Happy Anniversary Pope Francis

Padre Jorge Bergoglio, when he was ordained a priest, December 13, 1969.

It was on December 13, 1969 that Jorge Bergoglio was ordained a priest. Little did know on that day that 50 years later he would be the leading the Catholic Church as the Vicar of Christ, as Pope Francis. A few months after his election as Pope, he issued a long letter, called an Apostolic Exhortation, called Evangelium Gaudium (The Gospel of Joy) which is filled with warnings, encouragement, and challenges, all rooted in a pastor's love for the flock. He speaks in general how our religion, our Gospel is one of joy. These are some extracts from it:

“I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting Him encounter them.“
“People should seek to abandon the complacent attitude that says: ‘We have always done it this way’. I invite everyone to be bold and creative in this task of rethinking the goals, structures, style and methods of evangelization in their respective communities.”
On difficulties we have to face, Pope Francis writes: “Let us not say, then, that things are harder today; they are simply different. But let us learn also from the saints who have gone before us, who confronted the difficulties of their own day.“

He speaks about Joy - “Sometimes we are tempted to find excuses and complain, acting as if we could only be happy if a thousand conditions were met. To some extent, this is because our ‘technological society has succeeded in multiplying occasions of pleasure, yet has found it very difficult to create, enhance and engender joy’.” Happy 50th anniversary of priesthood, dear Pope Francis.