Rev. James D. Conley, D.D., S.T.L. | Diocese of Lincoln website

Fr. Matthew Rolling's book, "The Glorious Freedom of the Children of God," offers insights into the human dimension of priestly formation, an area of growing interest for the Church. Fr. Rolling, reflecting on suggestions from those around him, decided to document his thoughts and experiences, leading to the creation of a text intended to deepen understanding among seminarians and applicable to anyone pursuing a vocation within the Church.

Fr. Rolling's journey began when a high school student suggested he write about the topics discussed in their lunch meetings. Initially, Fr. Rolling dismissed the idea. It was not until the disruption caused by COVID in 2020 that he took on the role of leading human formation lectures at a summer seminary program, following encouragement from Father John Rooney, now the house spiritual director at St. Gregory’s.

"I just assumed everything that I had explained was knowledge common to ‘everyone,’” Fr. Rolling said. Yet, Father Rooney encouraged him, stating, “You need to write all this down. This would be a really good book.”

Drawing from his interactions with others in the field of seminary formation, Fr. Rolling recognized that the human dimension of formation is a relatively recent consideration for the Church, largely influenced by Pope St. John Paul II's 1992 document Pastores Dabo Vobis. This document outlines four major aspects of priestly formation: spiritual, intellectual, pastoral, and human, with the human aspect being recently emphasized.

"The current [guideline]... repeated the words of Pope St. John Paul II regarding the ‘…basic principle of human formation…: the human personality of the priest is to be a bridge and not an obstacle for others in their meeting with Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the human race,’” Fr. Rolling noted.

Fr. Rolling's book draws upon the Church's tradition and contemporary philosophy and psychology. It aims to guide seminarians and others by covering how to live out the human life in its fullest sense. Though primarily focused on clergy formation, the contents have broad applicability, emphasizing familial development and resources available in each discussed area. This is seen as potentially contributing significantly to discussions surrounding future Church pastoral care.

"It is also written in such a way as to point out lots of resources in each area treated," he said. While acknowledging that much remains to be explored, Fr. Rolling expresses openness to future projects, stating, "We will have to see what God wants next; maybe I will end up having to write another book!"