Reclaiming Our Priestly Character

by David L. Toups

Reclaiming Our Priestly Character offers a review of the present crisis surrounding priestly identity through careful theological scholarship and a wise and practical spirituality, providing a clear path toward the renewal of the priestly character.

Genres: Theology

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Kevin Estabrook · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the preface and prologue, I decided that this would be a perfect book to read on my annual priesthood retreat. I read it in my free time in a few days.
The first part of the book gives an excellent synopsis of the doctrinal development of the notion of "priestly character"--the special character with which the priest is signed at his ordination which configures him "to Christ the priest in such a way that they are able to act in the person of Christ the head" (CCC 1564). This book is worth the read just for this first section, showing the Biblical Foundations of Priesthood, and its doctrinal development from the Early Church Fathers, through the Midieval Period, through Trent, and up to JPII and BXVI.
The second chapter deals with the Post Vatican II "Confusion" concerning priestly character and priestly identity.
The third chapter, which i offered excellent reflection material for the retreat, draws principles from the first two chapters for priestly living, including the doctrinal ramifications for the permanency of the priesthood, preaching, shepherding, healing, ongoing formation, etc.
A great book for helping the Church "Reclaim Priestly Character" for healthy, happy, holy priests.

[Kenneth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Agere sequitur esse, that is, action follows being. This scholastic adage is the main (debatable) assumption of the book, arguing that unless priests know well their being, their mode of acting is compromised. The thesis is reflected sufficiently in the title "Reclaiming Our Priestly Character": priests need to reclaim their unique character as ontologically transformed through ordination to the presbyterate. Although the book is broadly comprehensive, fundamentally covering all the necessary materials for a dogmatic understanding of the priesthood, it's very strength--dogmatic--is likewise its weakness. From one page to another, one has an inkling feeling of a fanciful belief that correct self-understanding of one's priestly character adequately attends to the current sexual scandal among the clergy (amongst other clerical quandaries!) as if to suggest that errant priests are ignorant of these! It's one thing to know the teachings about priestly character, it's another thing to fail in living out priestly expectations. The snag lies not in knowledge of priestly character but in one's conviction about it--and addressing the latter through dogma and other magisterial pronouncements is as useless as turning on an unplugged computer! The merit of the book is more modest, a sweeping yet detailed review of documents on priestly character. It's worth the read, although there is nothing groundbreaking here, just plain reappraisal of one thing said in so many ways by a litany of people.