Dare a deacon question a priest?

As a deacon, I know and am very comfortable with my place in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. I am a deacon for a reason. Though as a single male, I would certainly be eligible to pursue ordination to the presbyterate, somehow that doesn't seem to be what God wants of me. I frequently quip -- and as with all my jests there is a significant amount of truth behind it -- I believe that my salvation is dependent upon God having a sense of humor, but that my pursuing the priesthood would be pushing Him beyond His limits.

That is a long way of saying that I have a tremendous respect for priests and look to them for guidance. Most of the priests I know could tell you that I am as ready with questions as with opinions, and I am never too hesitant with the latter. I have a tendency to defer to presbyters in all matters dealing with theology, but even I must draw the line somewhere.

Perhaps I am not sufficiently progressive. Perhaps I shut out the "spirit of Vatican II" when I was busy reading the documents of Vatican II. Or, maybe, I just am as dumb as a sack of bricks. Whatever the reason, I must take exception to the portrayal by Fr. Richard McBrien, the Crowley-O'Brien Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame, of Eucharistic Adoration as "...a doctrinal, theological, and spiritual step backward" as he puts forth on the web site of the National Catholic Reporter. posting here

For if (as I truly believe and as the Church tells me) Christ is really present -- body, blood, soul and divinity -- in the eucharist reserved in the tabernacle, what better place is there to be than kneeling before him in adoration? Alas, I cannot (or my faith is not strong enough to lead me to) spend all my time in adoration. I can only spend what time I might and hope that through the course of the day I might encounter Christ in those whom I meet and serve.

I would ask Fr. McBrien to forgive me for questioning his position... but suddenly I have little desire to approach him for absolution.