Vatican City, Feb 17, 2020 / 05:09 am
Pope Francis has requested that priests in formation for the Holy See's diplomatic service be required to spend one year in missionary work, the Vatican announced Monday.
The pope has asked the change to go into effect for the 2020/2021 academic year. He called for the curriculum update in a letter to the president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, Bishop Joseph Marino.
In order to face "growing challenges for the Church and for the world, future diplomats of the Holy See must acquire, in addition to solid priestly and pastoral formation, and the specific one offered by this Academy, also a personal mission experience outside their own Diocese of origin," Francis wrote.
It is an opportunity for the priests to share "with the missionary churches a period of journey together with their community, participating in their daily evangelizing activity," he added.