GALILEE – On May 14, 2019, at the Church of the Twelve Apostles and Seventy-Two disciples in the Domus Galilaeae on the Mount of Beatitudes, a Eucharistic Celebration took place that saw the conferring of the admission of seminarians from the Redemptoris Mater of Galilee: Giovanni Comin, Roman Savluk, Paolo Sepich, and Samuel Tobar to the ministry of the lector, while Mateo Alvarez Serna was admitted to the ministry of the acolyte.
Present at the ceremony was Fr. Hanna Kildani, Patriarchal Vicar for Israel, who presided over the celebration alongside the Rector, formators, fellow seminarians from the Redemptoris Mater of Galilee and the sisters and brothers that carry out their respective missions at the Seminary and the Domus Galilaeae. Present at this celebration were also the brothers from the communities of the Neocateucumenal Way in the Galilee where the seminarians themselves attend.
Fr. Rino Rossi, the director of the Domus, welcomed the participants, expressing his gratitude to the Lord for the fruits that the Holy Spirit gives to this Seminary, while underlining at the same time the diligent care that its formators have towards it. He also reminded those present of the upcoming priestly ordination of Javier Martinez Alcalà that will take place on June 23. Fr. Francesco Voltaggio, the Rector of the Seminary, welcomed Fr. Hanna Kildani and all those present with a sense of lively participation.
The celebration itself began in a climate of paschal festivity highlighted by liturgical signs amongst which the aspersion with Holy Water of those present was highly significant, while the readings were proper of the Feast of St. Matthias Apostle. After proclaiming the Gospel, the deacon officially called the candidates to their respective ministries, while they each answered with a resounding “Here I am!”. Fr. Hanna underlined in his homily the coincidence arising from the recurrence of the Feast of Saint Matthias Apostle and the celebration itself, referring to the readings of the day (Acts 1, 15-7.20-26 and John 15, 7-9). He then highlighted, in the reading taken from the acts, the existing correspondence between the human-made choice of the Apostle Matthias and the divine choice present in it: thus each call is authentic; in fact such choice manifests though the human will the wisdom that comes from the Holy Spirit.
The Vicar congratulated in a particular way the concelebrants for the care dedicated to the liturgy, affirming that it also needs to correspond to the interior commitment of each one of the participants present.
Addressing the candidates who requested the ministry of the lector, the Vicar affirmed that they are called to announce the Word of God to every creature. This is a primary commitment in the Church that the candidates are invited to collaborate with in a special way. The Word Proclaimed needs to be the fruit of a constant meditation and testimony that is lived in the reality of daily life: only in this way those who listen can retain it as credible and truthful. Moving on to address the acolyte, who is called to collaborate with the service to the altar, Fr. Hanna asserted that the bread and wine of the Eucharistic Sacrifice are the concrete signs of God’s love for men and the charity amongst everyone: that is why this ministry entrusted to him is of central importance in the liturgy.
After the homily, the candidates to the ministry of Lector knelt down in front of the Vicar who consigned to them the book of the Sacred Scripture while speaking the words “Receive the book of the Holy Scriptures, and faithfully transmit the Word of God so that it may flourish and give fruit in the hearts of men”. Afterwards, the celebrant moved on to consign to the acolyte the bread and wine pronouncing the words: “Receive the plate with the bread and wine for the celebration of the Eucharist, and may your life be worthy of the service to the Lord’s Table and the Church”.
The celebration was followed by a voiced participation of those present, and ended with a canticle of gratitude to the Virgin Mary. A festal and rich agape prepared by the Neocatecumenal Communities of the seminarians and the brothers and sisters in mission concluded the event.
Augusta Fiore
