Laity wants to be heard

The parishioners of Rosebank, Johannesburg, who in their concern for the future of priestly vocations compiled the discussion document “Priests for Tomorrow”, must be commended by all who welcome the engagement of the laity in the Church.

The document represents the fruit of much discussion, research, consultation, and doubtlessly prayer and reflection. While the conclusions may not resonate with every Catholic, the document is beneficial in as much as it seeks to stimulate debate and lend the pursuit for new vocations a new impetus.

It is significant that this endeavour was conceived and driven by lay people. In calling for more priests, the parishioners of Rosebank have affirmed the central role of the priesthood in the life of Catholics at a time when attraction to that vocation is grievously declining in many regions of the Church.

At the same time, however, the document expresses a measure of frustration at the perceived lack of animation in the local Church in promoting secular vocations. As the number of priests declines and the scope of their diverse responsibilities increases, it is understandable that some bishops find themselves incapable of deploying too much by way of scarce human resources into the field of vocation direction.

The idea has been raised that vocation directors need not necessarily be consecrated. Lay people, ideally with experience in human resources or marketing, surely would be able to perform this essential task, at least at the points of marketing vocations and guiding initial inquiries. The involvement of the laity in promoting vocations at a structural level merits serious consideration.

The “Priests for Tomorrow” document tells us that the celibate priesthood is a desirable and extraordinary calling that must be prized. However, if the document is a reliable indicator of the views held by a significant segment of the faithful, many lay people regard the discipline of mandatory celibacy among Latin-rite priests as an obstacle to attracting vocations to Holy Orders. In other words, such Catholics would be quite content to accept priests who are married among those able to embrace the gift of celibacy.

When the parishioners of Rosebank express their concern that a shortage of priests may mean that in the future they might be denied access to the sacraments—especially the Eucharist received at Mass—they are putting it to the Church authorities that this anxiety countermands other valid arguments in favour of retaining mandatory celibacy.

This, of course, is not a rebellion against Church discipline. The document outlines alternatives to revoking obligatory celibacy for all new and existing priests, such as the introduction of viri probati priests. It is an invitation to the Church authorities to consider the stated concerns of the laity, and to engage them in dialogue—even on controversial topics such as the discipline of clerical celibacy.

The bishop of Johannesburg, Archbishop Buti Tlhagale, has stated his reservations about aspects of their document, but commendably encouraged the parishioners of Rosebank to disseminate it widely to facilitate a lively discussion on the subject of vocations. This in itself is an explicit acknowledgment by one of Southern Africa’s foremost Church leaders that the voice of the laity merits a serious hearing.

Many lay people are highly educated and keen to contribute in their areas of expertise to the welfare of the Church. But they also want to be heard and seriously engaged by the hierarchy.

The “Priests for Tomorrow” document is timely, as its release coincides with the preparations for the Pastoral Forum for the laity, scheduled to be held in August in Mariannhill.

The document and the Pastoral Forum present the local hierarchy, clergy, religious and laity with a rare opportunity to cement a rewarding reciprocal relationship which can only benefit the Church.