Requirements of Seminaries

6. All these things indicate that exceptional diligence is needed in the education of clerics for according to the word of God, they are "the salt of the earth and the Light of the world. Every praiseworthy quality which is joined to sound doctrine and holiness of life ought to be carefully nurtured in the young clergy and is no less necessary for the older clergy who labor for the equipment of the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.(⁵) We know that in the seminaries your labors are not lacking. So rather than offer admonition, it is fitting to commend you and all those in whose work of teaching and administration the seminaries rejoice. Surely in times which are so difficult for the Church, when the enemies of truth grow strong, when the pestilence of corruption no longer creeps in the dark but impudently parades everywhere, more remedies are required than before; these must come from the clergy in the form of greater effort in the good fight for faith and virtue.