Barcelona, Spain. “I reaffirm my obedience and faithful disposition to the mission of the Church”. With this commitment the Claretian Missionary Ignasius Canri Situmorang was ordained priest on Saturday, June 26 in Barcelona. He did it accompanied by brothers of the congregation, friends, relatives, and parishioners, and by those who followed the celebration on the Internet from Indonesia and other parts of the world.
“All this is very great, like the gratuitous love of God,” said Situmorang, visibly moved by the gift of faith and the commitment he had just made. In particular, he thanked God for helping him “say yes” beyond his “mistrust and weaknesses”.
The Auxiliary Bishop of Barcelona, Monsignor Javier Vilanova, presided over the priestly ordination in the Sanctuary of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Barcelona. With him, Canri Situmorang, CMF once ordained presbyter, concelebrated for the first time, together with the provincial of Sanctus Paulus, Fr. Ricard Costa-Jussà, CMF, and the delegate of the province in Catalonia, Fr. Máximo Muñoz, CMF; both significant Claretians in the formative process of Situmorang since he was appointed to the province of Sanctus Paulus in 2015. They were also accompanied by the other members of the provincial government – Ray Adormeo, CMF, Josep Codina, CMF, Rafael Gómez, CMF and Renato Caprioli, CMF-, the parish priest of the shrine, Shinto Thomas, CMF, representatives of the Claretian communities of Catalonia, as well as several people linked to the Claretian family and the parish community.
“The fruit that is asked of you is that you love”
In his homily, Bishop Vilanova referred to the mission that God entrusts to the new presbyter: “The fruit that is asked of you is that you love”. He exhorted the Claretian to work for the communion of the Church “from East to West”, to be “humble and faithful instrument of God” and to be a good shepherd, as was Jesus or St. Anthony Mary Claret himself. From the Founder of the Claretian Missionaries, he read the prayer in which he asks God “to try by all means to inspire everyone with your love”. Canri Situmorang, CMF was invested by his Claretian brothers with the stole and the chasuble, proper to the ministry he will exercise.
“I owe my second birth to the Congregation”
Canri Situmorang, CMF addressed his confreres at the end of the celebration as well:
“To the Claretian Congregation I owe my second birth. I am grateful for the formation received, both in Indonesia and in Catalonia, where I have welcomed the Claretian spirituality and its apostolic and missionary sense”.
He also greeted with special affection his parents, brothers and sisters and the Claretian Missionaries of the delegation of Indonesia-Timor Leste, who also followed the celebration via Internet.
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