“My greatest joy is seeing my parishioners come to church,” said Fr. Claudiu Bene, parish priest of a small community in Sălaj County, in an interview with Formula AS.
Fr. Claudiu Bene spoke about the pastoral challenges of serving in the village of Inău, Sălaj, where a priest must be constantly present in the life of the faithful.
“In every parish, there are good and bad things; many things will upset you, but you have to learn to rise above them, forgive even when things don’t go your way, and always speak gently. I believe that’s what a priest is called to do—to become all things to all people. If you do that, it can be good wherever you are.”
“I was raised to respect the peasant,” he added. “That man who puts bread on your table deserves true reverence. Because he, in his lack of formal education, carries a goodness and wisdom that those with higher education levels often don’t have and may never attain.”
People Remain Close to the Church
Speaking about community life in Inău, Fr. Claudiu Bene affirmed that elderly people remain the closest to the Church and God.
“The elderly are still, body and soul, anchored in the Church and God. I don’t think they could even imagine life without them.”
“Shortly after arriving in Inău, something deeply moved me. We were renovating the church exterior, and everyone brought what they could. Here, we have no taxes—only a symbolic church contribution. One day, Aunt Jenica came. She’s 94 now. It was raining and cold, but she was barefoot. We were surprised, but she said to us—just to me and the presbytera, because she trusted we wouldn’t judge her—that she has only one pair of shoes, and she keeps them for church… that’s her whole wealth.”
Finding Joy in Life’s Hardships
When asked why many young theology graduates avoid rural parishes, Fr. Bene emphasized that most fear financial instability and a lack of comfort.
“Today’s priests worry they can’t make ends meet in a small parish, that they might not even earn a salary. And that’s a real concern. In Domnin, for example, I only earned a salary for four or five months a year. The rest of the time, I grew tomatoes, peppers, whatever we could to get by. It was hard, no doubt. And comfort is probably an issue, too. In a small village, you won’t have the utilities or amenities that a bigger, wealthier parish or city might offer.”
The Sorrows and Joys of Village Life
“The greatest sadness for the elderly is not seeing their children return home,” the priest shared, pointing out that loneliness becomes a heavy burden for many who remain in rural areas.
“I consider myself, first and foremost, a peasant. So I speak from experience when I say—I don’t dwell on sadness. I focus on joy. The joy of waking up in the morning, thanking God for everything I have: a wonderful family, a community of worthy and dear people, and reasonably good health. For me, the greatest joy is to be here, in my church, with my parishioners, to see them coming to church—because that’s when you truly know the Church is alive.”
Photo: personal archive of Fr Claudiu Bene
