by BISMumbai Correspondent

It was a day of immense joy and profound gratitude to God and Mary Help of Christians, as MumbaiSalesians' Deacon Akhil Abraham was ordained 'priest' forever at Christ the King Parish at Sainikwadi-Pune on 26 December 2020. The ordination ceremony, part of the solemn Eucharist, was presided over by Bishop Thomas Dabre of the Diocese of Poona.

Following all the standard operating procedures [SOPs] as mandated by government directives the ordination ceremony, on 'Boxing Day', was a grace-filled evening of prayer, thanksgiving, and invoking-of-blessings, with a wonderfully melodious choir-accompaniment.

In his homily, Bishop Dabre, invited the newly-ordained Father Abraham to live his motto: 'Take my five loaves and two fishes'. He said, "this is indeed a day of great rejoicing since the ordination of Father Akhil Abraham, is a witness that accentuates the contrast amidst growing materialism, hedonism, consumerism and godless secularisation, of the beauty of priesthood." He further congratulated the parents of Father Abraham for their generosity and allowing Father Abraham to follow the call of serving young people the Don Bosco way.

Father Abraham proposed a 'vote of thanks' saying, "it is with great joy today that I stand before you today ... the Lord has always been by my side and given me the strength to face trials. I pray that the Lord will continue to work and mould me into a good priest after the Sacred Heart of Jesus." He expressed his gratitude to all those who accompanied him on his journey to the priesthood, especially to the former and present priests of Christ the King parish. He also appreciated the SVD and Holy Cross fathers and the youth of the parish.

The entire solemn ordination Eucharist was virtually streamed via Christ the King YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpxWP_GgsWk