Over the years a number of questionnaires have been sent out to our Catholics asking them what they expect from their priests. In 1995 a questionnaire was sent to all the pastoral council presidents asking them what they wanted to see from their priests. There was a similar one sent out some 20 years before with similar results. The response was not as great as they would have wanted but those who answered were in leadership positions and knew the Catholic sentiment.
The response is not necessarily what the Scriptures would ask or what Jesus would expect from his priests but it is an important reflections of those who know the priests well. The following is the list of what Catholics would like to see from their priests:
1) A priest who prays
2) In silence a priest who exudes Christ's essence.
3) One who shares the suffering of the weak and powerless, and who works for justice in society.
4) One who is not self righteous and is able to run the parish with the help of laypeople.
5) A humble person, who can listen carefully to what others say and listen to the end.
6) A Priest who lives his calling until death.
7) A Priest who prepares appropriate sermons for the laypeople.
8) One who is frugal and not occupied with material things, and is meticulous in dealing with Church monies.
9) Priest who is polite in word and conduct not only to elders in the parish but to all.
10) A priest who can converse familiarly with the youth and spends time in teaching.
11) One who celebrates the sacraments with devotion and follows the liturgical rules.
12) One who is obedient to the bishop and his superiors and has a harmonious relationship with his follow priests.
13 ) A priest who is not tied to his relations and the Catholics who are close to him but whose both ears are open to all.
The desires we see expressed by the Catholics gives a good idea what kind of Catholicism they have accepted and try to live. Korean Catholics are demanding and at the same time very docile in their acceptance of what is expected of them in Church life.
