On Wednesday, June 29, 2022, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles, six friars of the Province of St. Joseph, Spouse of the B.V.M. in Romania were ordained to the priesthood through the imposition of the hands of the Most Reverend Iosif PĂULEȚ, Bishop of Iași. The ordinations took place at the Theological Institute in Roman, Romania.
Those concelebrating included the Minister Provincial, Friar Damian-Gheorghe PĂTRAŞCU; the Guardian of the Sf. Francisc de Assisi Friary in Roman, Friar Alexandru OLARU; the Provincial Custos of the Orient and the Holy Land, Friar Anton BULAI; the Rector of the Post-Novitiate, Friar Virgil BLAJ; along with the Institute’s formators and professors; and many priests from the Diocese and the Province.
The celebration began with a procession to the altar, which had been set up outdoors in front of the Institute. At the same time, the faithful, together with a choir directed by Friar Cristian DUMEA, praised the Lord through song.
In his homily, the bishop spoke about the two Apostles as being ever-present models for priests and for all the faithful, stressing that they should be imitated especially in the way they responded to Christ’s call, and how they served the people of God.
The new priests are Friars Emanuel Petrache ANTICA, Andrei Iulian CIOBANU, Alexandru Ionel DIAC, Narcis Leonard LASLĂU, Alexandru Cosmin SASCĂU and Petru VÂRGĂ.
Through our Father St. Francis, may the Lord bless our six friar priests and grant them the grace to always be courageous witnesses as they serve the Gospel, the altar and the people of God!
Friar Virgil BLAJ
