Called to Live a Spiritual Vocation

Fundamental Guidelines

The present article aims at highlighting the fundamental principles for the discernment for Major Holy Orders within the Byzantine Catholic Church as presented in the Holy Scriptures, Church Fathers, Code of the Canons of the Eastern Churches, the Teaching of the Church, and the Tradition of the Mother Eparchy of Mukachevo, Ukraine, Europe (from which  the following Churches sui iuris and eparchies/exarchates derive: Metropolia of Presov (Slovakia) including Eparchy of St. Cyril and Methodius (Toronto, Canada), Metropolia of Hajdudorog (Hungary), Metropolia of Pittsburgh (USA), Eparchy of Maramures (Romania), Eparchy of Krizevci (Croatia), Exarchate of Prague (Czech Republic), and Exarchate of St. Nicola of Ruskyj Kerestur (Serbia). The priesthood is a special participation in Christ’s mission for the salvation of the human beings. It is based on His command, actualized by the Holy Spirit, and realized throughout the centuries in continuum with the historical foundations. It is the actualization in the Church of Christ’s mediation and intercession through persons chosen by God[1] and configured to the life of Christ, living the patterns given in the Gospel.[2]


WHY THE PRIESTHOOD

In his love for humankind, God the Father “so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (Jn 3:16-17). Jesus, the Good Shepherd (Jn 10:11), by offering his life on the cross, renews the bond between God and humans and becomes not only the Mediator between God and humanity (1Tim 2:5) but also the Shepherd foretold by the prophet Ezekiel (34:23). His sacrifice brings about the remission of sins and new life (1Cor 15:3-4; Rom 5:6-11.18; 6:3-4). Jesus desired that the blessings of the salvific fruits of these actions continue to be available through the Holy Mysteries (Sacraments) to every person – until he comes in glory. That is why he established the hierarchical priesthood in the Church. He did so at the Mystical Supper when he gave the command to repeat the memorial of his Death and Resurrection, confirming this command giving the apostles the Holy Spirit for the remission of sins (Jn 20:22-23). In consequence, the priesthood of Christ is the actualization in the Church of Christ’s mediation and intercession through persons chosen by God.[3]

CHRIST WHO CALLS

It is Christ himself who calls to the different sacred ministries in the Church: 13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons. (Mk 3:13-15).
Jesus’ example sets forth the theology and spirituality of all the sacred ministers: called by him to be with him in order to be sent to preach and heal and thus gather all the nations to the house of God (Lk 14:21-23). If the believer is called to imitate Christ (cf. 1Cor 11:1; 1Cor 4:16; Eph 5:1; 3Jn 1:11; Heb 6:12; Heb 13:7; 2Thess 3:7; Phil 3:17), how much more a future servant of the altar!
Consequently, the Church codified the following ‘Those aspiring to the sacred ministry are to be formed so that in the Holy Spirit, as a familiar companion, they might dwell with Christ and to seek God in all things, so that impelled by the love of Christ, the Pastor, by the gift of their lives, they become solicitous to gain all people for the kingdom of God’ (Code of the Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO), can. 346).  

Signs of vocation

The Church retains valid, furthermore, that the discernment of spiritual vocations must be conducted on the basis of objective criteria, which treasure the ancient tradition of the Church and take account of the present-day pastoral needs. In consequence, a true vocation can be recognized by this ‘being with him’ (Mk 3:14). What does it mean? How can a person be with Christ? How do I know whether I am with Christ? The following are the basic indicators: a healthy spiritual life – personal devotion to the Word of God, prayer life, the active sacramental life, especially the Mystery of Reconciliation and Eucharist, Marian devotion, and a missionary zeal. The CCEO formulates these in the following way: ‘(Candidates) ought to draw daily from the word of God and especially from the sacraments to receive the power for their spiritual lives and strength for apostolic labor; alert to the word of God, in constant meditation [   ] are to train for a life more configured to the life of Christ and [  ] to strive to live according to the pattern given in the Gospel; [  ] participate in the Divine Liturgy; [   ] they ought to learn especially by means of spiritual direction to open rightly their consciences and receive the sacrament of penance frequently; ought to pursue a filial piety to Holy Mary ever Virgin, Mother of God, whom Christ established as mother of all people’ (Cf. CCEO, can 346 §2).
Furthermore, St. Paul outlined the basic requirements for the candidates for the diaconate or priesthood in his letter to Timothy: above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,  not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money; not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit; be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain, must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience (cf. 1 Tim 3:1-13).
The qualities listed by the Apostle are prevalently human, indicating that a sacred minister could carry out his ministry only if he were acceptable model of humanity! Echoes of this biblical tradition are found in the subsequent patristic period. Didache (15,1) echoes the words of St. Paul. St. Polycarp (Epist. Ad Philippenses, 5,1-2) urges the future candidates to be ‘servants of God and Christ, and not of men, walking according to the truth of the Lord, who was the servant of all.’

Therefore, the CCEO says ‘(Candidates) are to be helped also with those other virtues, which especially apply to their vocation, such as discretion of spirit, chastity, fortitude of the soul; they are to esteem and cultivate those virtues which are found among the most of humanity and enhance the ministry of Christ, among which are sincerity of heart, diligent concern for justice, the spirit of poverty, fidelity to promises, courtesy in acting, speaking modestly joined with charity’ (CCEO, can 346 §2,8).

Over the centuries the Church completed the profile of the candidates with certain specific human qualities and evangelical virtues necessary for the ministry: psychological maturity, capacity for dialogue and communication, sense of responsibility, industriousness, equilibrium, and prudence. Among the evangelical virtues the following are particularly important: prayer, Eucharistic and Marian devotion, humble and strong sense of the Church, love for the Church and her mission, apostolic and missionary zeal, openness to service, charity toward the brothers and sisters and the needy.
Following the teaching of St. Ignatius of Antioch (110 AD), a profound sense of obedience is necessary prerequisite for the candidates for the diaconate or priesthood:
Take care, therefore, to be confirmed in the decrees of the Lord and of the apostles, in order that in everything you do, you may prosper in body and in soul, in faith and in love, in Son and in Father and in Spirit, in beginning and in end, together with your most reverend bishop; and with that fittingly woven spiritual crown, the presbytery; and with the deacons, men of God. Be subject to the bishop and to one another as Jesus Christ was subject to the Father, and the apostles were subject to Christ and to the Father; so that there may be unity in both body and spirit.”
(Epist. Ad Magness. 13:1–2).
“Do nothing without the bishop, keep your body as the temple of God, love unity, flee from divisions, be imitators of Jesus Christ, as he was imitator of the Father.”
 (Epist. Ad Philadelph.7:1–2)
In this regard St. John Paul II said in his catechesis on Oct. 20, 1993: “Those dominated by an outlook of contestation or of opposition to authority cannot adequately fulfill the functions of the diaconate. The diaconate can only be conferred on those who believe in the value of the pastoral mission of bishops and priests and in the assistance of the Holy Spirit who helps them in their activities and in the decisions they take.”[4] Though he addressed the requirements for the candidates for the diaconate, the same is valid for the candidates for any ministry in the Church. CCEO declares ‘Students are to be educated according to the mind of the Church and its service as well as to the virtue of obedience and mutual cooperation with their brothers’ (CCEO, can 346 § 2.7).

The role of the bishop

It is up to the eparchial bishop to promote vocations, establish and regulate programs for training clerics (CCEO, can. 329 §1,3; can 330 §1 and 3). The CCEO furthermore makes clear that it is the competent ecclesiastical authority that chooses the candidates and promotes them for the ordination (can. 323 § 1), which means there is no entitlement to be ordained.
According to the well-established historical tradition of the Byzantine (Greek) Catholic Church growing from the roots of Eparchia Munkacsiensis[5] the candidates for priesthood are single men who after the period of the formation in the seminary may marry or remain celibate/religious. The formation consists of 2 years of philosophical studies, 1 year of pastoral internship, and 4 years of theological studies (CCEO, can. 348-352). There is always a period of discernment before being admitted to the formation. Candidates who decide to receive the Mystery of Marriage undergo a special formation program together with their fiancée.

THE EPARCHY OF PARMA, OH

In the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma, OH, consequently, only single men are taken into consideration for the formation as indicated above. The first phase of discernment is on the parish level under the guidance of the parish priest. Upon his report the candidate is invited to spend a year in the House of Vocation in Parma. It is after this year that the candidacy for the seminary is confirmed or denied. A candidate must be:

• a practicing Byzantine Catholic.
• 5 consecutive years of active involvement in the same Byzantine Catholic parish
• no recent convert or person who recently switched a Church sui iuris; in such cases 10 years of active membership in the Byzantine Catholic Church are required
• balanced spiritual life
• human and psychological maturity
• active involvement means among others: altar service, active cantoring, involved in different youth or other activities; willingly offering his talents for the service of the community
• active cantor means ability to sing all the Oktoechos and all the services

                                   

PERMANENT DIACONATE
                                                                   
Similarly, the candidates for the permanent diaconate must be active members of the community and already have exercised praiseworthy commitment to apostolate. For the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma beyond the above-mentioned requirements the following are required:

• at least 10 years of membership in the Byzantine Catholic Church
• 5 consecutive years of active involvement in the same Byzantine Catholic parish
• no recent convert or person who recently switched a Church sui iuris; in such cases 10 years of active membership in the Byzantine Catholic Church are required
• balanced spiritual life
• human and psychological maturity
• active involvement means among others active cantoring
• active cantor means ability to sing all Oktoechos and all the services
• not younger than 35 years old with grown children (high school age the youngest)
• wife must be an active member of the Byzantine Catholic parish community as well
• wife will be required to be involved partially in the process of formation
• each candidate for the diaconate is self-sustaining, that is, he is not receiving any salary from the Eparchy during his formation nor after the ordination.