Catholic Sensibility

The thread on Cardinal Pell attracted a bit more notice than I thought it would, but the discussion on liturgical prayer and its leadership is a good one. The Liturgy of the Hours (probably worth a series itself) provides a classic case in point to defuse the notion that only clergy can preside over the Church's official liturgies. Turf-settling matters first: 1. Nobody denies the centrality of the Sunday Eucharist, nor the priest's role in leading the community that prays the Eucharist. 2. Nobody denies the place of the priest to oversee the Church's sacraments. 3. The Church offers formal liturgical rites outside the celebration of the sacraments or as auxiliary, preparatory, or subsequent expressions of those sacraments. These points are undeniable. But even so, they are not absolute values to themselves. If the connection between priest, Eucharist, and community were absolute, bishops would not begin new faith communities unless there was a priest to lead it. We know from the Church's long history of mission work (going back to the witness of the apostles) that the overriding concern of forming communities is the faith of the people expressing the movement of the Holy Spirit in their lives. In other words, God intends communities to form, whether a resident priest is available or not. Regarding the sacraments, the faith of the believer overrides the normative practice in time of need. Lay people and even non-Christians can validly baptize. Non-Catholics may receive the sacraments. It is not a neat picture, but circumstances bow to pastoral need as a matter of course. This is as it should be. Sacramental celebrations are not single magic moments conjured by clergy. The funeral and initiation rites contain various formalized ritual events to assist participants in deepening their faith in Christ, and the presidency of a priest is not always called for, nor is it always foreseen. The Church itself teaches there are many ways of prayer, both formal and informal, in which people are led to a more profound experience in the sacraments, especially the Mass. The Liturgy of the Hours is a classic example of formal, authorized liturgical prayer that does not require the leadership of a priest. Religious communities of women and some men lack clerical leadership. Yet their observance of Lauds, Vespers, and the other hours is no less authentic, valid, or powerful than if the bishop presides over these hours in a cathedral. "Public and common prayer by the people of God is rightly considered to be among the primary duties of the Church." (General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours, 1) Note that it's a duty, not a right or privilege. We are authorized to pray, just by being Christians. "Christ's priesthood is also shared by the whole Body of the Church, so that the baptized are consecrated as a spiritual temple and holy priesthood through the rebirth of baptism and the anointing by the Holy Spirit and are empowered to offer the worship of the New Covenant, a worship that derives not from our own powers but from Christ's merit and gift." (GILH, 7) The priesthood of baptism, but not a priesthood of power and privilege, but one rooted in Christ's grace. Hopefully, that should keep the swelled heads in place. "... there is a special excellence in the prayer of the community. Christ himself has said: "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in their midst" (GILH, 9) Christ's presence, but check this out: Christ's presence in prayer and song as well as in community and Word: "There Christ himself is present - in the gathered community, in the proclamation of God's word, 'in the prayer and song of the Church.'" (GILH 13) Somehow I think Cardinal Pell would have a hissy if he ever read the GILH. Sections 20-27 speak of the various communal celebrations of the Hours, and encourage bishops and clergy to observe, share, and lead lay people in this celebration. Section 24 has this to say about the special observance of religious, especially contemplatives: "Communities of canons, monks, nuns, and other religious who celebrate the liturgy of the hours by rule or according to their constitutions, whether with the general rite or a particular rite, in whole or in part, represent in a special way the Church at prayer. They are a fuller sign of the Church as it continuously praises God with one voice and they fulfill the duty of "working," above all by prayer, "to build up and increase the whole Mystical Body of Christ, and for the good of the local Churches." This is especially true of those living the contemplative life."

GILH 27 gives a nod to the laity praying the Office:

"Lay groups gathering for prayer, apostolic work, or any other reason are encouraged to fulfill the Church's duty, by celebrating part of the liturgy of the hours." For twenty years as a liturgist, I've attempted to dismantle the notion that the liturgy of the hours is the exclusive domain of clergy and religious. That said, religious women and men give a far better and more public witness to the virtue of praying the Hours than priests, especially parish priests. And most of those communities that do pray in common lack a member priest to lead. However one coins a term for prayer leader, it is an undeniable fact that lay people can and do lead many of the authentic liturgical rites of the Church. It seems clear that the sacraments are reserved for the leadership of the clergy. And while acknowledging the pride of place of the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, which "make" the Church in the sense of our vigor in the Spirit, it strikes me as unseemly that portions of Church life, while enjoying less of a crucial role, somehow deserve less honor merely for lacking an ordained leader. A model of Church that stresses cooperation, ability, Christ's presence, and most of all is attuned to the needs of the faithful, is a far more fitting (and more truthful) model than one in which everything must revolve around the clergy's presence and awareness. Lead on, lay people.