Six more Jesuit deacons ordained in Mangalore

On : 2022-10-08

Six Jesuit deacons were ordained priests at Fatima Retreat House, Mangalore by Bishop of Mangalore Peter Paul Saldanha on Saturday, October 8, at a concelebrate solemn mass attended by over 100 priests and over 800 faithful.

The six deacon ordained are: Ashwin Praveen Cordeiro, Ashwin Rebello, Jaison George Pinto, Jaison Pais, John Rayan Pereira of Karnataka province and Royal Saldanha of Kohima region.

In his homily, Bishop Saldanha called upon the new priests to be rooted in faith to become Christ’s priests. Giving an analogy of body building, he said that while a body builder applies oil to his entire body, the newly ordained priest have holy oils applied on his palms as a symbol of his preparedness to take up Christ’s mission.

“Without faith, we cannot take part in the priesthood of Christ. While all take part in the priesthood of Christ through baptism, a priest is chosen to be part of the ministerial priesthood. Christ sends you like sheep among wolves as he has said in the gospel. Hence, you are today invited to take his challenge just like prophet Jeremiah so that you make justice to your call,” he said. He also added that a priest is both an offering as well as a victim of offering just like Christ. He further called upon the new priests to give special attention to all sacraments, particularly the sacrament of reconciliation and never hesitate to sit for confessions to reconcile and give the Lord’s forgiveness to the faithful.

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Provincial Fr Dionysius Vaz thanked the Bishop and all present at the service. He congratulated the six newly ordained priests saying “You are called, chosen and sent by Christ so that you can give yourself fully. We pray for you so that you become worthy instruments in his hands.”

A short felicitation programme followed the Eucharistic celebrations where the newly ordained and their parents were felicitated.