In a letter dedicated to 300 priests participating in the International Meeting Parish Priests for the Synod, Pope Francis stressed just how important their work is.
He expressed that the church would not be able to go on without their dedication and pastoral service.
Pope Francis highlighted that it is the pastors who are able to help bring people from different cultures, traditions and walks of life together in a synodal Church.
The letter emphasised that these differences are “indispensable for evangelisation,” a mission he has called them to before.
“We need [priests] who bear witness with their lives. Be priests burning with the desire to carry the Gospel through the world’s streets, in neighbourhoods, in homes, especially in the poorest and most forgotten places.”
The pope’s letter challenges parish priests to continue their work of building a synodal and missionary church in their own local communities.
But he reminded them that they must live their mission partnering with lay people, which will help them feel less alone in the demanding task of evangelisation.
This initiative of an international meeting of priests was a response to discussions made in the first session of the Synod of Bishops in 2023.
It called for the creation of more active roles for deacons, priests and bishops in the synodal process.