JERUSALEM: 13 June 2010 -- While various teams are lining up
daily in South Africa, another 'team' worthy of the name lined up on
Saturday 12 June at the Church of the Nations at Gethsemane, Jerusalem,
for the diaconate ordinations for candidates attending the Sts Peter
and Paul Studium Theologicum Salesianum, aka Ratisbonne.
The group of ordinands included Salesians and
Missionaries of Africa. The Latin Patriarch, Fouad Twal, was the
ordaining prelate. In his
homily the Patriarch highlighted the importance of living the
evangelical counsels in a more
radical way through the order of deacon. Deacon Matthew DeGance SDB
offered a reflection in gratitude on behalf of the newly
ordained. At
the conclusion of the ceremony lunch was held at the at the Notre
Centre with entertainment provided by the students of Ratisbonne Study
Centre.
The Salesian 'seven' who were ordained yesterday
came from Brazil, Gabon, Italy, USA, Poland and France. The
Missionaries of Africa, besides having their candidates hail from that
continent, on this occasion included one from India.
Friends and family came from many corners of the
earth; Paolo Ceccon SDB from Italy, was given a rousing applause by the
fifty family and friends who came to the Holy City for the occasion. At
48 years of age, Lucio Savogin was the oldest of the candidates and it
was a touching moment when his elderly mother helped vest him in his
dalmatic.
Other ordinations, both diaconal and priestly, have
been occurring in various parts of Europe, in particular over these
days and weeks. For our own region, Francis Xavier Pham Dinh Phuoc and
Peter Tran Anh Tu, who have been studying in Italy, were ordained
priests on 29 May at 'Sacro Cuore' in Rome. The ordaining prelate on
that occasion was Bishop Mario Toso SDB but Bishop Peter Nguyen Van De
SDB concelebrated. On 12 June in Turin, Philippines North candidate,
Reggie Porlucas was ordained deacon at the Basilica of Mary Help of
Christians by Cardinal Poletto. _________________ AustraLasia is an
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for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions
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