Elected by the people

Priests are to be "servants, not climbers or entrepreneurs". Pope Francis strongly recommends to the new priests to stay "away from money", to be "poor who love the poor". He says this by ordaining nine priests in St. Peter's on April 25, 2021.
The Pontiff asks to distance oneself from “vanity, from the pride of money. The devil enters "from the pockets". Be poor, as the holy faithful people of God are poor. Poor who love the poor. Don't be climbers.
The "ecclesiastical career" ... Then you become an official, and when a priest begins to be an entrepreneur, both in the parish and in the college ..., wherever he is, he loses that closeness to the people, he loses that poverty that makes him similar to Christ poor and crucified, and becomes the entrepreneur, the entrepreneur priest and not the servant ».

This is not «a" career ": it is a service, a service like that which God did to his people. And this service of God to his people has "traces" of him, it has a style, a style that you must follow. Style of closeness, style of compassion and style of tenderness. This is God's style ».
Bergoglio explains that there are four neighborhoods to follow.

The first: «With God in prayer, in the sacraments, in the Mass. Talk to the Lord, be close to the Lord. He made himself close to us in his Son. Even in the bad moments of sin, he was there ». The priest who «does not pray - he observes - slowly extinguishes the fire of the Spirit within.
Proximity to God ».

Second, closeness «to the Bishop. Stay close, because in the Bishop you will have unity. You are, I do not mean servants - you are servants of God - but collaborators of the Bishop ».

Third closeness, «between you. And I suggest you a resolution to make this day: never speak badly of a brother priest. If you have something against another, be men, you have trousers: go there, and tell him to his face. "

Then, the most important: to the holy faithful people of God. None of you studied to become a priest. You have studied the ecclesiastical sciences, as the Church says it must be done. But you were chosen, taken from the people of God. The Lord said to David, "I have taken the flock away from you." Do not forget where you came from: of your family, of your people ... Do not lose the sense of the people of God. Priests of the people, not clerics of the State! ».

The style of “closeness which is God's style. But God's style is also a style of compassion and tenderness. Don't close your heart to problems.
And you will see so many! When people come to tell you about their problems and to be accompanied ...
Waste time listening and consoling. Compassion, which leads you to forgiveness, to mercy. Please: be merciful, be forgiving ».

Domenico Agasso
NP May 2021