VATICAN CITY, April 26, 2026 – Pope Leo XIV on Sunday ordained 10 new priests at St. Peter’s Basilica, urging them to keep the doors of the Church open and to remember that their mission is to welcome, not to exclude.
“Today more than ever, especially when the statistics indicate division between the people and the Church, keep the door open! Let people in and be ready to go out,” the Pope said in his message. religious song For Mass on the fourth Sunday after Easter, also known as Good Shepherd Sunday.
“This is another mystery of your life: You are a channel, not a filter,” he told the ordinands.
Eight new priests were appointed to the Diocese of Rome, among whom are the papal bishops: Guglielmo LaPenna, Giorgio LaRosa, José Emanuel Nelme Sabate, Giovanni Emanuele Nunziante Salazar, Antonino Ordin, Yordan Camilo Ramos Medina, Daniele Riccia and Cristian Saguazino.
The Pope also appointed Armando Roa Núñez, who was born in Mexico and joined the Diocese of Miao in India, and Selwyn Pinto Loyas, who was born in Saudi Arabia and joined the Institute of Christ the Redeemer, Identitarian Missionaries.
Reflecting on the Gospel in which Jesus says, “I am the door,” Leo asked the new priests to see themselves as servants of a suffering humanity waiting for abundant life.
He said, “Never hide this sacred door. Do not block it; do not become a hindrance to those who wish to enter it.” Citing Jesus’ rebuke in the Gospel of Luke, he added: “You yourself could not enter, and you also prevented those who were entering.”
The Pope said that priestly ministry should be marked by communion and openness. “You are everyone and for everyone!” He said. “This should be the basic purpose of your mission: without using too many words, to keep the threshold open and direct others toward it.”
Leo also urged ordinands not to limit Christian life to parish structures or church groups.
He said, “The doors of the Church are open, but not to separate us from life: life does not end in some parish, in some congregation, in some movement, in some group.” “Anyone who is left can ‘go out and find pasture.'”
“Dear brothers, go out and discover the culture, the people and the life!” The Pope continued. “Amaze the things God makes grow without us even sowing.”
The Pope also talked about celibacy and compared it to the love of a spouse.
“Certainly, like the love of a spouse, the love that motivates celibacy for the Kingdom of God must also be preserved and constantly renewed, for every true affection matures and bears fruit over time,” he said.
He told new priests that the deeper their relationship with Christ, “the more radical” their relationship to humanity will be, adding that they are called to be “not only good priests but also honest, helpful citizens, builders of peace and social friendship.”
The Pope warned against fear and the search for scapegoats, saying that the need for security today can make people aggressive and communities close in on themselves.
He said, “Your security lies not in your role, but in your participation in the story of salvation through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, as well as with his people.”
The communities to which the priests will be sent are already places where the Risen Christ is present, he said.
“These communities will also help you become a saint!” Leo said. “For your part, help them walk together, following Jesus the Good Shepherd, so that they can become places of life – gardens – that rise anew and share themselves with others.”
He added: “Facilitating encounters, helping to bring together people who would otherwise never meet, and reconciling divisions is the same as celebrating the Eucharist and reconciliation. Coming together always means renewing the Church.”
Later on Sunday, before leading regina cali From the window of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Leo returned to the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd and the door of the sheepfold.
He said, “Jesus comes as a thief not to take away our life and our freedom, but to lead us to the path of righteousness.” “He does not come to ensnare or deceive our conscience, but to illuminate it with the light of His wisdom. He does not come to tarnish our earthly happiness, but to open them to fuller and more lasting happiness.”
“Those who entrust themselves to him have nothing to fear,” the Pope said, “for he does not deprive us of life, but comes to give it to us in abundance.”
Leo urged believers to be vigilant about who enters the “door” of their hearts.
“‘Thieves’ can take many forms,” he said, citing those who “suppress our freedom or fail to respect our dignity,” as well as “beliefs and prejudices,” “false ideas” and “superficial and consumerist lifestyles” that leave people empty inside.
He also pointed to those who “harm humanity by plundering the Earth’s resources, waging blood-thirsty wars, or promoting evil in any form,” saying, “They do nothing but deprive each of us of the possibility of a future marked by peace and tranquility.”
The Pope invites the faithful to examine their conscience: “Who do we want to guide us in life? Which ‘thieves’ have tried to break into our realm? Have they succeeded, or have we managed to drive them away?”
Following Regina Kelly, Leo commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, calling it a warning about the risks of powerful technologies.
He said, “Let us entrust to God’s mercy those who died and those who are still suffering after the disaster.” “I hope that prudence and responsibility will always prevail at every level of decision-making so that all uses of nuclear energy can be in the service of life and peace.”
The Pope also extended special congratulations to the relatives and friends of the new priests of the Diocese of Rome.
“Please continue your prayers with these young ministers of the gospel,” he said.
this story was first published In two parts By ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language news partner of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
