Chartres. priestly ordination: interview with the bishop. Interview with the Bishop for ordination Olivier lecanu
Mgr Christory will ordain deacon Olivier Lecanu on Sunday June 30 at 2:30 p.m. in Chartres Cathedral.
After Louis Marie Cuisiniez in 2018, Clément Pierson in 2023, you will ordain a third priest since you became Bishop of Chartres, what is your state of mind a few days before this diocesan event?
It is a great joy and a privilege to ordain Olivier Lecanu and I remember my own priestly ordination 32 years ago. I wish him the same happiness of being of service and listening to others and of bringing Christ into our society.
You know Olivier Lecanu well, whom you ordained deacon last year, what can you tell us about him?
Olivier is a mature, calm, reserved boy, which gives him an attitude of listening and waiting for people.
He has the ability to transmit and teach young and old alike.
Are there other young people in the seminary at the moment?
A young person completes a year of discernment.
The diocese prays that in families, young people allow themselves to be embraced by God for a life of demands and self-sacrifice but which brings much joy and gives meaning to life
We await this wait with Hope.
Can we talk about a crisis of vocations or a crisis of commitment?
Considering the number of seminarians, we can say that there is a crisis of vocations because there is a shortage of them.
However, in society, we see a real crisis of commitment and a difficulty for many people to commit for their entire life.
And yet we believe that a young person can face this challenge if he is supported by his family and a warm and missionary Catholic community.
To make up for this lack, you call on African, Haitian and Polish priests.
The presence of priests from several countries is a blessing because they bring their own wealth and experience.
For them it is a real effort of adaptation and it is important that the faithful welcome them and help them to integrate into the local fabric.
Real aid to the mission is necessary but these priests are also needed in their countries; therefore we hope that young French people hear the call of the Lord.
For several years, your predecessors have brought in priests who had not been trained in the diocesan seminary but in the St Martin community.
These priests provide a very beautiful fraternal and missionary testimony.
Next September, two priests from the Society of the Catholic Apostolate, whose members also bear the name of Pallottines, one Polish and one African, will form a small parish community to serve the areas of Gallardon, Epernon and the Sanctuary of Mercy.
Few young people commit themselves to the priesthood, however many of them participate in large gatherings such as WYD, the Taizé meetings; A hope for the Church?
It is comforting to see the number of children and young teenagers who get involved through the profession of faith, Confirmation, prayer schools, VVT peles, scouting, praise evenings.
They seek witnesses to the faith and aspire to quality training.
They want to find meaning in their lives.
Our young priests and teams work to accompany them, teach them and help find answers to their questions
Around ordination
For the young :
SATURDAY
• Meet at 2 p.m. at 26 avenue d’Aligre in Chartres
• Workshops: sports games, educational and spiritual training time to make the link between your life and your faith, kitchen service and installation…
• Evening: prayer, with Olivier Lecanu at the St Pierre church. Picnic. Praise and worship at the Cathedral. Overnight in a tent.
Sunday
Breakfast, walk with meditations, teaching time and sharing time at the Séminaire des Barbelés.
Lunch then ordination mass at 3:30 p.m. at Notre-Dame de Chartres Cathedral
Registration required: with chaplaincy managers or on [email protected]
For families:
• 7:30 a.m.: long walk from the church of Thivars
• 9:00 a.m.: visit to the Barbed Wire Seminar
• 9:30 a.m.: pilgrimage from the Barbed Wire Seminary
• 12:30 p.m.: picnic at the Visitation
• 3:30 p.m.: priestly ordination mass of Olivier Lecanu
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