Pope Leo XIV asks future diplomats of the Vatican Listening Capacity

1. Pope Leo XIV received this morning at the Apostolic Palace to the priests of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy that just concluded his missionary year, the final stage of his formation as future diplomatic representatives of the Holy See, and asked them to have “listening capacity” in their future mission.

Accompanied by the president of the Academy, Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, and the Prefect of Studies, Mons. Gabriel Viola, the 14 young presbyters were encouraged by the pontiff to live their priestly vocation with “humility and meekness.”

“I also urge you to exercise the gift of your priesthood with humility and meekness, with a capacity for listening and closeness, as faithful and tireless disciples of Christ Good Shepherd,” he said.

Leo XIV highlighted the value of the formative initiative to spend a year as missionaries, which was established by its predecessor Pope Francis, as an essential part in the preparation of pontifical diplomats.

Leo XIV pointed out the need to form “shepherds with his feet on the ground”, capable of embodying the priest’s model at the service of Pedro delineated successor in the QUDOWN The Petrine Ministrydocument that has renewed the impulse of this Tricentennial Institution, close to celebrating its 325th anniversary.

“Whatever the mission entrusted to them, anywhere in the world in which you are, the Pope must be able to have priests that, in prayer as at work, do not spare efforts to carry with their testimony their proximity to the peoples and the churches,” he said.

The Pontiff insisted that the Universal Mission of the Petrino Ministry requires “the faithful and irreplaceable service of the Secretary of State and the Pontifical Representatives”, with which these priests will soon begin to collaborate.

In this context, he encouraged them to guard that “request for all the churches” that constitutes the heart of the commission entrusted to the successor of Peter.

Finally, Leo XIV expressed his deep thanks for the “docility and self -denial” with which these priests have lived their missionary year “in very diverse contexts”, and concluded by blessing from heart the beginning of his ministry to the diplomatic service of the Holy See.