On 19 March, the feast of St Joseph, a moving ceremony took place in the cathedral of Dili in which Heribertus Ngalu was ordained a priest. Together with him, five new deacons were ordained – three Franciscans (OFM) and one Jesuit (SJ) – as well as three diocesan priests.
The ceremony was presided over by the Cardinal of Dili, D. Virgilio Do Carmo da Silva, SDB, and concelebrated by the Bishop of Maliana, accompanied by around 170 diocesan and religious priests. The cathedral was full of faithful, including many seminarians and nuns, so that many had to watch the ceremony from outside.
The liturgy, which had been carefully prepared, was solemn and orderly. The celebration lasted three and a half hours and ended with a special tribute to the founders and the charism of the ordinands.
Among those present were Heribertus’ mother and two relatives, as well as several Piarists who had travelled from Kupang and Atambua. The community of Dili warmly welcomed everyone.
As a sign of his solidarity, the Father General sent Heribertus a congratulatory letter full of encouragement and good wishes. We thank God for this new Piarist priest.
