Make your gift today!
Help keep Catholics around the world educated and informed.
Already donated? Log in to stop seeing these donation pop-ups.
Pope urges Italian seminarians: eschew nostalgia
February 07, 2022
» Continue to this story on Vatican Press Office
CWN Editor's Note: Speaking on February 7 to students from the Pontifical Lombard Seminary in Rome, Pope Francis suggested: “Let us ask ourselves, ‘What can I offer?’ at the beginning of every day.
The Pope observed that Pope Pius XI was once a student at the Italian seminary in Rome, and urged, inspired by his example, students would work “not to cultivate nostalgia for the past and close ourselves to the newness of the Spirit.” He added: “Please let us not be barricaded in the sacristy and cultivate small closed groups.”
Raising a theme that he has often mentioned, Pope Francis said that the students had probably encountered confessors who “make your life impossible.” He advised them to “seek out merciful priests.”
In a reference to current economic problems, the Pope quoted from his predecessor’s encyclical, Quadregesimo Anno, decrying “an immense power and despotic economic dictatorship” in international finance.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
-
Posted by: Randal Mandock -
Feb. 07, 2022 5:59 PM ET USA
I have been racking my brain, trying to imagine a church described by Pope Francis in the cited article and in many previous articles. Then, after considerable extrospection and recollection, I am vaguely beginning to remember the kind of church he constantly denigrates. In my experience, such a church refers to itself as a "Vatican II church", as apparently distinct from the universal Church of all time. Yes, I do recall such a church, a church that preceded my return to the TLM of my youth.
