Benedict XVI: The Task of Forming Priests Is a Delicate Mission

Posted by Kendall Harmon

The task of forming priests is a delicate mission. The formation offered by the Seminary is demanding, because a portion of the People of God will be entrusted to the pastoral solicitude of the future priests, the People that Christ saved and for whom he gave his life.
It is right for seminarians to remember that if the Church demands much of them it is because they are to care for those whom Christ ransomed at such a high price.

Many qualities are required of future priests: human maturity, spiritual qualities, apostolic zeal, intellectual rigour.... To achieve these virtues, candidates to the priesthood must not only be able to witness to them to their formation teachers but even more, they must be the first to benefit from these same qualities lived and shared by those who are in charge of helping them to attain maturity.

Read it all.

Filed under: * International News & Commentary • Europe • France • * Religion News & Commentary • Other Churches • Roman Catholic • Pope Benedict XVI • * Theology • Seminary / Theological Education

1 Comments
Posted June 26, 2009 at 4:24 pm [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. Dan Crawford wrote:

Benedict:
“Many qualities are required of future priests: human maturity, spiritual qualities, apostolic zeal, intellectual rigour…. To achieve these virtues, candidates to the priesthood must not only be able to witness to them to their formation teachers but even more, they must be the first to benefit from these same qualities lived and shared by those who are in charge of helping them to attain maturity.”

Response from all but two Episcopal seminaries: Huh?

June 27, 10:31 am | [comment link]
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