A 29-year-old Estrie resident became one of Quebec’s youngest priests on Sunday during his ordination, which attracted hundreds of people, some from far away.
“Do you want to become a priest, a collaborator of bishops in the priesthood, to tirelessly serve and guide the people of God under the guidance of the Holy Spirit?”
“Yes, I want it!” replied Frédéric Langlois, during the ceremony dedicated to him at the Saint-Jean-Bosco parish in Magog.
As per protocol, he then lay face down on the ground. This marks the moment when he agrees to erase his personality to make way for the role he will have to play for his community.
“It’s a great joy, and it’s also a great celebration. It is during this celebration that I become a priest for eternity,” expressed Mr. Langlois, in an interview with The newspaper.
Frédéric Langlois, new priest.
SCREENSHOT / VAT News / QMI AGENCY
From Alberta to Italy
Hundreds of people, including around fifty Quebec priests, filled the church to attend the ordination.
Several spectators had also traveled a long way to be present.
“We have people from the Quebec region, from Gaspésie, from Ontario. People from Alberta who took the plane, people from Italy. We have people from everywhere!” said a host at the opening of the ceremony.
From a very young age, Mr. Langlois knew he wanted to be a priest. It was at only 7 years old that he received the call from God.
“I grew up in a believing family who went to mass every Sunday,” he explained to TVA Nouvelles a few days ago. Maybe I was fertile ground. We can perhaps compare [cet appel] to love at first sight, or to a call to become a firefighter or a doctor.”
The new priest is scheduled to give his first mass Monday at 11 a.m. at Saint-Philippe Church in Windsor.
According to canon law, a minimum age of 24 is required to be ordained a priest. Mr. Langlois says he wants to take advantage of his young age.
“I will be able to engage young people a little more and have time to do certain activities that I will not be able to do when I am older, such as outdoor masses.”
– With VAT News
