Archbishop Inácio Saure spoke this Sunday, in the Cathedral of Nampula, during the ordination ceremony of Father Ramiro Xavier da Rosa. According to Archbishop Inácio Saure, the priesthood must be lived in a coherent, intelligent and humble way. The Archbishop also stressed that; the priest must seek to be authentic, integral and closer to the people of God. Archbishop Inácio stressed that the Church today needs priests who are truly men of God, intelligent and wise. Priests must also seek to be witnesses of the life of poverty, respecting their celibate life. Following Jesus' example, priests must serve faithfully in their mission, accompanying and teaching the people of God with sacrifice and love, said Archbishop Inacio, adding that the priesthood must be from and for all.
Addressing the newly ordained Father Ramiro Xavier Rosa in particular, Archbishop Inácio asked for brightness, elegance and consistency in the performance of his duties, which he freely chose. The Archbishop Inácio invited the congregation present to see God in Ramiro. He asked the people to love and pray for their priests, avoiding all kinds of gossip, slander and defamation.
Visibly happy, the newly ordained priest began by saying that he achieved the priesthood he wanted so much, then thanking all for the support he received during his formation and pledged to carry out his mission faithfully. Father Ramiro was born on October 20, 1982, in the administrative post of Namialo, Meconta district, Nampula province. He started his training in 2003, at the propaedeutic seminary in Quelimane. In 2010 he finished his philosophy course. In 2015 he successfully took the theology course in South Africa, in the congregation of the Dehonian Fathers and in 2016 Ramiro returned to Mozambique where he was assigned to the parish of Nawela, in the Diocese of Gurué. After a period of vocational discernment he chose to incardinate himself in the Archdiocese of Nampula, where he was received and started with his pastoral experience in the parish of Santa Maria, 2017.
Ramiro was ordained a deacon on August 25, 2019, in the Cathedral de Nampula, the same parish where this Sunday he was ordained a priest, in a ceremony presided over by Archbishop Inácio Saure, Metropolitan Archbishop of Nampula. With the ordination of Father Ramiro, the Archdiocese of Nampula now has 37 diocesan priests. On the occasion, several messages of congratulation to Father Ramiro's were read.
In a Message presented by Father Cantífula de Castro, the priests of the Diocesan Clergy of Nampula were happy with the arrival of the new member and expressed their willingness to do everything they could to support him. On behalf of the religious of Nampula, Father Abel guaranteed his full support. And so as not to vary some advice that can guide you in carrying out your mission. The faithful of the parishes of Iapala and Namecuna, where Fr. Ramiro was doing his pastoral eperience, said that looking for his surrender, dynamics, and creativity, Fr. Ramiro is already a mature, albeit newly ordained priest. They encouraged him to continue his mission firm, humble and simple. Father Ramiro is a native of Meconta and for that reason, the faithful of that parish did not hide their joy at the ordination of their son. The family revealed that being a priest was Ramiro's dream since he was a child. Present at the occasion, the governor of Nampula who said that the ordination of Father Ramiro is an unmistakable sign that the Church in Nampula is growing.