“Vancouver says bon voyage to Ark of the New Covenant”

By LAUREEN McMAHON

The Ark of the New Covenant sailed into the Vancouver archdiocese on May 10, first docking at St. Mary's Church in Chilliwack after leaving port in the Kamloops Diocese.

Courtesy 2008 International Eucharistic Congress / CNS Pope Benedict XVI blessed the Ark of the New Covenant at the Vatican just one year ago this month. It is hoped that the ark and accompanying monstrance will inspire Catholics to attend the 2008 International Eucharistic Congress in Quebec City June 15-22, 2008, just as the World Youth Day cross inspires youth.

A week later, on May 17, after a successful voyage around Vancouver buoyed by members of the Knights of Columbus, the symbol of next year's Eucharistic Congress in Quebec embarked on a ferry ride to the Victoria Diocese and the final stages of its journey.

In the intervening week, thousands of parishioners and school children had visited the ark at St. Mary's; St. Ann's in Abbotsford; St. Matthew's and Holy Cross Regional Secondary in Surrey; Our Lady of Fatima in Coquitlam; Sacred Heart, St. Mary's, Holy Rosary Cathedral, and Sts. Peter and Paul in Vancouver; Good Shepherd in Surrey; and St. Monica's in Richmond.

The Ark of the New Covenant was crafted to help prepare Canadian Catholics to host the 49th Eucharistic Congress from June 15 to 22, 2008, in Quebec City. This is the first time a Eucharistic Congress has been held in this country.

Priest `a walking tabernacle,' says Abbot Braganza

On its voyage across Canada, the ark, which was blessed by Pope Benedict XVI in Rome May 11, 2006, was accompanied a monstrance also blessed by the Pope.

The Eucharistic Congress theme states that the Eucharist is the gift of God for the life of the world.

It is certainly intrinsic to the mystery of the vocation of priesthood, according to Abbot John Braganza, OSB, of Westminster Abbey in Mission.

As Father Abbot spoke to priests gathered at St. Monica's Parish on the final day of the ark's presence in the archdiocese, he reflected on the Eucharist and its tremendous depth of meaning for priests.

Sacramentum Caritatis, Pope Benedict XVI's apostolic exhortation to the faithful on the Eucharist as the source and summit of the Church's life and mission, said Father Abbot, states, "Priestly spirituality is intrinsically Eucharistic."

Since our spirituality, said Father Abbot, "is so bound to the Eucharist. like the Eucharist it is indeed a summary of our faith and life in the Church."

A priest's life, he added, actually summarizes the whole faith of the Church as he shares in Christ's priestly being and in his consecration.

"In other words, both at our ordination and at the celebration of every Mass, two mysteries are reproduced and prolonged in us: that of the Incarnation and that of the cross/resurrection. Through both, the priest becomes a walking tabernacle."

A priest, said Abbot Braganza, offers Jesus to the Father and is offered as the same victim.

"He gives Jesus to souls and is himself given. While every vocation in the Church carries in itself a mystery or gift greater than itself, for others, this is especially true of the priesthood."

Jesus, said the abbot, is offered as victim, and the priest is offered in Jesus. Jesus is given to others and the priest, too, is given to others in Jesus.

"It is this identity of the priest and Jesus that draws down upon the priest the whole weight of the Father's love and predilection."

Each priestly vocation, he commented, "was conceived from all eternity in unison with the plan of the Father to send His Son in the likeness of our human flesh."

The Holy Spirit's action causes each priestly vocation to come about in time, explained Father Abbot, and each priestly vocation "renews itself in the faithful and fruitful and careful celebration of the daily Eucharist."

In seeking to uncover the mystery of priestly spirituality, he told the priests, "I hope you will be enabled to deepen your own identity, your love, joy, and awe, in being chosen to be a priest after the heart of the Son."