Concelebrating with Msgr. Vukšić were the Military Ordinary in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Msgr. Miro Relota, OFM; the Provincial of the Franciscan Province of Bosna Srebrena, OFM Zdravko Dadić; the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna, Msgr. Slađan Ćosić; and approximately 30 other priests.

Following a solemn procession around the cathedral at the beginning of the Holy Mass, Archbishop Tomo greeted those present, with a special welcome to the deacons. "Today, we will join you in prayer for you, so that this act of receiving the holy order of the diaconate may contribute to your spiritual edification and to the growth of God’s Church, wherever Providence may lead you in your future priestly vocation. We will pray to the good Lord to bless your parents, formators, friends, acquaintances, and the priests who have supported you thus far on your journey", said Msgr. Vukšić. He also encouraged the congregation to seek conversion, asking that God might "forgive everything in our lives thus far that was not good, and sustain everything that has been good and beautiful, so that we may continue to build upon it."

Following the presentation of the candidates, the Archbishop delivered a homily titled "Let Every Tongue Confess That Jesus Christ Is Lord."

The Missionary Mission Is the Foundation of the Church

At the beginning, he reminded that the 28^th Sunday in Ordinary Time is Mission Sunday—a day dedicated to the missionary mission, to missionaries, and to all those who, in any way—through prayer or contributions—assist and support the noble work of spreading the Gospel and establishing new communities of the Church of Christ. "Furthermore, we rejoice that, during this very Holy Mass, seven of our brothers will receive the Order of the Diaconate: three Croatians from this ancient part of the Church—which traces its distant origins back to the preaching and ministry of a disciple of the Apostle Paul (cf. 2 Tim 4:10)—and four from African nations: Uganda, Malawi, Burundi, and Rwanda—younger ecclesial communities that emerged in more recent centuries as the fruit of missionary activity." He emphasized that these two aspects of the life of the Church of Christ—missions and the Sacrament of Holy Orders—are, quite fittingly, brought together today into a single whole.

He further said that Jesus became human to restore people to a state of goodness, ensuring that human beings would not remain estranged from the life of God. This was so that people might cast off their former way of life—the "old self", led toward ruin by deceitful desires—and "put on" the "new self", created in God’s image in righteousness and the holiness of truth; in other words, to begin a new life in Christ (cf. Eph 4:22–24). "Beyond becoming human and rising from the dead for the sake of the eternal salvation of every person, Jesus also came into this world to transform it through His example and teaching—so that a new heaven and a new earth might come into being, a great and holy 'Tent of God' among humanity, in which God would dwell with them. In other words, the goal was for all nations and races to become one harmonious people of God, with Him as their God (Rev 21:1)." He added that, in furtherance of human salvation and the emergence of this new heaven and new earth, the risen Jesus appeared multiple times to some of His disciples, urging them to continue His work. He explained that the apostles, emboldened and obedient to Jesus’ desire, went forth to preach everywhere; the Lord worked alongside them, confirming the Word through accompanying signs. "The instruction for the disciples to go out into the world and proclaim the Gospel to all creation is simultaneously a desire and a command from Jesus; it is known as the 'universal mission' of the Church and applies literally to every one of its members. (...) This mission is also universal in a historical sense, meaning that every day of human history—right up until the end of time—is equally intended for its fulfillment. The mission is universal in a geographical sense as well, for the entire Earth is God’s creation; He cherishes every part of it and therefore desires that the Word of God be heard everywhere", said Archbishop Tomo. He emphasized that, beyond bearing witness to the Gospel within the ordinary circumstances of daily life and work, many Christians—especially priests, men and women religious, and more recently, numerous lay faithful—have travelled to distant lands and among peoples who did not yet know Christ, all for the sake of spreading the Gospel. "Today, in this Eucharistic celebration in the Sarajevo Cathedral, we witness a great gift from God—a joyful occasion marked by the encounter and cooperation between the Church in Europe and ecclesial communities in Africa. This event is, first and foremost, the fruit of the universal mission of Christians to spread the Gospel. It is also the result of obedience to this mission and the willingness of our local Church—specifically the Franciscan Province of Bosna Srebrena and the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna, along with their formation and educational institutions—to assist communities in Africa in service to the Church’s universal mission. Furthermore, this event reflects the openness of African ecclesial communities to listen to the experiences of older Churches and to accept their assistance", he stated, while also commending the formation institutions within the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna. Through the training and studies of deacons—who hail from diverse nations, races, languages, and cultures—these institutions have embodied Jesus’ universal mission and are today joyfully demonstrating it in practice to both the Church and the wider society. After also thanking two African Franciscan communities for the trust they placed in him by sending their candidates to Bosnia to prepare for religious and priestly life, he expressed his joy that all seven deacons would, in the coming months, undergo additional preparation together, while simultaneously gaining pastoral experience as deacons within the parish communities of the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna and the Franciscan Province of Bosna Srebrena, to which they will be assigned.

The act of Diaconal Ordination

Following the homily, the candidates for ordination expressed their readiness to embrace consecrated celibacy, to observe the Liturgy of the Hours, and to offer respect and obedience to the diocesan bishop and their lawful religious superior. This was followed by the Litany of the Saints, during which the candidates lay prostrate on the floor, signifying their total surrender to God and trust in His grace. Through the laying on of hands and the prayer of consecration, Archbishop Tomo conferred the sacrament of Holy Orders—specifically the diaconate—upon the candidates. Subsequently, the newly ordained deacons, assisted by their respective parish priests, vested in their liturgical garments. At the conclusion of the rite, they received the Book of the Gospels from the Archbishop, exchanged the kiss of peace with him, and then proceeded to serve at the altar.

At the end of the Holy Mass, Archbishop Vukšić delivered a brief address, congratulating the new deacons—whom he called by name—and personally presenting them with their certificates of ordination.

The Holy Mass celebration was animated by the choir of Franciscan seminarians Fra Nenad Dujić under the direction of OFM Emanuel Josić.

Thus, the Sarajevo Cathedral once again demonstrated the universality of the Catholic Church, which is open to all nations and peoples. The Holy Mass also beautifully highlighted the importance of missionary work, illustrating that the missionary spirit knows no boundaries; rather, it unites diverse peoples and cultures within the shared faith in Christ.