Melanio Michael Reyes, cicm
Missionary in the Philippines

Introduction

(This reflection flowed out as an inspiration from the 8-day training of the Provincial Governments (PG) of CICM-RP and CICM-ASIA in Maryshore, Bacolod City, on February 19 – 27, 2025)

I was pleasantly surprised by Fr. Charles Phukuta, our Superior General, who began the session by emphasizing the importance of spiritual leadership in PG members' work. He highlighted the importance of providing spiritual guidance to confreres as an essential task for those in leadership, in animation, and in administration.

To illustrate the essential qualities of leadership in CICM, Fr. Charles referenced CICM Constitutions Article 101, which outlines the requirements for a Superior General: “The Superior General is to be a man of God. He is to love the institute and to have a firm grasp of spirit and mission. He is to be endowed with wisdom and a spirit of discernment. Being a true brother to each confrere, he is to be a firm and courageous leader.”

Remarkably, he extended these qualities not only to the Superior General but also to all who exercise leadership in the Congregation, including parish priests and those who lead others in various capacities. The participants learned that the ability to lead is rooted in a spiritual relationship with God, and that this connection profoundly shapes the exercise of leadership.

Rekindling the CICM Spirit

The world has advanced in many ways, influencing our ways of thinking and living. Our life has become more convenient in the mission compared to earlier times, when the mission was characterized by geographical isolation, costly transportation due to poor roads, limited communication facilities, and limited recreational gadgets, among others. Our elderly missionaries today may just wonder before their eyes how the world has relentlessly developed. However, while the world has advanced in many areas, which is beneficial in many ways, this shift has changed our understanding and attitudes towards life and how we live our mission.

The PG training reflections revealed a gap between our evolving understanding of life and mission and the actual practice of our founding charism. Complacency toward the original inspiration of our Founder weakens the CICM charism and diminishes our appeal, especially to youth. Fr. Charles called this a spiritual disease that alienates us from our missionary call and compromises the vitality and dynamism of our mission.

Our history is a testament to the inspiring and enduring examples of selflessness of our CICM predecessors. They bravely pioneered our missions, undaunted by hardship and hostility. Living with meager resources, they proved that a mission can flourish on self-sacrifice and unwavering faith. Our Founder wrote that a “true missionary vocation is rooted in a love for sacrifice” (Letter of Fr. T. Verbist to Fr. Wilrycx, March 16, 1987). As leaders, we must rekindle our original missionary spirit. Fr. Charles called us to reconnect with the roots of our charism, as described in Article 2 of our Constitutions. Our commitment to the CICM charism secures the future and stability of our Congregation's mission.

“Revitalizing Spirituality is a Mission”

Our mission is rooted in spirituality: all missionary activity requires a dedicated spirituality, as noted in Redemptoris Missio (no. 87). The last Chapter emphasized that our effectiveness as CICM missionaries depends on a spiritual life rooted in Christ, guided by the Gospel, and immersed in our Congregation’s missionary tradition (Acts of the 15th CICM General Chapter, p.17). As religious missionaries, separating spiritual life from our missionary commitment is impossible. Chapters consistently put Jesus at the center of our spirituality and mission. A deep communal prayer life supports our mission. Without the Lord at its center, our activity veers away from God's path. Our vocation is anchored in Jesus, who sends us to our mission. Our leadership follows Jesus's example of service, and our works should reveal God's presence. Christian leadership enables both leaders and followers to recognize Christ working through us, even in ordinary ways.

The Heart of Leadership

Throughout the PG training, leadership as service was a recurring theme. Service, not entitlement or self-glorification, is the sole path to effective leadership. Leaders must embody the Good Shepherd's compassion and mercy, especially towards those who have strayed. The PG members were reminded to exercise power and authority through fraternal charity. It was also clearly explained to participants that even our Guidelines, the Vade Mecum, and even universal church laws are tools designed with fraternal charity and justice in mind, not as harsh rules to punish erring confreres.

In difficult situations, the PG members were reminded to never lose sight of the spiritual dimension, especially when making decisions. Fr. Charles encouraged participants to stop and seek divine guidance through prayer when faced with complex problems. Indeed, prayer and solitude are indispensable activities of a good leader.

For religious missionaries, the model of leadership is Jesus Christ, who exemplified poverty, humility, and obedience to God's will, while demonstrating compassion and mercy in his ministry. This ideal presents a challenge, as human limitations often test our patience. In such challenging situations, leaders are admonished to extend themselves through attentive listening and supportive accompaniment while remaining firm and fraternal. And when human efforts prove futile, it is God's work that takes over.

The heart of Christian leadership lies not in the attainment of goals, but in the steadfast following of the Lord Jesus. What may appear as failure in the eyes of the world is often a testament to true discipleship, a confirmation of following God's path.

Conclusion: Jesus’ example remains our central call

Our leadership in our various responsibilities is ultimately a journey of following Jesus. To truly embody this calling, we are invited to cultivate the qualities articulated in Article 101 of our Constitution. These qualities will illuminate our path, enabling us to fulfill our mission with joy and transform our very being, equipping us to face adversity with confidence.

Our leadership must be rooted in spirituality to truly meet the challenges of our times. Amidst the constant changes in our world, our mission to proclaim the Good News remains at the heart of our commitment. Our leadership is nourished and fortified when intimately connected to the One who calls and sends us. This profound relationship with the Lord compels us to foster deeper connections with our community and those we accompany on their journey.

As we embark on this journey, let us actively carry the weight of leadership with humility, recognizing that true authority lies not in power, but in service. Commit, each day, to following the Lord’s path—embracing the cross as an integral part of our calling. Let Pope Francis' words push us forward: “Never forget! For the disciples of Jesus, yesterday and today, the only authority is the authority of service; the only power is the power of the cross”. (Address of Pope Francis during the commemoration of 50th years of the Synod of Bishops on October 17, 2015.)

Let us lead, serve, and journey together, inspired by Jesus, toward fulfilling God’s Kingdom. Aligning leadership with Jesus’ example remains our central call.

Isaac Michel, cicm
Missionary in Brazil

It is not a secret to anyone that in this changing world, the whole humanity, being confused and lost, is longing for the abundant Life, where there is Justice, Peace, and Integrity of the creation; thirsting for the Truth that sets free and creates harmony and well-being; searching tirelessly for the Way that leads to true happiness and hope. In other words, the whole of humanity is expecting to meet the author of life at the well of his “sitz im leben” (real situation of life).

In fact, a Christian should not refrain from preaching the Gospel and witnessing to it as the source of life and hope for all. This is indeed a constant and arduous work that calls for special prophetic virtues. A prophet is a constant witness of God´s Law in his own world, time, and reality of life. Some biblical texts about the life and activities of the prophets help us to know that a prophet is not an angel falling from heaven, but rather a complete and concrete man or woman called from this world and sent into this same world to be God´s witness among God´s people, calling them back to God every time that they go away from God´s Law and Love (Cf. Am 7, 14-15; Is 6, 5-8).

Therefore, as a real source of hope and happiness, proclaiming the Good News is a constant challenge in today's world. The challenge has increased further since the COVID-19 pandemic. If the Covid-19 pandemic was a time of intensive pastoral creativity and stewardship to better witness to the Gospel of life and hope, the post-pandemic time is even more exigent. It requests courage, resiliency, tenacity, abnegation, availability to serve, and above all, a missionary heart and a mind full of Mercy, Patience, and Love. All of these are prophetic virtues that are always necessary to be better witnesses to the Gospel, in every place, and in every reality of life.

Who is then a witness? How does someone become a witness in the Biblical sense of the term? A clear answer to this question may help us understand how our missionary life is important and necessary, as a way of witnessing to God’s Gospel as a source of hope and happiness for all. Two of the three biblical original languages, Greek and Hebrew, can help us better answer this question in a biblical way. In Greek, the act of witnessing is “marturia”, which stands for the word “martyr”. It refers to someone, in the Law court, who has direct and personal experience of the events in which he is called to be part of. He must talk solely about what he has experienced, seen, or heard directly. A witness, in this case, is someone who testifies to the truth in which he believes. In Hebrew, the word that is used for witness is “(”עדayin Dalet - ED). Two meaningful Hebrew letters. Ayin stands for the eyes. It means to see, to know, or to experience. While Dalet stands for the door, it refers to a pathway, a place of decision, or just an entrance to life. Therefore, a witness (“ -”עדED or martyr) of the Gospel is someone who knows or has experienced the Gospel in his own life. By doing so, he can provide others with a pathway into life.

In fact, whoever listens to a witness of the Gospel, a prophet, must make a decision on their own life. Witnessing to the Gospel is always a call to a new life, the “metanoia”, for the others (Cf. Mal 3,1; Is 57,14).

In the entire Bible, from the Old to the New Testament, there are many references to the term “witness”. However, only in the book of the prophet Isaiah do we learn how someone becomes a witness, a witness of God. To become a God´s witness, one needs to be chosen by God himself. In the Old Testament, especially until the second book of Isaiah, the term “witness” is mentioned in a general sense. In the Torah, the Law, they refer to the witness as giving testimony in a court of law. In the second book of Isaiah, there is a clear and direct declaration by God Himself, stating the basis on which He chose His witness, the prophet.

“You are my witnesses, declares the LORD, and my servants whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am He. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.” (Is 43,10).

Certainly, this text, belonging to the second book of Isaiah, does not really refer to the prophet himself, but rather to God´s people in exile. Amazingly, it was in this moment that God directly and personally declared the identity and function of God´s people. In a time of deep sorrow, people felt diminished, lost, and at their lowest. The moment of identity crisis. It is exactly this moment at which we are called to be witnesses of God´s mercy and love for others.

This whole chapter of Isaiah is a dialogue of “I - You”; God and God´s people, his servant, the suffering one. This dialogue clearly shows the relationship between the witness and the one to whom he is testifying.

This dialogue between God and His witness in this pericope points to Jesus' dialogue and relationship, as expressed in the Gospel of John in chapter 15. Like chapter 43 of Isaiah, chapter 15 of John is an “I – you” dialogue that opens on a special relationship between Jesus and his disciples and with God. Once more,  in either the Old or the New Testament, a witness is identified by the relationship to whom he is testifying. Therefore, to be able to witness, one necessarily needs to know, especially to be in a close relationship with those being witnessed. In both cases, Isaiah 43 and John 15, the “I-You” dialogue and relationship show the protection of the witness by the one being witnessed, and a kind of renewal of the covenant between both.

Who/what is the Gospel, to which/whom we witness?

The word gospel, in Greek, “Euangelion” (Good News), can biblically be referred, at the same time, to the Messenger or to the Message. The Messenger in this case is “Jesus Himself”, while the Message is the “Kingdom of God”. Jesus, as the Good News of God to the people, has brought to us the Kingdom of God. The Good News or “Euangelion” is indeed the Message of God´s Messenger to His people about His Kingdom.

The center of Jesus´ ministry was, without any doubt, the Kingdom of God, which He materialized or concretized through His words and deeds, the “Dabar”. Jesus' ministry, as the Gospel (Message and Messenger) of God to us, was centered on two great commandments that summarize the Law and the Scriptures: The Love of one´s neighbors and the Love of God. This way of being God´s witness in the world, whether at Jesus' time or at our time today, is, in fact, the precious balance we need to keep to be better witnesses to the hope that comes from the proclamation of the Gospel. Indeed, without the Love for God and His kingdom, we will just become materialists, and without the Love for our neighbors, brothers, and sisters, with whom we coexist in this world, we will become spiritualists. Materialism and spiritualism are two dangerous extremes that can empty or dry the identity of the Gospel´s witness. A materialist or a spiritualist witness will always lose their identity by becoming just like a plastic flower, without fragrance, dynamism, and life-giving. A witness of the Gospel needs to be a wellspring of life-giving and authenticity. This last is the most necessary virtue for maintaining a better balance between the love of God and the love of one's neighbors.

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel”, said Jesus (Mk 1:15). The time is Here and Now, let´s start being authentic witnesses to the Gospel, through a better knowledge of the Gospel and being somehow pathways for the others, our brothers and sisters in our world”. Then, together with Isaiah and Saint Paul, shall we understand: “How beautiful, on the mountains, are the feet of those who bring the Good News, who proclaim Peace, who bring Good Tidings, who proclaim Salvation, who say to Zion, Your God Reigns!” (Is 52, 7; Rm 10,12-15).

Where is the world? Where does it start? Where should I start witnessing to the Gospel? These non-polar questions are somehow pertinent. They aim to provoke us and make us think. They may appear very simple to answer, even if not just yes or no. By answering them, we may come to have a pathway, a guideline for direct and conscious action wherever we are and in whatever our task is. Maybe we all agree on that; no one can consider the world as a single physical place or thing. There is no way to say that the world is here or there; it is in this kind of situation or not, without falling into an abstraction, the Platonic world.

The world in this way is, according to me, neither the creation nor the people, nor both or nothing. But on the other hand, one can easily see that people are here or there; they are in this kind of life situation or not. To illustrate this, the Gospel of Luke presents the ministry, or prophetic program, of Jesus as he began His mission in the world of His time, quoting the book of Isaiah.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Lk 4, 18-19; Is 61, 1-2) In this pericope, which is one of the particularities of Luke, among the synoptic gospels, we can clearly see that the ministry of Jesus has a concrete setting point, a fixed target. Where and how He longed to start and do His ministry to be efficient in His act of witnessing to God´s Kingdom and bring hope to His listeners’ hearts. In this way, proclaiming the Gospel and being a witness of hope in a world that we do not try to name is like going out with a gun at hand and starting to shoot at every corner without any target. Thus, we risk reaching for everything or nothing. “Who does not stand for something falls for everything!”, archbishop Ernest Ngboko affirmed once.

However, if we try to consider the world as our own community life, the people in our parishes and missions, our ministry of witnessing to hope by proclaiming the Gospel, will be more meaningful and more efficient. Furthermore, by considering the world not as broadly or abstractly as it is, but rather as the people, as the creation, the physical place where we are, the environment, the atmosphere that surrounds us, we may come to understand that to be better witnesses to the Gospel in this world, we need to value it more, always discovering it through our creative way of interacting with nature. It would be worthwhile to strive to know it better, to create space for every living being to coexist with us, to be in this space, neither as a stranger, indifferent, nor as the master chief to give orders to all, but rather as a member with equal dignity, right, and duty like all of the rest, without being afraid of losing either our identity or our status.

Finally, as I conclude this reflection, I remember a beautiful and inspiring song that we used to sing in the church in the early 80´s in Haiti, during the dictatorship. This song may summarize all that we aim to say about evangelization in today's world.

Ref.

There is only one Gospel.

But there are many ways to announce it.

I feel the wind of the Holy Spirit blows.

Let´s change the way we are giving the Word.

I

The church is looking for a way

to match its message with the times.

A new message for an all-moving world.

II

We should not change the Message

to give ours, but we have to change

the way we are announcing it.

May this brief reflection help us think about how we are evangelizing.

To all, Peace at last!

Dhaniel Whisnu, cicm
Missionary in Italy

A Graceful Pause

We begin with gratitude: to God who never ceases to speak, even when our hearts grow tired or overwhelmed; for the grace to stop amid responsibilities and deadlines; and for the sacred days we, Casa Generalizia and Collegio members, shared during the CICM Rome Community Retreat from September 29 to October 3, 2025, at the Foyer de Charité Marthe Robin in Ronciglione, Viterbo.

This retreat, guided by our confrere Msgr. Cyprien Mbuka, Emeritus Bishop of Boma, focused us not on theories, strategies, or pastoral recipes, but on a deeply evangelical and demanding challenge: to truly listen to the Spirit. This central invitation—to ground our lives and mission in attentive, Spirit-led listening—became our key takeaway from the opening days.

The Invitation

The retreat’s theme, from the Book of Revelation—"‘Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches’ (Rev 2:7): An appeal that remains relevant”—oriented our reflection toward listening, not as a passive act, but as an engaged interior disposition. The last book of the New Testament, often seen as complex or symbolic, is presented as a profoundly pastoral text in which the author addresses real communities - attentive to their struggles, weaknesses, and hopes. Each message contains exhortation and encouragement, always concluding with the same appeal: to listen to the Spirit.

In our contemporary context, this invitation takes on particular urgency. We live in a world saturated with information, rapid communication, and constant stimuli. Such an environment risks weakening our capacity for deep listening. During the retreat, we were therefore invited to recover the spiritual meaning of listening: listening to God in prayer, listening to the cries of people, listening to our personal and communal history, and listening to the charism entrusted to our Congregation. As the Psalm warns us daily in the Invitatory: “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Ps 95:8; Heb 3:15). Listening, thus, becomes the threshold of conversion. Without it, discernment remains superficial, and mission loses its evangelical depth.

Listening in Scripture

Early in the retreat, Bishop Cyprien reminded us that to pause is not to escape mission, but to make mission sustainable. “We need to stop,” he said, “in order to walk longer and further.” Four fundamental attitudes were proposed as the spiritual framework of the retreat: contemplative meditation, attentive listening, silence, and time for rest. Silence, in particular, challenged many of us. Silence exposes what noise usually hides — our fears, disappointments, fatigue, and sometimes our loss of interior direction. Yet it is precisely in silence that the Spirit finds room to speak. As the prophet Elijah discovered, God was not in the earthquake or the fire, but in “a light silent sound” (1 Kgs 19:12). For missionaries accustomed to doing, planning, and responding, relearning again how to remain silent before God becomes a humble act of trust.

Our retreat master traced the biblical tradition, where listening is central to God’s relationship with humanity. God listens first: to creation, suffering, and the cry of the oppressed. Yet humans often fail to listen, choosing their own way: Adam and Eve hide, Cain succumbs to jealousy, and the builders of Babel ignore God, ending in division. Scripture also shows positive examples: Samuel recognizes God’s voice and answers, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Sam 3:10). Solomon requests “a listening heart” (1 Kgs 3:9), showing wisdom comes from attention, not power.

Kenosis and Listening

This biblical path reaches its fullness in Jesus Christ. The Gospels present Him as the Son who lives in constant communion with the Father through the Spirit. His entire mission unfolds as an act of listening and obedience. “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work” (Jn 4:34) expresses not resignation, but profound filial freedom. In a specific way, Jesus listens through kenosis, the voluntary self-emptying described by Saint Paul: “Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself” (Phil 2:6-7). This kenotic attitude allows Him to remain compassionate and faithful even in moments of trial. Guided by the Spirit, He embraces vulnerability and offers Himself entirely for others. His listening becomes concrete love: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (Jn 15:13).

Bishop Cyprien emphasized that kenosis is freedom, not humiliation. By emptying himself, Jesus becomes fully available, his words aligning with his life. This unity brings deep peace—true joy as Jesus promised: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” (Jn 15:11). For us missionaries, it was unsettling: how often do we measure mission by productivity while Jesus measures by love and joy?

Mary and Décentrement

Alongside Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary emerged as a luminous model of listening. Her response at the Annunciation — “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38) — reveals a freedom grounded in trust and openness to God’s initiative. Throughout the Gospel, Mary listens more than she speaks. She listens at the Visitation, at Cana, in moments of misunderstanding, and even at the foot of the cross. When words fail, she chooses silence. “And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart” (Lk 2:19). In her, we discover that listening does not always produce immediate understanding. Sometimes it means waiting faithfully in darkness.

Mary’s journey reflects what our retreat master called décentrement—moving away from the self as center. This spiritual movement opposes self-referentiality, a silent risk in religious life. When self-sufficiency grows, true mission fades. Décentrement means recognizing our limits, making space for others, and rediscovering fraternity as Spirit-driven communion. This echoes the Church’s synodal journey—learning to walk, listen, and discern together.

Obedience and Discernment

Bishop Cyprien reflected on obedience and authority in religious life. Church authority mediates God’s will, aiming for service and unity. Obedience is not blind submission, but a path of discernment and shared responsibility, calling us to trust God through imperfect instruments. Practiced with décentrement, obedience becomes a school of freedom, moving us past personal ambition toward the Church’s good and mission.

A conviction emerged: the Holy Spirit works patiently through history. The early Church learned this by navigating conflict and discernment. Our Congregation, too, is shaped by context and mission challenges, yet the Spirit stays faithful. “The Spirit blows where it wills” (Jn 3:8). Thus, patience is essential, as Jesus teaches in the parable of wheat and weeds: “Let them grow together until harvest” (Mt 13:30). Mission is sustained not by certainty, but by hope.

As the retreat concluded, we did not leave Ronciglione with definitive answers to all the questions. Instead, we left with a renewed desire for humble prayer: “Take away from me, O God, everything that is not part of you.” The key takeaways were increased openness, quiet courage, and a commitment to continue our missionary journey—listening with the heart, walking with one another, and trusting the Spirit who never abandons the Church.

Geraldo Costa, cicm
Missionary in Italy

The increase in suicide among priests and religious persons

It was brought to my attention recently that the number of suicides involving priests has increased in different parts of the world. A quick search on the internet and news, and we come across cases of priests killing themselves in Cebu, Philippines, India, Europe, the USA, and Latin America. As we all know, CICM already had some confreres who were victims of suicide. The alarming situation of mental health among religious people needs to be considered, and it is calling for rapid measures, or at least, it is time to talk openly about the mental health of religious people and priests.

Priests often face various pressures, even though they know they cannot fully meet the expectations imposed upon them. People often perceive priests and religious as strong individuals, devout, closer to God, examples of virtues, with rigid morality, and many other preconceived notions of the ideal priest. Such expectations and idealization of the priest place much weight on the person and the religious, who are basically normal people with the same level of struggles and suffering as any other. However, the idea of being the object of expectations still affects the majority, and it becomes a real burden, especially when such expectations are not met.

Many priests focus on ministry and hard work, sometimes at the expense of their own well-being. This self-sacrifice can lead to burnout, yet they may hesitate to seek care for themselves, feeling ashamed or hopeless. The expectation to be a source of hope prevents them from admitting their struggles, and they may engage in self-blame when feeling weak or near depression.

However, priests and religious persons are just humans; they are wounded in their lives, from childhood through their initial formation, and they carry the frustrations of dealing with bishops and superiors. Often, the conflict with other co-priests and confreres is added to the burden and makes them feel alone in their pain. Sometimes, they seek refuge in alcohol intake or breaking boundaries with intimate relationships and sexual misconduct, thus adding to the feeling of guilt and being worthless.

When priests reach a breakdown, they feel chronic emotional exhaustion, overwhelmed by their duties. Irritability often affects parishioners. A sense of failure erodes their motivation and joy in ministry. Emotional struggles can lead to physical symptoms such as fatigue, poor sleep, and restlessness. Alcohol use worsens these effects, and headaches or stomach issues are common.

Being socially withdrawn is compounded by distressing moments, which heighten the perception of unworthiness. Often, isolation, emotional detachment, and being alienated from the community and confreres are other problems that exacerbate the feeling of being completely lost. Conflict with superiors and bishops becomes common, especially when the priest is confronted with attitudes and behaviors that are mostly symptoms rather than failures in character and morality.

Priests trapped in this cycle can become emotionally and spiritually exhausted. Some, feeling hopeless and unable to seek help, impulsively end their lives, fearing that admitting problems would mean additional failure.

Given the gravity of the mental health crisis among priests and religious persons, it is crucial to address what can be done within the Church and our congregation to prevent such tragedies. I offer several suggestions to tackle this urgent issue.

Start by encouraging open dialogue about mental health and personal struggles among priests and religious persons. Normalize and support seeking professional help, such as psychologists and counselors, to break the stigma. Leaders should actively promote and facilitate access to mental health professionals, making it clear that pursuing therapy is a step toward self-improvement and not a sign of crisis or weakness. Challenge cultural barriers through awareness campaigns and by sharing testimonials of priests who have benefited from such support.

Promote healthy living through sports activities and proper nutrition. Emphasize the importance of a balanced life, with time for the ministry and special time for rest and care for themselves. The promotion of a healthy community life is another dimension that deserves attention and can be fostered in our congregation. Although we recognize the importance of community life, many of us still live alone and minister without a community.

To avoid spiritual drain, maintaining meaningful daily individual and community prayers helps religious persons and priests stay spiritually grounded, a resilient factor for those in distress. We remember that Jesus Himself had His distressing moment, and in such events, He went and prayed to the Father, while requesting the company of His disciples (Luke 22:39-53). Continuous participation in ongoing formation and in attending courses and conferences is becoming increasingly important in light of the most recent issues in the religious life and the challenges of the world today; thus, nurturing the mind and spirit to sustain a happy ministry and service to the people they are called to serve essentialy.

As shepherds, prioritizing our mental well-being is essential for effectively caring for others. Recognizing our wounds enables us to heal ourselves and ultimately serve as wounded healers, reinforcing the main argument that self-care is vital for priestly ministry.

Recommended Readings:

1. Miller, Mark D., and Reynolds, Charles F., Living Longer Depression Free – A Family Guide to recognizing, treating, and preventing Depression in Later life

2. Watts, C. A. H., Defeating Depression – A guide for Depressed People and their families

3. Cheavens, Frank, How to stop feeling depressed and Inadequate

4. Shreeve, Caroline, Overcoming Depression

5. Massey, Alexandra, Beat Depression and Reclaim Your Life

6. J. Schinke, Robert, Mental Health in Sport and Physical Activity

7. Ratey, John J. Park, The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain

8. Michael, Otto & Jasper Smits, Exercise for Mood and Anxiety: Proven Strategies for Overcoming Depression and Enhancing Well-Being

9. Saint John of the Cross, Dark Night of the Soul

10. Dostoevsky, Fyodor, The Brothers Karamazov

11. Dostoevsky, Fyodor, Crime and Punishmentes