Pope Francis to Scots College: be courageous, merciful
priests
(Vatican Radio) Offer your
lives “completely” to the Lord; “we too are living in a time of martyrdom, and
in the midst of a culture so often hostile to the Gospel:” that’s the
message Pope Francis gave to staff and students at thePontifical Scots College Thursday as they celebrate
the 400th anniversary of its founding as a seminary.
The Scots College in Rome was
founded by Pope Clement VIII in 1600 for Catholic education at a time when
Catholic instruction and preaching were illegal at home. On 10th March 1616,
the Pontifical Scots College became a seminary.
In his discourse to those
present Thursday, Pope Francis held up as a model of committed priesthood the
martyred Scottish Jesuit Saint John Ogilvie who died for the faith in 1615. The
saint was hanged and drawn at Glasgow Cross for clandestinely celebrating Mass
in the homes of the few Catholics remaining in Scotland and for refusing to
pledge allegiance to King James VI.
In 1616, and inspired by
Ogilvie’s determined ministry, the College’s first 16 students vowed to return
to Scotland as priests to follow in his footsteps.
Pope Francis said that the
martyrdom of Saint John Ogilvie, “which was meant to silence the Catholic
faith, instead was an impetus for its promotion and for defending the Church’s
freedom to remain in communion with the See of Peter. The ‘yes’
proclaimed by the sixteen men four hundred years ago was eloquent not simply
for their good intentions, but rather because they persevered, and prepared
themselves in every way, returning to Scotland to face the hardships that
awaited them, even if it meant becoming martyrs themselves.”
Below please find the
official English translation of Pope Francis’ prepared remarks:
Dear Archbishop Tartaglia,
Archbishop Cushley,
Dear Members of Staff and
Seminarians of the Pontifical Scots College,
It am pleased to welcome you today, as together we commemorate the four
hundredth anniversary of the transformation of the Pontifical Scots College
into a seminary for priestly formation. This anniversary is
significant not only for the many years it marks, but even more so because we
recall the fidelity of the sixteen men who, on 11 March 1616, were resolute in
their determination to return to Scotland as priests to preach the
Gospel. That decision was born of a martyr’s blood.
The martyrdom of Saint John Ogilvie, which was meant to silence the Catholic
faith, instead was an impetus for its promotion and for defending the Church’s
freedom to remain in communion with the See of Peter. The “yes”
proclaimed by the sixteen men four hundred years ago was eloquent not simply
for their good intentions, but rather because they persevered, and prepared
themselves in every way, returning to Scotland to face the hardships that
awaited them, even if it meant becoming martyrs themselves. Theirs was a
life which sought the joys and peace that Christ alone could offer.
Looking out at you today, I can see that, through the grace of God, the
martyrdom of Saint John and the courage of those sixteen men has borne fruit in
your beloved homeland.
We too are living in a time of martyrdom, and in the midst of a culture so
often hostile to the Gospel. I urge you to have that same selfless spirit
as your predecessors did. Love Jesus above all things! Let your
“yes” be marked by a firm resolve to give yourselves generously to your priestly
formation, so that your years in Rome may prepare you to return to Scotland and
to offer your lives completely. If you have this same passion as your
brothers from four hundred years ago, that same love for the Church and
Scotland, you will honour the history and sacrifices we recall today. You
will also become in this moment a sign to the Scottish people, especially the
youth, if you encounter them in their everyday lives, if you reach out to those
who are furthest from Christ. Show them, each and every one, that God is
always with us and that his mercy endures for ever.
In this Jubilee of Mercy, I pray that the Lord may grant you the courage and
grace to be faithful to his will, by being dedicated to prayer, by loving
Jesus, especially in the Holy Eucharist, and by entrusting yourselves to the
care of Mary our Mother. Upon you and all the faithful in Scotland, I
willingly impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of strength and peace in the
Lord. God bless you all!
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