Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Yangon (Agenzia Fides) - For fifty years it has formed young priests for the local Church: St Joseph's Major Seminary in Yangon recently celebrated its golden Jubilee with a solemn concelebration of the Eucharist presided by Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, Apostolic Delegate in Myanmar, in the presence of many bishops from Myanmar, Malaysia and Thailand, as well as 300 priests, diocesan and missionary, women religious and several hundred faithful.
The Mass was preceded a few days before with a Symposium, on the theme "Forming priests in the millennium which changes in Myanmar” and the ordination of 34 deacons, a sign of hope for the local Church.
The event was a great celebration for the Catholic Church in Myanmar which, despite difficulties, takes small steps forwards keeping the flame of faith, hope and charity brightly burning.
In his homily the Apostolic Delegate congratulated and encouraged the local Church, the seminary, the rector and professors, thanking them for the fruitful activity. He also expressed appreciation for the Symposium affirming the importance of the theme of formation for priests in a changing society. Archbishop Pennacchio recalled that the present is the fruit of patient work in the past by missionaries from France MEP (Parish Foreign Missions), and Italy PIME (Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions) and Jesuits.
The Delegate said the Church in Myanmar, should thank God for these 50 years of service in which the Seminary has formed 680 priests, many of whom were later bishops, including fourteen of the present Bishops in the dioceses of Myanmar. He told the present 158 seminarians that they are “called to follow the Cross of Christ and to discover in his footsteps who they are, their identity as disciples and apostles”.
At the end of the Mass the Delegate offered a Jubilee gift to the rector Fr. Henry Eikhlein, and presented 28 students with their Degree in Theology from the Pontifical Urban College in Rome, to which St Joseph's is affiliated. The foundation stone for St Joseph's was laid in 1956, during the first Eucharistic Congress held in Yangon and the seminary was opened in 1957. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 4/12/2007 righe 29 parole 297)
