Pope Francis Asks Priests and Bishops To Be 'Smelly Shepherds', Not 'Wolves'

Pope Francis ordains 16 seminarians to the priesthood
in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Dec. 1, 2017

Photo courtesy: CNS

Pope Francis, immediately after being elected a pope on March 13, 2013, has been repeating his call for priests and bishops to be shepherds like Christ rather than 'wolves' that scatter or destroy sheep.

Pope Francis addressing the world's priests at the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, March 28, 2018, said: “The priest who seldom goes out of himself … misses out on the best of our people, on what can stir the depths of his priestly heart. … This is precisely the reason why some priests grow dissatisfied, lose heart and become, in a sense, collectors of antiquities or novelties — instead of being shepherds living with ‘the smell of the sheep.’ This is what I am asking you — be shepherds with the smell of sheep.”

 The Pope in his May 15, 2018 homily in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae residence at the Vatican, said: “A bishop is not a bishop for himself. He is for the people, and a priest is not a priest for himself. He is for the people: to serve, to nurture them, to shepherd them, who are his flock – in order to defend them from the wolves.”

According to the Catholic News Agency (CNA), Pope Francis repeated his prayers for bishops and priests who face temptation. “We are men and we are sinners.  We are tempted,” he said.

He cited St. Augustine’s commentaries on the prophet Ezekiel. Augustine warned against the temptations of wealth and vanity, when the bishop and priest “take from the people,” make deals and become “attached to money.”

He also added that "when a priest, a bishop goes after money, the people do not love him -- and that's a sign....he ends badly."

A bishop or priest on "the road to vanity" is one who "enters into the spirit of careerism -- and this hurts the Church very much," the Pope said. Such a man "ends up being ridiculous: he boasts, he is pleased to be seen, all powerful -- and the people do not like that!"

For more, please click on the following: 

• Pope Francis: Priests should be 'shepherds living with the smell of the sheep' (March 28, 2013)
• Pope Francis an inspiration to act like the Good Shepherd (April 25, 2013)
• Clergy must be shepherds, not wolves, says Pope (May 15, 2013)
• Meeting With Seminarians and Novices: Address of Holy Father Francis (Vatican: July 6, 2013)
• Pope Francis plays the Good Shepherd's role to perfection (Jan. 8, 2014)
• Shepherds Living With the Smell of the Sheep (Feb. 3, 2014)
• Smell of the Shepherds (Feb. 5, 2014)
• Pope Francis to Seminarians: "If You Are Not Willing To Act Like Shepherds, Change Path" (April 14, 2014)
• Francis' message to seminarians: If the priesthood's not for you, seek another path (April 14, 2014) [Pope stressed that the seminary is not a refuge for those with psychological problems]
• Pope to seminarians: you are preparing to be 'good shepherds' not bureaucrats (April 14, 2014)
• Pope Francis has given sheep and shepherd a renewed emphasis (March 13, 2015)
• Francis: Priests are shepherds, not managers (April 26, 2015)
• Pope Francis provides model for bishops (June 24, 2015)
• Rome retreat: Pope offers 'crash course' on mercy in priestly ministry (Feb. 6, 2016)
• How to be a good shepherd -- Pope Francis' guide for priests (June 3, 2016)
• Good priests don't own gloves, they get their hands dirty, says Pope Francis (June 3, 2016)
• Vatican updates guidelines for educating priests (July 12, 2016)
• A good shepherd shuns power and money and is never embittered (Oct. 18, 2016)
• Pope Francis: A good shepherd is never embittered even if deserted by everyone (Oct. 18, 2016)
• The Gift of the Priestly Vocation [Updated guidelines -- Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis -- for educating priests] (Vatican: Congregation for the Clergy -- December 8, 2016) 
• Pope Francis, Priesthood And Mission. Ten Inspirational Insights [by Father James H. Kroeger, M.M.] (April 21, 2016)
• Pope Francis' Dynamic Vision of Priesthood (2016)
• Pope: We Must Follow the Good Shepherd, Not False Wisdom (May 8, 2017)
• Pope Francis: A shepherd must freely follow the Spirit (May 30, 2017)
• Pope Francis: 'Shepherds are not the centre of the Church' (May 30, 2017)
• Pope Francis: A good shepherd know when to step down (May 31, 2017)
• Pope wants priests to be shepherds who encounter their flocks (June 16, 2017)
• On the path of the Good Shepherd (Pope Francis drew five verbs from the Gospel of Luke 13: 10-17) (Oct. 30, 2017)
• Pope Francis: a good shepherd is always close to his people (Oct. 31, 2017)
• Bishops called to be humble shepherds, not lonely masters, pope says (2017)
• Pope at Mass: 'Shepherds should show tenderness and closeness of Jesus' (Jan. 30, 2018)
• Pope advises priests: Be present and available for your people (Jan. 30, 2018)
• Shepherds Do Not Put Up Signs With Hours (Jan. 30, 2018)
• Priesthood isn't an assignment; it's a mission, Pope tells seminarians (Feb. 16, 2018)
• Pope Francis to new priests: Be like Jesus the Good Shepherd (April 22, 2018)
• "Bishops shall watch over the flock, and not be suitcase-in-hand office workers" (May 4, 2018)
• Bishops must protect their people from danger, pope says (May 4, 2018)
• Satan is attacking bishops: they must fight with prayer, pope says (Sept. 11, 2018)
• Pope to French priests: Be transformed by the Spirit (Oct. 1, 2018)
• Shepherding the Flock: Pope Francis' vision of Priesthood (2018)

Related Items:

• Clericalism And Its Corroding Effects in the Catholic Church (A collection of news and articles on 'clericalism') (Sept. 19, 2018)
• Vatican Scandals and Reforms of Pope Francis (Dec. 31, 2016)

(Updated on Oct. 4, 2018)