There is a joy and a beauty that comes from belonging to the Catholic Church; rich in its splendid liturgical traditions, and unified by a profound sense of communion. Such was the scene at the Church of the Domus Galilaeae this past May 18th, in a celebration where two Melchite seminarians and another Maronite one have taken the first step towards the priesthood. In this liturgy, the two seminarians from the Galilee; Shadi Jozen from Melia and Rami Dawkwar from Fassuta, were conferred the ministry of lector according to their Melchite rite, while Rodi Noura, a young Maronite, was ordained cantor and lector through his liturgical rite’s scared signs and actions. Rodi’s family originally from Lebanon, has been living in Nahariya, Israel, since 2000. Shadi, Rami, and Rodi are the first three young men from the oriental catholic churches formed in the Redemptoris Mater of Galilee.
Monsignor Joseph Jules Zerey, Greek-Catholic Bishop of Jerusalem and Patriarchal Vicar, presided over the Divine Liturgy in the presence of both Mons. Elias Chacour, Archbishop Emeritus of Galilee, and Monsignor Moussa El-Hage, the Maronite Archbishop of Haifa and Holy Land (who is also the Apostolic Administrator of the Greek-Catholic Archdiocese of Galilee, and therefore the Ordinary for these three seminarians). In this beautiful celebration, an assembly composed of people coming from very diverse places in the world was united in a profound communion. Among those attending the event were priests and religious from the Holy Land, the candidates’ relatives, the brothers of numerous Neocatechumenal communities of Galilee, and the brothers in mission at the Domus Galilee – a truly international community – as is the Redemptoris Mater Seminary, that the three young men who took an important step towards priesthood belong to. Shadi, Rami, and Rodi are preparing to become diocesan priests according to their own rite, and are willing to leave once ordained in mission wherever they may be invited to go.
“Your mission has no national frontiers” commented Monsignor Moussa El-Hage in his homily at the celebration, stating that the lord has indeed told us that “you did not choose me, but I chose you”. Monsignor Joseph Jules Zerey also emphasized at the end of the celebration that the readings and the whole liturgy itself attains a fullness in view of Pentecost; the Church’s great feast. Fr. Francesco Giosuè Voltaggio, the Seminary’s rector formed at the Redemptoris Mater of Rome and ordained by Saint John Paul II, concelebrated the liturgy carried out in Arabic. Before beginning the celebration, the rector thanked the bishops, and Fr. Rino Rossi; director of the Domus Galilaeae and responsible of the Neocatehcumenal Way in Holy Land together with his team. The communion and joy experienced in the celebration were afterwards expressed in a fraternal agape accompanied by cheerful songs in Arabic and other languages.
The liturgy carried out in the Domus was a truly memorable event, not to mention an excellent way to prepare for the reception of Pope Francis who came within a week to Holy Land as a pilgrim. A series of events marked by providence are being lived in these places, such as the ordination of four new priests from the Redemptoris Mater of Galilee by the Latin Patriarch this coming June 14th.
Pierluigi Fornari, Journalist at Avvenire, Italy.
