World needs courageous, caring priests, says pope at Rome seminary

Published: 2006-01-20

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Today's world needs courageous, caring priests who are not afraid to bring God's love to all people, especially to those languishing in poverty or struggling with difficulties, Pope Benedict XVI told members of a Rome seminary. But pastors must also be mature, lead holy lives and faithfully comply with the church's teaching authority if they are to be effective evangelizers and bring hope to the world, the pope said. The pope made his remarks Jan. 20 during an audience with some 60 members of Almo Capranica College, a diocesan seminary of Rome. "In order to respond to the expectations of modern society" and be part of the enormous task of evangelization, "prepared and courageous priests are needed, who without ambition and fear, but convinced of Gospel truth, make proclaiming Christ their first concern," the pope said.

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