Pope meets with young Roman priests: “Do not tire of doing good”

By Salvatore Cernuzio

This was the pope's second meeting with the clergy of Rome, after that of May 14 with priests in office for 40 years and more.

Today the Pope met with newly ordained priests, those who have been in service for less than ten years.

The meeting was organized by the Pious Disciples of the Divine Master, an order of nuns, and the Pope received an affectionate welcome from the nuns, amid greetings, gifts and blessings.

Next, a closed-door dialogue with priests on pastoral issues, which began with a prayer written by Pope Paul VI.

Welcome from the nuns

“Thank you, thank you. How many novices do you have? The Pope immediately began to speak with five nuns, Italian and foreign.

It was difficult to hear the exchange because loud applause had already erupted from inside after spotting the white cassock.

All the nuns, with the older members of the community in the front row, most of them in wheelchairs, were lined up in the pews, ready to greet the Pope.

Greetings and gifts

Francis made a double turn to shake everyone's hand, then received a white balloon – like the ones hanging in front of the entrance to the house – from a child, to whom he then gave his blessing, accompanied by 'a treat.

Taking a basket, the Pontiff also distributed sweets to the nuns. One of them shouted: “Your Holiness, today I am 84 years old. Will you bless me?

The Pope placed his hand on the head of an elderly nun who whispered something in his ear while holding his hands.

Dialogue with priests

“Thank you for your words,” the Pope said, looking at the large group in the chapel. “I offer you my greetings and blessings. Don't get tired of doing good!

The Pope received a chasuble and a book from the Pious Disciples, who celebrated their centenary in February.

Entering the church dedicated to Jesus, the Divine Master, the Pope was welcomed by the young priests (also with loud applause). Some, explained Mgr Michele Di Tolve, delegate for the care of the diaconate, clergy and religious life, were ordained as late as 2024.

Francis opened the meeting with a prayer and the reading of the day's Gospel.

After that, the closed-door question-and-answer session, mainly focusing on pastoral issues, began.

Meetings in his diocese

Today's meeting is the second with the clergy of the Pope's diocese.

From September 2023 until the beginning of May, he traveled to the different prefectures of Rome to meet the parish priests and prefects and hear from them the challenges, difficulties, beauties and satisfactions of their work.

All this in a diocese which, as the Argentine Pontiff has often said, has become a “mission territory”.

This is something which – and it is the Pope himself who has repeated this on several occasions – “is always very good for a bishop”.