Papal joy and joy for the papacy are back! Deo Gratias! Pope Leo even signs autographs for seminarians! (Not so sure about the pope doing that though!)
Vatican News: Pope Leo to seminarians: Be passionate about priestly life
By Christopher Wells
Seminarians who have come to Rome for the Jubilee are not only pilgrims, but witnesses of hope, who “fuel the flame of hope in the life of the Church”, Pope Leo said on Tuesday morning.
In a meditation delivered in St Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo told seminarians they are called to bear witness “to Christ’s gratitude and gratuitousness, to the exultation and joy, the tenderness and mercy of His Heart, to practice a style of welcome and closeness, of generous and selfless service, allowing the Holy Spirit to ‘anoint’ their humanity even before ordination.”
Learning to love as Jesus loves
The Holy Father emphasized, too, the importance of formation “centred on the heart”, of learning “to love as Jesus loved”.
This must be done through the development of the interior life, the first work of discernment, and involves returning to the heart, where we find “traces of God” and where God speaks to us.
Pope Leo said that formation of the interior life involves recognizing the deepest sentiments of the heart, “which help you discover the direction of your life.” He noted that the “privileged path” that leads to interiority is prayer, because without an encounter with God, “we cannot truly know ourselves”.
And he invited them to invoke the Holy Spirit frequently, “so that He may shape in you a docile heart, capable of perceiving God’s presence” in nature, art, literature, music, and science.
“Above all”, Pope Leo said, “learn how to listen, as Jesus did, to the often silent cry of the little ones, of the poor and the oppressed, and of the very many people, especially young people, who are searching for meaning in their lives.”
The Holy Father called on seminarians to learn to preserve and meditate on the events of their lives, as Mary did, in order to learn “the art of discernment”.
'Be passionate about the priestly life
Finally, Pope Leo invited seminarians to be meek and humble of heart, as Jesus was; and like Paul, to adopt the sentiments of Christ in order to grow in human maturity, and to reject all pretence and hypocrisy.
The task of seminarians, the Pope said in conclusion, is to “never settle for less, never be satisfied, not be passive recipients, but to be passionate about the priestly life, living in the present and looking to the future with a prophetic heart”.
Before leading them in the proclamation of the Nicene Creed, Pope Leo expressed his hope that seminarians might deepen their relationship with Christ, asking Him to make their hearts like His Sacred Heart, “which beats with love for each of you and for all humanity.”
5 comments:
subtext
You mean he didn't snipe about some unspecified number of them who are "little monsters"? Strange. I thought that was a key part of teaching, governing, and sanctifying the Church.
Nick
From the thread above this one on Father McDonald's blog: "First Things has a very good commentary on various signs that point to the type of pope Pope Leo will be."
Of greater importance, at least to me, is the manner in which Pope Leo XIV has conducted himself. That does not require speculation.
Therefore, in regard to his Mediation today to seminarians: His Holiness demonstrated yet again his Pontificate's continuity with/reliance upon Pope Francis' (requiescat in pace) teachings.
Four times during today's Meditation to seminarians, Pope Leo XIV pointed them to Pope Francis' teachings to bolster their collective formation to the priesthood.
In addition, Pope Leo XIV exhorted seminarians to embrace the following that Pope Francis had delineated last year:
Pope Leo XIV today: "I invite you to invoke the Holy Spirit frequently, so that he may form in you a docile heart, capable of grasping the presence of God, also by listening to the voices of nature and art, poetry, literature and music, as well as the human sciences."
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August 5, 2024 A.D:
-- Pope Francis says future priests should read poetry and fiction
"Pope Francis has said that reading novels and poems is valuable in “one’s path to personal maturity” and should be encouraged in the training of future priests."
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The above also included teaching that Pope Francis had incorporated from Gadium et Spes.
Pope Leo XIV today has made it clear that he will rely greatly upon Pope Francis' approach in regard to the manner in which Holy Mother Church will form Her seminarians.
Therefore, I am confident that our seminarians will be blessed with first-rate holy training.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
That’s the ones that were left after the continuous decline from 2013 on, right?
Nick
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI had noted that Popes differ in temperament, as well as emphasis. But they hold the same Faith, as Emeritus had made clear.
One difference that I have discerned is that unlike Joseph Ratzinger (Cardinal and Pope), His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, has not promoted, at least publicly, the claim that the priesthood is packed with filthy, sinful, disloyal men.
In 1988 A.D., then-Cardinal Ratzinger promoted the bleak view that "After the Council there were many priests who deliberately raised “desacralization” to the level of a program...they put aside the sacred vestments; they have despoiled the churches as much as they could of that splendor which brings to mind the sacred; and they have reduced the liturgy to the language and the gestures of ordinary life, by means of greetings, common signs of friendship, and such things."
In 2005 A.D., then-Cardinal Ratzinger declared: "How much filth there is in the Church, and even among those who, in the priesthood, ought to belong entirely to him!"
In 2009 A.D., for example, Pope Benedict XVI repeated his concern in regard to "infidelity" within the priesthood. That leads to "the world which finds grounds for scandal and rejection."
Pope Benedict XVI insisted that in regard to infidelity within the priesthood, the Church must engage in "a frank and complete acknowledgment of the weaknesses of her ministers..."
In 2018 A.D, Pope Francis declared: "I make my own the words of the then-Cardinal Ratzinger...'How much filth there is in the Church, and even among those who, in the priesthood, ought to belong entirely to [Christ]!' "
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Again, I have not heard Pope Leo XIV assess the priesthood in the same bleak manner as Popes Benedict XVI, as well as Francis.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
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