Pope Francis : Priests must let God shape them , like a potter with clay . 
Pope Francis
God is the patient and merciful artisan of our priestly formation and , as is written in the Ratio , this work lasts a lifetime ," Francis explained . 
This was Pope Francis 's message October 7 to a Vatican conference on priestly formation sponsored by the Congregation for the Clergy . 
Francis ended his remarks by asking for some self-reflection on the part of the clergy on why they are priests . 
Francis said to be the protagonist of his own formation , the seminarian or the priest must learn to say ` yes ' or ` no . ' 
"It is a work that requires the courage of letting ourselves be formed by the Lord , to transform our heart and our life ," Francis said . 
Francis said the prophet discovered that Israel is conserved in the loving hands of God , who like a patient potter , takes care of His creature , places the clay on the wheel , models it , forms it and , in that way , gives it shape . 
If a portion of the people is entrusted to the pastor , it is also true that the priest is entrusted to the people ," Francis said .
God is the patient and merciful artisan of our priestly formation and , as is written in the Ratio , this work lasts a lifetime ," [TGT] explained . 
This was Pope Francis 's message October 7 to a Vatican conference on priestly formation sponsored by the Congregation for the Clergy . 
[TGT] ended [TGT] remarks by asking for some self-reflection on the part of the clergy on why they are priests . 
[TGT] said to be the protagonist of [TGT] own formation , the seminarian or the priest must learn to say ` yes ' or ` no . ' 
"It is a work that requires the courage of letting ourselves be formed by the Lord , to transform our heart and our life ," [TGT] said . 
[TGT] said the prophet discovered that Israel is conserved in the loving hands of God , who like a patient potter , takes care of His creature , places the clay on the wheel , models it , forms it and , in that way , gives it shape . 
If a portion of the people is entrusted to the pastor , it is also true that the priest is entrusted to the people ," [TGT] said .