Guide to Ongoing Formation for Priests

50 | GUIDE TO ONGOING FORMATION FOR PRIESTS

should express in concrete ways. 108 As in the other forms of temperance such as food, drink, and social media, the priest’s simplicity of life is a visible witness to gospel values, especially in the highly consumeristic and materialistic culture of the United States today. We do not deny the good ness of Creation and of material goods in themselves, but a simple life style preaches more with actions than with words. A diocesan priest has a unique opportunity to give this witness. He is challenged to live in the world, shoulder to shoulder with his parishioners, without caving in to the wider culture’s relentless pressure to indulge the appetite for more or better possessions. Simplicity of life cannot remain simply a compelling idea; it expresses itself concretely in the priest’s choice of car, for instance, and of phone, computer, dining habits, vacations, and hobbies. 109 The priest who lives simply gives a personal witness of good stewardship by tithing his income and giving generously to the parish and other personal charities. He makes larger purchases carefully, consulting others when needed, and gets quality things that he takes care of so they will last. He manages his personal finances prudently but without spending an inordinate amount of time on them. He plans carefully for the expenses that often emerge later in life, such as medical bills, so that his diocese is not overly burdened finan cially. Above all, his simplicity of life is ordered not only to external poverty but, even more importantly, to internal poverty. A priest’s surroundings and possessions may be ever so simple—but if he is not internally detached from his goods, then he is not yet living the virtue of temperance. 132.

MEANS OF HUMAN FORMATION

PERSONAL MEANS

133. Many of the personal means of human formation are immedi ately obvious from the markers identified above. Virtues of fatherhood like responsibility, patience, humility, and courage all call for continual effort, correspondence to grace, and concrete resolutions to grow. There are no shortcuts to growing in virtue. Forging friendships, too, requires a personal

108 See CIC, c. 282 §1. 109 See CIC, c. 285 §§1-2.