A great celebration took place in the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Campo Marzio in Rome, the cradle and heart of the Camillian Order. Two religious, Fr. Francisco de Macedo and Fr. José Maria, thanked God for the gift of their priesthoods. Many people attended: fellow members of the Order, faithful who had come from Brazil, faithful who attend our church and a guest of honour: His Excellency Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, the Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies for Apostolic Life.
The celebration was animated with Brazilian songs, with Fr. Albert and Fr. Aris playing guitars. We here provide an account of the various speeches, all of which were keenly-felt and touching.
Fr. Renato Salvatore, the Superior General of the Camillian Order, at the beginning of the Holy Mass, welcomed all those who had come and addressed especial words of welcome to His Eminence the Cardinal: ‘We are here to pray for Fr. Francisco and Fr. José Maria and to have the Cardinal amongst us is not only a great honour but also a pleasure and a sign of great friendship for all of us and our Institute. Thank you, Your Eminence, for the smiles with which you carry out your ministry and service to consecrated life, even when difficulties have to be addressed. Your presence amongst us is a sign of ongoing friendship and esteem’. During his homily Fr. Renato used few but keenly-felt words ‘Priests are usually told to celebrate Mass as though it was the first, the last and the only Mass. This makes us understand how important the Eucharist is for us because in it Christ is to be found who unites us to him and unites us amongst ourselves. A Camillian religious finds in the bed of a sick person the highest and most sublime altar’. Fr. Renato referred to: ‘experiencing the joy of being called despite the inevitable difficulties that life can have in store for us’.
His Eminence João Braz de Aviz then spoke:  ‘I feel joy at being able to take part in these moments and the faithfulness of the priest, who is full of frailty and suffering but also full of so many joys and consolations, comes to mind. I have wept when seeing what priesthood does, not for us but for the community. Thank you for this faithfulness, in the charism of St. Camillus’.
Fr. José Maria then made a speech: ‘I thank the Cardinal, the Superior General, my brothers who have come here and all the faithful. I wanted to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of my priesthood with St. Camillus and his successor. I am happy that Cardinal Aviz is present, he was a pastor in Brazil, and gave an example of kindness and goodness. My heartfelt thanks to everyone because I know that my priesthood is supported by the prayers of very many people’.
Lastly, Fr. Francisco, the rector of the Church of St. Mary Magdalene and the financial administrator of the community, spoke: ‘I make the words of Fr. José my own and I renew my thanks to His Eminence, who was a pastor in Brazil and is now a ‘religious’ here in Rome. When I have had an opportunity to meet him I have encountered paternity and simplicity’. Fr. Francisco asked for prayers for his perseverance in his vocation and for his health. His speech was accompanied by a long applause, a sign of nearness and fraternity.
At the end of the celebration those who had taken part in it met for fraternal agape in the refectory of the generalate house.

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