On Wednesday, July 31, 2024, Patriarch Daniel of Romania ordained twelve new Spiritual Fathers at the historic chapel of St. George at the Patriarchal Palace. During the ceremony, Patriarch Daniel addressed the newly ordained priests, emphasizing the profound responsibility that comes with their new role.
The Patriarch highlighted that a good priest must be wise, spiritually grounded in personal life, and should continually seek guidance from the Holy Bible, the Apostles, and the Saints, who are exemplary shepherds of souls. He stressed the importance of the mystery of repentance, confession, and the remission of sins, describing it as a sacred process through which individuals are cleansed of sins and enabled to commune with God through the Divine Eucharist.
Additionally, Patriarch Daniel spoke about the essential quality of a Spiritual Father: the ability to help a repentant believer experience the love of God the Father. “In this Sacrament of Confession and Remission of Sins, it is good to know that all the Holy Trinity is present,” said the Patriarch. He elaborated that through a Spiritual Father, the repentant believer feels the love of God, who rejoices when every sinner returns, as illustrated by the Parable of the Prodigal Son, an image of the Mystery of Repentance and the remission of sins.
The Patriarch also emphasized that spiritual fathers should learn from the humility of certain believers who come to repent. This humility, he explained, can serve as a valuable lesson for the spiritual guides themselves.
Source: Basilica.ro / Photo credit: Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
