Vatican City (Friday, 10.03.2014, Gaudium Press) “A vocation is truly a treasure that God puts in the heart of some ones chosen by God and called to follow in this special state of life” Pope Francis said to the participants of the plenary meeting of the Congregation of the Clergy. “This treasure is to be discovered and brought to light” the Pope continued “is not meant to enrich just anyone.” Who is called to the ministry is not master of his vocation, but he is a manager of a gift that God has entrusted him for the good of all the people, indeed, of all men, even those who have moved away from religious practice or do not profess faith in Christ ‘.
The pontiff addressed the entire Christian community which “too is called to care for this treasury of vocations and to promote and accompany them with affection.”
The Pope said that even today, in its formation of priests, the Church wants to adopt Christ’s method of teaching through inviting others to “come and follow me,” and “do as I do.” Formation is not a one-way street down which someone transmits theological or spiritual ideas. “
Formation accompanies the entire life of ordained ministry, said the Pope, remarking that priests never cease to be disciples of Jesus although they may falter or fall as they follow Him.
Similarly, every vocation comes with the mission to evangelize. Evangelization begins, the Pope said, through fraternity and communion with other ordained ministers and with their Bishop.
What matters is to ‘be’ a priest and not just to ‘act’ as a priest, to be free of any spiritual worldliness, and to be aware that his work of evangelization comes before any other work. Finally, the bishops have been asked to think about the good of the people of God, examine carefully the candidates and not to accept them just because they need priests in their dioceses.
Information from Vatican Radio
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