Cultural Background and Context for the Emergence of the Priesthood

But as the familiarity of the faithful grew, so did the need for an administrative apparatus incorporated more formally than an episcopal staff.

There does appear to abide been a distinction made between deacons, who assisted the bishops in " grammatical construction up the residential area," and pastoral liturgical priests per se (Rausch 17), who facilitated residential area worship and who took their office from the bishops but whose primary function was depict in terms of their relationship to the Eucharist rather than the community (Rausch 18). Terminology gains importance in regard to development of Catholic priesthood from the early period. The word apostle is associated with establishment of church communities, particularly in the apostolic period and particularly in connection with Pauline predilection of ministry in terms of "witness, loving service, and worship" (Schaefer and Henderson 34). New volition epistles to communities of the faithful connect bishops (overseers), deacons ( handmaids), and presbyters (elders) to the apostolic generation that lends them doctrinal and undoubtedly institutional legitimacy; 1 Peter (1.1; 5.1) addresses elders of Christian communities in Asia Minor, identifying them with Peter the elder and witness of Christ's passion. One aspect of this was a tendency toward rationalization. Schaefer and Henderson (34) cite Cor. 14.40:

Bishops' delegacy on Priestly Life and Ministry. A Reflection fall out on Human Sexuality and the Ordained Priesthood. Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1983.

The prophetic, priestly and kingly component parts of Christ are represented in the pastoral office as ministries of word, sacrament, and community leadership. These characterize the parish priest's pro activity as priest (Schaefer and Henderson 77).

scrambl[ing] to find human consolation, [may] only his life on one level--but miss the redemptive question: '...whoever loses his life for my sake will find it' (Matt. 16:25). In the end, Christian spirituality involves death and resurrection (Bishop's Committee 57).

The special spatial relation that ordination and the liturgical and sacramental apparatus conferred on the priesthood in its sacral place was a mixed blessing, says Rausch, although it remained the dominant model of the priesthood until Vatican II. After Vatican II there emerged the so-called ministerial model, which as the term implies refers to the priest as leader--and spiritual servant--of a community of faith. This suggests the shape of the relationship between parish and priest that emphasizes the priest's service role to the parish community. Rausch cites "the New Testament concept of ministry, diakonia [Greek cognate for deacon nub servant] . . . rooted in Jesus himself who took the role of a servant" (26). Thus vows of obedience, not least to Church doctrine, are implied. as well cited is Paul's use of diakonia to connote a leadership role in the church, which connects the ministry to liturgical and sacramental functions but above all connects ministry to community.

Rausch, doubting Thomas P. Priesthood Today: An Appraisal. Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist P, 1992.

makes Christ once once again present in the Eucharist; by his life of building up the Christian community he becomes Christ for his large number not only in the heart of the Eucharistic forum but also in his own personal fine-looking of hi
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