AMERICA/BOLIVIA - Letter from the Archbishop of Sucre to his priests: “The priestly vocation grows, develops, and remains faithful and fruitful, only in an intense relationship with Christ.”

Sucre (Agenzia Fides) – Archbishop Jesus Perez Rodriguez, OFM, of Sucre has written a letter addressing all the priests of the diocese, for the beginning of the Year of the Priest, which will take place on June 19, Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and which will last until the same feast day in 2010. First of all, he reminds them that this Year is a great opportunity to “rediscover the beauty and importance of the priesthood and each priest.” Moreover, “the theme chosen by the Holy Father is extremely moving and it invites us to return to the Cenacle, Holy Thursday, when He instituted the Eucharist. In instituting the priesthood, He united it to the Eucharist in an inseparable manner.” Thus, he reminds the priests that “celebrating the Eucharist means celebrating who we are, always living our priestly identity, our ministry or service of making the Lord's Supper present. What greatness we possess! And what a responsibility! Are we astounded by this self-giving and this responsibility before Christ and the Church? At least we should be,” he said.
The Archbishop says that this occasion “is above all a renewed interior attitude in the joyful rediscovery of our own identity, of the fraternity within the priesthood of our own Diocese and the sacramental relationship to the Bishop.” He also mentions the importance of “continuing to trust in Christ, who called us with no merit of our own.” It is a trust that is nourished “by making recourse to the Lord, nourishing our life with prayer, in remaining in the Lord, in making time to be with Him, as 'he who remains in me bears much fruit' (Jn 15:5) and being aware of the need for this help: 'without me you can do nothing' (Jn 15:5).” In this sense, he insists once more on the need for adoration of the real presence of Christ in the “Consecrated Bread.” In fact, “the priestly vocation grows, develops, and remains faithful and fruitful, only in an intense relationship with Christ. How much could we improve or mature before the Blessed Sacrament! There, in a heart-to-heart contact, we experience the exclusivity of love. The root of fidelity to the ministry entrusted to us and holy celibacy is in love for Christ. We must place Christ at the center of our life, first and foremost, in our friendships and relationships, as well.”
The Archbishop of Sucre asks that all his priests, during this year, make a resolution towards a “greater effort to be with the Lord and above all, dedicate a time each day to adoration of the Real Presence of the Lord in our tabernacles,” and to reread the documents Presbiterorum Ordinis, Pastores Dabo Vobis.
“A priest who is aware of the Real Presence of Christ, will be a man of God, obedient, detached from himself and from any affection that can separate him from the Lord and the mission. He will have the zeal to carry out missionary work that is creative and courageous,” the Archbishop said in concluding his letter. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 16/06/2009)