The purpose of leadership

The Church's ministry of leadership is meant essentially not to be an autocratic authority absorbing all other functions, but one ministry in the midst of a multiplicity of other charisms and functions: a stimulating, coordinating and integrating ministry to the congregation and the other ministries, whether these are permanent (catechists, administrators, social welfare workers, various auxiliary ministries, theologians) or not (groups for making visits, various acts of individual initiative, etc.).

An approach of this kind avoids an accumulation of competencies, which is irresponsible in this age of specialization, and allows for a fresh differentiation of functions. The head or leader of the Church does not need to be a professional theologian, trained psychological counselor, financial expert and educationist as well, since these functions are not linked with priestly or episcopal ordination. (For instance, the theologians in the Eastern churches, now as in the early Church, are mostly laymen). However good it may be, no academic training can prepare a person adequately for all these functions; even talents that are well above average cannot meet simultaneously all the increasingly specialized demands.—Why Priests?, page 83

The Church's ministry of leadership is meant essentially not to be a ministry under the arbitrary control of men, but one which can be understood as putting into effect a mandate fro the Lord of the congregation and as a free gift of the Spirit: a ministry arising out of a calling from God in the Spirit of Jesus Christ, a calling which must be examined by the community, a calling which finds expression in an inner compulsion, an inner awareness of competence and of being impelled toward practical ministry. There is a part that men—the congregation and the existing congregational leadership (the latter perhaps to be regionally superordinated)—can and should play in the concrete calling of a person to ministry in the Church; but not even the Church leadership can give a vocation to someone who does not already have one.—Why Priests?, page 85