Theology of priesthood in an integral approach. Interpretations

This study in the field of dogmatic theology is a continuation of two previous works dedicated to the “Biblical Foundations” and the “Development of Church Doctrine” regarding the subject of priesthood. The present “Interpretations” primarily focus on the teachings of the Second Vatican Council on this topic, with particular attention to contentious—or not fully clarified—issues, such as the distinction between the common and ministerial priesthood, or the place of the diaconate within the structure of the sacrament of Holy Orders. The criterion for evaluating individual interpretations is based on the Church’s teaching to date and their internal consistency. Therefore, the “Interpretations” address issues such as the nature of the common priesthood, arising from the natural human capacity for wonder at creation and from the grace of baptism and confirmation; the role of the priesthood in the work of salvation—specifically how the realization of priestly functions leads to salvation and what constitutes the novelty of Christ’s priesthood; the ontological and existential dimension of the ministerial priesthood, encompassing the new way of being for the ordained person that results from complete belonging to Christ; the nature of priestly ministry (presbyter and bishop), including the diaconate and its relationship to priesthood, the search for distinctive characteristics of such ministry, the essence of priestly service, priestly mediation, and the essential attributes of this ministry. The presented “Interpretations” lead to two fundamental conclusions: there is an urgent need to promote the theology of priesthood, and there is a necessity for personal commitment to the common priesthood by all believers, and to the ministerial priesthood by the ordained, through the complete offering of oneself to God the Father through Christ in the Holy Spirit.