Service in the Life of a Priest

His Holiness Pope Shenouda explains that the priesthood is not a platform of authority or a place for pride, rather it is a dedication and service to the people; the priest is ordained to serve the congregation and to put the comfort of souls and spirit first. The priest must understand that the authority he holds is a heavy responsibility that requires tears, sleeplessness, and toil for the salvation of souls, not personal elevation.

Qualities of the good servant

A true priest cares for all people — the calm and the quarrelsome, the strict and the open, the angry and the meek — without discrimination. It is not permissible to use the priesthood to eliminate opponents or to monopolize power, nor to turn the priest’s position into a place for settling scores or control.

Managing the talents of the people

It is the priest’s duty to discover and invest the talents of the congregation in science, art, administration, and service, so that every believer feels that he is an active partner in building the church, not a guest or marginal figure.

Dealing with problems

The wise priest combines the spiritual and the practical when solving problems: he does not bias toward one side at the expense of another, nor resorts to unethical solutions to ease people’s situations. He must offer practical advice that can be implemented, and when necessary consult specialists (doctors, lawyers, accountants) without losing his spiritual character.

Style of pastoral care

Spiritual comfort is given with wisdom and gentleness, not with severity or indifference; some cases need a word of encouragement, others need gentle rebuke, and others need practical support. Prayer and fasting are important, but they must be accompanied by practical acts and real help as the Good Samaritan did.

Practical conclusion

If the priest does not use the congregation’s talents they will be used externally, so the success of ministry is measured by fruit in people, not merely by passage of time. The priest should present the possible right when he cannot present absolute right, and be a large heart that comforts souls and leads them with wisdom and love.

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