The second of April—a Tuesday within the Octave of Easter—marked a significant day for the Collegio Internazionale del Gesù, in particular, for the Society of Jesus. Thirteen scholastics were ordained deacons during a solemn Mass presided over by Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education. Alongside the cardinal, Fr Arturo Sosa Abascal, Superior General of the Society of Jesus, and Fr Johan Verschueren, Father General’s Delegate for the Interprovincial Roman Houses and Works (DIR), were present, along with over 150 concelebrating priests and approximately 500 guests.
The thirteen candidates for the transitional diaconate hail from 12 different provinces across 10 countries: Vietnam, Nigeria, India, the United States, Bangladesh, Burundi, Lithuania, Italy, Belgium, and Slovakia. Joseph Trần Ngọc Huynh was the sole representative from the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific.
In his homily, Cardinal Tolentino began with the experience of encounter and transformation of Mary Magdalene with the Risen Christ, emphasising the emotions recognised in that special moment. There was a transformation of emotions in a heart touched by proclamation, from fear and enclosure to departure and evangelization. From lamentation to discipleship and mission. Through this encounter, the decisive moment is “when we recognise Jesus, we recognise how He recognises us”.
Addressing the ordinands, the Cardinal reiterated God’s call for them. The foundational call for these Jesuit scholastics is to identify their lives with the life of Jesus. This is achieved by listening to Jesus, directing all that we have towards Him. Only in this way can we consider ourselves witnesses of the apostle among the apostles who proclaimed, “I have seen the Lord!” This testimony, the experience of the Resurrection, the narrative of those who saw and experienced Him, is what the world needs.
As the Cardinal described, in a world sociologically immersed in a period of discouragement, pessimism, and disappointment, the Church needs deacons willing to risk proclaiming “at dawn” rather than expending their energies “managing twilight”. The Church needs the passion of new beginnings, of the prophetic words about the first day, of the opening day, of the enthusiastic heart of Christ breaking the siege of death. The Church needs the enthusiasm of those who can declare, “I have seen the Lord!” and imagine how the world can be transformed by this truth.
