ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

My brother Bishops and Priests,
Monsignor Prior,
Members of the Board of Trustees, Faculty and Staff,
Dear Deacons and Seminarians,

I am very pleased to be with you today for the celebration of the Patronal Feast of our Seminary. It is also a joy for me to celebrate, for those aspiring to Holy Orders, the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders. For all of us, the memory of the great Saint Charles Borromeo and the Rite of Candidacy spur us on to a deeper desire to serve Almighty God in the midst of His Church, and to fulfill our duties to Him in fidelity, humility, charity and joy, especially in our modern world.

The history of the Church demonstrates that, in times of difficulty, stress or trial, God raises up men and women who are recognized as outstanding in holiness. By the witness of their devotion and spirituality, their words and actions, by the moving force of their relentless prayers, by their constant imitation of Christ, these men and women have inspired others to greater holiness and more fervent service. This is certainly true in the life and example of Saint Charles Borromeo.

Daily, here in this Seminary, we are reminded of the simple motto which was at the core of the life, ministry and spirituality of Saint Charles Borromeo: Humilitas. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines humility as "The virtue by which a Christian acknowledges that God is the author of all good. Humility avoids inordinate ambition or pride, and provides the foundation for turning to God in prayer (2559). Voluntary humility can be described as ‘poverty of spirit’" (Glossary, p. 882).

While a young man, Saint Charles was called upon by his uncle, Pope Pius IV, to assume important responsibility in the Church. He became a Cardinal, the Bishop of Milan, and Papal Secretary of State. In spite of his important positions, Saint Charles fulfilled humbly and persevered unwaveringly in whatever the Church asked of him. He was particularly dedicated to the work of the Council of Trent which guided the Church’s efforts to preserve unity, refute error and combat heresy. He also devoted his energy to the establishment of seminaries and the spiritual renewal of the clergy and laity. In all of this, Saint Charles quietly exhibited an all-consuming charity which made him always available for the service of the poor and afflicted, and daily motivated him to use his physical strength and personal resources to assist those ravaged by hunger and disease in his Diocese of Milan.

We recall that Saint Charles was the Patron Saint of the Servant of God Pope John Paul II. Of his Patron, our late beloved Holy Father stated: "Saint Charles was indeed one of those saints to whom was given the word, ‘in order to make known the Gospel,’ of which he was ‘ambassador,’ because he had inherited the mission from the Apostles. He accomplished that mission in an heroic manner, with total dedication of his powers." Pope John Paul II continued his remarks by quoting an exhortation from Saint Charles to the Bishops of Lombardy. These words are appropriate, not only for Bishops, but also for priests and deacons, and all of you, dear seminarians, who aspire to Holy Orders. "Christ pointed out the sublimest motivation of our ministry... and taught that love above all must be the master and teacher of our apostolate, the love which he (Jesus) wills to express through us to the faithful entrusted to us" (quoted in Pope John Paul II, Prayers and Devotions, ed. by Bishop Peter Canisius Johannes Van Lierde). This is the love of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who not only leads and protects His flock, but also lays down His life for His sheep (cf. Jn 10:11,15-16).
The passage from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans, proclaimed a few moments ago, clearly conveys this love described by Saint Charles, the love which stirs and sustains the vocation to ministry within the Church. It is a love which is sincere, a love which is at the heart of that mutual affection which we call our fraternity, a love which moves us always to honor one another (cf. Rom 12:9). We can easily imagine Saint Charles encouraging us in the same words with which Saint Paul exhorted the Church of Rome: "Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality" (Rom 12:11-13).

The beautiful words of the psalmist also indicate that this call to apostolate, to ministry, comes from God. It is God Himself who chooses and consecrates; it is God who gives strength: "I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, that my hand may always be with him, and that my arm will make him strong" (Ps 89: 21-22).

Saint Charles, considered to be a model shepherd, is an outstanding example of what the Council of Trent refers to as the magnum donum, the great gift of perseverance. In the daily conduct of his duties as the pastor of many souls as well as in the administration of the demanding affairs of the universal Church, in his tireless and zealous efforts at reform, and in immersing himself in the pastoral care of the sick and dying in his plague-ridden city, Saint Charles persevered in humility, in charity and in prayer, particularly at a time when the Church was faced with great difficulty and society was in great turmoil.

Dear seminarians, moved by the Holy Spirit, you present yourselves for Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders. Today, you profess and the Church accepts your intention to embrace a life of self-sacrifice, of celibate chastity, and obedience in imitation of Jesus Christ, our great High Priest. In our own turbulent time, when the culture of modern society moves along a perilous path of darkness and immorality, the world needs you, young men striving for holiness, living witnesses to the enduring love of Jesus and the transforming power of the Gospel. Our Liturgy of the Word and the example of Saint Charles Borromeo move you to be constantly in awe of the love of God, to be ever aware of the dignity of your call, and never to forget that God who chose you will also strengthen and sustain you. From the graciousness of God you have available to you that great gift of perseverance. Now, this great gift enables you to continue in the day-to-day routine of seminary life, work and study. The great gift of perseverance keeps you rooted in your spiritual exercises, prayers and devotions, even when you feel tired or arid. In the future, the great gift of perseverance will uphold you when, God willing, as priests you go forward to administer the Sacraments and to preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to a world so often indifferent, sometimes even hostile, to the Word of God.

Perseverance is nurtured and sustained by the prayerful vision of the face of Jesus through meditation. Saint Charles himself instructs us: "This is the way we can easily overcome the countless difficulties we have to face day after day, which, after all, are part of our work: in meditation we find the strength to bring Christ to birth in ourselves and in other men" (Office of Readings, November 4).

Dear friends: if you aspire to be configured to Jesus, as well as to lead others to Jesus, begin to deepen your prayer. Through meditation, through the devout recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours, through prayerful contemplation of the mysteries of the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, through adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and through fervent participation in Mass and Holy Communion, you will find the desire to imitate Jesus and to persevere, in the days and years to come, in carrying out whatever God asks of you. In conclusion, recall the words which our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI addressed to all seminarians during his visit to Saint Joseph Seminary, Dunwoodie: "The People of God look to you to be holy priests, on a daily journey of conversion, inspiring in others the desire to enter more deeply into the ecclesial life of believers. I urge you to deepen your friendship with Jesus the Good Shepherd. Talk heart to heart with him. Reject any temptation to ostentation, careerism, or conceit. Strive for a pattern of life truly marked by charity, chastity and humility, in imitation of Christ, the Eternal High Priest, of whom you are to become living icons" (Address to Young People and Seminarians, April 19, 2008).