In order to help explain our vision of diocesan priesthood we have set out here the ideal of the life we are trying to live under eight headings.
The logic of these eight headings is as follows: the first two, priestly consecration and holiness, are the general thrust of our lives broadly stated. They give the context for the rest. The next four deal with what we see as central to our charism as a community of priests: living the evangelical counsels in fraternity. The last two involve mission, emphasizing evangelization and catechesis, hence zeal and training of mind.
A strong sense of priestly consecration.
A desire to grow in holiness.
A readiness to obey.
A chaste heart and life.
An orientation to evangelical poverty.
A delight in and commitment to priestly fraternity.
A zeal for the good of souls.
A mind well-trained and penetrated by the truth of the Gospel.
The logic of these eight headings is as follows: the first two, priestly consecration and holiness, are the general thrust of our lives broadly stated. They give the context for the rest. The next four deal with what we see as central to our charism as a community of priests: living the evangelical counsels in fraternity. The last two involve mission, emphasizing evangelization and catechesis, hence zeal and training of mind.
A strong sense of priestly consecration.
- He delights in being a priest and has confidence in his priestly vocation.
- He loves his Master, Jesus Christ, and identifies himself entirely with Christ’s cause.
- He offers the Eucharist Daily and counts it the central act of his day.
- He is faithful in praying the Divine Office.
- He consistently carries himself as a priest in all aspects of life.
- He contributes to the building of a vital priestly culture.
A desire to grow in holiness.
- He loves prayer and is steady in his daily holy hour.
- He longs for righteousness and makes regular use of the sacrament of reconciliation.
- He lives a life of penance and mortification in reparation for his sins and those of all priests.
- He understands that his personal holiness is the most important aspect of his service as a priest.
- He delights in the friendship with the Blessed Mother and all the Saints and attempts to imitate their lives.
- He meets regularly with his Spiritual director and fraternal sharing group in order to advance in holiness.
A readiness to obey.
- He has a humble and obedient spirit, free from grumbling and complaining.
- He willingly embraces obedience as a means of freeing himself from self-will in favor of God’s will, and seeks rather than avoids occasions of practicing it.
- He is easily obedient to his Bishop, to the Superior of the Companions, and to the head of his fraternity in keeping with their proper authority.
- He aims to obey in such a way as to bring joy rather than be a burden to those over him.
A chaste heart and life.
- He desires the virtue of chastity as a way of setting his heart free to see God and to love others with greater strength.
- He lives chastely and looks for opportunities to grow in the strength of purity.
- He is careful and prudent in his relations with women.
- He avoids situations, entertainments, conversations, that would damage the gift of his chastity.
- He lives in the light with his brothers as he pursues chastity of mind, heart and body.
An orientation to evangelical poverty.
- He loves Christ poor, and desires to share in the poverty of his Master.
- He longs to be dependent on God alone, and to look for security in nothing else.
- He delights in simplicity and avoids the appearance of affluence and ostentation.
- He does not allow his possessions to pile up or to rule him, and he readily gives away whatever he does not need.
- He is generous towards others, rich in almsgiving, slow to spend money on himself.
- He willingly honors God by tithing his income.
- He submits his financial arrangements and decisions to the scrutiny of his brothers.
A delight in and commitment to priestly fraternity.
- He loves his brothers, and counts their good ahead of his own.
- He lives well with his brothers and contributes to the common life.
- He is eager to serve his brothers and he looks for opportunities to do so in great and small matters.
- He fosters friendships with his brothers in the Companions and with other priests.
- He understands our common life as a crucial element of our vocation, and is easily faithful to common commitments and to the rhythm of life together.
- He eagerly encourages other men to discern and respond to the Lord’s call to a vocation in the Companions of Christ or other priestly or consecrated vocation.
A zeal for the good of souls.
- He sees the harvest ready and the laborers few, and he longs to labor with Christ for the good of others.
- He has a genuine love for those under his care and he holds them steadily in prayer.
- He is ready for any good work that will advance the Kingdom of God.
- His life bears the freedom, balance, and consistency of character that enable him to serve well and long, and to endure hardship for the sake of the Gospel.
- He serves joyfully and without complaining.
- He is dedicated to the evangelizing the modern world and the building up of the Church, and willingly supports others in the Church so dedicated.
- He practices fasting and penance for his spiritual life and for the people he serves
A mind well-trained and penetrated by the truth of the Gospel.
- He has a converted mind, and understands the spiritual battle for the life of the mind in our day.
- He loves the Magisterium of the Church and is loyal to her teaching in season and out of season.
- He attempts to make his own the riches of the Catholic theological and spiritual tradition.
- He makes the study of God’s word and of Catholic truth a regular part of his life, and in addition is ready for any study that will help him serve the needs of today’s Church.
- He is eager to teach, train, and catechize others for the sake of the Kingdom.