Pope Francis Celebrates 50 Years of Priesthood

Half a century ago today, Jorge Mario Bergoglio was ordained a priest. Throughout his 50 years of priesthood, Pope Francis has embraced the less fortunate with divine mercy. He sees the role of the priest, and his role as the Holy Father, as that of a shepherd. During an address to priests in the Spring of 2014, the Pope said: "In the image of the Good Shepherd, the priest is a man of mercy and compassion, close to his people and a servant to all... Whoever is wounded in life, in whatever way, can find in him attention and a sympathetic ear....Wounds need to be treated... We priests must be there, close to these people. Mercy first means treating the wounds".

Join us in praying for Pope Francis on his Golden Jubilee, and watch this video from Vatican News to learn more about the Pope's 50 years of priesthood.