Reaction to directory for priests

Reverend Father Roy,

Thank you for your 'Hints And Traces' article published today, September 17. It reflects very well the actual situation we are all witnessing with regard to the clergy.

The new document issued in February 11, 2013 by Pope Benedict XVI is a reminder of previous official documents proclaimed by the Holy See such as:

- Decree on The Ministry and Life of Priests (Presbyterium Ordines) from Pope Paul VI on December 7, 1965

- Directory on the Ministry and Life of Priests by Pope John Paul II on January 31 1994.n 1994

To the above documents from the Vatican, Reverend Father Excelso Garcia, O.P. wrote and published in 1998 in Manila the well detailed 'MANUAL for PARISH PRIESTS'.

The 'Priests' Congress' organized by the Cebu Archdiocese and held in 2002 should not be ignored.

We have the right to question the purpose of all official documents and formal gatherings in front of obvious ignorance of what has been written and declared. Did anyone take note? Did anyone make any record? Did everyone really read and/or listened but no one wanted to remember. What are our priests doing? Don't they remember the people they serve, and look to their flock for leadership and guidance? Could they come out of their 'ivory tower'?

You are absolutely right, Father Roy, when you say that the laity can do a lot in helping the clergy, just as the clergy can also do a lot in helping the laity. Yes Father, you are correct telling about the importance and highly valuable to the Church is a mutual relation between clergy and laity. The problem is that when lay people express their views, they are ignored. Whenever they want a dialogue, they do not have a listener. When they call, there is no echo.

Before his nomination as Pope Francis, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio said: "A church that limits itself to just carrying out administrative duties, caring for its tiny flock, is a church that in the long run will get sick. The pastor who isolates himself is not a true pastor of sheep, but a 'hairdresser' for sheep who spends his time putting curlers on them instead of going to look for others. On the present situation, which is the mirror of the biblical parable of the shepherd who leaves his 99 sheep to find the one that is lost, Pope Francis said: "Today we have one sheep in the pen and 99 we need to go looking for."

Again, thank you Father Roy for calling the attention of the Christian community. Let us hope you will have many readers, listeners and followers.

Respectfully

Jean Michaut

Cebu City