Guide to Ongoing Formation for Priests (Ascension)

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Chapter 1: Priestly Life

the logic of his priesthood. It flows from his configuration to Christ the Head and Shepherd, by which he participates in Jesus’ pastoral charity. The essential content of this pastoral charity is the total gift of self to the Church, following the example of Christ. When a priest accepts the call to Holy Orders, he also accepts the vocation to offer himself for the sake of others. Struggles in the priesthood often begin when that freely chosen, personal sacrifice is later scaled down in favor of personal comforts and a life of ease. 33 A joyful spirit of sacrifice and self-giving therefore lies at the heart of our priestly identity. When a man becomes a natural father, his heart expands to embrace his new child in such a way that the sacrifices he must now make become easy. Such is the normal course of fatherhood, and it is no different for us as spiritual fathers. “Unless you ‘exit’ from yourself,” Pope Francis said in his 2014 Chrism Mass homily, “the oil grows rancid and the anointing cannot be fruitful.” However, if the priest does “exit” from himself, the pope said, “Your people will make you feel and taste who you are, what your name is, what your identity is, and they will make you rejoice in that hundredfold which the Lord has promised to those who serve him.” 22 A father who gladly sacrifices for his children is both a good father and a joyful one. The priest and the natural father understand that their leadership role is only truly expressed in radical service. A priest who does not count the cost, who resists the temptation to chip away at his radical gift of self, who willingly gives away even his personal time when necessary, will be both a good spiritual father and a joyful one—and eventually a holy one.

our way of thinking and acting, our way of relating to people. It makes special demands on us.” PDV, no. 23. 22 Francis, Homily, 2014 Chrism Mass, April 17, 2014.

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