Romana

On November 4, 31 faithful of Opus Dei received diaconal ordination in the Basilica of St. Eugene in Rome, at the hands of Bishop Ignacio Carrasco.

Bishop Carrasco, president emeritus of the Pontifical Academy for Life, centered his homily on the word “service,” which characterizes the tasks assigned to deacons: “In the language of Jesus of Nazareth, in the language of his Mother, Mary, and his relatives, friends and neighbors, the transitive verb ‘to serve’ did not mean anything to be proud of. It was the word defining the servant, the slave, the one to whom the lowest tasks, even the unpleasant ones were assigned; he was the one who occupied the last place in society’s eyes,” the bishop said.

“Nevertheless,” he added, “this was the word chosen by the apostles for those first seven collaborators that St. Luke speaks of in the Acts of the Apostles: 'men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom.'” And turning to the 31 candidates, he said: “This will be the new identity you will take on in a few minutes, when I place my hands on you.”

The Prelate of Opus Dei, Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz, took part in the ceremony from the presbytery, together with the vicar general, Msgr. Mariano Fazio, and the vicar central secretary, Rev. Antoni Pujals. Also present at the ceremony were numerous family members and friends of the future priests.

The new deacons come from 15 different countries: Spain, Italy, Venezuela, Kenya, Argentina, Philippines, Uruguay, Slovakia, Uganda, Nigeria, France, Ivory Coast, Brazil, Colombia and Holland. They will receive priestly ordination in Rome on May 5, 2018.