Vatican City, May 15, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Yesterday, on the Solemnity of Pentecost, Pope Benedict XVI ordained 21 new priests for the Diocese of Rome and encouraged them to “Always lead men back again” to the mystery and foundation of the Eucharist. “Help them”, he said, “to bring Christ's peace into the world."
Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar general for the diocese of Rome, Archbishop Luigi Moretti, vicegerent, the auxiliary bishops, the superiors of the seminaries where the deacons were formed, and their pastors, concelebrated the Mass, held in the Vatican Basilica.
The Vatican noted today that eleven of the new priests are from Italy, two from Bolivia, and one each from Uruguay, Costa Rica, Peru, Ireland, Romania, Kenya, Angola and Nigeria.
In his homily, the Holy Father recalled the first Pentecost, in which, "the Holy Spirit, under the signs of the mighty wind and the fire, broke in upon the praying community of Jesus' disciples, and so gave origin to the Church."