Monsignor Salvatore Ligorio, archbishop of Potenza-Muro Lucano-Marsico Nuovopresided over his last one yesterday in the cathedral Chrism Massthe solemn liturgy of Holy Thursday, with the blessing of the holy oils, which recalls the institution of the Eucharist and the Church by Jesus.
In some ways it was the “feast of priests and deacons”.
“Before long I will leave the leadership of this Church”, he recalled, expressing his thanks to his predecessor, Msgr. Agostino Superbo, but also a who is preparing to succeed him, Father Davide Carbonaro, who will be ordained bishop on May 4th and will enter the diocese of Potenza on the following 18th.
To the priests and deacons Msgr. Ligorio made the heartfelt appeal to have faith, using Paul’s words to Timothy, who, in his time, was also discouraged, together with his community, due to the delay in the promised immediate return of the glorious Christ.
The same disappointment and tiredness Msgr. Ligorio said that he had found in the parishes, among the priests, due to the advance of secularization which makes the apostolate difficult and arduous even in our areas:
“the life of faith no longer structures daily life as the logic of the supermarket once prevails even in the religious sphere, which leads to choosing the offers deemed most useful for the well-being of the individual person”.
“And yet” quite a few families live according to the logic of the Gospel, “and yet” many young people choose to offer their service in various forms of association.
Hence the invitation to priests, missionaries of everyday life, to move from the logic of “now” to that of “yet”, precisely “when the temptation to bitterness and escape is strongest”. “God has not withdrawn his gaze from us”, concluded Mgr. Ligorio.
Finally, an appeal to the community not to leave their priests alone.
