Pope emphasizes need for reverence in liturgy, at meeting with priests of Rome

February 19, 2015

Pope Francis concentrated on the need for reverence in the sacred liturgy, as he met on February 19 with priests of the Rome diocese.

After being introduced by Cardinal Agostino Vallini, the vicar for the Rome diocese, the Pope spoke to the priests about the need for reverence. He then answered questions from the clerics in attendance.

“I was very impressed first of all by a reference he made to the need to recover the sense of wonder in the liturgy,” one Roman priest told Vatican Radio after the meeting. “I was struck by the idea that he emphasized: how the priest who celebrates the Liturgy in an automated way, attentive only to the rules, is not capable of wonder - but neither is the priest who celebrates in a sloppy manner.”

Each year, at the beginning of Lent, the Pontiff meets with the clergy of Rome. This year’s meeting, held in the Paul VI auditorium, was dedicated to the role of the priest as celebrant and homilist. Before the meeting, each priest was given a copy of the Pope’s address to the Congregation for Divine Worship, on the theme ars celebrandi.

 

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Further information:

• The Pope meets with the parish priests of Rome (VIS)
• Priest reacts to Pope Francis’ meeting with Roman clergy (Vatican Radio)