At Crisis there is a good article: Clericalism Is Dead. Long Live Clericalism!
The writer, a priest, explores what real clericalism is all about. It is NOT what libs say it is, by the way.
Long-time readers here will recall that I have written about the worst sort of clericalism that I know: liturgical clericalism.
Liturgical clericalism is the worst, because it is inflicted on the greatest number of people in the most important thing we do: worship.
Clericalism’s main exponents are NOT traditionalists or conservatives. Libs are the worst of all.
The worst sort of clericalism manifests in the dreadful propensity of lib priests who condescendingly bring all sorts of lay people up into the sanctuary (to “clericalize” them) so that they can do things that the priest is supposed to do. That’s a way of saying, “Your dignity as a baptized Catholic isn’t enough. But I – “Just call me ‘Bob'” – shall henceforth confer more dignity upon you by my fiat.”
Negative clericalism is fueled by and present in the insistence on versus populum Mass.
Negative clericalism is tamed and suppressed by ad orientem worship.
Clerics, bishops and priests, who tenaciously insist on versus populum worship are practitioners of clericalism.
If there is a bad clericalism, there is a good. There is a healthy clericalism in a healthy clerical identity.
Clerics, who by definition are “set apart” need to understand and live who they are supposed to be. To do that, they need the fraternity of other clerics, who are trying to live the same way. If Sr. Mary Charles told you in 3rd grace to “avoid the company of bad friends”, the obverse is also true. Seek the company of good friends. You reinforce each other.
That is why I used to post, fairly often about my “Suppers for the Promotion of Clericalism”. For example: HERE
I would get a bunch of priests together (and not exclude the bishop if he was available… to remind him that he was a priest) for a big meal with lots of fixin’s. This is important to do. I recall the key formation that came from, for example, suppers after Forty Hours back in much happier days: lots of priests together being priests together.
There is an old word which usually has a negative connotation: priestcraft. Just as clericalism can be positive, so can priestcraft be. Priests need to have meet-ups with, especially, older priests who know the stories, the “lore” of the diocese, and anecdotes that can help them in their own ministry. Older priests also need the company of younger priests. It stands to reason. In some dioceses that is difficult to pull off, because there is often is serious generational divide over the Church’s moral theology and discipline. But it is worth attempting, precisely for the sake of those issues… and lore.
Anyway, when you see “Just call me ‘Bill'” grinning at you over the altar, blowing air back and forth like an oscillating fan with rictus, imagine his reaction were you to ask him about celebrating Mass ad orientem.
Loading ...
I absolutely agree, Fr. Z!
For some more thoughts along the same lines:
https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/what-clericalism-really-looks-like/
You were also the first, at least that I saw, who pointed to the deep connection between liturgical abuse and sexual abuse. I quoted you here and pursued that thought:
https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/the-connection-between-liturgical-abuse-and-abuse-of-minors/
Advanced in years myself I can say with absolute confidence I have never experienced more sinister exhibitions of malicious behavior termed clericalism than the innumerable assaults we have all shouldered since since March 13, 2013.
I remember as a high school/college student in the 70s-80s reading articles in The Wanderer about the suffering Catholics in various diocese trying to save their churches from “wreckovation” and liturgical abuse. Years later, of course, I learned these were the same places with bishops & priests accused of sexual abuse. Sadly, those suffering Catholics never had a chance.
So my yardstick these days if a diocese is particularly troublesome as far as a bishop upholding Catholic teaching or supporting traditional Catholics then I think of the lesson I learned the first time and figure those men have a different agenda from the Catholic church.
My favorite is the priest saying the first line of the Credo or Our Father, then stopping, because, yes, we can say it ourselves, but … to be blunt, what exactly are we paying you for… ? It is a weird and modern form of clericalism, ostentatiously “allowing” or expecting the laity to do his job for him. I think this is of a kind with what I have seen called “meta-Pharisaism,” another peculiarly modern tendency to think something along the lines of “I thank God that I am not like those who judge others.”
It’s sad to see it, but, yes. Trads aren’t the clericalists. When the priest faces versus populum, even the good priests, feel the subtle pressure to react to the fact that people are watching them and they see their faces.
Something I’ve noticed with trad priests: They’re more humble than what the Novus Ordo can form a priest to be.
When the priest faces ad orientem, we don’t see his face. He’s acting in persona Christi and we are focused on the Mass and his office as alter Christus. I’m not distracted by Father’s facial expressions. Like one NO Mass, I saw the priest’s face and I thought to myself: Father looks stressed.
Something my oldest son noticed in the procession of the Our Lord after the Votive Mass of the Blessed Sacrament at our FSSP parish, that Father’s face was replaced by the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance. Father didn’t look at Our Lord. He looked at his feet as he processed with Our Lord.
Another thing is that Father commanded us, as of the Feast of the Holy Name, to no longer bow our heads to the priest as he processed to the Sanctuary before the Asperges before High Mass on Sunday. He commanded us to bow our heads at the Holy Name instead. Although he appreciated that we shown the priest respect. His focus was on that we revered the Holy Name instead.
I’ve read part of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal for the New Mass, adapted for the United States, that the priest has the discretion to choose the Readings, Orations, EPs ( Although there are guidelines for which EPs are said on Sundays and daily Masses. EPII is suggested for daily Masses during the week. Shudder. ) the pastoral needs of his community. Even though the rubrics tell the priest to not choose according to his own inclinations, the temptation to play with the liturgy, due to the endemic optionitis of the New Missal, is plain to see. Even worse if the laity on a liturgy committee, why do we even need one anyway? ? bullies a priest into a liturgy more to their liking.
Nothing is more self important than an ostentatious lack of fuss. Yes, I’m thinking of those red slippers. [I don’t understand that remark.]
At Econe, priests are trained NEVER to look at the laity at the rare moments (such as absolution or the Orate fratres) when they are versus populum. And they very obviously don’t. That’s what I call a lack of clericalism.
[Indeed. Priests should KEEP THEIR EYES DOWN… even when making their way to the confessional. DON’T look at the people in line!!!]