Holy Father's annual Holy Thursday address to priests

LETTER OF THE HOLY FATHER
POPE JOHN PAUL II
TO PRIESTS
FOR HOLY THURSDAY 2004

This has been posted on the Vatican web site.

The Holy Father notes that the ministerial priesthood is "born, lives, works and bears fruit 'de Eucharistia'". He spends considerable time discussing the Holy Eucharist and priesthood.

In speaking of vocations, he also says "...I would ask you, among other initiatives, to show special care for altar servers, who represent a kind of “garden” of priestly vocations. The group of altar servers, under your guidance as part of the parish community, can be given a valuable experience of Christian education and become a kind of pre-seminary."

This would be an indirect way way of calling for males to be asked to serve at Holy Mass.

He also asks for obedience in a special way and prayers for vocations:
"Dear brother priests, your particular mission in the Church requires that you be “friends” of Christ, constantly contemplating his face with docility at the school of Mary Most Holy. Pray unceasingly, as the Apostle exhorts (cf. 1Th 5:17), and encourage the faithful to pray for vocations, for the perseverance of those called to the priestly life and for the sanctification of all priests."