Dimapur, May 7 (EMN): Five brothers namely John Thoru (Diocese of Kohima), LS Jonah and DP Luke (Archdiocese of Imphal), Christopher Maroh and Patran Murmu (Archdiocese of Kolkata) were vested with clerical habit at Good Shepherd Seminary on May 6 in the presence of priests, religious brothers and sister, friends and relatives.
The occasion was solemnised with the Holy Mass presided over by Bishop of Kohima, Rev. Dr. James Thoppil. At the commencement the Holy Mass, the Bishop thanked Fr. Chacko, Rector of Good Shepherd Seminary, and all the formators for guiding the brothers. He also thanked the parents and relatives for offering their children in the service of the Lord.
In his homily, Bishop James congratulated the brothers for boldly coming forward to get vested in clerical habit, which is a step for the stage of formation to priesthood. Clerical habit reminds of the words of St. Paul to the Ephesians 4: 22-24, “Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life… and be renewed in the spirit of your minds and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in the righteousness and holiness.” He exhorted the brothers that putting on the white garment means “a symbol of interior transformation that is desired.”
Emphasising on being intimate followers of Christ in one’s vocation, Bishop James stressed on three aspects of commitment - permanent, faithful and fruitful. Permanence calls for continuous dying to oneself and rising in ever greater holiness daily and lifelong. To be faithful is to be united in the persons of the Trinity and in Christ’s spousal love for the church. This will enable a person to express the gift by total consecration of their lives in single-hearted love of a generous ministry. He further opined that fruitfulness marks the vocation to commitment in the church and fruitfulness is God’s love.
He assured prayerful support to the newly vested brothers and called upon the congregation to pray for them.
The newly vested brothers were facilitated by the inmates of Good Shepherd Seminary with songs and steps. The vote of thanks was proposed by Bro. Albert.
