Having recently received a circular e-mail letter from a brother priest on his "decision" to leave the ministry (because his heart was never in it and he fears being unfaithful) I thought it propitious to offer my top ten reasons for a priest never to renege.
TEN REASONS NOT TO RENEGE THE PRIESTHOOD
1. God exists.
2. Death, the Judgment, Heaven, Hell.
3. Honesty. It is dishonest, viz. breaking solemn vows. To express, publicize, or act out on, one's disordered appetites and distorted ideas is not an act of honesty but rather dishonesty. Honesty has to coincide with the Good and with what is right, and it is good and right for a man to keep his solemn and holy vows.
4. You are a priest forever: the indelible character conferred by the sacrament of Holy Orders never goes away. Even if you leave you remain a priest. (Priestly ordination [unlike the sacraments of marriage and confession] is not effected by the action of the recipient but solely by the action of the ordaining minister. [cf. Summa Suppl. Q. 39, 2]).
5. The Faith is the Church's and not at all dependent upon your disposition, wit, zeal or faith. Do not measure the faith by your mind but rather treasure and present and defend the Deposit of Faith and always adjust to it: Jesus Christ.
6. Stability. Never act on impulse in life changing decisions.
7. Gratia gratis data. Your priestly ministry itself does not principally depend on your worthiness. God gives the grace!
8. The witness of fidelity vs. the great scandal of infidelity. Fidelity in difficulty may be more meritorious than fidelity with ease.
9. Humility and intellectual modesty. You do not need to figure everything out yourself.
10. Repentance and Penitence. Every Christian, especially those in charge of others, need Sacramental assistance again and again. Do not tire of beginning again! That is the essence of holiness, to depend on the mercy and the wisdom of Jesus Christ.
"You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you , and have appointed you..." John 15:162. Death, the Judgment, Heaven, Hell.
3. Honesty. It is dishonest, viz. breaking solemn vows. To express, publicize, or act out on, one's disordered appetites and distorted ideas is not an act of honesty but rather dishonesty. Honesty has to coincide with the Good and with what is right, and it is good and right for a man to keep his solemn and holy vows.
4. You are a priest forever: the indelible character conferred by the sacrament of Holy Orders never goes away. Even if you leave you remain a priest. (Priestly ordination [unlike the sacraments of marriage and confession] is not effected by the action of the recipient but solely by the action of the ordaining minister. [cf. Summa Suppl. Q. 39, 2]).
5. The Faith is the Church's and not at all dependent upon your disposition, wit, zeal or faith. Do not measure the faith by your mind but rather treasure and present and defend the Deposit of Faith and always adjust to it: Jesus Christ.
6. Stability. Never act on impulse in life changing decisions.
7. Gratia gratis data. Your priestly ministry itself does not principally depend on your worthiness. God gives the grace!
8. The witness of fidelity vs. the great scandal of infidelity. Fidelity in difficulty may be more meritorious than fidelity with ease.
9. Humility and intellectual modesty. You do not need to figure everything out yourself.
10. Repentance and Penitence. Every Christian, especially those in charge of others, need Sacramental assistance again and again. Do not tire of beginning again! That is the essence of holiness, to depend on the mercy and the wisdom of Jesus Christ.