“Ecclesial vocations are manifestations of the immeasur­able riches of Christ.” (cf. Eph 3:8). Identifying and nurturing priestly vocations according to the needs of contemporary culture includes one of the chief concerns of Pope Francis. Today’s priest must not only be able to explain the teachings of the Church in a persuasive way but also give a convincing witness of the merciful heart of Jesus Christ. The recurring message of the Holy Father and his immediate predecessors is that the priest must be an expert in humanity. Under the broad scope of holiness, the priest must be grounded in deep prayer centered on the word of God and the Holy Eucharist.

His pastoral charity expressed in joy, affection and spirit of service must be an overflow of his spiritual life. Pope Francis repeats often in his addresses to priests and seminarians the need to go beyond a strictly academic or functional approach to pastoral ministry and actually move the hearts of his people.

The Holy Father speaks about the evangelization of attraction and accompaniment. This kind of ability certainly requires a strong foundation not only in the spiritual life but priestly virtues that can inspire young men to consider the priesthood.

No priest should feel exempt from this lofty task of both identifying and nurturing priestly vocations.

With these ideas in mind, the seminar will provide guidance and orientation to meet the challenge of cultivating possible candidates to the seminary. The speakers for this seminar have had very positive experiences in both attracting and fostering a priestly vocations. We certainly welcome their insights and recommendations.