Pope Francis ordained 16 men as priests, on Good Shepherd Sunday— the World Day of Prayer for Vocations.
In his homily at the ordination mass, he told the newly ordained priests to “be merciful” and not to “grow tired of being merciful.”
"Read and meditate assiduously on the word of the Lord to believe what you have read, to teach what you have learned in faith, to live what you have taught", he told them, adding that their teaching may “be nourishment to the People of God” and “the perfume” of their “life be joy and support to the faithful of Christ”, their “word and example edify the House of God which is the Church”.
Reminding them of their priestly duties, he said, "with Baptism you will aggregate new believers to the People of God. With the Sacrament of Penance you will put your sins back in the name of Christ and of the Church. And here I stop to ask you: please, do not get tired of being merciful. Think of your sins, your miseries that Jesus forgives. Be merciful. With holy oil you will give relief to the sick. Celebrating the sacred rites and raising the prayer of praise and supplication during the various hours of the day, you will make a voice of the People of God and of all humanity.”
The sixteen newly ordained priests include three from India, five from Rome and the others from Croatia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Colombia, El Salvador, Madagascar, Romania, and Peru. Among them, eleven are to serve at the Diocese of Rome.
Concluding his sermon, Pope said, “always have before your eyes the example of the Good Shepherd, who did not come to be served, but to serve and to seek and save what was lost".
