Sacerdotii nostri primordia
Sacerdotii nostri primordia ( Latin for the beginning of our priesthood) is an encyclical of Pope John XXIII. , with which he commemorated on August 1, 1959 the imminent centenary of the death of St. John-Maria (Jean-Marie) Baptist Vianney on August 4, 1859.
About the saint
In his opening remarks, Pope John XXIII. at the beginning of his priesthood, which would stand in a miraculous relationship with his ordination and the beatification (both in 1905) of the holy pastor of Ars. Then he describes its life and reminds of its spiritual qualities. The message of this text lies in the following central statement: Whenever priests pray in front of the altar , they should remember that “the Eucharistic prayer in the full sense is the holy sacrifice in Mass.” Without the celebration of Holy Mass there is also no real presence . John XXIII stated that the abiding presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist is an extension of the Eucharistic sacrifice.
"With the practice of this enlightening and fervent worship of the Eucharist, the priest's spiritual life grows and he is endowed with the missionary power of the greatest apostles."
Just like the holy pastor of Ars, John XXIII. mentions here as a trailblazer and as an example who spent most of his long hours of prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament and often turned to the tabernacle during his sermons and said with deep emotion, “He is there!”, so the clergy should also do their job understand and practice.
To the priests and bishops
John XXIII wrote to the candidates for the priesthood and bishops that they should learn to live according to the example of the Gospel , to grow strong in faith, hope and love, so that by practicing these virtues they may acquire the spirit of prayer. He admonished the bishops that because of this communion, that is, in the same priesthood and ministry, they should regard the priests as their brothers and friends, because the bishops are burdened with the heavy care of the sanctification of their priests. These explanations later found their way into the decrees Optatam totius on the formation of priests and the Presbyterorum ordinis on the service and life of priests during the Second Vatican Council .