Vocations a Key Concern for Benedict XVI

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ZENIT News Agency, The World Seen from Rome
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Vocations a Key Concern for Benedict XVI
Delivers a Reflection to Priests and Deacons of Freising

FREISING, Germany, SEPT. 14, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI says that one of his greatest concerns for the life of the Church is the lack of vocations.

The Pope made that comment today when meeting with priests and deacons of Bavaria, in Freising's cathedral, before he left for the Munich airport to return to Rome.

The Holy Father surprised his audience by putting aside his prepared address and offering a spontaneous reflection.

"I brought a long text, but I will not read it, you already have it printed," he told them. "You can read it when I'm gone."

In the same cathedral, Joseph Ratzinger was ordained priest on June 29, 1951. Today's meeting was attended by some priests who were ordained with him.

"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few," said the Pope, recalling Jesus' invitation "to pray to the Lord of the harvest" so that he will send laborers.

Jesus "did not ask for volunteers to be called or for management campaigns to be organized to find new recruits," he explained.

Profound yes

"We must pray to God," and ask him to "awaken men's hearts," said Benedict XVI. "We must ask the Lord of the harvest to arouse a profound yes in men's heart."

The effectiveness of a priest's pastoral action also depends on prayer, otherwise "the ministry becomes activism," he warned.

The Holy Father then gave his personal advice to the priests who were listening to him, in particular, zeal for souls, but at the same time humility that leads one to recognize one's own limitations.

This is also valid for the Pope, he said with a smile: "I would also like to do many things, but I have little strength. I must leave all the rest to God."

At that moment, Benedict XVI voiced a spontaneous prayer: "You know it, the Church is yours. You will give us the collaborators for your work. You are there, where we cannot reach.

"Only thus can we understand that to celebrate the Mass is not a profession, but calls for profound interior participation. Only thus do we understand that the Eucharist is not an obligation, it is spiritual food."

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Last Update November 12, 2006