On Monday, June 29, 2009, thirteen first-year seminarians received their cassock from Monsignor Gilles Wach; they were tonsured on June 30 by the Most Reverend Basil Meeking, Bishop Emeritus of Christchurch, New Zealand. Bishop Meeking also conferred minor orders the same day to over forty young men, in addition to ordaining several subdeacons on Wednesday, July 1.
Over five hundred faithful and friends of the Institute — a much larger crowd than expected—participated in a pilgrimage to the National Shrine of Our Lady Help of Christians at the Basilica of Holy Hill near Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Saturday, May 23.
In joyful gratitude to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, patroness of the Institute, for having received the Pontifical Right status from the Holy See, the Institute organized a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France.
At a Wednesday audience in early April, Monsignor Wach presented Reverend Mother Mary of the Love of God of the Adorers of the Royal Heart to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.
Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI kindly expresses his gratitude to all of the many people who offered him the very abundant spiritual bouquet presented to him by the Institute in March.
On Saturday, May 23, the Institute is organizing a Marian pilgrimage for the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians at her national shrine in the beautiful Basilica known as "Holy Hill," near Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
His Excellency, the Most Reverend Dino Fisichella, Rector of the Pontifical Lateran University and President of the Pontifical Academy for Life, celebrated a Pontifical High Mass at the Abbey church of the Three Fountains in Rome.
On the feast of Saint Benedict, co-patron of the Institute, Franc Cardinal Rode, Prefect of the the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, ordained six young men to the diaconate: one Italian, two Americans, and three French. Many friends and supporters of the Institute came to Gricigliano for this beautiful Pontifical High Mass of Ordination in the seminary chapel.
During his recent visit to California, Monsignor Schmitz celebrated a Solemn High Mass in honor of Our Blessed Mother on Saturday, February 21, at the Mission church Santa Clara de Asís.
