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Clericalism has a negative impact on laity as well as priests says Head of the Congregation for Clergy, Archbishop Beniamino Stella.
Archbishop Stella spoke with Italian daily, La Stampa, shortly before being made a Cardinal.
“Clericalism” is bad for priests because it distorts their mission and is harmful for the laity because it hinders their development as adult Christians”, the Archbishop said.
The Head of the Congregation for Clergy elaborated on Pope Francis recent anti-clericalism comments.
“I think I am right in saying that what the Holy Father means when he refers to the term ‘clerical’, is that it describes the kind of priest who wants to give orders, who always thinks he knows best and becomes closed, hindering the mission of the Church.”
“A clerical priest is a priest who withdraws into his own shell, into his own mindset and does not consult or listen to others, especially the laity, as he doesn’t recognise the role of lay people in the Church’s mission,” the archbishop said.
Archbishop Stella said the ideal priest is one who does what Jesus did. He
- helps the sick and all those who ask for his assistance
- shows the merciful side of God
- heals souls
- forgives sins
- proclaims the Kingdom of God without kicking anyone out and by understanding their needs and helping them to grow.
Emphasising that even if it involves sacrifice, the archbishop signalled a priest should never forget that to continue the mission of Jesus, a priest is to be ‘one with Jesus’.
As such, our priority is to ‘be priests’ not to ‘work as priests’, otherwise we fall into the dispersive and harmful realm of activism,” Archbishop Stella said.
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