On October 9, 2013, Pope Francis recalled during the General Audience that “the Church is Catholic because it is a House of harmony,” and explained that it is “like a great orchestra in which there is variety […]. Each one brings what is theirs, what God has given them, to enrich others. And among the components, there is diversity, but it is a diversity that does not conflict, does not oppose; it is a variety that is melted together in harmony by the Holy Spirit.”

The different rites within the Church are an example of this catholicity and harmony, and are also one of the great riches of the Pontifical College Maria Mater Ecclesiae in Rome, where seminarians from various parts of the world and different rites coexist. This was especially evident last May with the deaconal ordination of 3 seminarians of the Siro-Malabar rite and 11 seminarians of the Latin rite.

On May 11, to mark the silver jubilee of the Siro-Malabar parish in Rome, the first ceremony was held, presided over by Monsignor Stephen Chirappanath, Apostolic Visitor for the Siro-Malabar Catholic Church and Titular Bishop of Slebte, who, in addition to ordaining the 3 new deacons of Mater Ecclesiae, ordained 3 other deacons from various colleges. During the celebration, held at St. Peter’s Basilica, 17 seminarians received the subdiaconate (8 of whom from Mater Ecclesiae) and 2 seminarians received the lectorate (one of whom from Mater Ecclesiae).

The ceremony was conducted in the Siro-Malabar rite, which dates back to the early centuries of Christianity and, according to tradition, to the same Apostle Saint Thomas. “When I see the children of Saint Thomas gathered here in this house of Saint Peter, I perceive the beauty, the richness, and the harmony of the Catholic Church. I remember the words of Pope Francis: ‘the Church is Catholic because it is the House of harmony, where unity and diversity know how to unite to be a wealth.’”

On May 18, the Latin rite ceremony took place at the Chair of Saint Peter and was presided over by Cardinal Beniamino Stella, Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy. Among other priests, concelebrating were Fr. Enrique Tapia LC, rector of the College, Fr. Manuel Diego LC, vice-rector, the Legionary priests and formators who accompanied the seminarians during these 4 years of formation, and some professors from the Ateneo Regina Apostolorum, where many of them studied.

In his homily, Cardinal Beniamino Stella said: “These brothers of ours, coming from various parts of the world, each with their own story and faith journey, had the courage to leave everything and risk their lives trusting in the Lord’s promise,” and added: “It was not us, with our strength and capacities, who chose to embrace this state of life, but we were chosen by the Lord within the Christian community. Called by His gratuitous love to serve Him in our brothers.”

Ivan Durán, one of the new deacons, shared that he experienced the imposition of hands rite invoking the Immaculate Heart of Mary: “I invoked it many times so that the Lord, at the moment of sending His Holy Spirit with His seven gifts, would find it in me and pour it out without measure, as He did in her on the day of the Incarnation. I asked Him to help me pronounce the words of the Fiat as she did, since this was the moment of my definitive fiat that Christ sealed with His Spirit.”

“A few minutes after the ordination, I visited the tabernacle in St. Peter’s Basilica. The Blessed Sacrament was exposed, and it was incredible to realize that I have the figure of the one I was adoring. The immense love that the Lord has for each priestly vocation is infinite,” added Father Ivan Durán.

At the end of the ceremony, Father Enrique Tapia, LC, rector of the College, presented Cardinal Beniamino Stella with a painting of Maria Mater Ecclesiae with the names of the new deacons.

“The diaconate is the first degree of the sacrament of Holy Orders. After several years of vocational discernment and formation, for these young men, their families, formators, and friends, reaching this moment is very emotional. It is, at the same time, a partial goal and a starting point in their lives. Through the sacrament, they are forever configured with Christ to serve Him as shepherds of His flock. Let us pray for them so that they may always be good shepherds who lay down their lives for their sheep,” said Fr. Enrique Tapia, LC, on the occasion of the deaconal ordinations.