“Evangelize with Humility”: Archbishop of Lubango in Angola to 21 Newly Ordained Deacons

Lubango, 09 December, 2025 / 3:05 PM

Archbishop Gabriel Mbilingi of Angola’s Lubango Catholic Archdiocese has called for servant leadership as he ordained 21 new Deacons, urging them to embrace their ministry as a mission of hope, consolation, and humility.

Presiding over the Monday, December 8 Diaconate ordination at Our Lady of Fatima Lalula Parish of his Metropolitan See, Archbishop Mbilingi told the Deacons-elect that their vocation places them at the service of the Church and wider society.

“You are Deacons of the Church, and you are to serve humanity, beginning with the men and women of this diocese, as messengers of hope and consolation,” he said. 

The Angolan member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans/Holy Ghost Fathers/CSSp.) stressed that authentic Diaconal ministry must reflect a spirit of humility and fidelity. 

Deacons, he emphasized, are called to “evangelize with humility, fidelity, perseverance, and discretion, without vanity, pride, or seeking personal recognition.”

He highlighted the Diaconate as a visible sign of the Church’s hope in action, especially through service to the marginalized. The Diaconate, he said, is “linked to the presence of the Gospel in the daily life of communities, especially among the most vulnerable.” 

While reminding the newly ordained of the seriousness of their commitments, Archbishop Mbilingi called them to embrace the joy and responsibility that comes with their ministry.

He also underscored the need for the Deacons to allow sacramental grace and a spirit of self-giving to shape their daily witness, saying they must assume the responsibility of being a sign of God’s presence among the people.

“Young Deacons must live the joy of service, strengthened by a spirit of self-giving and by sacramental grace, assuming the responsibility of being a sign of God among men,” he said.

Referring to the ongoing Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year, the Spiritan Archbishop said, “Your ordination takes place in the Year of the Jubilee of Hope, a time marked by Divine Mercy, and young Deacons are called to be the hope of the Local Church and of the Universal Church.”

He continued, “The hope you carry is not only personal but communal, and places you in a position to serve with dedication and love, learning to listen, respect, and value every person with whom you live.” 

“The ministry of Deacons is above all a ministry of service, closeness, and charity, and this is how you must act, following the example of Christ who made himself the servant of all,” he said, adding that “every gesture of attention, every act of mercy, and every word of consolation is an act of hope and of building communion in the Church and in society.”

The Catholic Church leader noted that “exercising the Diaconal ministry in celibacy is a sign and stimulus of pastoral charity and a source of fruitfulness in the world.” 

He encouraged the Deacons-elect “to unite themselves more easily to the Lord in their hearts and to give themselves generously to the service of God and of men.” 

Archbishop Mbilingi further said, “Deacons, strengthened by sacramental grace, must serve the People of God in union with the bishop and the presbyterate, in the ministry of liturgy, of the Word, and of charity.”

“The proclamation of forgiveness is an essential task of the deacon and a condition for all human coexistence, allowing relationships to be restored and even those who err or cause suffering to be reintegrated,” he said.

For him, “to forgive means to prepare in ourselves and in our communities a welcoming and safe home for the future.” 

“The Deacon must serve out of love and with love, without expecting anything in return, making the deacon’s action a bridge between liturgy and everyday life,” Archbishop Mbilingi said.

He underscored the importance of communion, noting that “to give without expecting anything in return unites and creates bonds, expresses and nurtures a togetherness whose only purpose is the gift of self and the good of the people we serve.” 

“Service to the poor is the most concrete expression of communion, and the Diaconal mission takes the Deacon out into society in order to bring him back into it, making the community ever more welcoming and open to all,” he said.

Archbishop Mbilingi also underscored the importance of transparency and co-responsibility, stating that “parents and relatives must accompany deacons in their ministry with prayer and wise counsel, while parish priests and vicars must collaborate in the transparent and just management of parishes.” 

“The self-sustainability of the Clergy and transparency in parish management are essential obligations, ensuring that the evangelizing mission is carried out with competence and creativity, valuing the gifts and charisms present in each community,” he said during the December 8 Diaconate ordination event.