Cardinal Bertello advises Seminarians
His Eminence Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, has called on Seminarians to be Pastors and not mere administrators or bureaucrats after their formation.
He entreated them to be grateful to God for the opportunity to enter the Seminary and live their years of Formation with joy and happiness to transmit same to the faithful.
The Cardinal who was the Papal Envoy to the 40th Anniversary celebration of Diplomatic Relations between Ghana and the Holy See, said this when he presided over a Mass at the St. Paul’s Catholic Seminary at Sowutuom in Accra on March 7.
He also represented Pope Francis at the 60th Anniversary celebration of Ghana’s Independence on March 6.
The Mass was to open a five-day Seminaries Committee Meeting of the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (RECOWA-CERAO).
Cardinal Bertello advised the Seminarians to live out their ministry with enthusiasm and positively influence the society in which they live.
Most Rev. Jean Marie Speich, Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana in a homily, told the Rectors that the first need of Seminarians was spiritual food and not intellectual, theological and philosophical knowledge, human or pastoral experiences.
He therefore urged the Formators to be channels of God’s mercy and fortalice of the Priestly Vocation.
Stating that it was not the piling of words, phrases and formulas that make God hear or grant Christians petitions, he said prayers must be a sincere and serious communication with God.
He encouraged them to say their prayers using few, considerate and well-weighed words as God was interested in the quality and not the quantity of words.
The Nuncio called on Christians to be forgiving and approach God confidently, simply and with upright intentions “as He knows our needs more than we do.”
Very Rev. Fr. Francis Arthur, Rector of the Seminary, thanked Cardinal Bertello and Archbishop Speich for honouring their invitation.
He said the Meeting was for Rectors of the various Seminaries in the West African Sub- Region to interact, share ideas and experiences to improve upon the task entrusted to them.
It was attended by 22 Rectors from Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
