ACN: We need our priests and they need ongoing formation

By Fr. Pawel Rytel-Andrianik

Around one thousand priests, representing over sixty countries came together for a conference on ongoing priestly formation. Speaking to the Vatican News at the conclusion fo the conference, Regina Lynch, Executive President of the Pontifical Foundation Aid to the Church in Need, which sponsored the event noted that “today priestly service to the faithful is even more demanding.”

The conference on ongoing priest formation was held on February 6-10 with the theme “Fan into a flame the gift of God that you possess (2 Tim 1:6). The beauty of being disciples today: a singular, integral, communitarian, and missionary formation”. The conference was organised by the Vatican’s Dicasteries for the Clergy, Evangelization, and Eastern Churches.

“Service to the faithful has always been a challenge for priests. In today's secularized Western world, it has become even more demanding. They have to face extreme conditions, huge distances, sometimes living in war situations, living in inner cities where there is so much demand on their time. I think it is easy for priests to end up having a burnout if they do not have the proper support,” noted President Lynch.

“We need ouedr priests, and they need to be in good shape, not just physically, but also mentally and spiritually. And this is where the ongoing formation of priests is extremely important,” she added.

The President of Aid to the Church in Need shared her opinion that the five-day conference gave the priests a chance to talk with other priests from all over the world about best practices. “The positive aspects of this is that they can learn what works from one another, but also share the challenges of being a priest today,” she said.

Lynch underlined that there was “a great atmosphere” and added, “Now the priests will go back to their countries to be formators of ongoing formation for their fellow priests."