This sacrament seeks to be a focus of the community's quest for harmony.
To be a centre for conflict resolution. A centre for reconciliation.
To be a symbol of 'Holy Order' in our world
All of us, through Baptism, share in the one priesthood of Christ.
Some are ordained to be a special sign of that priesthood for us, and to lead us as a community of believers.
The Ordained Ministry
It is Catholic teaching that the bishops are successors of the apostles, and as such have a universal mission to teach. It is their particular duty to see that the gospel is proclaimed everywhere.
The bishops of the Catholic world constitute a ‘college’, which enables them to work together, and in union with the Pope. As such, they are a sign of the universality and diversity of the Church, and by their ministry they strive to promote unity among the people of God.
The keynote of all ministry in the teaching of Jesus is that of service.
The leadership which a priest exercises must be in terms of service of others.
His service is to make growth possible. It is God who provides the growth through the Spirit imparted in different ways to different people. The priest’s task is to help people discover their gifts, and to encourage them to use these gifts in a way which contributes to the common good. His call is to serve his people in word and in sacrament, in kindness and generosity, in giving encouragement and comfort.
Just as the bishop is the centre of the unity for the diocese
so should the priest be a bond of unity for the people of the parish.