Priests are a gift to the Church, to build civilization of love, Pope says

June 14, 2010

The feast of the Sacred Heart “is traditionally the ‘day of priestly sanctification,’ and this time it was especially so,” Pope Benedict XVI told a crowd in St. Peter’s Square at his Angelus audience on Sunday, June 14.

Referring back to the closing Mass of the Year for Priests, which he had celebrated two days earlier, the Holy Father said that a priest is “a gift of the heart of Christ, a gift for the Church and the world.” He went on to say that priests should be “primary builders of the civilization of love.”

A student of history, the Pope said, should notice that “many episodes of authentic spiritual and social renewal have been written with the decisive contribution of Catholic priests.” He cited for example Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko, the martyred chaplain of the Solidarity movement, who was beatified in Poland last week.

 

---

For all current news, visit our News home page.

---

 
Further information:

• Priests Are a Gift for the Church and for the World (VIS)