Mangaluru

“I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have called you and you are mine”. These words expressed to Prophet Jeremiah have become true in the lives of five deacons who were ordained priests on Thursday, April 29 by Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, bishop of Mangalore. The ordination ceremony took place at the Rosario Cathedral in the presence of priests, religious and lay faithful with a meaningful celebration.

Fr Ivan Peter Cordeiro (Arva), Fr Vijay Monteiro (Banakal, Mudigere, Chikkamagaluru), Fr Vivek Deepak Pinto (Madanthyar), Fr Johnson Denzil Pereira (Omzoor), and Fr Vivian Nishanth Rodrigues (Kollangana) were the newly ordained priests. The diocese of Mangalore rejoiced with happiness for the gift of Priesthood and thanked the Lord for anointing these five newly ordained priests.

In his homily, Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha invited the five ordained ministers to achieve holiness through the order of priesthood. Bishop said, “Every ordained priest is called for holiness. A priest becomes holy by celebrating the sacraments. The holiness of a priest doesn’t take away his weaknesses. Hence, he needs to find strength in his weaknesses by surrendering himself to God and totally depending on Him. This becomes the personal mission of every priest in the path of Holiness”.

At the end of the Eucharistic Mass, Fr Rockwin Pinto, professor, St Joseph Seminary, Jeppu introduced the newly ordained priests. He said, “Today the Church rejoices with heartfelt gratitude for the immense gift which priests represent through their hidden and tireless service. The Diocese of Mangalore which has grown in leaps and bounds through the dedication of innumerable priests exalts in the Lord today with adding of five more priests with a prayer that they remain faithful to their vocation as “friends of Christ”, whom he has called by name, chosen and sent as witnessed in the rite of Ordination.”