On the 19th of March the Missionaries of Africa (M.Afr.), joined the entire catholic church in Rome and the local church in Algeria to rejoice and celebrate with our confrère, Mons. Diego Ramón Sarrió Cucarella, M.Afr., ordained Bishop of Laghouat (Algeria). During the same ceremony Mons. Samuele Sangalli was also ordained Titular Bishop of Zella.
The Episcopal ordination which was presided over by His Eminence Cardinal Louis Antonio Gokim Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Section for the First Evangelization and New Particular Churches of the Dicastery for Evangelization, brought together over thirty Bishops, hundreds of priest, sisters, brothers, family members and Christians. It is notable to mention that the Diocese of Laghouat was well represented by the two predecessors of that diocese, Mons. John MacWilliam and Mons. Claude Rault. The Missionaries of Africa in MAGHREB (Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco) were also well represented by the Provincial, Rev. Fr. Benoît Mwana Nyembo.
At the beginning of his homily, His Eminence Cardinal Louis Antonio Gokim Tagle, expressed the gratitude of all present to God for bringing everyone together on the solemnity of St. Joseph for the ordination of the two bishops. While thanking God for the gift of the two bishops, the Cardinal also thanked God for their generous response to the call of God transmitted through Pope Francis. He invited all present to pray for the families of the two bishops, the dioceses of Milan in Italy and Laghouat in Algeria as well as the Missionaries of Africa.
To be able to do justice to the great responsibility entrusted onto them, the two bishops are called to entrust themselves to the grace of God.
Commenting of the solemnity of the day, Cardinal Tagle, first insisted on the importance of discerning and accepting with faith the call of God at the example of St. Joseph. St. Joseph was confronted with the confusing and potentially scandalous state of Mary. God asked him to take Mary as his wife and consequently the child Jesus as his son. God had a mission for Joseph in His plan of salvation. Joseph responded to God’s request with faith, openness and total submission. Joseph’s faith was the foundation of his courage, and creativity which was always subordinated to the project of God.
He invited the two bishops to always have faith in God and to be open to His plans. He mentioned that often we plan and expect God to follow our plans, adding that ‘we are not the planners, and God is not there to execute our plans.’ With regards to being open to follow God’s plans in complete faith, the Cardinal insisted that faith will not make things much easy.
The two bishops were invited to ‘sleep like Saint Joseph’. Emphasising that, ‘when we sleep we are more vulnerable and less controlling, hence more receptive and open. Sleep and dream the dreams of God’. After dreaming the dreams of God, they are then called upon to wakeup and actualise the dreams of God with obedience and zeal. Mons. Diego and Mons. Samuele, were invited to focus their energies on the dreams of God, rather than their own dreams.
Secondly, the Cardinal highlighted the fact that St. Joseph is often considered a silent saint. None of his words is recorded or preserved in the gospel accounts. Even his actions are done in silent, secretly. Commenting of the reaction of St. Joseph when he learnt of the situation of Mary, Cardinal Tagle underscored the fact that he decided to leave her silently, not angrily, humiliatingly or publicly. Like St. Joseph, we are called to silently serve and protect those who are vulnerable like Mary and the Child Jesus, especially the poor, women and children. St. Joseph combined obedience to the law with respect for the dignity of the lady he loves. Just like every thought, feelings and actions of St. Jospeh spoke of Jesus, so should all that we do be a proclamation of Christ.
With regards to the proclamation of the word of God, Cardinal Tagle stressed that it occupies a pre-eminent position in the ministry of the ordained ministers. Like St. Joseph, ordained ministers must be silent while announcing the word of God. He compared the lives of those ministers whose thoughts, decisions, projects and actions do not speak of Jesus Christ to empty drums which make noise.
Finally, the cardinal challenged deacons, priests and bishops to be custodians, signs and instruments of the active presence of God, insisting that Bishops are not substitutes of God, or competitors of the Savior. Bishops are called to journey with and for the sheep entrusted onto their care, at the example of St. Joseph who journeyed with and for Mary and Jesus.
Quoting Saint Augustine, who said, ‘with you I am a Christian, for you I am a bishop’, Cardinal Tagle concluded that being with the sheep and being for the sheep are two inseparable aspects of the ministry of bishops, a sign of communion and missionary service.
The two newly ordained bishops in turn thanked God, Pope Francis, the ordaining bishop and concelebrating bishops, priests, brothers, sisters, family members, Missionaries of Africa and all those who came to pray with and support them. They also recognised the role that their parents played in their faith journeys, while praying for the decease parents.
At the end of the Episcopal ordination, there was a reception at the Paul VI Hall and some photoshoot sessions with the two newly ordained Bishops.
We thank God for the gift of both Mons. Diego Ramón Sarrió Cucarella, M.Afr., and Mons. Samuele Sangalli, to the entire Catholic Church and especially to the diocese of Laghouat in Algeria.
By: Vitus Danaa Abobo, M.Afr.
