Sixty Years Ago

On 29 June 1951, young Joseph Ratzinger was ordained to the Sacred Priesthood. This video of the event was rediscovered recently, and of course, when it was recorded there was no idea that one of the many men being ordained that day would become the Successor of St. Peter. Apparently the Holy Spirit guided the camera operator, because during the procession we get a good glimpse of the future Pope Benedict XVI. Look carefully at the 4:50 mark, and you'll recognize him.

0 Sixty Years Ago

This prayer was written by Pope Leo XIII:

O Lord, we are the millions of believers, humbly kneeling at Thy feet and begging Thee to preserve, defend and save the Sovereign Pontiff for many years. He is the Father of the great fellowship of souls and our Father as well. On this day, as on every other day, he is praying for us also, and is offering unto Thee with holy fervor the sacred Victim of love and peace.

Wherefore, O Lord, turn Thyself toward us with eyes of pity; for we are now, as it were, forgetful of ourselves, and are praying above all for him. Do Thou unite our prayers with his and receive them into the bosom of Thine infinite mercy, as a sweet savor of active and fruitful charity, whereby the children are united in the Church to their Father. All that he asks of Thee this day, we too ask it of Thee in unison with him.

Whether he weeps or rejoices, whether he hopes or offers himself as a victim of charity for his people, we desire to be united with him; nay more, we desire that the cry of our hearts should be made one with his. Of Thy great mercy grant, O Lord, that not one of us may be far from his mind and his heart in the hour that he prays and offers unto Thee the Sacrifice of Thy blessed Son. At the moment when our venerable High Priest, holding in His hands the very Body of Jesus Christ, shall say to the people over the Chalice of benediction these words: "The peace of the Lord be with you always," grant, O Lord, that Thy sweet peace may come down upon our hearts and upon all the nations with new and manifest power. Amen.


Related posts:

  1. Six Years Ago
  2. CofE to Lose a Tenth of its Clergy in Five Years
  3. Summorum Pontificum Three Years On: Lessons for Anglicanorum Coetibus
  4. Te Deum Laudamus
  5. Happy Birthday, Holy Father!
This entry was posted in General and tagged by Fr. Christopher Phillips. Bookmark the permalink.

About Fr. Christopher Phillips

Fr. Christopher G. Phillips is the pastor of Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church in San Antonio, Texas, where he has served for the past twenty-eight years. He is the founding pastor of the first Anglican Use parish, erected in 1983 under the terms of the Pastoral Provision. Fr. Phillips was ordained as an Anglican for the Diocese of Bristol, England, in 1975. After serving as Curate for three years at St. Stephen Southmead, he returned to the United States and served in two Episcopal parishes in the Diocese of Rhode Island. In 1981 he left the Episcopal Church and moved with his family to Texas, where he was subsequently ordained as a Catholic priest in 1983. Fr. Phillips and his wife, JoAnn, have been married for forty years. They have five children, all grown and married, and two grandchildren.

3 thoughts on “Sixty Years Ago

  1. I understand that is the brother of the Holy Father, also celebrating his 60th anniversary, in procession just in front of him.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>