Letter from Pope John Paul II to the priests for Holy Thursday 3-12-1991

S. John Paul II

Vatican City, March 12, 1991

“For a fairer distribution of priests in the Church: a plan to help some more needy regions… well, a special proposal ”.

Decree “Presbiterorum Ordinis” n. 10 considers that, to resolve the serious shortage of priests in certain regions, “it is opportune to institute international seminaries”. This idea is realized in the “Redemptoris Mater” seminars, which prepare diocesan priests for the New Evangelization, according to the program of the Neocatechumenal Way. We wonder if this option could also be offered to those who do not follow such a movement. To this end, the Episcopal Conferences of some countries, such as Italy, Spain, Poland and Ireland, should be invited to establish national (or international) seminaries for the New Evangelization. Thus a new form of ministry would be realized: the diocesan missionary.