Pope to seminarians: Be servants
of your flock
Pope Francis met with the community from the Italian
Pontifical Regional Seminary of Sardinia on Saturday, telling them that the
hopes of the Church on the island lay with them.
This year the Pontifical Regional Seminary of Sardinia is
celebrating the 90th anniversary of its foundation and it was
on the occasion of this milestone that Pope Francis on Saturday greeted
seminarians and staff from the college in the Vatican.
Be attentive to the poor
During his discourse to those gathered the Pope said that,
today's material and spiritual poverty made it even more important that pastors
are attentive to the poor, capable of being with them, “so that the poor feel
that our churches are their home.”
“I encourage you, the Pope commented, to prepare
yourselves now to become priests of the people and to the people, not
dominators but servants of the flock entrusted to you.
He went on to say that there was a great need for men of God
“who look to the essential, who lead a sober and transparent life, without
nostalgia for the past but capable of looking forward according to the healthy
tradition of the Church.”
Conform to Jesus, the Good Shepherd
In his words, the Pope underlined to the seminarians that
the hopes of the Church in Sardinia lay with them.
Your Bishops, he said “ follow you with affection and
trepidation, counting so much on you and your resolve to conform to Jesus the
Good Shepherd, for the good and holiness of the Christian communities of your
region. “
Good formation
Concluding his discourse, Pope Francis pointed out that
those in charge of formation had a very important mission. The quality of the
presbytery, he said, “ depends largely on the commitment of those responsible
for formation. “
He also stressed that, these seminarians needed to live in
union with Christ in order to exercise their ministry well because without him,
the Pope added, “we can do nothing.”
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