First and foremost, he should be a man on a journey

The priest I want and who serves is a man of the Word, who lives in the light of the Gospel and testifies to it with his life, before speaking. He is a man who draws near to the stories of people, who “takes the time” to meet them. 

The priest I want and who serves is not afraid to truly listen to people’s questions, including the most sensitive and profound ones that challenge individuals; he listens and asks those questions himself, putting himself in the shoes of those who formulate them. The priest I want and who serves shuns power dynamics—not only those related to the institution he accompanies but also those concerning people; he does not abuse because he feels he does not govern the lives of those he encounters, but instead stands alongside them as a companion on the journey. Open and humble. 

The priest I want who serves studies, keeps updated, and feels that his knowledge is a journey, provoked by the events that surround him. For this reason, he is always in dialogue with the city, the territory, or the reality entrusted to him. 

The priest and who serves trusts the laity. I want, feeling co-responsible with them for the Church. We need priests who are first and foremost men, on a journey. 

by Emanuela Gitto
National Vice President of Catholic Action for the Youth Sector, Italy