In my last column I touched upon three key items: clericalism in the Church (and the need for reform), the adoption of a culture and climate of servant leadership, and a need for an open review of priestly formation.

       In this column, I will delve more deeply into what clericalism means and the effects it has had and continues to have on the Church. In the next publication of ICN, I will concentrate on what servant leadership is and how it can radically change our Church. 

       Both clericalism and servant leadership are terms loosely thrown around in many circles including those involving the Church. More explanation is required if we are to better understand what these terms mean. In a future column I will delve more deeply into priestly formation.

       Clericalism is indeed a very serious issue in the Catholic Church.  Our leadership ultimately comes from Pope Francis who calls clericalism an ‘evil’ which is at the root of the child sexual abuse crisis that has rocked the Church to its foundations. In fact, Pope Francis on the last day of 2019 said in his homily at Mass “The evil of clericalism is a very ugly thing” (Aleteia, Dec 31, 2019). 

       One author, Anne O'Brien in commenting on the governance and culture in the Catholic Church in Australia writes “clericalism is a deviant culture of social elitism, entitlement and privilege which developed out of a particular theological understanding that, at ordination, a man’s very being (my italics) is elevated to a level of existence superior to that of other human beings” (The Swag, Winter 2017). 

       Believe me, this is a milder definition of clericalism when compared to others written in many other credible journals and newspapers! Various commissions and investigations have said that clericalism is an insidious disease that has infiltrated the entire church, including the ordained hierarchy, religious life, and lay people. There are two aspects about how clericalism has affected the laity:  

       1.  Many of the laity have been conditioned, even subconsciously, to overly revere the ordained hierarchy. This occurs to such an extent that perhaps the majority of laypeople believe they are below priests and bishops and that they exist to receive grace from the ordained. “Clericalism began in earnest…when it appeared that the new Pentecost of Vatican II quietly vanished” (P. Philibert, “Clericalism and the Liturgy – Whatever became of the “new Pentecost”, NCR, May 2019).  

       It is good to recall these words of the Council: “Jesus gave his whole mystical body a share in the anointing of the Spirit with which He was anointed. In that body all the faithful are made a holy and kingly priesthood, they offer spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ…therefore there is no such thing as a member who does not have a share in the mission of the whole body” (Vatican II, Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests).  

       2. Laypeople can also adopt clericalism in the same way many of the ordained do. I spent many years on parish councils, and I can recall lay persons chosen for ministry adopting a superior, and sometimes, a tyrannical attitude, because they felt they had more of an important role than the rest of the parish.

       I have a high regard for our priests and how important they are in our Church. I’m not throwing them under the bus by any means. As Nicolas Senz says “We should not insult nor degrade either the clerical vocation or those who are in it.  We should neither fawn over our clergy nor spit on them” (Aleteia, August 2018). 

       Aristotle said, “virtue is the mean between extremes”. While this is true, it is critical to recognize the widespread culture of clericalism within the Church and the far reaching negative consequences that it can have. Many dioceses and archdioceses would rather close down parishes, prohibiting lay led services including distribution of the Eucharist in areas that are far away from existing parishes. 

       What is withholding the Sacraments all about? There are other viable lifegiving models the church can adopt that will enable the faithful to continue hearing the Word of God and receiving the Eucharist (P. Collins, Absolute Power, 2018). We need to address this issue head on. 

       As St. Peter said, “Do not lord it over those assigned to you but be examples to the flock”. (1 Peter 5:3) When one examines the main sources of the Church’s teaching, the ‘sense of the faithful’ is key (J. Zimmer, email to G. Archibald, Dec 29/10). This source of wisdom has been downplayed over the decades.

      The signs of clericalism include, but not limited to, the following:  a reduced, passive role for the laity including those attending Mass; the pastor having the final word in parishes; the bishops and archbishops having the legal and canonical designation of ‘corporation sole’ (yes, each bishop/archbishop is a single corporation); the gradual effort of the Church towards maintaining the status quo rather than empowering the laity and the hierarchy towards outreach and service. 

       Other signs include the insulated way most seminaries are structured, the fancy chairs and cathedra (chairs for the bishops/archbishops) in churches and basilicas, the titles such as excellency/your grace, or cardinals being referred to as princes; the exhortation in homilies and written publications that the ordained experience involves an ontological change (an indelible change to the very essence and being of the priest); the apparent inability of the Church to modernize the vernacular in order for the laity, especially young people,  to fully understand the beauty expressed in liturgy; the presence of ambition with some of the ordained, the lack of detailed reporting of finances incurred in dioceses and archdioceses, and so on. (Fr. Peter Daly, NCR, Dec 1919; Bishop Long, OFM Conv “The Priesthood in Australia: Reflections on its future in light of the Royal Commission”). 

       In February, 2017 two archbishops in Australia directly addressed the clericalism issue: Archbishop Costelloe of Perth acknowledged “The Church…was so special, so unique and so important that it stood aside from the normal things that would be part of any other body that works or exists in a society. It was a deeply flawed concept that we are immune from criticism; we shouldn’t be scrutinized; we are a law unto ourselves” (O’Brien, Governance and Culture: The Catholic Church in Australia, Catholics for Renewal, Winter, 2017). 

       Brisbane Archbishop Coleridge admitted, “The way our Church is structured there are certain things fixed in stone…The Australian Bishops are not able to change the structures of governance” (Ibid).  

Anne O’Brien continues these thoughts by stating “This idea that ecclesiastical structures are fixed in stone needs to be challenged. A critical study of the origins of the Church will show that Christ neither willed nor established any structures which are unchangeable…many Catholics feel alienated…they have lost their sense of belonging to a life-giving community…this is a very dangerous time for the Catholic Church in Australia…(unless things change) our church as a religion will become a marginalized rump, stripped of credibility and relevance” (Ibid).

       I must also say Pope Francis lifted the ‘Pontifical Secret’ on Dec 17, 2019. Previously, the Pope was allowed in canonical law to keep secrets if they involved child sexual abuse as well as other matters viewed as serious in civil law. It was shocking to hear the Pope even had this ‘privilege’ prior to this date. This provision was the ultimate in clericalism in my opinion. Thank God it has been done away with (Crux International).

       A friend sent me this story: A Catholic priest was discussing with his bishop the dilemma he faced regarding a wedding of a Roman Catholic young man and his Anglican bride, who asked that she and all her family should be able to receive communion at the nuptial Mass. “I thought about it and I prayed about it” the priest told his bishop, “and the more I prayed about it the more I realized the only thing to do was to do what Jesus would have done”. His bishop looked at him with horror and said: “You didn’t did you?” (author unknown).

       Clericalism, in all of its disguises and forms, must go if the Church is to be an evangelizing force in the world! (see related story "Saskatchewan Priest Calls on Catholic Church to Release Records of Abusive Priests, Enablers', in the Other News section)

 

Gerald Archibald studied theology for five years in Redemptorist seminaries, has extensive public and private sector experience, and has a PhD in Public Administration. He is married and lives in Edmonton. He regards himself as a reform-mined Catholic. (archibaldjerry@gmail.com)