3 WHY THEN PROFESSIONALISM?

If priesthood cannot be treated as one of the professions then what makes for the argument of this paper that a priest cannot afford to be unprofessional in his ministry irrespective of what ever his ministry demands from him? The following discussion will try to answer this question.

3.1 DEMAND ON TODAY'S PRIESTHOOD

In contrast to the Old Testament priesthood, New Testament priesthood was never confined to sacrificial sphere alone. A priest performs and is expected to perform a lot more than his duties of the altar. Vatican II declares that, "Priests by sacred ordination and mission which they receive from the bishops are promoted to the service of Christ the Teacher, Priest and King." This threefold mission of Christ can be and is realized in a variety of ways. In this call is to be realized the roles of a servant, leader, manager, c

AS IN THE ABSTRACT

2 WHY PRIESTHOOD IS NOT A PROFESSION?

There is a valid reasoning behind the view that priesthood is not a profession. Because, the primary motivating factor in choosing a profession is the ‘remuneration’ received or monetary benefits involved. The secondary factors are job satisfaction, fulfillment, sense of achievement, success and so on. It should be noted here that reversal of primary and secondary motivating factors is not an unconceivable and uncommon possibility.

As a minister of God, one cannot be driven by the ‘remuneration’ factor or afford to have a 9 to 5 work schedule after which the priest is not available or may not be disturbed. Neither can a priest's ministry be entirely counted on job satisfaction or achievement. Nor is the call to priesthood just a call to be successful. Similar sentiments were made evident in the 1983 Code of Canon law. Reinforcing the above sentiments the 1983 Code of Canon Law, changed the term 'stipend' of the 1917 Code to 'offering' for the money given to a priest to celebrate Eucharist. The 1983 Code saw the term 'offering' more fitting because the word 'stipend' would have connotations of payment in return for a job performed. But the word 'offering' brings out the aspect of something that is given freely 'for the honor of God or for the poor'. These are the considerations that are involved in the argument that priesthood is not a profession. This paper would now go on to discuss the differences between choosing one's profession and realizing one's call to priesthood.

2.1 PROFESSION VS VOCATION TO PRIESTHOOD

As a member of any society, everyone is expected to contribute to that society in a productive way. This has twofold benefits. First, in terms of the individual, it enables one to earn one’s living, and it gives the individual the purpose for one’s existence and meaning and fulfillment in one’s life. The second benefit is to the society. The individual’s talents and abilities are utilized by the society to meet the diverse needs of its members including the basic needs. It would take only common sense to realize that it is impossible for everyone to do everything. Imagine for instance that if every individual has to meet all his or her needs by himself or herself – a situation where one has to grow his or her own food, raise his or her own livestock for milk, meat, and wool and hide, grow his or her own cotton and make one’s own clothes, treat oneself of ailments, make one’s own bricks and produce cement and cast iron and build one’s own house out of these material and manufacture one’s own vehicles and find one’s own fuel boring the earth – how complicated life in this planet would be? Societal living simplifies life. It pools together various talents and abilities and workforce and human-power and makes it available to the individuals in the form of finished products and necessary commodities. So everyone need not have to do everything, but only contribute their part. Thus it can be either the need in or of a particular society or time or one’s interest which determines one’s profession. The individual is free to choose one’s profession basing on monetary benefits or based on one’s aptitude irrespective of proportional monetary gain.

In today’s competitive world, in any profession one has to be highly competent to be successful and to stay in the game or else one would be put out of use. It means one has to equip oneself and undergo appropriate training. One’s personal worth is measured against one’s position in the ladder of success. The pressure of competition is so incredible that no one has any time for anything else or anybody else, not even for themselves. Everybody is busy trying to keep him or herself in the game lest the world would label them as ‘losers’.

Thus, the factors that control the entire cybernetics of 'profession' are to be seen in the following: Profit, Power, Success, Staying in the game, Esteem, Self-Worth, Individualism, Wealth and Prosperity. These are both motivating and control factors of the whole gamut of 'professions'. However, it should be acknowledged here that these are the general trends. There are exceptions. There are people who choose and stay in a profession not necessarily because of the above factors but because of personal convictions. This paper's interest is to be seen in the general trend and not in the exceptions.

In contrast, Priesthood is perceived as a special call from God to dedicate oneself in a special way different from those who have been called to serve Him through married life. The individual feels the divine call in his heart in a way chosen by God to inspire the individual. For some, the call is realized during one's moments of success or achievement. For some others, it is realized during the sense of emptiness that follows one's moment of glory and success or achievement. Others realize it during their moments of failure or depression. For some their wealth and riches become instrumental in realizing this call and it is in their poverty some others become aware of this call. One can go on listing a number of occasions, through which God chooses to inspire one to priestly life. But in all these forms God is the author of one's priestly vocation as the traditional paradigms of 'call to priesthood' teach us: God takes the first step and the individual either responds or negatively positively to the call.- [Jn 15:16]

Thus, the call to priesthood asks of the individual, not success but service, not power but sacrifice and self giving, not status and achievements but a willing heart and its end is not material profit but realization of God's will through that call. With a striking variation between the dynamics as noted above 'priesthood' may not be possibly be considered as just another 'profession'. Priesthood is not something one does to earn one's living rather it is ruled by the spirit of responding to God's call and serving God. The following words of Pope Paul IV summarizes what has been said above and spells out clearly what is asked of priesthood: “Let me, as the representative of Christ, give you two basic principles to guide your priestly life…- Pope Paul VI, to newly-ordained priests 10-12-68.”

3 WHY THEN PROFESSIONALISM?

If priesthood cannot be treated as one of the professions then what makes for the argument of this paper that a priest cannot afford to be unprofessional in his ministry irrespective of what ever his ministry demands from him? The following discussion will try to answer this question.

3.1 DEMAND ON TODAY'S PRIESTHOOD

In contrast to the Old Testament priesthood, New Testament priesthood was never confined to sacrificial sphere alone. A priest performs and is expected to perform a lot more than his duties of the altar. Vatican II declares that, "Priests by sacred ordination and mission which they receive from the bishops are promoted to the service of Christ the Teacher, Priest and King." This threefold mission of Christ can be and is realized in a variety of ways. In this call is to be realized the roles of a servant, leader, manager, co

2.1 PROFESSION VS VOCATION TO PRIESTHOOD

As a member of any society, everyone is expected to contribute to that society in a productive way. This has twofold benefits. First, in terms of the individual, it enables one to earn one’s living, and it gives the individual the purpose for one’s existence and meaning and fulfillment in one’s life. The second benefit is to the society. The individual’s talents and abilities are utilized by the society to meet the diverse needs of its members including the basic needs. It would take only common sense to realize that it is impossible for everyone to do everything. Imagine for instance that if every individual has to meet all his or her needs by himself or herself – a situation where one has to grow his or her own food, raise his or her own livestock for milk, meat, and wool and hide, grow his or her own cotton and make one’s own clothes, treat oneself of ailments, make one’s own bricks and produce cement and cast iron and build one’s own house out of these material and manufacture one’s own vehicles and find one’s own fuel boring the earth – how complicated life in this planet would be? Societal living simplifies life. It pools together various talents and abilities and workforce and human-power and makes it available to the individuals in the form of finished products and necessary commodities. So everyone need not have to do everything, but only contribute their part. Thus it can be either the need in or of a particular society or time or one’s interest which determines one’s profession. The individual is free to choose one’s profession basing on monetary benefits or based on one’s aptitude irrespective of proportional monetary gain.

In today’s competitive world, in any profession one has to be highly competent to be successful and to stay in the game or else one would be put out of use. It means one has to equip oneself and undergo appropriate training. One’s personal worth is measured against one’s position in the ladder of success. The pressure of competition is so incredible that no one has any time for anything else or anybody else, not even for themselves. Everybody is busy trying to keep him or herself in the game lest the world would label them as ‘losers’.

Thus, the factors that control the entire cybernetics of 'profession' are to be seen in the following: Profit, Power, Success, Staying in the game, Esteem, Self-Worth, Individualism, Wealth and Prosperity. These are both motivating and control factors of the whole gamut of 'professions'. However, it should be acknowledged here that these are the general trends. There are exceptions. There are people who choose and stay in a profession not necessarily because of the above factors but because of personal convictions. This paper's interest is to be seen in the general trend and not in the exceptions.

In contrast, Priesthood is perceived as a special call from God to dedicate oneself in a special way different from those who have been called to serve Him through married life. The individual feels the divine call in his heart in a way chosen by God to inspire the individual. For some, the call is realized during one's moments of success or achievement. For some others, it is realized during the sense of emptiness that follows one's moment of glory and success or achievement. Others realize it during their moments of failure or depression. For some their wealth and riches become instrumental in realizing this call and it is in their poverty some others become aware of this call. One can go on listing a number of occasions, through which God chooses to inspire one to priestly life. But in all these forms God is the author of one's priestly vocation as the traditional paradigms of 'call to priesthood' teach us: God takes the first step and the individual either responds or negatively positively to the call.- [Jn 15:16]

Thus, the call to priesthood asks of the individual, not success but service, not power but sacrifice and self giving, not status and achievements but a willing heart and its end is not material profit but realization of God's will through that call. With a striking variation between the dynamics as noted above 'priesthood' may not be possibly be considered as just another 'profession'. Priesthood is not something one does to earn one's living rather it is ruled by the spirit of responding to God's call and serving God. The following words of Pope Paul IV summarizes what has been said above and spells out clearly what is asked of priesthood: “Let me, as the representative of Christ, give you two basic principles to guide your priestly life…- Pope Paul VI, to newly-ordained priests 10-12-68.”

3 WHY THEN PROFESSIONALISM?

If priesthood cannot be treated as one of the professions then what makes for the argument of this paper that a priest cannot afford to be unprofessional in his ministry irrespective of what ever his ministry demands from him? The following discussion will try to answer this question.

3.1 DEMAND ON TODAY'S PRIESTHOOD

In contrast to the Old Testament priesthood, New Testament priesthood was never confined to sacrificial sphere alone. A priest performs and is expected to perform a lot more than his duties of the altar. Vatican II declares that, "Priests by sacred ordination and mission which they receive from the bishops are promoted to the service of Christ the Teacher, Priest and King." This threefold mission of Christ can be and is realized in a variety of ways. In this call is to be realized the roles of a servant, leader, manager, c

In today’s competitive world, in any profession one has to be highly competent to be successful and to stay in the game or else one would be put out of use. It means one has to equip oneself and undergo appropriate training. One’s personal worth is measured against one’s position in the ladder of success. The pressure of competition is so incredible that no one has any time for anything else or anybody else, not even for themselves. Everybody is busy trying to keep him or herself in the game lest the world would label them as ‘losers’.

Thus, the factors that control the entire cybernetics of 'profession' are to be seen in the following: Profit, Power, Success, Staying in the game, Esteem, Self-Worth, Individualism, Wealth and Prosperity. These are both motivating and control factors of the whole gamut of 'professions'. However, it should be acknowledged here that these are the general trends. There are exceptions. There are people who choose and stay in a profession not necessarily because of the above factors but because of personal convictions. This paper's interest is to be seen in the general trend and not in the exceptions.

In contrast, Priesthood is perceived as a special call from God to dedicate oneself in a special way different from those who have been called to serve Him through married life. The individual feels the divine call in his heart in a way chosen by God to inspire the individual. For some, the call is realized during one's moments of success or achievement. For some others, it is realized during the sense of emptiness that follows one's moment of glory and success or achievement. Others realize it during their moments of failure or depression. For some their wealth and riches become instrumental in realizing this call and it is in their poverty some others become aware of this call. One can go on listing a number of occasions, through which God chooses to inspire one to priestly life. But in all these forms God is the author of one's priestly vocation as the traditional paradigms of 'call to priesthood' teach us: God takes the first step and the individual either responds or negatively positively to the call.- [Jn 15:16]

Thus, the call to priesthood asks of the individual, not success but service, not power but sacrifice and self giving, not status and achievements but a willing heart and its end is not material profit but realization of God's will through that call. With a striking variation between the dynamics as noted above 'priesthood' may not be possibly be considered as just another 'profession'. Priesthood is not something one does to earn one's living rather it is ruled by the spirit of responding to God's call and serving God. The following words of Pope Paul IV summarizes what has been said above and spells out clearly what is asked of priesthood: “Let me, as the representative of Christ, give you two basic principles to guide your priestly life…- Pope Paul VI, to newly-ordained priests 10-12-68.”

3 WHY THEN PROFESSIONALISM?

If priesthood cannot be treated as one of the professions then what makes for the argument of this paper that a priest cannot afford to be unprofessional in his ministry irrespective of what ever his ministry demands from him? The following discussion will try to answer this question.

3.1 DEMAND ON TODAY'S PRIESTHOOD

In contrast to the Old Testament priesthood, New Testament priesthood was never confined to sacrificial sphere alone. A priest performs and is expected to perform a lot more than his duties of the altar. Vatican II declares that, "Priests by sacred ordination and mission which they receive from the bishops are promoted to the service of Christ the Teacher, Priest and King." This threefold mission of Christ can be and is realized in a variety of ways. In this call is to be realized the roles of a servant, leader, manager, c

In contrast, Priesthood is perceived as a special call from God to dedicate oneself in a special way different from those who have been called to serve Him through married life. The individual feels the divine call in his heart in a way chosen by God to inspire the individual. For some, the call is realized during one's moments of success or achievement. For some others, it is realized during the sense of emptiness that follows one's moment of glory and success or achievement. Others realize it during their moments of failure or depression. For some their wealth and riches become instrumental in realizing this call and it is in their poverty some others become aware of this call. One can go on listing a number of occasions, through which God chooses to inspire one to priestly life. But in all these forms God is the author of one's priestly vocation as the traditional paradigms of 'call to priesthood' teach us: God takes the first step and the individual either responds or negatively positively to the call.- [Jn 15:16]

Thus, the call to priesthood asks of the individual, not success but service, not power but sacrifice and self giving, not status and achievements but a willing heart and its end is not material profit but realization of God's will through that call. With a striking variation between the dynamics as noted above 'priesthood' may not be possibly be considered as just another 'profession'. Priesthood is not something one does to earn one's living rather it is ruled by the spirit of responding to God's call and serving God. The following words of Pope Paul IV summarizes what has been said above and spells out clearly what is asked of priesthood: “Let me, as the representative of Christ, give you two basic principles to guide your priestly life…- Pope Paul VI, to newly-ordained priests 10-12-68.”

3 WHY THEN PROFESSIONALISM?

If priesthood cannot be treated as one of the professions then what makes for the argument of this paper that a priest cannot afford to be unprofessional in his ministry irrespective of what ever his ministry demands from him? The following discussion will try to answer this question.

3.1 DEMAND ON TODAY'S PRIESTHOOD

In contrast to the Old Testament priesthood, New Testament priesthood was never confined to sacrificial sphere alone. A priest performs and is expected to perform a lot more than his duties of the altar. Vatican II declares that, "Priests by sacred ordination and mission which they receive from the bishops are promoted to the service of Christ the Teacher, Priest and King." This threefold mission of Christ can be and is realized in a variety of ways. In this call is to be realized the roles of a servant, leader, manager, c

3 WHY THEN PROFESSIONALISM?

If priesthood cannot be treated as one of the professions then what makes for the argument of this paper that a priest cannot afford to be unprofessional in his ministry irrespective of what ever his ministry demands from him? The following discussion will try to answer this question.

3.1 DEMAND ON TODAY'S PRIESTHOOD

In contrast to the Old Testament priesthood, New Testament priesthood was never confined to sacrificial sphere alone. A priest performs and is expected to perform a lot more than his duties of the altar. Vatican II declares that, "Priests by sacred ordination and mission which they receive from the bishops are promoted to the service of Christ the Teacher, Priest and King." This threefold mission of Christ can be and is realized in a variety of ways. In this call is to be realized the roles of a servant, leader, manager, counselor, missionary, minister of the word, dispenser of the sacraments, teacher of faith, a social activist, a reformer, conscience of the society and much more. Besides all these, he is the Vicar of Christ and ordained representative of the world's largest institution - 'The One Holy Apostolic Catholic Church'. All these indicate that a priest unlike a lone tree that swings and sways to make no observable difference in its surroundings, is a crucial figure in the society. He has a specific and tremendous responsibility to fulfill in the society he lives in. His thoughts, words and deeds have very serious global effects.

Having received such an important role and responsibility the priest in his ministry is always dealing with the lives of people in a number of ways listed above. The effects of the mistakes he makes in his ministry does not reflect back in his life alone but it is suffered at an exponential magnitude in the lives of the people he is ministering to. This should explain the crucial role of a priest in a given society and the reason why his actions may not be marked by arbitrariness but by a touch of professionalism.

3.2 THE ILLUSION OF OMNISCIENCE AND OMNIPOTENCE

At the same breath, this paper is at pains to demonstrate that though a priest is an important figure in a given society, Ordination unfortunately does not endow omniscience or omnipotence to the one ordained to carry out his mission that is crucial. Given the diversity of functions performed by the priest he has to learn like everyone else to perform his duties. He had to be taught. He should allow himself appropriate training to fulfill his responsibilities. He is in the same dire need like anybody else to equip himself with qualifications proper to his office. As the Constitutions of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer prescribes as one of the guidelines for the formation of its members both Priests and brothers, "As far as possible, … each must acquire the professional and ministerial competence that is needed." [n.89].

When this paper emphasizes about equipping oneself or receiving specialized training, it does not advocate that the priest should be all knowing or he should specialize in exotic sciences. He is not expected to be a specialist in Plate-Tectonics or a specialist in Nano-Technology or a wizard in Polymer designing. All that this paper encourages is that, given the fact that through 'laying on of hands' one does not gain skills and knowledge necessary to fulfill all those offices or responsibilities a priest might take up through out his life. He should be able to acknowledge his limitations in terms of competence and shun the illusion that once ordained, one becomes competent in all the fields. Though one may not make explicit verbal claims of such competence but it manifests itself in manifold ways which result in unprofessionalism. The following section would go on to discuss a variety of ways through which unprofessionalism displays its ugly face in the ministry of priests.

3.3 MANIFESTATIONS OF UNPROFESSIONALISM

Every individual in any civilised society is ruled by a code of conduct proper to that society in general and by a code of conduct proper to one's role in that society in particular. For instance, doctors and those in the field of medicine have their own code of conduct that stipulates the do's and don’ts of the field of medicine and so we have 'Medical Ethics'. People involved in commercial trade and business have their own code of conduct to be observed and so we have 'Business Ethics'. Every such profession is governed by a code of conduct proper to the profession what in general is understood as 'Professional Ethics'. This applies to priesthood as well. The code of conduct pertinent to priesthood is to be found in 'The Code of Canon Law', in the Official Teachings of the Church, in the deliberations of the Bishops Conference and in the Diocesan stipulations. All these are to ensure that the duties and responsibilities are conscientiously fulfilled by the clergy and the rights and privileges of both the clergy and the faithful safeguarded. Refusal to abide by the stipulations would result in confusion of roles, diminishing law and order, and ultimately failure of the mission of Christ's mission and undermining of the purpose of Church's very existence. As succinctly put by Avery Dulles, the Church,

“could not unite men of many nations into a well-knit community of conviction, commitment, and hope and could not minister effectively to the needs of mankind, unless it had responsible officers and properly approved procedures [stress added]. Throughout its history, from the very earliest years, Christianity has always had an institutional side."

This institutional aspect of the Church demands from its ministers that the code of conduct and the rules of the Church be observed for the reasons discussed above. This paper wishes to relate here a first hand experience to illustrate how this code of conduct can be recklessly ignored. A religious priest seasoned with experience and knowledge who has acquired a Masters degree in Spirituality, and in the process of acquiring a Masters degree in Canon Law, hale and hearty has the habit of asking a religious brother assisting the Sunday Eucharist in the parish to join in the concelebrant's part of the Eucharistic Prayer. Whereas the Canon Law states that, "In the celebration of the Eucharist, deacons and lay persons are not permitted to say the prayers, especially the eucharistic prayer, nor to perform the actions which are proper to the celebrating priest." [Can.907]

This priest knows beyond doubt that the Eucharistic prayer is strictly restricted to validly ordai