A cardinal has expressed grave concern over the declining respect for priests in society.

“In recent years, there has been a decline in the exalted position and recognition that priests used to receive traditionally in the Church and society,” wrote Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India and head of the Syro-Malabar Church.

He blamed “unprincipled and non-transparent activities” of some priests for lowering the status of priests in general. In a pastoral letter read in all Syro-Malabar parishes during Sunday Masses on Dec. 6, the cardinal appealed to his people to pray for priests and respect them.

In a separate letter to his priests, the cardinal urged them to witness Christ in their priestly life. “All of you, both as individuals and as a community of priests, must consider this issue seriously,” he stressed.

The Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Churches are Oriental Catholic Churches based in the southern state of Kerala, where Christians form 19 percent of 32 million people. The Indian Catholic Church also includes the Latin rite.

According to Syro-Malabar spokesperson Father Paul Thelakat, the cardinal’s anguish is justified. The priest spoke of an increasingly consumerist mentality and lack of asceticism among priests. They should rather show a spirit of renunciation amid a “competitive market culture” that compels people to possess and exploit, he said.

“This temptation of the world will affect priests unless they lead a spiritual and ascetic way of life,” he added, pointing out that the Church is facing such a trend all over the world.

Father Thelakat said the cardinal was supposed to address a group of priests on Nov. 7, but could not as he was hospitalized after a heart attack. He thus decided to put his speech in writing and send it to his priests.

In his letter, Cardinal Vithayathil also regretted a lack of information among priests, who he said do not make reading a priority. He urged priests to broaden their knowledge to better help people in their care.

He wants priests to deepen their knowledge of the Bible, theology, philosophy, Church history, psychology and other subjects. “We should also make every effort to learn the documents the Church publishes from time to time, and to teach them to the people,” he wrote.

Source:  Counter worldly image with proper witnessing, priests told (UCAN)

Related posts:

1. Cardinal Hummes opens priests’ congress
2. Cardinal vows to end clergy sex abuse
3. Archdiocese issues austerity code for priests
4. Syro-Malankara Church gets new US diocese
5. Oriental Church gets new coordinator

Stay in Touch

Subscribe to Religious India free Newsletter