Don Marco is a fine example of a priest who is faithful to all his duties, from celibacy to prayer life, and he is a zealous parish priest and persuasive proclaimer of the sacred teachings. But try to speak to him if you can, or spend time with him. He is good and conscientious “in himself”, but ruins everything when he relates to others.
How many priests could be described more or less in this way! And our assessment of them could be even worse, for no priest is good “in himself” if he is no good at relationships, nor can he achieve a passmark in his interior and private life if he fails (or has to do resits) in his social life and relationships with others…
Relationships are an essential component of being human for any person, and even more so for those who have chosen to give their lives to proclaim salvation. Proclamation is a relationship; salvation is a relationship; to be a priest is a relationship…
Relationship is not an accidens... it is the substance of being and becoming human, healthy people, authentic priests, and credible followers.
Amedeo Cencini
La grazia della relazione
Presbyteri (2007/6) pp. 437-438