Letters

Priestly formation (letter)

Cyril Drew

Contents - May 2002 - Buy a copy now Editorial: A moral challenge for society - Peter Westmore Liturgy: New edition of the Roman Missal released: vernacular translations to come - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Catholicism in Australia: facing the challenges of Western secularism - Archbishop George Pell General absolutions continue in the Toowoomba Diocese - Michael Gilchrist US Jesuits' action against Father Fessio sparks worldwide protests - AD2000 Report US research puts clerical sex-abuse in perspective - Philip Jenkins Gregorian Chant's new lease of life in Brisbane - AD2000 Report 'The Resurrection in the university' - IMCSA National Conference in Sydney - Nicholas Rynne Letters: Hymns (letter) - David Schutz Letters: Farewell Mass for Fr Des Byrne (letter) - Barry O'Brien Letters: Priestly formation (letter) - Cyril Drew Letters: Liturgical abuses (letter) - Name and Address Supplied Letters: Decline of the faith (letter) - Brian Carter Letters: Christian principles (letter) - Errol P. Duke Letters: Transubstantiation (letter) - Fr G.H. Duggan SM Letters: Correct Greek (letter) - Fr J.B. Cotter Letters: Need for prayer (letter) - Kevin Pitt Letters: Harry Potter? (letter) - John F. Doherty Poetry: Two Loves - John Meston Books: Demons and Democrats: 1950s Labor at the Crossroads, by Gavan Duffy - Anthony Cappello (reviewer) Books: The Forty Four: The Martyrs of the English College Rome - Christopher Quinn (reviewer) Books: Beyond Gay, by David Morrison - John S. Webster Books: Pedophiles and Priests: Anatomy of a Contemporary Crisis, by Philip Jenkins - David Ross (reviewer) Books: Prove It! Church, by Amy Welborn - Bill Muehlenberg (reviewer) Books: Father Ian Falconer's Latin Course - Ken Bayliss (reviewer) Books: New Titles from AD Books Reflection: The Ascension: climax of Our Lord's life on earth - Fr Ian Falconer SJ

Fr Paul Stuart's Article "Positive trends in priestly vocations" is worrying in parts. While there is much that is positive - encouraging the future priest to be a person of prayer for instance - it is sad that Fr Stuart found it necessary to denigrate those involved in his own formation and to suggest that there is less value in the witness of the lay pastoral worker or social worker than that of the ordained; surely we are all equal in God's love and ministry.

Over many years I have been reading the writings of Fr Michael Hollings who, after fighting with the Coldstream Guards in the Second World War, lost his faith, regained it, and asked to be a priest. He told his chaplain he wanted to help people. The chaplain asked whether he saw the Mass as the centre of the priesthood and Fr Hollings replied he did not.

Fr Michael became what many termed the "People's Priest". Wanting to be part of the community, he opened his presbytery to all - the homeless, the sick and the lonely. In his Living Priesthood, Fr Michael referred to the "open house" as a sign of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. Prayer, he said, is the foundation, love the energiser, and humility the way of Christ.

I notice nothing of this concept of service in Fr Stuart's article. Surely he would intend it, as do those educated to be pastoral workers and pastoral associates in our hospitals and parishes. Nor is there anything of the priest manifesting God's love through his "fatherhood" in the article.

I hope and pray that many of the functions portrayed in the priesthood of Fr Michael Hollings become manifest in the increasing numbers of those being educated at the seminary in Melbourne and I certainly wish Fr Stuart well in his important position of Director of Vocations to the Priesthood.

CYRIL DREW
Glen Iris, Vic

Father Stuart's response

God Bless Mr Drew. He is a regular letter critic of mine. I regret that while he is apparently not disturbed by the small number of clergy who have character-assassinated bishops and priests in the secular media - most especially Archbishop Pell - he is disturbed by my article.

This article, while criticising those same clergy, does not "denigrate" the formation staff of my time in the seminary. The priests and sisters of my seminary days were and are good people. However, I have allowed the resignations of 33 per cent of ordinands from that time to speak for itself and thus all seminary staff, past and present, can learn lessons from this tragic figure. Mr Drew ignores this. The Holy See has not.

On the matter of pastoral formation of seminarians and being able to help people, I believe this is obviously important and it does happen in impressive ways at Corpus Christi. Mr Drew's letter is correct in this respect, since this understanding can be read as "intended" in my article. In fact, it is a shorter version of an article first published in The Priest, which acknowledges the essential element of pastoral formation of future priests.

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 15 No 4 (May 2002), p. 13