Pope's general audience of March 26

March 26, 03, 2014 . Pope Francis held his weekly general audience on Wednesday in Rome’s St. Peter’s Square. The public meeting is an opportunity for pilgrims and tourists visiting Rome to be able to see and hear the Pope, and also receive his blessing. The Pope dedicated the general audience of March 26 to the Sacrament of Holy Orders, or priesthood. The audience began with aides reading a passage from the Letter to the Hebrews, in several languages.
Listen:

Pope Francis then delivered his main discourse in Italian - summaries of which were read out by aides in various languages, including in English. But first, the aide greeted the Pope on behalf of the English-speaking pilgrims.
Listen:

… Dear Brothers and Sisters: in our catechesis on the sacraments, we now turn to the sacrament of Holy Orders. Building on the vocation received in the sacraments of Christian initiation – Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist – the sacraments of Holy Orders and Matrimony correspond to two specific vocations and are two ways of following Christ and building up his Church. Holy Orders, in its three grades of bishop, priest and deacon, is the sacrament of pastoral ministry. Jesus entrusted his Apostles with the care of his flock and in every age the ordained make present in the Christian community the one Shepherd who is Christ. Following the Lord’s own example, they lead the community as its servants. Theirs must be lives of passionate love for the Church for whose purification and holiness the Lord gave himself completely, and they must constantly renew the grace and joy of their ordination through prayer, penance, and daily celebration of the Eucharist. Today, let us pray for all the Church’s ministers, especially those most in need of our prayers, and ask the Lord always to grant his Church holy, generous and merciful pastors after his own heart.

Pope Francis then greeted the English-speaking pilgrims in Italian, which was translated into English by the aide:
Listen:

… I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims present at today’s Audience, including those from the United Kingdom, England, Australia, Denmark, Malta, China, Japan and the United States. Upon you and your families I invoke joy and peace in Christ our Lord. (BLESSING)