Presbyterorum Ordinis

Presbytero Ordinis (abbreviated PO) is a decree of the Second Vatican Council, it is subtitled "On the Ministry and Life of Priests" and was released on December 7, 1965.

Preface

The document opens with a " preface " and describes the reasons and the purpose of this arrangement. The Council Fathers call very specifically to the priests in pastoral care. It is emphasized that by " the consecration and mission received from the bishop, the priests are appointed to serve Christ ... and that they " support their ministry in pastoral and human often so profoundly changed circumstances effectively and their lives better care to bear " is from the Holy Synod decree adopted ( cf. PO preface ).

The priesthood and the Church's mission

In the first chapter, the priesthood and the Church's mission, described and expressed that realized by the ministry of priests the spiritual sacrifice of the faithful and it finds its completion. "For their service," the article continues, " which begins in the proclamation of the Gospel, derives its strength from the sacrifice of Christ (...) the priests are called by the anointing of the Holy Spirit with a special character and as Christ the Redeemer made ​​uniform so that they, in the person of Christ the Head, can act "(...) because everyone pastoral ministry of the church " derives its strength from the sacrifice of Christ " (PO No. 2).

The priestly ministry

The second chapter deals with the priestly offices, the relation of the priest to another, and the distribution of priests and new priests. It is inter alia determined that " the first task of priests as collaborators of the bishops the preaching of the word " ( cf. PO No. 4), because, it is said, "the people of God in the first place by the Word of living God. " (ibid., No. 4) the mystery of the Eucharist is the heart and hub of the priesthood and" contains the spiritual good of the Church's entire spiritual wealth: Christ himself, our passover and living bread " ( cf. PO No. 5 ). , the Second Vatican Council hereby taken the pastoral experience, and stresses that it is important to form future priests to an authentic ecclesial community. " priests practice according to their share of the power of attorney, the office of Christ, the Head and Shepherd, . they gather in the name of the Bishop Family of God, which together as a brotherhood enlivened by one, and guide them through Christ in the Spirit to God the Father " ( cf. PO No. 6).

Furthermore, it was stressed the importance of obedience to the diocesan bishop in this decree. This obedience in the spirit of cooperation with the bishop serves the ordered to be paid apostolic activity, thus promoting the unity of the Church. However, the priests shall include the laity with and delegate specific functions in their pastoral work. "They should willingly listen to the laity, brotherly consideration to their wishes and their experience and competence in the various fields of human activity recognition " ( cf. PO No. 9).

The Life of Priests

The III. Chapter includes answers to the vocation of priest to perfection, describes special requirements for the spiritual life of the priest and offer guidance for the priestly life. This position is also the question of celibacy related: " Celibacy is a sign of new life, consecrated to the service of the servants of the Church; with a joyful heart is made to him, he announces beaming the kingdom of God to " ( cf. PO No. 16 ], and is still " celibacy in many ways the priesthood appropriate " ( cf. PO No. 16) Furthermore, the. priests inculcated the right use of temporal goods, " the church property in the strict sense to the priest properly and manage it according to the guidelines of the ecclesiastical laws, if possible with the help of experienced lay persons, these goods must always be used only for the purposes, to whose will the Church must possess temporal goods, namely for the right enforcement of worship, for the adequate maintenance of the clergy and for the apostolic and charitable works, especially for those that benefit the poor " ( cf. PO No. 17).

Schlussermahnung

Finally, reference is made to the difficulties suffered by the priests, the Synod declared " how much are the economic and social conditions and even the morals of the people in a conversion, how much the order of the values ​​in the assessment of people changes (...) Therefore, the priests, and sometimes even the faithful have in today's world the feeling as if they no longer belonged to her, and wondering anxiously, as they still have fellowship with it in an appropriate manner in action and in the language can " ( cf. PO No. 22).

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