(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 12.12.2024).- On Thursday morning, December 12, Pope Francis received in private audience seminarians and formators of the “Apostle James” Inter-Diocesan Seminary, which brings together the dioceses of Mondoñedo-Ferrol, Santiago de Compostela and Tui-Vigo. As he has been doing with other Seminaries of Spain in recent months, on this occasion he received the Bishops and the Seminary’s entire community. Participating in total were twenty-two seminarians (six of the diocese of Mondoñedo-Ferrol; twelve of that of Santiago de Compostela and four of that of Tui-Vigo and their four formators.
The audience was held in the Apostolic Palace at 8:30 am. It happens to be the first inter-diocesan seminary created in Spain following a meeting the Holy Father Francis had with the entire Spanish Episcopate on November 28, 2023. In the words of José Antonio Castro, the Seminary’s Rector, “the audience with the Pope is an incentive in the process we are engaged in and it will help our Seminary to continue walking in fidelity to the Gospel and the Church.”
Pope Francis opted once again to read personally the message he had prepared, which we reproduce below, and to answer the questions the seminarians freely posed to him.
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Dear Brother Bishops,
Dear Formators and Seminarians of the “Apostle James” Major Inter-Diocesan Seminary
Good morning. I welcome you all who know well the footsteps of the Apostle James in Spain, and now you come as pilgrims to Rome, in the footsteps of the Apostle Peter and other faithful followers of Jesus. As they say in your land, [you are on] the right track!
I know that, since September, you have been living a new way as “Inter-Diocesan” Seminary, uniting the dioceses of Santiago de Compostela, Tui-Vigo and Mondoñedo-Ferrol. I thank you for your availability. I encourage you to go forward with renewed fortitude and hope.
I believe the image of “pilgrimage” is appropriate to indicate the formative itinerary that you are following. As pilgrims, we first hear a call, which impels us to go out of ourselves; then we throw ourselves into the adventure and begin to walk, in the course of different moments and stages. Finally, we arrive at the goal. This also happens in the formation to the priesthood, where the objective is to become Pastors of the People of God, Pastors forged in the measure of Christ’s Heart, humble and merciful. Remember that you are not alone on the way, this is fundamental: do not be afraid to open your heart to the Lord and to let yourselves be accompanied by Him, so that He goes moulding your lives.
Moreover, don’t forget that, on the way, you will meet many different people, sometimes you will be going through difficult moments, [with those] who are wounded and do not know God. Be for all of them witnesses of the joy of the Gospel, offering them the tenderness and consolation of the Lord, so that He will heal the blisters of the path. Do not fail to be those “yellow arrows” that, as Saint John the Baptist, point out Jesus and say to all, with his words but also and especially with his way of living: “This is the Lamb of God” (John 1:29).
Dear brothers, the Holy Year 2025 is approaching, with this Jubilee grace that is given to us, let us continue walking together, as pilgrims of hope, to the heavenly homeland.
May Jesus bless you and the Holy Virgin look after you. And please, when you return, ask James the Apostle to intercede for me. Thank you very much.
