Pope Francis ordains 19 men to the priesthood
April 27, 2015
Pope Francis ordained 19 deacons to the priesthood at St. Peter’s Basilica on April 26.
Three of them were educated at the Pontifical Roman Seminary, nine at the Neocatechumenal Way’s Roman seminary, and one from the Seminary of the Madonna of Divine Love, also located in Rome. Six were educated at other institutions.
“They will be consecrated as true priests of the New Testament, and as such, they'll be united in the priesthood with their bishop,” Pope Francis preached in his homily. “They will be preachers of the Gospel, pastors of the People of God, and will preside over acts of worship, especially in celebrating the Lord’s sacrifice.”
“Read and meditate assiduously on the Word of the Lord, to believe what you read, to teach what you have learned in faith, and to live what you have taught,” the Pope continued. “And this is the nourishment of the People of God; that your sermons are not boring, that your own homilies reach people's hearts because they come from your heart, because what you are saying is truly what you have in your heart.”
Turning to divine worship, the Pope said “through your ministry, the spiritual sacrifice of the faithful is made perfect-- because joined to the sacrifice of Christ, through your hands, in the name of the whole Church-- [and] is offered, in a bloodless manner, on the altar in the celebration of the Holy Mysteries.”
“When you celebrate the Mass, therefore, acknowledge what you do,” he added. “Do not do it in a hurry! Imitate that which you celebrate-- not an artificial rite, an artificial ritual-- in order that, participating in the mystery of death and resurrection of the Lord, you bring the death of Christ in your members and so that you walk with Him in the newness of life.”
The Pope also told the new priests never to refuse baptism to anyone who asks, to be merciful in the confessional, to strive to please God rather than act like a “peacock,” and to maintain a “son-like communion” with the bishop.
“And always keep in mind the example of the Good Shepherd, who came not to be served but to serve, not to stay in his comfort, but to go out and seek and save what was lost,” he concluded.
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Further information:
- Santa Messa con Ordinazioni Presbiterali (Holy See Press Office)
- Holy Mass and Presbyteral ordination - 2015.04.26 (Vatican YouTube)
- Booklet for the Celebration
- Zenit translation of homily
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