The Jasna Góra pilgrimage center in Częstochowa hosted the sixth pilgrimage of Polish seminarians this June. More than 1,400 men took part in it.
The highlight of the pilgrimage was the Mass at the Basilica of Jasna Góra, home of the icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa. The Mass was celebrated in Latin and presided over by the prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, Card. Lazzaro You Heung-sik.
The cardinal, who is from South Korea, said in his homily:
Remember that in the Gospel, the first is the servant of all […].
This is our Cana of Galilee, where we can always be certain that we will be received and embraced by the heavenly Mother, who wants to raise you, future priests, in the following of Jesus.”
Later, in an interview with @JasnaGóraNews, the Cardinal emphasized how important it is for Christians to live the word of God:
Being a Christian means living according to the Word; he who does not do this is not a Christian. Jesus said that he who lives by the Word of God builds his house on rock, and if not, he builds it on sand. That is why it is so important that seminarians, future priests, really live the Word of God.
Priesthood is service
“Priesthood means serving and being available for Jesus and others. Priesthood is a faithful service that can only be realized if the one who serves gives himself completely to the One he serves,” said Fr. Arnold Chrapkowski, Prior General of the Order of St. Paul – First Hermit.
“Every priest must first follow Christ, who said he was a servant and washed the feet of his disciples. This is our fundamental mission,” added his confrere Fr. Mariusz Tabulski.
In Poland, nearly 2,000 seminarians are preparing to receive the sacrament of priestly ordination and about 1,400 of them participated in this year’s pilgrimage. The event has been held every five years since 1999.
