On May 29, 2022, His Eminence, Josip Cardinal BOZANIĆ, Archbishop of Zagreb, Croatia, presided over the Mass at the Church of St. Pope John XXIII in Zagreb, where he ordained nineteen new priests including Friars Franjo ČOLAKOVAC and Zvonimir PERVAN from the Province of St. Jerome in Croatia.
At the beginning of the Mass, Cardinal BOZANIĆ greeted all those present and invited them to “pray for those for whom we are here.”
In his homily, the cardinal said, “I thank God for you in the Holy Spirit. I give thanks for the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus, for the gift of your lives, for your vocations and your responses. Dear deacons, your presence in this celebration clearly shows that the Lord is still calling us. Jesus Christ, risen, alive and present in our midst, continues to call us today. More than that, the Lord trusts us and believes that we are capable of answering his call with our lifelong commitment. He appreciates our capacity and determination to follow him. Jesus himself strengthens us and builds up our confidence. so that, with his help, we can make something beautiful out of our lives, that we can make our lives a gift for Him and for our brothers and sisters. This is the source of the joy that springs up in our hearts today. It is easy to see that joy on our faces as we behold these nineteen young men, who, after a long and demanding formation journey, will now be ordained priests in the Catholic Church.”
Addressing the faithful, the cardinal said, “Jesus gives himself to his own. Jesus continues to give. The greatest sign of Jesus’ presence among us is the Eucharist, because God wants to be with us forever. Moreover, you, dear deacons, with your priestly ordination will in some way become a sacrament of the Eucharist, because there is no Eucharist without priests. Always be mindful of this sublime vocation and mission with humble hearts. Carry it out it with reverential awe, faith and devotion. I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands” (cf. 2Tm 1: 6).
Before the final blessing, Cardinal BOZANIĆ congratulated the new priests, their families, friends and the parish communities. At the end of the celebration, the nineteen new priests gave a blessing to those present.
We congratulate our friars on their priestly ordination, and we thank the Lord for the gift of priestly vocations!
Friar Zlatko VLAHEK, Provincial Secretary