Five young Divine Word Missionaries have been ordained to the priesthood and, if international borders remain open, will soon leave for their missionary assignments in countries across the globe.
Duc Le from Vietnam, Edward Teye from Ghana, Hai Nguyen from Vietnam and Francois Andrianihantana and Marius Razafimandimby, both from Madagascar were ordained on Saturday, November 27, by Bishop Terence Curtin, Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne, at the Our Lady of La Vang Shrine in Keysborough, Victoria.
The ordination ceremony showcased the multiculturality for which the SVD is known, with a choir comprised of the Vietnamese community and friends of the SVD. The offertory was presented by members of the Tongan community and the Gospel was presented and enthroned by members of the Ghanian community.
In his homily, Bishop Curtin spoke of the personal call to priesthood, as illustrated in the readings chosen for the day.
“Marius, Francois, Duc, Hai, Edward, these readings set the path for the sacrament you are about to receive,” he said.
“As the prophet (Isaiah) spoke of his personal call, so for you, this is a vocation, not a career, which you are entering into. You first heard that call as He began to whisper in your hearts even in childhood. Today you hear that divine call through the Church as I call you forth to orders. God is the one who has loved us first and the Church now recognises your vocation as a true response to that love. Be confident of that call.”
Bishop Curtin referred also to the gospel reading from the Prologue to John’s Gospel.
“The Word pitched His tent among us,” he said. “Your lives will now take on new dimensions as you set forth for your missionary journeys in five continents. A tent is not the strongest of buildings, but its very fragility offers a space with that necessary close connection with the peoples you will serve.
“It asks that you have a real care for people, aware that to be for others we first need to be with them. Your priestly ministry is grounded in the life of the community where together we are open to the discovery of God’s will and the guidance of the Spirit. Your witness will be more in how we live our need of God’s love and not just to tell it.
“Edward, Hai, Francois, Marius and Duc you are now to be ordained for priestly service to the Church as missionaries in the Society of the Divine Word, to carry the good news of Christ our incarnate saviour to a waiting world. Here is your life’s purpose. May it bring you the same joy it has brought to me for what are now 50 years of ordination. May you be blessed today and always.”
During the ordination rite, Formation Director Fr Linh Nguyen SVD called the young men forward and Rector of the Dorish Maru Community, Fr Michael Knight SVD, affirmed that the ordinands had been found worthy to be ordained. The young men were presented and lay prostrate as the litany of saints was sung over them, followed by the prayer of ordination and the laying on of Bishop Curtin’s hands. Concelebrating priests also laid on their hands. At the conclusion of the ordination rite, the Eucharist was celebrated.
At the conclusion of the Mass, Fr Francois delivered the words of thanksgiving on behalf of the new priests.
“We are happy!” he declared. “If you are happy, we are happier. And if you are happier, we are the happiest today.
“We want to first of all thank God who has not only called us but also has chosen us to be one of his servants, one of his shepherds, to be part of and to extend his Kingdom. Thank you God.
“Secondly, we want to ask your permission. We want to speak our own language. We want to address our family at home in Madagascar, where Marius and myself come from, in Ghana where Edward comes from and in Vietnam where Hai and Duc come from. So, allow us to speak in our language please, because they are not here, they are at home.”
Each of the newly ordained then spoke words of thanksgiving in their own language to those present and those participating from their home countries.
Fr Francois then thanked those who had been part of their journey to priesthood, punctuated by an enthusiastic round of African drumming from Edward.
He thanked Bishop Curtin, the Arnoldus family around the world, including Provincial, Fr Asaeli Rass SVD, their formators and all SVD members of the AUS Province. He also thanked their teachers, lecturers, tutors, spiritual directors and the parish communities where they had each undertaken their diaconate, as well as the volunteers, choir singers and all who had worked to make their ordination day so special.
The young missionaries will take up their assignments as international borders reopen. They have been assigned to: Edward - Zimbabwe Region; Hai - Colombia; Francois - Australia; Marius - Netherlands-Belgium; Duc - USA Chicago Province (Canada).
PHOTOS: Fr Thien Nguyen SVD.