Bamberg, Germany, Jul 20, 2006 / 22:00 pm
Archbishop Ludwig Schick of Bamberg said this week that priests who want to be effective in their spiritual work must themselves seek regular personal spiritual direction and confession.
According to the Kath.net news agency, during a Mass celebrating the ordination anniversary of several diocesan priests, Archbishop Schick emphasized that, “personal striving for holiness, spiritual accompaniment, and the sacrament of Confession are just as much a part of the priestly ministry as care for the poor, the sick, the suffering, and the abandoned.”
The archbishop recalled that priests should be good spiritual directors, as well as welcoming and understanding fathers in the sacrament of Confession. He pointed to saints such as Philip Neri, Charles Borromeo, Camillus de Lellis, Francis de Sales, and John Vianney as inspiring models for the priesthood.
He also reminded his priests that in order to be good spiritual directors, they themselves must receive regular spiritual direction. Priests who want to be truly, “authentic and bear fruit as confessors must themselves have recourse to personal spiritual direction and frequent confession,” he emphasized.
Archbishop Schick thanked priests for their commitment as well as their untiring effort to spread the faith and bring salvation to mankind.