Guide to Ongoing Formation for Priests

CHAPTER 3: HUMAN FORMATION | 47

challenges together. 100 Priests desire solid friendships to help them live their vocation well and trust God in every encounter.

123. One’s first relationships in life are with parents, siblings, extended family, and childhood friends. Some of these friendships will hopefully continue to nourish a priest throughout his life. Many priests make friend ships in adulthood with both men and women, and these relationships often continue to grow and mature after ordination. Such friends can frequently provide a helpful perspective that is less constrained by ecclesias tical assumptions. Friendships with the people he serves, given proper boundaries, can also be a healthy source of joy and genuine growth for the priest. 101 Pastoral charity dictates that the priest give himself for the sake of his people without seeking for himself. 102 The people are not given to him for his sake. Yet, in his giving of himself for them, he comes into a genuine friendship with his people, which naturally helps the priest grow as a man. A healthy priest will have respectful friendship with his people and allow them to form him into a better man and minister. Above all, friendship with brother priests enjoys a unique place in our lives. The Second Vatican Council taught that each priest is united in special bonds of apostolic charity, ministry, and brotherhood with the other members of this priesthood. This bond has been manifested from ancient times in the liturgy, when the priests present at an ordination are invited to impose hands together with the ordaining bishop on the new candidate and, with united hearts, to concelebrate the Eucharist. Each and every priest, therefore, is united with his fellow priests in a bond of charity, prayer, and total cooperation. In this manner, they manifest that unity which Christ willed, namely, that his own be perfected in one so that the world might know that the Son was sent by the Father. 103 124. 125.

100 “Friendship is one of life’s gifts and a grace from God. Through our friends, the Lord refines us and leads us to maturity. Faithful friends, who stand at our side in times of difficulty, are also a reflection of the Lord’s love, his gentle and consoling presence in our lives.” Francis, Christus Vivit (Christ Is Alive) , March 25, 2019, no. 151, www.usccb.org/resources/christ-alive-christus-vivit . 101 See CIC, c. 277 §2. 102 “The gift of self has no limits, marked as it is by the same apostolic and missionary zeal of Christ, the good shepherd, who said: ‘And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd’ (Jn 10:16).” PDV, no. 23. 103 See PO, no. 8.