Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network -Mangaluru (SB)
Mangaluru, Oct 18: Six deacons were ordained as priests from the congregation of Jesuits in the Society of Jesus on Friday, October 18 by Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, bishop of Mangaluru diocese.
The ordination ceremony was held at Fathima Retreat House here, in the presence of relatives of the newly-ordained priests and hundreds of devotees, priests, nuns and religious people.
Jerome Stanyslaus D’Souza, provincial head, Jesuits in the Society of Jesus, Karnataka province, officially invited deacons to serve the church and its followers. Dr Peter Paul Saldanha accepted the deacons willingness to become servants of God and ordinate them as religious priests. Later he celebrated the Holy Eucharist with the new priests. Fr Anand Pereira, Representative of provincial head, Kohima province, was the co celebrant.
In his homily Bishop said, “Basically every priest is an ordinary human being. He also has positives and negatives like other human beings. But when he overcomes from this basic, he will become eligible to be a real priest. A priest should transform himself as a servant of God and obtain his qualities in life. He should act like a messenger of God. A priest's basic duty is to create connectivity between God and human. For this he should become pure in his thoughts and deeds. His main concentration should be on preaching and spreading the word of God. He should not involve or create his own world. He should listen to the people and try to know their religious needs. This will make him a good priest and bring divinity in his priesthood.”
The six new priests who were ordained are Fr Merwyn Lloyd Fernandes, Hosabettu parish, Fr Joel Praveen Fernandes, Fermai parish, Fr Jeevan Santhosh D’Souza, Balkunje parish, Fr Jeevan Gomes, Kanajar parish, Lawrence Ronald Serrao, Taccode parish and Melwyn Roshan Fernandes, Bajpe parish.
After the Eucharistic celebration, a short felicitation programme was held. Bishop Peter Paul felicitated the newly appointed priests while Fr Anand Periera felicitated the parents of the new priests.
In his congratulatory message Fr Anand said "Jesuits congregation welcomes new priests to their world of service and mission work. It is not easy to become a priest and leave their family and relatives for the work of God. Nowadays youths want to lead lavish life and they are running behind the ultimate happiness. But as opposed to this, six youths from our community have decided to find their happiness in the service of poor and the needy. For this, they have chosen Jesuits congregation and became its priests. I thank the parents of these priests for their sacrifice. At the same time, I congratulate the newly ordinated priests and wish them all success in their priestly life."
On behalf ordinated priests Fr Merwin expressed his feelings after becoming the priest and thanked people who helped them become servants of God.