Pope says roles of priest, laity should not be blurred
Printer-friendly version
Send to friendCASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) — The special role of priests should be kept distinct from that of laypeople even in parts of the world where there is a shortage of ordained clergy, Pope Benedict XVI told Brazilian bishops.
Meeting Sept. 17 with bishops from the poor and arid northeastern area of Brazil, the pope said the role of the priest “is essential and irreplaceable in announcing the word and celebrating the sacraments.”
“It is necessary to avoid the secularization of the clergy and the clericalization of the laity,” the pope told the bishops at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome.
Dioceses in many areas of Brazil have come to rely on substantial involvement of lay ministers and other laypeople to mitigate a shortage in ordained priests.
A subscription is required to access this content.
Current online and print subscribers, click here to login and view this article.
Please click here to subscribe to the St. Louis Review. You may subscribe to the online edition only or both the online and print editions.
If you already have a subscription and are still unable to access this information, please contact the St. Louis Review.Why does the St. Louis Review require a subscription to access content online? (Click to view).
