Pope: priests must confront tensions of their ministries, improve catechesis

14-08-2008

Vatican City, Aug 11, 2008 / 10:55 am (CNA).-
The Holy See's Press Office released the transcript this weekend of a
question and answer session Pope Benedict XVI held with priests from
Bolzano-Bressanone, where he is spending his vacation. Among the issues
addressed by the Holy Father was the way in which priests should
address tensions within their ministries, as well as the administration
of the sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation to nominal
Catholics.

During the meeting, which took place at the local Cathedral, Pope
Benedict XVI said in response to the tensions priests experience in
their ministry, "two fundamental aspects" need to be considered: "On
the one hand, the irreplaceability of the priest," who is "completely
dedicated to the Lord and therefore totally dedicated to man," and "on
the other hand-and this is even more important today-the multiplicity
of charisms and the fact that together they make up the Church."

After explaining the need to show young people that priests can
"serve others in an important way," the Pope emphasized that celibacy
only has meaning "if we truly believe in eternal life and if we believe
that God helps us."

He also said that faced with very busy schedules, it is important
that priests "have the courage to limit themselves and the clarity to
set their priorities," the most important one being "the time a priest
spends with the Lord and therefore having time for prayer."

Prayer helps the priest "to learn what is truly essential, to learn
where my presence is truly needed as a priest and where I cannot
delegate to anybody.  And at the same time I should humbly accept that
there are many things and moments that require my presence but that
cannot be done because I recognize my own limitations.  I think that
such humility will be understood by people," the Pope said.

"And with this there is something else I should understand: how to delegate and call others to collaborate," he added.

Commenting later on the loneliness that priests often experience,
Benedict XVI recalled that priests are "a true community of brothers
who should sustain and help one another" in order to avoid the danger
of "isolation in loneliness and sadness, and therefore it is important
we get together regularly."

"No priest is a priest all by himself. We are a presbyterate and
only in this communion with the bishop can each one carry out his
service," the Pope added.

Catechesis for the Sacraments

In response to another question about what do with the children and
young people who request First Communion and Conformation but do not
appear to be ready to persevere in the faith, Benedict XVI confessed
that "when I was younger I was stricter. I said, the sacraments are the
sacraments of the faith, and therefore where there is no faith, there
is no praxis of faith, and thus the sacrament cannot be conferred. And
I discussed this latter with my priests when I was Archbishop of
Munich. (...) As time has gone on I have come to understand that we must
follow always the example of the Lord, who was very open to those on
the fringes of Israel at that time as well, He was a Lord of mercy,
very open-according to many official authorities-with sinners,
embracing them and allowing himself to be welcomed at their dinners,
attracting them to communion with Him."

"If we can perceive even a flicker of desire for communion in the
Church, a desire also of these children who want to enter into
communion with Jesus, I think it is fair to be more generous. Naturally
of course, one aspect of our catechesis should be to make it understood
that Communion, First Communion, is not an ending event, but rather
demands a continual friendship with Jesus, a journey with Jesus," the
Pope continued.

"In these sense, naturally we should do everything possible in the
context of the preparation of the sacraments, in order to reach the
parents as well and thus make them aware of the journey they are on
with the children. They should help their children to follow their own
desire to enter into friendship with Jesus," the Holy Father said.

"If parents have the desire for their children to make their First
Communion, this desire, often a social one, should be extended to a
religious desire, in order to make a journey towards Jesus possible,"
the Pope stressed.