11th January 2016:
Priesthood in crisis:
Dear Friends,
Loving greetings
of the still fresh New Year! Hope, this unexpected note finds you fine in your
service to the Kingdom along with your people.
However far I
drift away from the diocesan main stream, I feel troubled seeing some of our
priests, especially the younger ones struggling with their life and ministry.
The joy of being a disciple, in spite of its cost, is not really seen in
us. Self-worth and self-confidence don’t
seem to lit up our countenance. There seems to be an element of fear and insecurity
in us making us not bold enough to live our conviction and express it whenever
needed. Quite naturally this affects our life and ministry with the people.
This can very well
be my subjective perception making you, my brother priests, ignore, if not
despise, it. Hence, I need to check it with each and every one of you, if you
don’t mind to share your perception and conviction. That would enable us to be
objective and search for solutions in whatever way possible.
It is high time, I
believe, that we approach it boldly and find out ways and means to resolve it
for our own good and that of our people who deserve much more than what they
were given to this day.
Here are some
questions which attempt at exploring our real concerns and problems and your
valuable suggestions in addressing them positively for realizing the Kingdom
here and now in our Trivandrum local church.
1.
Are you happy with your life as a
priest?
a.
If not why?
b.
What would make you happy?
2.
How long are you a priest?
3.
How do you estimate your seminary
formation?
a.
Satisfactory b. Good c. Exemplary
4.
Which was your major seminary?
5.
School – collegiate education
a.
Primary
b.
High School
c.
Higher Secondary
d.
College
i.
Regular ii. Distant Education iii.
Subject
6.
What makes priesthood different
from other professions?
7.
How would you expect a priest to be
sustained/ maintained?
8.
Should he be an independent, paid
minister?
9.
Do you think that a priest should
live in solidarity with his people?
a.
If so, to what extent?
10. What
is the meaning of incarnation?
a.
How does it apply in our context as
priest?
11. What
do you understand by being a disciple?
a.
Priesthood and discipleship – how
do they differ from one another?
12. How
does your ‘spirituality’ help you to be happy and make others happy?
13. Is
there any difference between ‘spirituality’ and ‘religiosity’?
a.
If so, what it is?
14. What
is Eucharist for you?
a.
How does it help your shepherding?
i.
What is the meaning and relevance
of ‘Mass Stipends’?
ii.
Can’t we dissociate stipends from
Mass?
15. How
do you reconcile Eucharistic celebration and adoration?
a.
What is the justification of posh
adoration chapels?
b.
What would happen to the Eucharistic
presence in the parish church?
16. Do
you know your sheep and they know you?
a.
How do you get to know them?
i.
Liturgy ii. Home visits iii.
Other social gatherings
17. How
can we compromise hierarchy/ authority in the church and service of Jesus?
18. What
is the mind of Jesus towards power, position and possession?
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