SHOULD A PRIEST GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS? CONT… 2 Some years ago when I was at the Minor Seminary, my archdiocese was building a hospital to cater specifucally for pregnant women and children. I was once having a serious discourse with my spiritual director and i suggested to him to permit to write to the Cardinal (then the archbishop) to avoid challenges stemming from the doctors who would divert the patients to their own private clinics to grant permission to priests who want to to study medicine so that they will be sent to this hospital. But I got a ‘No’ for an answer instead they will be asked to study clinical psychology in instead of medicine. I was probably denied for two reasons: 1. It is not appropriate for a priest to be gynecologist 2. I may find myself in conflict between my priestly and medical ethics A priest, though capable of doing what anyone can do, is not expected to act or be involved in certain things because of his state and what he represents. He is not to be distracted or lose focus of his primary calling which is the salvation of souls (cf. Acts 6:1-7). That is why priests are prohibited from conducting personal business or trade through another person for his own personal gain (cf Can. 286) According to the Code or Canon Law, priests are to refrain from anything that has a semblance of vanity except for the good of the Church and for charity (cf. Can 282 § 1 & 2; Matt 19:29), and they are to refrain completely from all those things which are unbecoming to their state or though not unbecoming, but nevertheless foreign to their clerical state (cf Can 285 §1 & 2) or take up the management of good belonging to a lay person or public office which entails rendering of account; and should not be involved in signing promissory note without the permission of the bishop (cf Can 285 §4). Can 285 § 3 states that – priests “are forbidden to assume public offices which entail a participation in the exercise of civil power”. Though Can 287 §1 recognizes the fact that priests are to “foster peace and harmony based on justice which are to be observed among people” Can 287 § 2 categorically states that priests are not to have an “active part in political parties and in governing labor unions unless”, in the judgment of their bishop or religious superior, it is required for the protection of the Church or promotion of the common good. But experiences show that there are priests who own personal businesses, and there are priests who were either interested in or took up political positions. For example, - Two American priests, Robert Drinan and Robert John Cornell served in Congress but withdrew when Pope John Paul II insisted that priests are not to serve in elective office. - Bishop Fernando Lugo became the president of Paraguay, and was laicized after his election. - Fr Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann was Foreign Minister in Nicaragua in 1979, he was suspended but reconciled three decades later. - Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu became governor of Benue State, Nigeria in 1992, he was suspended but reconciled before his death. However the bishop conference can appoint a priest or priests to participate or represent the interest of the Church in the nation’s policy or allow a priest to be an adviser to a particular government – for example the nomination of Msgr John Aniagwu and the then Fr Matthew Kukah by Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria in the political reform National Conference proposed by then President Olusegun Obasanjo. If priests are forbidden from taking up political seats, what other roles can they perform in politics? “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth. But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the Lord Almighty” (Malachi 2:7-8). Be Blessed Shalom TO BE CONTINUED
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 07:40:03 +0000
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