"A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way." To effectively lead, one must understand and exemplify the path for others. The phrase "walk the talk" underscores the importance of leaders practising what they preach, thereby serving as role models.

During a ceremony at the Vatican to induct 21 new cardinals, Pope Francis urged them to "walk in the way of Jesus: together, with humility, wonder, and joy." He cautioned against the dangers of being "dazzled by the allure of prestige, the seduction of power, by an overly human zeal for the Lord."

Pope Francis elaborated that walking in the path of Jesus means "to return to him and to put him back at the centre of everything," warning against secondary concerns and external appearances that can overshadow what truly matters. It also involves healing our wounded humanity, lightening the burdens of our hearts, cleansing the stain of sin, and breaking the bonds of enslavement. Furthermore, it calls for being builders of communion and unity. He concluded by urging, "Love one another with fraternal love and be servants to one another, servants of the Gospel."

This message applies to all Church leaders: bishops, priests, and major superiors of religious congregations. Jesus stated that he came to serve, not to be served, and exemplified this through his life. Washing the feet of his disciples symbolised his selfless service and identification with the people. Unfortunately, this act has become an annual ritual for many Church leaders, lacking any reflection in their daily lives.

Clericalism hinders walking in the path of Jesus—a path of service in love and humility. Pope Francis has frequently spoken against clericalism, describing it as "a perversion of the priesthood" and noting that "rigidity is one of its manifestations." Rigidity regarding rituals and the definition of faith often led to divisions in the Church in the past. Today, also lack of flexibility on the part of leaders and a tendency to impose uniformity on the faithful are prominent reasons for conflicts and divisions in the Church.

Pope Francis asserts that clericalism arises from an elitist vision of vocation, interpreting ministry as a power to be exercised rather than a generous service to be given. Such attitudes disfigure the Church with machismo and dictatorial tendencies. The desire to control services reduces the Church to a "supermarket of salvation," with priests as mere "employees of a multinational company."

Pope Francis consistently reminds the clergy that their vocation is not a call to special privileges and power over others but an invitation to humble service to the people of God. They are expected to accompany the faithful on the collective journey of faith. The Second Vatican Council aptly described the Church as the "People of God" and a "pilgrim people." The clergy must heed Pope Francis's warning that clericalism "enslaves the holy, faithful people of God."

To walk in the path of Jesus, bishops and priests must understand the identity of a Catholic priest. A Catholic priest is not akin to a priest of any other religion; Jesus calls him to be a disciple and continue His mission, serving as a Good Shepherd with the "smell of the sheep." According to official Church teachings, every member shares in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly functions of Jesus, and priests are especially expected to perform these roles.

Jesus did not belong to the priestly class of Jewish society and did not perform traditional priestly functions during his public life. Reading scripture in the synagogue was a right of every Jew, which Jesus exercised. While the Gospels mention Jesus' teaching sessions in the temple, they do not indicate that he went there to pray; instead, he prayed in mountains and solitary places, engaging in contemplation and dialogue with God. Examples include his prayer and fasting before his public ministry and his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane before his trial and persecution.

The Gospels portray Jesus more as a prophet than a priest. His teachings align with those of the Old Testament prophets rather than the scribes and teachers of the law. The Sermon on the Mount reflects his prophetic character. Jesus often confronted the Jewish priestly class due to his zeal for justice and righteousness, condemning their hypocrisy and exploitation of the people.

The identity of a Catholic priest is poignantly reflected in the Parable of the Good Shepherd. Jesus identified himself as a good shepherd, leading people by example and guiding them on the right path. Like a shepherd, he was ready to accept any challenge and take any risk for the sake of his people, protecting them from danger. He understood the people's suffering due to oppression by Roman authorities, exploitation by religious leaders, and oppressive social and religious customs.

To walk in the path of Jesus, a Catholic priest must be a spiritual person rather than merely a religious one. A spiritual person practices the core values taught by Jesus in the Gospels. Often, religious individuals perform rituals, say prayers, and undertake pilgrimages without practising these core values. According to the Gospels, Jesus did not perform rituals except as a child. He opposed rituals and practices that did not promote life and was criticised by Jewish religious leaders for not following certain customs, such as ritual handwashing before meals.

Walking in the path of Jesus requires avoiding the commercialisation of religion or using it for financial gain. In light of Pope Francis's criticism of viewing the Church as a "supermarket of salvation" with priests as mere employees, Church leaders should consider not setting fixed prices for spiritual services, including the administration of sacraments. Instead, Catholic families could make annual contributions according to their means toward maintaining priests and parish expenses.

To truly embody the path of Jesus, the Church must adopt a participatory style of governance. Pope Francis has championed this vision through the Synod on Synodality, emphasising mutual listening, collaboration, and shared discovery. His inclusion of laypeople and religious men and women in synodal discussions with voting rights sets a model for participatory governance at all levels in the Catholic Church.

This participatory model must be replicated in parish, diocesan, regional, and national Church administration. Involving laity and representatives of consecrated women and men in decision-making processes can be institutionalised through amendments to Canon Law. However, even without legal changes, Church leaders can transform governance by embracing the vision of service and humility exemplified by Jesus and Pope Francis. By walking in the path of Jesus and becoming true shepherds with the "smell of the sheep," Church leaders can renew the face of the Church and its mission in the world.

"A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way." To effectively lead, one must understand and exemplify the path for others. The phrase "walk the talk" underscores the importance of leaders practising what they preach, thereby serving as role models.

During a ceremony at the Vatican to induct 21 new cardinals, Pope Francis urged them to "walk in the way of Jesus: together, with humility, wonder, and joy." He cautioned against the dangers of being "dazzled by the allure of prestige, the seduction of power, by an overly human zeal for the Lord."

Pope Francis elaborated that walking in the path of Jesus means "to return to him and to put him back at the centre of everything," warning against secondary concerns and external appearances that can overshadow what truly matters. It also involves healing our wounded humanity, lightening the burdens of our hearts, cleansing the stain of sin, and breaking the bonds of enslavement. Furthermore, it calls for being builders of communion and unity. He concluded by urging, "Love one another with fraternal love and be servants to one another, servants of the Gospel."

This message applies to all Church leaders: bishops, priests, and major superiors of religious congregations. Jesus stated that he came to serve, not to be served, and exemplified this through his life. Washing the feet of his disciples symbolised his selfless service and identification with the people. Unfortunately, this act has become an annual ritual for many Church leaders, lacking any reflection in their daily lives.

Clericalism hinders walking in the path of Jesus—a path of service in love and humility. Pope Francis has frequently spoken against clericalism, describing it as "a perversion of the priesthood" and noting that "rigidity is one of its manifestations." Rigidity regarding rituals and the definition of faith often led to divisions in the Church in the past. Today, also lack of flexibility on the part of leaders and a tendency to impose uniformity on the faithful are prominent reasons for conflicts and divisions in the Church.

Pope Francis asserts that clericalism arises from an elitist vision of vocation, interpreting ministry as a power to be exercised rather than a generous service to be given. Such attitudes disfigure the Church with machismo and dictatorial tendencies. The desire to control services reduces the Church to a "supermarket of salvation," with priests as mere "employees of a multinational company."

Pope Francis consistently reminds the clergy that their vocation is not a call to special privileges and power over others but an invitation to humble service to the people of God. They are expected to accompany the faithful on the collective journey of faith. The Second Vatican Council aptly described the Church as the "People of God" and a "pilgrim people." The clergy must heed Pope Francis's warning that clericalism "enslaves the holy, faithful people of God."

To walk in the path of Jesus, bishops and priests must understand the identity of a Catholic priest. A Catholic priest is not akin to a priest of any other religion; Jesus calls him to be a disciple and continue His mission, serving as a Good Shepherd with the "smell of the sheep." According to official Church teachings, every member shares in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly functions of Jesus, and priests are especially expected to perform these roles.

Jesus did not belong to the priestly class of Jewish society and did not perform traditional priestly functions during his public life. Reading scripture in the synagogue was a right of every Jew, which Jesus exercised. While the Gospels mention Jesus' teaching sessions in the temple, they do not indicate that he went there to pray; instead, he prayed in mountains and solitary places, engaging in contemplation and dialogue with God. Examples include his prayer and fasting before his public ministry and his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane before his trial and persecution.

The Gospels portray Jesus more as a prophet than a priest. His teachings align with those of the Old Testament prophets rather than the scribes and teachers of the law. The Sermon on the Mount reflects his prophetic character. Jesus often confronted the Jewish priestly class due to his zeal for justice and righteousness, condemning their hypocrisy and exploitation of the people.

The identity of a Catholic priest is poignantly reflected in the Parable of the Good Shepherd. Jesus identified himself as a good shepherd, leading people by example and guiding them on the right path. Like a shepherd, he was ready to accept any challenge and take any risk for the sake of his people, protecting them from danger. He understood the people's suffering due to oppression by Roman authorities, exploitation by religious leaders, and oppressive social and religious customs.

To walk in the path of Jesus, a Catholic priest must be a spiritual person rather than merely a religious one. A spiritual person practices the core values taught by Jesus in the Gospels. Often, religious individuals perform rituals, say prayers, and undertake pilgrimages without practising these core values. According to the Gospels, Jesus did not perform rituals except as a child. He opposed rituals and practices that did not promote life and was criticised by Jewish religious leaders for not following certain customs, such as ritual handwashing before meals.

Walking in the path of Jesus requires avoiding the commercialisation of religion or using it for financial gain. In light of Pope Francis's criticism of viewing the Church as a "supermarket of salvation" with priests as mere employees, Church leaders should consider not setting fixed prices for spiritual services, including the administration of sacraments. Instead, Catholic families could make annual contributions according to their means toward maintaining priests and parish expenses.

To truly embody the path of Jesus, the Church must adopt a participatory style of governance. Pope Francis has championed this vision through the Synod on Synodality, emphasising mutual listening, collaboration, and shared discovery. His inclusion of laypeople and religious men and women in synodal discussions with voting rights sets a model for participatory governance at all levels in the Catholic Church.

This participatory model must be replicated in parish, diocesan, regional, and national Church administration. Involving laity and representatives of consecrated women and men in decision-making processes can be institutionalised through amendments to Canon Law. However, even without legal changes, Church leaders can transform governance by embracing the vision of service and humility exemplified by Jesus and Pope Francis. By walking in the path of Jesus and becoming true shepherds with the "smell of the sheep," Church leaders can renew the face of the Church and its mission in the world.