Program of Priestly Formation 6th edition

78 | PROGRAM OF PRIESTLY FORMATION

183. The human formation of men for the priesthood aims to prepare them to be apt instruments of Christ’s grace. It does so by fostering the growth of a man who can be described in these ways: a. A person of solid moral character with a finely developed moral conscience, a man open to and capable of conversion : A man who demonstrates the human virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance, humility, chastity, constancy, sincerity, patience, good manners, truthfulness, and keeping his word, and who also manifests growth in the practice of these virtues. b. A prudent and discerning man : Someone who demonstrates a “capacity for critical observation” so that he “can discern true and false values, since this is an essential requirement for estab lishing a constructive dialogue with the world of today.” 232 c. A man of communion : A person who has real and deep relational capacities, someone who can enter into genuine dialogue and friendship, a person of true empathy who can understand and know other persons, a person open to others and available to them with a generosity of spirit. The man of communion is capa ble of making a gift of himself and of receiving the gift of others. This ability, in fact, requires the full possession of himself. This life should be one of inner joy and inner peace—signs of self- pos session and generosity. d. A good communicator : Someone who listens well, is articulate, and has the skills of effective communication and public speaking. e. A person of affective maturity : Someone whose life of feelings is in balance and integrated into thought and values; in other words, a man of feelings who is not driven by them but who freely lives his life enriched by them. This might be especially evident in his ability to live well with authority, in his ability to take direction from another, and in his ability to exercise authority well among his peers, as well as an ability to deal productively with conflict and stress. f. A man who demonstrates growth in respect for, care of, and vigilance over his body : A person who pays appropriate attention to his phys ical well-being (including weight, exercise, consumption of food and drink, and hygiene), so that he has the energy and strength

232 Ecclesia in America , no. 40.