LONELINESS among priests is a growing issue and one Pope Francis wants to solve, Holy Spirit Seminary rector Fr Neil Muir says.
He had just returned alongside director for Clergy Life and Ministry Fr David Pascoe and seminary pastoral studies director Deacon Paul Jensen from the International Conference on Priestly Formation in Rome from February 6 to 10.
Fr Muir said the conference was five days of intense sessions spanning from early in the morning to late at night.
It had been an invaluable chance to hear what was going on overseas, he said, to get up to date information about the challenges facing priests and where progress was being made.
Fr Muir said the conference showed him Brisbane archdiocese was on the right track, and compared to many places, Brisbane archdiocese was “ahead of the game”.
He said the archdiocese was taking a lot of positive steps like providing access to spiritual direction for priests, hosting professional development seminars and encouraging seminarians to maintain their relationships with one another in ordained ministry.
“But we still need to be on the lookout as to how we develop that continuously,” he said.
The consultation processes behind the Synod on Synodality had identified loneliness among priests as a major challenge facing Churches in many countries.
Fr Muir said loneliness had to be addressed through building supportive relationships.
He said these relationships could be between priests, in parishes and between priests and bishops.
The language around it was important too, he said.
Fr Muir said the conference phrased it – “how does the bishop nurture and foster priests as a father”.
Getting out of the habit of constantly talking about numbers was important too, he said.
He said Pope Francis warned against focusing on falling Mass attendance numbers, numbers of engaged young Catholics falling, numbers of seminarians falling.
“Rather let’s see where the Spirit’s leading,” Fr Muir said.
“The Spirit is still active and leading the Church to grasp hold of the opportunities that come up.”
The conference included an audience with Pope Francis.
Fr Muir said Pope Francis spoke passionately about encouraging “us to be priests of mercy”.
In his speech, Pope Francis urged the priests present to “not get tired of being merciful”.
“Always forgive,” he said.
“Always forgive, because forgiveness has this grace of embracing, of welcoming.”
Pope Francis urged those present to engage formation in three pathways – the joy of the Gospel, a sense of being part of God’s people, and service as “generative”.
“A priest formed in this way will then put himself at the service of the people of God, be close to people and, like Jesus on the cross, willingly shoulder responsibility for all,” he said.
“Brothers and sisters, let us gaze upon the cross.
“From there, by loving us to the end (cf. Jn 13:1), the Lord begot a new people.
“We too, when we put ourselves at the service of others, when we become fathers and mothers for those entrusted to our care, bring God’s life to birth.
“This is the secret of a ‘generative’ pastoral activity.
“It is not centred on us, but generates daughters and sons to new life in Christ and pours the living water of the Gospel on the soil of human hearts and on the times in which we live.”
