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.”
