WOF 548: The Meaning of Catholic Ordination

Welcome back to the Word on Fire Show. I'm Matthew Petrusek, senior director of the Word on Fire Institute and the host of the Word on Fire Show. Thank you for joining us. One of the fundamental dividing lines within Christianity is marked by a disagreement about whether certain people (specifically men, within Catholicism) not only have a distinctive calling or vocation to serve the Church but are able to do so by means of ordination—that is, in a way that fundamentally or, to use philosophical language, ontologically distinguishes them from the flock they serve. Why do Catholics uphold this difference between what we call clergy and laity? Where does this distinction originate, and how can it respond to the critique that it is inegalitarian, elitist, and even sexist? Put more positively, what is it that bishops, priests, and deacons—the only ordained ministers within Catholicism—can contribute to the life of faith and the path toward salvation that no one else can? Here to explain the nature and meaning of ordination and the process by which it takes place, and to reflect on his recent experience ordaining new deacons into the Catholic Church at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, is Bishop Robert Barron.

Topics Covered

00:00 | Introduction
01:32 | Bishop Barron visits the grave of Archibald "Moonlight" Graham
03:05 | Ordaining 18 deacons in St. Peter's Basilica
03:49 | The Mass of ordination
07:27 | The laying on of hands and its significance
10:28 | Ordination and ontological change
12:57 | The three degrees of clerical life
14:50 | Is ordination biblical?
18:00 | What about the priesthood of all believers?
19:15 | What about limiting the priesthood to men?
22:48 | Defining authentic preaching
24:53 | Three key ingredients for every sermon: logos, pathos, and ethos
28:01 | The state of preaching within the American church today
30:17 | The shared duty to proclaim the gospel
32:12 | Listener question: Given Matthew 23:9, how can we call priests "Father"?
33:52 | Join the Word on Fire Institute

Links:

• Word on Fire Institute: https://institute.wordonfire.org/

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a Word on Fire IGNITE member! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and join IGNITE today to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.