Priests As Counsellors

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31384, 1 June 1967, Page 11

Priests As Counsellors

Although priests had been counsellors since the beginning of Christianity, they were now able to apply new psychological insights and understanding to this area of their work which were not available until recently, the Kev. Father K. J. O’Brien, of the Redemptorist Seminary, Ballarat, said in Christchurch on Tuesday. Father O'Brien is conduct-

ing a five-day seminar on pastoral counselling at the Redemptorist Monastery, New Brighton. It is being attended by 52 priests from throughout New Zealand. The seminar is covering the basic approach to pastoral counselling, practical applications, general pastoral counselling, and particular areas of counselling work. Father O'Brien said that the discussion and workshop sections were valuable as they gave the opportunity for the pooling and sharing of ntany practical experiences in the everyday life of the pastoral priests. Asked if he thought that

counselling was more needed today than it was in the past, Father O’Brien said that the problems, of human beings had always existed and thus so had the need for counselling. He would be slow to say that the world was any worse today than it was in the past People with problems were frightened to take themselves to someone to ask for help, he said. Counselling was an important part of a priest's work, and people should realise that he was in the parish to be consulted. Up-dating of his knowledge and skills through seminars would lead to a more effective service offered to the people he served. People who were counselling needed to be aware of the many things that they should not do. Father O’Brien said.

It was very easy to tell a person in a direct manner what he should do, but this was not good counselling. Asked about the need for counsellors in schools, Father O’Brien said that part of an adequate school system, must be the opportunity of suitable Counselling as needed. Most educators were, aware of this, but like all services, its provision where’ required was influenced by the problems of staff, finance, and accommodation.