The Eternal City keeps careful track of dates. If a bishop arrives for an audience on his ordination anniversary, you can be quite sure that the Holy Father has been briefed. Papal dates – birthdays, priestly ordination, episcopal consecration, papal election – are devotedly observed, the occasion taken for elaborate good wishes to be offered all around.
So when the Pope’s 50th anniversary of priestly ordination comes, as it does this December 13, and Rome does nothing, it is surprising. Well, not exactly nothing. The Diocese of Rome, which traditionally takes the lead on such events, put out an announcement requesting an inclusion of the event in the Bidding Prayers at Holy Mass.
