Excerpt from
The Promise of Obedience: A Ritual
History
by Leon Strieder
© The Order of St. Benedict, Inc., Collegeville, Minnesota. All rights
reserved. No part of this may be reproduced by any means, without the written
permission of The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota 56321.
CONTENTS
Introduction
Preface
1.
Roman Beginnings and the Pallium
Roman
Beginnings
Boniface
and the Eight Century
The
Eighth and Ninth Centuries
Eighth-Century
Ordination Rites
Hincmar
and the Ninth Century
Ecclesiological
Reflections
2.
Ordination Rites and Roman Pontificals
The
Romano-Germanic Pontifical
Ordination
of Presbyters in the Romano-Germanic Pontifical
Ordination
of Bishops in the Romano-Germanic Pontifical
The
Romano-Germanic Pontifical: Ecclesiological Reflections
Ordines
Romani of
the Tenth Century
The
Roman Pontificals of the Twelfth Century
The
Pontifical of the Roman Curia of the Thirteenth Century
The
Pontifical of William Durandus
Ordination
of Presbyters in the Pontifical of William Durandus
Ordination
of Bishops in the Pontifical of William Durandus
The
Pontifical of William Durandus: Ecclesiological Reflections
The
Council of Trent
The
Pontificale Romanum of
1596:
The Ordination of Presbyters
The
Pontificale Romanum of
1596:
The Consecration of Bishops
The
Pontificale Romanum of
1596:
Ecclesiological Reflections
3.
Monastic and Mendicant Rites
The
Rule of Benedict
Early
Commentaries on the Rule of Benedict
The
Romano-Germanic Pontifical
The
Roman Pontificals of the Twelfth Century
The
Pontifical of the Roman Curia of the Thirteenth Century
Pertinent
Counciliar Texts of the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries: The Relationship
Between Monks and Bishops
The
Dominicans
The
Franciscans
The
Pontifical of William Durandus
Pertinent
Counciliar Texts of the Sixteenth Century: The Relationship Between Mendicants
and Bishops
Pontificale
Romanum
of 1596
Conclusions
4.
The Second Vatican Council
Pertinent
Texts of the Second Vatican Council: The Relationship Between Bishop, Presbyter,
and Deacon
Pertinent
Texts from both Vatican Councils: The Relationship Between Bishops and the Pope
The
Promise of Obedience in the Revised Rites for the Ordination of a Deacon, a
Presbyter, and a Bishop
Renewal
of Commitment to Priestly Service in the Chrism Mass
Ecclesiological
Reflections
5.
The Revisions of
1990
The
General Introduction (Praenotanda Generalia)
The
Promise of Obedience for Religious to the Diocesan Bishop in the Rites of
Ordination of Presbyters and Deacons
Ecclesiological
Reflections
6.
Eastern Rites and Eastern Catholic Churches
Cleri
Sanctitati
Orientalium
Ecclesiarum
Code
of Canons of the Eastern Churches
7.
Conclusions
The
Historical Context of the Promise of Obedience: The Structural Freedom of the
Church
The
Promise of Obedience in the Pontificals: The Movement Toward a Juridical Notion
of Obedience
The
Diminishment of the Metropolitan Structure: The Movement Toward Papal
Centralization
The
Historical Development of the Promittis—Promitto Form
The
Teachings of the Second Vatican Council on Holy Orders
The
Relationship Between Diocesan and Religious Presbyters and the Diocesan Bishop
The
Development of the Intent of the Promise of Obedience in Ordination Rites
Obedience
and Maturity
The
Relationship Between Bishops and the Pope
The
Role of the Examination
The
Relationship Between the Profession of Faith and the Examination
Obedience
as Relational, Dynamic, and Reciprocal
The
Promise of Obedience for Deacons and Presbyters
Proposals
for Adaptation
Major
Unresolved Issues
Bibliography
Preface
Upon
hearing that in revisions of the 1990
second typical edition for the rites of ordinations there had been added a
promise of obedience to the local diocesan bishop for religious deacons and
presbyters, the seed was planted in my mind that it would be helpful to study
not only the rationale for this addition but indeed the entire history of
promises of obedience in ordination rites.
Due
to the relational and reciprocal nature of obedience, the major questions needed
to be centered on the relationship between the parties involved in any promise
of obedience; namely, the one making the promise and the one to whom the promise
is made. This would include an understanding of the historical context of each
rite and promise, but without imposing modern concerns on a previous period of
history. It would likewise include an understanding of the theological context
in which any rite or promise in ordination rites would be developed. Finally, it
would include an understanding of the canonical or juridical context of ordained
ministry as these relationships were lived out over the centuries. These three
contexts are precedent to and implicit in any ritual expression and, in
particular, in any ritual expression of obedience.
The historical method
that needed to be followed was quite easy to ascertain. Since the first time we
find a promise of obedience in rites of ordination is in the tenth-century
Romano-Germanic Pontifical, chapter one
is a historical introduction that gives the historical background, tracing the
origin and development of the promise of obedience and its ritual connection
with the bestowal of the pallium. The key historical personage here is Boniface,
and the central ecclesial issue is the freeing of the Church in the face of
local lords and proprietary churches.
Chapter two
details the development of the promise of obedience in ordination rites in the
pontificals up through Trent. Using the principles of the comparative method of
textual analysis, we follow the development of the promise of obedience in
ordination rites and question the rationale for each change. What is key here is
the freedom with which the various compilers moved the promise of obedience
within the various rites. This forms the heart of our study.
Due to the
reciprocal relationship between promises of obedience in ordination rites and
those in monastic and mendicant rites of profession and the blessing of abbots,
chapter 3
is a study of that relationship. Beginning with Benedict and following the same
historical and comparative method of textual analysis, we are able to show that
monastic and mendicant rites have had a rich influence, both theological and
ritual, on the promises of obedience in ordination rites.
Chapter four
studies the issues and textual developments of the Second Vatican Council
concerning promises of obedience in ordination rites. In particular, we have the
movement toward a ritual and theological symmetry in which now all three rites
of ordination—bishop, presbyter, and deacon—contain similar ritual
examinations with promises of obedience immediately prior to the actual
ordination. Theologically, the key issues concern the understanding of the
relationships between bishops and the pope and between bishops and presbyters
and deacons in the light of the teachings of the Second Vatican Council.
Chapter five studies
the revisions of the
1990
second typical edition, and because of its recent event, forms a timely section.
It is timely because the various episcopal conferences and episcopal committees
responsible for the various language groups must prepare both translations and
adaptations for their respective constituencies. Theologically it is timely
because the ritual developments of a promise of obedience for religious
presbyters and deacons to the local diocesan bishop is a most significant
statement regarding the future development of the understanding of religious who
also share in holy orders. We are most grateful to Professor Reiner Kaczynski
for his timely help and documentation of this most recent development.
Chapter six
is a study of the Eastern rites and Eastern Catholic churches to recognize their
importance in any further development in the ecclesial understanding of ordained
ministry for the entire Catholic Church. The key issues here concern the
theological and canonical developments in the understanding of the patriarchal
and metropolitan structures of the Eastern churches.
The
strengths of this study, it would seem, are twofold. First, as we mentioned, is
its timeliness with regard to the work of translation and adaptation, which now
must occur after the revisions of the second typical edition of the rites of
ordination. It is hoped that the questions asked of the texts proposed for our
time will be of help for those who must continue the ongoing task of
inculturation. Second, it is hoped that the compilation of all the major texts
that concern the development of the promise of obedience in ordination rites
will be a usable tool for anyone who would wish to know its historical and
ritual story.
The weaknesses of this study lie mainly in the fact that this
is a ritual, liturgical study, and thus many of the theological and canonical
questions remain to be answered, leaving many issues to be resolved. It is hoped
that perhaps this work will aid in a decision by those in the related fields of
theology and canon law to do just such work.