December 2, 2009

Caring for the priest’s soul: spiritual motherhood

By Julie Filby

Spiritual motherhood is a long-time, yet not well-known or understood, tradition of the Church. During this Year for Priests there is special interest and significance in this tradition.

In 2007, the Congregation for the Clergy at the Vatican published the document “Eucharistic Adoration for the Sanctification of Priests and Spiritual Motherhood” to increase awareness of a connection between perpetual eucharistic adoration and sanctification of priests, and to recognize the special maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary for each priest.

When the Blessed Mother stood at the foot of the Cross with St. John, Jesus said to her: “Woman, behold your son.” He then said to St. John: “Behold your mother” (Jn 19:26-27).

“In our rich Catholic tradition, St. John has been a symbol of all priests, for he stood with Jesus throughout his entire self-offering on Calvary,” according to Father Gary Selin, formation director at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. “Therefore a special relationship was established between Mary, the mother of all priests, and St. John, the apostle-priest.”

During this jubilee year, all women may imitate the spiritual instinct of the Blessed Mother by adopting a priest. Through spiritual motherhood, they offer support to a priest son through self-offering, penance and prayers of adoration, thanksgiving, reparation and supplication.

“To care for his soul becomes an urgent mission,” said Kate Sweeney, associate director of ENDOW (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women), an organization that promotes the feminine genius taught by Pope John Paul II. “His worries become our worries; when he is tempted or confused or sorrowful, our maternal heart aches with him. And when he comes to know success and joy, we rejoice with him.”

Spiritual motherhood can be practiced by women of any age, in any position in life and is considered to be a vocation within one’s larger vocation to holiness. When teaching about the gift of motherhood, Pope John Paul II said traits associated with motherhood such as acceptance, nurturing, generosity and empathy were not limited to biological mothers: “This indescribable experience [life within the womb] is a privilege of mothers, but all women have in some way an intuition of it” (Angelus message, July 16, 1995).

“Spiritual motherhood is open to single women, married women, mothers, widows, grandmothers, godmothers and consecrated religious,” said Father Selin. “It is a charism where a woman gives her whole self, body and soul, to the eternal love of Jesus Christ for the sake of his Church and the glory of God the Father.”

Auxiliary Bishop James D. Conley, who heads the Year for Priests committee in the Denver Archdiocese, described the power of maternal love from earthly mothers.

“On a human level, for many priests, our own mothers hold a very special place in our hearts,” he said. “I think this is why spiritual motherhood can be a strong support for priests to encourage them along the way of holiness during this Year for Priests—and beyond.”

Spiritual mothers also pray for vocations to the priesthood.

“This vocation [spiritual motherhood] has an enormously powerful influence in awaking holy vocations to the priesthood,” said Father Selin. “When the priesthood is strong, God is greatly glorified and many souls are saved.”

A spiritual mother, who generally considers her adoption a lifetime commitment, is often quiet about it.

“I suggest that she does not tell a particular priest about her spiritual maternity because this makes it easier for her to keep offering wholly on a spiritual level,” Father Selin said. “She can more freely offer her prayers and sacrifices for him in the spirit of holy detachment.”

ENDOW established a Web site to promote and encourage spiritual motherhood. For more information and to join others involved in spiritual motherhood, visit www.endowonline.com/spiritual-motherhood.

Spiritual Motherhood

For more information or to join other spiritual mothers, visit www.endowonline.com/spiritual-motherhood or call 303-715-3224.