n Dec. 8th, in Douala, the Xaverian student Zacharie Tamejon and three diocesan deacons were ordained priests by Cardinal Tumi. The cathedral was packed with people who expressed their joy in true African style.
The focus of the celebration revolved around the theme "We are ambassadors of Christ", as the letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians reminded the four newly ordained priests. It is a message with great meaning, for those who are called to serve as priests in the church are only simple apostles sent by Christ, who is the priest forever, the mediator of the Good News, the priest and king whom missionaries announce through the Gospel.
In his homily, Cardinal Tumi highlighted the significance of the role of the priest in the church, with particular attention on its service to the people of God. The priest is called to follow Christ, for whom and through whom he receives the call. At the end, the Cardinal invited the newly ordained to reflect on the mission of the priest, a mission which is in communion with the journey of all Christians.
Card.
Tumi also invited all those attending the ordination ceremony, to pray for these
new priests, so that they would put into practice the call to priesthood with
ardent hearts, for the well-being of the church community.
Every Xaverian community that serves in Cameroon was very well represented, and Fr. Gabriel Basuzwa and Fr. Sergio Favarin were chosen by Zacharie as his priests sponsors for the occasion. After the celebration of the Ordination, the festivities continued with the family and friends of Fr. Zacharie and other invited guests from the many parishes the Xaverians serve. The Theology students of Yaoundé, the Philosophy students and the students in the first year of Formation, acted as perfect hosts to all the guests for this important moment of the Cameroon province of the Xaverian missionaries.
Fr. Zacharie celebrated his first mass in the Chapel of the community of initial formation located in Douala. He is the first Cameroonian to profess religious vows with the Xaverians, and the first to be ordained a priest in the Congregation. He will soon leave for his mission assignment to Colombia. These are the first fruits of the work of mission education and training for young students in Cameroon, in which nine other young Cameroonians made their first Profession.
(From Xaverian News)