With great joy, we announce that on Saturday, Sept 17, the feast of the Stigmata of St. Francis, there will be eleven Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate ordained, one to the priesthood and ten to the diaconate, including Br. Charles from the US. Deo Gratias!!
They will take place at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, by Cardinal Stanislaw Marian Rylko at 6 pm Roman Time, which is 11 am US Eastern, 10 Central, 9 Mountain, 8 am Pacific. Please keep all those who are to be ordained in your prayers as they are on retreat in preparation for this sacrament. These are:
To the Priesthood:
- Fra Justin Maria Bertho
To the Diaconate:
- Fra Jean Parfait Maria Affodji
- Fra Antoine Maria Agossou
- Fra Olivier Maria Chole
- Fra Thomas Isaiah Pius Maria Djoblaouna
- Fra Jean-Joseph Maria Gerard Donou-Agbi
- Fra Ezekiel Maria Gamboa
- Fra Jean-Marie Regis Maria Montcho
- Fra Maximilian Maria Omorgerie
- Fra Charles Anthony Maria Robinson
- Fra Zeno Maria Sparks
The ordinations will be streamed at: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC0SQco-cCSsmbMdTSY6ljng
And: https://www.facebook.com/studentatointernazionaleFI/
The legend of the basilica of St. Mary Major is that in 350, a Roman noble named John had no heir, and wanted to dedicate all his wealth to God’s Glory. He dreamed of there being snow in August in Rome that would show him where to build a church in honor of Jesus’ Mum. The church that was there was rebuilt in the 430’s and the basic structure, and many of the mosaics are from that time. It was finished around 450, but has had many additions over the centuries. The first of the two great treasures here is the wood from the crib of Bethlehem (which was brought here in 640), kept under the main altar. The second treasure is the icon of Salus Popoli Romani, which has been continuously honored in this church since AD 590. The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate have staffed the sacristy of this basilica for over ten years.
This bodes well for next year, when we should have ten ordinations to the priesthood. Again, please keep all these friars in your prayers.
