Universal priesthood

Alter reading Paulette Footner's article of time 9 on the priesthood I fed impelled to take up my pen yet again in defenve of the traditional doctrine of the Catholic priesthood,
The universal priesthood of all baptised Christians (otherwise known as the priesthood of the laity) is certainly referred to in the Vatican Decree on the Laity, but it is clearly pointed out that the ordained priesthood differ n essence from this common priesthood.
Only the ordained minister has powei Lueffect the sacrifice of the Mass, Miss Epoiner would do well also to read the Vatican [)ere e on the Priesthood itself, which repeats the ordieary Church teaching on their role in the Church. Miss. Footner puts much emphasis on what she calls "Faith". "Faith is trust in someone. the incarnate Word of Gott".
Vs ell. Faith is more than mere tree' .1( is based on Belief .... Belief in God and what God has re, rated to us. I his also covers the Church and in particular its dogmas which rue called "articles of faith".
One Nuch article of faith is belief in the severi Sucraments instituted bs Chose and thus including Holy Orders. It is simpla not enough to say that the idea of an "indelible diaraetel" was started off by St Augustine and could be dropped at any time. It Is part and parcel of our beiief in the priesthood.
When priesta are reduced to the lav titate they do not lose the character implanted at ordination, but always retain the basic powers of the priesthood, They are simply permitted to live as laymen without the obligations imposed by the priesthood I led that such articles can only serve to disturb the faith of your readers and sow confusion in the hurch Continue to discuss the best way to present the liturgy, to run a parish. etc, by all means, but to encourage fellow Catholics to deny the doctrines of the Church seems almost be the work of the Devil ( Fr) Michael Clifton I ondon, SE'S.
The presence of hordes of priests on the sanctuary "eonceliebrating" Mass is to me an alarming distraction which obscures what should he U simple offering by one priest with the congregation.
But I find Paulette Footner's threat. in her article of June 9, to add solid rows of the faithful, men and women, all reciting the words of Consecration and other passages, posaivels te rid) mg. Perhaps she would organise it a little differently take a vote on m ho should lead.
More seriousla. she ready should examine the lacts and the theological principles before pouring out such a torrent of abuse on those of us who accept the present situation,
That radical, "progressive" theologian, Hans Kiing, has suggested that a layman might say Mass in the absence of a priest. But his suggestion is tentative and the conclusion of many years of study and teaching theology. And he gives reasons for his view, Paulette Footner (motes a casual remark by an Anglican layman as an explanaiion of the condemnation of Anglican Orders It she will examine the documents she will find that they were declared null and %aid for reasons similar to those cited for the nullity of Baroness Marie-Chriatine's first marriage.
In both eases ti is claimed that something essential to the sacrament (the will to procreate children in the one Cast', the intention to ordain suer-axing priests in the other) was expressly ekeluded.
These reasons may be questioned, and my own opinion is that Vatican Il suggests a somewhat different understanding of the priesthood than that which prevailed in 1896.
Your contributor would do well Li) co-operate quietly and on'obtrusively in the patient inquiry and study which could lead to a better appreeiation of the meaning of the priesthood of the laity, give far more scope fon their gifts of grace and loam ea and recognise more fully the stililJN of women in the Church.
Edward Quinn Sheffield.
Paulette bootner in her article of June 9. suggests that our common offering of the Eucharistic Sacrifice is some new notion or even a future goal towards which we strive through faith alone She clearly implies that the continuous tradition of the Church. from apostolic times onwards, is somehow a disorder, in that sacramental ordination is now (she scents To say) a dimution of our common vocation to Christ's royal priesthood.
The priesthood of priests is clearly enough taught by the Scriptures and tradition, not as an impediment to the lay-people's participatory priesthood, but rather as a vital existential and essential dynamic of the whole People of God.
Your paper might better urge us all, clergy and non-clergy, to pray urgently for more and more holy priests, than to raise to prominence rather woolly and dubious theories which, it seems to me, seek to promote tension and quasi-anarchy in the commonwealth of Catholics. (Dr) John C. N. TOWN Kings Norton.
Birmingham.
I_ don't know why Paulette Loonier (June 9) is so confident that the words "and your ministers' in the first Eucharistic Prayer ("We your people and your. ministers") will be omitted, hut I do hope that she is wrong.
The idea that we are all of us priests k not a new One. It stands to relkon that Christians should -"let their light shine among men". We have oh; asa been taught this. But 'the elitist pi-le:Aiwa of &mina.tion and -magic' powers" is One that was iitstit uted by Our Lord, It a as he who ordained his apostles and bestowed powers upon them. This vh,im is indeed close to a belief ni magic, but comfortably close, not uncomfortably close, as Paulette I -outlier puts it. What a dull form of Catholicism she offers?
Priests do possess "powers" wind) effect miraculous changes. These powers have come to them through U.e Apostolic Succession. They have the power to he God's agents in Transubstantiation, to abskive us from our sins and to bestow God's blessing on us. Just three examples of miracles. And we need miracies.
As for "[nape", .prestidigitation is one thing, but the supernatural is another. The miracles of Our lord were not conjuring tricks, and they were continued by His ordained bishops and priests, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles.
And the reason that the Catholic Church survives is that most ot ici
members believe that these powers have been handed on to hei pi iests
throughout the ages. if Paulette keener doesn't believe this why docort she eet out and join the Dissenters? Not the Anglicans, t hough, they've got more sense.
J. Alyn Roberts tilthano London..St..9
Congratulations and thanks to Paulette Fowl-lei (lune 9) for a powerful presentation of the matter of priesthood. This touches a fundamental element of Christian belief.
Only if we achieve a fuller sense of the priesthood of Christ and of God's People, consequent to it, can we begin to construct a valid theory of the ministerial priesthood and so gel into a position where we can attempt to solve such questions as the possibility of ordaining women IC) the priesthood or of recognising Protestant (not just Anglican) orders.
Well done, Paulette! Please give us more.
(Fr) Philip Hoideiworth, OSB Warrington.
Cheshire,