Get your hands dirty

Pope Francis began his first full morning in South Sudan recently by meeting with bishops, priests and religious men and women in Juba's St. Theresa Cathedral, where he encouraged them to remain committed to ministries of service and to avoid the temptation of seeing themselves as above their flock. The Pope said further "We are not tribal chieftains, but compassionate and merciful shepherds; not overlords, but servants who stoop to wash the feet of our brothers and sisters, not a worldly agency that administers earthly goods, but the community of God's children. I encourage you to be willing to get your hands dirty for the people you serve, including speaking out against injustice and violence. We must never exercise our ministry by chasing after religious or social prestige, but rather by walking in the midst of, and alongside our people, learning to listen and to dialogue, cooperating as ministers with one another and with the laity.”