Pope Leo XIV to seminarians: \u2018Piety without doctrine becomes fragile sentimentality\u2019 Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday addressed a letter to seminarians of the Archdiocese of Trujillo, Peru, reminding them of the need to be close to Christ while discerning a vocation to the priesthood. In a long letter to men studying at the \u201cSan Carlos y San Marcelo\u201d major seminary, who celebrated the institution\u2019s 400th anniversary on Nov. 4, the Holy Father emphasized that prayer and the search for truth are not \u201cparallel journeys\u201d but a single path that leads to God. \u201cA piety without doctrine becomes fragile sentimentality; doctrine without prayer becomes sterile and cold,\u201d he wrote. \u201cNurture both with balance and passion, knowing that only in this way can you authentically proclaim what you live and live coherently what you proclaim.\u201d As an Augustinian missionary, Leo XIV once served as the seminary\u2019s director of studies. From 1989\u20131998 he taught San Carlos y San Marcelo seminarians canon law, moral theology, and patristics. Stressing the importance of forming both the \u201cspiritual and intellectual life\u201d at the seminary, the Holy Father said the combination of study and prayer prepares candidates for a \u201csolid and luminous priesthood.\u201d Focusing on the centrality of Jesus Christ, the pope said the \u201cfirst task\u201d of all seminarians is \u201cto be with the Lord, to let him form you, to know and love him, so that you may become like him.\u201d In the letter, he explained that the Church has always wanted seminaries to be places to help foster their personal relationship with Jesus and \u201cprepare those who will be sent to serve the holy people of God.\u201d \u201cFor this reason, before anything else, it is necessary to allow the Lord to clarify one\u2019s motivations and purify one\u2019s intentions,\u201d he wrote. \u201cThe priesthood cannot be reduced to \u2018achieving ordination\u2019 as if it were an external goal or an easy way out of personal problems.\u201d The priesthood as \u2018a total gift of one\u2019s existence\u2019 \u201cIt is not an escape from what one does not want to face, nor a refuge from emotional, family, or social difficulties; nor is it a promotion or a shelter, but a total gift of one\u2019s existence,\u201d he added. Underscoring the importance of freedom in the discernment process, the pope said it is not possible for a man \u201cbound by interests or fears\u201d to freely offer his life for others through the priesthood. \u201cThe will is truly free when it is not a slave,\u201d he wrote in his letter, quoting St. Augustine\u2019s \u201cThe City of God.\u201d \u201cThe decisive thing is not to be \u2018ordained\u2019 but truly to be priests,\u201d he said. Warning that the priesthood should not be confused with a \u201cpersonal right\u201d or a \u201cmere prerogative or bureaucratic function,\u201d Leo said a genuine vocation \u201carises from the choice of the Lord\u201d to share in his saving ministry. \u201cSeminary life is a journey of inner rectification,\u201d he said. \u201cRectitude of intention means being able to say every day, with simplicity and truth: \u2018Lord, I want to be your priest, not for myself, but for your people.\u2019\u201d Encouraging seminarians to be configured to Christ, the Holy Father urged them to devote time to encountering the Lord through dedicated times to prayer and study using sacred Scripture. \u2018Those who do not speak enough with God cannot speak of God\u2019 \u201cTime spent in prayer is the most fruitful investment of one\u2019s life, because it is there that the Lord shapes our feelings, purifies our desires, and strengthens our vocation,\u201d he said. \u201cThose who do not speak enough with God cannot speak of God!\u201d Speaking about the importance of the magisterium, the pope said: \u201cThe Church has always recognized that the encounter with the Lord needs to be rooted in intelligence and to become doctrine.\u201d \u201cWithout serious study there is no true pastoral ministry, because the ministry consists in leading people to know and love Christ and, in him, to find salvation,\u201d he wrote. Before concluding his letter with his apostolic blessing, the Holy Father said Eucharistic union and communion with others is essential to understand Jesus\u2019 \u201cpriestly fatherhood\u201d and \u201cthe unity between ministry and sacrifice.\u201d \u201cDear sons, in conclusion, I want to assure you that you have a place in the heart of the successor of Peter,\u201d he said. \u201cThe seminary is an immense and demanding gift, but you are never alone on this journey.\u201d This article was originally published by CNA. Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today EWTN Vatican on WhatsApp Kristina Millare Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter. 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