On the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima, Paolo Felicetti and Giacomo Dainotti, seminarians of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary of Galilee, were admitted to the orders, completing a decisive step in their path of formation to the priesthood. The rite of the Admissio was celebrated by Mons. Hanna Kildani, Vicar of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
“This is a day of joy for the Church: the sprout of baptism has begun to give fruit in you! The growth of the vineyard, of the people of God, is incarnated in you in the service to the Church of the Holy Land,”. With these words Mons. Kildani has welcomed this new step taken by the two new candidates Paolo Felicetti and Giacomo Dainotti, both 31 years old. They were welcomed by the Church through the rite of the Admissio, and entrusted to the protection of Our Lady of Fatima, on the eve of May 13. Both of these seminarians of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary of Galilee were admitted to the Orders, as they proceed in their formation to the priesthood in a more decisive manner, as shown by their new attire. In the name of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Church of Holy Land, Mons. Hanna Kildani accepted in the chapel of the Domus Galilaeae, the intention of both candidates, whom through the dialogue of the rite itself, confirmed their desire of “committing to the spiritual formation in becoming faithful ministers of Christ and his body, which is the Church”.
“The vineyard and the branches are the Church in which we find ourselves”, were the words of the Patriarchal Vicar in his homily, -underlining that the growth of this vocation “is for the Church in its entirety”-, as much as it is a sprout budding from baptism, grown in both of their respective families, and in the ecclesial way that these young men are completing.
Both were born in 89’, and come from two families belonging to the Neocatecumenal Way. Giacomo Dainotti was born in Pavia, and completed his studies in political science, while Paolo was born in Foligno, and discovered the calling of the Lord after a time spent in the service to the Domus Galilaeae; a time in which he experienced a conversion and a radical change of life. Both seminarians have done two years of itinerancy, i.e. missionary experience, as expected for the formation that is proper of the Redemptoris Mater seminaries, at the parish of Holy Family in Kuwait City.
Mons. Kildani began his homily in Arabic with a greeting full of affection: “I’ve missed you; I really was wishing to see you all!” The Admissio at the Domus Galilaeae, was in fact his first meeting with the Seminarians and residents of the house, after the end of the lockdown period. The celebration took place in a time in which the restrictive measures for the coronavirus in Israel were easing up, while in Italy where the two families of the candidates reside, the situation is not entirely calm. During his homily, the vicar sent a greeting to all the relatives and friends that were following the celebration through live streaming, just as to all those that are suffering due to this pandemic, remembering all the sick whom have left us, and all those who are constrained to stay at home. “We are all in the same boat, and in this boat just like on the lake of Tiberias here below us, Christ is present. The storm is raging, but Christ is stronger: the world is called to not lose hope”, said the vicar, as he turned his thoughts to the joyful event, and to the splendid Gospel of the Vines and branches: the center of the day’s liturgy. “The vineyard is a familiar plant for us in this land, and it evokes in us thoughts full of affection”, noted Mons. Kildani, who borrowed from the image of a tree which is filled with sprouts, and then with new leaves. He then focused on its development that should likewise happen in the soul and in the life of the Christian, and in particular with the vocation. “This development should occur inside each one of us, and in regards to Paolo and Giacomo, above all it has begun in the family-based origin of these two; in the relationship between father and mother. The family is founded on the love between the spouses, like that of Christ and the Church,”. The patriarchal vicar has further pointed out that “this sprout begins in baptism; with which you have become part of the vineyard. So with today’s rite, with these new vestments, you begin a new service in the vineyard”. A service, therefore, which is far from carrying out a project or taking on a new role: “Christ clearly says ‘without me you cannot do anything’, meaning that the vocation is not our personal project: being a priest is not like having a career or like joining the military, but an incarnation of Christ.”
“Jesus’’- the vicar said- ‘’does not look at us as if we are the screws in a gear. We are part of Him, and of the Trinity! It is not about being a physical, material part, but of taking part in the same spirit”. You who are my disciples, says Christ, are called to bring much fruit. For this, every Christian, and you especially, are part of Christ for the salvation of all the world. “You are not here to offer yourselves as persons, as two young men: behind you are your families and your communities, your formators and companions. This growth, is the growth of a people who are behind you, God’s people, that is made incarnate with you in service to the Church of the Holy Land”. Mons. Kildani in the end, expressed his encouragement to them both: “it is true that there are difficulties, but also lots of joy. The details we can find in the person of the Virgin Mary that we celebrate today, in Saint Joseph, and in the Disciples. Today we rejoice because this plant has begun to give fruit, and this we see in you, Giacomo and Paolo”.
The pastor had concluded with gratitude to the Lord: “This is a joyous day for us; as seminary, as Church of the Holy Land, and as Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem: as the people of God, we rejoice for you and with you. We who work here in this land, and also where you were in Kuwait. We entrust your vocations to the protection of Our Lady of Fatima and to her spouse Saint Joseph”.
A new phase begins for Paolo and Giacomo. As of today they will dress in black attire wearing the clerical collar, according to the request made by Saint John Paul II; making present that the church is young, and rendering the will to be formed to the priesthood more manifest.
