Elementi Strossmayerova razumijevanja i formacije svećenstva te njegov odnos prema svećenicima

Abstract

Basing his understanding of priesthood on the relevant Church documents of the time, Josip Juraj Strossmayer sought to form his priests primarily as pastoral associates who would be able to respond theologically to all liberal attacks of the time. Based on Strossmayer’s fragmented thoughts on this subject, collected from his circular and other letters to priests, the goal of this article is to depict his image of a priest and the profile of his formation of a pastoral associate, who is in dialogue with God and the world. The path to the goal leads through a brief presentation of the liberal spirit of his time, through creating the stone composition of his pastoral mosaic of a priest with a short ecumenical view, and the sketching of his theological and pastoral understanding of the essence and the role of his priest and his formative endeavour. All of this reflects Strossmayer’s episcopal and fraternal relationship of love and communion towards the priests. Imbued with friendship, he cares for their spiritual, cultural, intellectual, and theological growth.

Keywords

• holy orders
• priesthood
• liberal influence.