The Priesthood
By virtue of their ordination, priests are called to serve Christ by sharing in His ministry. The priest is to be a living, breathing, walking Christ for others. In the person of Christ, he is a leader of people, a shepherd to the sheep, and a father to the Christian family. The priest therefore must be a man who is configured to Christ and be able to act in the person of Christ. Through the sacrament of Holy Orders, a priest is called to publicly exercise his office in the Church by offering sacrifice and proclaiming the Gospel in the name of Jesus Christ. The goal of priestly formation is therefore formation to "the ministerial priesthood, or more precisely, the ministerial priesthood as a participation — in the Church — in the very priesthood of Jesus Christ." (PDV n. 11).
The Life of the Diocesan Priest
The life of the diocesan priest is shaped by his service to the local Church. Through his ordination, he is joined to his bishop and the priests of a particular geographical area called a "diocese." In the Diocese of Kansas City - St Joseph, this geographical area includes the cities of Kansas City and St. Joseph, 27 counties of Northwest Missouri. It is here that the diocesan priest of the Diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph works with the Bishop and with his brother priests in fulfilling the threefold ministry of Christ — preaching the Gospel, sanctifying souls through the Sacraments, and leading the Church through service.
The diocesan priest is celibate, yet he stands at the heart of the parish family. The celibate lifestyle reminds him that his deepest meaning and fulfillment is found in his relationship with the Lord and in his freedom to serve Christ's people. The diocesan priest therefore must be a man of prayer, study, and action. He is called to reflect deeply on the Scriptures and Catholic tradition, to study current theology, and to act as the designated leader of the liturgical prayer of the parish community.
For the diocesan priest, the celebration of the sacraments is central to his life of ordained service. Through the sacrament of Baptism, he brings new members into God's family. In Confirmation classes, he prepares them to receive the Holy Spirit. In the Sacrament of Sacraments, the Holy Eucharist, he gathers God's family for divine worship, instructs them with the Word of God, celebrates the death and resurrection of Christ, feeds them His life-giving Body and Blood, and sends them forth to bring Christ to the world. In Penance he reconciles people to God and His family. In the sacrament of Matrimony, he witnesses the power of Christ making one flesh from two, a living symbol of Christ's love for the Church. Through the Anointing of the Sick, he brings people the comfort of God and the confident hope of eternal life. The diocesan priest ministers by preaching, by teaching, and by helping people make connections between the Gospel and their own lives. He ministers by building community, by drawing people together, by challenging them to serve each other, and by urging them to address the social concerns of our times.
The diocesan priest ministers by celebrating Eucharist, and by leading the community at prayer, especially in the sacramental moments of birth, reconciliation, marriage, sickness, and death. If God is calling you to consider the priesthood in the Diocese of Kansas City and St. Joseph, you will be joining many other seminarians and priests who are happily responding to God's call. These are men who walk by faith. They are flexible and innovative. In their priestly life, no two days will ever be the same. After their morning prayer and celebration of the Mass, our priests are teaching in school, instructing converts, offering counsel to those in need, visiting the sick and bereaved, working with the youth group, preparing for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist and Sacraments, aiding the poor, attending a wedding banquet, and so much more. In all of this, the diocesan priest is Christ among His people — teaching, sanctifying, and serving.