A conversation with the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy

Called to be happy
Interview with Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik

By Andrea Monda
Director of L'Osservatore Romano

What is vocation?

Before thinking about any religious or spiritual dimension, I would say this: vocation is essentially the call to be happy, to take charge of one's life, to live it fully and not to waste it. This is God's first desire for every man and woman, for each of us: that our life does not fade away, that it does not get lost, that it shines as brightly as possible. It is for this reason that he became close in his Son Jesus and that he wants to draw us into the arms of his love; thus, thanks to Baptism, we become an active part of this love story and, when we feel loved and accompanied, our existence becomes a journey towards happiness, towards life without end. A journey which is embodied and then completed in a choice of life, in a precise mission and in the multiple situations of each day.

But how do we recognize a vocation and what is its relationship to desires?

In this regard, the rich tradition of the Church and the wisdom of Christian spirituality have much to teach us. To be happy – and happiness is the first vocation that unites all human beings – it is necessary that we do not make mistakes in our life choices, at least the most fundamental ones. And the first indicators to follow are precisely our desires, the things that we feel in our hearts to be good for us and, through us, for the world around us. However, every day we experience self-deception, because our desires do not always correspond to the truth of who we are; they may be the result of partial vision, they may arise from hurt or frustration, they may be driven by a selfish pursuit of one's own well-being, or sometimes what we call desires are, in reality, desires. illusions. Hence the need for discernment, which is essentially the spiritual art of understanding, with the grace of God, what we must choose in our life. Discernment is only possible if we listen to ourselves and the presence of God within us, overcoming the very present temptation to make our feelings coincide with the absolute truth. This is why Pope Francis, at the beginning of his Wednesday catecheses dedicated to discernment, invited us to face the battle of searching within ourselves and, at the same time, not to forget the presence of God in our lives. . We can thus recognize a vocation when we put our deep desires in dialogue with the work that God's grace accomplishes in us; thanks to this dialogue, the night of doubts and questions gradually clears up and the Lord allows us to understand which path to take.

This dialogue between the human and spiritual dimensions is increasingly at the center of priestly formation. Where are we in this regard?

This dialogue is necessary and perhaps we have sometimes neglected it. We must not run the risk of thinking that the spiritual aspect can develop independently of the human aspect, which would attribute a sort of “magical power” to the grace of God. God became flesh and therefore the vocation to which he calls us is always incarnated in our human nature. The world, society and the Church need priests who are deeply human, whose spiritual style is summed up by that of Jesus: not a spirituality which separates us from others or which makes us cold masters of an abstract truth, but the capacity to embody God's closeness to humanity, his love for all creatures, his compassion for anyone marked by the wounds of life. This is why there is a need for people who, although fragile like everyone else, possess in their fragility sufficient psychological maturity, inner peace and emotional balance.

However, there are many priests who live in situations of difficulty and suffering. What do you think?

Above all, I am very moved. I have devoted almost my entire life to priestly formation, to support and proximity to priests. Today, as Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, I feel even closer to priests, their hopes and their struggles. Certain worrying elements are not lacking, because in many regions of the world, priests live in situations of real unease. The elements of the crisis are numerous, but I think that above all we need ecclesial reflection on two fronts. The first: we must rethink our way of being Church and living the Christian mission, in effective cooperation between all the baptized, because priests are often overwhelmed with work, with the same responsibilities – not only pastoral but also legal and administrative — from many years ago, when there were more of them. Second question: we must review the profile of the diocesan priest because, even if he is not called to religious life, he must rediscover the sacramental value of fraternity, feel at home in the presbytery, with the bishop, his fellow priests and the faithful, because this belonging can support him in his pastoral service and accompany him when loneliness becomes heavy, especially in today's challenges. However, a new mentality and new training paths are needed, because a priest is often trained to become a solitary leader, a “one man in charge”, and this is not good. We are small and full of limitations, but we are Master's disciples. Driven by him, we can do many things. Not individually, but together, synodally. “We can only be missionary disciples,” repeats the Holy Father, “all together.”

Are priests “equipped” to face today’s culture?

This is one of the main challenges that we must meet today in training, both initial and continuing. We cannot remain locked into sacral forms and make priests simple administrators of religious rites; Today we are going through an era marked by numerous global crises, with certain risks linked to the rise of violence, war, environmental pollution, economic crisis, all of which impacts people's lives. in terms of insecurity, anxiety, fear for the future. And there is a great need for priests and lay people capable of bringing to all the joy of the Gospel, as a prophecy in a new world and as a compass to guide the path of life. We are always disciples, even if we have been deacons, priests or bishops for many years. And a disciple always has something to learn from the only Master, who is Jesus.

But in your opinion, is becoming a priest still worth it today?

Despite everything, following the Lord on this path is always worth it, letting yourself be seduced by Him, devoting your life to His project. We can look to Mary, this young girl from Nazareth who, although disturbed by the Angel's announcement, chose to take the risk of the fascinating adventure of the call, becoming Mother of God and Mother of humanity. . With the Lord, we never lose anything! And I would like to address a word to all priests, especially to those who are discouraged or hurt at this time: the Lord never goes back on his promise. If he has called you, he will not let you lack the tenderness of his love, the light of the Spirit, the joy of the heart. In many ways, He will manifest Himself in your life as a priest. I would like this hope to reach priests, deacons and seminarians throughout the world, to console and encourage them. We are not alone, the Lord is always with us! And he wants us to be happy!