Archbishop Thomas Wenski preached this homily at the installation Mass for the rector of St. John Vianney College Seminary, Msgr. Pablo Navarro. The Mass was celebrated Oct. 21, 2021 at the seminary.

“Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.” Because of that hope in Jesus Christ, a hope that will not disappoint, Christ’s faithful have continued to support this college seminary over the years and will continue to do so. In his Apostolic Exhortation, Pastores dabo vobis, Pope St. John Paul II, whose feast day we celebrate tomorrow, set forth a vision of seminary renewal that continues to guide St. John Vianney College Seminary in the human, pastoral, academic and spiritual formation of future priests for Florida and beyond.

And, of course, today we formally install your new rector, Msgr. Pablo Navarro. Once again, he publicly makes a profession of faith as he formally assumes the responsibilities of rector. This is not his first rodeo: He is a seasoned pastor and he was a successful rector of St. Vincent de Paul Seminary for many years. He brings many talents and gifts, and much experience and wisdom through more than 40 years of priestly service. Thank you for saying “yes” once again.

John Paul II rightly felt that the formation of future priests and their personal sanctification is the most demanding and important task for the Church for the future evangelization of humanity. So, I and the bishops that support this seminary are grateful to the rector and to the priests and other faculty members who have accepted the challenges and sacrifices involved in seminary work. I hope your students appreciate you as well.

The People of God need “holy priests.” To quote Pope Francis, “Holy priests are sinners who have been forgiven, and instruments of forgiveness. Their existence speaks the language of patience and perseverance; they are not tourists of the spirit, eternally undecided and unsatisfied, as they know that they are in the hands of He Who never fails in His promises, and whose Providence ensures that nothing can ever separate them from their belonging. ... Yes, it is still the time for priests of this substance, ‘bridges’ enabling the encounter between God and the world.”

“Priests like this," in the words of Pope Francis, "cannot be improvised: They are forged through the valuable formative work of the seminary, and ordination consecrates them forever as men of God and servants of His people.”

“Priests like this cannot be improvised.” But God doesn’t necessarily call the qualified — for who among us can claim to be deserving of such a vocation? But, through the work of formation done here and in St. Vincent de Paul, God will qualify the called. (And those whom he doesn’t qualify will not be passed on to Boynton Beach!)

Pope St. John Paul II writes in “Pastores dabo vobis”: “The Church must never cease to pray to the Lord of the harvest that he send laborers into his harvest, (cf. Mt. 9:38). She must propose clearly and courageously to each new generation the vocational call, help people to discern the authenticity of their call from God and to respond to it generously, and give particular care to the formation of candidates for the priesthood.”

As rector, Msgr. Navarro, this Church of Miami — indeed the whole Province of Florida — gives you the responsibility, together with your faculty, of helping to create and preserve those conditions in which the good seed, sown by God, can take root and bring forth abundant fruit. As rector, you must discern together with your collaborators how best to form future priests who are truly able to respond to the demands of our times and therefore capable of evangelizing the world. The rapid changes in our society and culture, the diversity and complexities of our local Churches do not make this task easy. However, your discernment is not done in a vacuum but indeed is guided by the wisdom of the Church in her teachings and in the lived experienced of her saints. We entrust this responsibility to you confident that God’s grace to you will not be ineffective.

The priests of tomorrow, no less than the priests of today, must resemble Christ — under your leadership, we pray that these young men learn Christ — not as merely a figure remembered from distant history, or as an abstract idea, but as the one who, though once was dead, is alive.