His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa Celebrates the Feast of St. Ignatius in Jerusalem

On Wednesday, July 31st, 2024, at the Jesuit monastery in Jerusalem, His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, presided over a Mass in celebration of the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, as well as the priesthood jubilee of several Priests.

Concelebrated by His Eminence Msgr. Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, Bishop Emeritus, Abbot Nikodemus Schnabel Abbot, Abbot Miguel Garcia, who is celebrating his 50th jubilee, and Fr. Peter DuBrul , celebrating his 70th jubilee, in addition to the attendance of several Priests. Among the assembly was a representative of the French Consul, the religious affairs officer at the French Embassy, His Eminence Bishop Dr. Munib Younan, Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, and Brother Hernán Santos, Vice Chancellor of Bethlehem University, as well as several sisters and faithful.

In his homily, His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa recounted the life of St. Ignatius, focusing on his dedication to fulfilling God's will in the Holy Land. He explained that St. Ignatius initially believed his mission was confined to the Holy Land but eventually understood that God's will extended to the whole world, driven by love for God and the defense of the Holy Church.  Referring to the Gospel of Matthew, His Beatitude Cardinal Pizzaballa emphasized the lifestyle and mission that St. Ignatius adopted, encapsulated in the verses: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me” (Mt.10:37-38).

Finally, His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa remarked that the spiritual exercises written by St. Ignatius act as a refuge for us to rediscover the essence of faith and life: "Faith lights our path to reach the heart of this life, which is Christ". After the Mass, he spoke to those present about the current situation in the Holy Land, saying, "I recognize that we are enduring very challenging times and that hatred has inevitably filled many hearts. However, take heart; there are others who work earnestly to maintain pure hearts and follow Christ's teachings for peace. Find them, stay close to them, and work together to achieve true and just peace."

A brief look at the life of the Saint

St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) was a Spanish priest and theologian who founded the Jesuit order. He was born into a noble family in the Gipuzkoa region of Spain. He was enlisted as a soldier, but after being severely wounded in the Battle of Pamplona in 1521, Ignatius began to reflect on and reevaluate his life…

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This news was originally published on the website of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Please click here to read the full text.