Saint Joseph and rite of admission to Sacred Orders
This year, with the opportunity, offered us by the Holy Father Francis, for the gift to the Church a year dedicated to Saint Joseph, the Pontifical International CollegeMaria Mater Ecclesiae wanted to commemorate in a special way the novena dedicated to him, in Saint Joseph.
Furthermore, this year we had the joy of concluding this novena with a presidential ceremony in charge of Mons. Lorenzo Leuzzi (Bishop of Teramo-Atri) for the rite of admission to the Sacred Orders of 7 seminarians.
The novena takes 20 minutes to complete and includes a brief reflection, prayer, and stories.
1st day
The loved father, organized by the Mexican community.
Deacon Sergio Vallejo reflected: “Saint Joseph, a humble and just man in the eyes of God, who gave himself totally and cooperator in the work of salvation. Just as he protected the Child Jesus, I entrusted monkeys to the protection of Saint Joseph who always accompanies us in our vocation, being a silent servant it is right to keep our FIAT in the Lord “.”Nutritor Domini” -Ora pro nobis
2nd day
The group of Colombians was in charge of directing the reflection. Specifically, the seminarist Santiago Toro tenderly shared a thought about Saint Joseph the father of Jesus saw the tenderness of God in Joseph. He taught him to walk holding his hand: it was for him like the father who holds a child to his cheek and asks him to feed him. (See Patris Corde apostolic card (December 8, 2020))
3rd day
The community of El Salvador led the novena prayer.
At that time, Saint Joseph was seen from the point of view of the Father in obedience. Obey in obedience to God. We have much to learn from this saint: obedience to take Mary with him as his wife, obedience to go to Bethlehem, obedience to flee to Egypt, obedience to return to Nazareth.
The life of Saint Joseph is a life guided by God but hence the collaboration of Saint Joseph with the will of God was total.
4th day European Community – Welcome
Saint Joseph is the man to whom God wanted to entrust the two most precious goods in all of history: God chose him. He put Mary and Jesus in his hands: real hands, woodworm hands, holy hands. Saint Joseph welcomed them, silently and without hesitation. God proposes and Saint Joseph responds by welcoming; the act of welcoming him is in a certain sense a “passive” act: what Saint Joseph does is open up; he opens his heart, his life, making himself available to embrace the Lord’s designs with all his being. His figure is central in the life of the priest and certainly also for those who are preparing for the priesthood: just as Saint Joseph, without saying a word, welcomed Mary, already pregnant with Jesus, in the same way, that the Lord asks us to welcome ourselves. – with the same sentiments and attitudes of Saint Joseph – what God wants to put in our hands today: His Holy Church, which – like Mary – guards the most precious treasure: the Most Holy Eucharist.
5th day
Indian Community – Creative Courage of Saint Joseph
When we go through a difficult circumstance, we are called to cultivate and extend within ourselves qualities that we did not think we had before. God acted trusting in the creative courage of Joseph. Saint Joseph encourages us to transform a problem into a possibility, resorting to our creative courage, always trusting in divine providence.
6th day: the Indian community
Saint Joseph, “GUARDIAN OF THE MYSTERIES OF SALVATION”
Whose interior life was so intense and profound, makes our priests understand more and more that his ministry over souls is proportional to his spirit of faith, hope and charity. You have been responsible for the house of God in Nazareth, the dispenser of divine gifts, the guardian of the bread of life, even the priests! You have carried, protected, and raised the Body of Jesus, even the priests do! Jesus submitted to you in everything, he is submissive throughout the centuries to his priest friends, even more admirably in the ministry of transubstantiation! We thank God with your wife, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of all priests, and with you, Saint Joseph, for the wonders of which you have seen the first fruits performed by Jesus in the Priesthood of the Church. Amen.
7th day
The African community led the reflection when they saw a father in the shadows in San José
“O Joseph, virginal father of Jesus, most pure husband of the Virgin Mary, pray for us every day, so that, armed with the weapons of the Grace of Jesus, son of God, fighting well in life, we are crowned by him in death.
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, I entrust my heart and soul to you.
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, help me in the last battle.
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, may my soul go in peace with you. Amen
8th day
African community
Lord, who has chosen Saint Joseph as the putative father of Jesus, and have honored him with the glorious title of the fiancee of the Virgin Queen, grant us, by the merits of this great saint, bodily purity, the holiness of soul, the daily bread, the grace of a good death and the honor of going to praise you to Heaven, with Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Amen.
On the ninth day, solemn vespers were celebrated on the feast of Saint Joseph.
On March 19, Bishop Lorenzo Leuzzi presided over the ceremony of the rite of admission to holy orders. 7 seminarians were accepted, all in the first year of theology: 2 from Mexico, 2 from Nigeria, and 3 from South Sudan. In his homily, the bishop reiterated the idea that “the priest must be with Saint Joseph: stable in government, in the guidance of souls, a guardian like Saint Joseph.” A demanding path but the Lord has placed his trust in each one of us. With this certainty of God’s trust, we must carry out the priestly ministry with commitment and fidelity ”.
