Editorial

The Jubilee Year for Priests, proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI on the 150th anniversary of the death of St John Mary Vianney, the holy Cure of Ars, in France, offers an opportunity for the inner renewal of all priests and, consequently, for the revitalisation of their commitment to their mission.

The Pope said that what most stands out in the life of St John-Mary Vianney is his complete identification with his ministry. "In fact, it is by considering the dual term 'identity-mission' that each priest will become better aware of the need for that progressive self identification with Christ, which guarantees the faithfulness and fruitfulness of his evangelical witness. Thus, in the life of a priest, missionary announcement and worship are inseparable, just as sacramental identity and evangelising mission are likewise inseparable." For many years, Malta has been blessed with quite an abundant number of priestly and religious vocations. Indeed, Maltese priests and religious give generous and dedicated service not only here but also in many other countries all over the world. Moreover, even if the numbers, by themselves, show that today there are fewer priestly ordinations than, say, 40 years ago, one needs to also take into consideration the sharp drop in the birth rates.

Yet, concern for vocations is a pastoral priority in Malta and Gozo too, also because the priestly population is an aging one. Indeed, Church statistics show that out of 289 diocesan priests, 159 (55 per cent) were over 60 years of age.

The Year for Priests should help the priestly community rediscover a profound sense of vocational pastoral care and of its fundamental methodologies. The Pope says that these are: "simple and credible witness; shared and harmonious communion within each particular Church; educating people to follow the Lord in everyday life; listening guided by the Holy Spirit in order to direct young people in the search for God and for true happiness and, finally, truth, which is the only thing that can generate inner freedom".

Today's priest faces a lot of challenges. These include present-day attitudes to faith, often clouded with lack of belief accompanied by indifference and apathy and fomented by a permissive and consumerist society.

A crucial question is: What do people expect from priests?

Pope Benedict XVI is on record answering this question himself, stating the following: "The faithful expect only one thing from priests: that they be specialists in promoting the encounter between man and God. The priest is not asked to be an expert in economics, construction or politics. He is expected to be an expert in the spiritual life." In the face of the temptations of relativism or the permissive society, the Pope sees absolutely no need for the priest to know all the latest, changing currents of thought.

What the faithful expect from the priest is that he be a witness to the eternal wisdom contained in the revealed word. Solicitude for the quality of personal prayer and for good theological formation bears fruit in life.

Along with the Pope one believes that Christ needs priests who are mature, energetic and capable of cultivating an authentic spiritual paternity. For this to happen, priests need to be honest with themselves and trusting in divine mercy. They should not be disheartened. With their consecration they receive an extraordinary gift of grace and become permanent witnesses of their own encounter with Christ and so should be able to carry out their mission to the full.