The most appreciated gift for a newly ordained priest is the CARF Holy Vessel Case: a portable backpack containing all the elements necessary to impart the sacraments and celebrate Holy Mass in places lacking the means.
Sacred Vessels are those in which the Body or Blood of the Lord is placed. Because they are sacred, they are used only for that purpose and must be blessed by the bishop or by a priest. Sacred Vessels must have the dignity necessary for sacred worship, be decent and of noble metal or, in the judgment of the episcopal conference, of other solid materials considered noble in each place.
These briefcases are destined for hundreds of newly ordained priests, that when they return to their countries of origin, where they carry out pastoral work in remote places, or where there are not enough resources to have a well-equipped parish, they can use them to celebrate Mass or administer confession.
Some priests who have received this kit write to CARF thanking them for the donation.
India is one of the countries most affected by Covid. During the confinement, many priests have had to celebrate Mass in their homes. This is the case of Anoop Mathew, former resident of the Ecclesiastical College Sedes Sapientiae in Rome and deacon of the Syro-Malabar Church.
He writes to thank us for the gift of a set of sacred vessels donated by the CARF Social Action Board.
"I owe a lot to my benefactors: the CARF scholarship to study at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome and the wonderful gift of the case of sacred vessels.
Right now I am in a long quarantine of 28 days, in the company of a priest from my own diocese: Fr. I am waiting to begin my service as a newly ordained deacon in a parish. My ordination to the priesthood will be on December 20. In the meantime, thanks to the donation of the sacred vessels, we are able to celebrate Holy Mass every day - thank you all very much!"
Dejan Fortuna is a seminarian from Croatia who will soon be ordained to the priesthood. He has been a resident at the Sedes Sapientiae Ecclesiastical College and has studied at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. This year, he has received the case of sacred vessels given by the CARF Social Action Patronage. "I received the case with everything I needed to celebrate Holy Mass, I loved it and I thank you very much for your efforts," writes Dejan to the staff of the Board of Trustees.
Dejan Fortuna writes to the collaborators of the Patronato de Acción Social of CARF to thank them for the box of Sacred Cups:
I have received the case with everything I needed to celebrate the Holy Mass, I was delighted and I thank you very much for your efforts! I am aware that this year, due to the health emergency, you had to work even harder to be able to prepare and send the cases on time. Thank you again, por even unfavorable circumstances have not deterred them from their purpose. and because they have done everything possible so that we can have everything we need to celebrate Holy Mass.
They told us that in addition to preparing the briefcases, they have also prayed for us. I thank you for your prayers, and I encourage you to continue to pray for us because we need your prayers. I, for my part, promise you my prayers and when, with God's grace, I am ordained a priest, I promise to remember them at Holy Mass!".
Sergio Rojas is a seminarian from the Diocese of Margarita (Venezuela), a resident of the Bidasoa International Ecclesiastical College and a student in the final year of the Bachelor's Degree at the University of Navarra. He writes to CARF thanking for the set of holy vessels.
"May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always. By means of these letters that I am writing to you, I want to express my most sincere gratitude for the work that you do for the formation of priests and seminarians and for the good that you do for the Church".
Venezuelan Sergio Rojas, a resident of the Bidasoa International Ecclesiastical College, writes to CARF thanking them for the set of sacred vessels.
"Receive cordial greetings and may the Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always. By means of these letters that I am writing to you, I would like to express my most sincere gratitude for the The work they do for the formation of priests and seminarians and the good they do for the Church.
We would also like to thank them for the effort, work and dedication they make every year to deliver a briefcase with the Sacred Vessels and everything necessary for the celebration of the Holy Mass to all the seminarians who complete their formation. As you know, they are of great help for the exercise of the priestly ministry that we are going to carry out in the future.
I would especially like to thank the effort they made this year when we are experiencing a rather unusual situation due to COVID-19. who has kept us in a situation of confinement for more than two months, but who has not been able to stop his work and dedication to get the briefcase to our seminar.
May Our Lady Mother of Fair Love, whom we devoutly venerate at the University Campus, protect you and help you always with her intercession. Committed to continue praying for you and for the work you do, I say goodbye eternally grateful".
Gerardo Ferrara
BA in History and Political Science, specializing in the Middle East.
Responsible for the student body
University of the Holy Cross in Rome
