Archbishop Vukšić ordained five priests

pet, 30. lipnja 2023. 08:37

During the Holy Mass, on the feast of St. Peter and Paul, June 29th, in the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Sarajevo, Archbishop Metropolitan of Vrhbosna, Msgr. Tomo Vukšić ordained one deacon of the Vrhbosna Archdiocese and four deacons of the Franciscan Province of Bosna Srebrena as priests.

Msgr. Vukšić led the Holy Mass celebration in concelebration with the apostolic nuncio in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Msgr. Francis Assisi Chullikatt, Provincial of the Franciscan Province of Bosna Srebrena, OFM Zdravko Dadić, Vicar General of the Vrhbosna Archdiocese, Msgr. Slađan Ćosić and about 60 other priests, including heads and professors from the Vrhbosna Theological Seminary, Franciscan Theology, the Archdiocesanssionary International Seminary Redemptoris Mater and the Catholic Theological Faculty in Sarajevo, as well as the pastors of the parishes from which the ordained come. The Holy Mass was attended by nuns from various congregations, parents, brothers, sisters and relatives of the ordained priests, parishioners from the native parishes and other believers. Assisting at the altar and liturgical singing were led by theologians, colleagues of ordained priests from the mentioned theological seminaries.

The priest's visible "second Christ" in life and pastoral care

Introducing the Holy Mass celebration, Archbishop Tomo greeted everyone present in the cathedral. He sent a special greeting to the representative of the Holy Father in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nuncio Chullikatt and Provincial OFM Zdravko. After the rector of the Vrhbosna Theological Seminary, rev. Zdenko Spajić and the Master of Franciscan Theology OFM Danijel Nikolić presented the candidates for priestly ordination and guaranteed that the Christian people, who were asked, and the responsible persons considered them worthy, Msgr. Vukšić delivered an appropriate sermon entitled Priest's visible "second Christ" in life and pastoral ministry. The archbishop of Vrhbosna initially referred to Matthew's Gospel, which is announced on the feast day of the holy apostles Peter and Paul. He mentioned that Jesus was somewhere in the vicinity of Caesarea Philippi and in a private conversation with his disciples he wanted to hear from them the answer to two important questions about himself.

"The first question referred to the echo that Jesus' preaching and actions left on the listeners, and it read: 'What do people say, who is the Son of Man?' (Mt 16:13). Jesus received an unusual answer to it, which allows us to conclude that people, according to the information available to the disciples, did not really understand who Jesus was because they thought: 'One thought he is John the Baptist; the second that he is Elijah; the third again that he is Jeremiah or one of the prophets' (Mt 16:14)", explained the archbishop, noting that after this introduction, with the desire to hear how far his disciples had reached in knowledge and faith, Jesus asked them all directly: "And you, what do you say, who am I?" (Mt 16:15).

With these formulations of the two questions, Jesus, indicated Msgr. Vukšić, clearly announced that the "Son of Man" from the first question and "I" from the second are the same reality - that is, He, Jesus Christ, their teacher. "And from the answer to the second question, Jesus will find out that his disciples, compared to other people, are very advanced. To the question posed: 'Simon Peter accepted and said: You are the Christ-Anointed One, the Son of the living God' (Mt 16:16)", explained Archbishop Tomo.

The foundation of the apostles and their faith

Then he spoke about today's holiday of St. Peter and Paul, with which the apostolic foundation and stronghold of the Church for the confession of faith is celebrated.

"The 'structure' of the Church is based on the foundation of the apostles and their faith and, thanks to this, directly relies on Jesus, who is the cornerstone of that 'structure' and who holds it together, and the believers in the communion of a large family with fellow citizens saints and household member of God's. This was interpreted very beautifully by the apostle Paul when he wrote to the Christians of the city of Ephesus: 'Therefore, you are no longer strangers or newcomers, but you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and Christ Jesus himself is the chief stone. ' In it, the whole building is connected and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you too are embedded in the abode of God in the Spirit' (Eph 2:19-22)", said the archbishop of Vrhbosna, explaining that the apostles are a direct link that, in an unbroken series until today, connects every generation of believers with Jesus, which is worth in the historical sense, but even more important is the continuity of the confession of the apostolic faith. He further emphasized that Jesus, both in the past and today, asks his disciples: "What do people say, who is the Son of Man?"

"And even more, he asks us: 'And you, what do you say, who am I?' Both questions need to be answered to Jesus. That is, what is the echo of our pastoral care? And even more important: Who is Jesus for us in our personal life, thinking, our speech, our actions, planning and intentions, in relation to others? Especially given that the priest's task is to be an active and visible 'other Christ' in his private life and in his pastoral ministry", encouraged Msgr. Vukšić explaining that the priest is not a master but a servant of God's mercy and a humble mediator of God's means for the salvation of people, and at the same time "he is humbly aware that he is unworthy of the honour and mission for which he was chosen and which was entrusted to him".

Archbishop's congratulation

After the sermon, the rite of priestly ordination followed, during which those present prayed the Litany of All Saints, and the archbishop of Vrhbosna laid his hands on the heads of the ordained. After the pastors of their native parishes helped the newly ordained priests put on the stole and put on the chasuble, Archbishop Vukšić anointed their palms with holy oil and handed them a plate with the host and a chalice of wine and exchanged the whole peace with each of them. Then the Holy Mass celebration continued.

At the end of the Holy Mass, Msgr. Vukšić congratulated the newly ordained priests and handed them certificates of ordination. In the end, the newly ordained priests shared their newly consecrated blessing to everyone in the Sarajevo Cathedral.

For the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna, ordained are:

Rev. Darko Endrich is the son of Dejan and mother Svjetlana, born. Uzelac. He was born on November 29^th 1995 in Osijek. He comes from the parish of Excaltation of the Holy Cross - Osijek. After completing elementary school, he enrolled in the Secondary Vocational, Trade and Commercial School in his hometown. He completed his philosophical and theological studies at the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Sarajevo, where he successfully graduated in September 2022. He received the order of deacon on October 23^rd 2022, and completed his deacon internship at the parish of St. Anthony of Padua in Žepče.

The following were ordained for the Franciscan Province of Bosna Srebrena:

OFM Mile Beljo is the son of Mijo and Marija, born Dragić. He comes from the parish of Assumption of BVM, Rama-Šćit. He was born on August 10^th 1996 in Prozor. Baptized on September 7^th 1996 and confirmed on May 8^th 2011 in the parish of Assumption of BVM, Rama-Šćit. He finished elementary school in Ripci (2003-2011), and general high school in Prozor (2011-2015), where he graduated.

OFM Nikola Livaja is the son of Marko and Blaženka, born Akrapović. He comes from the parish of St. Anthony of Padua, Busovača. He was born on September 4^th 1997 in Nova Bila. He was baptized on September 27^th 1997 and confirmed on April 15^th 2012 in his native parish. He finished elementary school in Busovača (2004-2012). After that, he decided on a Franciscan vocation and enrolled in the Franciscan Seminary in Visoko, where he graduated from the Franciscan Classical High School (2012-2016).

OFM Stjepan Orkić is the son of Vladimir and Irina, born Storoženko. He comes from the parish of Assumption of BVM, Tolisa. His baptismal and civil name is Kristijan, but from his first vows he took the monastic name OFM Stjepan. He was born on September 11^th 1997 in Vinkovci. He was baptized on November 15^th 1997 and confirmed on May 5^th 2012 in his native parish. He finished elementary school in Tolisa (2004-2012). After that, he decided on a Franciscan vocation and enrolled in the Franciscan Seminary in Visoko, where he graduated from the Franciscan Classical High School (2012-2016).

OFM Drago Blažević is the son of Branko and Janja born Škoro. He comes from the parish of Assumption of BVM, Uskoplje. He was born on May 16^th 1998 in Prozor. He was baptized on July 11^th 1998 and confirmed on May 8^th 2011 in his native parish. He finished elementary school in Uskoplje (2004-2012). After that, he decided on a Franciscan vocation and enrolled in the Franciscan Seminary in Visoko, where he graduated from the Franciscan Classical High School (2012-2016).

All four candidates for the presbyteries of the Franciscan province of Bosna Srebrena completed their postulate year in Visoko in 2015/2016. They put on the Franciscan habit on July 10^th 2016 in Tolisa. They spent their novitiate in the monastery of St. Peter and Paul in Gorica, Livno. They took their first vows on July 2^nd 2017, and solemn vows on October 10^th 2021 in Busovača. They completed their philosophical and theological studies at the Franciscan Theology in Sarajevo, where they graduated on June 27^th 2022. They received the order of deacons on October 23^rd 2022, in Sarajevo's Cathedral of Sacred Heart.