Ordination of two new Priests from the Redemptoris Mater Seminary of Galilee
Last Sunday, the 9th of June, on the Feast of St. Efrem the Syrian and in the anniversary of the Priestly Ordination of Blessed Charles de Foucauld, the Patriarch Mons. Fouad Twal, ordained two new priests for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The newly ordained, who come from the “Redemptoris Mater” Seminary of Galilee, are Carlos Ceballos Medina, from Bolivia and Cristian David Carreño Hinestrosa, from Colombia; they served as deacons respectively in the Latin Parishes of Smakieh (Jordan) and Bir Zeit (Palestina). From next August, they will be parochial vicars in the Parishes of Sweifieh (Amman) and Fuhais, Jordan.
In the Rite of the Ordination, that took place at the International Center “Domus Galilaeae”, the following Bishops concelebrated: Mons. Elias Chacour, Greek-Catholic Archbishop of Galilee, Mons. Yousef Jules Zrey, Greek-Catholic Bishop of Jerusalem, Mons. Ignace Boutros Abd-el-Ahad, Syrian-Catholic Patriarch Emeritus.
The Liturgy was celebrated in Arabic, in an atmosphere of joy and gratefulness to the Lord. At the beginning of the Celebration, Fr. Francesco Giosuè Voltaggio, Rector of the Seminary, introduced the assembly. Those in attendance were: the Formators of the Seminary, Fr. Rino Rossi and the team responsible for the Neocatechumenal Way in the Holy Land, the two godfathers of the priests, Fr. Louis Hazboun and Fr. Vito Vacca, the Rector of the Patriarchal Seminary of Bet Jala, Fr. Adib Zoomot, accompanied by some seminarians, the Chancellor of the Patriarchate, Fr. George Ayoub, and several parish priests of the Holy Land, Latin, Greek catholic and Greek-Ortodox Fathers, Religious, members of Ecclesial Movements, some Civil Authorities and almost five hundred faithful from the Holy Land.
Some of the newly ordained’s relatives took port in the Celebration, as well as a group of brothers from the Neocatechumenal communities, where their vocations were born. Incardinated in the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the two priests are, at the same time, diocesan, at the service of the local church, and missionaries, ready to be sent by the Patriarch to the churches in need in the Middle East and in all over the world.
In the homily, the Patriarch, underscored the essential qualities of a Pastor: to be a servant of the Word of God, in collaboration with the Bishop, announcing the Gospel to all the people; to be a servant of the Sacraments of Salvation, of the Divine Worship and Prayer; to be a shepherd for the people of God and a guardian of love and unity in beauty. In his homily, the Patriarch also said: «The presence of seminarians, coming from all over the world in Galilee and in the Holy Land, gives to our Church a universal dimension, in which our love does not know limits. Regarding this, it is enough to remember the number of “Redemptoris Mater” Seminaries, to live this universal dimension».
Finally, he expressed the following wish: «My thanks and best wishes to the Neocatechumenal Way, that gives to the Holy Land the gift of the first two priests, who will work in the Church of Jerusalem. The evangelization started from Jerusalem and the first meeting between the Master and the Apostles took place here in Galilee. After the encounter with the Risen One, the Apostles departed from here to go throughout the world. From here today departs the mission of our brother priests, Father Cristian and Father Carlos. Courage then, with faith and zeal know that you are not alone in the struggle, because all of Jerusalem with her priests and sisters is with you in prayer together with all the seminaries of the Way throughout the world ».
After the celebration a brotherly reception followed with special dishes from various villages of Galilee and Arab and South American songs.
(Text and photo by R.M. Seminary of Galilee)
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpSLrl3K9zs