Priesthood needs spiritual revival, Pope writes

June 18, 2009

At a time of crisis for the faith and especially for the priesthood, what the Church needs is "not only a frank and complete acknowledgment of the weaknesses of her ministers, but also a joyful and renewed realization of the greatness of God's gift," Pope Benedict XVI writes in a letter to the world's Catholic priests, released on June 18 just before the beginning of a special Year for Priests. In the letter the Holy Father sets out his plan for spiritual renewal in the priesthood in the coming year, as the Church marks the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney, the Curé of Ars, who is patron of priests.

Pope Benedict will inaugurate the Year for Priests with a Vespers service in St. Peter's basilica on June 19, the feast of the Sacred Heart.

[For further analysis of the Pope's letter see today's CWN Feature story.]

 

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Further information:

• Pope thanks God for gift of priesthood, but also recognizes failures (CNS)
• Pope deplores priests' infidelities to their vows (AP)
• Pope denounces bad priests and praises good ones (Daily Telegraph)