In Genoa, the pope also met priests and nuns, greeting first the sick among them. Later, he answered four of their questions by challenging them to meet the real needs of the people.
POPE FRANCIS
'The worst thing we can think of, that we can imagine, is a static life. A life of the priest who has everything resolved, everything in order, organized, everything in its place, fixed hours- at this time the Church office opens, the Church is closed at this time- I'm afraid of the static priest. He scares me.â?
The religious also told him that they are concerned about the lack of vocations. The pope asked them to be happy and generous, because this example attracts good people. He also asked them to devote their time to them.
POPE FRANCIS
'There are vocations, God gives them to us. But if you- a priest or consecrated or sister- you are always busy, you do not have time to listen to the young people who come... 'Yes, yes, tomorrow.â? Why? Because the young are 'boring,â? always with the same questions... If you do not have the time, they will look for another that listens to them. Listen to them. And then, the youth are always active. We must lead them on an apostolic path. Four days of vacation in a village: I invite you all, let's go take a small mission to this place, or paint a school in a village that is dirty. And they go immediately. And in doing this, the Lord speaks to them.'
