Priestly Formation, a Personal Decision

PRIESTLY FORMATION, A PERSONAL DECISION BUT A COMMUNAL COMMITMENT

Course for Seminary Formators

Intervention of His Excellency the Most Reverend Jorge Carlos PATRÓN WONG Archbishop-Bishop Emeritus of Papantla Secretary for Seminaries

28 July, 2016 Istituto Sacerdos

On behalf of Cardinal Beniamino Stella, Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, and on behalf of the community of priests with whom I work in that Dicastery, I thank the Sacerdos Institute for their kind invitation to be with you today. It is a joy to gather with so many who are dedicated to the formation of Priests and future Priests and to reflect on a common concern: priestly formation in Christ Jesus for the world of today.

As the title of this conference indicates, priestly formation is the responsibility of many - those involved in vocations promotion and direction, in seminary formation, and in ongoing formation.

We all hope that the priests we are forming receive and develop two gifts: fidelity and apostolic fruitfulness. By these I mean the capacities both to persevere in their priestly ministry, and also to live it, so that it bears genuine pastoral fruits. To achieve this ideal, we rely firstly on the grace of God, and then we must work together, joining forces, and uniting our energies and resources. To that end, all those committed to the mission of forming priests, both before ordination and throughout their priestly ministry, should draw up a plan, sharing common criteria and a common goal. That goal is a formation which is unified, gradual and integrated, and that takes place within an environment of community life.

Unified. Priestly formation is one unified path, beginning at the moment the young man begins his vocational discernment, moving through his seminary life to Ordination and, finally, continuing throughout his ministry for the people of God. This path could be called missionary discipleship and configuration to Christ. It is discipleship because, whether he be a candidate entering the seminary, or a seminarian, or a priest, he is always called to be with the Master and to follow him, living out his baptismal vocation as a committed Christian. On this path, seminarians and priests, as part of God’s people and together with the people, learn and experience the joy of being lifelong missionary disciples. This missionary discipleship is lived by priests as an ongoing configuration of their lives to Christ the Good Shepherd. It is a configuration, because the priest, although still a disciple, imitates the Master who gives his life, and hands himself over for his flock.

The Universal Church, presided over in charity by the Pope, has become aware of the urgent need to unify formation. This has become clear from the evaluations and suggestions of local churches. The Holy See, in its service to the Universal Church, then gathers what it has received and draws out specific proposals for the good of priestly life, both on a particular and on a general level. The Congregation for the Clergy, which has long been responsible for the ongoing formation of priests, some three years ago also assumed responsibility for the initial formation provided in seminaries. This change took place through the Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio, Ministrorum Institutio. On 16 January 2013, Pope Benedict XVI amended the apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus, and transferred competence for seminaries from the Congregation for Catholic Education to the Congregation for the Clergy. Vocations promotion and direction is also currently within the competence of our Dicastery. This is a clear sign of the unity that must be present in all priestly formation.

Gradual. Priestly formation must be gradual. As I mentioned earlier, the three great moments of formation are vocational, initial and permanent. These three moments constitute a single process, but each is lived in a different way, according to its specific objectives and means. What is built in the first stage becomes the basis for the next. This process of formation is necessary, in order to personalise the path to the priesthood. Not everyone matures in the same way and according to the same pattern. The intention should be to offer a path which is, at the same time, progressive and cumulative, in which a definite decision is made at every step, while remaining open to continual growth. Along the entire path, a disciple of Jesus is formed, called to be a shepherd. Furthermore, the priest is exhorted to renew daily the gift received by the laying on of hands.

In the first moments, the promoters and directors of vocations, must foster an experience of faith, and provide spiritual guidance. This may help bring to fruition a possible decision to enter the seminary. An essential element that cannot be neglected at any stage of training is discernment, and most especially in this period of preparation for eventual admission to the seminary. And this discernment is carried out in equal measure by the young man who feels called and by the Church who might call him to Orders. Pope Francis has repeatedly referred to the need for formators to keep their eyes open and to examine the motivations of candidates for the priestly ministry. In the meeting that the Congregation for the Clergy had with the Holy Father on the 21 November last year, to mark the 50th anniversary of the conciliar decrees Presbyterorum Ordinis and Optatam Totius, he said: “One thing I would add... is vocational discernment, admission to the seminary. Enquire as to the health of this youth, spiritual health, physical health, mental health... Young men enter who appear healthy but when they feel secure, begin to manifest a sickness. Then many sicknesses arise, which we all know.” A key criterion which helps to discern whether the candidate is healthy and could be called to a priestly vocation is whether he could also be good father and a good husband.

The period of initial formation is, in turn, subdivided into other stages: propedeutic, the philosophy cycle, the theology cycle and pastoral experience. The main objectives of the propedeutic stage are to lay the foundations of a spiritual life and to encourage greater self-knowledge, so as to foster personal growth. To do this, it is necessary: a) to introduce the seminarians to the practice of prayer, through silence, mental prayer, the Liturgy of the Hours, sacramental discipline, spiritual reading and intimacy with the Word of God; b) to have a knowledge of Christian doctrine through the study of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the documents of the Second Vatican Council and Pastores dabo vobis; c) to encourage generous self-giving through parish experiences and charity to those most in need; d) to complete their cultural education; and e) to carry out an authentic vocational discernment, in an atmosphere of community life.

The formation of the philosophical stage helps the seminarian to grow in his Christian vocation, becoming a faithful disciple of the Lord. To do this, it is helpful that, in this period, the following be carried out: a) a careful review of Christian initiation; b) the acquisition of habits of prayer, study, work, sport, and apostolic service, so that the candidate may be integrally formed into a disciple of the Lord; c) the development of a critical capacity, rooted in the vision of God, of man and of the world; that is, the study of philosophy; d) the systematic and thorough dedication to the development of the personality of each seminarian, so that he can reach sufficient maturity by the end of the stage; e) the necessary discernment to make the passage to the theological stage.

The theological stage seeks configuration with Christ the Servant, Priest and Shepherd, through: a) specific formation for pastoral charity, through contemplation of the person of Christ the Good Shepherd, which is the centre of the priestly ministry; b) education regarding priestly poverty, clerical celibacy and obedience to the diocesan Bishop; c) a spiritual configuration, which simultaneously encompasses the ways in which the candidate thinks, feels and acts; d) education for the development of priorities proper to priestly ministry: the poor, the sick, spouses, families and youth, consecrated persons, the marginalised; e) and, of course, the study of the theology, which is the foundation and building blocks of the seminarians intellectual formation and which “proceeds from the faith and aims at leading to the faith” (PDV §53). The purpose of the pastoral stage is: a) to accompany the seminarian, who will be ordained deacon and then priest, in his personal and definitive decision to consecrate himself to the Lord in this state of life, taking on the beauty and the responsibilities of priestly ministry in the Church and for the world; b) to assist in his introduction to pastoral life with a progressive assumption of pastoral responsibilities, in a spirit of service.

This process of discernment and maturation during the period of initial formation will assist the candidate to give a definitive answer regarding the consecration of his life in the priestly ministry. Initial formation must also develop a sense of openness, so that the priest never ceases formation and learning from life, through his pastoral mission and service to the Church. If a priest is ordained who has the ability to learn, and to learn daily, the work of the seminary during initial formation has been effective.

In other words, the seminary should instil an attitude of lifelong learning. The priest is always called to be a disciple and, therefore, is not to arrive at the end of his seminary formation with the sense of being “perfectly formed”. Rather he should acquire a docility to let himself be continuosly formed, and an ever new openness to be guided. Formation and mission are closely linked: from the moment we begin formation for mission, we are being formed by the mission itself.

Ongoing formation can also be subdivided into stages, according to the age and situation of priests, whether they be young, middle-aged or elderly. The seminarian, having concluded his initial formation and been ordained is not “perfectly formed”, because now he should start to be a priest. Through the experiences and daily living of the priestly ministry, he continues to respond to the Lord, who also continually keeps calling and assisting with his grace. As Saint Paul exhorted Saint Timothy: “for this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Tim 1:6).

The young priest is accompanied so that, moving on from his comprehensive formation, he may apply and adapt what he learned in seminary to his new reality, with an attitude of openness, which enables him to continue learning through life and pastoral experience.

The middle-aged priest, who lives in the midst of two great generations of priests, becomes a guide for the young and a support for the elderly. Gradually assuming his spiritual fatherhood and continuing to grow in integral maturity, he becomes more honest about his own capacities and limitations; he learns how to die to himself, to abandon himself to God and to live his ministry faithfully and fruitfully. The elderly priest, with greater confidence in God and a hopeful vision of life, becomes a witness to a life lived for others. With his wisdom and experience he becomes a light for those who are younger, serenely concluding an active ministry, and making himself available for such pastoral service that the limitations of old age or illness permit. In the words of our Lord to Saint Peter, “Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” (John 21:18). Life, in each of its stages, teaches lessons which, if we assimilate them, raise us to the heights of happiness which only God can give.

Integrated. Priestly Formation is integrated. It is necessary to seek a balance between the various dimensions of formation. Sometimes one dimension is emphasised at the expense of another; this is a sign that we have not yet matured in our global vision of man, based on the humanity of Jesus. Being integrated signifies a harmonious development which, at the end of each formative stage, leads the seminarian or priest to a higher level of maturity. You must prepare the priest in an holistic way: body, mind, soul and heart; i.e. through psycho-affective balance, theological preparation, spiritual depth and pastoral charity. It might be helpful if we question our own criteria for our formation methods: how is evaluation carried out during the formation process? In the seminary, if a seminarian passed all of his exams for that stage, but is still weak spiritually or pastorally, do we have the courage to intervene? We must break the automatic link between academic preparation and priestly ordination. The ordination of a disciple who is called to be a shepherd implies much more. For this reason, it is not sufficient to entrust seminarians to a university, but we must guarantee for them a priestly formation of the whole person.

Community environment. Priestly formation must take place within a living community environment. It is not good that a candidate for the priesthood merely drifts through formation; in today’s culture, which is often fluid and fragmented, a seminarian may often run the risk of getting caught up in an individualistic sadness – which Pope Francis said – “promotes a lifestyle that undermines the development and stability of relations between peoples” (EG, n. 67). There is no good quality of life without relationships, interactions and common projects. Nor is the priestly ministry to be understood without reference to an ecclesial community.

The priest of tomorrow can not be an “independent contractor” of the sacred; he cannot be privately formed. An isolated priest perseveres in his ministry only with great difficulty and, if he survives, his ministry will probably not be fruitful. Ordained ministry is radically communitarian. On the part of the bishops, this requires a collegial style. On the part of formators, this requires a commitment to live and act in the spirit of a “team”, cultivating fraternal witness. On the part of the presbyterate, this requires a growing responsibility in lifelong formation. One of the major concerns of the Congregation for the Clergy is the formation of formators. The selection of formators should be made taking into account all aspects of priestly life and the ability to surrender with joy and generosity to the mission of formation. When speaking of formators, we do not mean only those who are part of a team of formators in a seminary, but also those who are serving as promoters and directors of vocations and in ongoing formation. We need full-time formators, who commit their entire lives to this task.

When we pray for priestly vocations, that they may be many and, especially, holy, we must also pray for the Church, that the Lord may continue to give vocations to the formation and accompaniment of priests. I know that God does not cease to give the Church these vocations: your presence at this meeting is a sign of that. You are the formators of priests at every stage. We need more priests who discern this calling within their priestly vocation. Do not be afraid to respond generously to this noble mission of accompanying priests through their seminary formation and throughout their lives.

Let me compare priestly formation to a train journey, where the final destination is the configuration to Christ, Priest, Shepherd and Servant, and each of the stations are the different stages of the priestly life. From the moment you take the train, the first station is the family. It then goes through the school station, then the vocation station, the seminary, the first years of priesthood, middle age and, finally, we reach old age.

Nobody on this train is travelling alone, there are more passengers, of different ages, in different carriages. The various dioceses gathered here are a sign of this communion and diversity. Travelling alone would be very boring. The good relations that are built up throughout the trip make it more enjoyable. Some learn from others, and the mutual giving and receiving enriches everyone and helps each one to grow. Being gathered here, building up relations, strengthening human contacts, meeting each other, living moments of fraternity and communion, and so on, will help us to respond ever more fruitfully as we live out the mission which has been entrusted to us.

On this trip there is no shortage of disappointments, weariness, frustrations, and so on. Perhaps even, at times, we want to get off the train. It is important, therefore, that our attitude should always be one of readiness to be formed. We never finish being formed: there is always some part of my personality which is less docile, which resists the promptings of the Son of God that the Father has placed into our hearts. Formation is particularly urgent for that numbed and paralysed part, which can become cancerous.

A privileged form of priestly formation, both through the years of seminary and throughout priestly ministry, is personal accompaniment. We need others. Awareness of our own need for help is essential, and being able to ask for help is a sign of maturity. No one is saved alone; we are saved in community. We are both subjects and objects of priestly formation.

Following from what I have been saying, then, how can we ask all priests to have a spiritual director if no one offers this service? I think that this is an important link between initial and ongoing formation. You, dear Rectors, and your teams of formators, who have been guides and examples to seminarians, must continue to be, when they are priests. The close, fraternal and trusting relationship that has been established during the years of seminary must continue to be cultivated and strengthened, so that priests find in you a person who can continue to accompanying them, through spiritual direction, personal dialogue, confession, and so on.

You cannot stop being concerned for those priests whom you have watched grow in seminary. It is God who, through you, has begun a work within them, which cannot be stopped halfway. I invite you to continue to accompany these priests, who were once your seminarians, as they journey towards the final station.

As Pastores dabo vobis reminds us, the first person responsible for priestly formation is the seminarian or priest himself. Thus, for some, priestly formation started very early, perhaps before entering the seminary, while taking part in vocations events. For others, it has never really begun, although they may have celebrated their silver or golden jubilees. What I am saying is that formation is not something we can ever take for granted; a personal decision is needed. Priestly formation is for each and every one of us. Let us be united in saying “yes” to it – for priests, for seminarians, and for ourselves, my dear formators!

Mary always stood by her Son, from the moment of his conception, throughout his childhood and adolescence, during his public ministry, during the hours of his passion, at the foot of the cross, and finally receiving his lifeless body into her arms. May she help us with her presence and maternal intercession to work in communion and fraternity, helping those whom God entrusts to our care to allow themselves to be formed by the merciful Father, and so that all of us together may be configured ever more closely to the heart of Christ the Priest, Servant and Shepherd. In this way, may our whole ministry become a living and daily hymn which proclaims “the joy of the Gospel”.