MOUNT OF BEATITUDES – On November 8 the Church of the Holy Land joyfully welcomed to its fold four new deacons who were ordained for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The ordination was presided by His Beatitude, Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, at the Domus Galilaeae Monastery located at the summit of the Mount of Beatitudes, close to the places where Jesus called His Apostles by name.
The newly ordained deacons are from the Redemptoris Mater Seminary of Galilee: Paolo Alfieri and Davide Meli are from Italy, Juan David Aragon Bueno is from Colombia, and Leandro Setuval is from Brazil. The four new deacons will exercise their ministry in the parishes of Shaf‘amr (Israel), Al-Husson and Smakieh (Jordan), Bir-Zeit (Palestine) respectively. Being incardinated in the Mother Church of Jerusalem, they will serve the local church, and are willing to go as missionaries after their presbyteral ordination, to churches in need in the Middle East and in the whole world.
Many parish priests attended the celebration, of Latin and Melchite rite, religious men and women, members of different ecclesial movements, and many faithful of the Holy Land. Among the concelebrants were Bishop Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, Patriarcal Vicar for Israel and Bishop Yousef Jules Zerey, Greek-Catholic Patriarchal Vicar for Jerusalem. The pastors of the parishes where the newly ordained deacons will serve were present, including Fr. Jamal Khader, Rector of the Patriarchate Seminary of Beit Jala . Many faithful were present: a big delegation from the parish of Bir-Zeit, families of the candidates, and numerous brothers and sisters of the Neocatechumenal communities where the deacons’ vocations were born and where they continue to follow their way of faith.
Providentially, the ordination coincided with the liturgical Feast of All Saints of the Church of Jerusalem. The singing of the Gospel of the Beatitudes, proper to this feast, on the same Mountain where Jesus proclaimed it, was an especially touching moment in the celebration.
At the end of the celebration, the Patriarch addressed the families of the newly ordained with great joy, thanking them for having given their sons to the Church. He also thanked the formators for their effort and for the work during these years, underlined the importance of the way of faith which the deacons are following, and strongly encouraged and ensured them of his prayers and closeness.
After the ordination, the communities of the Seminary and of the Domus Galilaeae, together with the Arab brothers of the Neocatechumenal communities, offered a fraternal agape, serving specialties from different towns of Galilee, and happily inspiring the banquet with feast songs.
Fr.Francesco Giosuè Voltaggio
