THE HOLY FATHER MEETS
DIOCESAN CLERGY
Outside Bressanone Cathedral after the session with the clergy:
Because of my very late start to posting in the Forum today, it is now possible to post - with my initial entry on the event - the OR report on the Holy Father's encounter with the diocesan clergy in Bressanone today, as it appears in tomorrow's issue (8/7/08) which has been posted online.
The visit to Oies was not reported in today's issue (8/6) because it took place after the issue had already gone to press. It is well-covered in the 8/7/08 issue, meriting the main banner story because of the Pope's words about China. The meeting with the clergy was the secondary story.
The issue also contains two more articles about Paul VI - one about Cardinal Bertone's homily at the Mass he said today in the parish church of Castel Gandolfo to mark the Pontiff's 30th death anniversary; and a lengthy appreciation written by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
Benedict XVI in Oies:
'Important that China opens up to the Gospel'
Benedict in Oies: Left photo, signing the guest book at the house-museum of St. Joseph Freinademetz.
The 8/7/08 OR also has a front-page commentary on the Beijing Olympics as a symbol of China's opening to the world, and a story on an apparent easing of tensions between Hamas and Fatah in Palestine.
Here is the OR report on the meeting with the clergy, which remarkably omits any reference to the Pope's answers - I suppose, pending transcription of the session - though Fr. Lombardi briefed the press briefly afterwards on the answers.
Priests face ever-new challenges
by Giampaolo Mattei
Translated from
the 8/7/08 issue of
BRESSANONE, August 6 - The priest faced with solitude and ever-new challenges, as well as the problems of a pastoral ministry with a marked crisis in vocations, and the relationship between faith and reason as mediated through art and respect for the environment.
These were among the problems presented in six questions by the priests of the Diocese of Bolzano-Bressanone to Pope Benedict XVI in a session Wednesday morning at the Cathedral of Bolzano.
Love of God and the possibility of living the faith in today's world were the two central themes that emerged in Pope Benedict's responses.
The Pontiff opened with a thought on the day's Feast of the Transfiguration, saying that being a priest is "like being on Mt. Tabor, and having the duty to bring the light of God to all men".
He invited priests to open up totally to the love of God and to 'structure the day' in order to give priority to an authentic life of faith: the Word of God, the Eucharist, prayer and penitence.
Recalling John Paul II "who taught us that God is love even in the midst of our suffering", he called him "a giant of faith", a Pontiff who had "opened new paths" and "caused walls of every kind to come down."
Finally, he advised that love should always guide the attitude of priests towards the Sacraments, that they should open up to people at the margins and show them mercy, that they should try to involve parents in catechizing their children from the very beginning.
The session opened with the Mid-Morning service of the Liturgy of the Hours.
In their questions, the priests did not hesitate to probe the open wounds of a pastoral ministry that must make do with an aging clergy (the median age of priests in the diocese is 66!) and of a true vocational crisis (at present, the diocese only has five seminarians).
[That is really shocking - that entire Seminario Maggiore only has five students availing of it! The only plus side I can think of is that the faculty then has time to contribute to pastoral work instead of being confined to teaching!]
Almost all 300 priests of the diocese attended, along with some 200 members of religious orders.
Bishop Wilhelm Egger opened the session by presenting it as a singular version of the Pope's Wednesday catechesis but an audience at which "questions come directly from the priests" and that the questions were chosen as "those that best represent the feelings of everyone, as well as the realities of the diocese."
He also paid tribute to Paul VI on the anniversary of his death, recalling that he had redefined the diocesan territory and constituted the diocese of Bolzano-Bressanone.
The first question was asked by seminarian Michael Horrer, based on his experience at World Youth Day in Sydney. He said the encounter with thousands of other young people had brought him to reflect on how one can be an effective witness for Christ in the routine life of everyday, outside great events. He asked the Pope for practical counsel in this respect.
Fr. Willibald Hopfgartner, a Franciscan priest who works as an educator, referred to the Pope's discourse in Regensburg and related it to the use of art and of beauty as instruments to approach the mystery of God.
After the fist two questions in German, don Willi Fusaro asked the Pope for some advice to priests like him who must live with personal ailments. Don Willi, who works in the parish of Corpus
Domini in Bolzano, has been ailing since the day he was ordained, and said he recognized in John Paul II's example a reference point on the redemptive value of suffering when it is lived the Christian way.
The fourth question, again in German, was presented by Fr. Karl Golser, professor of moral theology, who had worked at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith when the Pope was its Prefect. Referring to Benedict XVI's statements about respect for the environment, he said this issue was of particular interest in the German-speaking world, and he asked how Christians can be more attentive to the relationship between Creation and redemption.
Fr. Franz Pixner, dean of Kastelruth and parish priest of two (?) large dioceses, dwelt on the problems of priestly life: the duties which overburden priests, the lack of recognition for what they do, loneliness and celibacy - but also how priests can better develop lay charisms, particularly those of women who, he said, could assist in baptism and preaching.
The last question, on pastoral work, was asked in Italian by don Paolo Rizzi, parish priest and theology professor at the Institute for Religious Sciences, on the problem of following through with children who, after their First Communion and Confirmation, and finishing their course in catechism, easily fall off and even stop coming to Sunday Mass. He said the problem was common throughout the diocese.
The session ended with the Pope leading in the Angelus prayers, after which he imparted his blessing. Then, he met with sick and handicapped priests who attended the encounter.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 08/08/2008 09:40]