1975 Jubilee ordination
 The ordinandi lying prostrate during the ceremony | |
| Date | 29 June 1975 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 31⁄2 hours |
| Venue | St. Peter's Square |
| Location | Vatican City |
| Participants |
|
On Sunday, 29 June 1975, Pope Paul VI ordained over 350[a] men as Catholic priests in an open air ceremony in St. Peter's Square in what has been considered the largest ordination in history. Sixteen of the ordinands would go on to be consecrated bishops, and three of them would be elevated to the cardinalate.
Ordination
[edit]In 1973, Pope Paul VI declared that 1975 would be a Jubilee Holy Year.[6] The Central Committee for the Holy Year announced the ordination would be a part of the celebration.[7] Those to be ordained came primarily from seminaries in Rome, though some ordinands traveled to Rome.[8] While there had been questions about what participation levels in the Holy Year would be like due to societal changes, by the ordination over 3 million pilgrims had been to Rome, twice the number as 1950.[3]
The ordination took place on 29 June 1975, the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul and the eve of the 12th anniversary of the coronation of Pope Paul VI.[5][1] Twenty bishops concelebrated the Mass.[2] In his sermon, the pope called the ordinands to be "the salt of the earth and a light to the world", and urged them to be close to the poor.[5] Over 350 men were ordained[a] from 50 different nations, and an estimated 100,000–150,000 people attended.[3][5][9] Thirty-five ordinandi were from North America, thirty-four were from Africa, thirty-six were from Asia, fourteen from Latin America, three from Oceania, and 226 were from Europe.[5][7] The Associated Press reported the lengthy 31⁄2 hour ceremony as the largest ordination in history.[9][3]
The crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 66 killed the father, stepmother, and an uncle and aunt of Deacon Millard Boyer, who was to be ordained for the Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana. They were on their way to the ordination. The pontiff expressed his sorrow about the incident during the homily. Boyer's ordination was delayed, as he returned to the United States to identify the bodies.[5][10][11]
Notable ordinands
[edit]- Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke — Archbishop of Saint Louis (2004–2008), Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura (2008–2014)[12]
- Bishop Michael Richard Cote — Bishop of Norwich (2003–2024)[13]
- Bishop Luis Alberto Fernández Alara — Bishop of Rafaela (2013–present)[14]
- Bishop Gustavo García Naranjo — Bishop of Guarenas (1997–2020)[15]
- Cardinal James Michael Harvey — Prefect of the Prefecture of the Papal Household (1998–2012), archpriest of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls (2012–present)[16]
- Bishop Michael Joseph Hoeppner — Bishop of Crookston (2007–2021)[17]
- Bishop Jacinto Jose — Bishop of Urdaneta (2005–present)[18]
- Bishop Leo Laba Ladjar — Bishop of Jayapura (1997–2002)[19]
- Bishop Luigi Mansi — Bishop of Andria (2015–present)[20]
- Archbishop J. Michael Miller — Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education (2003–2007), Archbishop of Vancouver (2009–2025)[21]
- Bishop Michael Mulvey — Bishop of Corpus Christi (2010–present)[22]
- Bishop Glen Provost — Bishop of Lake Charles (2007–present)[23]
- Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith — Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (2005–2009), Archbishop of Columbo (2009–present)[24]
- Bishop Joseph Prathan Sridarunsil — Bishop of Surat Thani (2004–2024)[25]
- Bishop José Raúl Vera López — Bishop of Saltillo (2000–2020)[26]
- Bishop Patrick Zurek — Bishop of Amarillo (2008–present)[27]
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Flint, Julie (30 June 1975). "Pope Tells New Priests Importance Of Ministry". Times Record News. Associated Press. p. 3B. Retrieved 20 May 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Pope Ordains 354, Enters Papal Year 13". Dayton Daily News. United Press International. 30 June 1975. p. 2. Retrieved 20 May 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d "The Road to Rome". TIME Magazine. Vol. 106, no. 2. 14 July 1975. p. 38. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ "Pope Paul to Formally Close Holy Year on Christmas Eve". The St. Louis Review. Vol. 34, no. 51. The Catholic News Archive. Religious News Service. 19 December 1975. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "359 Ordained In Holy Year Ceremony". The Catholic Transcript. Vol. 68, no. 10. Religious News Service. 4 July 1975. p. 12. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
- ^ Hofmann, Paul (10 May 1973). "Pope Names 1975 a Holy Year; Big Influx Is Expected in Rome". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ^ a b "Pope Paul To Ordain 2 From State". The Catholic Transcript. The Catholic News Archive. 27 June 1975. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ^ "Pope Ordains 400 Priests on June 29th". The Messenger. 30 May 1975. p. 10. Retrieved 20 May 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Historic ordination". Long Beach Independent. Associated Press. 30 June 1975. p. 2. Retrieved 20 May 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Crash Causes a Delay In Ordination of Priest". The New York Times. 30 June 1975. p. 55. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ^ "112th Victims of Airliner Crash Succumbs". Sun-Journal. Associated Press. 30 June 1975. p. 8. Retrieved 20 May 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Pope appoints Bishop Raymond Burke as new Archbishop of St. Louis". Catholic News Agency. 2 December 2003. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
- ^ "Bishop Michael Richard Cote [Catholic-Hierarchy]". Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ "Bishop Luis Alberto Fernández Alara [Catholic-Hierarchy]". Catholic Hierarchy. Archived from the original on 30 April 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ "Bishop Gustavo García Naranjo [Catholic-Hierarchy]". Catholic Hierarchy.
- ^ "Cardenal James Michael Harvey: de Milwaukee a organizar la Casa Pontificia". Teinteresa (in Spanish). 20 February 2013. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
- ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 2007.09.28" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- ^ "RINUNCE E NOMINE, 21.09.2005" (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 21 September 2005. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
- ^ "Bishop Leo Laba Ladjar [Catholic-Hierarchy]". Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ "Bishop Luigi Mansi [Catholic-Hierarchy]". Catholic Hierarchy.
- ^ Sylvester, Cam (1 May 2010). "Grace Under Pressure". Vancouver Magazine. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ^ "Bishop Michael Mulvey, STL, DD". Diocese of Corpus Christi. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ "Our Bishop". Diocese of Lake Charles. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ Fernando, Shemal (15 November 2009). "Most Rev. Dr. Malcolm Ranjith: God's chosen Chief Shepherd for Sri Lanka". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 29 October 2013.
- ^ "Bishop Joseph Prathan Sridarunsil [Catholic-Hierarchy]". Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ "Bishop José Raúl Vera López [Catholic-Hierarchy]". Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ "Bishop Patrick James Zurek [Catholic-Hierarchy]". Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved 17 June 2025.