This article is about formation as an art and not a science. It is about accompaniment and discernment towards evangelical empowerment driven by the Nazareth Manifesto by mature mentors who are human-spiritual whisperers of their charges. I was beginning to get paranoid at the number of times the word “rotten” or “broken” pops into my head in reference to the priestly formation system until my friend Elizabeth Mphande told me in an email, “It’s really sad and pathetic. It’s like the whole system is rotten and some guys are just out there to do a job to get easy money from parishioners. Taking its point of departure from Pope Francis’ concern about initial formation for the priesthood, I suggest that in the light of the Ratio Fundamentalis, formation must operate on the principle of “small is beautiful” by avoiding mass manufacture of priests. The focus of such formation needs to be accompaniment and discernment. Failure to do this, we risk in the words of Pope Francis, churning out little monsters in circumstances that are akin to policing rather transformative formation. Pope Francis never defined what he meant by “little monsters” but I opine that it has to do with the style of leadership. Little or big monsters would be the equivalent of an ecclesiastical Donald Trump. These monsters eventually grow into big monsters as bishops, archbishops and cardinals with a heart of stone instead of a heart of flesh whose default exercise of authority is hard power rather than soft power. As the Pope says, formation and we might add episcopal oversight “is a work of art, not policing” [è un’opera artigianale, non poliziesca].
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Formators as Human-Spiritual Whisperers
- Little Monsters Look Like This
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This article analyzes the role of formators in the Catholic Church and argues for a shift from a mass-manufacturing model of priestly formation to a more personalized and "artisanal" approach. It draws upon Pope Francis's vision for a 21st-century priesthood and critiques the current system, highlighting the dangers of clericalism and careerism.
- The need for a shift from a "factory-made" to an "artisanal" model of priestly formation.
- The dangers of clericalism and careerism in the Catholic Church.
- The importance of formators as "human-spiritual whisperers" who accompany and guide seminarians.
- The role of discernment and accompaniment in priestly formation.
- The need for a renewed focus on the Gospel of life in priestly formation.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the concept of "artisanal" formation and contrasts it with a "factory-made" approach. It highlights the importance of formators who are skilled in human-spiritual accompaniment. The chapter also discusses the potential pitfalls of formation, particularly when formators are not well-suited for their role.
- Formators as Human-Spiritual Whisperers: This chapter delves into the qualities that formators should possess. It emphasizes the need for formators to be non-careerist and non-clericalist and discusses the dangers of clericalism. The chapter draws upon Pope Francis's teachings on clericalism and explores the role of bishops in promoting a culture of service.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Key terms and concepts explored in this article include priestly formation, artisanal formation, formators, human-spiritual whisperers, clericalism, careerism, discernment, accompaniment, Gospel of life, and the role of bishops in the Catholic Church. The article focuses on the challenges and opportunities facing the Catholic Church in the 21st century, particularly in relation to priestly formation and the formation of a new generation of priests.
- Quote paper
- Dr Tarcisius Mukuka (Author), 2020, Formation of Catholic Priests as Artisanal and not Policing, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/962848