By Suresh Mathew
New Delhi, June 23, 2020:The invisible Coronavirus has made many things visible; rather it has exposed many things. It is helping people to open their eyes to new realities.
It is slowly sinking in that many things they held close to their heart are subject to change; it is dawning upon them that they had only a blurred vision of things that are core to human existence. Every section of society is under the spell of this realization.
The latest issue of Indian Currents focuses on what should be the impact of this realization in priests. To start with, they can take a leaf out of the book of Ezekiel chapter 34 which succinctly puts it: “The Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.”
Presently, most churches remain closed. Sacraments are not being administered as it used to be. The Covid has changed priests’ priorities and convinced them that there is life outside the ‘church’ and they cannot turn a blind eye to it. A return to the life of Jesus, who spent more time among the people rather than in temples, is the call of the time.
A heart throbbing with compassion towards the suffering flocks is the need of the hour. But all is not well in the life of priests as is evident from the misdemeanors reported from various corners.
A few things need unadulterated attention of the hierarchy – a relook at the protracted training imparted in seminaries and formation houses; a review and monitoring of the life of priests at their work places; and heed to the feedback from the ground and act upon it.
A two-minute video going viral these days can sum up what should be the attitude of a shepherd to the flock. A small insect is seen carrying a much bigger dead insect which belongs to a different species. After a few seconds of scrambling and crawling along the way, we see the former digging a hole in the ground, depositing the latter in it and covering the mouth of the ‘grave’ with sand.
What a touching scene of a brotherly act in the midst of human beings, including a priest, refusing to attend the burial of their own fellow human beings.
Annual retreats and daily meditations will be like a line drawn on water if priests fail to humbly accept their brethren and help them out. There seems to be a misconception on priests’ mission.
In many cases, it is limited to institutionalism; conducting rituals and festivals; and a craze and race for constructing huge places of worship. Making matters worse, there is lack of transparency and accountability in what they do.
Covid seems to have given the Church (read priests) an opportunity to reorient priorities. Many in the hierarchy including bishops, priests and religious, have been in the forefront of reaching out to the people during these troubled times.
While holding the needs of the world in the heart, it is equally important to give a thought to contemplative life, a life lived in silence, introspection and prayer. It is here the real spark of priestly life emerges.
(Capuchin Father Suresh Mathew is the Editor of the Indian Currents weekly published from New Delhi. This article is the editorial in the weekly’s latest edition.)
I was the first layman to be appointed the Regional Secretary of the U.P. Regional Youth & Vocations Bureau in 1979. I had then organized 5 day residential spiritual renewal programmes (about 20 a year) and then evolved the 30 day summer Life Orientation Programme. They were open to both boys and girls. Detractors mocked that we would see the results 9 months later! There was also a “Come and See” programme. Several local vocations emerged. The idea was to have maximum exposure and to defer a decision till the age of 21. When I presented this scheme at the national convention of Vocation Promoters in Pune I was strongly backed by Fr Josef Neuner SJ. We need to think out of the box.
Because of the Uncertainty Principle youngsters are marrying later. Priestly ordination should also be delayed till 30.
Minor seminaries to catch them young and innocent should be scrapped. We should encourage adult vocations.
Vocation promotion is the first step before priestly formation. A seminary is not a refinery to convert iron ore into gold.
Well said Suresh. The quote from Ezekiel is most apt. Clerics need a radical reorientation and reinvention of ministries.