In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Peace be with you!

Excellencies, Reverend Monsignor Rector, dear priests of the College, dear members of the Archconfraternity, dear sisters and brothers,

I am glad to meet you on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the founding of your College and I offer you a warm welcome. The origins of the Campo Santo as a privileged reference point for pilgrims travelling to Rome from the territory of the Holy Roman Empire date back to the eighth century. In the nineteenth century this place took on particular importance for priests of their respective countries, when the activity of the clergy had been considerably hindered, if not made entirely impossible, because of the ecclesiastical policy measures of the Kulturkampf in the German Empire. Thanks to the welcome offered by the Archconfraternity of the Teutonic Campo Santo, it thus became a place of refuge and study for priests from German-speaking regions, increasingly turning into an important centre for Christian archaeology, Church history and research into Christian origins. All of you can look with gratitude on the rich fruits of this history.

Today too, the priestly College wants to be a safe place of formation, where the clerics who live here can deepen their intellectual and spiritual journey, so as then to be able to answer the questions of the people in their homeland in the face of the great challenges of our time, and to give an account of the hope that is in us (cf. 1 Pet 3:15).

A distinctive feature of your College is the unique closeness to the tomb of St Peter the Apostle, which in the history of this Institution, from its very beginnings, has gone hand in hand with a faithful adherence to the Roman Pontiff. This is reflected in the title of "Pontifical College", which Pope Benedict XVI conferred on it in 2010. Linked to this honour is also a commitment: to safeguard this closeness and this unity with the Successor of Peter and with the Faith of the Apostles that he proclaims.

This one Faith in Christ is the principle of unity among the faithful, for which the Lord prayed for his disciples, since it constitutes an essential element for the credibility of our witness (cf. Jn 17:20-21). Make this heartfelt plea of Jesus your own, ask for this gift, so that the community of your College may be a place where such unity can be concretely practised and made visible.

To this end I ask for you the help of the Holy Spirit. I entrust you and your College, together with the Archconfraternity and the Görres Society in Rome, to your patroness Our Lady of Pity, and I bless you all from my heart. Thank you.

Dear brothers and sisters,

I am very glad to celebrate the Eucharist for you and with you, on the feast of your patron Saint Michael the Archangel. A short while ago, fifteen of you took your oath. This is a moment of prayer. In particular, let us now pause briefly to reflect on the Word of God we have heard: it helps us understand what it means to serve, to guard and to protect.

The prophet Isaiah (5:1-7) spoke to us of the vineyard loved and tended with such care. It is a symbol of God's love for his people. God did everything for his vineyard and expects good fruit from it. And the Lord calls all his children to work in his vineyard, so that we are at the same time vineyard and workers. For you, Gendarmes, this service is a way of being workers in the vineyard of the Lord. Entrusted to your care are places, entrances, buildings, but above all people. A trait that stands out when one meets you is precisely this care: it is beautiful to see how you look at others not as a problem to be solved, but as a person to be respected and looked after.

In the Gospel (Mt 21:33-43), Jesus' parable showed us a negative example: the vinedressers who, over time, forgot that the vineyard does not belong to them, but was entrusted to them to be cared for. This is a precious reminder for anyone living a life of service: what we receive is a responsibility to be guarded with humility and dedication, to be lived with discretion and a sense of duty. You know well that authority, in the light of the Gospel, is expressed above all in the capacity to guard, listen and accompany, with balance, firmness and respect.

And then Jesus tells how the owner of the vineyard sends his own son. At the centre of the parable is this son, who represents Christ. And at the centre of your life and your service there must be Him: Jesus Christ. Before being gendarmes, you are men called to follow Him. From Him we learn strength that becomes gentleness, vigilance born of trust, authority that walks together with humility, and the courage to intervene with a merciful heart.

In the second reading, Saint Paul told us: "Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God" (Phil 4:6). This too is a very fitting word for your service. There will be calm days and difficult days; moments when quick decisions are needed; situations that bring weariness and worry. The gendarme does not carry everything alone: he prays, he knows how to entrust himself, he knows how to find in God that peace which allows him to act with clarity and a serene heart.

And the Apostle adds: "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is honourable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (cf. Phil 4:8). Here is another trait of your "identikit": a heart and a mind trained in what is good. Before any outward gesture there is an inner gaze. Whoever guards others must first guard within themselves the truth, justice, goodness and respect. Guarding others requires a heart that is guarded by the Lord.

Your work certainly requires you to be vigilant, but today's Word invites you to something even deeper: to watch carefully over yourselves as well. To guard your heart, so that it does not harden but remains always docile to God and attentive to others; to guard your conscience, so that it continues to guide you with uprightness; to guard fraternity among yourselves, so that each one may feel welcomed, supported and never alone. Because a group truly becomes a "community" when its members take care of one another and learn to walk together, supporting each other with simplicity and love.

I conclude, as I do every year, with a thought of affection and gratitude for your families. To the parents, the wives, the children, the fiancées: thank you! You know the sacrifices, the absences, the hours, the worries, and also the weight of a service that is not always seen.

To those who have served for many years, and to the fifteen who took their oath today, I say: never forget for whom and for what you have chosen to serve. Be trustworthy, discreet, loyal men. Let Jesus inspire your service. Let your finest badge be a heart that knows how to keep watch.

Let us entrust all this to Our Lady. May Mary, woman of care and trust, accompany your families and each one of you. And may we ask Saint Michael the Archangel to stand beside you in vigilance and in the fight against every evil. May he protect you in your service and help you remain faithful, so that the Lord Jesus may always be at the centre of your life, your service and your heart.