Dumaguete Bishop Julito Cortes called on 80 diocesan priests and 20 others from religious congregations Tuesday to continue serving with ardor, never giving up even in the most trying times and to be a light to others.

The bishop addressed the group who renewed their priestly vows during the Chrism Mass on Holy Tuesday at the St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral in Dumaguete City.

“I would like to ask you not only to remain faithful to your vocation as priests, but also to be joyful priests who ‘infect' others with their gladness, with their enthusiasm, with their zeal for the Lord's house,” Cortes, 58, said.

He reiterated his message to the priests in Monday evening's Holy Week recollection for the clergy.

To the young priests, Cortes expressed his hope that they will continue to serve the church with vigor and to learn the virtue of patience.

He highlighted the life of the oldest priest in the diocese, Msgr. Manuel Duetao, who at 83, is still “very, very physically able and fit” and continues to serve. He has been assigned by Cortes as resident of the Cathedral parish where he says regular masses, receives confession, and does the other sacraments. Being a writer, he is producing a souvenir historical pictorial book for the 60 th year anniversary of the diocese on April 7.

Cortes underscored one of his challenges to the priests, which is to be merciful and compassionate and how to translate these into actions in their daily service as pastors with the honor of being called friends of Jesus.

The Chrism Mass is a yearly Catholic tradition every Holy Tuesday, which features the blessing of the Holy Oils, the renewal of baptismal promises, and the priests' renewal of their vows and promises.

The Holy Oils are the Oil of the Sick, Oil of Catechumens and the Sacred Chrism, and the latter marks the renewal of their obedience to their Ordinary or the Bishop, and their commitment to serve the Lord and his people.*JFP

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