Vatican City – This morning, Pope Leo XIV met at the Vatican with seminarians from the dioceses of Triveneto, accompanied by their formators and two prominent figures of the Venetian Church: the Patriarch of Venice, Archbishop Francesco Moraglia, and the Bishop of Chioggia, Archbishop Giampaolo Dianin, president of the Commission for the Clergy and Consecrated Life of the Triveneto Episcopal Conference.
The meeting took place as part of the Jubilee pilgrimage of bishops, priests, and seminarians, marking a significant moment in the formation journey of future priests from this ecclesiastical region. The Pope greeted those present by recalling the deep Christian roots of the Triveneto area, linked to the memory of the ancient Church of Aquileia and the witness of saints and martyrs who illuminated the faith of northeastern Italy.
A Speech Rich in Spiritual and Pastoral References
In his address, Pope Leo XIV offered words of encouragement and vocational guidance. He pointed to the example of saints and blesseds associated with the Venetian land — including Bishop Chromatius, Saint Jerome, and the missionary blesseds Tullio Maruzzo and Giovanni Schiavo — as witnesses of a living and active faith that seminarians are called to preserve and renew.
At the heart of the speech was an invitation to perseverance along the vocational path, even amid difficulties. Quoting a well-known passage from Blessed John Paul I, the Pope from Canale d’Agordo, he compared the formation journey to a staircase climbed “one step at a time,” encouraging the young men not to give in to discouragement.
A particularly moving moment came when he referenced the conversion of Saint Augustine: Pope Leo XIV recalled the episode of Continence, which invites Augustine to throw himself into God without fear. “He will not step aside and let you fall,” the Pope emphasized, presenting these words as a key for understanding the entire formative journey, from celibacy to spiritual life.
Trust, Communion, Witness
Another strong theme of the speech was that of communion: the Pope urged the seminarians to live out fraternity and never see themselves as “soloists,” but rather as active members of the ecclesial body. He encouraged trust in their formators, underlining the crucial role of the bishop and the entire Church in supporting their vocational journey.
To the formators, he offered a clear appeal: to be “good companions on the road,” humbly and lovingly witnessing to the beauty of priestly life.
Finally, the Pope reminded everyone of what is essential: to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus, cultivating a friendship with Him. He quoted English writer Robert Hugh Benson, recalling that “the secret that made the saints is all here: the awareness of the friendship of Jesus Christ.”
A Church That Accompanies and Supports
The meeting concluded with the recitation of the Our Father and the apostolic blessing of the Holy Father, who dismissed those present with one final, simple wish: “Have a good day! Thank you so much, and may your journey of faith go well!”
S.I.
Silere non possum