Priestly Identity: Crisis and Renewal (Part 1)
Used with Permission from Zenit.org
Interview with Father David Toups
By Annamarie Adkins

WASHINGTON, D.C., MARCH 19, 2008 (Zenit.org).- A general crisis of authentic masculinity in society has also affected the priesthood as only "real men" can adequately fulfill the role of priest and pastor, says Father David Toups.

Father Toups, the associate director of the Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations of the U.S. Episcopal conference, is the author of "Reclaiming Our Priestly Character." In this interview with ZENIT, Father Toups comments on the identity and character of the priesthood, and the various challenges it faces today.

Q 1: Your book focuses on recovering what you call the “doctrine of the priestly character.” Can you describe this “doctrine” in a nutshell?

Q 2: Is it your view that the nature of the priesthood is unknown or misunderstood by many priests? Is mandatory “continuing priestly education” the answer?

Q 3: Some observers fear that encouraging young priests -- many of who are already attempting to recover traditional liturgical and devotional practices -- to rediscover their priestly character will only foster a new form of clericalism. Others believe giving prominence to the ministerial priesthood will diminish the common priesthood of the faithful -- a development that many see as one of the hallmarks of Vatican II. How would you respond to critics of your proposal?

Q 4: Is there a crisis of authentic masculinity in the priesthood? Could this be a source of the vocation shortage, especially among Latinos?

Q 5: What role does the concept of “fatherhood” play in the priestly life? Is there a fear of this term because of political correctness?