Pray the Lord of the Harvest

Dearly Beloved in Christ:

In 1998, I formed a Task Force to examine the challenges that have arisen from the declining number of priests in our Diocese. The members– clergy, Religious and laity– completed their work in June of 1999 and presented me with their recommendations. In light of our mission to proclaim and foster the Kingdom of God in our midst, I now offer this pastoral letter as my response to the report of the Task Force. The concerns that have been brought to my attention demand reflection, prayer and commitment to action on the part of all members of the Church.

The growing shortage of priests must be understood within its proper context. Recent statistics show that the Catholic population of Brooklyn and Queens is approximately two million people, reflecting a rich racial, ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity. In generations past, there were ample priests available to meet the sacramental, spiritual and social needs of the faithful. However, in the past 20 years, while the universal Church experienced a decrease in the number of ordained priests, our Diocese also has seen the number of active priests steadily decline by 39 percent. Moreover, the total number of priests (including those active, retired and on leave) has dropped by more than 49 percent.

Even more sobering is the fact that ordinations have declined in our Diocese by nearly 92 percent. In the next ten years, excluding deaths and disabling illnesses, 196 priests will be eligible to retire at the age of 71. During this same period, if the current number of ordinations continues at an average of four per year, we will ordain 40 men to priesthood. This will leave the Diocese of Brooklyn with 273 active priests in the year 2009, to minister in 217 parishes, six chapels, and various positions in diocesan offices– a decline of 64 percent since 1979.

Needless to say, the challenge posed by the declining number of ordained priests is urgent and serious. In light of this situation, I am concerned that the growing demands we place upon our priests do not become unreasonable. At the same time, this situation also affords us opportunities for renewal and revitalization. Our faith reminds us that the Lord is always present in the Church to guide and protect us.

We must allow His grace to guide our energies and actions, so that what we do in the years ahead will enable other men to hear His call, inspire our priests to live their ministry faithfully and fruitfully, and revitalize all the faithful to become more involved in the ministries of the Church. In this way, the challenge of the shortage of priests will bring new life to our Church.

I wish to begin my response to this challenge by meditating upon the unique and irreplaceable gift of the priesthood in the life of the Church.

A. The Gift of the Priesthood

The ministry of the ordained priest is indispensable to the mission of the entire people of God as a priestly people. By virtue of their ordination, priests are called to be co-workers with the order of bishops to continue the ministry of Christ the Teacher, Priest and Shepherd.⁽¹⁾ This is evident in the ordination ceremony itself wherein the man to be ordained is called upon to apply his energies to the fulfillment of his sacred duties.

The priest is to share with all humanity the same Word of God that he himself has received with joy.⁽²⁾ By preaching the Gospel to all⁽³⁾, he extends the invitation to believe in the Good News of salvation to people of every race and language.⁽⁴⁾ As Saint Paul reminds us, “For how can they call on one in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”⁽⁵⁾

This ministry of the Word is carried out by the priest in a variety of ways. Formal preaching done within the context of sacramental celebrations holds particular weight, central to which is the Sunday homily itself.⁽⁶⁾ All sacramental celebrations, presented with care and reverence, afford an indispensable source of instruction and encouragement to all believers. In addition, the catechetical role of the priest in properly preparing those who are to receive the sacraments of the Church, is an essential ministry in which he himself must remain involved while effectively collaborating with other members of the faithful.

The priest is also called by ordination to be an agent of communion. He is reminded of this in the ordination rite itself: “Finally, conscious of sharing in the work of Christ, the Head and Shepherd of the Church, and united with the bishop and subject to him, seek to bring the faithful together into a unified family and to lead them, effectively, through Christ and the Holy Spirit, to God the Father.”⁽⁷⁾ True communion within the Church takes many forms, including the promotion of unity of the faithful within individual parishes, of parishes in a local cluster, as well as in the Diocese and throughout the universal Church. Communion is also realized through fraternity among priests and by effective collaboration between priest and laity. It also seeks union among Christians of all denominations and harmony with non-believers.

The unique role of the priest as an agent of communion within the people of God is illustrated in every offering of the Eucharistic prayer. When we gather to celebrate the Eucharist, the Pope, the Diocesan Bishop and the clergy are remembered in prayer, reminding all present that they are essentially linked to all who celebrate the Eucharist in every time and place, with the clergy themselves as special agents of that communion. Indeed, it is at the table of the Eucharist that the assembly of the faithful, presided over by the ordained priest, most completely achieves its identity as the Holy Church of God washed clean by the blood of the Lamb. As the Roman Missal states:

The celebration of Mass is the action of Christ and the people of God hierarchically assembled. For both the universal and the local Church and for each person, it is the center of the whole Christian life. The Mass reaches the high point of the action by which God in Christ sanctifies the world and the high point of our worship of the Father, as we adore him through Christ, his Son… All other actions and works of Christian life are related to the Eucharistic celebration, leading up to it and flowing from it.⁽⁸⁾

Thus, the Eucharist is central to the life of the priest and the life of the Church. Furthermore, a priest’s commitment to the daily celebration of the Eucharist,⁽⁹⁾ strengthens his priestly identity.

In addition to the rich priestly ministry that I have already described, many priests often carry the necessary burden of the administration of the parish to which they are assigned. One can readily understand why many pastors feel somewhat overwhelmed by their administrative duties and responsibilities. I say “necessary burden” because administration is an important part of the work of pastors and administrators.⁽¹⁰⁾

In fact, administration is itself a ministry of service to God’s people. However, it is a “burden” because much time and energy is required for the effective administration of the parish. Therefore, we must seek to develop new and creative ways of delegating some of the managerial tasks of administration to competent members of the faithful, while maintaining the pastor’s necessary and canonical involvement in determining the parish’s priorities and needs, as well as planning the parish’s future life.

Two principles must guide our actions as we address the challenge that the shortage of priests poses to the life of our Diocese. First and foremost, whatever we do must never compromise in any way the unique and essential role of the ordained priesthood in the life of the Church. It is a grave mistake to reduce the ordained priest to a series of functions or duties that must be continued for the perpetuation of the Church. Rather, the ministerial priesthood is a gift of Christ to His body the Church. As I noted earlier, by sacramental ordination, the priest shares in a unique way in Christ’s priestly, prophetic and kingly office. While we must strive to ensure that the services of ordained priests remain accessible to all the faithful, we must never lose sight that the vocation and contribution of the ordained priesthood is absolutely irreplaceable in the life of each parish, and indeed, the Church.

Second, the ministerial priesthood throws light on another important priesthood, namely, the royal priesthood of believers. As the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church of the Second Vatican Council states:

The ministerial priest, by the sacred power he enjoys, molds and rules the priestly people. Acting in the person of Christ, he brings about the Eucharistic Sacrifice, and offers it to God in the name of all the people. For their part, the faithful join in the offering of the Eucharist by virtue of their royal priesthood. They likewise exercise that priesthood by receiving the sacraments, by prayer and thanksgiving, by witness of a holy life, and by self-denial and active charity.⁽¹¹⁾

Within this framework, whatever steps we take must be faithful to the call of our recent Diocesan Synod to foster a spirit of collaboration among all the members of the Church. Collaboration means that we work together for a common good. In the Church, it means we must share our gifts, talents, and vocations for the building up of the Body of Christ, the Church. Part of the challenge we face is the need to help all members of the Church realize their baptismal call to serve Christ though loving service of their neighbor. In this way, our efforts will help to reinvigorate our Church’s life for the glory of God and the salvation of all.

B. To My Brother Priests

I am profoundly grateful to you, my brother priests, for your generous and daily commitment to the sacred ministry that we share. Your ministry often involves great personal sacrifice and requires the total commitment of your energy, talents and time. Each day you labor quietly, diligently and often heroically for the honor of God and the salvation of your own souls and those of your people. Such love and commitment will not go unrewarded. Christ, the Good Shepherd, is your strength and guide and will grant success to the work of your hands to His honor and glory.

As your bishop, I am well aware of how important it is for you to have the time and space to nurture your spiritual, physical and emotional well-being, so that you may remain healthy and able to proclaim the Gospel, striving to make of those entrusted to your care one holy people. I pledge myself and the agencies of the Diocese to assist you in this regard, by using our resources in a more collaborative way in parish clusters. In this way, despite the diminished number of ordained priests, your ministry, including the burden of administration, will always be an “easy burden” and “light yoke” as intended by the Lord.

In 1981 and 1985, the United States Bishops’ Committee on Priestly Life and Ministry issued two documents that addressed the problem of stress that priests face in ministry. They were entitled The Priest and Stress and The Health of the American Catholic Priest: A Report and a Study. Both documents remind us that chronic and unrelieved stress can have serious physical, emotional and spiritual consequences for priests. With an increase of stress comes difficulty with prayer and the loss of motivation, joy, enthusiasm and peace.⁽¹²⁾ Ministry can quickly become a burden to a priest who experiences extreme stress and burnout. As a result, we must do all within our power to relieve the increasing stress that many priests face.

The first step in reducing the stress of ministry begins with a spiritual renewal. Our ministry as priests will remain authentic and joyful as long as we remember that we are disciples of Jesus Christ, called by the High Priest to serve the people of God with His grace and assistance and, indeed, in His very Person. A healthy fraternity among priests and the support and friendship of deacons, Religious and laity will also assist us to balance the stress that can accompany ministry.

C. To the Deacons

Over 5 years ago, the Diocese of Brooklyn ordained its first class of deacons. During the years that have followed, many men have generously responded to the call of the Lord to serve His Church at the altar, in the proclamation of the Word and through works of charity. By their word and example, our deacons have helped the Church to serve Christ though service of our neighbor. As such, diaconal ministry remains a source of rich blessings for our parishes and the entire Diocese.

My dear deacons, you have the unique call to carry the gift of Holy Orders into the world and its workplaces. Share your gifts and talents with all men and women, thereby evangelizing them with the saving message of the Gospel. I also ask that you continue to be open to the needs of the local Church by offering it your energy, talents, and time. By such generosity, you enrich the life of the Church and help to realize, with God’s grace, your own salvation.

In order to facilitate your unique ministry, I mandate the creation of an ongoing program of formation for all ordained deacons. I will also establish a committee to re-evaluate the program of preparation for deacons, so that they may be ready and able to assume greater full time responsibilities in the parishes and the Diocese.

D. To the Religious

Since the establishment of the Diocese of Brooklyn, men and women in religious life and other forms of consecrated vocations have generously and faithfully served the Church and their communities. Rooted in a special call of Christ, and consecrated through vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, they continue to serve the people of Brooklyn and Queens by incarnating the evangelical counsels and thus anticipating the life of the world to come. By their personal holiness and commitment to community life and collaboration, they help realize the mission and ministry of the Church to sanctify the whole world by education, being present to the homebound, the sick, prisoners, the poor and homeless, as well as many other services in charity. My dear religious men and women, for all your work and dedication, I am deeply grateful.

Unfortunately, the shortage of personnel that has affected priesthood also extends to religious life. Many of the religious communities have experienced a serious decline of members during the past years. However, religious men and women continue to be a source of inspiration to us as they follow the example of Jesus “who came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for the many."⁽¹³⁾

E. To Seminarians

You have answered a mysterious call from Christ Himself. Many of you are the fruit of families who have recently migrated to this country. You are all a reason for our hope.

As you strive to discern the will of God in the houses where you are being formed, you must make every effort to prepare for a lifetime commitment that, by the Church’s confirmation in Ordination, will mold you in the likeness of Christ the Priest. Learn to look for Christ “in faithful meditation on God’s Word, in active communion with the most holy mysteries of the Church, especially in the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours, in the bishop who sends (you), and in the people to whom (you) are sent, especially the poor, the young, the sick, the sinful, and the unbelieving.”⁽¹⁴⁾ As you find Him, you must seek to profoundly identify your whole lives with His, and in doing so, attain fulfillment and peace.

As you prepare for the priestly service, so essential to the very life of the Church, you must deepen your spirit of generosity and sacrifice, so that, when hands are laid upon you in the rite that comes to us from the Apostles, you will go forth to look after the interest of the people entrusted to you, and not your own. This will require developing a respect and appreciation of the virtue of obedience “to me and my successors,” which has as its foundation a deep loyalty to the people of this ethnically diverse Diocese, and implicit trust in my discernment of the needs of our particular Church.

By the mere fact of your response, you are “counter-cultural.” I am aware of the pressures that you experience. I understand the concerns that you have. You are an important basis for our future hope. I pray for you constantly, and I beg your prayers for me as your Diocesan Bishop.

F. To the Laity

By Baptism and Confirmation, each member of the Church shares in its mission of salvation according to his/her proper state of life.⁽¹⁵⁾

The laity in their own way are made sharers in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly function of Christ. They carry out their own part in the mission of the whole Christian people with respect to the church and the world…by their very vocation (they) seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and by ordering them according to the plan of God.⁽¹⁶⁾

For the lay men and women, this mission begins in the sacrament of baptism and is realized through active ministry in the world. They are called to bring the Gospel into their workplaces, schools and homes. In order to fulfill this mission, the laity must be nourished in the life of faith. The sacraments of initiation, Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation are prime sources by which all the members of the People of God are nourished. It is when we are nourished by the Lord that we discover anew our equal dignity as members of the Church. I commend all laymen and women to seek holiness in their daily lives and thereby sanctify the whole world.⁽¹⁷⁾

The renewal of lay ministries in the Church, begun in earnest after the Second Vatican Council, flows from the very nature of the Church as a community of believers with complementary vocations and gifts. However, the diminishing number of priests in our Diocese makes more urgent the need to foster lay ministries in our midst. These are meant to be shared through loving collaboration by all the baptized according to their proper roles. As a Diocese we will continue to offer solid, professional formation and training for all the lay ministries of the Church, including ministry to the youth, the sick and homebound, the proclamation of the Word, hospitality, and the preparation of lay administrators for some of our parishes.

In order for our priests to fulfill their role as sacramental ministers and leaders of the faith community, I ask that the talents and gifts of all the baptized be fully utilized in ministry for the glory of Christ and the salvation of the world. To achieve this, we must begin by embracing more reasonable expectations of each other. We must foster ongoing formation and education, so that all members of the Church may properly collaborate and carry out their service for the good of all. There is also the need for pastoral planning on the parochial, cluster and diocesan levels to better utilize the gifts and talents of the priests who faithfully serve the Church each day, even as their numbers decline. I dedicate myself and the agencies of the Diocese to help realize these goals as quickly, completely and efficiently as possible.

My dear lay brothers and sisters, I ask that you pray for our priests. Manifest to them your care, understanding and concern. The words of Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Romans come to mind: I appeal to you, brothers and sister, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in earnest prayer to God on my behalf that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my ministry to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God’s will I may come to you, with joy and be refreshed in your company. The God of grace be with you all. Amen.⁽¹⁸⁾

I also ask you, as dedicated lay men and women, to continue to serve the Church in the spirit of Christ. I offer my sincere thanks and appreciation for all that you do for the life of the Church in Brooklyn and Queens. Know that you all have a place in my prayers and at the altar each day in my celebration of the Eucharist.

G. Pastoral Response

My dear priests, deacons, Religious and laity, having studied the recommendations given to me by the Task Force and in order to facilitate the work of ministry in the Diocese of Brooklyn in the new millennium, I now issue the following directives:

First, we must never forget that the parish is the central structure in which Catholics experience, nurture and incarnate their faith. However, as I noted in my recent pastoral letter responding to the Synod, we must also nurture the ways in which parishes can cooperate on the cluster level. Such cooperation will assist all priests to better minister to their people. As a result, I have already directed each parish to enter into the cluster process to better use and integrate the resources and personnel of its member parishes. This will begin to ease some of the stress that many of our pastoral ministers, most especially our priests, are now experiencing.

Second, I am approving the formation of a committee whose task will be to study the present distribution of priests and the process used to assign them. The goal is to identify the number and availability of priests for each parish in the Diocese. I envision that the findings of this committee will be ready for implementation by Jan. 1, 2001.

Third, I will soon promulgate new sacramental guidelines for our Diocese. One of the purposes of these guidelines will be to simplify and facilitate pastoral ministry in and among our parishes.

Fourth, as I already indicated in my previous pastoral letter of response to the Synod, the continuing formation of priests is essential to their ministerial and personal well-being. To achieve this goal, I have directed the Pastoral Institute to develop a holistic and comprehensive program of continuing formation for priests. In addition, an ongoing formation program will be inaugurated for both deacons and the faithful.

H. A Call to Our Whole Diocese

Fostering vocations to the priesthood is a serious responsibility of the whole people of God. As I stated at the beginning of this letter, the challenge of our present circumstances affords us an opportunity for renewal and revitalization. I believe that all of us – each in his/her state of life – must renew our commitment to fulfill this responsibility with renewed vigor and hope.

There is no question that it is in the sacred setting of the family – the “domestic church” – that priestly vocations begin to flourish. I see in the growing threats to family life and the pressures that affect its unity and harmony a challenge to recommit ourselves to live a fully Christian life. Families that are alive in the virtues of faith, hope and love, and that manifest reverence for a priestly vocation, create the necessary atmosphere so that young men may hear the mysterious call of Christ and respond knowing that they are supported and loved.

To do this, we must be convinced of the extraordinary nature of such a vocation, the need we all have of such a sacred service and recognize it as a unique gift to a family and, indeed, to the Church. What I have said of families can also be applied to parishes, which are the “families” that make up a diocese.

Parallel to the role of family in fostering vocations is the role of priests. I would dare say that most of us who serve Christ and His Church in priestly consecration, were encouraged to discern such a call in our lives because of a contact with a particular priest. I encourage all our priests to continue to strengthen their commitment and identity. Our youth is greatly in need of witnesses to integrity of life, and feel the attraction of heroic dedication. Our love and respect for our fellow priests, and a spirit of selfless collaboration in our common mission, give flesh to the mystery of our vocations.

In humility and joy, we ought to invite those who manifest an interest in the priesthood to be open to such an exciting possibility. It is a tremendous privilege to accompany a young man on a vocational journey. It is renewing grace to lay hands upon him, configuring him to Christ, the High Priest, and welcoming him to the fraternity of the priesthood.

Likewise, we cannot forget how actively religious men and women have been involved in the fostering of priestly vocations. Whether engaged in the formational ministry of Catholic education, or in the service of those in need, consecrated men and women, because of their own experience of a mysterious divine calling, helped identify the signs of a priestly vocation, and encouraged young men to respond with generosity.

There are two conclusions that must be drawn from this brief reflection: First of all, the more authentically we live our Christian vocations, the more we will witness to the values of the Gospel and thus create an atmosphere where priestly vocations may be recognized, nurtured and answered.

Second, we must pray, with urgency and insistence, so that the Lord will send laborers into His harvest. I ask that all members of our communities, as individuals, families and parishes, make this intention a priority in their intercessions before God.

Conclusion

It is with confidence in the grace and power of God that I offer this pastoral letter addressing the challenge of the growing shortage of priests. As the Church has done throughout the ages, we face this challenge recognizing that the Lord will guide us to a renewal of spiritual life that will deepen our personal commitment to Him and to the Church. While challenges are at times uncomfortable, they also present unique opportunities for renewal and growth.

May the years ahead find us ready and willing to seize these opportunities and with the grace of Christ, in courage and faith, be renewed to fulfill the mission given us in baptism and strengthened by confirmation. I also pray that the men whom I am confident the Lord is calling to serve His Church in priesthood, may hear His voice and respond with generosity, trust and love.

As always, we commend ourselves to the intercession of our Blessed Lady, Mother of the Church and Patroness of our Diocese under the title of the Immaculate Conception. Through her example of selfless and obedient response to God’s call and her prayers, may we find inspiration, solace and strength.

Praise be to God, the Most Blessed Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Thomas V. Daily, D.D.
Bishop of Brooklyn

July 5, 2000

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¹ Homily from the Ritual for the Ordination of a Priest.

²>Ibid.

³Presbyterorum Ordinis, 4.

⁴Revelation 5:9.

⁵ Romans 10:14

⁶Sacrosanctum Concilium, 1.

⁷Homily from the Ritual of the Ordination of a Priest.

⁸General Instruction of the Roman Missal (1974), Chapter 1, section 1.

⁹ Code of Canon Law (1983), canon 904.

¹⁰ Ibid., canons 532, 540.

¹¹ Lumen Gentium, n. 10.

¹² The Priest and Stress, p. 2.

¹³ Mark 10:45.

¹⁴ Second Vatican Council, Decree on Priestly Formation (Optatam totius), n. 8.

¹⁵ Code of Canon Law, canon 204

¹⁶ Lumen Gentium, 31.

¹⁷ John Paul II, “the Vocation and Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church and in the World,” Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Dec. 30, 1988, P. 338-339.

¹⁸ Romans 5:30-33.