In every moment of human history the absolute need for priests is felt, men chosen by God to be mediators between Him and mankind. Perhaps in our age this need is even more urgent and evident.

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But it is not enough that there be many priests: we need priests who are intellectually well-formed, have a deep prayer life, are self-sacrificing, generous, in short, priests who are holy.Their intellectual formation will allow them to give answers to the many and profound questions that assail the man of today, in light of the teachings of Christ transmitted by the Church.

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The International Ecclesiastical College Sedes Sapientiae, together with the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, strive to work in synergy to reach this two-fold end – intellectual formation and holiness of life – thus desiring to be able to offer many dioceses of the world, as St Josemaria wished, “priests who are faithful, devoted, gifted, abnegated, and always happy!” With him we desire “that our heavenly Mother, Spes nostra, Sedes Sapientiae, Ancilla Domini, may obtain for us the grace to be priests after the Heart of her Son and her own Immaculate Heart”.

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Working in Rome to achieve this goal further offers a specific characteristic, also very dear to St Josemaria: romanitas, catholicity, universality. It is our hope that the priests who by the grace of God have been formed in this College will also bring to their local chuches a great love for the Holy Father and for the Universal Church.