She must propose clearly and courageously to each new generation the vocational call, help people to discern the authenticity of their call from God and to respond to it generously, and give particular care to the formation of candidates for the priesthood.
The Church must never cease to pray to the Lord of the harvest that he send laborers into his harvest, (cf. To remain faithful to the grace received! This gift of God does not cancel human freedom instead it gives rise to freedom, develops freedom and demands freedom.įor this reason, the total trust in God's unconditional faithfulness to his promise is accompanied in the Church by the grave responsibility to cooperate in the action of God who calls, and to contribute toward creating and preserving the conditions in which the good seed, sown by God, can take root and bring forth abundant fruit. We are deeply convinced that this trusting abandonment will not disappoint if we remain faithful to the graces we have received."(2)Ģ. Even though in a number of regions there is a scarcity of clergy, the action of the Father, who raises up vocations, will nonetheless always be at work in the Church."(1)Īt the conclusion of the synod, I said that in the face of a crisis of priestly vocations "the first answer which the Church gives lies in a total act of faith in the Holy Spirit.
28:20), and aware of the constant activity of the Holy Spirit in the Church, firmly believes that there will never be a complete lack of sacred ministers in the Church. Everyone is called upon to share complete trust in the unbroken fulfillment of God's promise, which the synod fathers expressed in clear and forceful terms: "The synod, with complete trust in the promise of Christ who has said: 'Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age' ( Mt. It is also the foundation and impulse for a renewed act of faith and fervent hope in the face of the grave shortage of priests which is being felt in other parts of the world. This very promise is the reason and force underlying the Church's rejoicing at the growth and increase of priestly vocations now taking place in some parts of the world. 11.24), i.e:, an obedience to the command to announce the Gospel and to renew daily the sacrifice of the giving of his body and the shedding of his blood for the life of the world.īy faith we know that the Lord's promise cannot fail. 28:19) and "Do this in remembrance of me" ( Lk. Without priests the Church would not be able to live that fundamental obedience which is at the very heart of her existence and her mission in history, an obedience in response to the command of Christ: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations" ( Mt. 13:20), entrusted to the apostles and their successors the ministry of shepherding God's flock (cf. He, "the great shepherd of the sheep" ( Heb. She knows that Jesus Christ himself is the living, supreme and definitive fulfillment of God's promise: "I am the good shepherd" ( Jn. The Church, the People of God, constantly experiences the reality of this prophetic message and continues joyfully to thank God for it. In these words from the prophet Jeremiah, God promises his people that he will never leave them without shepherds to gather them together and guide them: "I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed ( Jer. "I will give you shepherds after my own heart" (Jer. APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION PASTORES DABO VOBISġ.
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