My notes from Fr. Richard Gabuzda’s article:
Priestly Identity
Fr. Rich Gabudza puts forward the notion of “identity“ as a way to connect the priest’s relationship with Christ to the priest’s life of active service on mission (RIM). “Communion with Christ” becomes the way the priest receives his identity and also the way in which he lives his mission.
As a result, the following 5 identities are ways to assist in the further integration of human and spiritual formation.
In the following 5 identities, there is a sequence and development in the order, but it is not meant to be overly rigid. You do not “graduate” from one identity or “master” it before moving on to the next. These identities illuminate the priest’s personal relationship with Christ and, thus, also his relationship to the Body of Christ as the priest is on mission with Jesus. These identities are all based on the concrete life of Christ as recorded in the Gospels. These identities are “lived with” Christ.
1: Beloved Son: Living Christ’s Own Filial Obedience
A seminarian must be well grounded, humanly and spiritually, in the experience and truth of his baptismal identity.
2: Chaste Spouse: Living Christ’s Own Spousal Love
Eventually, the seminarian must begin to understand and to “feel” what it is like to be not only a member of the Body of the faithful but with Christ as the spouse of the body. This brings with it a whole set of attitudes and behaviours, some of which can be found in Pastores Dabo Vobis 22.
3: Spiritual Father: Living Christ’s Own Revelation of the Father
The fatherhood of the priest is accomplished in the way that Jesus accomplishes it – in communion with His Father.
This follows Chaste Spouse since, as indicated in Pastores Dabo Vobis, the priest as “spouse” naturally leads to fatherhood: “Celibacy, then, is to be welcomed . . . as a singular sharing in God’s fatherhood . . . .” PDV 29.
But the emphasis here is on Jesus revealing the Father. This aspect of Jesus’ mission continues in the Church in many ways, but especially in the ministry of priests. Thus, the fatherhood of the priest is the life-giving capacity, making disciples, preaching, teaching, evangelizing, and bringing to birth in Baptism.
But all of this is accomplished in the way that Jesus does: it’s all about “the Father.” We think, for instance, of Jesus’ words in the Gospel of John: “Amen, Amen, I say to you, a son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees his father doing; for what he does, his son will do also” (John 5:19).
4: Spiritual Physician: Living Christ’s Own Mission of Healing Love
Although a reference to “spiritual physician” does not appear in the text of Pastores Dabo Vobis, considering that the healing ministry of Jesus was, like preaching, a primary focus of his public life, and since he desired that this continue in the Church, it seems appropriate that the priest understand his identity in this way as well.
“The Lord Jesus Christ, physician of our souls and bodies, who forgave the sins of the paralytic and restored him to bodily health, has willed that his Church continue, in the power of the Holy Spirit, his work of healing and salvation, even among her own members. This is the purpose of the two sacraments of healing: the sacrament of Penance and the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick” (CCC 1421).
5: Good Shepherd: Living Christ’s Own Pastoral Authority
As noted, this is the primary image used in Pastores Dabo Vobis to describe the priest’s union with Christ in his mission in the Church and in the world. It should be noted that Pastores Dabo Vobis, with the text’s strong emphasis on the good shepherd who “lays down his life for the sheep,” frequently makes the connection between this image and the celebration of the Eucharist.
Reflections on the Identities
1. The identities provide a “lens of integration and reflection” in a way that is related to the priest’s life and ministry.
2. The identities give specific “content” to the communion with Christ; they are specific places of communion with Christ that lead to mission.
3. The identities present concrete situations and experiences of being with Jesus. These identities can also become graces to pray for and points of discussion in spiritual direction.
4. The identities also have human attitudes and behaviours attached to them, providing a fruitful and focused place of conversation in human formation.
5. The identities help remind us of the simple truth: if I know who I am (i.e., my identity, which can only be fully revealed to me by the Blessed Trinity), I know how to act.
Questions to Ask
What are the attitudes, habits, practices, and behaviours that flow from communion with Christ on mission?
How does Christ want to form the seminarian in his human person as spouse, shepherd, son, father, and physician so as to be more available to Christ at work on mission through him?
What is your experience of Jesus with you on mission now?
Did you have a sense of Jesus’ healing presence with you and the patient?
Prodigal Catholic 
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