It gives me great pleasure to send this Message to be published in the 2023-2024 issue of Seminary Echoes, brought out by the students of the Propaedeutic Year at the Seminary of Our Lady, Saligao-Pilerne. I am told the publication this year features mostly their reflections on prayer and the teachings of the mystics.
My dear Seminarians, you have set out on a journey towards the priesthood, guided by the light of faith and by the teachings of Jesus, many of them beautifully interiorized for us by great mystics, down the centuries. During the years of your formation, you are called and challenged to deepen your relationship with the Lord, to grow in holiness and to develop the virtues necessary for an effective priestly ministry. Prayer, study and community life are some of the essential components of your formation, which will shape you into the priests that God desires you to be.
Develop the habit of reading the mystics. They give us a unique and experiential understanding of our faith and spirituality. Their writings inspire us to embark on our own journeys of self-discovery and inner growth. Some of their experiences transcend religious boundaries and can indeed facilitate our dialogue with people of other faith traditions. Their profound sense of the divine reminds us of the enduring presence of God in our lives.
As you leave the Seminary of Our Lady to join our Major Seminary, or take another direction, I pray that Our Lady, your Patroness and the Mother of the Church, may help you to face the various challenges that life offers and, God willing, to become one day exemplary priests, rooted in Jesus and sincerely dedicated to the service of the other Mother, the Church.
Archbishop’s House, Panjim, Goa, February 7, 2024.