Guide to Ongoing Formation for Priests (Ascension)

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Chapter 3: Human Formation

resiliency to handle his own struggles while sharing, to some extent, the struggles of others. When a priest works with souls, many disclose strong feelings such as anger, sadness, and fear. If the priest has not handled those feelings well himself, he will find it challenging to help others do so. 110 In addition, affective maturity is an indispensable ingredient in living celibacy appropriately. Such maturity represents a command of self that makes possible the self-gift of celibacy: “able to renounce anything that is a threat to it, vigilant over both body and spirit, and capable of esteem and respect in interpersonal relationships between men and women.” 80 In addition, “the priest is then able to encourage and nurture the ‘feminine genius’ which women offer to the Church and the world.” 81 This also benefits the priest himself as he experiences this complementarity. Affective maturity in a celibate priest means that his capacity to love is directed to its authentic good in his life and ministry. It means that he can donate himself fully and joyfully for the people he serves. Unity of Life 111 A priest who lives a unity of life is not fragmented or compartmentalized. He has integrated the various dimensions of formation into a life of virtue. 82 His interior life, for instance, does not make him aloof or eccentric. His pastoral generosity does not make him neglect important friendships. His human interests do not cause him to become worldly. The priest who lives a unified life does not posture for different audiences. He has one personality, refracted

80 81

PDV, no. 44.

Mulieris Dignitatem, no. 31.

82 “It is important for the priest, who is called to accompany others through the journey of life up to the threshold of death, to have the right balance of heart and mind, reason and feeling, body and soul, and to be humanly integrated.” Benedict XVI, Letter to Seminarians, October 18, 2010, no. 6.

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