杏MAP导航

By Lisa Zengarini

杏MAP导航 Francis has urged Italian seminarians, formators  and bishops from the southern Italian region of Calabria, to address the new pastoral challenges in their Dioceses by renewing priestly formation and joining forces.

The 杏MAP导航 met with the students and staff of the seminaries who are accompanying their bishops on their ad limina visit to Rome, in the Vatican's Consistory Hall, on Monday morning.

杏MAP导航 Francis addressed the group by first thanking the rectors and the formators for their 鈥渟ometimes hidden and painful work鈥� they do for the seminarians 鈥渨hich requires the daily effort of accompaniment and discernment.鈥�

Noting that, despite often making headlines for crime-related incidents, Calabria has a precious cultural and spiritual heritage 鈥渢hat unites the East and the West,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 remarked that without 鈥渁 renewed commitment to promote evangelization and priestly formation,鈥� that heritage dating back to Greek times, risks 鈥渞emaining only a beautiful past to be admired.鈥�

Clerical careerism is a plague

The 杏MAP导航 then reflected on a passage from the Gospel of John: 'They stayed with him' (Jn 1:39), which refers the first disciples who followed Jesus. Those words remind priests the foundation of their ministry: 'This is your vocation, to lead the way with the Lord, the love of the Lord鈥� said the 杏MAP导航. 鈥淎nd be careful not to fall into careerism which is a plague.'鈥�

Pastors, not functionaries

Taking his cue from the initial question that Jesus addresses to the two disciples when He realizes that they are following Him -  "What are you looking for?,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis invited the seminarians to ask themleves what they are looking for in the priesthood: that is whether they aspire to be 鈥渃lerical priests who don't  know how to knead the clay of our suffering humanity, or, instead, to be like Jesus, a sign of the Father's tenderness.鈥�

鈥淚t is very sad," he said, "when you find priests who are functionaries, who have forgotten they are pastors of the people and have turned into state clerics, like those of the French courts, le Monsieur l'Abbé." 

Joining forces to address new pastoral challenges

The 杏MAP导航 then turned the question to the bishops present, inviting them to reflect on what kind Church they dream of, and, therefore, what kind of priest they imagine for their flock.

杏MAP导航 Francis remarked that this discernment is all the more necessary today at a time when the  influence of Christianity has progressively waned, and 鈥渁 new ecclesial season is opening before us." This situation,  he said 鈥渞equires a reflection also on the ministries of priests鈥�, whom we cannot think of anymore as  "solitary shepherds" closed in their parishes.

Adapting priestly formation to the signs of the times

In light of the current changing scenario, the 杏MAP导航 invited the Bihops of Calabria 鈥渢o make a clear choice about priestly formation鈥�, by focusing their energies on fewer seminaries, rather than 鈥渄ispersing forces鈥� by multiplying them.

Although this requires a complex process of discernment,  these are necessary decisions which bishops, supported by their local churches and inspired by the Holy Spirit, need to make , stressed the 杏MAP导航, urging tthem not to let themselves 鈥渂e paralyzed by nostalgia, and  not to remain prisoners of provincialisms that cause so much harm.鈥�

In this regard, 杏MAP导航 Francis also invited the bishops emeritus to offer their support to this effort 鈥渨ith prayer and silence鈥�, without interfering in the process.

Charity, unity, and  fraternity

Wrapping up his address, the 杏MAP导航  urged the seminarians, and bishops to be 鈥渃ourageous鈥� in introducing the necessary changes, and to always act and walk toghether 鈥渋n charity, unity, and  fraternity鈥�, recalling the words of St. Francis di Paola, Calabria鈥檚 Patron Saint, whose birth is commemorated on 27 March.