5 Now another thing which We strongly commend is that you appoint only the best men you can find as parish priests. For those who are elevated to this post, full of honor and authority but fuller yet of cares and rugged byways, are those whom the bishops choose as associates in their pastoral cares, and whom they use especially as helpers as an example to those who shall believe in Him for the attainment of eternal life.(4) For Christ Himself guides and protects His pastors; He keeps the faithful vigilant, lest the holy people of God be endangered by the attacks of enemies and suf fer harm. They are appointed pastors of souls made to the image of their Creator,(5) purchased for God and the Lamb not with perishable things, with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish.(6) Therefore it is fitting that they are in Labor again until Christ be formed in them.(7) As pastors, unless they prefer to be numbered among the hired servants, they must know their sheep, nourish them with the food of the Word of God, and arm them with the armor of the sacraments. Themselves models for the flock, holding the mystery of faith with a pure conscience,(8) let them guide the people entrusted to them in such a way that they can say with the Apostle be imitators of me as I am of Christ.(9) With good cause they are considered angels whom God sends before his people to guard it on the way(10) and through the midst of enemies to bring it to the place I have prepared, the holy city of Jerusalem to be revealed in the Last time.(11) Since all this is so, you see, Venerable Brothers, how much labor is needed to select pastors and how much continuous vigilance to keep them faithful to their office. They must be the men of whom the words of our Lord were spoken: You are the light of the world . . . You are the salt of the earth.(12) Therefore choose men on fire with love and zealous concern for souls, who do not seek what is theirs but what is Christ's, ready to endure labor and even to lay down their lives for their sheep. Those who strive to undertake so arduous and venerable a task for the sake of filthy gain or for human reasons, who lack suitable holiness and learning, are to be rejected. They are mercenaries who do not enter by the gate, salt which has lost its saltiness; it is no Longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.(13).
Source: Inter Graves (Vatican.va)