|
Church
Mouse |
|
|
|
The
1992 papal exhortation, Pastores
Dabo Vobis , (meaning “I shall give you shepherds”) can be found
on the Vatican web site. It contains a couple of sections that are
particularly relevant to the selection of pastors for the parish of
St Vincent's Redfern.
They are Part 43, under the subsection heading Human Formation,
the Basis of All Priestly Formation:
… priests should therefore cultivate a series of human qualities,
not only out of proper and due growth and realization of self,
but also with a view to the ministry. These qualities are needed
for them to be balanced people, strong and free, capable of bearing
the weight of pastoral responsibilities. They need to be educated
to love the truth, to be loyal, to respect every person, to have
a sense of justice, to be true to their word, to be genuinely
compassionate, to be men of integrity and, especially, to be balanced
in judgment and behaviour. A simple and demanding program for
this human formation can be found in the words of the apostle
Paul to the Philippians: "Whatever is true, whatever is honourable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever
is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything
worthy of praise, think about these things" (Phil. 4:8).
It is interesting to note that Paul, precisely in these profoundly
human qualities, presents himself as a model to his faithful,
for he goes on to say: "What you have learned and received
and heard and seen in me, do" (Phil. 4:9).
Of special importance is the capacity to relate to others.
This is truly fundamental for a person who is called to be responsible
for a community and to be a "man of communion." This
demands that the priest not be arrogant, or quarrelsome, but affable,
hospitable, sincere in his words and heart, prudent and discreet,
generous and ready to serve, capable of opening himself to clear
and brotherly relationships and of encouraging the same in others,
and quick to understand, forgive and console (cf. 1 Tm. 3:1-5;
Ti. 1:7-9). ….. Today this is one of the most eloquent signs and
one of the most effective ways of transmitting the Gospel message.
And Part 72, under the subsection heading Different Dimensions
of Ongoing Formation:
The People of God should be able to say about the priest,
who has increasingly matured in human sensitivity, something similar
to what we read about Jesus in the letter to the Hebrews: "For
we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we
are, yet without sinning" (Heb. 4:15).
As the following documents show, there is scant evidence to suggest
that these shepherdly qualities were significant criteria in the selection
of parish priests for St Vincent's since Ted Kennedy's resignation
due to ill health.
|
|
|
|
|
Neocatechumenate
priest for Redfern
by Catholic
Weekly
- 27/07/2003 |
A Neo-catechumenate
priest has been appointed to the Redfern parish of St
Vincent de Paul. Fr Gerry Prindiville, an Australian priest
on loan to the Sydney archdiocese from his home diocese
of Newark, New Jersey, celebrated his first Mass at Redfern
... ... [more]
|
|
|
Pell
acts to resolve Redfern priest crisis
by Catholic
News
- 21/07/2003 |
Fr Gerry
Prindiville, a member of The Neocatechumenal Way, yesterday
celebrated his first mass as parish priest of the high
profile and largely indigenous inner Sydney parish priest
of Redfern, following Archbishop George Pell's Friday
announcem ... ... [more]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Canberra Times, Thursday Aug 26 2004 p18
|
|
|