Multitasking“ shepherds”

After a management for Diocesan Caritas, The volunteer subtly said goodbye: “Goodbye. I'm sorry you have to remain a wrong priest; and that is not at odds with being a good person, which he is...” The look on the priest's face showed that he did not understand whether it was a compliment or a “joke”. “Don't worry, I'll explain.”, The collaborator tried to reassure his parish priest. And there began a “theoretical” about practical things to try to elucidate the essential from the accessory in the presbyters. 

The impractical, interminable and “disembodied” meetings occupy the first reflections. The impetus of the first years of priesthood gives way to more direct and decisive meetings. With age, “reflection” and casuistry increase... The heavy workload of today's parish priests makes some (sometimes valuable) choose not to attend the meetings, with the danger of isolating themselves and others spend the meeting like those who put “wedges” when sawing a tree trunk to see if it “falls...".", cutting “rolls” and moving forward. Some people prepare their meetings like a “quarterback”: outlines, time limits, A-B-C plans, questions, calendar, contacts... 

Observation: “Look, if we start at 1 p.m., we won't have time.”. Intelligent response: “That's why. Let's wake up and then, let's eat.”. Some use them as a place to let off steam, others as a place of influence. The more parishes and responsibilities, the more meetings: exhausting.

Accompanying the faithful

Synodality has reminded us that the Church is a shared task. We are co-responsible and that requires walking and working together on many fronts. 

But sometimes, building a team requires patience. It takes time. A parish priest told of his odyssey to raise funds to fix the church: “The priest has his palm up, to ask. It's his thing. Otherwise, he would be dead, palm down.”. 

One day he was asked to join a group of parishioners to go door to door soliciting donations. “If you hadn't come with us, we wouldn't have made it.”. Initially, he had not liked the idea at all. It was very risky and he thought it would waste a lot of time. But that gesture earned him great prestige; a reputation for courage and concern for the heritage. 

This “poster” allowed him to get to know all the houses in the parish, to strengthen ties with several families through shared work and even, with some people, to go deeper into religious or personal questions.

Economic concerns  

The works, the maintenance and the economy occupy an important part of the mental efforts, managements and worries of the priest, especially when he has not yet achieved the collaboration of the parishioners suitable for this sensitive work. A priest summed it up in one of his fraternal meetings: “What a man: to speak about God and prayer, one speaker has come to this conference. And to talk about economics, three have come!”. 

The devilish machinery of property permits, damages, accountability, transparency, charities or details with collaborators; the parish books depending on whether or not there is the help of a “secretariat”; living one's own poverty and detachment... These are issues that generate stress and test both order and supernatural vision (it is not easy to “see” God behind these assignments). 

Without a deep spirit of prayer, persevering and improving “hurts” too much. Without the help of the diocesan institution, temptation is “let them take care of it”.

Looking to the long term

Today, the indispensable personal contact demands preparation in every way. Rarely is the sacrament of penance administered at the first conversation. People need dedication and one can consider as “shocks” the lack of response, the informality, or the “exclusive appropriation” that some people mistakenly claim from the priest. It is probably more tiring to “deal” with people than with any other mechanical task. But therein lies the key: it is not about “people”, but about “family”. The priest is a father. It is in his “genes” and in his sacramental grace. He knows that it will be “hard”; that it will not be easy. He was not born learned. But he will always be there for his “sons” and “daughters”: they have priority. That is what many expect to find. Perhaps they have been looking for it elsewhere like crazy.