The homily of the Bishop of Shrewsbury in his Chrism Mass , reported in the online ‘Catholic Herald’, spoke on celibacy: ‘If the Mass were ever reduced to a commemorative meal and the priest as only a community leader or functionary , then the celibacy of the Catholic priesthood might seem extravagant. However once the ministerial priesthood is seen in the light of Christ’s own total self-giving….then the self-giving of priestly celibacy becomes a reflection of the truth of Christ’s own self-gift.’
No one, of course, has wished to see the Mass ‘reduced to a commemorative meal ‘ for several hundred years. Surprisingly, the Bishop does not seem to recognise that as a Lutheran theological position, and a Lutheran expression. He is , irrelevantly, rather dismissive of community leaders or functionaries apparently in general. What exactly he is talking about is not terribly clear, except that it seems to be about the Mass. Now the only recent alteration in Mass and the provision of the Eucharist has been Pope Francis’s permission to allow married men to be ordained in the Eastern Church. If his comments are directed at this, then he must be very careful indeed, because they are therefore directed at the Apostolic Succession. One wonders what Canon Law has to say about this. I
It will be easy enough for some to dismiss this as merely pietistic gibberish. But in his remarks , of course, the Bishop also dismisses the thousand years before celibacy became mandatory and that merely to preserve church property . He may have been having a bad day, but let’s look again at what he says.
Consider : ‘..once the ministerial priesthood is seen in the light of Christ’s own total self-giving’ . One might ask who has ever seen this except the kind of priest who thinks he’s an Alter Christus. You wouldn’t think things could get worse than that. But to equate the celibate ‘ministerial priesthood’ with ‘ Christ’s own total self giving is to equate the cosmic blast of the Incarnation itself with deciding one day not to walk up a church aisle to get married.
At least a line has been drawn. Thanks to the Bishop, there’s now an end to it. As they say, there’s no answer to that! If you’re up there as part of the Incarnation, well that’s it!
To be fair, irony is a tricky concept, often misunderstood. To be charitable in this Easter time, it is possible that the Bishop of Shrewsbury is ironically describing the Tridentine priesthood’s vision of itself. We know, we know, but we have to be charitable. But experts in textual analysis would notice that the word ‘self’ is used three times in the final sentence. What, the untutored might say, about the rest of us ? Still, there’s bound to be an ad limina visit soon. Oh to be a fly on the wall !
The expression ‘commemorative meal’ is rather naughty of His Lordship. But when ordination is extended to parishioners in the Western Church as in the Eastern Church, Mass, be it said by taxi-drivers or newsagents, or community leaders or functionaries (!) , it will provide the Eucharist for the Flock, as Christ asked at the Last Supper.
And it won’t be merely a ‘commemorative meal’ either.