Posted On 2010-06-18 In Year for Priests

If the faithful see that you are on fire for Christ…

Jueves 10 de junio: Vigilia con el Santo Padremkf. At noon on Friday, June 11th, the Year of the Priest ended with a Mass at Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Holy Father presided in the presence of about 15,000 priests – many more than had been expected, and in spite of a bus strike that took place precisely on that day. Saint Peter’s entire square looked like a white and yellow sea with hundreds and hundreds of priests celebrating along with the Holy Father. “This audacity of God who entrusts himself to human beings – who, conscious of our weaknesses, nonetheless considers men capable of acting and being present in his stead,” Benedict VXI said in his homily. “This audacity of God is the true grandeur concealed in the word “priesthood”.


Jueves 10 de junio: Vigilia con el Santo PadreMany of the priests who were present – and not only they – were especially touched with the vigil on the afternoon of Thursday, June 10th, which began at 8:30 p.m. in Saint Peter’s Square and ended shortly after 11:00 p.m. with Saint Peter’s cupola illuminated and radiant with light in the midst of the dark night…

The authenticity of the testimonies that touch and convince

The testimonies during the first part of the vigil were impressive. The first part of the vigil was composed of testimonies and a very high quality of musical contributions. There were videos with priests’ testimonies from different parts of the world – Jerusalem, Buenos Aires, Ars, Hollywood – and testimonies of priests who were present at Saint Peter’s Square along with the testimonies of a nun and a family. A panorama of self-giving, of enthusiasm, of prayer, and searching for the will of God in the priestly life was opened up to all: be it Father José Maria, from Villa 21 of Buenos Aires, who gives his all for the families and boys of his parish, the German family with their testimony of opening themselves to the their sons’ vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, or the deacon on the eve of his priestly ordination, who spoke of his search for the Yes to his vocation, the authenticity of these testimonies touched and encouraged those listening.

The Holy Father’s arrival jubilantly greeted by thousands of people

The Holy Father’s arrival was impressive, thousands of priests and lay people present jubilantly greeted him. At a given moment, a Schoenstatt flag that was waved could be seen on the giant screens…

Cardinal Claudio Hummes O.F.M., prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, greeted the Holy Father noting how this Year for Priests has served “to promote commitment to interior renewal among all clergy, for an evangelical witness that is more powerful and incisive in the modern world”.

Cardinal Hummes continued his remarks: “We would like the Year for Priests never to end; that is, we would like our striving towards sanctity, each in his own identity, never to end, and that on this journey (which must begin in the seminary and last all our earthly lives as a single formative process) we may always be comforted and supported, as we have been in this Year, by the ceaseless prayer of the Church, by the warmth and spiritual support of all the faithful”.

The Holy Father does not give a homily. He answered the questions of five priests from five continents. Of course, this was prepared beforehand, and he had the sheets with the written answers in his hand. But he did not even page through them. He answered freely and spontaneously. “His voice is completely different,” said one priest. “Now he is speaking to us…personally.” The Holy Father spoke to his priests. Most importantly, he pointed out that he understands the difficulties they have which were expressed in their questions. Yes, it is impossible to do everything that is necessary in large parishes, it hurts not to know and to get to know each one of the faithful personally. But, if the faithful see that you are on fire for Jesus, it is a response and most importantly, because you set then them on fire in love… Yes, it is hard to always be attacked about celibacy. Although it is interesting that precisely now, when almost no one wants to marry, that renouncing marriage is attacked so much, he added. It was a dialogue much like the one that is always given in the Pope’s annual conferences with the priests of the Diocese of Rome, only now there are around 15,000 priests.

Solemn entrance of the Eucharist

The solemn entrance of the Eucharist in procession from the Bronze Door was very impressive. Very slowly a group with candles approached with the Monstrance… First, one after another, some African priests, kneel on the ground of Saint Peter’s. Adoration, blessing…

“I know that our hotel closed its doors at 11:00 p.m.,” said Father Arkadiusz, from Poland. “But I could not leave before the blessing.”

A vigorous impulse to continue living their priesthood with joy, humility, and hope

Benedicto XVI., viernes 11 de junio, Misa de clausuraEverything concluded with a festive Mass on the morning of June 11th at Saint Peter’s with the Holy Father. He asked forgiveness for “the abuse of the little ones”, a phrase that awakened applause not only among those present at Saint Peter’s but also in the media all over the world, when he stressed: “We too insistently beg forgiveness from God and from the persons involved, while promising to do everything possible to ensure that such abuse will never happen again.

Finally he greeted those present in different languages asking God “that this celebration become a vigorous impulse to continue living their priesthood with joy, humility and hope…”

Viernes 11 de junio, Misa de clausura

Translation: Celina Garza, Melissa Janknegt, USA

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