Homily of Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone for Bishops ordained in the past year

(September 15, 2009) “Here is the reality of the new priesthood, the supreme and eternal, the priesthood of the "new and everlasting covenant" that the Lord wants to exercise even today, through us, in the Eucharist. The Christian priesthood, in the light of Holy Scripture, shines in all its newness and in all its beauty,” said Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State. He was delivering his homily to the newly ordained Bishops in Vatican on 15^th of September, on the feast of our Lady of Sorrows. He reminded them of the homily of the Holy Father on Saturday, the 12^th where he spoke of the three characteristics of the Servant, namely, Loyalty and Fidelity to the Church, Prudence of the servant of Christ, and the Goodness and Kindness in service. The goodness as Holy Father says, “Grows inwardly to join the living God and presupposes above all a living communion with God, a growing interior union with Him.” The Cardinal called on them to deepen the value of their Episcopal Service they would reflect during the conference that follows and opens in the sign of the Cross of Christ as indicated by the feast of the Holy Cross and Mother of Sorrows. The centre is there on Calvary, where the martyrdom of the Son reverberated in the heart of the Mother. Every time we share in the sacrifice of the cross, Mary is present. Finally Cardinal Bertone said that his wish for them is that their episcopate would spring from the word of God and called on them to be holy like the Cure d'Ars, and to impart their Episcopal Ministry according to the Heart of Christ and the Maternal Heart of Mary.