Guide to Ongoing Formation for Priests (Ascension)

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Chapter 2: Ongoing Formation

Personal Means 71 The personal means of formation are the individual practices and attitudes that promote ongoing growth, because the priest remains “principally and primarily responsible for his own ongoing formation.” 50 In most cases, these personal means are simply the extension of habits that we first nurtured in the seminary. A good starting point for many priests who wish to deepen their formation is therefore a return to the basics that began in the seminary: recovering the fervor that animated their lives prior to ordination. Many seasoned priests can witness to this beautiful experience of a “second conversion” that has breathed new vitality into their priestly lives and ministry. 51 The personal means of formation, if taken seriously, have a unique potential to return a priest to the first love that inspired his vocation at the very beginning. 72 The point of departure for the personal means of ongoing formation is the priest’s own investment in the undertaking. As in our seminary years, we remain the primary agent of our formation. However good our seminary might have been, it could only make us into holy and effective priests if we applied ourselves to what we learned and assimilated it into our lives. 52 So too in ongoing formation, the best resources in the world will do little to help a priest who does not make the effort to grow. It is up to us to make formation a priority, by giving it the time, attention, and energy that it deserves. 53 50 Ratio Fundamentalis , no. 82. “The term ‘ongoing formation’ is a reminder that the one experience of discipleship of those called to priesthood is never interrupted. The priest not only ‘learns to know Christ’ but, under the action of the Holy Spirit, he finds himself within a process of gradual and continuous configuration to Him, in his being and his acting, which constantly challenges the person to inner growth.” Ratio Fundamentalis , no. 80. 51 “Ongoing formation is intended to ensure fidelity to the priestly ministry in a continuing journey of conversion, in order to rekindle the gift received at ordination.” Ratio Fundamentalis , no. 81. 52 “This necessity [for ongoing formation] is intrinsic to the divine gift itself which is to be continually ‘vivified’ so the priest may adequately respond to his vocation. In fact, as a man situated in history, he needs to perfect himself in all the aspects of his human and spiritual existence in order to attain that conformity with Christ, the unifying principle of all things.” DMLP, no. 87. 53 “Ongoing formation is a right-duty of the priest and imparting it is a right-duty of the Church. It is therefore stipulated in universal law.” DMLP, no. 90; see CIC, c. 279.

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