BE PRIESTS AFTER THE HEART OF JESUS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 2, 2001 (VIS) - The Pope this morning welcomed 60 cardinals, bishops, priests and friends of the Pontifical Filipino College as they celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of the college by Blessed John XXIII on October 7, 1961.

"My visits to your country," he told them, "have enabled me to experience at first hand the warm hospitality and lively faith of your people. These are the people that you, the young priests of the College, are preparing to serve. ... They expect much of you (and) they expect you to be priests after the heart of Jesus."

He invited them "to develop a deep and authentic Eucharistic spirituality" and "to learn to love the Sacrament of Penance, so that as confessors you may make known to the faithful the compassionate heart of God Who reconciles us to Himself. Be men of prayer, charity and zeal."

Saying that "study is also an essential dimension of the priest's entire life," the Holy Father added: "Through your commitment to study you will be prepared to carry out the ministry of the word, proclaiming the mystery of salvation clearly and without ambiguity, distinguishing it from mere human opinion."

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