A theologian from the University of Navarra publishes a book on the mission statement of the priest in the Church.

Ramiro Pellitero, theologian at the University of Navarra, has coordinated the book La mission statement del sacerdote en la Iglesia ( EUNSA). "The work is addressed to priests and those preparing for the priesthood, but also to anyone who wishes to delve into the role of the priest in contemporary society, in the value of his service, centered on the Eucharist, and aimed at promote the unity and vitality of the Christian faith, and love among people," explains Professor Pellitero.

The volume has its origin in the academic workshop organized by the School of Theology in 2010 on the occasion of the Year for Priests, under the degree scroll 'The ministerial priesthood in the mission statement of the Church'. It gathers the interventions corresponding to that workshop, followed by other texts that complement the topic from different perspectives.

The first five chapters are: "Common priesthood and ministerial priesthood in the Church's mission statement " (Pedro Rodríguez), "Identity of the ministerial priesthood: relationality as core topic of understanding" (Santiago del Cura), "The prophetic dimension of the priestly ministry" (Rafael Zornoza Boy), "The liturgical presidency, a constitutive element of the ordained ministry (Félix María Arocena) and "The unity of life in the priest" (Lucas Francisco Mateo-Seco).

The second ones are: "'Ordo Presbyterorum' and local Presbyteries" (José Ramón Villar), "Priestly spirituality" (Vicente Bosch), "Fundamental aspects of the training for the ministerial priesthood" (Tomás Rincón-Pérez), and "The vocational proposal as a task for priests" (Ángel Marzoa).
Professor Pellitero is chaplain of the School of Sciences of the University of Navarra and professor of the School of Theology and of the high school Superior of Religious Sciences (ISCR) of the campus pamplonés.

Professor Ramiro Pellitero's Blog: Church and New Evangelization

In these times, what is the mission statement of the priest?
The mission statement of the priest is part of the mission statement of the Church, which consists in making possible the meeting of Jesus Christ with all people. The priest serves Christians in the first place: he preaches the Word of God, presides at the celebration of the sacraments (especially the Eucharist and the forgiveness of sins in the name of Christ and the Church) and promotes charity in all areas. As the then Cardinal Wojtyla said in 1978, the priest places himself at the center of the mystery of Christ, and from there he serves the true happiness of mankind, which can only be found in love of God and neighbor.

-In recent years there have been some cases of infidelity to the Church on the part of priests, such as the abuse of minors. To what extent do they threaten the authentic identity of the priesthood? Can they overshadow it?
These abuses committed by priests are indeed a great infidelity to the Church, and first of all to the people entrusted to them. And therefore they should lead, as the Pope has pointed out, to sincere repentance, to reparation for the harm caused to the victims and, on the part of the Church, to an examination of conscience on the training and the life of priests.

Certainly, these events cast a shadow over the image of priests, but they do not alter their identity. Christ chooses them not because they are supermen, perfect and blameless, but because, being of flesh and blood, they can serve him as ministers. Access to the priesthood is linked to the free choice of the one who receives God's call. This demands of the priest a response throughout his life. And that response rests on human honesty as the basis of his commitment to holiness and his task of service to all. Ethical values and human and Christian virtues shine in the great majority of priests, who strive to be faithful to their mission statement, from the beginning of Christianity. They are men who have not felt themselves to be "old maids," but who, as St. Josemaría Escrivá used to say, have lived and live as "in love with Love, with the Maker of Love" (The Forge, no. 38).

As you have just said, this ministry is a gift to serve others. What are the greatest difficulties priests encounter in putting it into practice at internship?
In families (the Church is a family), fathers and mothers also need others to raise and educate their children; and, like all people when they fall ill or grow old, they need their children. Priests also need God and the other Christians they serve. Priests require a life of friendship with God (prayer) and a suitable training , along with the affection and support necessary for their ministry. It is a great responsibility of all Christians to pray for priests and not to leave them alone. And it is logical that society, as is done in so many countries, should recognize the service that priests render to Education, to coexistence and to peace.

-How has the role of priests changed in the course of these 2,000 years of history? What aspect should be given more emphasis today?
Essentially, the task of priests, without which the Church and Christians would not exist, has always been the same: to proclaim the Gospel, celebrate the sacraments, promote charity. At different times and in different cultures, it has been necessary to emphasize one aspect or another. Since the Second Vatican Council, in the formulation of John Paul II, it has been rediscovered that "man is the way of the Church". This means that Evangelization is addressed to all men and women, and affects all areas - spiritual and material - of human life.

In other words, the advertisement of the Gospel must be accompanied by human promotion, since the person is a whole composed of body and spirit and essentially called to a relationship with others. All this is promoted by the priest from his "place": preaching, celebrating the sacraments and guiding the Christian life of his brothers and sisters, thus rendering an incomparable service to society as a whole.

Today it is necessary to stress the value of the adoration of God (prayer and worship, mainly in the Eucharist) and also the concern for the material and spiritual needs of others, precisely as a consequence of prayer and worship; in this sense, the Social Doctrine of the Church is fundamental.

One of the contributions of our era are the new technologies. Do you think they can be a useful tool for priests when preaching the Gospel?
Like all human instruments that serve communication, these technologies can be very useful, to the extent that they "really" help and do not distract or hinder communication between people.

In the priestly task, these means can extend the Word of God further and earlier, although they do not replace the presence of the priest, particularly in the sacraments. They can serve the preparation of faith and show aspects of faith that are not easily expressed only in words that cover concepts; for faith affects all spheres of the person, who lives and reflects on the basis of his experiences, projects and ideals, family and social relationships, etc.

Thus, these technologies can enrich the communication of the Gospel by means of images or other symbols; for example, by showing the fruits of Christian life in families, jobs, events and the authentic progress of individuals and peoples.