Pastoral care: priests are facing greater pressure

Sydney
11 November 2001

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Pastoral care: priests are facing greater pressure

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Pastoral care: priests are facing greater pressure

The proportion of priests to laity is roughly the same as 50 years ago, but priests face greater pressures these days, according to Dr Michael Mason, National Church Life Survey researcher.

“The proportion of priests to practising Catholics is actually close to what it was 50 years ago, but the men are older,” he said.

“The Catholic world is very different, and many are under strain in an attempt to provide adequate pastoral care in the present model.”

Dr Mason was addressing a conference of 75 priests from 11 dioceses who were discussing the meaning and their experiences of being a priest or deacon in Australia today.

Fr Richard Lennan, of the Catholic Institute of Sydney, offered the Lidcombe conference a snapshot of some of the features of the Church and society that impact upon priests today:

• There are fewer priests to carry out the tasks done by a greater number in the past.

• There is a broader sense of ownership of the Church and more lay people want to be involved in shaping its priorities and responses to the world.

• Conversely, the Christian faith is perceived as irrelevant, even ugly to many people.

• The personal maturity of priests is subject to much more scrutiny.

Dr Gerardine Taylor, clinical director of Encompass Australasia, stressed the importance of self-care and maintaining integrity.

And prayer, she said, is at the heart of a healthy lifestyle for a priest.

The priests met for two days under the auspices of the Manly Union, which supports the formation of seminarians in Australia and overseas and the ongoing formation of diocesesan priests and deacons.

Formed in 1914 by alumni priests of the former seminary at St Patrick’s College, Manly, its focus now is on better pastoral care and the continuing formation of clergy.

The two-day conference at the Lidcombe Catholic Club included Mass celebrated by Cardinal Edward Cassidy, retired president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and of the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews.

Mons Lex Johnson, of Our Lady of Lourdes, Earlwood, was elected executive of the Manly Union.