Formation, the Rhetoric, the Reality, Some Proposals

Priestly and Religious Formation in India Today: The Rhetoric, The Reality and
Some Proposals, Joe Mannath, Sanyasa, July-Dec 2!
The "ollo#ing re"lections are $as ed on my e%per i ence o" priestly and
religious training, $oth as a trainee and as a "ormator& I spent "ourteen years in "ormation,
i" I count the years "rom my no'itiate to the conclusion o" my theology studies (including
higher degrees and three years o" teaching)& I" you add the "our years o" high school and
Pre-*ni'ersity study, #hich "ormed my aspirantate (during #hich, too, #e #ere e%posed
to lots o" "riendly $om$ardment on the priesthood and religious li"e), it adds up to a
#hopping eighteen years+ I ha'e $een a "ormator "or o'er t#enty year s,i ncl udi ng
my t hr ee- year regency and the long and happy years in Poonamal lee ("rom -!./,
#i th a couple o" $rea0s, up to -!!1, #hen I 2oined the *ni'ersity o" Madras)&
During these years, I came to 0no# "rom 'ery close 3uarters a "e# hundred
seminarians and young religious, as #el l as a couple o" hundred priests and
religious& In the "ollo#ing pages, I should li0e to loo0 at some o" the rhetoric #e hear a$out
the 'ocation, training and contri$ution o" priests and rel i gi ous& 4l l pro" essi ons and
groups ha'e a rhetoric o" their o#n& The rele'ant 3uestion is: 5o# much o" it is true6
This needs to $e as0ed #ith particular urgency a$out priestly and religious "ormation, since it
is among the longest, most e%pensi'e and most care"ully #or0ed out training programmes
among all pro"essions, and its possi$le impact on the li'es o" people is signi"icant& So, too,
the 0ey role played $y priests and religious in church acti'ities (and $eyond church
$oundaries) is undenia$le& 7et us ha'e a loo0 at some o" the rhetoric, and see
#hether it corresponds to the reality& 8mpty rhetoric cut o"" "rom reality #ill ma0e us li'e in a
"ool9s paradise& The only solid $asis on #hich #e can $uild is reality, #ith its many
positi'e and negati'e aspects, its limitations and 3uestion mar0s& 7i"e is not a neat
"ormula& :i'en the e%periential tone o" this paper, I ha'e decided to s0ip the normal
apparatus o" scholarly articles, such as "ootnotes or re"erences to church documents& The
main documents are #ell-0no#n to most "ormators&
PART I: THE RHETORIC AND THE REALIT
!" #ocation as $o%&s Call an% a Free H'man Response in Lo(e
THE RHETORIC: In theory, a young person 2oins the ma2or seminary or no'itiate in a
"ree response to :od9s call, #hich he;she discerns honestly #ith some competent person
(usually a priest;religious selected "or "ormation #or0)& The candidate9s concern is supposed
to $e to deepen this call, to learn to respond to it more generously and to commit onesel" to
doing #or0, according to :od9s #ill& I" I go in "or the priesthood or religious "or other
reasons ("amily pressure, lac0 o" opportunities, direct or su$tle pressure "rom priests and
religious, "ear o" lea'ing, etc&), then this #ould not really $e a genuine 'ocation& That is the
o""icial rhetoric& 5o# much is true6
THE REALITY: The reality, as I ha'e repeatedly seen, is 3uite di""erent& 4n e%-seminarian
#hom I had taught in Poonamallee illustrates this& <hen he told his parents that he #as
thin0ing o" lea'ing, they #ere "urious& They #ere #orried a$out #hat people in the 'illage
#ould say& The other reason "or their anger #as less su$tle& They told him plainly that they
e%pected him to =$ecome a priest and help us, as other priests are doing" I admire the
young man "or stic0ing his decision to lea'e, in spite o" such "amily pressure&
I do not mean that there are no genuine 'ocations in our country& My o#n con'iction
(#hich I cannot pro'e or dispro'e scienti"ically) is that there is a committed minority of
genuine candidates in e'ery group& The rest seem to $e more #orried a$out not getting into
trou$le or $eing as0ed to lea'e (hence the much-touted ="ear comple%= in seminaries), rather
than a$out "inding and doing :od9s #ill& My e%perience o" seminary "ormation does not lead me
to $elie'e that the ma2ority o" seminarians come to the seminary in response to an inner call or
any strong religious e%perience& I am less "amiliar, as a "ormator, #ith the "ormation
settings o" #omen religious& >ut "rom #hat I hear, I #ould dare e%tend this dou$t to #omen
candidates as #ell& In "act, in our culture, it is much easier "or a man to lea'e and try something
else& This is, as #e 0no#, much harder "or a #oman& 5ence, pro$a$ly, the danger o" staying
in despite unhappiness or improper moti'es may $e greater in the case o" #omen
candidates& This is all the more so in congregations that do not send their 2unior sisters "or
college studies or similar types o" training&
The situation is not the same in all religious congregations or dioceses or in the
di""erent parts o" India& The situations 'ary a lot "rom place to place& The seriousness
and depth o" the "ormation plan and its e%ecution 'ary much "rom congregation to
congregation& >ut, all in all, I #ould raise the dou$ts I ha'e mentioned a$o'e a$out a
good num$er, i" not the ma2ority, o" our candidates&
2& Lea(in) E(erythin) to Follo* +es's
THE RHETORIC: ?hurch documents and edi"ying #ritings "rom the li'es o" the saints
spea0 o" a person lea'ing e'erything to "ollo# Jesus& @nce you ha'e "ound the pearl o" great
price, all else loo0s cheap or less important in comparison& @ne is #illing to ma0e sacri"ices
(as regards "ood, clothes, #or0, tra'el, accommodation, etc), since one9s happiness comes
"rom "ollo#ing Jesus, not "rom ha'ing more things& 5a'en9t #e heard the stories o" St&
4ntony o" the Desert (#ho sold his 'ast property and ga'e it to the poor and #ithdre# to
the desert), o" Thomas 43uinas (the $rilliant son o" a no$leman #ho 2oined the $egging
"riars o" his day against his "amily9s #ishes, and resisted their e""orts to corrupt him), Francis
o" 4ssisi (that care"ree, pleasure-lo'ing scion o" the #ealthy merchant class #ho "ell in lo'e
#ith ?hrist and "ound per"ect 2oy in a li"e o" po'erty), ?lare (#ho, mo'ed $y Francis9s
e%ample, made a similar choice) and many other outstanding human $eings #ho counted
#ealth, pleasure and pri'ilege as nothing #hen compared to the 2oy o" ser'ing ?hrist6
These e%amples are true and challenging, and continue e'en to this day& >ut, once again,
ho# many priests and religious are o" this category6
THE REALITY: I ha'e 0no#n e%emplary priests, religious and seminarians #hose choice
o" their state o" li"e is along these :ospel lines& There are people #ho ha'e le"t li'es o"
com"ort and 'oluntarily accepted a poor and simple li"e style out o" their religious con'ictions&
I remem$er a sister #ho had entered religious li"e in spite o" her "ather9s trying to 0eep her
home #ith gi"ts and great "reedom, and 2oined the con'ent #ith a deep desire to ser'e the
poor, pleading #ith her superiors to send her among the poorest& There are such religious
and priests in India, 2ust as they are "ound in other parts o" the #orldA it is really re"reshing to
meet them& I ha'e 0no#n seminarians, sisters, $rothers and pri ests #ho l ead 'ery
simpl e li'es, o"ten inspired $y some priest or religious they ha'e 0no#n& I ha'e also 0no#n
candidates coming "rom poorer " ami l i es, #ho ha'e mai ntai ned a simple li"e style, and
#ho $ring to their ministry an e%periential understanding o" people9s hardships and do their
part to alle'iate their su""erings&
>ut, once again, they seem to $e in the minority& For the ma2ority o" young men (and
#omen) coming into a ma2or seminary or no'itiate in India, the change o" li"e style is to#ards
a""luence& Most o" us are "inancially $etter o"" and li'e more com"orta$le li'es than our
married $rothers and sisters& 4dd to this the "act that ma2or seminaries (and a num$er o"
religious "ormation houses) in India are amply "inanced $y the church or the religious order, so
that, #hen their peers are struggling to go to college or "ind a 2o$, the seminarian and
religious en2oy a care"ree li"e in a setting that pro'ides e'erything "ree o" cost& This is not
the case in many other countries o" the #orldA $ut it is so in India at the moment& 4 5indu
doctor #ho 0no#s our system #ell told me, =@ne thing that is not good in your church is
that young men spend years #ithout "inancial responsi$ility, getting e'erything "ree& Such a
setting is not good "or their gro#th&=
I " #e add t o t he " i nanci al security the undenia$le "act that most candidates to
seminaries and religious orders do not $elong to the $rightest students in a school or
college (see, "or instance, the studies pu$lished in Jnana Deepa MagaBine), then this
3uestion, uncom"orta$le as it is, must $e "aced: 4re seminaries (and religious houses)
$ecoming the re"uge o" the medi ocre, o" persons #ho cannot succeed in the tough,
competiti'e #orld outside6 (I must repeat once again, to a'oid misunderstandings and
useless arguments, that I do not imply that all or most candidates in India are 2oining to "ind a
com"orta$le li"eA #hat I am saying is that our reality needs to $e "aced, e'en and especially in
its less palata$le aspects&)
<hen most o" the seminarians in a seminary #here I taught #ere not graduates, I
remem$er there #as a $ri ght phi l osophy student #ho had already "inished his
$achelor9s degree& 5e had not only completed his undergraduate studiesA he #as
e'idently intelligent& @ne day, one o" his companions as0ed him: =Cou are cle'erA you ha'e
a college degree& <hy are you in the seminary6= I do not 0no# #hether to laugh or cry at
this comment, $ut it does re"lect a mentality,a thin0ing according to #hich priesthood, and
more so con'ent li"e, is @D i" you are not $right or gi"ted, $ut a deplora$le #aste "or a $right
and capa$le person, especially i" he or she is also attracti'e& I ha'e 0no#n cases #here
minor seminarians #ould decide to go ahead (to the ma2or seminary) i" they got a second or
third class in their pre-uni'ersity (or plus-t#o) e%ams, $ut #ould lea'e i" they got a "irst class+
," #ocation Promotion an% Selection o- Can%i%ates
THE RHETORIC: <e must help young people to say Ces to :od and "ollo# their 'ocation&
The church needs good 'ocations& =The har'est is great, $ut the la$ourers are "e#&&&=
Euoting such te%ts, religious orders and dioceses set apart people "or the tas0 o" ='ocation
promotion&= Focation promoters are supposed to help young people see li"e as :od9s
gi"t, #hich #e should use according to :od9s plans& They are e%pected to sho# the
young ho# :od calls us to a li"e o" holiness and meaning"ul ser'ice, and help them choose
that path #here they #ill do :od9s #ill $est& This is #hat ='ocation promotion= is supposed
to $e,to help the young re"lect on their "uture, and ma0e choices in line #ith :od9s #ill,
#hich is also #hat #ill $ring true happiness to their heart& In itsel", this is not only a healthy
and #onder"ul $it o" guidanceA it should "orm part o" all ?atholic education& <e should help
all our students to li'e their li'es as ser'ice to :od, doing good according to their setting and
a$ilities& <e should help them to ma0e choices $ased on :od9s #ill and the needs o" people,
rather than sel"ishness or the pursuit o" money, pleasure and po#er&
THE REALITY: The reality, sadly, is 3uite di""erent& <hen I addressed the ma2or superiors
o" religious congregations (the national ?RI assem$ly) in ?hennai some years ago, I
tried to loo0 at the reality o" religious li"e in India $eyond the clichGs& 4 lay #oman
#or0ing in a ?atholic institution #hose opinion I trust read the manuscript and told me:
=Some$ody must say these things, $ut you #ill $e attac0ed&= I #as not attac0edA "ar "rom
it& The superiors #ere 'ery recepti'e& In "act, during the $rea0, some o" them told me: =The
actual situation is #orse than #hat you descri$ed& Cou do not seem to $e a#are, "or instance, o"
the nonsense that goes on at times in the name o" 'ocation promotion&= They told me o"
cases in #hich a so-called promoter goes to a 'illage, meets some girls, in'ites them to
come to her con'ent, and the girls promise to come& Then, another congregation hears o"
this group o" girls, and the promoter goes and meets the same group, promises them things
(including, to my shoc0, things li0e "inancial help to the "amily, or promise to send the
candidate a$road, etc), and gets them to 2oin their group& 5o# on earth such an approach
can $e called 'ocation promotion, I ha'e no idea& This is marketing, not promotion of
ocations!
I realiBe that #hat I am #riting may $e pai n" ul readi ng t o t hose religious and
priests #ho 2oined #ith the desire to $elong to :od, ser'e the poor, and #ho put :od9s #ill
and the good o" the people,not their o#n com"orts or con'enience,in the "irst place& It is
such people #ho "orm the $ac0$one o" religious li"e and the priesthood& People, as #ell as
priests and religious, 0no# it& I am not tal0ing a$out these e%emplary highly moti'ated
persons& I am tal0ing o" another side o" our reality, #hich too, #e need to loo0 at and "ace&
Just $ecause someone 2oins seminary or the no'itiate, that does mean he;she is called to
that "orm o" li"e& Focation (in contrast to the use a num$er o" priests and religious ma0e o"
the #ord) is something e'eryone has& My "ather and mother ha'e 'ocation,and a holy
one at that - 2ust as I ha'e& Focation promotion, i" genuine, consists in helping a person to
choose $e"ore :od that path in li"e #here he;she #ill do :od9s #ill $est& @r, in simple #ords,
that path is my 'ocation, #here I #ill $e happier and more lo'ing, more true to the spirit
and e%ample o" Jesus& For most people the right setting is marriageA it can help me to $ecome
a true disciple o" ?hrist& <hat matters is to do :od9s #ill and li'e a holy li"e, not #hich group
I $elong to&
I" I "orget this, or i" I am interested in the siBe or the sur'i'al my group (religious order or
diocese) than in #hat a young person is called to, then I #ill try to 0eep people in the
seminary or religious li"e, #ithout $othering a$out #hether he;she seems to $e really suited
to this #al0 o" li"e& 7et us "ace "acts: <here'er "amilies #ere l arger and l i 'i ng
st andards poor er , t her e ha'e $een mor e candidates to seminaries and religious
orders& Thin0 o" Ireland or Italy up to the -!Hs, or parts o" India up to 'ery recent times&
This does not mean all such candidates are on the #rong path (Don >osco, "or instance,
came "rom a poor "amily), $ut it does raise dou$ts a$out the large num$ers o" ='ocations=
seminaries and religious orders are getting in poorer countries today& A higher num"er of
candidates need not mean more ocations! People may $e getting in (and staying in) "or the
#rong reasons,side $y side #ith those #ho are 2oining and staying "or 'ery genuine
reasons&
<e must not also "orget that there are many ='ocations= in the church,not 2ust to the
priesthood or celi$ate religious li"e&
." Perse(erance i n One& s #ocat i on
THE RHETORIC: Some o" us may remem$er a time #hen a companion9s departure "rom the
seminary or religious li"e seemed a tragedy, and such persons #ould not "eel com"orta$le
stepping into the seminary or religious house again& I" the departure #as "rom the
priesthood, then the shoc0 and scandal #ere really great& =Perse'erance in our 'ocation=
seemed the most important 'alue& 4 change o" direction #as at ti mes cal l ed a
=de"ecti on&= Some religious orders e'en discouraged their mem$ers "rom ha'ing
contacts #ith "ormer mem$ers& The good thing a$out that era #as the readiness to put up
#ith hardships and $e "aith"ul to #hat one had underta0en, e'en #hen the going #as 'ery
hard&
THE REALITY: The truth is that none o" us 0no#s #hich path is $etter "or a particular person&
In case o" dou$t, it is $etter that a person lea'es the seminary or religious order than that an
unsuita$le candidate should $e ordained or stay in religious li"e& Perse'erance in doing
:od9s #ill is essentialA this is not the same as staying in the seminary or religious order&
There can $e good and holy reasons "or lea'ing, 2ust as there are "or staying&
In my many meetings #ith e%-seminarians, most o" #hom I had 0no#n $e"ore they le"t
religious li"e or the diocesan seminary, I remem$er only one case o" a young man #ho #as
still con'inced he #as called to the priesthood, and #anted to go $ac0& In all the other cases,
the candidates #ere helped $y superiors either as0ing them to lea'e, or ma0ing it easier "or
them to ta0e that decision& 4s "ormators or superiors (or "amily mem$ers), the $est #e can
o""er to the young religious or seminarian is our sincere desire that they $e happy and that
they ta0e the right decisions $e"ore :od& @ur interest should not $e to 0eep them in, or to
dri'e them out& <e are not :od& <e accompany people in their decisions, #ith genuine lo'e
and respect&
In <estern #ritings on religious li"e,or in speeches $y Indians #ho go mostly $y
<estern literature on this topic,#e o"ten hear: =Today9s young people are a"raid o"
commitment& So, they do not #ant to stay in religious li"e or ta0e li"e-long commitments,
li0e religious 'o#s or the priesthood&= <hile there seems to $e some truth in this in <estern
society at large,see, "or instance, the high percentage o" di'orces,this same $lan0et
statement cannot $e made o" candidates in India& <hy6 5ere the greater danger seems to
"e that a person may stay in out of fear of #eaing, or for other $rong reasons! Fear o"
staying #ithin a state o" li"e does not seem to $e the ma2or issue here& (The situation 'aries
much "rom one part o" India to another&) This is true o" marriage as #ell& The lo#er
incidence o" di'orce in India compared to the <est does not mean that marriages are
happier here& People tend to stay i n "or other reasons: a$sence o" other options,
especially "or #omen, l ac0 o" acceptance i n society, "inancial dependence (e&g&, on
a hus$and #ho may $e a$usi'e, $ut #ho i s al so the onl y earni ng mem$er o" the
"amily)& <hat happens in "amilies and marriages is li0ely to happen in religious li"e and
seminary li"e as #ell&
4nother thing I #ant to say is this: I" #e claim to lo'e our "ormees (#e "ormators and
superiors claim this), ho$ can $e stop #oing them $hen they decide to #eae and do
something e#se% I" I lo'e you, I #ill lo'e you #hether you remain in my religious order or 2oin
another congregation or decide to $e a lay person and ser'e :od in marriage& I" my lo'e "or
you can $e =s#itched o""9 the moment you lea'e, or I lose all interest in your #el"are once
you ma0e another choice, that means I ne'er lo'ed you in the "irst place& <hat do you say,
reader6
/" A Ne* Type o- Priest an% Reli)io's -or a Chan)in) 0orl%1
THE RHETORI C: There i s much tal0 a$out the changing times, the ne# glo$al
situation, the impact o" the media and that $lan0et #ord, =no#adays= (as opposed to
some supposedly less enlightened earlier era)& Some o" the more academically
sophisticated church people #ill use #ords li0e =the postmodern era= or the age o"
in"ormation technology& 4 num$er o" people assume that people9s rel i gi osi t y or
e%pect at i ons ha'e changed drastically, leading to 'ery di""erent e%pectations "rom
priests&
THE REALITY: Sur'eys sho# that #hat people e%pect "rom priests and religious has
remained "airly constant& In the "irst place, they e%pect the priest to $e a =man o" :od,=
8special l y in a situation #here more and more people are getting 3uali"ied in a #ide 'ariety
o" "ields, they 0no# that the priest cannot and need not $e a 2ac0 o" all trades& In most
secular areas o" acti'ity, there are lay people "ar $etter 3uali"ied than priests& =Man o" :od=
does not mean he is only a liturgist& The religious dimension, i" genuine, permeates all areas
o" one9s li"e& @ne plans, acts, leads, su""ers, preaches, organiBes, =#ith the mind and heart
o" ?hrist&= Seminarians #ould do #ell to listen to #hat lay men and #omen e%pect "rom
priests, rather than listen only or mainly to one another and to the arti"icial 3uestions that
come up in the protected atmosphere o" the seminary&
@ne simple #ay to chec0 #hether one is a good priest or religious is this: Do people come
to us6 I used to tell seminarians: 4 good priest has no "ree timeA there are al#ays people to
see him& 4 $ad priest #ill ha'e all the time in the #orld, $ecause people do not go to him& I" #e
are not 0ind and help"ul, i" #e are rude, or $igoted or partial, people #ill not #ant to come to
us& In our setting, a lay person may not shout $ac0 at us or "ight against us openly,partly out
o" a cultural insistence on respect "or religious "igures and partly $ecause in our institutions
#e are po#er"ul persons #hose displeasure employees are a"raid o",$ut they are really
put o"" #hen #e treat them $adly& Some $ecome $itter and "ume in silence& @thers spea0 ill
o" us #ith unconcealed anger&
&indness, god#iness, a certain simp#icity of #ife, aai#a"i#ity for serice, efforts to proide
meaningfu# #iturgy and preaching, and trying sincere#y to #ie $hat $e preach to others'
these are 3ualities that people ha'e al#ays e%pected "rom their religious leaders, and still
do& @ne study highlighted nine traits lay people e%pected "rom clergy and religious& The
'ery "irst is: #illingness to ser'e #ithout loo0ing "or acclaim& I", instead o" ser'ing, #e #ant to
$oss o'er others, or are 2ealous o" our colleagues, or #ant our name on $uildings and our
praises sung in pu$lic, people #ill despise us,and #ith good reason&
2" C'rrent Pro)rammes o- Formation
THE RHETORIC: The opportunities o""ered to "uture priests are 'astly superior to #hat
sisters in training get& <ith a higher num$er o" sta"" mem$ers #ith ad'anced degrees in
philosophy, theology and other su$2ects, as #ell as $etter e3uipped li$raries and other
resources, ma2 or semi nari es may $elie'e that they are pro'iding a $etter "ormation to
seminarians and religious today than in the past& The choice o" su$2ects is e'idently larger,
the $oo0s and 2ournals a'aila$le more numerous, the access to outside e%perts much
"reer& The accommodation and "ood are $etter than #hat older "ormation houses pro'ided&
Does all this mean a superior type o" training6
THE REALITY: There is no e'idence that #e are turning out $etter priests or religious
today& 4n e%perienced "ormator once ga'e me a reason "or this& 5e said, =In my opinion,
"ormation depends . percent on the candidate, 2 percent on the sta"", and - percent on
the programme&= T#o priests #ho go through the same seminary training can (and do) turn
out to $e remar0a$ly di""erent& There is no #ay #e can =produce= good priests or religious,
or ma0e sure that a candidate gro#s into a sincere, dedicated, :od-centred, compassionate
and e""ecti'e apostle& Re'ised curricula and an updated syl l a$us ar e i mpor t ant , $ut
no programme, ho#e'er cle'erly thought out, can ensure the 3uality o" the "inal =product&=
8'ery congregation and ma2or seminary, as #ell as e'ery diocese or group o"
dioceses, certainly need a good, organic plan o" "ormation& It needs to $e discussed and
$rought up to date& It needs to $e integral, catering to the 'arious aspects o" "ormation in
healthy #ays& 4ll this is true& (ut more important than the programme i s t he per son of
t he f or mat or A good "ormator9s li"e and con'iction and personally challenging #ay o"
communicating things is #hat helps a young person to understand the essentials and $e
gripped
$y this #ay o" li"e& A $oo0 cannot do that& Formators do this a$o'e all $y creating a
healthy atmosphere in the "ormation house& 4n atmosphere is hard to de"ine, $ut it is
tangi$le, palpa$le& Just as #e "eel happy and at home 'isiting some o" our relati'es and
"riends, #hile other 'isits lea'e us cold, a candidate can sense the atmosphere& Candidates
are more inf#uenced "y the atmosphere of the formation house than "y our conferences
and #earned #ectures!
<hi l e a heal t hy " or mat i on atmosphere needs to $e mar0ed $y a num$er o"
3ualities, the t#o most essential are: l o'e and 2oy& @nl y in a lo'ing and happy setting
#ill "ormation ta0e place& Fear-"i ll ed settings, "or e%ample, may appear to produce
resultsA $ut people #ill learn to hide and pretend, and #ill $eha'e in 'ery di""erent #ays
#hen they are "ree and out o" the control o" the "eared authority&
.& Li3eration Theolo)y an% Socio4Political Analysis in Formation Ho'ses
THE RHETORIC: I" #e are to $elie'e t he more 'ocal semi nari ans and religious, it
#ould seem that li$eration theology and socio-political a#areness are strong in our
"ormation houses, that people are 0een on action "or 2ustice, ready to engage themsel'es in
trans"orming society in the direction o" 2ustice and respect to#ards all& I" #e go $y the
rhetoric, it can loo0 as i" ser'ing the most marginaliBed is the main dream o" most
candidates and that many #ill ta0e a stand "or 2ustice and $e #illing to pay a price&
THE REALITY: It is "ashiona$le in a num$er o" academic circles to spea0 o" li$eration and to
mouth le"tist slogans& Real li$eration theology #ould ha'e to start #ith committed action "or
2ustice among the poor& Theology itsel" #ould only $e a second moment& <e do not see much
o" this happening& So, too, tal0 a$out marginaliBation or su$altern perspecti 'es (i n the
com"ort o" a seminar) is miles a#ay "rom $eing close to the poor in li"e-style or commitment&
<hat is happening is that priests, religious and seminarians speak a$out 2ustice and use
$ords li0e =li$eration,= =oppression,= =the marginaliBed,= =su$altern perspecti'es,= etc& To do
this #hile en2oying the security and the relati'e com"ort o""ered $y ("oreign) money i s 3uite
easyA $ut i t is not 'ery con'incing& *nli0e #hat some conser'ati'e churchmen "ear,
there is little danger o" too much li$eration theology or action "or 2ustice in the seminaries or
in the church in generalA "or it ma0es serious demands on li"estyle, ministry, readiness to
con"ront the po#er"ul and pay a price& <e should not also "orget that all serious li$eration
theology includes a strong spirituality& :ust a'o :ut i erreB, "or i nstance, clearly insists
that the first moment of theo#ogy is a dou"#e e)perience and commitment'the e)perience of
*od and committed action for the peop#e! Theology itsel" is only a second step& 7i$eration
theology can $e tal0ed a$out in the classroomA it cannot $e done or learned in a
classroom&
<hile there is no great danger o" a seminarian or young sister caring too much "or the
poor, or $eing too much ta0en up $y the desire to create a $etter, more 2ust #orld,"or the
temptation o" sel"ishness and lo'e o" ease is much, much greater,there is one danger in
$eing in"luenced $y society that is doing ha'oc in the li'es o" some priests, religious and
seminarians& I re"er to the danger o" "ollo#ing the political trends o" one9s place, e'en #hen
these trends are contrary to the :ospel& Thus, I may im$i$e "rom my surroundings,
including the political gr oupi ngs o" my home st at e or region,a deep caste-
a#areness or an intense tri$al identity or the ideology o" a political party, and ma0e o" it my
main identity and point o" re"erence, to the neglect o" #hat Jesus li'ed and taught& Thus,
"or instance, I may find my main identity, not in my Christian faith or the priesthood or
re#igious #ife or my "asic rea#ity as a chi#d of *od +$hich I share $ith a## human "eings,, "ut
in my caste or tri"e or #anguage group or po#itica# party! Then, I #ill "ight "or =my group,= =my
people,= =our cause,= e'en i" it means hating or neglecting or "ighting against =others&= I may
e'en $e ready to use any methods to gain the group9s stated goals, especially o" capturing
po#er&
This is a ma2or issue the churches in India are "acingA the intensity o" such
polariBation 'aries "rom place to place&
5" Cel i 3acy as a Speci al Cal l that -rees 6s to Lo(e $o% an% Nei)h3o'r
THE RHETORIC: The claim is that celi$acy ma0es a person more single-minded in :od9s
ser'ice& It is also supposed to ma0e us more a'aila$le to people& ?eli$ates may e'en
de'elop a mentality $y #hich #e are someho# superior to married people, and e%pect
special treatment& Some people thin0 #e are cl oser to :od, or that our prayers are
more e""icacious&
THE REALI TY: A per son may remain unmarried "or many reasons& Mere
$achelorhood is not celi$acy& <hat Jesus proposed (and li'ed) is =celi$acy "or the
0ingdom,= that is, the commitment o" one9s #hole $eing to doing :od9s #ill, #ith a totality o"
interest& Putting :od in the "irst place is also the 'ocation o" married people& <hi l e t here
are 'ery commi t t ed celi$ates #ho are a re"lection o" :od9s goodness, #e cannot say that
most celi$ates are 'ery a'aila$le or do more #or0 and ser'ice than married people& In "act,
#e may "ind that a num$er o" priests do "ar too little #or0& I remem$er telling seminarians
that, in my opinion, a num$er o" them #ould #or0 harder and $e more responsi$le and sel"-
sacri"icing i" they #ere married and had to support a "amily& Many o" them #ould agree& It
is no secret that there are a num$er o" =un#illing celi$ates,= that is, persons #ho #anted to
$e priests, $ut #ere not 0een on celi$acy, and =tolerate= it $ecause it is a re3uirement "or
the priesthood, or #omen #ho stay in "or #ant o" real options outside& So, too, in today9s
setting, #e are not pro'iding ade3uate training "or celi$acy& 8%hortations are not enough, nor
the easy assumption that all those #ho 2oin the seminary #ant to $e celi$ate& Thus, "or
instance, a com"ort-lo'ing or money-minded or po#er-hungry priest or religious may $e a
$achelor or spinster& 5e or she is not a celi$ateA "or ce#i"acy means that you are gripped
"y -esus. #ife and message, and eager to #ie the *ospe#! Psycho-se%ual maturity,
$ecoming a mature, lo'ing, reasona$ly contented man or #oman #ho is happy to ser'e is
something #e need to gro# into& <e need help "or that& This is a $ig area o" pro$lemsA
many people need help, and are o"ten not sure ho# or #here to get it&
There i s al so t he real danger that an institution,religious order or diocese
,may $e loo0ing only "or =hands "or #or0= and not "or :od-centred or correctly moti'ated
candidates& I" so, #e cannot e%pect these same persons to $e gripped $y :ospel 'alues, or
li'e enthusiastic celi$ate (not merely unmarried) li'es& 4s one happy and 'ery committed
sister told me, =In e'ery con'ent there are some celi$ates and some spinsters& The celi$ates
are happyA the spinsters are not&=
7" O'r Ima)e o- the Ch'rch
THE RHETORIC: Fatican II #as o'er "orty years ago, $ut its teaching and spirit ha'e not
yet percolated to the $ody o" the church& The theory #e teach is that the church is a
communion, that the hierarchy and the priesthood are in the ser'ice o" the #hole $ody, that
al l o" us ha'e the same cal l , namely, holiness, that clericalism is an e'il, that #omen
should $e respected and listened to, etc& There are papal documents on the apostolate o"
the laity, on social 2ustice, and a host o" other contemporary topics, and there are
others li0e the recent ?>?I document on #omen&
THE REALITY: ?hurch documents are, as a rule, not #ell 0no#n to the laity (pro$a$ly $ecause
they are not $eing read $y the clergy)& Many $ishops, priests, religious and seminarians still
ha'e a "eudal mentality, #here pri'ilege and distance mar0 their style more than pastoral
a'aila$ility& 4ccounta$ility in "inancial and other matters is not the norm in most parishes& 4
seminarian 0no#s that, #hate'er he may learn in the seminary, he can get a#ay #ith a lot
once he is ordained& 5e can ta0e the people "or granted #ithout getting into serious trou$le& 5e
does not "ace much 3uestioning $y the people, unless he gi'es scandal in a sensational
#ay& 5e 0no#s, too, that a num$er o" older priests li'e mentally in a pre-Fatican II church, and
o"ten he too "alls in line&
There is, generally, more accounta$ility in religious congregations& >ut here, too, the
church o" communion is "ar "rom $eing a reality& The "eudal mentality so pre'alent in India
seeps into religious li"e as #ell&
In the =pyramid= type o" church (the Pope on top, the $ishops $elo# him, the priests
$elo# the $ishops, the sisters ne%t on the pyramid, and the lay people at the $ottom o" the
pyramid) the term ='ocation= #as used to mean that some people in the church (not
e'eryone) had something special, called a 'ocation, #hich put them on a higher rung&
5oliness #as seen as the call o" a select "e#& Priesthood and religious li"e #ere thought
o" as superior to the lay state, and celi$acy as higher than marriage& Socially, too, priests and
religious #ere treated as persons $elonging to a higher group&
Fat i can I I present ed us #i t h another model o" the church: the church as the
peop#e of *od, $here eeryone has the same ocation'the call to holiness or the call to
imitate Jesus& <e li'e out this call in di""erent settings,in this sense, #e can spea0 o"
di""erent ='ocations,= $ut the $asic 'ocation to holiness is uni'ersal& It is not reser'ed to a
"e#&
Thi s 'i si on cer t ai nl y put a particular #ay o" seeing religious li"e and the priesthood
(as #ell as celi$acy) in crisis& I" all are called to holiness, i" marriage is a holy 'ocation, 2ust
li0e celi$acy, i" there are no di""erent tiers or rungs in :od9s church, #hy 2oin religious li"e6
<hy $e celi$ate6 These issues are $eing more openly discussed today, and need to& To pursue
holiness, or to do ministry in the church, one need not 2oin a particular special group,li0e
clergy or religious,nor "orsa0e marriage or lay commitments& 4ll o" us $elong to the same
church& 4ll o" us ha'e rights and duties in the church& <e are not one $elo# the other, or one
a$o'e& For the ser'ice-minded ministers o" :od, this ecclesiology is a "reeing truth& For
someone see0ing the priesthood or religious li"e as =social clim$ing,= the pyramid model o"
the church is "ar more appealing&
!8" Pro-essors as Formators
THE RHETORI C: Most ma2 or seminaries and religious "ormation houses (o" at
least clerical orders) today claim to ha'e $etter 3uali"ied pro"essors than years ago& In the
'ast ma2ority o" cases, this means that the sta"" has post-graduate degrees in an
ecclesiastical su$2ect "rom a "oreign (usuall y ponti "i cal) uni'ersi ty or some similar
centre& *nli0e the less sophisticated type o" theology and philosophy taught years ago $y
priests #ithout ad'anced degrees, today9s "ormation sylla$us includes a 'ariety o" courses,
taught, as a rule, $y persons #ho ha'e academic credentials to teach that su$2ect
(e%cept in the case o" smaller orders o" #omen)& To ha'e studied a$road is o"ten e3uated
#ith $eing 3uali"ied to $e on the sta"" o" a "ormation house&
THE REALITY: To ha'e studied a su$2ect in, say, a Roman uni'ersity or some other =higher
institute,= is not the same as ha'ing the preparation to $e a "ormator& 4gain, to ha'e a
degree is not the same as $eing a good teacher or a good community mem$er& Most o" us
do not use the matter o" our doctoral theses in our teaching& For our classes #e need to read
up and prepare oursel'es each time& Many o" the 3uestions that "ace us in India are not
treated in courses done a$road& 8'en i" they #ere, theoretical 0no#ledge o" a su$2ect is not
the same as the aptitude or the training to train people "or priestly ministry and li"e& 4s a
student o" theology once told me, =Many o" you are good teachers& >ut #hat I need most
is not a cle'er teacher o" philosophy or theology& I need priests I can loo0 up to, priests
"rom #hom I can learn ho# to $e a good priest&= This $rings us to the need o" selecting
suita$le persons to $e "ormators& ?le'erness is not enough, nor is it e'en the main
re3uirement& 4 degree in a su$2ect can $e one o" the re3uirements "or a "ormator, $ut it
cannot $e the sole or e'en the main criterion& In "act, an aptitude "or,and some training in
,counselling and spiritual direction is more important in a "ormator than a degree in a
theoretical su$2ect, such as theology or philosophy& /ormation, #ike parenting, is a fu##0time
actiity "ased on a #oing commitment and a shared #ife! I can $e a part-time teacher or a
'isiting pro"essor& I cannot $e a part-time "ormator or a 'isiting no'ice mistress&
!!" Spirit'ality an% Social Commitment
THE RHETORIC: Io$ody directly denies the need and the importance o" prayer, or the
social dimension o" a priest9s or sister9s li"e& @"ten, ho#e'er, #e hear o" re"erences to
social in'ol'ement as a danger to one9s spiritual li"e& Some e'en say that the role o" the
priest;religious is to $e a =spiritual= leader, and not $e in'ol'ed in secular a""airs& @thers
#onder ho# to com$ine their roles o" teacher, pastor and prophet in today9s #orld&
Some "ear that a serious interest in socio-political issues #ill dampen and damage a
candidate9s spiritual li"e&
THE REALITY: The opposite of spiritua#ity is not socia# ino#ement, "ut egoism! 4 priest or
the mem$er o" an apostolic religious community must $e a person o" prayer (personal and
communitarian) #ho can lead the community in prayer meaning"ully and #ith con'iction&
4t the same time, he;she has also to $e in'ol'ed in the pains, an%ieties and the struggles
o" our people& S;he cannot $e a detached o$ser'er #ho 2ust prays "or them& 4 num$er o"
seminarians and young religious admit that they attend the daily community practices o"
piety mostly $ecause they ha'e to& Many ha'e not yet "ound meaning"ul #ays o" praying&
Some admit openly that the easy li"e in the seminary or religious house pro'ides no great
incenti'e "or de'eloping a strong prayer li"e, #hile the hardships o" li"e ma0e their parents
pray "ar more intensely& 4s "or social in'ol'ement (e&g&, among the poor), the danger is not
that #e priests and seminarians and religious #ill spend too much time and energy "or and
among the poor, $ut that lo'e o" ease (e&g&, hours spent in "ront o" the TF) and the pull o"
po#er and money #ill sap our spiritual strength and $leed our souls #hite& <e also need to
practice (and teach) a realistic and integra# Christian spiritua#ity, $hich contains not on#y
prayer, "ut
!
a#so persona# integrity, genuine #oe and a c#ear stand for 1ustice! It cannot $e
reduced to practices o" piety&
!9" The $eneration :an% A'thority; $ap
THE RHETORIC: @lder and younger people, some thin0, di""er so much in ideas and
mentality that it is di""icult to understand those o" another age group& The old may $lame the
young "or $eing #orldly and irresponsi$le& The young t hi n0 t he ol d do not understand
today9s #orld and are too narro#-minded& These di'isions are una'oida$le among priests,
as in any other group& So, too, many seminarians "eel they cannot relate to older priests in the
diocese, and a num$er o" older priests #onder #hat 0ind o" "ormation today9s seminarian is
recei'ing&
THE REALITY: The real gap is not in years, $ut in our openness or the lac0 o" it& There are
older people #ho are 'ery alert and close to the young, #hom younger people lo'e going
toA there are others #ho are set in their #ays and hard to relate to& >ut this is true o"
younger people as #ell& 4 seminarian may "eel closer to, or $etter understood $y, an older
priest than a younger one& @penness and lo'ing concern are not dictated $y age&
4s "or authority "igures $eing distant and aloo", this is not ine'ita$le at all& I" you ta0e
$ishops, "or instance, there are some #ho are 'ery in"ormal, simple and easy to relate to, and
others #ho are solemn, inaccessi$le and distant& I" I may generaliBe a little (and say
something undiplomatic), #e see that $ishops in certain parts o" India are in general more
in"ormal and closer to their people and to their seminarians (#hom they tend to 0no#
personally) than $ishops in other states& Religious congregations di""er a lot in the #ay
superiors and others relate to each other, and ho# the younger and older mem$ers
mingle& <e priests too can do more to treat the seminarians #ith lo'e, li0e our younger
$rothers and 2unior colleagues in the ministry& They learn more "rom ho# #e treat them, than
"rom #hat #e tell them& To gi'e one concrete e%ample, #hen deacons (#ho ha'e spent
se'en or eight years in the seminary) than0 the sta"" $e"ore lea'ing, #hat they remem$er are
the apparentl y small acts o" 0indness they ha'e e%perienced rather than all our
lectures and con"erences& The differences "et$een generations can "e a source of mutua#
enrichment2 they need not form a gap! In "act, in the ideal "ormation house, there #ill $e
"ormators o" di""erent age groups& I" all or most $elong to the same age group, that #ould $e
an impo'erishment&
!," The Family an% Other In-l'ences
THE RHETORIC: <e may thin0 that through our long and care"ully planned "ormation
programme #e can produce a group o" committed priests, or that priests as a group are
$etter or =higher= than lay people& <e may spea0 as i" listening to more religious
tal0s and spending more time in religious acti'ities (daily liturgy, recollection days, retreats,
etc), #e as a group must $e more religious and e%emplary& Is this the case6
THE REALITY: 4"ter all these years in "ormation #or0, I am con'inced (li0e many others)
that the main "ormation house is our "amily& 3ost of our formation is oer "y the time $e 1oin
the seminary or the noitiate! I am more in"luenced e'en today $y the memory o" my "ather
and mother (#ho died "orty-eight and thirty-nine years ago) than $y any priest or religious
superior I ha'e 0no#n& The testimony o" the more con'inced and generous seminarians,
religious and priests I ha'e 0no#n con'inces me o" the same& Their goodness and
commitment #as more the "ruit o" their "amily training than o" seminary "ormation& I also
meet a num$er o" religious and priests #ho tell me they #ere $etter #hen they #ere at
home than a"ter 2oining religious li"e or the seminary&
4nother "actor I ha'e noticed is this: The more con'inced seminarians and religious had,
as a rule, 0no#n some good priests or religious #ho inspired them, and #hom they #anted
to imitate& This, too, tells me that, all in all, #hat candidates e%perienced ("or $etter or
#orse) $e"ore 2oining the ma2or seminary or con'ent is more signi"icant than #hat comes
later& <hat is your e%perience6
I am not saying that "ormation plans or the long years o" highly structured t rai ni ng t hat
#e pro'i de " or our religious and "uture priests is a #aste o" time& >ut 2ust $ecause
someone spends a long time in a setting does not mean he;she is deeply in"luenced $y it&
More than the length o" time, #hat seems to ha'e a strong impact on a person are these "our
"actors: 4eep e)periences, deep re#ationships, deep ref#ection and cha##enging e)posure!
These "our ha'e a much stronger impact than lectures, or sermons or a routine repetition o"
acts (#or0, community prayer, classes, etc)& I" #e listen to the candidate #ith real interest
and help them understand and sort out their deep e%periences (#hether pleasant or
pain"ul), e%plore their most signi"icant relationships, help them re"lect on their li"e
(rather than 2ust dish out ad'ice and e%hortations), and e%pose them in a responsi$le and
graded #ay to challenging situations, then #e can help them gro# up& Io$ody can ma0e
another person gro# upA $ut #e can help each other in our gro#th& The $est help "or this is
inspiring e%ampleA the ne%t is lo'ing interaction&
!." #al'es o- the <in)%om an% Ser(ice o- $o%
THE RHETORIC: ?hurch rhetoric (e&g&, on someone9s ordination or pro"ession day or sil'er
2u$ilee) tal0s o" priests and religious as people committed to :od and :od9s Dingdom& <e
spea0 o" the years so-and-so spent in :od9s ser'ice and in the ser'ice o" the people& <e say
things li0e, =Today #e cele$rate the "i"ty years so-and-so has spent ser'ing :od and 5is
people,= or = Fr& Peter (or Sister Mary) ga'e himsel";hersel" to the ser'ice o" :od9s Dingdom
t#enty-"i'e years ago&=
THE REALI TY: 5ere agai n, i t i s unreali stic to generali Be, "or t#o reasons: (-)
8'eryone #ho li'es #ell is ser'ing :od and promoting 5is Dingdom,a good priest or
religious, a good married man or #oman, a dedicated politician or 2ournalist or teacher& The
ser'ice o" :od or the promotion o" 5is Dingdom is not restricted to any one pro"ession in the
church& (2) Secondly, #hat promotes :od9s Dingdom or #hat 3uali"ies as ser'ice o" :od is
not the "act o" $eing a priest or the mem$er o" a religious order $ut ho# one li'es& I ser'e :od
,I promote ?hrist9s Dingdom,#hen I li'e a li"e o" truth, lo'e and 2ustice (as the pre"ace o"
the Mass o" ?hrist the Ding says)& The sad reality is o"ten less glamorous or can e'en $e
tragically di""erent& 5riests and re#igious often pursue ungod# y agendas'po$er,
money, positions'and at times #ead the diisions in the church! ?aste consci ousness or
l i ngui st i c and regional $igotry is $y no means a$sent among clergy and religious& <e
come across instances #here students spea0 o" "inding stronger caste pre2udice or linguistic
$igotry among the priests and rel i gi ous teachi ng them than among the students
themsel'es& 4nd $ehind linguistic or caste-$ased or tri$al ri'alries and po#er games
lies a hidden or open lust "or po#er and money&
!/" =$o% is 3lessin) In%ia *ith many (ocations, 'nli>e some other co'ntries"=
THE RHETORI C: @ne hears t hi s e%pression many times, although less "re3uently
today than some years ago& Some superiors o" international congregati ons say such
thi ngs i n pu$lic& Some 'ocation promoters use this e%pression& @ne hears o" religious
congregat i ons shri n0i ng or e'en dying in <estern 8urope and Iorth 4merica, #hile
some dioceses in India "ace the pro$lem o" ha'ing too many seminarians and priests& Seeing
this sharp contrast in situations, a num$er o" religious orders, especially smaller ones, $uild
ne# "ormation houses in India #here they ta0e in $oys or girls&
THE REALITY: 4 8uropean "ormator #ho has #or0ed se'eral years in India, especially in
"ormation ministry, told me one day: =I am not con'inced that there are more 'ocations
in India than, say, in Italy& It is much easier to get recruits here in India& >ut that is a
di""erent matter& For instance, #hen #e 'isit 'illages and tal0 a$out our congregation, a
num$er o" $oys and young men as0 "or our address& Some o" them come and 'isit us, and
say: 9I #ant to 2oin&9 5a'ing li'ed and #or0ed #ith candidates here "or some years, I "eel that
#hat a num$er o" them see is our e%ternal li"e& I do not 0no# ho# many o" them are
see0ing,or "ollo#ing,an inner 2ourney& That is #hy I say I do not think there are more
ocations here than in Europe!6
It is no secret that religious congregations are shrin0ing drastically and e'en
disappearing in the <est& The a'erage age o" nuns, "or instance, is se'enty-t#o years in
most <estern countries,#hich means that most congregations ha'e not had young recruits
"or many years, or ha'e had 'ery, 'ery "e#& I" such a congregation sells e'en a small
con'ent in 8urope or Iort h 4meri ca, t hat money i s more than enough " or $ui l di ng
a large and com"orta$le residence in India& It is a counter-#itness,and sel"-de"eating,to
put up a large and s#an0y $uilding in the midst o" the poor (as in an Indian 'illage or many
parts o" our cities), surrounded $y a high #all that cuts o"" the inmates "rom the local
population& Into this posh $uilding step in girls or $oys #ho come, $y and large, "rom 'ery
simple settings,poorer "amilies "rom the rural areas o" certain states& 5o# #ill they
learn commitment and mission6 I" the change is largely "rom po'erty and depri'ation to an
arti"icial setting o" security and com"ort, #hat choices is a young person really ma0ing6
Is such recruiting done to ser'e the people,and to continue the mission o" the order,or
to pre'ent the order "rom dying out6 4t times, these young people are ta0en "or
"ormation to 8urope, #here most o" them do not really "it in& In other cases, they are sent
to 8urope to help out in the order9s houses, #here they are the only young mem$ers& Is this
the mission "or #hich #e should recruit ne# mem$ers6
?hoosing a 'ocation means se'eral things that are o"ten
9
not present in the currently
high num$ers o" candidates in countries li0e India: (-) That the young person is in a position
to really ma0e a choice'$ith realistic options in $oth directionsA (2) that s;he has some
*od0e)perience or religious con'ictions #hich is the main dri'ing "orce $ehind the
decisionA (1) that the community (seminary, religious congregation or the "ormation setting)
is really interested in helping the candidate to choose $e"ore :od and one9s conscience
#hat seems to $e the $etter (more genuine) option& There are seminaries and
religious congregations #here such helps are gi'en, #ithout undue pressure to stay in or go
ahead, #here discernment is serious and sincere, #here competent and caring "ormators
help the "ormees to discern and "ollo# :od9s #ill& >ut in many settings, there is, sadly, a
rush to get candidates someho#, 0eep them in, cut them o"" "rom real choices (e&g&, $y
depri'ing them o" college study or su""icient contact #ith their "amilies and #ith other young
people their age) and pro'ide a com"orta$le (rather than a mission-oriented) "ormation
setting& In these settings, there may $e more recruitsA $ut ho# many are genuine 'ocations,
that is, persons called to this #ay o" li"e, and choosing it "or the right reasons, and helped
$y suita$le "ormation personnel, is a di""erent story&
PART II: PROPOSALS
>ased on these o$ser'ations, I should li0e to ma0e a "e# suggestions on priestly and
religious "ormation& They do not claim to $e e%hausti'e, nor systematic& They are 2ust a "e#
hi nt s on some areas #hi ch need greater attention today in our setting in India& I ha'e
not e%plained any o" them in detail& That #ould re3uire a much longer presentation& In
the month-long seminars on the "ormation o" "ormators #hich #e run at Don >osco
Rene#al ?entre, >angalore, #e e%plore many other aspects and loo0 at many more
suggestions "or a more e""ecti'e "ormation ministry&
7! *et to kno$ the candidate.s fami#y: I" the "amily is our main source o" 'alues, it is
important that "ormators ha'e some contact #ith the candidate9s "amily& 5o# a seminarian or
religious relates to his;her "amily mem$ers tells us more a$out them than their $eha'iour
in the community& 5e;she and the rest o" us ha'e much to learn "rom the "amily that $rought
him;her up& Some "ormators do this regularly and #ith real interest& They 'isit the "amilies o"
all their candidates& So, too, a parish priest o"ten 0no#s the candidate and his;her "amily
'ery #ell& They are o"ten surprised at the #ay ='ocation promoters= Bip in "rom "ar a#ay and
recruit young people #ithout 0no#ing anything a$out their $ac0ground or pre'ious history&
8! Ino#e #aypeop#e in formation: Priests and religious are trained "or ministry in the church,
#hich is made up o" di""erent types o" mem$ers& <e need lay people (and #omen religious)
on the sta"" o" seminaries and religious "ormation houses& Their participation #ill ma0e
"ormation more realistic (and in some #ays more demanding)& It can also sho# the "uture
priest that lay people are not only a group to $e taught $ut also persons to learn "rom&
Seminaries and religious houses that ha'e tried this seem to ha'e $ene"ited "rom the
e%perience&
9 Ino#e the fami#y in formation: The "amily has a right and duty to $e in'ol'ed in the
"ormation o" their son or daughter, #ithout, o" course, undue inter"erence& <hether it $e in
the "orm o" a "inancial contri$ution, or 'isits to the seminary, or $eing in"ormed o" ho# s;he
is doing, it is an essential part o" one9s gro#th that one9s "amily is made an integral part
o" this process& This ma0es all the more sense i" #e agree #ith the premise that each o" us
is much more a product o" our "amily than o" the religious congregation #e $elong to&
:! Ino#e the candidate, in a p#anned and graded $ay, in mission and ministry: @ne does
not $ecome a "ull-"ledged apostle all o" a sudden& Ministry is something one gro#s into,
gradually and steadily& There must $e graded "orms o" ministry all through a candidate9s
"ormation period& Theory alone, ho#e'er good, does not prepare us "or the apostolate& I
ha'e seen young religious and seminarians $ecome enthusiastic a$out their 'ocation
and get really in'ol'ed #hen they $ecame acti'e participants in ministry& This is all the more
so #hen they #or0 under priests or older religious #ho are really dedicated& Such guided
ministry is, in many cases, a much $etter preparation "or their "uture ministry than a lot o"
theory and e%hortations&
;! Ino#e the candidates in ministry among t he poor: I " t he church is meant to $e
good ne#s to the poor,and in our country they "orm the ma2ority,it is essential that all
through our training #e should $e acti'ely in'ol'ed #ith the poor& It is not enough to ha'e
seminars on social analysis or prayers "or the poorA the young person must $e in'ol'ed in
initiati'es that $ring him;her into direct contact #ith poor people& 4part "rom its apostolic
'alue, such contact #ill ma0e us also see our o#n tiny pro$lems and incon'eniences in
perspecti'e& <e ha'e much to learn "rom the poor, as Mother Teresa #ould o"ten say&
So, too, a good test o" right moti'ation "or the priesthood and rel i gi ous l i " e i s #het her a
candidate has an e""ecti'e lo'e "or the poor& 4 seminarian or young religious #ho a'oids poor
people, or spea0s disparagingly a$out them, or treats them harshly and #ithout respect,
sho#s 'ery little aptitude "or ministry& <hen ordained or "inally pro"essed or in po#er, such
persons are li0ely to see0 out the company o" the rich, accept "a'ours "rom them, li'e a li"e o"
lu%ury, and $e harsh #ith the poor&
<! Train them in youth ministry: @ne "orm o" mi ni st ry "or #hi ch the "uture priest and
religious o" today must $e prepared is youth #or0& In our country, the ma2ority o" the
population are young& T#o-thirds o" our people are $elo# the age o" thirty& 4$out hal" are
$elo# the age o" t#enty-"i'e& >y the time a seminarian is ordained,or a religious ma0es
his;her "inal 'o#s,they are older than "i"ty percent o" the Indian popul ati on& To mi ni st er
t o thi s young population, #e need ade3uate training& @ther#ise, #e may $e a"raid o" dealing
#ith youth, or see youth as a pro$lem or neglect them altogether& I ha'e seen "rom direct
e%perience the tremendous impact o" training seminarians and young religious in youth
ministry& Many do e%cellent #or0 #ith the young& Some ha'e $ecome directors o" youth
ministry in their dioceses& 4nd, $eyond the particular acti'ities they organiBe "or the young,
#ith their training in youth #or0 (#hich includes lots o" contact #ith the children and
adolescents during their "ormation years), they are com"orta$le #ith the young, not a"raid
o" them& They #elcome the young, rather than 0eep them at a distance&
=! >e#ect the right peop#e for formation $ork: 4 "ormator must $e someone the student can
l oo0 up to, #ho relates #ell to the rest o" the sta"" and #ith the students, #ho is interested
in ministry and has some e%perience o" it, #hose li"e-style is inspiring, #hose 2 udgement
i s sound, and #ho is intelligent enough to grasp and teach the su$2ects that need to
$e taught& The main 3uality needed in a "ormator is neither intellectual $rilliance nor
academic degrees& The main ingredient is that he or she should $e a person the candidate
can loo0 up to& @ne9s character, con'ictions and li"e-style matter much more than degrees
and mere cle'erness& To $e an inspiring person and to $e a good team-mem$er (#ho
promotes unity, not di'isions) are more important 3ualities than ad'anced degrees or high
intelligence&
8. 5r oi de t r ai ni ng and updat i ng f or f or mat i on per sonne# : 4ny pro"essional #ho
#ants to $e e""ecti'e, must 0eep learning& 4 middle-aged medical practitioner once told me
that most o" the medicines a'aila$le today #ere not e'en 0no#n #hen he #as a medical
student& Regular and periodic updating courses "or the sta"" are a must in the seminary& The
=$rushing up= can $e in the su$2ects one teaches or one9 s gro#th as a person& Thus, "or
instance, "ormators #ould do #ell to ta0e part in training seminars (e'en short programmes)
on such su$2ects as counselling, spiritual direction, prayer, social analysis, multiculturalism,
etc&
9. 5r oi de a happy and # oi ng community setting: <e train people not through
e%hortations, $ut $y li'ing #ith them and sho#ing them through our li"e ho# a particular li"e is
li'ed& The participation o" the sta"" in all the acti'ities o" the seminarians and young
religious (prayer, manual #or0, recreation, outings, apostolate &&& ) is an essential part o" the
training& The young o$ser'e us care"ully and learn "rom all #e do& @nly in a happy and
united community #ill the young person "eel con'inced o" #hat he; she is $eing taught
and $e gripped $y the mission& @ther#ise, they #ill pooh-pooh the nice theories $eing
taught, and $ecome cynical&
7?! 5roide a rea#istic formation for ce#i"acy: Studies on the celi$ate e%perience o" priests
and religious sho#s that the training "or celi$acy is not ade3uate& It is not enough to tell
young people the gospel reasons "or celi$acy or imply that "aults against it are serious& <e
need to do more to prepare them "or li"e-long celi$acy& There is plenty to $e done in this
area& In the gatherings o" Indian ?atholic psychologists, this need #as e%pressed
strongly& <e need to prepare a programme;sylla$us "or training seminarians and religious
in celi$acy& Pro$lems in this area need to $e "aced more directlyA more e""ecti'e helps are
needed& So, too, "ormators need some training in ho# to help candidates #ith se%ual
pro$lems, such as, mastur$ation, se%ual a$use, handling se%ual "eelings and learning to
relate in mature #ays to men and #omen& Male and "emale candidates "ace di""erent
pro$lems in the area o" se%uality, and at di""erent ages& 4mong candidates to con'ents, the
proportion o" girls #ho ha'e $een 'ictims o" se%ual a$use ($e"ore 2oining) is higher than #hat
most o" us may thin0& Se%uality is a #onder"ul :od-gi'en po#er that #e ha'e to learn to
integrate, not deny or denigrate& >ecoming and $eing a celi$ate is 'ery di""erent "rom
2ust remaining unmarried& Its most mani"est e%pression is a li"e o" simplicity, lo'e and 2oy&
11. 5roide norma# contacts $ith men, $omen and chi#dren: 4n arti"icial or o'er-protecti'e
en'ironment produces strange characters or people #ho are o$sessed #ith #hat they
miss& I" during normal contacts #ith "amilies a candidate or no'ice "inds that s;he is not
happy #ith celi$acy and pre"ers to marry, it is $etter that they "ind this out $e"ore their "inal
'o#s or ordination& So, too, normal contacts #ith their "amilies and #ith other lay people #ill,
in most cases, help the trainee to $ecome more realistic, less "ussy and more a#are o" the
much tougher situations that many lay persons "ace&
12. He#p those $ho #eae: 4 theology student #ho le"t the seminary made this suggestion
to me, =I" you can hel p t hose #ho are t hi n0i ng o" lea'ing to "ind a 2o$ or do some
studies, many more seminarians #ill open their hearts to you a$out their pro$lems&= The
present policy o" se'eral seminaries o" admitting only graduates is good "or a 'ariety o"
reasons& 4part "rom the greater maturity and preparation at the time o" arri'al, the degree
also gi'es a young man greater "reedom to lea'e i" he is not 0een on the priesthood& I still
remem$er a con'ersation I had #ith a theology student: =5o# can I lea'e no#6= he as0ed&
=I cannot go $ac0 to my 'illage& My house is already called 9>rother9s 5ouse&9 I ha'e no
3uali"ication to get a 2o$& So, #hat #ill I do i" I lea'e6= 5e le"t later, as a priest& <ouldn9t it
ha'e $een much $etter i" such a candidate had more options $e"ore his ordination6 This
3uestion is all the more poignant in India #hen it comes to sisters& 5o# do #e help those
#ho are not meant "or religious li"e to lea'e and settle do#n6 4s I said earlier, i" #e sho# no
interest in their "uture once they lea'e us, ho# can #e say that #e really lo'ed them, and
#ere interested in their #el"are6
13. 4issociate the financia# operations of the church from the priesthood: This and the
"ollo#ing t#o suggestions regard church organiBationA they are not directly under the
control o" "ormation houses& 4 great source o" a$uses in the priesthood (and, to a
more limited degree, among religious) is the a'aila$ility o" easy money that need not $e
earned or accounted "or& I $elie'e that, i" the "inances o" a parish are administered $y a
"inance committee (and not $y the priest), #ith the result that a priest in a richer or larger
parish #ill ha'e no more money at his disposal than one in a poor parish, and i" #e de-lin0
money and mass intentions, #e #ill attract more genuine candidates to the priesthood& This is
already done in a num$er o" countries& Right no# in India, the pull o" money is strong "or a
num$er o" candidates (and priests)& 4nd #ith it come many a$uses&
7:! 5roi de sa# ari ed post s f or # ay ministers in the church setting: This is the case in
many other countries& For many ministries in the church, #e do not need priestly ordination,
or a religious community, or e'en celi$acy& <hy concentrate all apostolate in the hands o"
priests (and sisters)6 Teaching in a school, #or0ing in a hospital, managing an institution,
doing youth ministry, or construction #or0 or Sunday catechism can 'ery #ell $e coordinated
$y lay men and #omen& <e need to pro'ide structures $y #hich a 2ust salary is paid "or
3uali"ied persons, 2ust as it is done in schools or colleges& This #ill "ree the priest to do
priestly #or0, and in'ol'e many gi"ted lay people in the running o" the church& Focation
promotion should $e really that,helping a young person to choose $e"ore :od #hat
his or her heart truly see0s, and to gro# on that inner 2ourney& It should not $e a co'er-up
"or =cheap la$our,= that is, "inding unsalaried persons "or maintaining institutions& So, too,
#hen the priest or religious l eadi ng an i nst i t ut i on,pari sh, school, hospital or #el"are
#or0,is truly dedicated and detached "rom money and po#er, many lay people #ill
'olunteer to o""er "ree ser'ice or money or things needed& <e ha'e all pro$a$ly #itnessed
this type o" cooperation&
7;! @se church funds to train different types of ministers: Right no#, a great deal o"
money is spent "or training "uture priests& 4 seminary pro'ides the young man #ho 2oins
#ith e%cellent 3uarters, "ree "ood and tuition, highly 3uali"ied "aculty, a good li$rary,
competent 'isiting sta"", many helps "or personal gro#th, such as prayer, retreats,
counselling and spiritual direction& Many in the church thin0 that, "or the amount o" time,
money and resources in'ested in seminary "ormation, the results are not proportionate& (The
recent sur'ey among "ormators, conducted $y the department o" sociology, -nana
4eepa, Pune, seems to ha'e come up #ith distur$ing results that should ma0e us sit up
and thin0& This study has still to $e pu$lished&) ?ompared to the resources in'ested in a
priest9s training, sisters and $rothers get 'ery little helpA and lay leaders are gi'en e'en less&
I" the church $elongs to all and needs many "orms o" ministry, then thi s a#areness needs
to $e sho#n in the allotment o" "unds as #ell& @ne #ay to start #ould $e to use the large
premises, li$raries and 3uali"ied personnel o" our seminaries to train a #ide range o"
ministers& Some seminaries ha'e started doing this, e&g&, $y o""ering theology classes "or the
laity& The response has $een 'ery positi'e&
These re"lections are, as I said at the $eginning, $ased on my e%perience o" " ormat i on
#or0& They are not meant $y any means to $e rigid or unchangea$le guidelines "or
others, $ut only an in'itation to pause and loo0 at this central acti'ity in #hich #e in'est
a$undant human and "inancial resources& That it has a signi"icant impact on the li'es o" at
least some o" our seminarians and religious, and, through them, on a #ider circle o"
people, cannot $e denied& The 3uestion here is: <hat can #e do to increase its impact and
to pro'ide a more committed $ody o" priests and religious to ser'e the church and the #orld6