INSTRUCTION XIII1
PASTORAL-ORIENTED FORMATION
This regards the reports on the Aspirants to be made by the local Superior to the Provincial or Regional Superior; and, when prescribed, of the latter to the Superior General.
1. Reports are prescribed for clothing, for the various admis-sions (Novitiate, individual Professions, Sacred Orders) fol-lowing the formularies in use in the Congregation; but in ac-cordance with the norms of the Constitutions.
2. These reports are to be signed by the Superior and his Council. The person who forwards these is to keep a copy in the Archives.
3. Reports to be sent to the Superior General must arrive two months prior to the step that the aspirant is to take.
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Art. 79. Anyone about to make his temporary Profession must have completed his sixteenth year of age; his twenty-first year, if it is a case of the perpetual Profession.
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Art. 80. The formula for the religious Profession is:
I, N.N., in honor of the most holy Trinity, of the Immaculate Virgin Mary Queen of the Apostles, of Saint Paul the Apostle, and of all the Saints, for the greater sanctification of my soul and of my neighbor's, with the assistance of divine grace, surrender, offer, and consecrate my entire self to God, and profess the vows of obedience, chastity, and poverty, and fidelity to the Roman Pontiff (for one year, or, for two years, or perpetually) in the Pious Society of Saint Paul the Apostle, according to its Constitutions. So help me God. Amen.
Art. 81. Special indulgences are attached to the private renewal of Profession after the reception of Holy Communion.
Art. 82. When the time expires for which the vows have been made, there is to be no delay in their renewal. The major Superior has the faculty of permitting, for a just cause, that the renewal of the temporary vows be anticipated by a period of time not exceeding one month, but always maintaining the integrity of the three year period of temporary Profession before perpetual Profession.
Art. 83. When the period of temporary Profession has been completed according to the norms of articles 73, 74, 75, the Religious shall be admitted to the perpetual Profession if he is judged worthy; otherwise let him return to the world without any further time of probation being given.
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Art. 84. In making the religious Profession the rite accepted and approved in the Society shall be observed.
Art. 85. Care must be taken that the document of Profession (with due indication of place, day, month, and year) is signed not only by the Professed himself but also by the person who legitimately received the Profession, and by two other witnesses, and that it is carefully kept in the archives.
Pastoral spirit and pastoral year
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd (Jn 10:11-16).
The priest is always a pastor: Ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus constituitur,2 says Saint Paul. He can be a pastor in various ways; but this is in essence his mission. If he is alter Christus he cannot do otherwise than what the Teacher of the Apostles did: Propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit
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de coelis; et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto, ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est; crucifixus, mortuus.3
It is the Church's wish that candidates to the priesthood be together in seminaries, apostolic houses, halls of philosophy and theology so that, besides learning about priestly virtue, they can also do practical work, and carry out their apostolates as far as possible.
The Apostolic Constitution Sedes Sapientiae prescribes:
Art. 47. The Apostolic and Pastoral Training throughout the entire initiation period:
1. Throughout the time of training and probation Superiors and Teachers must not omit to attract the minds of the students towards the apostolate; they should even moderately employ them in it, according to the mind of the Church and the nature and aim of each Institute.
2. Moreover, the students are to be prepared step by step for the special apostolate of their own Institute, by thoroughly studying its end, spirit, and works; its beginning and historical development, the life of its illustrious members, the means these used for their success so that the younger men become more attracted to their religious family and correspond better to their own divine vocation.
The December 1958 San Paolo explained its practical application:
It is the year that runs between the fourth year of theology and
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the full beginning of priestly ministry. It is like a period of initiation to the priesthood; a prudent start for the priestly spirit and activity; it is the rounding off of studies and training.
In the thinking of Pius XII and the Sedes Sapientiae it has a threefold role. During this year the students under capable teachers: 1) practise more carefully the priestly virtues; 2) exercise some priestly ministry; 3) extend and complete their theoretical and practical knowledge of pastoral theology in accordance with the Apostolic provisions and instructions (cf. art. 48).
When Pius XII inaugurated the church and the adjoining buildings dedicated to Saint Eugenius I, his wish, as set out in the motu proprio Quandoquidem, was that the newly ordained priests of Rome should spend some time there for specialized training in ministry (15 April 1949). These are his words:4
Quando ex studiorum domiciliis sacerdotes novensiles proficiscuntur, ut sibi creditum ministerium suscipiant, etsi sunt sacris disciplinis pietatisque fervore praediti, nihilo secius cum saeculi afflatum sentiunt, atque in media rapiuntur aetatis huius nostrae pericula difficultatesque, non raro experiuntur se haud satis esse ad increscentibus populi necessitatibus occurrendum instructi, atque interdum etiam animo concidunt, cum se cernunt non sine proprio discrimine a christianae doctrinae christianaeque virtutis hostibus acerrime impugnari.
Oportet igitur iuvenes a sacerdotio recentes opportunis illis disciplinis ac rebus exerceantur, quibus iisdem opus sit ut novas etiam apostolatus formas, quas
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nostra induxerit aetas, expedite, apte alacriterque tractare valeant.
Norunt profecto omnes primos potissimum sacerdotii annos, cum sacri administri ex Seminarii claustris in apertum campum prosiliunt, ut quae in scholis didicerint ad rem deducant, peculiarem habere momenti gravitatem, atque interdum etiam non leve discrimen. Ex iisdem siquidem saepe numero pendet futurae eorum vitae cursus, atque adeo eorum morum eorumque sacerdotalis muneris processus. Hac de causa facile cernitur quam opportunum ac prorsus necessarium sit eos in sacrae militiae initio optimos habere duces ac magistros, qui eis non tam doctrinae praeceptis, quam sacerdotalis ministerii exercitatione in exemplum praeluceant.
Id quidem non novum in Ecclesiae annalibus est; quod Romae S. Philippus Nerius hac in re peregit, quod S. Carolus Borromaeus Mediolani gessit, ac superiore saeculo Augustae Taurinorum S. Iosephus Cafasso Ecclesiasticum Convictum moderando obtinuit, id omnibus perspectum est; at multa alia hoc genus opera atque instituta memorari queunt, quae ad optimam sacerdotum conformationem summopere contulerunt.
Haec Nos mature considerantes, cum vehementer cupiamus ut iuvenis Almae Urbis Clerus, qui peculiari modo ac titulo Nobis carissimus est, hisce adiumentis ne careat, optamus ac volumus Pontificium Institutum Romae condere, cui quidem sit gravissima haec causa demandata. Quapropter per has litteras motu proprio datas decernimus aedificia illa, de quibus supra mentionem fecimus, non modo novae paroeciae, sed Pontificio
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etiam Instituo attribuenda esse, Romano Clero novensili hac ratione instituendo.
Haec praeterea, quae sequuntur, statuimus ac discernimus:
I Pontificii huius Instituti Rector a Nobis Nostrisve Successoribus eligetur, audito Cardinali in Urbe Vicario.
II. Novi Almae Urbis sacerdotes per certum tempus in ibi commorabuntur, ut non modo virtute, sed sacro etiam in ministerio exerceatur, peculiarique modo in iis apostolatus formis, quas nostrum invexit saeculum.
III. Addiscent iidem quid nostra tempora postulent, quibus necessitatibus angantur, quae pericula ac discrimina praebeant; atque adeo opportunis omnibus rationibus instruentur, quibus et haec pericula facilius superare, et praesentibus hisce necessitatibus modo aetati nostrae pari actuoseque respondere queant.
IV. Sacris concionibus exercebuntur, impertiendaeque christianae doctrinae institutione; qua de causa in paroeciales aedes statis temporibus se conferent, ubi eorum opera apte utiliterque dirigetur.
V. n gerendis administrandisque paroecialibus officiis sub optimorum magistrorum ductu pariter exercebuntur.
VI. Vitam communem agent, ex qua quidem magnum experientur spiritualis utilitatis profectum.
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Priestly virtues and specific apostolate
a) Congrua congruis referendo, in other words, applying these norms to our particular needs. From his profession to his priestly ordination the dedicated religious cleric has applied himself especially to prayer life and the virtues of religion. At the start of his priesthood he has to add prayer life and the priestly virtues.
Prayer broadens his heart and his spirit; he feels the responsibility, the onus of people's souls - pax hominibus - and experiences the means of immense power and efficacy to glorify, thank, and make atonement to God - gloria in excelsis Deo - per Ipsum et cum Ipso et in Ipso.
Before it was he and God; now it is he and his flock and God. He is no longer alone.
He is a minister of God and of the people (in Saint Paul's meaning). Minister of God whom he represents before the people; minister of the people whom he represents before God: omnis pontifex ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus constituitur in iis quae sunt ad Deum ut offerat dona et sacrificia pro peccatis.5
He renders to God honor and glory, atonement for all people and, in a special way, for those entrusted to him in particular, in Christ; and to beseech God's mercy on all. The Mass, the Breviary and the liturgical services, in general, are in his hands.
He offers to all the means of salvation: belief in God's truths, observance of God's will, the reception of the sacraments, putting one's present life in order in view of the life to come.
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And so all his endowments, his knowledge, experience and goodness, his physical and moral strength must be channeled into a prudent, unmistakable and untiring zeal. For his salvation is bound up with that of others. This requires, consequently, such virtues as prudence, generosity in ministry, enthusiasm for all that gives glory to God and peace to humankind. It means learning to keep a balance between the two duties: to bring to perfection his studies and virtues, and to devote himself generously and wisely to prayer life, study and works of zeal. The priest must always add and never bankrupt or wear himself out and thus be of no use to either himself or others. In all this he has to train himself in holy habits for the whole of his priestly life.
In the motu proprio above Pius XII insists that the new priests be trained to the needs of our times; but that they be likewise immunized against dangers old and new; and not be overwhelmed through inexperience by dangerous occasions and relationships; not even under the pretext of enthusiasm, or by a less than wise use of the new forms of apostolate.
b) Through moderate employment in the apostolate. The priest has a general apostolate and a specific apostolate.
General apostolate: administering the sacraments in a fitting way, particularly that of Penance. Therefore, during the pastoral year, they will sit the socalled examination for confessions and then be available for the confession of children, men and so on, according to the rules of the diocese or the Institute.
Preaching the word of God. First, prepare
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a good catechism lesson, arranged and presented according to modern methods. Then an explanation of the Gospel, short talks to various groups, a few panegyrics,6 and so on. Of great importance is formative eloquence for a certain category of faithful.
He has to dedicate himself to those works which help form the upright and Christian character of the faithful; in particular he has to give people a clear and sure understanding of their duties according to age, status and position. In this way they will live out the commandments of God and of the Church; Catholics will be the best citizens, each one in his or her role. Likewise are they to experience their family and social duties, as well as the needs of their neighbor and the virtues of the apostolate.
Specific apostolate: Moreover, Pius XII wants diocesan priests to begin parish work because that will be their future mission. Likewise, it is clear that religious priests are to begin work in the specific areas of their future apostolate. Therefore our dear new priests are to begin the practical task of school teaching, editorial work, and formation of the aspirants; to take up a leadership role in the technical apostolate and in promotion, to make a start in films, radio and television, in so far as is possible; as well as in all the other new forms of apostolate that the times require; being open to ever wider horizons, bearing in mind the various countries and continents.
These specific apostolates are now part of the Pontifical Institute for Pastoral Studies in Rome, erected by Pius XII. Its aim is also to prepare graduate teachers in pastoral subjects for the dioceses and religious Institutes.
The Pope thus calls to mind in the Apostolic Constitution that
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the priest must be, as Saint Paul says, perfectus homo Dei ad omne opus bonum instructus.7
He has placed the Institute under the protection of Mary, Regina Apostolorum, Saint Gregory the Great and Saint Pius X.
There was a need for such an Institute and it is frequented by both religious clergy and diocesan clergy.
Subject matter for study
c) The instruction to be given is to embrace the following subjects in particular:
Fundamental pastoral theology. Today this has achieved status as a true science, while in a bygone age it was simply a composite of practical advice.
The priest needs to have two areas of knowledge. First, he has to know what he must give the faithful and the non-faithful; secondly, how to give it. For the first he has his theological studies; for the second he has the pastoral year.
The history of pastoral care, pastoral literature, the situation and present-day methods of pastoral care worldwide need to be studied as one unit.
The teaching of truth: this embraces catechetics, editorial work, and sacred eloquence in its various forms: e.g., conferences, guiding spiritual exercises, days of recollection, and the like.
Practical pedagogy and psychology.
Youth apostolate which includes the vocation apostolate; and Catholic Action.
The religious life in its various forms: Orders, Congregations, Societies of common life without public vows, Secular Institutes.
The spiritual direction of various classes of
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people, especially those consecrated to the Lord.
Press, television, radio and film-making apostolates.
Christian sociology.
Liturgy and Art in view of pastoral care.
The sacraments and pastoral care.
Missiology.
Outline of the pastoral activity of the Supreme Pastor, the Pope; outline of the pastoral activity of bishops; outline of the pastoral care of pastors. All of this to take into account times past and the present day.
Conclusion. - The Pious Society of Saint Paul has always given very special importance to pastoral care; anticipating the times, Appunti di Teologia Pastorale was prepared and two editions were published. A third completely revised edition was also published.
In the Constitutions we read: The apostolate ought to have a pastoral character (art. 232) The explanation is given in articles 227, 229, and 230.
The Vita Pastorale magazine has always been published.
The reason for pastoral care is obvious. Pope John XXIII explained it in the homily on the occasion of his incoronation. He said that in the Pope you are not to look for the scholar, the diplomat, the statesman, and so on, but the Pastor, modelled on Jesus the Good Shepherd, and he went on to describe in broad outline what the qualities and roles of the pastor are.
The priest writer and the whole apostolate are there precisely to carry out the task of enlightening, guiding and sanctifying.
A very valuable collection is the
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three-part pastoral series: Magisterium, Ministerium, Regimen (Edizioni Paoline, Alba).
Pius XII: In fidelity to Our High Office, We must draw attention to the fact that, over and above sanctity and proper science, the priest needs a detailed and absolutely complete pastoral preparation for the dutiful performance of his apostolic ministry (Apostolic Constitution, n. 35).
Art. 48. Special Disposition Concerning the Pastoral Training and Exercises.
§ 1. - In order to profit rightly from the pastoral training, the students, immediately upon finishing their theological studies, must spend a year at least in a special apprenticeship (art. 11, § 2, 4°; 21 § 1, 4°, 42 § 3, 3°). During this period, while they practise more carefully the priestly virtues and exercise some priestly ministry, they will strive, under capable teachers, to extend and to complete their theoretical and practical knowledge of pastoral theology in accordance with the Apostolic provisions and instructions. [61]
§ 2. - Unless, on account of special rigorously weighed circumstances, the Sacred Congregation has granted dispensations, the Major Superiors may except only those students who must pursue higher ecclesiastical studies. In these cases, the Superiors are bound in conscience to have the apostolic formation completed in other ways.
Laity and Pauline Institutes
The expression Catholic Action is bandied about. Pius XII has clarified its meaning. The expression is a genus [kind], not a species.
Everything that is done for the salvation of people in the Church of God, in union
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with the Hierarchy, comes under the umbrella of Catholic Action. Thus the Third Orders, the Protection of Young Women, the catechetical work of the laity, the Apostolate of the Sea, the Pauline and Salesian Cooperators, the Union of Catholic Editors, the POA, the ACLI, the Union of Catholic Teachers, the lay apostolate in general, the many international organizations, for example, for films, radio and television, missionary works, social weeks, and so on, are all Catholic Action. It is a word that indicates a genus. Often this expression is instead misused to indicate the species, that organization of lay people to be found in Italy and other countries at the service of the hierarchy.
But the Pauline Family goes beyond all these bodies which are in the Church. Ours are religious Institutes which carry out a ministry, and whose membership is made up of consecrated people. Catholic activists instead give a little of the species or fruit of the plant, but not the plant. Religious give both plant and fruit to the Lord; in other words, they give themselves and their works: Et erit tamquam lignum quod plantatum est secus decursus aquarum, quod fructum suum dabit in tempore suo [Ps 1:3]; it is the tree planted by the stream of water that rises to eternal life; and which will produce its fruits in due time. Here is the religious who gives everything: plant and fruit; it is the shepherd who gives his life, everything.
Direct and indirect pastoral care
Every priest is a Christian: Christianus sibi; Sacerdos aliis.8 But what, for the most part, is our pastoral care?
Pope John XXIII replied to the question when he
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spoke to the clergy of Rome in one of the Synod's sessions.
There is direct pastoral care and there is indirect pastoral care. The former entails oral preaching, the administration of the sacraments, spiritual guidance: Magisterium, ministerium, regimen.9 He explained that in Rome there are many diocesan and regular clergy. They are a make-up of two complementary divisions. There are 220 diocesan priests and 370 religious priests in parishes who see to direct pastoral care. Then there are many priests of both clergy who undertake other roles, mostly for the good of the whole Church, everyone: Vicariate, schools, associations, colleges, pontifical congregations, embassies, priest superiors of religious women, and so on. Their pastoral care is indirect but it is more essential, extensive and exalted. This is where the apostolate of publications inputs in a way that is direct, complementary, necessary, wide-ranging and arduous. All priests are pastors! even within the meaning of the Regula Pastoralis of Saint Gregory the Great, even within the meaning of De Sacerdotio of Saint John Chrysostom, and equally so in the II Oratio of Saint Gregory Nazianzen. So, in reality, there is only one pastoral care which is the ars artium regimen animarum.10
Because of their link to the priest in the publications' apostolate the Brothers enter upon a mission unheard of in centuries past, one which is adorned afresh with a new and specific dignity.
That we have always had a pastoral conviction and purpose in our apostolate stems also from the fact that in the Pauline Family there is, as I recalled above, an Institute called Jesus the Good Shepherd. These women are the unsung cooperators in priestly zeal.
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Conclusion: read the life of Jesus the Good Shepherd. When it is a matter of writing or giving approval for a book to be printed or a film to be made, bear in mind the needs of people.
Let us pray: Bone pastor, panis vere - Iesu nostri miserere - Tu nos pasce, nos tuere - Tu nos bona fac videre - in terra viventium.11
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1 On the seventh day of the exercises, Friday 8 April, Fr Roatta gave the 6 a.m. meditation on “Sacred Scripture and Paulines.” The 7 p.m. meditation was entitled “Tradition and Paulines.”
2 “Chosen from among men, appointed to act on behalf of men” (Heb 5:1).
3 “For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven. By the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary and was made man. [He was] crucified… [he suffered] death” (Missale Romanum, Ordo Missae: “Credo”).
4 Although the newly-ordained priests who leave these halls of study to undertake the ministry entrusted to them have an ardent prayer life and are instructed in the sacred sciences, yet when they experience the world and are thrown into the midst of the dangers and difficulties of our age, it happens that they often experience not being sufficiently ready to meet the growing needs of people, and they sometimes lose heart when they find themselves harshly attacked by the enemies of the faith and of Christian virtue.
These new priests need therefore to be trained in those appropriate disciplines and matters so that they can deal competently with the new forms of apostolate consonant with our times, in a well-equipped and proficient way.
Everyone knows that the early years of priesthood, when the newly ordained pass from the refuge of the seminary to the open coal face to put into practice what they have learned in classes, are particularly important and not without some danger. In fact, the rest of their life and the perfecting of their conduct and priestly ministry depends often on these early years. It is easily understandable therefore how opportune and necessary it is that, at the beginning of their priestly soldiering, they have the best guides and teachers, not only in the principles of doctrine but in the exercise of their sacred ministry.
This is not new in the Church. In this regard, everyone knows what Saint Philip Neri accomplished in Rome, what Saint Charles Borromeo effected in Milan and, in the last century, what Saint Joseph Cafasso did in Turin with the running of his “Ecclesiastic Hall of Residence”; not to mention the many other works and institutions of this kind that contributed markedly to the good training of priests.
Since We have carefully considered these matters, and greatly desire that the young clergy of this beloved city, so dear to Us by a special title and in a particular way, should not lack these helps, We welcome and wish to establish in Rome a Pontifical Institute, which will be entrusted with this most important work. Therefore, with this Letter, given “motu proprio”, We decree that the buildings which We mentioned above, should be for the use not only of the new parish but also of the Pontifical Institute for the training of the young Roman clergy.
Moreover We establish and decree the following:
I. The Rector of this Pontifical Institute will be appointed by Us or by Our Successors, having consulted the Cardinal Vicar of Rome.
II. The new priests of this beloved City will reside in the Institute for a period of time, so as to be trained not only in priestly virtue, but also in the sacred ministry, particularly in those forms of apostolate suitable for the times.
III. They will be instructed in the demands of our times, its needs, the risks and the dangers they present. They will be acquainted with all those matters whereby they can easily overcome these dangers and respond readily and in a appropriate way to our age and present-day needs.
IV. They will be trained in the art of sacred preaching and in the teaching of Christian doctrine; at established times they will therefore go to the parish centre for suitable and useful guidance in such work.
V. They will likewise be trained in the running and organization of parish work under the guidance of the best teachers.
VI. They are to live in community from which they will derive great spiritual benefit.
5 “Every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins” (Heb 5:1).
6 A laudatory discourse on the occasion of particular liturgical solemnities, or of circumstance.
7 “A man of God, complete and equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:17).
8 “The Christian is for himself; the priest is for others.”
9 “Teaching, ministry, guidance.”
10 “The guidance of souls is the art of arts.”
11 “Come then, good Shepherd, bread divine,/ Still show to us thy mercy sign;/ Oh, feed us still, still keep us thine;/ So we may see thy glories shine/ in fields of immortality” (Sequence, Lauda Sion Salvatorem).