Temeljeći svoje razumijevanje svećeništva na tadašnjim relevantnim crkvenim dokumentima, Josip Juraj Strossmayer nastojao je formirati svoje svećenstvo primarno kao pastoralne suradnike koji će biti kadri teološki odgovoriti svim liberalnim napadima onoga vremena. Na temelju Strossmayerovih fragmentarnih misli o toj temi, koje su skupljane samo po njegovim okružnicama i poslanicama upućenim svećenicima, cilj je ovoga članka orisati njegov željeni lik svećenika i profil njegove formacije pastoralnoga suradnika, koji je u dijaloškom odnosu prema Bogu i svijetu. Put do cilja vodi preko kratkoga predstavljanja liberalnoga duha njegova vremena te sastavljanja kamenčića njegova pastoralnoga mozaika svećenika s jednim malim ekumenskim pogledom do skiciranja njegova teološko-pastoralnoga razumijevanja biti i uloge svećenika i njegova formacijskoga nastojanja. Iz svega se iščitava Strossmayerov biskupski i bratski odnos ljubavi i zajedništva prema svećenicima. Prožet prijateljskim odnosom, on se brine zdušno za njihov duhovni, kulturni, intelektualni i teološki rast.; Basing his understanding of priesthood on the relevant Church documents of the time, Josip Juraj Strossmayer sought to form his priests primarily as pastoral associates who would be able to respond theologically to all liberal attacks of the time. Based on Strossmayer’s fragmented thoughts on this subject, collected from his circular and other letters to priests, the goal of this article is to depict his image of a priest and the profile of his formation of a pastoral associate, who is in dialogue with God and the world. The path to the goal leads through a brief presentation of the liberal spirit of his time, through creating the stone composition of his pastoral mosaic of a priest with a short ecumenical view, and the sketching of his theological and pastoral understanding of the essence and the role of his priest and his formative endeavour. All of this reflects Strossmayer’s episcopal and fraternal relationship of love and communion towards the priests. Imbued with friendship, he cares for their spiritual, cultural, intellectual, and theological growth.