Bishops in Southern Africa Shown 10 Ways to be Closer to their Priests

Develop Priests for their own sense of worth and good of the Church

“It makes for a good relationship when the Bishop encourages, and supports priests in their development,” the Local Ordinary of the Mthatha Diocese said.

He added, “We must develop priests for their own sense of worth and the good of the Church in terms of education and skills.”

Appreciate and show concern for small things

Bishop Sipuka urged the SACBC members to not only show concern about, but to also appreciate small things happening in the lives of the Priests under their pastoral care.

He said, “Failure to pay attention to small acts of care and appreciation, like remembering birthdays and anniversaries, and support during times of tragedies like illness and death in the biological family of the priest can lead to a felt sense of lack of care.”

Notice and compliment

“We also need to notice and acknowledge the conscientious carrying out of duty and remember that most priests are not average employees who work to earn money but work out of personal vocation and dedication,” Bishop Sipuka said.

He explained, “Most of the time, they (Priests) do much more than expected, and so a regular word of gratitude and appreciation makes for a good relationship with the bishop.

Avoid a perception of favoritism

Bishop Sipuka urged the Bishops to shun any actions that may compel a Priest to feel more attention and care is being directed to another particular Priest.

He cited the perception that certain parishes are meant for one group of Priests; or a perception that a bishop is tough with some priests while he is lenient with others as examples of favoritism.

Check priests who have an overload of work

In places where there is shortage of personnel, the South African Bishop said, many priests tend to multi-task and that it is possible for a Bishop to forget about the volume of work a priest is carrying and keep demanding efficiency. “This can demoralize a priest trying his best with a heavy workload.”

“It is good for a Bishop to keep checking with those priests who have extra tasks and how they cope,” Bishop Sipuka said during the conference that is set to run from August 14 to 18.

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Socialize with priests

The SACBC President said, “Occasional social gatherings of priests with the Bishop, instead of having only business meetings, enhance closeness between the Bishop and priests. The beginning or the end of the year is an opportune time for such gatherings.”

Ensure that the Administration/Chancery serves Priests

Bishop Sipuka found it unfortunate that some administrative structures opt to be selfish thereby creating a barrier between the Priests and Bishops rather than establishing a link between them.

“The secretary can be so enthusiastic about protecting the Bishop that she decides who will see or not see the bishop,” he said lamenting that some Bishops make their priests waits for months before they are slotted in for an appointment.

Handle the tension of being a manager and brother

The tension of the supervisory role of the Bishop can strain relations between the Bishop and priests, Bishop Sipuka said, adding, “The bishop is an administrator who must ensure that this father-son relationship with the priest does not result in injustice for others and the church.”

Provide a platform for priests to voice grievances against the Bishop

“We must remember that episcopal ordination does not immunize us against the possibility of being unjust or shortsighted to the needs of priests,” Bishop Sipuka said.

He explained, “Priests should know that when they have a grievance or feel unjustly treated by the Bishop, they can go to the Bishop and address that issue directly or through some structures within the Diocese before resorting to the Nuncio or Rome. Otherwise, living and working with unaddressed bitterness will drain the energy needed for pastoral work in the Diocese.”