Soccer Coaches

Father Paul Vautier’s Reflections on the 20 Ordinations for the Schoenstatt Fathers During This Year ...

3 de junio: En Bellavista, Chile, se celebran varias ordenaciones sacerdotales y diaconales June 3: In Bellavista, Chile, several ordinations were celebrated 3. Juni in Bellavista: mehrere Priester- und Diakonatsweihen
Ingreso de seminaristas chilenos prontos a su ordenación sacerdotal Entrance procession of seminarians from Chile, ready for their ordination Einzug von Seminaristen aus Chile, bereit zur Weihe
Bellavista: Los neo-sacerdotes en el altar Bellavista: the newly ordained priests at the altar Bellavista: Neupriester am Altar Fotos: Fotos: Pablo Narvaez © 2007
A pocas semanas de la ordenación sacerdotal de Tommy Dell’Oca, Argentina, el Santuario de Sión y el predio que lo rodea se vistieron de blanco.... A few weeks before the ordination of Tommy Dell’Oca, Argentina, the Sion Shrine and the land dressed in white – a once in a century event Wenige Wochen vor der Priesterweihe von Tommy Dell’Oca, Argentinien, verwandelten sich das Sionsheiligtum und das gesamte Gelände in ein Winterwunderland – ein Jahrhundertereignis Foto: P. Beltrán Gomez © 2007

Fr. Paul Vautier – suddenly deceased on May 31^st – with his typical original depth, wrote an article for the "Letter from Horw" from the Swiss Schoenstatt Fathers on the 20 ordinations for the Schoenstatt Fathers throughout the world. This text, illustrated with photos of the ordinations which took place in Bellavista, Chile, on the first weekend following his death, in addition to the message, wants to be a remembrance of Fr. Paul Vautier and his fruitful priestly life. From here we send a very cordial "thank you" to Fr. Germann for authorizing the publication of this article on Schoenstatt.de.

I must publicly acknowledge that I am not a soccer fanatic, but that does not mean that I am not interested – always anew – in this very popular phenomenon which is the passion of multitudes. From my special occupation, so deemed by my community brothers, I have a special interest and at the same time, a special compassion for the coaches. Interest, because the task of forming a group of men who function well as a team and remain united and in harmony for a certain period of time, seems fascinating to me. Compassion, because every coach today knows that he will be blamed if his team does not play well or win. Often he has to resign, although – it is clear – that we know that winning does not depend directly on him, nor can he be blamed for the team’s losses. He has to become a type of magician, without a magic wand or magic formula which helps him to be a winner. But, on the other hand, it is obvious that a good coach can motivate his players, and with one good intervention from a good coach, more than one player can unfold and develop his talents.

As the subtitle reads, our Schoenstatt Fathers Community this year receives 20 seminarians close to their priestly ordination. For a community of three hundred priests, this means a great deal. And, of course, it is even more beautiful because among them there is one Swiss and three Africans.

When spiritual directors no longer take care of souls

Twenty priestly ordinations! It sounds as a somewhat exceptional number within our reality. Very well then, also in our case, the majority of the candidates do not come from European countries. They are Latin Americans (8), Africans (3) and Indians (8). Nevertheless, some of you may ask yourselves what is it that motivates the youths from each country to decide for the priesthood?

Please, do not expect a tiring analysis on why there are so few vocations among us (the European countries) today. There are many factors and even more theories in this regard. I only want to mention one factor which I also consider important for the future.

I know all of our future priests and I have worked with them. They come from countries, cities and circles where life still occurs in a very personal way. The family, relationships, and friendships occupy a central space. Still very strong is the awareness that this is very important, that the people "support me," they accompany me, they are with me when I need them. They have learned much more through dialog and personal attachments than from the information found in books.

Perhaps life also brings them anxieties, but not so much stemming from work or many activities, but by the number of attachments they foster. Among us, the Europeans, combined is nervousness, work pressure, perfect organization, the high level of living and the expectation for an optimum performance in a relatively anonymous culture in which outstanding are icons like the solitary hero and the perfect woman who often deteriorate eventually.

As to priestly ministry, this brings the fact that for some time now, the task of the spiritual director is basically no longer that of caring for souls. The administrative aspect of the work has grown tremendously and there are more organizational tasks and even more team meetings. The fusion of parishes translates into an increment of daily tasks and a lessening of free time to dedicate individually to persons in order to be with them, to listen to them and to be a confidant to them. I am not overwhelmed by the lack of priestly vocations in this country. The normal task of the pastor is today no longer attractive for those who wish to care for people. And the fewer who follow this path, the worse will the situation be…..a truly diabolical circle. We will only be able to break it if, together, we counter-attack: we must find a good group of youths who have a strong desire to really be at the disposition of the people; approach them without expecting, not demanding on their part administrative tasks but rather time, presence, community, training in the service of life.

In soccer, as in life, it is necessary to play on a team

Many of our future priests have personally experienced the accompaniment and support of someone. Often, life seems like a soccer game: most of the time we form part of a team – whether we like it or not – the ball is in our area and the rest of the team awaits my reaction at the appropriate time. To be in place, to attack, to advance, to defend…..innumerable observations, decisions and actions. To be well trained means that I know myself and I know my abilities, I know what my routine is and what the remaining challenge is. The presence of a coach means to have someone who knows me in depth and helps me to stay on tract and to grow.

As time passes, there are more people on this earth and the solution to our problems will not come by means of an increase in information nor by having more equipment and apparatuses, but by playing on the team of the families, of societies, of communities. Each with his own contribution and respect for others. The good priests help us to train ourselves precisely in the field of attachments, of interior attitudes and decisions, in the formation of my personality which is always the foundation for what I am and for what I do at home, at work and in the small and great public activities.

It may be that our community brothers from the countries in development may have a greater vision of the future and of the challenges in their countries. We, in the old Europe, should reflect on this: we have achieved a great deal, only because we can count among us with priests and monks who helped us as coaches to be what God wanted that each one of us would be, and they took care that the game of the people, in what was small and what was large, would harmoniously develop to a certain point and in the long run would always be better.

Our decisive "ark"

We wish our twenty community brothers a blessed and fruitful pastoral task. And to you, dear readers, I wish you today a good game in your life and that perhaps you might anew turn to your coach. To be in better shape! To have a better understanding of the game! To have a greater spirit! For all of us, the decisive "ark" is, in the end, the one which opens the gates of heaven.

English translation: Carlos Cantú Family Federation La Feria, Texas USA 081307