Reception of the Cassock at St. Curé d'Ars Seminary, Flavigny

On the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, twenty young men received the cassock at the Saint-Curé-d'Ars Seminary: thirteen Frenchmen, two Italians, one Englishman, one Brazilian, one Indian, one Sri Lankan and one Swiss.

Surrounded by their families, they received the habit during the pontifical ceremony celebrated by His Excellency Bishop de Galarreta, assisted by the district superiors of France and Switzerland, abbé Benoît de Jorna and abbé Thibaud Favre.

Many seminarians from Ecône came to provide the liturgical service (singing, ceremony), giving the ceremony a special splendour. Several dozen high school students from the Society's schools came to support their fellow students who are now seminarians. It was an excellent opportunity to help them to ask themselves the question of their vocation.  At the end of the afternoon, the Pontiff celebrated Vespers, which closed this beautiful day.

Let us remember to pray for these young men who consecrate themselves to the Good God, so that the exterior change of clothing may correspond to an interior change of their souls.

O Lord, grant us holy priests!