Rome (Agenzia Fides 18/05/2010) - "The world needs priests and missionaries in 3D, people who maintain Doctrine, Discipline, Devotion." This was the appeal made by His Eminence Cardinal Ivan Dias, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, to all priests and missionaries in the world, upon the conclusion of the Year for Priests proclaimed by Benedict XVI.
Cardinal Dias was speaking yesterday afternoon at the General Assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies being held in Rome (see Fides 17/05/2010), and focused on identity and qualities that every priest and missionary must cultivate in his life and ministry, saying: "Every priest, on his path of growth and in his ministry, should safeguard these three dimensions: Doctrine, Discipline, Devotion. Safeguarding Doctrine means being faithful to the Word of God, the Magisterium of the Church, observing the words of the Holy Father. The second, Discipline, is very important nowadays and should be taken more deeply into account. This implies the discipline of mind and body, a sign and fruit of a human and spiritual maturity. This includes formation in chastity and proper relations with the opposite sex; management of discord and conflict in relationships and in the community; management of free time and use of new technologies. As for Devotion, I would emphasize that the priest, in each of his small daily actions, should bear in mind that he is a man of God. He should give primacy to the spirit, keeping in mind that he is in the world, but not of the world."
"In general - the Cardinal said, addressing all priests and missionaries – be people who 'breathe the sacred,' especially in the celebration of Holy Mass and administering the Sacraments, helping others to encounter the living and active person of Jesus Christ."
Cardinal Dias recalled that every priest, like every Christian, "has the missionary spirit in his DNA," otherwise he would be "a deformed Christian or at least not yet well-formed..."
As a model of a person and priest who lived these three dimensions to the full and had a missionary spirit, the Prefect of “Propaganda Fide” presented Cardinal John Henry Newman, who is scheduled to be beatified September 19 by Pope Benedict XVI on his upcoming trip to England. (PA)