Saint Luke Institute (SLI) staff from the Silver Spring and Greater Baltimore, Maryland offices gathered together on October 3 – hosted by President & CEO Rev. Patrick J. McDevitt, CM, Ph.D. – to celebrate this month’s feast of our patron, St. Luke the Evangelist. Festivities included a special Mass, lunch and presentation focused on the Guide to Ongoing Formation for Priests produced by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Fr. McDevitt also welcomed a representative from the USCCB to present on the mental wellness needs of priests and how the Guide provides insights into responding to those needs.
Fr. McDevitt, in his Mass homily, discussed the missionary impetus of St. Luke as the basis for SLI’s mission of healing to clergy, religious, ministers, as well as to the Church and the world. These reflections became the basis for his subsequent written reflection on St. Luke’s patronage of SLI. Joining us for the Mass as concelebrant was Rev. Paul B.R. Hartmann, the Associate General Secretary of the USCCB, whose oversight area focuses on pastoral ministries.
After a delicious shared meal, Director of Clinical Services, Lisa Drexler, Ph.D., formally welcomed Fr. Hartmann to present highlights and discuss the importance of the Guide, with an eye to the mission and work of SLI.
Fr. Hartman speaking about the USCCB Guide.
Fr. Hartmann, in his presentation, highlight the Guide as a product of reflection on the requirements of the recent update to the Program for Priestly Formation (PPF), particularly as it called on priests to find educational and other formational opportunities to grow in their collaborative skills, their self-awareness as servant leaders, their spirituality, and their theology throughout their priesthood. Like the PPF, the Guide focuses formational growth in four areas – human, intellectual, spiritual and pastoral.
Fr. Hartmann noted that The Guide recognized that for priests “formation does not end with ordination,” but rather refers to “a lifelong journey,” which includes care for “body, mind and soul.” It was developed specifically “for” priests – as the title indicates – and invites them to proactively consider their needs for self-care, growth, development, and skills in the midst of many pastoral demands, Hartmann said.
He also spoke about the many challenges which threaten the mental wellenss of priests today, especially in a diocesan context – loneliness as they live apart from other priests and tend to multiple parishes, tendencies to overwork, producing burnout or exhaustion, ideological clashes between generations of priests, challenged relationships with families of origin, misunderstandings or stigma around mental illness, and more. “We in the Church need to affirm that working to heal these wounds is not a sign of weakness; rather, it is a path to deeper freedom and authenticity,” Hartmann said.
He also praised SLI as a partner to the USCCB and all the ways that the organization has served the wellness of dioceses, religioius institutes, and other ministers, for nearly 50 years. Members of the clinical and spirituality teams engaged Fr. Hartmann in questions and conversation to conclude an insightful and fruitful afternoon.
Other photos from the event are below. Click to enlarge.
Members of Silver Spring SLI staff sing during the Mass.
Lunch allowed free flowing conversation before the presentation.
Lisa Drexler, Ph.D. introduces Fr. Hartmann.
Fr. Hartmann speaking
Fr. Ken Phillips, TOR, MS, asks a question.