Spiritual Direction and the Figure of a Spiritual Leader in the Context of the Crisis of Fatherhood and the Identity of a Priest

Traženje duhovne pomoći i savjeta izvorna je čovjekova potreba utemeljena na ljudskoj naravi. U kršćanskoj povijesti duhovnom je vodstvu pripadalo važno mjesto, osobito kod pojedinaca koji su se potpuno posvećivali Bogu. Duhovno vodstvo promiĉe produbljen odnos između Boga i čovjeka te postaje milosno sredstvo na putu usavršavanja kršćanskoga poziva. Svoje uporište i nadahnuće ima u svetopisamskoj baštini, kao i u djelovanju snažnih crkvenih likova kroz povijest. U današnjem suvremenom crkvenom i kulturološkom kontekstu duhovno vodstvo teži k produbljenoj i obnovljenoj duhovnosti vjernika. U duhovnome je procesu od neizmjerne važnosti uloga duhovnika. On svoju službu shvaća kao poslanje Crkve u kojem je Božji suradnik sa zadatkom da u pojedincu promiče novo spoznavanje koje će biti kadro otpočeti postupak obraćenja, usavršavanja i pročišćenja. Duhovnikova razboritost, učvršćena molitvenim životom, bit će pomoć u duhovnom vodstvu, kao i u poštivanju svake osobe i njezine individualnosti. Crkveno je učiteljstvo posljednjih godina nastojalo jačati ulogu duhovnika i povezati duhovno vodstvo s konkretnim životom vjernika i suvremenim svjetskim tokovima, obazirući se osobito na doprinos psihologije. Kriza očinstva uvelike je utjecala na duhovno vodstvo i duhovnika. Promatramo je kao civilizacijsku, socio-psihološku, kulturološku i religijsku krizu muškog identiteta koja potresa zapadni svijet. Kriza očinstva nastaje nakon raspadanja patrijarhalnog sustava usred čega se muškarcu pridaje sve manja važnost u obitelji i društvu. U trima antiautoritarnim revolucijama (Marx, Nietzsche, Freud) prisutna je snažna kritika oca koja svako prihvaćanje ovisnosti o njemu označava kao negaciju samoga čovjeka. Kriza očinstva ostavila je velike posljedice i na teologiju i duhovnost stoga u modernim misaonim strujanjima vjera u Boga Oca nerijetko predstavlja zapreku u sazrijevanju i humanizaciji čovjeka. Pred Crkvu i duhovnike stavljeni su zahtjevi suvremenog povijesnog trenutka obilježenog sumnjama i nepovjerenjem u autoritete. Posljednjih desetljeća sve je snažnija i kriza svećeničkog identiteta, koja se također odrazila negativno na stvarnost duhovnog vodstva, kao i na samoga duhovnika. Profil svećeničog poziva učinili su nejasnim vrlo različiti razlozi i razvoji. Svećenički identitet se u vremenu rastućih pastoralnih izazova kao i čestoga nepovjerenja društva i kulture prema crkvenoj službi, našao pred pitanjem vlastite opstojnosti, na što se nadovezao i manjak duhovnih zvanja u brojnim krajevnim crkvama. Treba snažnije tragati za ispravnom i produbljenom spoznajom naravi i poslanja ministerijalnog svećenika koja će se temeljiti na kolegijalnoj, komunitarnoj i duhovnoj naravi svećeništva. U njoj službenik više ne nastupa s pozicije vlasti, kao što je to bilo često u prošlosti, nego kao poslužitelj u vjeri i duhovni otac koji vodi i prati povjerene vjernike. Izgradnja svećenika, ustrajna briga za njihovo posvećivanje u službi i trajno osuvremenjivanje njihova pastoralnog nastojanja, uvrštavaju se među najzahtjevnije crkvene zadaće. Pritom svećenikova posvećenost duhovnom vodstvu i specifičnoj ulozi duhovnog očinstva može pomoći u nadvladavanju izazova oko izgradnje stabilnog identiteta. Uloga duhovnika nije pridržana samo svećeniku, ali je on po svojoj sakramentalnoj službi, izobrazbi, iskustvu te milostima zvanja na nju najpozvaniji. Posvećenost vođenju duša može biti prikladan odgovor na brojne sumnje društva s kojima se Crkva suočava u svome pastoralnom djelovanju u sadašnjem povijesnom trenutku.Seeking spiritual help and advice is an original human need based on his nature. Throughout Christian history, spiritual direction has played an important role, especially among individuals who have devoted themselves completely to God. Spiritual direction promotes a deepened relationship between God and man and becomes a means of grace on the path to perfecting the Christian vocation. It has its foothold and inspiration in the biblical heritage, as well as in the work of strong Church figures throughout history. In today's contemporary ecclesiastical and cultural context, spiritual direction strives for a deepened and renewed spirituality of the faithful. In the spiritual process, the role of a spiritual director is of immense importance. He understands his ministry as the mission of the Church in which he is God's co-worker who promotes in the individual a new knowledge that will be able to begin the process of conversion, improvement and purification. The prudence of a spiritual director, strengthened by a life of prayer, will be an aid in spiritual direction, as well as in respect for each person and his individuality. In recent years, the Church's magisterium has sought to strengthen the role of the spiritual director and to connect spiritual guidance with the concrete life of the faithful and modern world trends, paying particular attention to the contribution of psychology. Spiritual direction and directors have been greatly affected by the crisis of fatherhood. We view it as a civilizational, socio-psychological, cultural, and religious crisis of male identity that is shaking the Western world. The crisis of fatherhood arises after the disintegration of the patriarchal system in the midst of which man is given less and less importance in the family and society. In the three anti-authoritarian revolutions (Marx, Nietzsche, Freud) there is a strong critique of the father who marks any acceptance of dependence on him as a negation of man himself. The crisis of fatherhood has left great consequences on both theology and spirituality, so in modern thought flows, faith in God the Father often represents an obstacle to the maturation and humanization of man. The Church and the clergy are faced with the demands of a contemporary historical moment marked by doubts and distrust of authority. In recent decades, the crisis of priestly identity has also intensified, which has also had a negative impact on the reality of spiritual direction, as well as on the director himself. The profile of the priestly vocation was obscured by very different reasons and developments. In the time of growing pastoral challenges as well as the frequent distrust of society and culture towards the Church service, the priestly identity was faced with the question of its own survival, which was followed by the lack of spiritual vocations in many local churches. There is a need to work harder for a correct and in-depth understanding of the nature and mission of the ministerial priest, which will be based on the collegial, communitarian and spiritual nature of the priesthood. In it, the minister no longer acts from a position of authority, as has been the case in the past, but as a minister in the faith and a spiritual father who leads and accompanies the entrusted faithful. The formation of priests, the persistent care for their consecration in the ministry, and the continual modernization of their pastoral endeavor are among the most demanding ecclesiastical tasks. In doing so, the priest‘s commitment to spiritual direction and the specific role of spiritual fatherhood can help overcome the challenges of building a stable identity. The role of the spiritual director is not reserved only for the priest, but he is most called to it by his sacramental service, education, experience and graces of vocation. A commitment to the guidance of souls may be an appropriate response to the many doubts of society that the Church faces in her pastoral work at the present historical moment