The Pope goes to seminary

"Dear Seminarians,

"I greet all of you with great affection and gratitude for your festive welcome
and particularly for the fact that you have come to this gathering from so many countries the world over.

* * * * *

"The Magi set out because of a deep desire which prompted them to leave everything and begin a journey. It was as though they had always been waiting for that star. It was as if the journey had always been a part of their destiny, and was finally about to begin.

"Dear friends, this is the mystery of God’s call, the mystery of vocation. It is part of the life of every Christian, but it is particularly evident in those whom Christ asks to leave everything in order to follow him more closely.

"The seminarian experiences the beauty of that call in a moment of grace which could be defined as 'falling in love.'

"His soul is filled with amazement, which makes him ask in prayer: 'Lord, why me?' But love knows no 'why;' it is a free gift to which one responds with the gift of self."

* * * * *

"The seminary years are a time of journeying, of exploration, but above all of discovering Christ. It is only when a young man has had a personal experience of Christ that he can truly understand the Lord’s will and consequently his own vocation.

"The better you know Jesus the more his mystery attracts you. The more you discover him, the more you are moved to seek him. This is a movement of the spirit which lasts throughout life...."

from an address to seminarians earlier today