Goodbye, climbers! We need to restore servant leadership in the priesthood
CharlasCatholic Tradition
Únete a LibraryThing para publicar.
Este tema está marcado actualmente como "inactivo"—el último mensaje es de hace más de 90 días. Puedes reactivarlo escribiendo una respuesta.
1John5918
Goodbye, climbers! We need to restore servant leadership in the priesthood (NCR)
When I was in the seminary in Rome, we called them "Alpiners," the "climbers" among our fellow seminarians who were ambitious to climb up the corporate ladder of the church. They had a secret (or not so secret) ambition to be a bishop or a Vatican official. Sometimes it was painfully obvious. One guy was caught with a "hope chest" in his room, full of bishops' accoutrements like miters, a pectoral cross and a collapsible crozier. For the "Alpiners," their priesthood is a not a call to serve, but to be served. It is the opposite of what Jesus wanted...
This reflection by a priest matches my own observations as a missionary. I can recall that many of the older generation of missionary priests simply went where they were sent and spent their whole life serving the people of that region, unless and until they were recalled for some other form of service. I can also recall a newer generation where many of the young missionaries already had their career mapped out even before ordination. "I'll go to the missions for a couple of years to get the experience under my belt, then I'll go to Rome for further studies for a few years, then I'll be recalled to headquarters to teach in the seminary, where I'll get noticed and elected onto the provincial council, and from there I'll get myself elected to the General Council, and ultimately Superior General..." (a position of leadership within the order would now be the goal, as few missionaries are still appointed as bishops in former mission territories where there is now a strong indigenous church).
It reminds me a bit of The Keys of the Kingdom by A. J. Cronin, following the career of a sincere and dedicated missionary who lives a life of suffering service and an ambitious priest who of course becomes a comfortable bishop.
When I was in the seminary in Rome, we called them "Alpiners," the "climbers" among our fellow seminarians who were ambitious to climb up the corporate ladder of the church. They had a secret (or not so secret) ambition to be a bishop or a Vatican official. Sometimes it was painfully obvious. One guy was caught with a "hope chest" in his room, full of bishops' accoutrements like miters, a pectoral cross and a collapsible crozier. For the "Alpiners," their priesthood is a not a call to serve, but to be served. It is the opposite of what Jesus wanted...
This reflection by a priest matches my own observations as a missionary. I can recall that many of the older generation of missionary priests simply went where they were sent and spent their whole life serving the people of that region, unless and until they were recalled for some other form of service. I can also recall a newer generation where many of the young missionaries already had their career mapped out even before ordination. "I'll go to the missions for a couple of years to get the experience under my belt, then I'll go to Rome for further studies for a few years, then I'll be recalled to headquarters to teach in the seminary, where I'll get noticed and elected onto the provincial council, and from there I'll get myself elected to the General Council, and ultimately Superior General..." (a position of leadership within the order would now be the goal, as few missionaries are still appointed as bishops in former mission territories where there is now a strong indigenous church).
It reminds me a bit of The Keys of the Kingdom by A. J. Cronin, following the career of a sincere and dedicated missionary who lives a life of suffering service and an ambitious priest who of course becomes a comfortable bishop.
2LesMiserables
Yes, nice article. This reminds me of the humble son of Christ, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. This holy priest was a shining light in Africa for much of his priesthood, answering God's call to bring the Way, the Truth and the Life to Muslims and those others in darkness.
Únete para publicar
