On Sunday, March 5, 2018, the International College of the Legion of Christ in Rome was the center of several celebrations. First, the end of the spiritual exercises for priests of the Italian territory, among whom were some members of the general government of the Legion of Christ. Additionally, all the religious of the center renewed their vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, recalling their belonging to God. Another reason for celebration took place with 15 religious from the theology community who received the ministry of acolyte, which officially qualifies them for service at the altar.
“The zeal of God which, we can say, is the care that the Lord has for what is His. What matters to God, what belongs to Him. We are of God, there are things that are of God and are sacred, and God cares about them, we matter to God. The zeal of God is part of God’s love. And then we encounter Jesus Christ in the Gospel who arrives at the Temple and finds it turned into a marketplace, and ‘the zeal for your house consumes me.’ Sometimes we are surprised by this passage, but it is the fruit of love, of something that belongs to God being turned into something of the world, and it cannot serve both God and money, nor serve both God and oneself.” (From the homily of Fr. Eduardo Robles-Gil, LC)
The religious who received the ministry of acolyte are the following: Diego Zanforlin (Italy), Marcin Prokopek (Poland), László Erffa (Germany), Kevin Gillis (Canada), Wolfgang Dichgans (Germany), Agustían Gómez (Mexico), Rafael Pou (Spain), Ryan Carlin (United States), Emmanuel Ortiz (Mexico), René Gómez (Mexico), Juan Pablo González (Mexico), Camilo Palacio (Colombia), Christopher Gronotte (United States), Leopoldo Elías Sayegh (Venezuela), Kramer Cameron (Canada).
“So that we too may have the same love for the things of God, for the liturgy that belongs to God, for the places of God, but above all for the People of God. For the People of God whom we serve and to whom we dedicate ourselves to serve. That we have zeal for ourselves, who are of God, so that we may serve Him and properly serve the people who are of God and need us to be saints. This is what we ask of the Lord now as we renew our promises. He cares for us because we matter to Him.” (Words of Fr. Eduardo at the conclusion of the ceremony)
https://youtu.be/0DcbUXOYlpM
