This article has been condensed from Patti Mansfield’s interview on The Choices We Face. The full interview can be found at www.youtube.com/renewalministriesrm.

Saint John Vianney said,

“The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus.”

We know from Scripture that no one takes this honor upon himself, but only those who have been called by God. In my many decades of ministry within the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, I’ve met many priests. At a certain point I felt like our Lord, and especially our Lady, wanted to involve me more in praying for and ministering to priests.

About 25 years ago, I was asked to prepare a paper for a symposium on what lay people experience working in the Church. I didn’t want to just give my own experiences, so my husband and I drew up a simple survey. Many of the questions had to do with priests because as lay people we’re working with priests. When I compiled the answers, there was one word that seemed like a banner over what the laity was saying that they desired from their priests, and that word was purity. As I thought more about it, it seemed to me that purity was a threefold purity: purity of heart, purity of doctrine, and purity in the moral life.

1. Purity of Heart.
First, we are looking for men who are seeking holiness, setting the Lord Jesus as the love of their life, growing daily in that yearning for God, and coming to know Him better. Sister Briege McKenna, who has had a worldwide ministry to priests, loves to say,

“Fathers, it’s not a job. It’s not a nine-to-five. It’s a vocation, and you need to deepen your personal relationship with Jesus Christ.”

That’s what it’s all about.

What else are we looking for from our priests? We’re looking for men of the cross who are willing to be conformed to the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. It’s a sacrificial life and a very high calling, and God wants to give grace for this calling to be united to Jesus and Him crucified. I remember being at a conference in New Orleans many years ago. It was the final Mass, and my husband and I were seated on the side next to the priest concelebrants. The priest closest to me had been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease, and he was getting weaker and weaker. Looking at him, I felt compassion and pity, and I said to the Lord interiorly,

“Oh, Lord, what a shame. His priesthood is really being cut short because of his suffering.”

In my heart, I heard a word from the Lord:

“You don’t understand at all. To the extent that He shares my suffering does my Spirit of Glory rest on him.”

2. Purity of Doctrine.

Next, we are looking for purity of doctrine. We want priests who know, love, study, and preach the Word of God. We want to hear the truth of the Word of God, and we want men of courage. Saint Paul warns about being children who are tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine. There are winds of doctrine in the world and in the Church. We’re looking for priests who are willing to discern the truth from error.

3. Purity in the Moral life.

Lastly, we are looking for purity in the moral life. In Romans 12, Saint Paul says:

I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Rom 12:1-2)

How is the clergy, and how are we going to live a moral life that is really pleasing to the Lord? With His grace and by being determined in our hearts that we want to please the Lord in our sexuality. When the fruits of the Spirit are listed, that final fruit of the Spirit is often translated self-control, but I’ve also seen it translated as chastity. Very few people are willing to talk about chastity, but the laity are looking for priests who are chaste, who have sold out in such a way that the Lord is their treasure, their portion and cup.

My husband and I have a very dear priest friend who is like a brother to us. He’s been a priest for over forty years, and because we’re brother and sister, he said to me, “You know, the less I watch TV, the less sexual temptation I have. The less I’m scrolling and going to sites that are not healthy, the less sexual temptation I have.” I want to tell you that it’s always possible to begin again. Sometimes we talk about chastity, and we say it’s so hard and I’m already in such mud. No, it’s always possible to begin again.

So, what are priests looking for from us? They need the love of their flock. I have three words for what we can do for our priests.

First, prayer. Little Thérèse said she went to Carmel to save souls and to pray for priests. She used that phrase of Jesus from the Gospels, where Jesus said, “If salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored?” (Mt 5:13) Thérèse said that praying and sacrificing for our priests will help them have the savor of a holy life.

Another thing we can do for our priests is praise—not flattery, but sincere thanks, affirmation, and encouragement. Once, I heard such a wonderful sermon on the Queenship of Mary. When I saw the priest a few days later, I said, “Father, that sermon on Mary was so beautiful. I learned so much. Could I have a copy of it?” He emailed me a copy and told me the only other comment he got on that sermon was from one of his brother monks, and he said it was too long.

Lastly, presence. Why do priests get into trouble? Some of it is just loneliness and isolation. We need to look for ways that the laity can be a Bethany for them. Some of you may say, “I don’t want to have priests to my house. It’s too messy. I don’t want to cook.” Take them out to lunch or dinner. We’ve had priests over to watch football games and be part of family celebrations. Ask the Lord if He wants you to be a Bethany. Priests, ask the Lord to give you people with whom you can have wholesome friendships.

I remember meeting then-Father Raniero Cantalamessa. He had the ministry of preaching to the Holy Father, but he also gave priest retreats. He knew of my love and call to be with priests. He asked, “Patti, what should I tell them?” I said, “Tell them they have a mother in heaven who loves them and who wants to help them. Each priest is like a Juan Diego for Our Lady of Guadalupe. She wants to embrace them, encourage them, strengthen them, and raise them up to that high calling of holiness and purity in their doctrine and moral life.”