How the crisis happened

The biblical account of God's interaction with humanity is a story of fidelity, betrayal and reform. From the beginning of the story of salvation, God has constantly been faithful to his promise to love cherish His beloved people. Whenever human beings have fallen short of God's dream for us to live in mutual fidelity with Him and with one another, there is another chapter to the story which speaks of the reform that needs to happen so that the originally-intended fidelity can be restored.

Like the apostles who were first called to follow in the footsteps of the Master, seminarians who have discerned the Lord's call joyfully accept the invitation to walk in His footsteps. No one is more aware of his own weakness and unworthiness to embark on this journey than the priest himself, but he does so with the assurance that Jesus, who called even Judas Iscariot to join Him in the task of proclaiming the Kingdom, will accompany him, encourage him and use his talents and gifts to spread the good news, at times despite his own limitations.

Many factors, including cultural immersion in the sexual revolution and modern disregard for traditional structures of authority, especially religious authority have contributed to the loosening of clerical discipline especially in the 1970s and early 1980s. This tendency to disregard the wisdom of traditional authority resulted in what George Weigel calls a culture of dissent.

In fact, 'as the culture of discent reached critical mass in the ... Catholic theological community, and as discenting views on sexual morality and other issues were openly proposed as acceptably Catholic positions in seminary and noviciate classrooms, seminarians and religious order novices were faced with an almost schizophrenic situation. To be a witness to the fullness of Catholic faith now seemed antiquated, even bizzare ... (and) orthodoxy, not heterodoxy, became suspect. (Courage, p. 76)

In response to this conflict, John Paul II invited bishops to participate in a Synod focused on the formation of priests in the modern world, the fruit of which was the Post-Synodal Exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis (Shepherds after my own heart). The Pope recognized that in the face of a crisis of priestly vocations "the first answer which the Church gives lies in a total act of faith in the Holy Spirit. We are deeply convinced that this trusting abandonment will not disappoint if we remain faithful to the graces we have received." (PDV, 1)

The Post-Synodal document recognizes various challenges facing priestly formation, and then returns to basics by examining the nature and mission of the ministerial priesthood. Considerable time is spent examining the spiritual life of a priest, and situating the priestly vocation in light of the Church's pastoral work.

This document, devoted to a serious re-examination of the responsibility for formation of candidates for the priesthood has been instrumental in the reform of requirements and the modus operandi which guide the life of seminary formation today. This reform, which has taken place in the past decade is a response to the crisis of sexual abuse, and has called the Church to a renewed fidelity to the call of the Lord to form shepherds according to His own heart.