Pics and Report by Fr Anil Fernandes, CCC
MANGALORE, AUG 6 : Newly ordained priests of Mangalore Diocese were commissioned by Most Rev. Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, Bishop of Mangalore to draw deep into pastoral ministries in Duc in Altum, a pastoral orientation programme organised at Pastoral Centre, Bajjodi on August 6, 2021 today.
Duc in Altum is Latin for “put out into the deep”, the words that Jesus said to Peter when he first encountered him, prompting him to go into deep water and lower his nets for a catch. Peter reluctantly agreed, and as a result, his fishing nets tore because of the great number of fish he caught. Peter discovered the depth of Jesus’s grace and left everything to follow him.
A 5 days programme Duc in Altum (draw into the deep), designed for the new clergy began on Monday, August 2, 2021. The new priests are already appointed assistant parish priests at different parishes in the diocese prior to their orientation programme. Due to the lockdown, the commissioning of the new priests was delayed which is now accomplished with Duc in Altum.
Duc in Altum focuses on preparing the new priests for the various ministries in the diocese and exploring the opportunities to carry out the mission of Christ with full vigour and joy.
Celebrating the feast of Transfiguration of Jesus, Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha exhorted the new priests to listen to Jesus and draw inspiration and strength from Him to go deep into the areas of faith, scriptural, spiritual, liturgical, pastoral and relational and magisterium. A strong faith in the words of Jesus would make one acquire depth in the works which Jesus commissions us to do.
The programme was coordinated by Rev. Fr Santhosh Rodrigues, Director Pastoral Centre Bajjodi.
