On June 10, 2010 the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI had a dialogue with priests on the occasion of the International Meeting of Priests. It was the conclusion of the Year of Priests. With the multi-tasking concerns of the parish priest, the varied communities who desire for the presence and the services of their parish priest, and the changing landscape of our contexts, it is inevitable for the parish priest to question about his ministry and its relevance today. A priest during the dialogue asked the Holy Father: “We try our best to meet the needs of a society that has changed much, it is no longer entirely Christian, and we come to realize that our “doing” is not enough. How should we proceed, your Holiness? What direction should we take?”  The Pope responded:

1. Challenging Life- The life and mission of a parish priest is not easy. Benedict XVI mentioned the word “very” difficult especially in countries of ancient Christianity. The gradual loss of Christianity in these places seem to make the pastoral life more difficult. However, in the midst of difficulties, there are parish priests who do their work ardently and faithfully. The Pope remarked: “I know there are many parish priests in the world who really give all their strength for evangelization, for the Lord’s presence and for his sacraments.” The pope showed his gratitude to them with a “big thank you.”

2. Impossibility of Know Everybody- Another difficulty that may challenge the parish priest is the parishioners en toto. The Pope remarked: “Parishes have become more extensive pastoral units... and it is impossible to know everyone…” It may not be too important that the parish priest has to know everyone in the parish but what is important is the people who sees in the priest the call and the joy of being a servant of the Lord. Benedict XVI said that the people should be able to witness in the priest the call of God in him and “that we can see and feel that the parish priest really feels his call from the Lord, that he is full of love for the Lord and for his faithful.”

3. Too much work- We cannot expect the parish priest to be able to accomplish the job always. The Pope’s words were “it is impossible to do all the work we would expect of a parish priest.” It is impossible to accomplish all things because of our limitedness. Parish priests have to accept that it is not possible to work perfectly with our physical weaknesses. His words were: “I said that it is not possible to do all we would like to do, that perhaps we should do, because our strength is limited and there are difficult situations in an increasingly diversified, more complicated society.” When the priest sees his joyful vocation, the priest could also understand and can “see the impossibility of doing everything.”

4. Vocation is not a job- Fulfilling the ministry of the parish priest is not like fulfilling a job or a paid contracted work. Rather, the life of a parish priest is a vocation from God. God calls the person first before he performs a task. The relationship with God is important before a task has to be accomplished. Benedict XVI said: “I think that, above all, it is important that the faithful can see that the priest does not just perform a “job” with working hours, and then is free and lives only for himself, but that he is a passionate man of Christ who carries in himself the fire of Christ’s love.”

5. Constant joy in the priesthood- The joy of the priest is contagious and attractive. The faithful will always know and see in the priest the joy he has in the priesthood. When people see in the priest the joy of being a servant of the Lord, the people will understand him more and more in the midst of his limitedness. Benedict XVI commented “If the faithful see that he is full of the joy of the Lord and understand also that he cannot do everything, they can accept limits and help the parish priest. So, being full of the joy of the Gospel with our whole being is the first condition. Then they must make choices, have priorities, to see what is possible and what is impossible.”

6. Aware of priorities- The parish priest knows the priorities in the parish. His task is arduous and demanding, thus he should be able to set the priorities he has to take in fulfilling his task. Benedict XVI mentions “the three fundamental priorities: they are the three pillars of our being priests. First, the Eucharist, the Sacraments. The Eucharist: to make possible and present the Eucharist, above all on Sundays, for as many as possible, for everyone, and to celebrate it so that it becomes really the visible act of the Lord's love for us. Then, the Proclamation of the Word in all its dimensions: from the personal dialogue to the homily. The third point is caritas, the love of Christ: to be present for the suffering, for the little ones, for the children, for people in difficulty, for the marginalized; to make really present the love of the Good Shepherd. And then, a very high priority is also the personal relationship with Christ.”

7. Man of Prayer- Benedict XVI says that prayer is not a marginal thing of a priest. It is the “occupation” of the priest to pray. He has to nourish his life with personal prayer especially with the Holy Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours. He quoted St. Charles Borromeo who said that priest should not “neglect” their souls. He further said: “The personal prayer, especially the Prayer of the Hours, is fundamental nourishment for our soul, for all our actions. Finally, to recognize our limitations, to open ourselves up even to this humility. Recall a scene from Mark, chapter 6, where the disciples are "stressed out", they want to do everything, and the Lord says: "Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while" (Mk 6: 31). Even this is work I would say pastoral work: to find and to have the humility, the courage to rest. So, I think, that passion for the Lord, love for the Lord shows us the priorities, the choices, helps us to find the road.”