The Year of the Priest
Pope Benedict XVI has instituted a “Year of the Priest”, which actually began on June 19, Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, though we had not at that stage finished the Year of Paul.
It is timed to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney [1787-1859], who overcame numerous personal difficulties and from 1821 to his death exercised a remarkable ministry in the impoverished village of Ars, near Lyons. He is the declared patron of the diocesan clergy.
Conditions were, of course, very different then, and the external context of priesthood now is something which St. John Vianney would hardly be able to recognise, at least in our western world.
The Pope hopes that the year will be an opportunity to pray for priestly vocations, for existing clergy and for their fidelity and perseverance, and also to deepen one’s appreciation of the nature of priesthood.
This is without prejudice to the ministry of the laity, the “priesthood of the baptised”; indeed by definition it must include it. As we are invited to reflect on the priesthood, during this Year the space formerly allocated to “St. Paul’s Blog” will be given over to a study of “The Priesthood through the Ages”.