On Sunday 3 July, Archbishop Paul Cremona ordained 12 deacons to the ministerial priesthood. Those ordained were Carmelo Aquilina OFM Cap; Stephen Attard from Mosta Parish; Joseph Ciappiara OFM; Renè Antoine Cilia from St George’s Parish, Qormi; Nicholas Dimech from Siġġiewi Parish; Andrew Galea OFM Conv; Stephen Magro from Żabbar; Gerald Mangion SDB; Reno Muscat OP; Colin Sammut OFM Conv; David Torpiano and Jeremy Vella SDB.
In his 10-minute homily, the Archbishop stressed that priests are not merely administrators but missionaries. He said that for us priests to be missionaries we should be nurturing a profound relationship with Jesus in the Holy Spirit. In fact, having a personal relationship with Jesus is the core of our ministerial priesthood. In his 1997 letter to us priests, Blessed John Paul II told us: “Friends’: this is what Jesus calls the Apostles. This is what he also wishes to call us who, thanks to the Sacrament of Holy Orders, share in his priesthood. Let us listen to these words with great emotion and humility. They contain the truth. First of all, the truth about friendship, but also a truth about ourselves who share in the priesthood of Christ as ministers of the Eucharist.
Could Jesus have expressed to us his friendship any more eloquently than by enabling us, as priests of the New Covenant, to act in his name, ‘in persona Christi Capitis’? Precisely this takes place in all our priestly service, when we administer the sacraments and especially when we celebrate the Eucharist. We repeat the words that he said over the bread and wine and, through our ministry, the same consecration that he brought about takes place. Can there be a fuller expression of friendship than this? It goes to the very heart of our priestly ministry.”
Jesus’ personality is a school of prayer and authentic priestly living. Thanks to his closeness to Jesus, the High Priest, the ordained minister learns to confide himself in his Divine Master. In his solitude with the Lord the priest is revitalised by Jesus’ gentleness and lowliness of heart. “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt 11, 28-30).
The priest becomes a missionary when he divulges Jesus’ character and values throughout his life and mission under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. St Paul encourages us priests: “But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you… So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh – for if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live” (Rom 8, 9.12-13).
Can we priests be missionaries by proclaiming what the Lord Jesus is doing in our personal lives?
■ Fr Mario Attard OFM Cap