Pope Francis wrote a 3-page letter to the priests of the Diocese of Rome. In it, he expressed his closeness and his desire to walk with them through their joys and sufferings.
One of the main messages of the letter was a warning against falling into the superiority and worldliness of clericalism. He urged each of them to remember the priestly spirit of being servants of God's people and not masters.
Pope Francis also warned against the temptations that can arise from “polite demons” in diguise. In December of 2022, he delivered a similar message to the Roman Curia.
POPE FRANCIS
But it is false to think that it (the devil) stays away for a long time. It is ingenuous to think that. In fact, after a while he reappears to us in a new guise. If before it appeared crude and violent, now it behaves more elegantly and politely. Then we once again need to recognize and expose it.
It always returns. The cast out demon returns. In disguise, but it returns. Let us be aware.
The Pope used the examples of apostles Peter and Paul to represent the virtue of humility that should be modeled among pastors.
Pope Francis closed the letter thanking the priests for their work and assuring them of his prayers for their mission. He then asked them to send him prayers as well.
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