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Instruction on Lay Collaboration
The following are excerpts from the Instruction on
Certain Questions Regarding the Collaboration of the Non-Ordained Faithful in
the Sacred Ministry of Priest, a document signed by eight Vatican offices
and issued with the specific approval of John Paul II. This
material comes from a preliminary form of the document provided to Bishop
Robert Hoffman of Toledo, Ohio, in preparation for the U.S. bishops
meeting in mid-November.
It must be noted with great satisfaction that in many particular
churches the collaboration of the non-ordained in the pastoral ministry of the
clergy has developed in a very positive fashion. It has borne an abundance of
good fruits while at the same time being mindful of the boundaries established
by the nature of the sacraments and of the diversity of charisms and
ecclesiastical functions.
* * *
The scope of this present document is simply to provide a clear,
authoritative response to the many pressing requests which have come to our
dicasteries [curial offices] from bishops, priests and laity seeking
clarification in the light of specific cases of new forms of pastoral
activity of the non-ordained on both parochial and diocesan levels.
* * *
Only the sacrament of orders gives the ordained minister a
particular participation in the office of Christ, the shepherd and head in his
eternal priesthood. This doctrine needs to be reaffirmed especially in light of
certain practices which seek to compensate for numerical shortages of ordained
ministers arising in some communities. In some instances, such have given rise
to an idea of the common priesthood of the faithful which mistakes its nature
and specific meaning. Amongst other things, it can encourage a reduction in
vocations to the (ministerial) priesthood and obscure the specific purpose of
seminaries as places of formation for the ordained ministry.
* * *
The document issues clarifications in several areas. They
include:
- Directing, coordinating, moderating or governing the parish ...
are the competencies of a priest alone.
- It is unlawful for the non-ordained faithful to assume titles
such as pastor, chaplain, coordinator,
moderator or other such similar titles which can confuse their role
and that of the pastor, who is always a bishop or priest.
- Diocesan and parochial pastoral councils and parochial finance
councils, of which non-ordained faithful are members, enjoy a consultative vote
only and cannot in any way become deliberative structures.
- The homily during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist must be
reserved to the sacred minister, priest or deacon to the exclusion of the
non-ordained faithful, even if these should have responsibilities as pastoral
assistants or catechists in whatever type of community or group.
- In no instance may the homily be entrusted to priests or
deacons who have lost the clerical state or who have abandoned the sacred
ministry.
- In eucharistic celebrations, deacons or non-ordained members of
the faithful may not pronounce prayers for example, especially the
eucharistic prayer, with its concluding doxology or any other parts of
the liturgy reserved to the celebrant priest. Neither may deacons or
non-ordained members of the faithful use gestures or actions which are proper
to the same priest celebrant. In the same way, the use of sacred vestments
which are reserved to priests or deacons (stoles, chasubles or dalmatics) at
liturgical ceremonies by non-ordained members of the faithful is clearly
unlawful.
- Extraordinary ministers may distribute Holy Communion at
eucharistic celebrations only when there are no ordained ministers present or
when those ordained ministers present at a liturgical celebration are truly
unable to distribute Holy Communion.
- Since they are not priests, in no instance may the non-ordained
perform anointings either with the Oil of the Sick or any other oil.
* * *
It should also be understood that these clarifications and
distinctions do not stem from a concern to defend clerical privileges but from
the need to be obedient to the will of Christ, and to respect the constitutive
form which he indelibly impressed on his church.
The complete text of the Instruction is available at
www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cclergy/documents/ rc_con_interdic_doc_15081997_en.html
National Catholic Reporter, December 5,
1997
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