Pope Benedict's 60th anniversary of priestly ordination

A belated post to commemorate this auspicious anniversary. In accordance with the request from the Congration for the Clergy, Bishop Sample initiated the 60 hours of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament at St Peter Cathedral, Marquette, after the evening Mass yesterday.



Pope Benedict said yesterday:

Sixty years on from the day of my priestly ordination, I hear once again deep within me these words of Jesus that were addressed to us new priests at the end of the ordination ceremony by the Archbishop, Cardinal Faulhaber, in his slightly frail yet firm voice. According to the liturgical practice of that time, these words conferred on the newly-ordained priests the authority to forgive sins. “No longer servants, but friends”: at that moment I knew deep down that these words were no mere formality, nor were they simply a quotation from Scripture. I knew that, at that moment, the Lord himself was speaking to me in a very personal way. In baptism and confirmation he had already drawn us close to him, he had already received us into God’s family. But what was taking place now was something greater still. He calls me his friend.

His homily can be read here and there is a special page on the Vatican website.