At 9:30am today in Rome, the Fourth Sunday of Easter and the 52nd World Day of Prayer for Vocations, in the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father, Pope Francis presided over the celebration of Mass during which he Ordained 19 deacons as priests. Thirteen of these deacons were from Diocesan seminaries in Rome (the Pontifical Major Roman Seminary, the Redemptoris Mater Diocesan Seminary and the Seminary of Our Lady of Divine Love) and the other six were from other Colleges.
Present at today's liturgy to concelebrate with the Holy Father were Cardinal Agostino Vallini, Vicar General of His Holiness for the Diocese of Rome; His Excellency, Filippo Iannone, Vice-regent; the Auxiliary Bishops, the Superiors of the Seminaries where the various seminarians had completed their studies and the pastors of the ordinandi's respective parishes.
For the homily, the Pope spoke the words suggested in the Rite of Ordination of Priests, pausing at and emphasizing certain passages.
Beloved brothers,
These our brothers have been called to the order of presbyter. It is good for us to reflect a bit on the ministry to which they are being called in the Church. As you well know, the Lord Jesus is the only High Priest of the New Testament, but in Him, all holy people of God make up a priestly people. All of us! Let us not forget, from among all his disciples, the Lord Jesus chose a few in particular, in order that they might exercise publicly in the Church, in his name, the office of priest for the sake of all men, continuing his personal mission of teacher, priest and pastor.
Just as he had been sent by the Father for this purpose, he in turn invites others in the world, first the Apostles, then the Bishops and their successors, and finally priests who he provided as collaborators. Together with the Apostles and the Bishops, these were also called to serve the People of God.
These men have reflected on their vocations and now they come to receive presbyteral ordination. The bishop takes a risk - he takes a risk! - and choses them, like the Father who risked everything for us.
They will indeed be configured to Christ, the Eternal High Priest, they will be consecrated as true priests of the New Testament, and as such, they will be united in the priesthood to their Bishop, they will be preachers of the gospel, pastors of the People of God and they will preside over the actions of worship, especially the celebration of the Lord's sacrifice.
As for you, who are to be promoted to the order of presbyters, consider that by exercising the ministry of Sacred Doctrine you will be participators in the mission of Christ, the only Teacher. You will share with all people the Word of God which you yourselves have received with joy. Read and meditate carefully on the Word of God so that you might believe what you have read, teach what your have learned in faith and live what you have taught.
This is the nourishment that you will offer to the People of God: let your homilies not be boring; let your homilies speak to other people's hearts by making sure that what you say comes from your own heart. In this way, you will give the Word of God and your teaching will be joyous, able to support Christ's faithful; let your lives be scented by your witness, for others are edified by example but words without example are empty, mere ideas which never reach the heart and sometimes even inflict pain instead of doing good! You will continue Christ's sanctifying work. Through your ministry, the spiritual sacrifice of the faithful will reach perfection since it will be joined to the sacrifice of Christ which through our hands, in the name of the entire Church, is offered in a bloodless manner on the altar in the celebration of the Sacred Mysteries.
When you celebrate the Mass, be aware of what you are doing. Don't do it hurriedly! Strive to imitate what you celebrate - not as an artificial ritual - remember that you are participating in the mystery of the death and resurrection of the Lord, carry the death of Christ in your body and walk with him in newness of life.
Through baptism, new members are added to the People of God. We must never refuse baptism to those who ask for it! Through the Sacrament of Penance, you will forgive sins in the name of Christ and on behalf of the Church. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of his Spouse, the Holy Church, I ask you to never grow tired of being merciful. In the confessional, you will be present to pardon, not to condemn! Imitate the Father who never grows tired of forgiving. With holy oil, you will bestow comfort to the sick. Celebrating the sacred rites and raising up prayers of praise and supplication at various hours of the day, you will be the voices of God's people and of all humanity.
Be aware of having been chosen from among men and appointed on their behalf to tend to the things of God, exercising with sincere joy and charity the priestly work of Christ, with your only intent being to please God and not to please yourself. A priest who lives to please himself is bad; he's like a peacock!
Finally, take part in the mission of Christ, the Head and Pastor, in filial communion with your bishop; strive to unite the faithful in one family - be ministers of unity in the Church, in the family - in order to lead them to God the Father through Christ and in the Holy Spirit. Hold constantly before your eyes the example of the Good Shepherd, who came not to be served but to serve; not to be concerned with his own comfort but to go out in search of all the lost, constantly concerned with their salvation.
Present at today's liturgy to concelebrate with the Holy Father were Cardinal Agostino Vallini, Vicar General of His Holiness for the Diocese of Rome; His Excellency, Filippo Iannone, Vice-regent; the Auxiliary Bishops, the Superiors of the Seminaries where the various seminarians had completed their studies and the pastors of the ordinandi's respective parishes.
Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the Liturgy of Ordination of Priests
For the homily, the Pope spoke the words suggested in the Rite of Ordination of Priests, pausing at and emphasizing certain passages.
Beloved brothers,
These our brothers have been called to the order of presbyter. It is good for us to reflect a bit on the ministry to which they are being called in the Church. As you well know, the Lord Jesus is the only High Priest of the New Testament, but in Him, all holy people of God make up a priestly people. All of us! Let us not forget, from among all his disciples, the Lord Jesus chose a few in particular, in order that they might exercise publicly in the Church, in his name, the office of priest for the sake of all men, continuing his personal mission of teacher, priest and pastor.
Just as he had been sent by the Father for this purpose, he in turn invites others in the world, first the Apostles, then the Bishops and their successors, and finally priests who he provided as collaborators. Together with the Apostles and the Bishops, these were also called to serve the People of God.
These men have reflected on their vocations and now they come to receive presbyteral ordination. The bishop takes a risk - he takes a risk! - and choses them, like the Father who risked everything for us.
They will indeed be configured to Christ, the Eternal High Priest, they will be consecrated as true priests of the New Testament, and as such, they will be united in the priesthood to their Bishop, they will be preachers of the gospel, pastors of the People of God and they will preside over the actions of worship, especially the celebration of the Lord's sacrifice.
As for you, who are to be promoted to the order of presbyters, consider that by exercising the ministry of Sacred Doctrine you will be participators in the mission of Christ, the only Teacher. You will share with all people the Word of God which you yourselves have received with joy. Read and meditate carefully on the Word of God so that you might believe what you have read, teach what your have learned in faith and live what you have taught.
This is the nourishment that you will offer to the People of God: let your homilies not be boring; let your homilies speak to other people's hearts by making sure that what you say comes from your own heart. In this way, you will give the Word of God and your teaching will be joyous, able to support Christ's faithful; let your lives be scented by your witness, for others are edified by example but words without example are empty, mere ideas which never reach the heart and sometimes even inflict pain instead of doing good! You will continue Christ's sanctifying work. Through your ministry, the spiritual sacrifice of the faithful will reach perfection since it will be joined to the sacrifice of Christ which through our hands, in the name of the entire Church, is offered in a bloodless manner on the altar in the celebration of the Sacred Mysteries.
When you celebrate the Mass, be aware of what you are doing. Don't do it hurriedly! Strive to imitate what you celebrate - not as an artificial ritual - remember that you are participating in the mystery of the death and resurrection of the Lord, carry the death of Christ in your body and walk with him in newness of life.
Through baptism, new members are added to the People of God. We must never refuse baptism to those who ask for it! Through the Sacrament of Penance, you will forgive sins in the name of Christ and on behalf of the Church. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of his Spouse, the Holy Church, I ask you to never grow tired of being merciful. In the confessional, you will be present to pardon, not to condemn! Imitate the Father who never grows tired of forgiving. With holy oil, you will bestow comfort to the sick. Celebrating the sacred rites and raising up prayers of praise and supplication at various hours of the day, you will be the voices of God's people and of all humanity.
Be aware of having been chosen from among men and appointed on their behalf to tend to the things of God, exercising with sincere joy and charity the priestly work of Christ, with your only intent being to please God and not to please yourself. A priest who lives to please himself is bad; he's like a peacock!
Finally, take part in the mission of Christ, the Head and Pastor, in filial communion with your bishop; strive to unite the faithful in one family - be ministers of unity in the Church, in the family - in order to lead them to God the Father through Christ and in the Holy Spirit. Hold constantly before your eyes the example of the Good Shepherd, who came not to be served but to serve; not to be concerned with his own comfort but to go out in search of all the lost, constantly concerned with their salvation.
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