Pope ordains 10 priests, urges them to be merciful, joyful shepherds

May 09, 2017

Pope Francis ordained ten men to the priesthood at St. Peter’s Basilica on May 7.

“It is true that God has made His entire holy people a royal priesthood in Christ,” the Pope preached. “Nevertheless, our great Priest Himself, Jesus Christ, chose certain disciples to carry out publicly in His name, and on behalf of mankind, a priestly office in the Church. They were elected by the Lord Jesus not to embark on a career, but to undertake this service.”

Interspersing his own considerations with the homily outlined in the Roman Pontifical, the Pope said:

Let the holiness of your lives be a delightful fragrance to Christ’s faithful, so that by word and example you may build up the house which is God’s Church. The word without example of life is no use; it is better to turn back. The double life is an ugly disease in the Church …

A presbyter who has perhaps studied a lot of theology and has one, two, three degrees, but has not learned to bear Christ’s cross, is of no use. He will be a good academic, a good professor, but not a priest.

After enjoining the new priests to be merciful in the Sacrament of Penance and not to neglect to visit the sick, the Pope concluded:

Be joyful, never sad. Joyful. With the joy of service to Christ, even in the midst of suffering, misunderstandings, one’s own sins. Keep always before your eyes the example of the Good Shepherd Who came not to be served but to serve, and Who came to seek out and save what was lost. Please, do not be “Lords,” do not be “clerics of state,” but shepherds, shepherds of the people of God.

 

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Further information:

• 2017.05.07 - Celebration of Holy Mass with ordinations to the Priesthood (YouTube Vatican)
• Holy Mass with Presbyteral Ordinations, 07.05.2017 (Holy See Press Office)
• Booklet for the Celebration (Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff)