Pope to priests: Turn bitterness
into fresh water for the people
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| At the meeting with clergy at the Lateran, Cardinal De Donatis reads the discourse prepared by Pope Francis (Vatican Media) |
To mark the beginning of Lent, a traditional penitential
liturgy was held for clergy of the Diocese of Rome on Thursday. The ceremony
took place in the Archbasilica of St John Lateran, the cathedral of the
Diocese.
By Vatican News
After a meditation by the Cardinal Vicar of Rome, Angelo De
Donatis, the priests of the diocese had the opportunity to receive the
sacrament of Reconciliation during a penitential liturgy at St John Lateran.
Normally, Pope Francis, as the Bishop of Rome, is present for the event, and
personally hears the confessions of several priests. This year, however, due to
a “slight indisposition”, the Pope “preferred to remain in the vicinity of
Santa Marta”, according to a statement from the Director of the Holy See Press
Office. The Holy Father’s prepared remarks were read out to the Roman clergy by
Cardinal De Donatis.
In his address, Pope Francis reflects on the “bitterness”
some priests experience, while expressing the hope that it might “show us
[clergy] the way to greater adoration of the Father, and help us to experience
anew the power of His merciful anointing”.
Sources of bitterness
The Pope finds three particular causes of bitterness focused
around priests’ relationsships: with the faith, the bishop, and other priests.
With regard to the faith, he says bitterness is rooted in disappointment,
which springs from our own misguided expectations, rather than any failing on
God’s part. To move from disappointment to hope, he says, we must move beyond
ourselves, to trust in God.
The “omissions” by bishops can also be a source of
bitterness for priests, who sometimes see a kind of “soft authoritarianism”
when people who see things differently from the bishop are excluded, or when
perceived loyalty is valued above competence. Although the bishop must have the
final say, Pope Francis says that authoritarianism is not the answer; rather,
bishops should consult the needs of all, and engage everyone in decisions that
concern the common good.
Relationships among priests, the Pope notes, have been
affected by scandals, especially sexual and financial scandals. This can lead
to a “Donatist” vision of the Church that separates the “impeccable” from the
erring or sinful, which in turn leads to a sort of ecclesiological puritanism.
In response, the Pope says, we must remember that in this life, “the wheat and
the chaff”, good people and bad, will always be found together in the Church.
The dangers of “isolation”
All these things can make it more difficult to form
relationships, the Pope says, adding that there is also a question not simply
of loneliness, but of “isolation”: isolation with respect to grace, a feeling
of distance from the spiritual world; isolation from history, focusing on the
here and now rather than the larger picture of salvation history; isolation
from others, an “inability to establish meaningful relations of trust and
evangelical sharing”.
To combat this, it is important for priests to have a wise
spiritual father, to be able to share their burdens, lest they close in on themselves,
and draw away from others.
Communion with the people of God
Pope Francis closes his reflections by reminding the clergy
that the People of God know their shepherds better than anyone else; they
respect them, accompany them, and pray for them. “We add our own prayers to
theirs, and ask the Lord to turn our bitterness into fresh water for His
people,” he says in conclusion. “Let us ask the Lord to give us the ability to
recognize what is causing bitterness in us, and thus allow ourselves to be
reconciled people who reconcile; people at peace who bring peace, hopeful
people who instil hope.”
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