Some indices of personal growth
No matter how imperfect and non-conclusive, it is always helpful that priests, or anybody who has the duty to take care of others, like parents and teachers, avail themselves of measurements or indices that can show if there is progress and development in the personal life of those under their care.
These indices help them to be effective in their work, which means that they are truly helping those under their care. Besides, these indices would let them discover more areas that must be looked into in guiding souls. They can serve as leading and directing guide to discover the specific needs of the people.
Priests, and others similarly situated, should have a plan of formation for those under their care. Depending on concrete conditions of the parties involved, this plan includes doctrine classes, periods of recollection and retreat, personal chats and mentoring, administering of sacraments, especially confession and Holy Mass, etcetera.
This plan of formation should cover all aspects — human, doctrinal, spiritual, apostolic, and professional — of personal growth toward maturity. The different virtues must be explained well. Same with the doctrine of our faith, praying, making sacrifices, waging spiritual struggle must be taught. Concern for others, love for study and work must be instilled.
These activities in this plan should be adapted to the level of the persons involved. We must avoid being too theoretical or too practical in these means of formation. They should be delivered in a way that those who receive them would appreciate them. As much as possible, the priests and others should show consistency between what they preach and do.
With this plan of formation taken care of, the priests and the others have to see to it that some progress and development can be observed in the life of those they are giving guidance.
For me, with the students that I am taking care of, I look first if there is an improvement in the way they take care of their appearance and relation with others — if they are cultivating social skills, which means they do less bullying and are learning to be more refined in their speech.
I also look into how they overcome their shyness, and in approaching the sacraments of confession and the Holy Mass. If they come to see me for some chat and spiritual direction and then open up their personal life via a confession, I would know that the student is improving spiritually.
When they invite their friends to see me also, then they are developing an apostolic spirit. And when their grades improve, they are acquiring the proper discipline of studying.
I also look into their classrooms and see if they are clean and orderly, lights and fans turned off when these rooms are empty. I also see if the noise they create are in proportion to the specific circumstance they are in at any moment.
Of course, they commit mistakes and offenses against school policies anytime. When these happen, it is important they realize that they will always be understood, even if some penalties are given.
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