PRIESTHOOD

Abstract

From the beginning of the Church, the life and ministry of the
priests has been the centre of attention. The world has perceived
the priests with admiration, awe, esteem, respect, suspicion,
contempt, criticism, doubt and a sense of mystery and wonder.
However, in the recent decades Catholic priesthood/priest has
occupied considerable space in the media and the theological
discussions. The media have vigorously reported a number of
scandals involving the Catholic priests and vehemently attacked
them. There have been also planned and well-plotted attacks on
Catholic priests by the media and the centres of power to tarnish
the image of the priests and thus to destroy the moral power of
the Church. Besides denigrating the image of priests in the society,
all these have shaken to a great extent the self-esteem of the priests
and have created confusion in the minds of many about the value
and worth of priestly life and ministry. The priest himself and the
Christian community and the society as a whole realizes more
and more the fragility of the priestly life. But, within the
consciousness of this fragility itself, it has confirmed once again
the divine nature of the priestly vocation, that it is the divine
initiative and design that has given this “treasure in earthen
vessels” (2 Cor 4:7). It is the “fidelity of Christ” that sustains the
priest, who is a weak and fragile human being like anyone else, to
be faithful.