Jerusalem, Israel, 12 June 2016 -- His Beatitude Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem did ordained 14 young men to deacons (11 SDB and 3 Missionaries of Africa). The celebration was in the St.Anne's Basilica, Jerusalem. Apart of many distinguished Salesians and other guests of our Ratisbonne community (Rector Fr. Andrew Wong) were present also two General Councilors - Fr. Ivo Coelho and Fr. Timothy Ploch.
Among the 11 new Salesian deacons are also few from our EAO region: Rev. Lam Giuse Cosimo Dang (missionary in Bangladesh), Rev. Philip Huang Long Hsuan (CIN-Taiwan), Finansius Sidabutar (ITM-Indonesia) and Duc Huan Giuse Vu (VIE).
We are happy to share the deep joy of Deacon Philip Huang from Tainan (Taiwan):
"It was a most wonderful deacon ordination I have had attended. I felt so not because I was one of the people who was being ordained, it was because of a beautiful group work in the Holy Mass with the rite of ordination we had celebrated. It was touching and inspiring.
There were bishop, priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, lay consecrated people, lay people, parents and family members and friends of the new deacons. Everybody has an distinct role to participate in this divine liturgy, joined together worship and thanks to the Lord. There were also people from different countries to take part of the celebration, it was a kind of "international community" which showed the universal dimension of the Church. It was really a wonderful liturgical celebration, in which everyone would feel God was close at hand and an abundant grace and love given to all.
For myself, there was a certain sign that showed God's guidance. On the 11th we celebrated St Barnabas' memorial and I was reminded twice the same thing. One from the daily Mass, the other from Confession, the former stressed on the words of "laying on of hands" and "to be sent", the latter the priest giving me penance asked me again to read the same passage from Acts Chapter 11.
When I read it, at once was struck by the very words that describe the quality of the person of Barnabas and his work: "...for he was a good man, filled with the holy Spirit and faith. And a large number of people was added to the Lord" (Acts 11:24)
I was quite sure this was not just a merely coincidence. Hence I took it quite seriously. In fact, this verse had been my help for the ordination itself and even for my future life and ministry. By the grace of God, I should strive to be a good man, a good example in the Church and in the society. When I am filled with the Holy Spirit and faith, I would be able to witness to the love of God shown in the person of Jesus Christ through my daily humble deacon service and ministry.
The liturgy had been celebrated wonderfully and worthily today, and I had become a deacon. For tomorrow, let me do the service that I suppose to do and let me be the kind of person that I suppose to be."
We congratulate to all newly ordained deacons in Vietnam and in Jerusalem. And we remember in our prayers other group of Salesian deacons still waiting for their ordination in Rome (next Saturday) and in Manila (June 24th).
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