that contain “priesthood material” are cited (see the final page for
bibliographic sources and the method of citation). One now turns
directly to elucidating the “priestly thought” of Pope Francis.
1. Anchor Your Priesthood in Your Relationship with Christ
In his first apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium (3), Francis directly
invited everyone (priests, in particular) to daily engagement with
Jesus. “I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a
renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ. . . . I ask all of you to do
this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not
meant for him or her. . . . The Lord does not disappoint those who take
this risk; whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize
that he is already there, waiting for us with open arms” (CC). “Each of
us is very dear to God, who loves us, chooses us, and calls us to serve.
. . . We would do well each day to pray trustingly for this, asking to be
healed by Jesus, to grow more like him who ‘no