They order 3 priests of the neocatecumenal road in the Holy Land, sign of hope before the war

On Saturday, June 14, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, ordered three new priests formed in the Redemportoris Mater seminar in Galilee, of the Neocatecumenal road, a sign of hope before the war in the Holy Land.

The ordination mass, says the patriarchy websitewas held at the Domus Galilaeae International Center, on the banks of the Sea of ​​Galilee, an important place of the Neocatechumenal road.

The three new priests are John Oscar Nuñez, of the Philippines; Giacomo Pagliariccia, from Italy; and Lucas Solbach, from France, accompanied by some faithful of the parishes where they served as deacons, and their families, who could reach Galilee before the war between Israel and Iran.

As concelebrantes were Mons. Rafiq Nahra, patriarchal vicar of Galilee; Mons. William Shomali, Vicar General of the Patriarchy of Jerusalem; and the Emeritian bishops Giacinto-Bulos Marcuzzo and Ilario Antoniazzi, in addition to priests and trainers of the Redemportoris Mater seminar of Galilee.

Called to be “the heart of Christ in the Church” in the Holy Land

In his homily, the patriarch spoke about the deep meaning of the Christian “testimony,” which in the first centuries of the Catholic Church was not only to be consistent but often offered life itself.

In today’s world, in particular in the Middle East, marked by the current war, the word testimony remembers the same of the time, the purple continued.

“The priestly ministry is not yours, it does not belong to them. It is a continuation of the Ministry of Christ. They are called to be his face, his hands, his feet and his heart in the life of the Church,” Cardinal Pizzaballa said to the new priests.

The celebration, with a strong accent of thanksgiving for the new presbyters, developed in an atmosphere of deep joy, but also of prayer for peace in the Holy Land, says the Latin patriarchy of Jerusalem.