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Second National Congress of the Clergy
eventually flows out to others.
Cantalamessa led the clergy to
meditate on the importance of the sacrament
of reconciliation on the third day,
guiding the priests to look into themselves
and their unworthiness, not to
devalue themselves, but to acknowledge
the failures committed and receive the
gift of forgiveness.
The penitential service followed by
the sacrament of confession was one of
the highlights of the five-day congress.
The entire plenary hall with lights
dimmed and entirely quiet, conjured in
mind the imagery of the prodigal son
seeking the loving forgiveness of the
father, as
p r i e s t s
lined up
to confess
their sins
to fellow
priests.
“ I t
t a k e s a
priest to
understand
his fellow
p r i e s t , ”
Faller said
of the confession.
Capping
his
talks on
t h e l a s t
day, Cantalamessa
focused on
the gift of
c e l i b a c y
which according
to
him is founded in a special relationship
and trust in and with Jesus.
The life of celibacy gives the priests
wings to fly. Because of celibacy, the
priest is able to give his undivided attention
to the Lord. It is not a burden,
he said.
“As a marriage without love is an
empty shell or even hell, so is celibacy
without love for Jesus can be an empty
shell,” Cantalamessa said.
“This state of life is best of all a
relationship with Jesus. We are not an
unmarried people. We are married only
not to a creature, but to the Creator,”
he stressed.
Relationship in the life of the priest
is relationship with God the Trinity,
relationship with the Church and relationship
with himself.
Bishop Lavarias, reflecting on the
issue said that alongside recognizing
one’s lack of fidelity is the acknowledgment
of God’s fidelity toward us.
Speaking on a personal note, he said,
“I believe that for us priests, Jesus is
fidelity… that I often take for granted,
but taking that for granted I lose sight
of my ministry, the fidelity of one who
called me that I need to manifest and
share to his people.”
A graced moment
Preacher to the Papal household
since 1980, Cantalamessa gives meditation
every Friday during seasons of
Advent and Lent to the Pope, Cardinals,
Bishops and Prelates and General Superiors
of Religious Orders.
“This is really a graced moment,”
De Villa said of the retreat. “…Fr. Cantalamessa
is such a spiritual man, and
yet very human also in his approach.
He just really came precisely for the
congress upon the invitation of Cardinal
Rosales,” she added.
De Villa said Fr. Cantalamessa
was also moved by the big assembly of
priests that he remarked, “Only in the
Philippines can these things happen, so
many priests in one gathering.”
The former ambassador said NCC II
surpassed the international gathering of
priests in Ars, France held August last
year in terms of number of participants.
That international retreat assembled
only about 1,500 priests worldwide.
Challenges
To the participants, the words of Fr.
Cantalamessa evoked a refreshing newness,
challenging them to a creative response
to their priestly commitment.
According to Fr. Fernando Suarez
of the Companions of the Cross, also
known as the healing priest, the greatest
challenge for priests is how to be
sensitive and relevant and make people
listen, attract and influence them to go
back to God.
Holding
up banners
bearing
names
of their
respective
dioceses,
the sight of
chasubleclad
clergy
in procession
for us
m e m b e r s
of the flock
was quite a
statement.
We come
face to face
with the
reality that
our clergy
whom we
often put
up on a
pedestal
are but human
beings
like us. They too have feet of clay. But
the realization should not stop there.
Just as they minister to our various
needs and walk with us in our
spiritual journey, we too ought to accompany
them with our prayers that
they remain faithful to their priestly
commitment.
This was what Cardinal Rosales
stressed once again in his homily during
the closing Mass calling on priests to live
steadfastly their priestly vocation.
“The priest will, therefore, start his
renewal on what is essentially priestly.
The priest is a creature of the Holy
Spirit by virtue of his anointing… Once
anointed, the priest shouts to the entire
world that he already belongs completely,
and for all times, to God!” I
© Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media
8
IMPACT • February 2010