Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone and seminarian Patrick Germann discuss what constitutes the genuine authority of a spiritual father. Such authority is not the use of power for selfish reasons. Instead, to govern is to shepherd, and this is done by protecting, providing for, leading, and serving those entrusted to one’s care. Authority is thus intrinsically linked to sacrifice. The father must sacrifice his own convenience and time in order to be present to his people in personal encounter. He must also make the sacrifices necessary to pastor his own soul, committing himself to daily prayer and ongoing study so that he can continue to give of himself to his people. True authority ultimately comes down to integrity: the spiritual father must practice what he preaches, giving himself sacrificially with the fruitful love of Christ the Bridegroom for his Church.ResourcesBenedict XVI. “Munus Regendi.” General audience of May 26, 2010. At The Holy See.Cordileone, Salvatore. Commencement address, St. Patrick’s Seminary, Menlo Park, CA, May 12, 2023.⁠Sheen, Fulton. The Priest Is Not His Own. San Francisco: Ignatius, 2004 (originally 1963).

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