Burkina Faso ordains 31 deacons in Ouagadougou.

English Africa Service, Jean-Pierre Bodjoko, SJ and A. Paul Dah - Vatican City

The diaconate ordinations took place at Saint John the Baptist Seminary of Ouagadougou on the Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist.

During the ceremony, the new deacons expressed their desire to carry out the responsibilities of their new ministry with diligence. They resolved to do this with charity and simplicity of heart, be faithful to the mystery of the faith, cultivate a spirit of prayer, be conformed to Christ, and live in communion with the Bishop in a spirit of obedience.

Emulate the Curé d'Ars

Bishop Kambou urged the deacons to guard their dalmatic robes jealously. He encouraged them to emulate the "Curé d'Ars" (i.e. the parish priest of Ars), also known as John Vianney. The latter is revered as Saint John Mary Vianney. He was a French Catholic priest, renowned for his many virtues and as a renowned confessor and the patron saint of parish priests.

"My dear sons, in your ministry as deacons, always invoke the Holy Spirit with his many gifts. Always ask for the grace of humility. This virtue is vital. The Curé of Ars used to say that humility is the virtue of virtues," said the Bishop.

Pray for the new Deacons

Bishop Kambou then asked the congregation present and relatives of those ordained to always pray for the deacons.

"And all of you, brothers and sisters, beloved from different dioceses, from different horizons, pray for these chosen ones that God will grant them the grace to give of themselves entirely to His service and to that of humanity, following the example of the first martyr, Saint Stephen. May they be living signs of Christ the Servant in their ministry of service," he said.