25 / 38
25
A commitment to daily personal prayer, faithful weekly participation in
the Mass, reception of other sacraments (especially the Sacrament of Pen-
ance), and acts of service, charity, and social justice all contribute to one’s
spiritual formation.
Pastoral Leaders Embrace Human Formation
Human formation includes an ability to empathize and to put other people
first. It also includes a willingness to learn active listening skills and to
collaborate with the bishop, pastor, and other pastoral
leaders. Human for-
mation involves emotional maturity, the ability to sustain friendships and
professional
relationships, the management of appropriate expression of
anger and affection, and the ability to invite,
delegate, and mentor others.
Pastoral Leaders Embrace Intellectual Formation
Because we were created with both an intellect and will, it is important to
have strong intellectual
formation. Intellectual formation consists of the
study of the Sacred Scripture, the
Catechism of the Catholic Church
, and
important church documents on the New Evangelization. It also draws
on a wide range of
other disciplines: philosophy, literature and the arts,
psychology, sociology, counseling, medical ethics,
culture and language
studies, business administration, leadership and organizational develop-
ment, etc. The means of intellectual formation include lectures, discus-
sions, research, and theological reflection on field
experience; The use of
technology can expand access to more disciplines of study as well as online
communities and learning tools.
Pastoral Leaders Are Interculturally Competent
In the United States, many of today’s parishes and schools are becoming
multicultural parishes. In
light of this demographic change, there are new
intercultural competencies that are increasingly necessary
for effective pas-
toral ministry. Knowledge, attitudes, and skills in intercultural and interra-
cial relations are
indispensable requirements for engaging in the Church’s
evangelizing mission to preach, teach, and witness
to the Gospel. This
means that leaders of different cultural communities within a single parish
will have an
intentional engagement regarding their common values as
missionary disciples.