Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - "With your consecration to Christ and the Church, may you never fail the joy and excitement of this moment; always be ready, with the memory of this day, to overcome the difficulties you will encounter in life and ministry, grateful to God for having chosen you, embedded in his ministry and sent into the world". With this exhortation Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, spoke to the 14 students of the Pontifical Urban College, from 9 countries of Africa and Asia, who he ordained Deacons on Saturday, May 2, in the Vatican Basilica.
Taking the cue from the Sunday Gospel, which presented the parable of life and branches, in his homily, the Cardinal stressed first of all, that "every vocation belongs to God and he is the origin or the author ..." Another aspect which was highlighted is that "Jesus is the true vine and only from our union with him depends the fruitfulness of our ministry". Finally, the purpose of being united to Christ is "to give glory to God and produce the fruits of charity and goodness. A branch that does not produce fruit, is not needed, it is thrown away, it is burned"
Therefore the Prefect of the Congregation focused on tracing the identity and characteristics of the service which the deacon is called to serve in the Church: "Jesus is the example that the Deacon has to imitate ... The Deacon reproduces Christ in his actions". Diaconal service therefore "is a service to the Church, just like the Apostles did and it was given to 'men of good reputation, full of Spirit and wisdom'; Moreover, it is a 'propter homines' service, that is to say to the benefit of the community and in particular those most in need".
Finally, addressing the new deacons, he urged them to mission with these words: "Dear Deacons, you come from nine countries in Africa and Asia: Ghana, Korea, Nigeria, China, Uganda, Tanzania, Congo-Brazzaville, Benin and Cameroon. These are areas where the Church is young, but also in which faith in Jesus has not been preached to many. You must therefore have a missionary heart, as Pope Francis says in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, when he states he wants a Church that is capable of transforming enthusiasm for a new chapter of evangelization full of fervour, joy, generosity, courage, boundless love and attraction" (SL) (Agenzia Fides 04/05/2015)
