Priestly Ordination of Mario Cerovac in Pleternica

ZAGREB, Croatia - Saturday, May 16, 2026, Bishop Ivo MARTINOVIĆ of Požega presided over the Eucharistic celebration in the Church of St. Valentine in the Parish of St. Nicholas the Bishop in Pleternica, during which he ordained Mario CEROVAC SMM to the priesthood.

Greeting the priests and religious men and women present, Bishop Ivo extended a special greeting to parish priest Dragan HRGIĆ, to Mario, his parents, his family, and the other faithful. He also welcomed Father Angelo SORTI SMM, Provincial of the Italian Province of the Montfort Missionaries, and Father Marco PASINATO SMM, Vicar General of the Montfort Missionaries. He invited those present to pray for the ordinand, that the Lord may fill him with His grace and that, as a priest, he may be a faithful shepherd following the example of Jesus Christ and serve the people of God with dedication.

After the presentation of the candidate for the sacred order of the priesthood, the homily followed, in which Bishop Ivo recalled the readings proclaimed, which shed particular light on the identity of the priestly vocation and mission. He emphasized how the readings proclaimed refer not only to the ordinand Mario, but also to every baptized person, inviting us to live our fidelity to Christ.

Starting from the account in the Acts of the Apostles, the bishop recalled the figure of Apollos, a zealous and enthusiastic proclaimer of the Gospel, comparing his fervor to the ardor and spirituality of Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, founder of the congregation to which the ordinand Mario belongs. Quoting the words of St. Louis-Marie: "I have been seized by a great desire to possess you and to seek you everywhere," he highlighted his ardent search and desire for God's presence in his life, demonstrating by his example what it means to seek God "everywhere" and bear witness to him before others.

Speaking of the priestly vocation, the bishop emphasized the importance of humility. He recalled how Apollos, despite being a cultured and fervent preacher, humbly accepted the teachings of Priscilla and Aquila, emphasizing that the priest, in addition to knowledge and numerous gifts, must be humble and open to being teachable, to learning from Christ and from others; this is the foundation of every authentic priestly vocation, of service, and of Christian life. "One cannot be a priest without humility, because humility is intertwined with the foundation of the identity of Jesus Christ," the bishop stated, adding that the priest never ceases to be a disciple of Christ. He also added that "being a disciple of Jesus, today as yesterday, means following Christ as the Gospels testify: following him, learning from him, learning to do God's will. Being a disciple of Jesus means bearing witness to Christ to the world with one's life."

Addressing the ordinand, Bishop Ivo urged him to always imbue his gifts, knowledge, and service with the humility of Christ and to remain constantly united to the Lord through prayer, the Eucharist, and the Word of God. He also cited Pope Francis, who emphasizes that a disciple of Christ is always ready to bring the love of Jesus to others in daily encounters and in life's circumstances. "Being a disciple means always being ready and available to bring the love of Jesus to others," the bishop said, emphasizing that one becomes a true disciple by transforming oneself into one's Master, and this happens through a relationship with Christ and constant friendship with him through prayer, the Eucharist, and the life of faith.

The bishop then emphasized that the priestly and religious mission will be fruitful only if rooted in Christ. He reminded the ordinand that throughout life he will encounter difficulties, weariness, and temptations, but encouraged him not to forget Jesus' words proclaimed in the Gospel, which urge us to address our prayers to the Father in the name of Jesus, affirming that "prayer always brings strength and joy in service to God and his people."

The bishop reminded the ordinand that from today he becomes a bearer of Christ's joy for the people of God, of his Good News and of truth. He emphasized that the "joy of Jesus" and the "joy of the Father" are present in the disciple who follows Christ and embraces the wisdom of his cross. Full joy is founded on the love of the Father, because we trust in the Son whom we sincerely love and to whom we entrust our lives. He placed particular emphasis on the importance of prayer, not only for others but also for our own sanctification and perseverance in our vocation. «Prayer is the foundation, because it leads us to the heart of God, but also to human suffering», said the bishop, explaining that it is precisely in communion with God that the priest discovers the meaning of service to humanity and the call to be a sign of Christ's closeness to those who suffer.

At the end of the homily, Bishop Ivo invited the ordinand to cherish the joy of his priestly vocation and to entrust his ministry to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. "May her maternal intercession accompany you so that you may be a bearer of the joy of Jesus and remain a faithful priest of Christ until the end of your life," the bishop concluded.

After the homily, the candidate Mario presented himself before the bishop, expressing his willingness to assume the commitments associated with the sacred order of the priesthood and promising respect and obedience. The bishop then invited those present to pray the Litany of the Saints, while the ordinand, with the gesture of prostration before the altar, expressed his total entrustment to God. This was followed by the central rite of ordination—the laying on of hands on the ordinand, by which he is entered into the order of priests, and the consecratory prayer. Afterward, Parish Priest HRGIĆ vested the ordinand in his priestly vestments—chasuble and stole—and the bishop anointed his palms with sacred chrism, handing him the paten with bread and the chalice with wine and water for the celebration of Holy Mass.

At the end of the Eucharistic celebration, Bishop Ivo thanked all those who participated in the celebration of Mario Cerovac's priestly ordination and who, with their presence and prayers, supported the new priest at the beginning of his priestly ministry. Special thanks were extended to the Provincial of the Italian Province of the Montfort Missionaries, Fr. Angelo, the Vicar General, Fr. Marco, as well as the other priests and faithful who had travelled from Italy.

Addressing the gathered faithful, the bishop congratulated Mario for his courage in responding to God's call and embarking on the path of priestly and religious life. He also thanked his parents, family, and relatives for the gift of life, education, and prayerful support they offered him throughout his journey of growth and preparation for the priesthood.

Bishop Ivo then invited those present to continue praying for the newly ordained priest, so that he may serve Christ with perseverance and fidelity as a missionary and bear witness to his selfless love with his own life. At the same time, he encouraged the faithful to pray for priests and for new vocations, so that there may be young people who, like Mario, generously respond to Christ in their priestly and religious vocations. After his closing remarks, he imparted God's blessing to those present.