Priest Meeting 2022
Thou shalt rejoice in thy children because they shall all be blessed and shall be gathered to the Lord (Tob. 13:17)
The celebration of the Golden Jubilee (belated due to insane Covid lockdowns) at the Manila priory enabled us to stand where we priests may have an extensive view of what is present and what is past. Though none of the priests present can easily link the two extremities, due to our rather young age, we can easily and vividly recall the steady growth from small and adventurous beginnings of this great priestly fraternity erected for the sole purpose of the glory of God and for the salvation of souls.
The priests of the entire District of Asia along with all of its dear brothers and sisters gathered together under the very presence of their common father - Reverend Father Davide Pagliarani, the Superior General of the Society of St. Pius X. Together we prayed, learned, laughed, ate, shared our common joys, concerns, anguishes…
What a day! A day dedicated to the Mother of all priests – and in her ‘own country’! And what did we do? We sung – all 50 of us! We did sing the song of many similar ardent hearts across the globe – that have hearkened to the call of true love, who by one sublimely irrevocable action have clung to that which they really desired: Instaurare omnia in Christo.
We did sing so ardently – because we have found our life. For there is no life without unity and there is no unity in our international and complex institution but by co-operation at all levels, and there is no co-operation except by self-sacrifice. We did sing the song of gratitude towards our beloved founder who raised this priestly congregation with blood and sweat, towards the many great souls that have formed this body of youth and taught their hands to fight and their fingers to war. Here we are at the 50th year of the battle, still standing and winning.
Let us then bless our beloved fraternity for her maternal heart. We are so lucky to be her children and not the other way around.
If we may make one wish, please God, we fondly hope and pray that some of us may live to see and celebrate the centenary jubilee in even more grand scale.
