Pics: Anush Pandith
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Report: Br Gleron
Mangaluru, Apr 17: The Catholic Church in Mangaluru rejoiced with songs of praise and glory to God as five of her sons were ordained to the priesthood here on Tuesday, April 17 at 3:30 pm.
After 8 years of formations and ecclesiastical studies and six months of diaconate ministry Dn Rohan Dias, Taccode, Dn Roopesh Tauro, Allipade, Dn Ashwin Crasta, Kumbla, Dn Flavian Lobo, Thodambila, Dn Thrishan D’Souza, Permannur were ordained to priesthood by Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, bishop of the diocese of Mangaluru during the solemn high mass at Our Lady of Holy Rosary (Rosario) Cathedral here.
Ordination is the sacramental ceremony in which a man becomes a deacon, priest, or bishop and enabled to minister in Christ's name and that of the Church. There are three ordinations in the Sacrament of Holy Orders: diaconate; priesthood; and episcopal. The ordination ceremony includes various rituals, rich in meaning and history, eg, prostration, laying on of hands, anointing of hands, giving of the chalice and paten, sign of peace. Having received their diaconate ordination in June, 2017 the deacons was eagerly waiting for the day of priestly ordination.
Concelebrating the holy mass were the vicar general Fr Dennis Prabhu and 100 other priests of the diocese and in attendance were the families and friends of the new priests. Fr Vijay Machado, master of ceremony in the introduction explained the entire rite of ordination to the congregation present.
Soon after the gospel reading, Fr Joseph Martis, rector of St Joseph Seminary presented the five deacons to the Church and asked the bishop to ordain them. After inquiring if they are worthy to be ordained, the bishop accepted the request of the priest. A meaningfully homily on the importance of priesthood and missionary spirit of the Church was given by the bishop. This was followed with the rite of ordination with deacons (now new priests) coming forward and making their promise of obedience to the bishop, prostrating and seeking help of the saints, laying on of hands invoking the holy spirit, anointing of the hands, receiving the chalice and finally the kiss of peace given by bishop and followed by all the priests present.
Soon after the holy mass, there was a short felicitation program honoring and congratulating the newly ordained priests Fr Rohan Dias, Fr Ashwin Crasta, Fr Roopesh Tauro, Fr Flavian Lobo, Fr Thrishan D’Souza and their family members.