Pope to seminarians: Be servants of your flock

This year the Pontifical Regional Seminary of Sardinia is celebrating the 90^th anniversary of its foundation and it was on the occasion of this milestone that Pope Francis on Saturday greeted seminarians and staff from the college in the Vatican.

Be attentive to the poor

During his discourse to those gathered the Pope said that, today's material and spiritual poverty made it even more important that pastors are attentive to the poor, capable of being with them, “so that the poor feel that our churches are their home.”

“I encourage you, the Pope commented,  to prepare yourselves now to become priests of the people and to the people, not dominators but servants of the flock entrusted to you.

He went on to say that there was a great need for men of God “who look to the essential, who lead a sober and transparent life, without nostalgia for the past but capable of looking forward according to the healthy tradition of the Church.”

Conform to Jesus, the Good Shepherd

In his words, the Pope underlined to the seminarians that the hopes of the Church in Sardinia lay with them.

Your Bishops, he said “ follow you with affection and trepidation, counting so much on you and your resolve to conform to Jesus the Good Shepherd, for the good and holiness of the Christian communities of your region. “

Good formation

Concluding his discourse, Pope Francis pointed out that those in charge of formation had a very important mission. The quality of the presbytery, he said, “ depends largely on the commitment of those responsible for formation. “

He also stressed that, these seminarians needed to live in union with Christ in order to exercise their ministry well because without him, the Pope added,  “we can do nothing.”