Sermon from 2016 Ordinations Mass
On Friday June 3rd, Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta delivered a sermon at the Mass of Ordinations to the Priesthood and Diaconate, which we provide here for your benefit.
Editor's Note: We apologize for the late publication of this sermon; soon after the ordination ceremony, we had published a version from notes of the live translator. Since His Excellency gave the sermon in Spanish, we waited to ensure a more accurate translation in English and the translation in French. Now we here present the complete and accurate translation of the sermon of His Excellency.
Today is a day full of joy – of a noble, profound, Christian joy – as it brings us together around the altar and the sacrifice of Our Lord, in order to confer the sacred orders of the Priesthood and Deaconate, on this feast day of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, our priestly ideal.
“Sacerdos alter Christus” – the priest is another Christ who, by means of the sacrament of the Eucharist, continues the presence and action of Our Lord, Eternal High Priest. As a sacrament, the Eucharist perpetuates the incarnation, the presence of Our Lord among us. As a sacrifice, it perpetuates the redemption, the cross of Our Lord.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus is the object of the preaching and apostolate of the priest. But it is also, at the same time, the form and model of the priestly spirituality and activity. St. Paul wants us to know the inexhaustible treasures of wisdom, science, holiness and charity that are hidden in the Sacred Heart of Jesus...
