Today Sunday August 23 on the grounds of the provincial house of the Consolata Missionaries in Addis Ababa took place the priestly ordination of Fr. Sori Burayu Bayisa and Fr. Tariku Zeleke Keto.
By Marco Marini *
The celebration was presided by bishop Markos Ghebremedhin, CM, of the Vicariate of Jimma Bonga. More than twenty priests with a number of Consolata Missionaries took part in the celebration, together with a considerable number of religious sisters, some who came as far as Jimma Bonga. All the Christians that regularly attend mass in our chapel were present.
During his homily bishop Markos explained that priests are at the service of the Church, to break the bread of the Eucharist, to preach the Word of God, and to serve the people especially those who got stranded from the church, the poor and the needy. The bishop also recalled that the Consolata Missionaries were those who initiated the evangelisation process in his Vicariate, and told the assembly that it would be a blessing if the Consolata Missionaries decide to come back to serve in his Vicariate.
Fr. Tamene Asaro Safato, the provincial superior was given the chance to address the assembly. He briefly recalled how the Consolata Missionaries started their presence in Ethiopia in 1916 with Mons. Gaudenzio Barlassina as Prefect of Kaffa, and how the missionaries within a number of years expanded their presence beyond what at the time was called the Kaffa prefecture.
Fr. Tamene revealed to the assembly that Frs. Sori and Tariku have been given a missionary appointment that will take place some time after the ordination, Fr. Sori to Ethiopia and Fr. Tariku to Mozambique. Two small flags of Ethiopia and Mozambique were laid on the altar to signify their missionary mandate.
The celebration was made alive by the choir of the chapel that sang beautiful religious hymns. The first and second readings were read in the local languages of the two newly ordained priests, respectively Oromifa and Kafigna.
At the end, both Fr. Sori and Fr. Tariku, greeted the assembly, and briefly recalled their journey towards their religious consecration and ordination, thanking God, their families, the Consolata Institute and all those who helped them in their journey to become Consolata Missionaries.
After the mass, as is tradition on these occasions, the members of the parish council of the Consolata Chapel offered food to the whole assembly. The celebration continued into the afternoon hours with songs and dancing.
For the Consolata Missionaries in Ethiopia this event has been a real blessing after a number of years without ordinations, and hope for the future. In fact there are other three Ethiopian deacons in other parts of the world that will be ordained priests in the near future.
* Father Marco Marini, Consolata missionary, Ethiopia.
