Újházi Lóránd István: Psychological suitability in relation to holy orders

Over the last few years we have hard a lot about importance of the quality of priests, and this question has been at the focus not only of ecclesiastical attention, but also even of civil society which not only of ecclesiastical attention, but also even of civil society which is also concerned about the suitability and capabilily of seminarians and cleris. Tne interest is understandable because, however much the Second Vatican Council underlined the importance of the quality of the clergy and stressed that the shortage in the numbers of the clergy cannot be a reason for the Church to accept unsuitable candidates to the priestly ministry, the practice of the particural Churches has at times tended to be different, perhaps precisely because of this shortage. Amongst the different qualities considered maybe psychological suitability, and also the psychological problem, has been the one most discussed and talked about among the other elements such as spirituality, morality, physical health, right intention, intellectual capacity or the aboloty to endure the demands of the priestly ministry. Perhaps the psychological question rouses so uch attention because this aspect of suitability, when it is lacking, can be the most damaging to the priestly activity, and can create a bad image of the clergy and indeed of the Church. In this thesis I would like to refer to the complexity of the question of psycholigcal suitability and its relation to holy orders, in the light of numerous documents of the Holi See (which has constantly underlined the importance of spirituality, morality, psychical and physical health, right intention and intellectual capacity for carrying out the priestly ministry) and then also the private opinions of canon lawyers, as well as the reflections of the science of psychology. We cannot forget that this question is a truly interdisciplinary question, and thus my method, which is analytical and syntatathic method, has also required a real interdisciplinary conversation between theology, christian philosophiy, anthropology, canon law, the Tradition of the Catholic Church and the human sciences, especiallly psychiatry and psychology