I am happy to welcome you on the occasion of the first plenary meeting of the commission for a better distribution of clergy in the world, conscious of the importance of your work in these recent days. Your aim is to work out a global strategy to intensify and coordinate the "exchange of gifts" between the particular Churches. It is a task that fits in perfectly with the program of the new evangelization initiated over the last decade in all the Churches, and one of whose basic requirements is precisely the presence of many well-prepared priests.

Your commission for a better distribution of priests throughout the world is very new. The idea of establishing it came as a result of the 1990 General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. The testimony of several Synod Fathers at the time called attention to the critical situation of many Christian communities that, due to the priest shortage, are forced to go without the Sunday Eucharist and necessary religious instruction, and are thus at greater risk from the proselytizing of sects. Faced with this situation the Synodal Assembly suggested that appropriate solutions be studied to deal with the scarcity of clergy in these regions.

Acceding to this recommendation of the Synod, I decided to establish, in accordance with Art. 21, 2 of the apostolic constitution Pastor Bonus, a Standing Interdicasterial Commission for Clergy Distribution.

In truth, the problem of a priest shortage is not new. It recurred in various ways and extents in other periods as well. In this regard the discipline introduced by Pope Pius XII with the encyclical Fidei Donum (April 21, 1957) is of fundamental importance, for it opened the way to the personal and direct involvement of many diocesan priests in mission lands. The Second Vatican Council made this orientation its own and again invited priests from dioceses with plentiful vocations to "offer themselves gladly — with the permission or encouragement of their own Ordinary for the exercise of their ministry in countries or missions or tasks that are hampered by a shortage of clergy."¹ For the practical implementation of the Council’s decrees, my venerable predecessor Paul VI, with the Motu Proprio Ecclesiae Sanctae (August 6, 1966), established in the Congregation for the Clergy a special commission "to lay down general principles to secure, taking account of the needs of the various Churches, a more suitable distribution of clergy."² After broad consultation the document Postquam Apostoli was promulgated (March 25, 1980), in order to give precise directives for the mutual cooperation of particular Churches and particularly for a better distribution of clergy in the world.

These authoritative invitations were generously accepted by thousands of diocesan and religious priests who made themselves available over the last 30 years to exercise their priestly ministry in needy ecclesial communities.

These "exchange" initiatives between dioceses correspond to an essential demand of ecclesial communion. Achieved by the Spirit and expressed most fully by the "legitimate" celebration of the Eucharist, this communion seeks to be revealed in practical life in people who actively assume the burdens of their brothers’ and sisters’ sufferings and needs. Was this not the practice of the first Christian communities? Always ready to rejoice over the faith of their brothers and sisters (Rom 1:8; 1 Thes 1:7), they were also quick to grieve for their afflictions (2 Thes 1:4), and to care for their needs by sending personnel (Acts 13:3) and material aid (Rom 15:25-28).

The same attitude must characterize today’s Christian communities. This means reciprocal, not one-way, cooperation. In fact, as the document Postquam Apostoli states: "True reciprocity is present between two Churches in that the poverty of the one Church that receives help makes richer the Church which deprives itself in giving, and it does so both by making the apostolic zeal of the richer community more vigorous and, above all, by communicating its pastoral experiences. These are often most useful.³

If the younger Churches certainly need to count on the strength and resources of the older ones, at the same time the elder Churches can receive a great deal from the witness and vitality of the newer Christian communities. In this regard the orientation given by the Latin-American bishops at Puebla and confirmed recently at Santo Domingo appears exemplary: "Give from your own poverty."

The Holy See does not wish to remain aloof from these dynamics of communion and interecciesial exchange. Although it is true that "the principal and indispensable role for more effective collaboration among the particular Churches" lies with the episcopal conferences,⁴ nevertheless the duty to "preside in charity" proper to the Church of Rome must be able to find the way to express itself in this field too.

Without replacing the episcopal conferences and their departments having explicit responsibility for cooperation between Churches, the Holy See wants to offer itself as a tool for linking, coordinating and examining in order to encourage generosity, pinpoint needs and indicate priorities.

For this reason your Commission’s first task is to increase the Churches’ awareness of the urgent need for an "exchange of gifts;" this is a work of information and recommendation that one hopes will become constant and far-reaching.

Furthermore, the Commission is called to orient the experience of Fidei Donum priests and the work of religious institutes towards those pastoral priorities that are most vital to the overall plan of the new evangelization.

Doubtless, one of these pastoral priorities is the commitment to increasing priestly vocations in the very dioceses that lack priests. The most suitable means for each situation must be found. It is urgently necessary that in every diocese an organized plan be prepared for the vocations apostolate, with priests devoted to it full time. Furthermore, existing seminaries need to be brought up to standard and reestablished with well-prepared formation personnel.

Many Churches in various parts of the world realize that at the moment they lack the necessary resources to achieve the vocation renascence they desire. This is attested to by the numerous requests for help in this matter that continually reach the Holy See. Therefore, it is essential for ecclesial communities with more numerous clergy to accept some form of "exchange," in order to guarantee the neediest Churches priests to work in the vocation apostolate, in seminary formation and in organizing centers for pastoral workers. Religious institutes are also called to give priority to their cooperation in this fundamental service of formation.

Venerable brothers in the episcopate and the priesthood! Whoever can give must not remain indifferent. The Church’s future depends on this generosity! It is a generosity that does not only count on what is surplus, but spurs all ecclesial communities to share what they have, however little, trusting in the Lord’s promise. "Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap" (Lk 6:38).

The decrease in vocations must never impede the missionary impulse! It is precisely this openness of heart, this sharing of what one possesses, that urges God to multiply His gifts.

May the Lord, the guardian and shepherd of His people, make fruitful your service to the communion between the Churches and to the spread of the Gospel. May Mary, the Star of Evangelization, enlighten and always protect you. With affection and deep gratitude I bless you all.

NOTES:

1. Presbyterorum Ordinis, n. 10; cf. Christus Dominus, n. 6; Ad Gentes, n. 35.

2. I, 1.

3. N. 15.

4. Postquam Apostoli, n. 18.