Pastores dabo vobis

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Pastores dabo vobis is the title of the post-synodal apostolic letter of Pope John Paul II. It was published on March 25, 1992 and, with the subtitle “The Priest in the Context of the Present”, summarizes the deliberations of the 8th Ordinary Synod of Bishops (September 30 - 28 October 1990) together.

Post-conciliar synod on priests

In its decrees Presbyterorum ordinis "On the life of priests" and Optatam totius "On the formation of priests" the Second Vatican Council dealt in detail with the ministry and the formation of priests. After the conclusion of the council , the Church continued to work on this set of issues. In 1970 the Congregation for Catholic Education published the "Ratio Fundamentalis" guidelines for the formation of priests.

The Synod of Bishops of 1990 devoted itself again - twenty years later - to this topic and called for a rethinking of the nature of the priesthood in the context of the "current situation of society and the Church" (see Pastores dabo vobis (PDV No. 5) ).

Principles of the formation of priests

The post-synodal letter, in which the Pope lays down the fundamentals of priestly formation in the Catholic Church, is addressed to the bishops , priests and the faithful . Two main features characterize the focus of his concern:

  • First of all , he recalls God's promise to his people, it says: “I give you shepherds according to my heart” ( Jer 3:15  EU ). With these words of the prophet Jeremiah , God promises his people that he will never leave them without shepherds to gather and guide them: “I will give them - that is, my sheep - shepherds to feed them, and they will no longer be afraid or frightened "( Jer 23,4  EU ). (PDV 1.)
  • Second, he says that there is a while of formation between the calling and the sending of the priests and makes this clear ( Mk 3,13-15  EU ), this time, the Pope believes, of “being with him” is the biblical model the seminar training (PDV 42.).

Contents overview

  • introduction
  • Chapter I. Chosen from the people - The formation of priests before the challenges of the second century
  • Chapter II. The Lord has anointed me - the nature and mission of the priesthood
  • Chapter III. The Spirit of the Lord rests on me - the spiritual life of the priest
  • Chapter IV. Come and see - The priestly profession in the pastoral work of the Church
  • Chapter V. He appointed twelve that he wanted with him - The formation of the priestly candidates
  • Chapter VI. I remind you; Re-kindle the grace of God that has been bestowed upon you - The formation of the priests
  • Enough

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Guidelines for the formation of priests ( PDF )

Web links