Paths to Vocational and Psychological Maturity

While many studies find the source of such a painful situation in the crisis of the priestly vocation, others suggest rather the lack of "psychological and affective maturity" as the source of such sexual abuse in the Church. Our work aims to define the concept of psychological and affective maturity, highlighting its importance in the formation of priestly candidates in times of vocational crisis. Based on the effectiveness of narrative therapy, we propose a program designed to help seminarians, their families and their trainers to recognize the roots of the problem, and to deconstruct the dominant narratives filled with erroneous thought patterns that fuel such abuse. The aim of this book is for future priests to take ownership of their own life story and vocation, so that they can be free and joyful in their relationships with others, and truly responsible in God's service.