lord's feet, listening to His teaching, but Martha was distracted with all the serving. She went to Jesus and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." But Jesus answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the better part, and it shall not be taken from her" (Luke 10:40-42).

For us, too, there is often a choice: to sit at Jesus' feet and listen to His teaching, or to rush about making sure everything is in place. Like Martha, we can become so upset and fret about so many issues in the Church that we fail to "keep our eyes" on Christ Himself.

This is not to suggest that issues are unimportant or that they might go away if we ignore them for long enough. But these issues must not be allowed to come between Christ and ourselves, nor should they divide the Catholic community.

Keeping our eyes on Jesus and listening prayerfully to His voice are absolutely vital to fulfilling our ministry of proclaiming the Good News in our day.

May our eyes always be so focused.

(1/11/07) [[In-content Ad]]