Video – Roving Reporter #120: First Holy Mass at the Portziuncola in Italy

Ave Maria!

This is the first Holy Mass celebrated by the newly-ordained FI priests, Fr. Alan Bernardino Wharton (USA), Fr. Vincent Michael Egbu (Nigeria), Fr. Giles Joseph Mary Atherton (Australia), and Fr. Vincent d'Elia (Italy). Our new priests had the privilege of celebrating at the Sanctuary of the Portziuncola in Assisi in the same edifice in which Saint Francis himself entrusted the Order of the Friars Minor into the hands of Our Lady some 800 years ago. The Mass was celebrated on March 26, 2011, the day after their holy ordinations at Tarquinia in Italy, and we ask that you remember these new servants of our Lord in your prayers.

note: The Holy Mass was celebrated in the ordinary form (Mass of Paul VI) in Italian, and, as you'll note in the video, a good number of the friars studying at the FI philosophical and theological seminary, the Seminarium Theologicum Immaculata Mediatrix (S.T.I.M.), were in attendance. At this time, all the FI students of philosophy are studying here on the outskirts of Rome (approx. 40 minutes away from the Vatican by car...depending on the traffic) while those in theological studies are situated in the city of Cassino, home of the famous monastery of St. Benedict - bombed (and then rebuilt) by the US during WWII, as the Italians like to remind us. We're currently seeking a new convent/seminary of studies here in Rome, so we ask you for your prayers in this regard as well. All the American friars in priestly formation – Fra. Anthony Servium, Fra Josemaria (Canada), Fra Ephriam, Fra Pio Maximillian, and Fra Terrance – send their greetings to everyone and, as always, we ask for your prayers.

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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