A Reflection on the Complementarity of the Vocations

     Frequently in my travels to various groups I hear complaints about why the Catholic Church does not allow married men to be priests. Often this sentiment will be followed by an example of a very holy married man who "would have made a great priest, if only the Church would let him…" It seems to me that when confronting this kind of thinking we should keep in mind several things. The first is that "Whoever hears you hears Me." This means that the Church in making decisions about the discipline of celibacy in the priesthood is being guided by God. The second is that this same God is creating these men and giving them their vocations…to marriage. If both of these are the case, and if God does not make mistakes in calling us to a certain vocation, it seems to me that there is a deeper issue here. When we see a holy man, and we automatically think, "That guy is great priest material," we fall into the trap of believing that priests are the only ones called to holiness. At Vatican II, this notion was cast out of Catholic thinking by the universal call to holiness, which said that all people are called to be holy, married men included. The problem remains, however, that many people still have a difficult time recognizing that holiness can and should exist outside of the priesthood or religious life. That which makes for a great priest is the same thing that makes a great husband: holiness. Although many people consider the Church to be "behind the times," here is one definite place where it is we the people who are trying to catch up. Believing in the universal call to holiness means seeing in each of the vocations a path that follows by the same holy Way. The Pope, in his Wednesday Catechesis now known as the Theology of the Body, took a very practical angle on this issue. He spoke of a complementarity among the vocations. While the major theme he spoke about was how the vocations explain one another, looking deeper we can see another theme woven in: that each vocation is yet another way to be holy. Since holiness is what underlies them all, the principles underlying each vocation will be the same. It will only be the living out of these principles in the concrete situations in which each vocation finds himself that differ. One of the best examples of this often comes in the form of an objection to the kind of thinking I am promoting: "But if he were a priest, he could reach so many more people." Here is a place where we see that reaching people with the love of God requires a life of prayer and service. These principles remain the same while the recipients of such love are the only thing that differs. The priest reaches a greater quantity of people with his message, while the husband plays a more decisive role in the formation of his children. It is as if the impact of their holiness is equal, even though in the priest’s vocation it is spread horizontally, so to speak, while in the husband’s vocation, it is spread more vertically. By looking to those vocations which have in the past been considered holier and to their rich heritage in the practice of holiness, married people (and singles for that matter) can gain a greater understanding of the principles of holiness. By applying these principles to their lives, married people will begin to forge the path of what it means that all people are called to holiness.

Annie Vining can be contacted at avining@tobet.org

The Theology of the Body Evangelization Team can be reached at info@tobet.org