The priest’s task is to fight evil and save souls (Blessed Paolo Manna)

Priestly Identity and Mission: Fighting Against Evil

From the Gospel of John

“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. [Jesus] said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.’” (Jn 20:19-23)

From the Magisterium of the Catholic Church

“The ministers of sacramental grace are intimately united to Christ our Savior and Pastor through the fruitful reception of the sacraments, especially sacramental Penance, in which, prepared by the daily examination of conscience, the necessary conversion of heart and love for the Father of Mercy is greatly deepened.” (Second Vatican Council, Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests, Presbyterorum Ordinis, 18)

“To evoke conversion and penance in man's heart and to offer him the gift of reconciliation is the specific mission of the church as she continues the redemptive work of her divine founder.” (John Paul II, Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Reconciliatio et Paenitentia, 23)

“Now this power to ‘forgive sins’ Jesus confers through the Holy Spirit upon ordinary men, themselves subject to the snare of sin, namely his apostles: ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven; whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.’ (Jn 20:22; Mt 18:18). [...] Here there is seen in all its grandeur the figure of the minister of the sacrament of penance who by very ancient custom is called the confessor.

Just as at the altar where he celebrates the Eucharist and just as in each one of the sacraments, so the priest, as the minister of penance, acts ‘in persona Christi’ The Christ whom he makes present and who accomplishes the mystery of the forgiveness of sins is the Christ who appears as the brother of man. [...]

This is undoubtedly the most difficult and sensitive, the most exhausting and demanding ministry of the priest.” (John Paul II, Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Reconciliatio et Paenitentia, 29)

“But I also add that even in order to be a good and effective minister of penance the priest needs to have recourse to the source of grace and holiness present in this sacrament We priests, on the basis of our personal experience, can certainly say that the more careful we are to receive the sacrament of penance and to approach it frequently and with good dispositions, the better we fulfill our own ministry as confessors and ensure that our penitents benefit from it. And on the other hand, this ministry would lose much of its effectiveness if in some way we were to stop being good penitents. Such is the internal logic of this great sacrament. It invites all of us priests of Christ to pay renewed attention to our personal confession.” (John Paul II, Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Reconciliatio et Paenitentia, 31)

From the writings of Blessed Father Paolo Manna

“The priest was born to fight sin and to lead the Christian people in this war.

1) Baptizing? He does it to free the soul from the original sin.

2) Preparing the children for Holy Communion? He wants them to become valiant soldiers against sin.

3) Hearing confession? To break the bonds of sin.

4) Preaching and administering other sacraments? All to destroy the sin of the world.” (P. Manna, Chiamati alla santità, Naples 1977, p. 97)

“What to say if the kingdom of sin was established in your heart?

If Judith, instead of beheading Holofernes, had allowed herself to be taken by unworthy affection for him, what a shame for her, what a disgrace for the people, yet it is no comparison to the opprobrium of which the priest covers himself by sinning, as well as to the ruin he causes to souls.” (P. Manna, Chiamati alla santità, Naples 1977, p. 97)

“The priest’s sin is always a social sin, it reflects on the people: the good people are scandalized by it, the bad ones triumph.” (P. Manna, Chiamati alla santità, Naples 1977, p. 97)

“How much scandal, how much leprosy of impurity, how much injustice and oppression! How much  blasphemy and impiety! [...] It would need angels from heaven, apostles ardent with zeal to break so many chains, to illuminate so much darkness, to move so many hearts. And behold, only we are here. We must be these angels, these apostles, because we are priests. We are the saviors of these souls, and none other than us... and woe to us if we thought we had no obligations towards these souls..., if we remained indifferent spectators of their ruin!” (P. Manna, Chiamati alla santità, Naples 1977, p. 66)

“[Jesus] came to destroy sin. […] Here is the priest’s purpose and mission: to fight against sin and save souls.” (P. Manna, Chiamati alla santità, Naples 1977, pp. 135-136)

“But what about the priests who live in darkness, in fatal blindness? It is scary to think about it. As long as the sick person does not know his illness ... there is hope of recovery; but if even the doctor who has to cure him does not know the disease and does not pay much attention to it, the case is desperate.” (P. Manna, Chiamati alla santità, Naples 1977, p. 137)

“Had that priest been more assiduous in the confessional, had he been more patient and charitable... there would be fewer sins! (...) Men bother some priests... The souls understand this, they show themselves more rarely and sin triumphs.”

«Se quel sacerdote fosse stato più assiduo al confessionale, avesse avuto maggior pazienza e carità... quanti peccati di meno!... A certi sacerdoti gli uomini danno fastidio… le anime lo comprendono, si fanno vedere più di rado e il peccato trionfa». (P. Manna, Chiamati alla santità, Naples 1977, p. 138)

Questions for reflection

• “Do I honestly serve God? How do I walk in the way of the Spirit and of my eternal salvation?”  (P. Manna, Chiamati alla santità, Naples 1977, p. 98)
• If I were to die today, would the Lord find me ready to stand before him?  (Cfr. P. Manna, Chiamati alla santità, Naples 1977, pp. 98-99)
• How do I prepare to receive and administer the sacrament of reconciliation?

PRAYER

From the prayer of Paul VI pronounced in French on January 4, 1964 at the Holy Sepulcher:

Here we are, oh Lord Jesus. We have come as the guilty return to the place of their crime,

we have come as the one who followed You, but also betrayed You, many times faithful and many times unfaithful,

we have come to recognize the mysterious relationship between our sins and your passion: our work and your work,

we have come to beat our breasts, to ask your forgiveness, to implore your mercy,

we have come because we know that you can and that you want to forgive us, because you have atoned for our sins;

you are our redemption and our hope.

Lord Jesus, our Redeemer, revive in us the desire and confidence in your forgiveness, strengthen our desire for conversion and fidelity, let us taste the certainty and also the sweetness of your mercy.

Lord Jesus, our Redeemer and Master, give us the strength to forgive others, so that we too can be truly forgiven by You.

Lord Jesus, our Redeemer and Shepherd, give us the ability to love You and all those who in You are brothers and sisters, with your grace. Help us in following your example  [...]

Amen.

Disobedience is the exact opposite of a missionary characteristic, while obedience is the missionary’s principal characteristic (Blessed Paolo Manna)

The missionary dimension of obedience in the consecrated life

From the Gospel of Matthew

“While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him. [Someone told him, ‘Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.’] But he said in reply to the one who told him, ‘Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?’ And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.’” (Mt 12:46-50)

“‘What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’
He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go.
Which of the two did his father’s will?’ They answered, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.’” (Mt 21:28-31)

From the Magisterium of the Catholic Church

“In professing obedience, religious offer the full surrender of their own will as a sacrifice of themselves to God and so are united permanently and securely to God’s salvific will.” (Second Vatican Council, Decree on the Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life, Perfectae Caritatis, 14)

“Obedience, practised in imitation of Christ, whose food was to do the Father's will (cf. Jn 4:34), shows the liberating beauty of a dependence which is not servile but filial, marked by a deep sense of responsibility and animated by mutual trust, which is a reflection in history of the loving harmony between the three Divine Persons.” (John Paul II, Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Vita Consecrata, n. 21)

“In effect, the promotion of freedom is a genuine value, closely connected with respect for the human person. But who does not see the aberrant consequences of injustice and even violence, in the life of individuals and of peoples, to which the distorted use of freedom leads?

An effective response to this situation is the obedience which marks the consecrated life. In an especially vigorous way this obedience reproposes the obedience of Christ to the Father and, taking this mystery as its point of departure, testifies that there is no contradiction between obedience and freedom.” (John Paul II, Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Vita Consecrata, n. 91)

“To seek the will of God means to seek a friendly and benevolent will, which desires our fulfilment, that desires, above all, a free response in love to its love, in order to make of us instruments of divine love. It is along this via amoris that the flower of listening and obedience blooms.” (Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Instruction, The Service of Authority and Obedience, n. 4)

“First of all, obedience is an attitude of a son or daughter. It is that particular kind of listening that only a son or daughter can do in listening to his or her parent, because it is enlightened by the certainty that the parent has only good things to say and give to him or her. This is a listening, full of the trust, that makes a son or daughter accept the parent's will, sure that it will be for his or her own good.” (Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Instruction, The Service of Authority and Obedience, n. 5)

“Thus, the real obedience of the believing person is adhering to the Word with which God reveals and communicates himself, and through which he renews his covenant of love every day.” (Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Instruction, The Service of Authority and Obedience, n. 7)

“Consecrated persons moreover are called to the following of the obedient Christ within an “evangelical project” or a charismatic one, inspired by the Spirit and authenticated by the Church. Approving a charismatic program that is a religious institute, the Church guarantees that the inspiration that animates it and the norms that regulate it can provide a path for seeking God and holiness. Therefore, the Rule and the other indications concerning the way of life also become means of mediating the will of the Lord: human mediation but still authoritative, imperfect but at the same time binding, the starting point from which each day begins, and also for moving forward in a generous and creative impulse towards that sanctity which God “wills” for every consecrated person. In this journey persons in authority are invested with the pastoral task of leading and deciding.” (Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Instruction, The Service of Authority and Obedience, n. 9)

From the writings of Blessed Father Paolo Manna

“They profess submission and obedience, but they are not happy except in the post or office of their own choice. […]. Do the various pieces of a machine choose their own place for themselves? Of course not: each one is placed where it will best serve the functioning of the entire organism. It is so evident, but it is not always understood…” (P. Manna, Apostolic Virtues, translated from Italian by Fr. Steve Baumbusch, PIME, New York 2009, p. 126)

“Let us try to work united in the position to which obedience has assigned us. [...] If we do not have esprit de corps, if we are not obedient to the orders of our captains, we will become weak and we will return defeated rather than victorious.” (P. Manna, Apostolic Virtues, translated from Italian by Fr. Steve Baumbusch, PIME, New York 2009, p. 127)

“This virtue [the obedience] is the rudder which directs all of our work.” (P. Manna, Apostolic Virtues, translated from Italian by Fr. Steve Baumbusch, PIME, New York 2009, p. 145)

“The virtue for which we missionaries must have a real love, the one in which we must particularly distinguish ourselves, is that of obedience.” (P. Manna, Apostolic Virtues, translated from Italian by Fr. Steve Baumbusch, PIME, New York 2009, p. 146)

“Disobedience is the exact opposite of a missionary characteristic, while obedience is the missionary’s principal characteristic, his program of life, his standard.” (P. Manna, Apostolic Virtues, translated from Italian by Fr. Steve Baumbusch, PIME, New York 2009, p. 146)

“The missionary who disobeys, who criticizes the orders of his superiors, even if no one notices it or thinks about it, ceases to be a missionary of Christ, and in fact places himself in the company of those who resist Him.” (P. Manna, Apostolic Virtues, translated from Italian by Fr. Steve Baumbusch, PIME, New York 2009, p. 147)

“If we want to be good missionaries, we must study the virtue of obedience assiduously, in order to make the will of God the rule and model of our own will. The will of God is the source and motive of every good; outside the will of God is only evil, sin and perdition.” (P. Manna, Apostolic Virtues, translated from Italian by Fr. Steve Baumbusch, PIME, New York 2009, p. 149)

“Whoever obeys superiors, obeys God. In choosing a mission or task, do not seek your own preferences, but accept the decisions of superiors. Whoever does God’s will, never does wrong. Superiors are not infallible in leading, but those who are under their obedience, are infallible in obeying. (P. Manna, Esci dalla tua terra…, Naples 1977, p. 35)

Questions for reflection

• Is my obedience to God conscious and not just the fulfillment of my superiors’ orders, “because it is more convenient”?
• Can I speak honestly and openly with my superiors and at the same time accept their final decisions, because I trust in God?
• To what extent do I carry out every ministry with full commitment, regardless of my personal preferences?

PRAYER TO MARY

“O sweet and holy Virgin Mary, with Your believing and perplexed obedience, at the announcement of the angel You gave us Christ. At Cana with Your attentive Heart You showed us how to act responsibly. You did not wait passively for the action of Your Son but You anticipated it, making Him aware of the need and with discreet authority taking the initiative to send the servants to Him.

“At the foot of the cross, obedience made You the Mother of the Church and of believers while in the Upper Room every disciple recognized in You the gentle authority of love and service.

“Help us to understand that every true authority in the Church and in consecrated life has its foundation in being docile to the will of God and help each one of us become in fact, authority for others with our own life lived in obedience to God.

“O merciful and compassionate Mother, ‘You who did the will of the Father, ever ready in obedience’, make our lives attentive to the Word, faithful in the following of Jesus, the Lord and Servant, in the light and with the strength of the Holy Spirit, joyful in fraternal communion, generous in mission, prompt in our service to the poor, looking forward to the day in which obedience in faith will flow into the feast of Love without end” Amen.

(Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Instruction, The Service of Authority and Obedience, n. 31)

The catechist is a true missionary, teacher and guardian of the faith (Blessed Paolo Manna)

The missionary service of lay catechists

From the Second Letter of Saint Paul to Timothy

“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers

and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths. But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry. (2Tm 4:1-5)

From the Magisterium of the Catholic Church

“Upon all the laity, therefore, rests the noble duty of working to extend the divine plan of salvation to all men of each epoch and in every land. Consequently, may every opportunity be given them so that, according to their abilities and the needs of the times, they may zealously participate in the saving work of the Church.” (Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 33)

“Our own times require of the laity no less zeal: in fact, modern conditions demand that their apostolate be broadened and intensified. With a constantly increasing population, continual progress in science and technology, and closer interpersonal relationships, the areas for the lay apostolate have been immensely widened particularly in fields that have been for the most part open to the laity alone. These factors have also occasioned new problems which demand their expert attention and study.” (Second Vatican. Council, Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, Apostolicam Actuositatem, 1)

“A true apostle looks for opportunities to announce Christ by words addressed either to non-believers with a view to leading them to faith, or to the faithful with a view to instructing, strengthening, and encouraging them to a more fervent life. ‘For the charity of Christ impels us’ (2 Cor. 5:14). The words of the Apostle should echo in all hearts, ‘Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel’ (1 Cor. 9:16).” (Second Vatican. Council, Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, Apostolicam Actuositatem, 6)

“As members of the living Christ, incorporated into Him and made like unto Him through baptism and through confirmation and the Eucharist, all the faithful are duty - bound to cooperate in the expansion and spreading out of His Body, to bring it to fullness as soon as may be (Eph. 4:13).

Therefore, all sons of the Church should have a lively awareness of their responsibility to the world; they should foster in themselves a truly catholic spirit; they should spend their forces in the work of evangelization.” (Second Vatican. Council, Decree on the Mission Activity on the Church, Ad Gentes, 36)

“Catechesis is intimately bound up with the whole of the Church's life. Not only her geographical extension and numerical increase, but even more, her inner growth and correspondence with God's plan depend essentially on catechesis. It is worthwhile pointing out some of the many lessons to be drawn from the experiences in Church history that we have just recalled.” (John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation, Catechesi Tradendae, n. 13)

“Let us first of all recall that there is no separation or opposition between catechesis and evangelization. Nor can the two be simply identified with each other. Instead, they have close links whereby they integrate and complement each other.” (John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation, Catechesi Tradendae, n. 18)

“We can say of catechesis, as well as of evangelization in general, that it is called to bring the power of the Gospel into the very heart of culture and cultures. For this purpose, catechesis will seek to know these cultures and their essential components; it will learn their most significant expressions; it will respect their particular values and riches. In this manner it will be able to offer these cultures the knowledge of the hidden mystery(95) and help them to bring forth from their own living tradition original expressions of Christian life, celebration and thought.” (John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation, Catechesi Tradendae, n. 53)

From the writings of Blessed Father Paolo Manna

“The missionary has need of catechists just as a captain in the army has need of subordinate officers. In his own sphere a catechist is a real missionary. He is an explorer, sentinel, teacher, guardian, who breaks ground in the virgin soil, points out opportunities and dangers, and prepares the way for victory.” (P. Manna, The conversion of the pagan world. A Treatise upon Catholic Foreign Missions, translated and adapted from the Italian of rev. Paolo Manna, M. Ap. by rev. Joseph F. McGlinchey, d.d., Boston, Society for the propagation of the Faith 1921, p. 153)

“Oh how much good these obscure apostles [the catechists] have done and are doing! How many children there are who would never have entered Heaven without their assistance! How many converts would have returned to their former errors without them!... Behold the precious help the catechists render to the missionaries!” (P. Manna, The conversion of the pagan world. A Treatise upon Catholic Foreign Missions, translated and adapted from the Italian of rev. Paolo Manna, M. Ap. by rev. Joseph F. McGlinchey, d.d., Boston, Society for the propagation of the Faith 1921, p. 154)

“Today it is not just about working to spread the faith in the villages, but above all it is about preventing the faith dying in the villages that have already been converted. When catechists are lacking, entire villages suffer immensely and suffer great losses. New converts are weak in faith and need constant presence, education, support, practical guidance in their new Christian life. Missionary priests, although animated by an extraordinary apostolic spirit, cannot be everywhere. They are too few to satisfy all apostolic needs. This is why there is a great need for catechists.” (P. Manna, “Le Missioni Cattoliche”, 28 September 1915, s. 369)

“For the newly converted villages, still immersed in yesterday’s paganism, the presence of a catechist is necessary just as mother’s milk and the mother’s presence are necessary for a child. The presence of catechists is equivalent to maintaining faith in the missions.” (P. Manna, “Le Missioni Cattoliche”, 28 September 1915, s. 369)

“The patron saint of catechists is St. Joseph. He was not a priest himself, but he cared for Jesus, the high priest, and had a very close relationship with him.” (P. Manna, Scritti 67, p. 333)

Questions for reflection

• To what extent do I feel myself a missionary when I serve as a catechist, teacher of religion, or parent who passes the faith on to my children? Am I aware that this is also a missionary activity?
• Do I preach the doctrine of the Gospel “everywhere and at all times” with my behavior, my testimony of life and, when necessary, with words?
• How do I support priests and consecrated persons in their ministry and apostolate?

PRAYER

Come, Holy Spirit, Divine Creator, the true source of light and fountain of wisdom. Pour forth your brilliance upon my intellect, dissipate the darkness which covers me, that of sin and of ignorance. Grant me a penetrating mind to understand, a retentive memory, method and ease in learning, the lucidity to comprehend, and abundant grace in expressing myself. [...]

This I ask through Jesus Christ, true God and true man, living and reigning with You and the Father, forever and ever. Amen.

(Student’s prayer, by St. Thomas Aquinas)