This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience the seminarians of the “Pius X” Pontifical Regional Seminary of Apulia in Molfetta and the Episcopal Seminary of Aversa.

The following is the address delivered to those present during the meeting:

Address of the Holy Father

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Peace be with you.

Dear brothers in the Episcopate,
Priests, seminarians, family members,

First and foremost, I would like to thank you most sincerely for being here today.

You come from two different paths and two different regions, but this year your seminaries are celebrating an anniversary together. In Molfetta, you are commemorating the centenary of the new premises, built at the behest of Pope Pius XI, after whom your seminary is named, while in Aversa you are celebrating the tercentenary of the opening of the current premises.

In meeting with you, I wish to emphasize one aspect of your formative journey: that of your relationship with the One who has called you. Study, discipline and the stages of your journey are important elements to bear in mind, but they are meaningful only if grounded in your relationship with God.

Saint Mark, in his Gospel, tells us that Jesus “went up into the hills, and called to him those whom He desired; and they came to Him. And He appointed twelve” – whom He called apostles – “to be with Him, and to be sent out to preach” (Mk 3-13-14).

These few words contain everything. As we reflect on this brief passage, we can discern a remarkable synthesis of the experience relevant to everyone who is called, to all those who wish to deepen their understanding of the truth of their own vocation. There is the mountain to climb, where we may encounter Christ and, above all, where we may be with Him. The heart of the seminary experience lies entirely here: learning to be with the Master, the Lord Jesus.

The evangelist tells us that the Lord “called to him those whom he desired”, and immediately highlights the freedom of God, from which every vocation springs. There is no competition, no ranking, nor is it written that He chose the best: He chose those whom He wished. In a world so intent on celebrating self-realization, it is truly important to reiterate that none of you, and none of us, is here because we have earned it, but solely by God the Father’s free choice, a sign and pledge of a gratuitous love that always precedes us and never disappoints.

Dearest seminarians, your very presence in the seminary is a sign of hope for the whole Church. Not of vague optimism, but of the certainty that the Lord always calls, in every age of history and in every place. As I look upon each of you, I contemplate the wonder of God, who never tires of whispering into the hearts of young people the beauty of giving one’s life for Him and for the Church.

Every vocation arises from an intimate dialogue with God, nurtured in silence and prayer, which often takes place “despite the deafening noise of the world” (Leo XIV, Message for the 63rd World Day of Prayer for Vocations, 16 March 2026). That is where everything is decided, and for that dialogue to take place, we must learn to be with Him.

You have many examples of this, but I think that for all of you the venerable bishop Don Tonino Bello shows with particular clarity what it means to be a Priest and to be a Bishop: not in words, but in every gesture and in every decision, and to bear witness to it to the very end.

For this reason, time spent in the seminary remains necessary, today no less than in the past. In a world that is in a hurry and views any prolonged pause with suspicion, one might think it is a luxury, or an outdated institution, but this is not the case. Precisely because our times are fast-paced and noisy, there is a need for a place and a season in life where one learns to be still, to discern, and to allow oneself to be formed without taking shortcuts. The seminary is not a postponement of the mission, but a prerequisite for it. Let us not underestimate this.

Indeed, after hearing the Lord’s voice, it is necessary to go to Him and to climb the mountain, and this can sometimes be arduous, for we climb on foot, at times breathless, without yet seeing the summit.

The toil of spiritual life is, however, sustained by the beauty of brotherhood and the sharing of the mission. Indeed, on the mountain, Jesus does not call just one man, but twelve, with the most diverse and, at times, seemingly unlikely personalities, as it would seem to us. The Lord gathers them together, keeping them side by side, so that they may learn that the Church is lived out together: she belongs to none of us individually, and we are all called to love and serve her as one body. You who come from Molfetta experience this in a special way, for in the regional seminary, communion amongst the Churches of Apulia is not merely an ideal, but a concrete friendship that is taking root during these years and which will accompany you as priests throughout your lives.

For, just as “no pastor exists on his own” (Leo XIV, Apostolic Letter A Fidelity that Generates the Future, 8 December 2025, 15), neither can a seminarian conceive of a private journey with the Lord: he must always feel and experience the beauty of ecclesial mediation. The seminary, therefore, even before being a place where knowledge is acquired, should be “a training ground to help a seminarian attend to his own heart” (ibid., 12). And I ask you, dear formators, to be the first teachers of that care and that fraternity which are manifested in authentic, personal and communal relationships, built on truth and charity. One does not become a formator overnight: yours is an extremely delicate ministry for which one prepares with knowledge, patience and love.

Then there remains the final step: that of coming down from the mountain, for the mountain is not a refuge. Jesus does not take the Twelve up high to keep them safe, but so that, having experienced God, they may be sent out to communicate this newness of life to the world.

You will therefore be called to come down from the mountain, to be sent to the people of your own lands: to those families struggling to make ends meet, to young people who, at the age of twenty, pack their bags in search of work, to the elderly living alone, to the marginalized, and to those who have lost sight of the meaning of life. The priest is sent to everyone so that he may proclaim to all the beauty of faith in Jesus Christ, the good news of our salvation. It is the salvation that has been given to us through Mary. Entrust yourselves to her, as to the One who was the first to do what is now asked of you. Ask Mary for the grace to learn to say your “yes” to the Lord Jesus every day.

Dearest seminarians, before we part I would like to thank you. Thank you, on behalf of the Church, for the “yes” you have spoken and which you continue to speak every day: it is neither easy nor a matter of course in today’s world, and the Church is well aware of this.

And I wish to say a special thank you to the families present here. A vocation never arises without a suitable environment, and it often needs a home, parents who pray and who know how to let go. To you, dear families, goes my gratitude and that of the whole Church.

I greet and bless the deacons who will be ordained priests in a few days’ time: I keep you in my personal prayer, so that you may always be faithful, joyful and courageous disciples of the Lord. We will all pray for you.

I bless you all from my heart, together with your Bishops, your formators, your families, and those communities that are waiting for you and are already praying for you. Thank you.