329. How does a priest carry out his proper ministry?
(Comp
329) A priest, although ordained for a universal mission, exercises his
ministry in a particular Church. This ministry is pursued in sacramental
brotherhood with other priests who form the “presbyterate”. In communion with
the bishop, and depending upon him, they bear responsibility for the particular
Church.
“In brief”
(CCC 1592) The ministerial priesthood differs in essence
from the common priesthood of the faithful because it confers a sacred power
for the service of the faithful. The ordained ministers exercise their service
for the People of God by teaching (munus
docendi), divine worship (munus
liturgicum) and pastoral governance (munus
regendi).
To deepen and explain
(CCC 1568) "All priests, who are constituted in the
order of priesthood by the sacrament of Order, are bound together by an
intimate sacramental brotherhood, but in a special way they form one priestly
body in the diocese to which they are attached under their own bishop…. (PO 8).
The unity of the presbyterium finds liturgical expression in the custom of the
presbyters' imposing hands, after the bishop, during the rite of ordination.
Reflection
(CCC 876) Intrinsically linked to the sacramental nature of
ecclesial ministry is its character as
service. Entirely dependent on Christ who gives mission and authority,
ministers are truly "slaves of Christ" (Cf. Rom 1:1) in the image of
him who freely took "the form of a slave" for us (Phil 2:7). Because
the word and grace of which they are ministers are not their own, but are given
to them by Christ for the sake of others, they must freely become the slaves of
all (Cf. 1 Cor 9:19). (CCC 879) Sacramental ministry in the Church, then, is a
service exercised in the name of Christ. It has a personal character and a
collegial form. This is evidenced by the bonds between the episcopal college
and its head, the successor of St. Peter, and in the relationship between the
bishop's pastoral responsibility for his particular church and the common
solicitude of the episcopal college for the universal Church.
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