Monday 29th June. On the feast-day of St. Peter and St. Paul, in this year dedicated to the Priesthood, the Franciscans of the Custody of the Holy Land had the honour and joy of seeing eight of their brothers ordained priests, five of them for the Province of the Custody and three for the same Province of Mexico.
The celebration was held at the Convent of St. Saviour in Jerusalem, in the presence of a large assembly, with many relatives and friends of the new priests in the front rows. About one hundred priests, in a climate of particular concentration, concelebrated the Mass, which was presided by His Beatitude Mons. Fouad Twal, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem (read the homily).
The celebration, filmed from beginning to end by the Franciscan Media Center, will be broadcast on the Internet this evening, so that family and friends who could not be present, can share in this moment of prayer and celebration even at a distance.
At the end of the Mass, everybody gathered in the entrance hall of the Curia for a cool beverage and here the new priests, pressed by family and friends, gave their first priestly blessings.
His Excellency Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, here to conclude the Pauline year in the Holy Land, and accompanied by the Nonce and Apostolic Delegate Mons. Antonio Franco, joined the celebration, as guests at the lunch in the refectory of the convent, together with the Custody of the Holy Land, Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa.
Through the Cardinal, the new priests received the blessing of the Holy Father Benedict XVI and a small gift.
Our best wishes go to these new priests, so that they can continue their future pastoral mission with joy.
MAB
The celebration was held at the Convent of St. Saviour in Jerusalem, in the presence of a large assembly, with many relatives and friends of the new priests in the front rows. About one hundred priests, in a climate of particular concentration, concelebrated the Mass, which was presided by His Beatitude Mons. Fouad Twal, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem (read the homily).
The celebration, filmed from beginning to end by the Franciscan Media Center, will be broadcast on the Internet this evening, so that family and friends who could not be present, can share in this moment of prayer and celebration even at a distance.
At the end of the Mass, everybody gathered in the entrance hall of the Curia for a cool beverage and here the new priests, pressed by family and friends, gave their first priestly blessings.
His Excellency Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, here to conclude the Pauline year in the Holy Land, and accompanied by the Nonce and Apostolic Delegate Mons. Antonio Franco, joined the celebration, as guests at the lunch in the refectory of the convent, together with the Custody of the Holy Land, Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa.
Through the Cardinal, the new priests received the blessing of the Holy Father Benedict XVI and a small gift.
Our best wishes go to these new priests, so that they can continue their future pastoral mission with joy.
MAB