Trainee
priests must undergo a robust spiritual formation that roots out
clericalism, an obsession with the liturgy and a “presumed theological
or disciplinary certainty”, according to new Vatican guidelines.
But
while the 91-page document primarily seeks to ensure that seminarians
become mature pastors, it controversially reiterates a ban on ordaining
gay men or “persons with homosexual tendencies”, first implemented in
2005 causing widespread offence to gay Catholics, including many gay
priests.
It
is also at odds with Pope Francis’ more compassionate “who am I to
Judge?” response when he was asked about gay priests in 2013 - and the
reiteration of the ban has already received a negative response from
LGBT catholics.
Nevertheless
the text was signed off by Francis and was written following a two-year
process, including consultation with bishops from across the world and
various Vatican offices.
It
covers a wide range of areas including vocations from indigenous
communities, migrants, child protection and ensuring candidates to the
priesthood reach a sufficient maturity before they are ordained.
Part
of this is clamping down on clericalism, where a priest fosters a
superior attitude to the people he is supposed to be serving: Pope
Francis has repeatedly denounced clerics who “lord it over” their
flock.
“Future
priests should be educated so that they do not become prey to
‘clericalism’, nor yield to the temptation of modelling their lives on
the search for popular consensus” the document, “The Gift of the Priestly Vocation” explains.
It
also warns against an “obsession with personal appearances, a presumed
theological or disciplinary certainty, narcissism and authoritarianism”,
along with the “ostentatious preoccupation with the liturgy, vainglory,
individualism” and “the inability to listen to others”.
Running
through the document is a focus on ensuring trainee priests have
undergone a personal journey of discernment before they are ordained,
including experience in pastoral work.
One
of the key recommendations of the text is that seminarians undergo a
period of “pre-formation” in a house of formation distinct from the
major seminary, a period which could last up to two years.
Known
as the “propaedeutic” stage, it is already in place in England and
Wales with candidates sent to the Royal English College in Valladolid,
Spain, for a period of initial discernment.
The
new document suggests this should be more widely used across the global
Church, arguing that it helps prospective priests to discern early on
whether to aim for ordination or follow a different path in life.