Benedetto’s investiture

November 4 is the Feast of Saint Charles Borromeo, the saintly archbishop of Milan and wise pastor of the Church. A small group of faithful from the Saint James Vicariate for Hebrew Speaking Catholics in Israel, including the priests responsible for the kehillot in Jerusalem, Jaffa and Haifa, the emeritus parish priest of Beer Sheba, two priests working with the migrant communities and Benedetto’s former parish priest in Rome. They gathered around Latin Patriarchal Vicar Father David to celebrate the Church’s acceptance of Benedetto as a candidate for the priesthood.

In the ceremony that traditionally bestowed the right to wear the cassock on the seminarian, Father David questioned Benedetto about his desire to continue with his formation as a student of theology. These studies, which Benedetto has recently begun, prepare him for ordination as a deacon and as a priest. The studies will last four years.

Present in the congregation were Benedetto’s father and sister, representatives of the various seminaries in Jerusalem: the Franciscan seminary (where Benedetto studied philosophy), the Salesian seminary (where he is studying theology) and the diocesan Patriarchal seminary in Beit Jala (where the other seminarians of the diocese are studying).

Benedetto, born in Italy, is 32 years old and has been in Israel for the past five years. He completed his doctorate in Hebrew literature and entered the seminary where he has completed his philosophy studies.

The simple ceremony was a profound celebration of this important step in Benedetto’s life and was marked by joy and intense prayer. May the Lord accompany him and strengthen his vocation as he continues in his studies and his spiritual formation.

View a video clip here