On Saturday, October 29th, rev. Ilija Kelić, a native of Ljubunčić parish near Livno, was ordained a priest by the local bishop Msgr. Komarica.
The solemn Holy Mass celebration was attended by: the auxiliary bishop of Banja Luka, Msgr. Marko Semren, OFM, rector of the cathedral, rev. Pero Ivan Grgić, Rector of the Jesuit Theological Study in Zagreb, Father Ivo Antunović, and 18 other priests. The Eucharist was attended by a large number of nuns, mother, brothers and sisters of the ordained priest, relatives and friends, as well as the believers of the parish of the religious order from Zagreb and from the parishes of Banja Luka.
Introducing the liturgical celebration, Msgr. Komarica thanked the many petitioners for spiritual vocations in the diocese.
In an appropriate sermon, he first interpreted the Church’s teaching on the universal “royal priesthood” of all the baptized, and then the teaching on the sacrament of holy orders, on the priestly vocation, authorization and mission from Christ himself. Then he interpreted and listened to the biblical texts about the prophetic call of the prophet Isaiah, the apostolic call of St. Paul and about Jesus’ call and sending of his disciples, as well as their response and later life and work.
Bishop Franjo especially addressed the priest Ilija himself, encouraging him to recognize himself in this exceptional intervention of God in the lives of individual people and to make himself available to God, like the prophets and apostles, not only partially or conditionally, but with an undivided heart and unconditionally.
The ordination ceremony followed: solemn and public recitation of promises, invocation of the heavenly Church’s intercession, laying of the bishop’s hands, consecration prayer, dressing in mass vestments, anointing with the holy chrism and the distribution of authority for the celebration of Holy Masses.
At the end, those present sang a grateful song, Tebe Boga hvalimo (We praise You, God).
The liturgy was animated by cathedral singers supported by nuns and singers from the parish of the rector.
Rev. Ilija was born in 1969 in the town of Prisap, in the parish of Ljubunčić near Livno, in the family of Vinko and Slavka, b. Karaula, who have four more sons and two daughters. After high school, he moved to Zagreb, where he spent almost his entire life. Sensing a spiritual calling, he enrolled and graduated in theology in 2020 at the Jesuit Philosophical and Theological Study in Zagreb. He was ordained a deacon on May 8th, also in Banja Luka.
KT
Banja Luka – October 29, 2022
