Brothers,
thank you for your loyalty to the commitments undertaken. (…)
thank you for the joy with which you were able to give your life. (…)
thank you because you try to strengthen the bonds of fraternity and friendship in the presbyterate and with your bishop, supporting each other. (…)
thank you for the testimony of perseverance and "endurance" in pastoral commitment. (...)
thank you because you celebrate the Eucharist daily and shepherd with mercy in the sacrament of reconciliation. (…)
thank you because you anoint and eagerly proclaim to all, "in season and in season" the Gospel of Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Tim 4,2:XNUMX) (...)
thank you for all the times when, leaving your bowels moved, you welcomed those who had fallen, healed their wounds. (…)
We want to thank you also for the holiness of God's faithful people whom we are invited to shepherd and through whom the Lord also shepherds and takes care of us with the gift of being able to contemplate this people. (… We give thanks for each of them and let us be helped and encouraged by their testimony; because "his mercy is eternal".(…)
Pope Francesco
Letter on the occasion of the 160th anniversary of the death of the Holy Curé of Ars
August 4th, 2019