Streetwise priests (; ; ; ) are Catholic priests who exercise their spiritual mandate by living in structures in direct contact with the "street", which is their mission land. Historical streetwise priests include Philip Neri (1515–1595) and John Bosco (1815–1888).
Recently, the expression came to denote priests with reformist ideas, especially those involved in reform movements for social justice in a Christian context through service to the poor and marginalized. Their work covers various areas, such as education, marginalization, imprisonment, development cooperation, drug addictions, disabilities, orphans and abandoned children, prostitution, and homelessness.
In many cases, streetwise priests form groups, associations, or communities, especially inclusive of laity. Through 2008, debates and conflicts with ecclesiastical hierarchy existed regarding Catholic social teaching and implementing the Second Vatican Council's doctrine. Candido Cannavò, Pretacci: storie di uomini che portano il Vangelo sul marciapiede, Rizzoli, Milano, 2008
Notable streetwise priests Below is a list of priests who have been described as streetwise.
Central America Oscar Romero, El Salvador Padre Gadalupe, James Carney, American missionary murdered in Honduras 1983 Juan José Gerardi Conedera, Guatemala
South America Padre Cacho, Uruguay Mercedes Clara, Padre Cacho. Cuando el otro quema adentro, Ediciones Trilce, Montevideo, 2012 Don Gonzalo Aemilius, Uruguay Monsignor Hélder Câmara, Bishop Don Júlio Lancellotti, Brazil
North America Larry Rosebaugh, O.M.I. Greg Boyle Michael Pfleger
France Abbé Pierre (1912–2007) Father Guy Gilbert (b. 1935)
Italy Monsignor Tonino Bello (1935–1993), Bishop Don Oreste Benzi (1925–2007), Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII Don Luigi Ciotti (b. 1945), Gruppo Abele and Libera Don Peppino Diana (1958–1994), priest against the Camorra Don Andrea Gallo (1928–2013), Comunità di San Benedetto al Porto Don Lorenzo Milani (1923–1967), Scuola di Barbiana Don Pino Puglisi (1937–1993), victim of the Sicilian Mafia Father Alex Zanotelli
Ireland Fr Peter McVerry, SJ (b. 1944)
See also
Worker-priest
References
Bibliography Roberto Beretta e Giovanni Gazzaneo, Preti di strada: le frontiere dell'emarginazione e della speranza raccontate dai più noti sacerdoti anti-droga, con prefazione di Furio Colombo, SEI, Torino, 1995 Candido Cannavò, Pretacci: storie di uomini che portano il Vangelo sul marciapiede, Rizzoli, Milano, 2008 Mimmo Battaglia e Virginio Colmegna, I poveri hanno sempre ragione: storie di preti di strada, Cittadella editrice, Assisi, 2010 Pierfilippo Pozzi (cur.), Dov'è Dio: il Vangelo quotidiano secondo quattro preti di strada, Einaudi, Torino, 2011
External links Federazione italiana Organismi per le Persone Senza Fissa Dimora CNCA – Coordinamento nazionale comunità di accoglienza RAI, "La storia siamo noi", Preti di strada – Una mano tesa contro la disperazione (Don Gallo a Genova, Don Alessandro Santoro a Firenze, Don Virginio Colmegna a Milano, Padre Antonio Poletti a Caserta