Year for Priests: Renewed appreciation of the grandeur, beauty of priestly ministry

I had the privilege last week, along with eight brother priests from our archdiocese and more than 15,000 other priests from 97 countries, to celebrate the close of the Year for Priests, a special time of prayer marking the 150th anniversary of the death of John Marie Vianney, patron saint of all priests.

Perhaps the highlight of my time in Rome was the Thursday evening vigil, June 10, when tens of thousands of priests and people joined in a Prayer Vigil in St. Peter’s Square. When Benedict XVI entered the square, the crowd erupted into massive applause and a sustained chanting of his name in Italian—“Benedetto!”—reminiscent of a World Youth Day. He was visibly moved by the affection and support.  The Holy Father was then greeted by Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, who noted how this Year for Priests had served “to promote commitment to interior renewal among all clergy, for an evangelical witness that is more powerful and incisive in the modern world.” He stressed that “we would like the Year for Priests never to end; that is, we would like our striving towards sanctity, each in his own identity, never to end, and that on this journey (which must begin in the seminary and last all our earthly lives as a single formative process) we may always be comforted and supported, as we have been in this year, by the ceaseless prayer of the Church, by the warmth and spiritual support of all the faithful.”

The key moments of the evening came in a question and answer session with Benedict XVI.  Five priests from five different continents posed questions which covered:

• The growing pastoral demands on priests, especially in parts of the world where the number of priests has declined;
• The perceived split between academic theology and practical spirituality;
• The logic of priestly celibacy in the face of modern cynicism;
• The dangers of clericalism;
• How to promote vocations to the priesthood.

The pope had a prepared text for his answers, but he barely glanced at it. He was sharing straight from his heart his deepest reflections on the nature of the priesthood and his love for priests.
The evening concluded with Solemn Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and the singing of the Salve Regina led by the Holy Father—with all of us priests on our knees praying in solidarity before our Lord in the Eucharist. It was an experience I will never forget.

The final event of the three-day celebration was a concelebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Square with the Holy Father on Friday, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In his homily the pope said that the Year for Priests had been called to ensure “a renewed appreciation of the grandeur and beauty of the priestly ministry.” He reminded us that “the priest is not a mere office-holder... . Rather, he does something which no human being can do of his own power: in Christ’s name he speaks the words which absolve us of our sins and in this way he changes, starting with God, our entire life. Over the offerings of bread and wine he speaks Christ’s words of thanksgiving ... which open the world to God and unite it to him. The priesthood, then, is not simply ‘office’ but sacrament.”

Before the final blessing, the Holy Father walked to an image of Our Lady, Mother of Priests. As he knelt before the image of the Blessed Mother, he invited all of us to join him in special prayer of consecration of our priesthood to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

On behalf of Archbishop Chaput and myself, I want to thank all of the faithful laypeople in this wonderful archdiocese, with all my heart, for your prayers and support for our priests during the Year for Priests.  Please continue to pray for all priests, that we grow in holiness each day as we serve you, the people entrusted to our care, in the spirit of the Good Shepherd and the one High Priest, Jesus Christ.

Most Rev. James D. Conley is auxiliary bishop of the Denver Archdiocese.