Br. Abhishek Mariswamy OFM Ordained to the Priesthood
Bengaluru, 11 August: The Franciscan family celebrated with joy and gratitude the priestly ordination of Br. Abhishek Mariswamy OFM on 11 August 2026 at St. Anthony’s Friary Church, Koramangala, Bengaluru. The solemn celebration marked a significant moment in his journey of consecrated life and ministry, as he was ordained to the Sacred Order of the Priesthood.
The ordination took place through the imposition of hands and the consecratory prayer of Most Rev. Arokiaraj Satis Kumar, Auxiliary Bishop of Bengaluru. Franciscan friars, clergy, religious, family members, friends and well-wishers gathered in prayer and thanksgiving to witness and celebrate this important moment in Br. Abhishek’s vocation. Br. Xavier Durairaj, Minister Provincial, presented Br. Abhishek to be ordained to the Order of Priesthood.
The celebration was guided by the words of the Psalmist: “Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will” (Psalm 40:8). The verse fittingly expressed the spirit of availability and surrender that characterises the vocation to priestly ministry. The ordination invited Br. Abhishek to embrace his priesthood as a continued response to God’s call and as a commitment to serve His people with faithfulness and love.
The Rite of Ordination, centred on the laying on of hands and the consecratory prayer, visibly expressed the Church’s prayer and trust in the newly ordained priest. Surrounded by the Franciscan family and the people who have accompanied him throughout his journey, Br. Abhishek received the grace and responsibility of sharing in Christ’s priestly ministry.
For the Order of Friars Minor, the occasion was also a celebration of the Franciscan vocation to serve the Church in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. The life and ministry of a Franciscan priest are called to be marked by fraternity, humility, simplicity and closeness to God’s people. Br. Abhishek’s ordination therefore becomes not only a personal milestone but also a moment of joy and thanksgiving for the wider Franciscan family.
The celebration continued the following morning, 12 August 2026, when the newly ordained priest offered his First Thanksgiving Holy Eucharist at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, Harobele, Kanakapura, South Bengaluru. Family members, friars, parishioners and well-wishers joined him in giving thanks to God for the gift of his vocation and priestly ministry.
The two celebrations—his ordination and First Thanksgiving Mass—became occasions of prayer, gratitude and communion. They brought together the different people and communities who have been part of Br. Abhishek’s journey and who now entrust his priestly ministry to the Lord.
As he begins his priestly ministry, the Franciscan family congratulates Fr. Abhishek Mariswamy OFM and assures him of its prayers. May the Lord who called him continue to strengthen him in his vocation, deepen his love for Christ and His Church, and guide him as he serves God’s people with humility, compassion, simplicity and joy.
May the words of Isaiah 43:1, chosen for the congratulatory message, continue to accompany him throughout his ministry: “I have called you by your name; you are mine.”
