The Gradual Nature of Priestly Formation: Missionary …

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INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE
RATIO FUNDAMENTALIS INSTITUTIONES SACERDOTALIS
Saint Vincent de Paul Seminary
Boynton Beach, Florida, USA
29-31 March 2019

 Jorge Calos Patrón Wong
Archbishop Secretary for Seminaries
Congregation for the Clergy

The Gradual Nature of Priestly Formation:
Missionary Discipleship and Configuration to Christ,
Servant and Shepherd
30 March 2019

Introduction

“Each of the dimensions of formation is aimed at ‘transforming’ or ‘assimilating’
the heart in the image of the heart of Christ…” (Ratio 89). In this sentence we have
the key that allows us to explore the “heart” of the Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis
Sacerdotalis: configuration to Jesus Christ, Servant and Shepherd. This important
document – promulgated by the Congregation for the Clergy on 8 December 2016, the
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Patronal
Feast of the United States of America – has as its foundation that “every priest should
always feel that he is a disciple on a journey, constantly needing an integrated
formation, understood as a continuous configuration to Christ” (Ratio Introduction 3).
Without this essential understanding that the priest must constantly configure himself
to Christ throughout his whole lifetime, no matter how qualified the seminary
formation team, and no matter how improved the formation that is offered, we cannot
hope to produce abundant fruit for the Kingdom of God. We must enter into a more
profound and radical type of priestly formation.

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The whole process of formation is gradual. The education of the human person
requires a pedagogy that permits assent gradually: transformations that allow a person
to face and transform the world – his own reality, personal, familial and social – as the
protagonist of his own existence. The same thing happens with priestly formation.
This gradual process begins with the Pastoral Care of Vocations, and continues through
the final stage of formation, Ongoing Formation. There are two fundamental aspects:
missionary discipleship and configuration to Christ, Servant and Shepherd. Both
highlight the consistency of the objectives to be achieved in priestly formation:
that
each man is called by the Lord to be both an authentic disciple, and a shepherd, totally
conformed to Jesus Christ, the Servant and Good Shepherd who gave his life for the
sheep.

I.

Priestly Formation as a Unique and Gradual Process

“The whole Israelite community journeyed by stages, as the LORD directed.”

– Exodus 17:1 New American Bible

We should note that the objectives mentioned above – being a missionary disciple
and configuration to Christ – are cumulative and progressive – because on the one
hand, we never stop going deeper on our journey of missionary discipleship and
mystical configuration to Christ, and on the other hand, we only arrive at this
configuration if, previously, we have lived seriously and with a certain consistency,
this missionary discipleship.

As a consequence, no stage of initial formation is able to be isolated from the
others. Neither is initial formation able to be detached from ongoing formation in
the priestly education process: its healthy and fruitful development presupposes having
achieved satisfactorily the objectives of the stages before it.

Imagine a seminarian, recently Instituted as a Lector during the Stage of
Configuration, having to prepare a Bible Study for young people in the parish where
the seminarian is doing his pastoral work, but the seminarian does not know Lectio
Divina because he was never introduced to it during the Propaedeutic Stage or the Stage
of Discipleship. More than likely, the Bible Study organized by this seminarian will
be centered on the intellectual points that he learned during his study of Theology, or
he will refer to his rather superficial experiences, revealing his ignorance of the Word
of God. In this simple example, we see how the weaknesses and deficiencies in an
earlier stage of formation are experienced in the stages that follow.

The underlying reason is that priestly formation is unique and gradual, that is, a
single continuous process, even though we can clearly distinguish various stages,
which are intimately and organically connected with each other:

Since it should be an ongoing experience of discipleship, formation is a single and
integrated path, beginning in Seminary and continuing into priestly life, where it

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takes the form of ongoing formation. At each stage it requires care and attention.
Even if “much of the effectiveness of the training offered depends on the maturity
and strength of personality of those entrusted with formation,” one must always
keep in mind that the seminarian first – and later the priest – “is a necessary and
irreplaceable agent in his own formation.” (Ratio 53).

Let us return briefly to the two objectives of priestly formation:

a) The objectives of priestly formation are cumulative. This means that they
continue to challenge the priest to greater growth throughout his whole life. For
example, the priest, once ordained, continues to be a disciple on his journey to heaven
until his death; he must chose to be honest continuously, even in difficult situations; he
must continue to configure himself with Christ, Servant and Shepherd, in relation to
the different stages of his and life and health.

b) The formation objectives are also progressive. This means that there is a
sequence between them in the “construction” of a priestly personality. Thus, his life
as a missionary disciple precedes and is the foundation of his configuration with Christ,
Servant and Shepherd; just as the decision to take advantage of time precedes the
determination to dedicate time to the acts of the ministry; the learning of contemplative
prayer precedes spiritual configuration.

From these principles, it follows that Initial Priestly Formation can be described
with the following phrase: “Formation of a Missionary Disciple of Jesus called to be
a Shepherd.” And that long process can be divided into two parts: first, the formation
of the Disciple, and second, the specific formation of the Shepherd. Everything is
priestly formation, but it is necessary to sufficiently establish the seminarian’s
foundation as a Disciple of Christ first, and then specific formation as a priest
(progressive sense). Nevertheless, Missionary Discipleship and configuration with
Christ the Shepherd implies a continuous and permanent development that lasts
throughout the whole of life (cumulative sense). The believer, the candidate for
ordained ministry, makes decisions that last forever; these decisions must be renewed,
expanded upon, and deepened. Think of a young man who decides to follow the Lord
as a priest. He leaves his job that provided him with a lot of money to spend it on
having a good time with his friends. He freely renounces his former way of life, like
the Apostles abandoning their nets, their boats, and their father on the shores of Galilee.
Later on, at a certain point in his life, that man, now a priest, is called to renounce the
security afforded him as the pastor of a wealthy, comfortable parish, in order to accept
a new, humbler, and humanely less lucrative assignment.

In the same way that Initial Priestly Formation could be described with the phrase:
“Formation of the Missionary Disciple of Jesus called to be a Shepherd,” Ongoing
Priestly Formation can be condensed into the phrase: “Formation of the Pastor called
to be always more authentically a Missionary Disciple of Jesus.” It is a boundless

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dynamism, where the cumulative and the progressive objectives remain open to
consummation in an eschatological sense:

For to me, life is Christ, and death is gain. If I go on living in the flesh, that means
fruitful labor for me. And I do not know which I shall choose. I am caught
between the two. I long to depart this life and be with Christ, for that is far better.
Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit. (Philippians 1:21-
24).

It should also be noted that formation is integral in each of its stages, that is, it
covers the four dimensions of every authentically Christian educational process:
human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral. From the beginning of the formation
process, the seminarian needs to be helped to grow harmoniously in all four aspects.
Obviously it would be easier just to “fulfill the requirements” in one aspect such as
studies or discipline, but it is in the interest of the seminarian (and also the priest) to
become a “complete person.” A “complete person” means that all the aspects of his
existence are ordered in the same direction: the surrender of his life to Christ, Servant
and Good Shepherd, by being intimately configured to Him. This process is gradually
achieved. We will reflect upon the integral nature of priestly formation during my next
talk.

II.

The Gradual Nature of the Stages of Formation

A fundamental characteristic of all learning is that it is a gradual process. You
cannot learn anything in life at once; steps are required that gradually lead one to
achieve the objectives proposed for a particular educational process. Gradualness also
characterizes priestly formation. There are several levels of it:

First, there is a gradualness from one stage to the next, as I have already
explained. Consequently, it is necessary to examine well the formation program and
the statutes of each seminary, as well as the program of ongoing formation of the
clergy, to guarantee that the definition and the objectives of each stage are the correct
ones. It will be helpful to specify the aspects that correspond to each stage in each of
the dimensions of formation, so that the gradualness in each dimension is clearly
shown. If you have a didactic schema, which highlights the content of each dimension,
you can appreciate the gradualness. Here is an example of gradualness in the spiritual
dimension in initial formation:

Propaedeutic Stage
Discipleship Stage

Configuration Stage
Pastoral Stage

Introduction to the spiritual life
Rigorously and systematically putting the spiritual life at the center of ones
life
Beginning to live priestly spirituality
Meditation on the Rites of Holy Orders and the meaning of their
configuration with Christ, Servant (diaconate) and Good Shepherd
(presbyterate).

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By defining the gradualness of each one of the Dimensions of Formation, the
meaning of the formation program is seen more clearly, and the possibility of caring
for significant aspects of formation in a progressive way is opened; for example, the
learning of prayer, the formation of affectivity, or the experience of living the
evangelical counsels.

Secondly, there is a gradualness within each stage, tracing a formative path with
concrete means and materials (which is the goal of the formation program in each
seminary and each presbyterate). A seminarian who begins the Discipleship Stage
should not be the same man who concludes it. The situation of a newly ordained priest
is not the same as one who has had two decades of priestly ministry. Each formative
period has its own objectives and traces a precise path of growth.

Finally, the gradualness of each person and each group, who mature according
to their own characteristics and possibilities. The formators need to know and value
the maturation process that each seminarian and / or priest and the group as a whole
have lived in the past, so that they can establish the continuity and novelty that occur
in each person and in each group, giving them confidence that they will be able to make
progress. Imagine that we are in a seminary in a region recently affected by a natural
disaster. In these circumstances, the objectives for the group, in each of the stages,
should be adapted to the painful experiences that seminarians have experienced
personally, and within their families and communities. Perhaps, for example, the
pastoral works that were planned for parishes or other pastoral centers should be
changed to community service to the victims.

III. Missionary Discipleship: the Indispensable Foundation for the

Transformation of the Heart of Future Pastors into the image of the Heart
of Christ

According to what we have said so far, the Discipleship Stage of Initial Formation
supposes to continue deepening the objectives of the previous stages, that is, the
objectives of the Propaedeutic Stage, although it could also be extended to the
objectives of vocation ministry or other forms of prior formation (minor seminary, for
example). At the same time, following the Lord is the indispensable foundation on
which to build configuration with Christ, Servant and Shepherd, in the next stage,
called Configuration precisely because its main objective is conforming the candidate
to Christ the Priest. And this configuration “calls for patient and demanding work on
the person, who is open to the action of the Holy Spirit. Its purpose is to form a priestly
heart” (Ratio 55).

Consequently, the Ratio points out

the following characteristics of the

Discipleship Stage:

The disciple is the one whom the Lord has called to “stay with Him” (cf. Mk 3:14),
to follow Him, and to become a missionary of the Gospel. Each day he learns

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how to enter into the secrets of the Kingdom of God, living a deep relationship
with Jesus. Staying with Christ becomes a pedagogical-spiritual journey that
transforms the life of the seminarian and bears witness to His love in the world
(Ratio 61).

The experience and dynamic of discipleship… requires a specific stage in which
all possible efforts are expended to root the seminarian in following Christ –
sequela Christi – listening to His Word, keeping it in his heart, and putting it into
practice (Ratio 62).

The clear reference to the divine initiative of every Christian vocation places us
at the very core of the Missionary Discipleship that is common to all the Christian
faithful. Before any specific vocation or service, one is called to be a Missionary
Disciple of Jesus Christ. In other words, we are called to be sons and daughters of
the Father by Holy Baptism, and witnesses of His Merciful Love in the world by virtue
of that same Sacrament (and also through the Sacrament of Confirmation), whose
graces are constantly renewed by frequent participation in the Most Holy Eucharist.
Thus, Missionary Disciples bring the presence of their Lord to all realities and all
environments. Pope Francis commonly refers to this basic dimension of the Christian
life of every believer as the “consciousness of being a people,” which every priest must
remember and cultivate in order to prevent the harmful effects of the different forms
of clericalism in his life and ministry. Saint Augustine explained it in a beautiful way:

If on the one hand I am terrified of what I am for you, on the other hand, I am
consoled by what I am with you. I am a bishop for you; I am a Christian with
you. The condition of being a bishop denotes an obligation, that of being a
Christian, a gift; the first involves a danger, the second a salvation.

– Saint Augustine, Sermon 340,1

If we contemplate the vocation of the Apostles in the New Testament, whose
ministry ordained priests participate and perpetuate, we perceive with clarity, in the
first place, that Jesus called them, not because of their extraordinary merits or
capabilities, but simply because He wanted them (cf. Mk 3:13; Acts 9). Secondly, we
perceive that He called them from among the disciples he had gathered and formed (Lk
6:13). It is also clear that their vocation did not exempt them from going deeper into
the mysteries of the Kingdom that Jesus taught and manifested by His life and miracles.
On the contrary, they continued to listen to their teacher (obedience), beginning in their
“school” in Galilee, continuing throughout the other regions where Our Lord developed
His public ministry, and finally accompanying Him on His final ascent up to Jerusalem.

In this way, the Apostles also faced their weaknesses, for example, their search
for the “first place” (cf. Mk 10:35-45), and their betrayal and abandonment of Our Lord
at the time of his suffering and death (cf. Mk 14:50). “But it is through their weakness
that they are made strong” (cf. 2 Cor 12:10); their weakness reminds us that the

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Apostles will always be strong if they remain Missionary Disciples. They will continue
their missionary journey not only under the action of the Holy Spirit that will confirm
and strengthen them to give Christian witness (Acts 2:1-11), but also through the
support and confrontation between themselves (authentic priestly fraternity) (cf. Ac 15;
Ga 1:11-2:14). Moreover, if their mission was to “make disciples of the all the
nations” and “to baptize and teach the disciples to obey everything that Jesus
commanded them” (cf. Mt 28: 16-20), the Apostles had to continue being disciples
themselves. Consequently, it is more than evident that the vocation of the Apostles is
the experience of the common Christian vocation:
the universal call to holiness by
virtue of their Baptism with its dynamic of constant actualization (cf. Lumen Gentium,
Chapter V: Universal Vocation to Holiness in the Church). Hence, the transformation
of the heart of the future priest in the image of the Heart of Christ has as its essential
foundation the constant deepening in the sequela Christi.

This is what Pope Francis explained at the Plenary Assembly of the Congregation

for the Clergy, on October 3, 2017:

Jesus did not say to those he called: “Come, I will instruct you,” or “Follow me,
and I will teach you.” No! The formation that Christ offers His disciples is
carried out, on the contrary, through His Words: “Come, follow me.” “Do as I
do.” This is the method that the Church wants to adopt for her priests today. The
formation we are talking about is the experience of being a disciple, which
brings us closer to Christ and allows us to be more and more configured with
Him. Precisely because of this, it can not be an assignment that ends, because
priests never cease to be disciples and followers of Jesus.

IV. The Discipleship Stage and the Configuration to Christ,

Servant and Shepherd

As we have been saying, priestly formation is a path of constant growth in the
configuration with Christ, Servant and Shepherd, in a succession of intimately linked
stages. We must now ask ourselves, what is the specific place of the Discipleship
Stage?

In the Ratio there is a description of the Discipleship Stage (Ratio, 61-67) – which
is always in relation to the other stages – that we could enumerate, without being
exhaustive, regarding the main fruits or results that would be expected to be observed
in a seminarian at the time of preparing to enter the next stage:

• The spiritual life occupies the very center of the seminarian’s existence, and

its effects are visible in his everyday life.

• The seminarian works systematically on his personality and is aware of having

allowed himself to be accompanied deeply.

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• The seminarian learns the process of Christian initiation and expresses his faith

as a disciple through apostolic works.

• The seminarian acquires a critical perception of reality and particularly of the

person and society.

To mature these fruits requires an itinerary that allows each seminarian to reach
them, using the means at their disposal. These same means, moreover, although in
different degrees, must remain in some way operational and accessible for the
continuous deepening and updating of those same fruits in the later stages:

• To remain attentive to the model of Jesus, the perfect man, to reality, and to the

seminarian’s own conduct in order to walk toward a priestly ideal.

Seminarians should become accustomed to training their character, they
should grow in their strength of spirit and, generally speaking, they should
learn human virtues…. This will make them a living reflection of the
humanity of Jesus, and a bridge that unites people with God (Ratio 63).

• To be freed from everything that prevents a clear following of the Lord and a

full personal authenticity, through an assiduous accompaniment process:

In order to attain the solid physical, psycho-affective and social maturity
required of the pastor, it is useful to have recourse to physical exercise
and sports, along with preparation for a well-balanced lifestyle. As well
as the irreplaceable accompaniment of the formators and the Spiritual
Director, specific psychological accompaniment could be of help in some
cases, to integrate the fundamental elements of the personality (Ratio 63).

• To consolidate the authenticity of life precisely through the formation process:

This process of formation is intended to educate the person in the truth of
his being, in freedom and self-control. It is meant to overcome all kinds
of individualism, and to foster the sincere gift of self, opening him to a
generous dedication to others (Ratio 63).

This consolidation is concretized in the experience of an ever-greater freedom that
allows him voluntarily, without coercion – neither internal nor external – to give
of his own life in the following of the Lord. It is an itinerary that has a double
protagonist – this is crucial, and should not be forgotten – the synergy of divine
action and human collaboration.

Growth in human maturity is assisted and brought about by divine grace, which
gives direction to the growth of the spiritual life. This in turn helps the
seminarian to live in the presence of God in an attitude of prayer, and it is based