‘Bother’ your priests, Pope urges faithful

May 12, 2014

In his May 11 Regina Caeli address, which followed the ordination of 13 men to the priesthood, Pope Francis called upon the faithful who were assembled in St. Peter’s Square to “bother” their priests.

In a world that proposes many shepherds, “only the risen Christ is the true Shepherd, who gives us life in abundance,” Pope Francis said. “Listen with open minds and hearts to His Word, in order to feed our faith, illuminate our consciences.”

Citing an image from the writings of St. Caesarius of Arles, Pope Francis said that just as calves “bother” their mothers to receive milk, the faithful should “bother” their priests to receive the “milk of grace, of doctrine, and of guidance.”

The Pontiff concluded with a call for prayer for priestly vocations. “Perhaps here in the Square there is someone who hears this voice of the Lord who calls him to the priesthood,” he said. “Let us pray for him, if he is here, and for all the young people who are called.”

 

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Further information:

• Le parole del Papa alla recita del Regina Caeli (Holy See Press Office)
• Pope Francis at Regina Caeli: Bother your pastors (Vatican Radio)
• Regina Coeli: Trouble Your Pastors for the Milk of Doctrine (VIS)