Videoconference for the Congregation for the Clergy

Paper: "New means for the education of the Clergy"

Father Paolo Scarafoni, L.C., Rector of the Pontifical University Regina Apostolorum

November 23^rd 2004

Pastores dabo vobis nos. 80-81 provides a number of means for permanent education allowing presbyters in today’s society to grow spiritually, intellectually and pastorally. They are all means encouraging greater communication and joint efforts, also thanks to the transport and communications technologies available today.

First of all there are the frequent presbyterial meetings.

The Bishop’s meetings with the presbyter, for the celebration of the liturgy, for pastoral reviewing and planning, for discussing current doctrinal themes, for providing information regards to guidelines from the Holy See and the diocesan Bishop.

The encounters for priestly spirituality: spiritual exercises, days of retreat and meditation, priests’ pilgrimages to sanctuaries for the constant renewal of their answer to the Lord and for the growth of fervour.

The shared study and meditation encounters: these are workshops that encourage knowledge of the Church’s Teachings; the study of current issues (for example organising brief courses on bioethics, the Church’s social doctrine, apologetics, sects and religions, in-depth study of the Holy Scriptures etc.); the study of and guide to the application of new pastoral methods; an exchange of pastoral experiences and instruments that have been successful (in the fields of catechesis, of pedagogy and school management, of didactic, audiovisual and IT materials, pastoral projects and methods for children, adolescents and the young, family pastoral care, the organisation of popular missions etc). These meetings must be addressed at unifying efforts overcoming particularisms, at optimising resources, at making initiatives larger and more widespread also extending them to a larger number of believers, resulting in a greater incidence in the fabric of society. An important method to apply in these workshops and during presbyter encounters is the "revision of life", described in Pastores dabo vobis, no. 10: "This interpretation is a work which is done in the light and strength provided by the true and living Gospel, which is Jesus Christ, and in virtue of the gift of the Holy Spirit.".

The real risk to be avoided is that of naively believing that each novelty coming from history, what is considered by dominant opinion as "progress", is automatically considered as compatible with the Gospel, a manifestation of the Gospel and, hence considered a "sign of the times".

The Pope proposes one should follow three levels of discernment for assessing historical events and the current situation:

- In-depth knowledge

- The interpretation of ambiguous and at times conflicting elements in historical situations

- Evangelical discernment allowing those events to become specifically a "sign of the times" of the coming of the Kingdom, hence an appeal from God requiring an answer.

The workshops can be organised as intensive weekly sessions, and must have a programme manager and guarantee spiritual activities for the participants.

Other extremely important instruments for the education and life of priests today, are forms of common life: instead of living alone, it is a good idea for priests to share a common home and from there travel for their pastoral ministry. Priestly associations should be encouraged and in this sense proposals coming from new movements and communities are increasing in importance: without affecting the diocesanity of the deacons’, priests’ and bishops’ vocations and ministry, these can provide structured spiritual instruments as the expression of charismas that are present within the Church and encourage priestly fervour and pastoral zeal.

Finally, thanks to the internet and email, it is possible today to encourage constant communication with the Bishop and among priests, updating the Teachings and current issues, and about courses on theological and moral education. To achieve these objectives it is a good idea to use news agencies, and the distribution of CDs or other IT material. Other instruments that are extremely useful in this field, are video and audio conferences.

Today’s world has understood that greater communication leads to greater economic development and higher earnings. It is the priests’ duty to make Christians understand that increased communication, used with maturity and evangelical discernment, leads to greater unity and charity and therefore to a greater presence of the Kingdom of Christ.