Last Friday, the 24th May 2024, the deacon Franklin Micallef, hailing from the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St Gregory the Great in Ta’ Kerċem, was ordained priest. The ceremony presided by H.E. Mgr Anton Teuma, Bishop of Gozo, took place at the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady, in Victoria. Present for the ordination was H.E. Cardinal Mario Grech and numerous members of the Gozitan clergy. The ordination was well attended by many members of the parochial community of Ta’ Kerċem, as well as many of Fr Franklin’s family and friends, and other laypeople.
On the day before the ordination, a prayer vigil was organised at the Seminary at 8.00pm. The vigil was presided by the Vice-Rector the Rev. Fr Gabriel Gauci. Several psalms were sung during the celebration. The meditation was centred on two readings from the Sacred Scripture, 1 Pt 5:1-11 and 1 Cor 12:1-9. There was also a reading from the Regula Pastoralis of St Gregory the Great. This was followed by a meditation from Fr Gabriel.
During the last part of the vigil, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed. After a few minutes of silent adoration, the ordinand Franklin made a public prayer in front of our Lord, in which he praised God for being with him throughout his life and for showing him his vocation through various experiences and realties. The vigil concluded with the Eucharistic Benediction. After the vigil, a night of adoration held at the Seminary chapel commenced around 9.30pm. The adoration concluded on the following morning at 7.00am, with the singing of the Lauds and the Eucharistic benediction.
