Ukrainian Priests Attend Meeting of Clergy "Faithfulness of Christ, Faithfulness of Priests" in Rome

A world meeting of clergy took place in Rome from June 9 to 11 to mark the end of the Year for Priests and to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Mary Vianney, the holy Cure of Ars.

VATICAN CITY – A world meeting of clergy took place in Rome from June 9 to 11 to mark the end of the Year for Priests and to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Mary Vianney, the holy Cure of Ars. According to Radio Vatican, the meeting was attended by priests from Ukraine and Ukrainian priests from Poland, Canada, Argentina, and other countries.

All the priests of the world have been invited to the meeting, which is being promoted by the Congregation for the Clergy and has as its theme: "Faithfulness of Christ, Faithfulness of Priests."

The topic of the first day, June 9, was "Conversion and Mission." Cardinal Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne, Germany, presided at a meditation in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, which was also relayed to the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

This was followed by a period of Eucharistic adoration during which the Sacrament of Confession was administered. Later, Cardinal Claudio Hummes O.F.M. and Archbishop Mauro Piacenza, prefect and secretary of the Congregation for the Clergy, presided at Eucharistic celebrations in, respectively, the basilicas of St. Paul Outside the Walls and St. John Lateran.

The topic of the second day of the meeting was: "The Cenacle: Invocation to the Holy Spirit with Mary, in Fraternal Communion." Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., archbishop of Quebec, Canada, preached a meditation in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, which was likewise relayed to the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

This was again followed by a period of Eucharistic adoration during which the Sacrament of Confession was available. Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. and Archbishop Robert Sarah, secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples then presided at Eucharistic celebrations in, respectively, St. Paul Outside the Walls and St. John Lateran.

On Thursday evening a vigil was held in St. Peter's Square. In the course of the event a number of priests bore witness; there were also television linkups with Ars, the Cenacle in Jerusalem, and poor neighborhoods of Buenos Aires and Hollywood, a dialogue between the pope and the priests, and adoration of the Eucharist.

At 10 a.m. on Friday 11 June, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Year for Priests officially came to an end with a Eucharistic concelebration presided over by the pope in St. Peter's Square. During the Mass the clergy renewed their vows and the pope proclaimed the holy Cure of Ars the patron saint of all priests.