Le fonti patristiche e magisteriali della colletta per l’anniversario dell’Ordinazione sacerdotale

Abstract

This article presents the patristic and magisterial sources of the collect of the Mass for the anniversary of priestly ordination. Most of the prayer alludes to the two recent documents of great magisterial importance for the presentation of the theme of the priesthood in the Church. Both are part of the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, namely the Constitution Lumen Gentium and the Decree Presbyterorum Ordinis. Thanks to them we understand better the sense of obtaining the Ordination to the priesthood which is a vocation to the close communion with Christ and the commitment of service to the Church. Besides, one sees better what the two main commitments of each priest, i.e., the preaching and the administration consist of. Research has shown a certain continuity in the development of theological thought and liturgical practice. Moreover, it must be emphasized that the liturgy can also interpret the theological data in order to express better certain concepts, as happens for example in the original proposal for the term communion to the priesthood of Christ.