The Thomistic Institute Why the Catholic Church Has Priests – Fr. Dominic Langevin, O.P.
Mar 24, 2026
Fr. Dominic Langevin, O.P., a Dominican theologian and dean who studies sacraments and liturgy, explains the priesthood as a divinely willed system of mediation. He outlines how ordained ministers bestow divine gifts, lift prayers, and are configured to Christ the High Priest. He traces scriptural and patristic roots, explains why ministers are male, and defends the Church’s ordered pastoral structure.
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Everyday Mediation Examples
- Langevin uses modern mediation examples like texting, phone calls, and airport QR checks to show intermediaries are part of everyday life.
- He contrasts horse-and-buggy travel with impersonal airport processes to illustrate changing proximity in mediation.
Holy Orders Reflect Divine Ordering
- God ordains middle agents so lower creatures are perfected by higher ones, so God established holy orders to deliver sacraments.
- Langevin cites Aquinas: multiplicity of orders imitates divine action and beautifies the Church's body.
Three Reasons For Clerical Orders
- Aquinas gives three reasons for multiplicity of orders: to show God's wisdom, to bear human weakness, and to give paths for cooperation.
- Langevin emphasizes that complexity dignifies both God and human ministers, like a coach organizing a team.
