‘Youthful vitality of our local Church’: Three men ordained priests for the Diocese of Charlotte
CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte welcomed three new priests June 22, as Bishop Peter Jugis ordained three seminarians to the priesthood during the Liturgy of Ordination to the Holy Priesthood.
Transitional Deacons Michael Carlson, Alfonso Gamez Jr. and Britt Taylor received the sacrament of holy orders during the two-hour Mass at St. Mark Church in Huntersville.
Bishop Jugis told the men they will play a vital role in “the constant renewal of grace and holiness in the lives of God's people and in the daily renewal of the Church.”
“I’m sure you have noticed by now that the Diocese of Charlotte is a young diocese. We are not yet even 50 years old as a diocese, and there is still very much a sense of newness and freshness and youthfulness in our diocese,” Bishop Jugis said in his homily before ordaining the three men.
He noted that St. Mark Church – filled with clergy, religious and laity for the ordination Mass – was dedicated only 10 years ago.
"Our three new priests who are ordained today are part of that youthful vitality of our local Church,” he said.
"The Church is forever young and forever renewing herself. That is true because Jesus Christ, the risen Lord is forever present, animating His body, the Church, through His Holy Spirit, making all things new.”
“Britt, Alfonso and Michael, your ministry as priests will renew the world each day,” he told the young men, “through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, by which God continues the work of redemption in our own time; ... through the sacrament of penance, which refreshes and restores souls to friendship with God; ... through all the sacraments, and through the preaching and teaching of the faith and the Gospel.”
The new priests are configured to Christ through ordination to become “co-workers with their bishop to serve Christ, the Teacher, Priest and Shepherd by preaching the Gospel and teaching the faith, by shepherding God’s people and, above all, by celebrating the sacred liturgy.”
They join “a strong fraternity that is going to embrace you and welcome you into the ranks of a sacramental brotherhood,” the bishop said, an important component of the youthful and growing Church in western North Carolina.
Father Michael Carlson, a parishioner of St. Ann Church in Charlotte, studied at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. He is the son of Rock and Julianne Carlson.
Father Alfonso Gamez Jr., a parishioner of Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville, studied at the Pontifical College Josephinum. He is the son of Jose and Ana Maria Gamez.
Father Britt Taylor, a parishioner of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte, also studied at the Pontifical College Josephinum. He is the son of Rick and Terri Taylor.
Near the end of Mass, Bishop Jugis announced the first assignments for the new priests:
- Father Carlson will serve as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro.
- Father Gamez will serve as parochial vicar of St. Mark Church in Huntersville.
- Father Taylor will serve as parochial vicar of Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville.
MORE VIDEO: Watch a replay of the ordination Mass at https://www.stmarknc.org/livestream. Click on "previous broadcasts."
— Catholic News Herald
‘Pray for your priests’
(From left) Britt Taylor, Michael Carlson and Alfonso Gamez Jr. hold their personal chalices, which they will use at their first Mass June 23, after the chalices and their vestments were blessed June 20 by Bishop Peter Jugis.
As is tradition, Bishop Peter Jugis led Evening Prayer and a Holy Hour June 20 at St. Patrick Cathedral for the three men – (pictured from left) Britt Taylor, Michael Carlson and Alfonso Gamez Jr. – as they stood at the threshold of ordination.
READ MORE: Bishop Jugis leads Holy Hour for ordinands June 20
Meet our three new priests
Father Michael Carlson
Home parish: St. Ann Church, Charlotte
Birthplace: Merced, Calif.
Birthday: Nov. 21, 1988
Raised in: Mariposa, Ca.
Family: Parents Rock and Julianne Carlson; siblings Melissa Lewis, Charles Carlson, Christina Broodno, Jonathan Carlson, Kaitlyn Brittain
College: Concordia University, Irvine Ca.
Degree: Business Administration–Finance
Pre-Theology/Theology: Pontifical North American College in Rome
Summer assignments in the diocese: Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Monroe; St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Charlotte; St. Therese Church, Mooresville
CNH: What are some of your interests/hobbies?
Carlson: I enjoy playing the violin, jogging, hiking, fishing, reading theology, philosophy and classical literature, studying languages and cooking.
CNH: When did you first realize you had a vocation to the priesthood?
Carlson: I had an initial interest in the priesthood when I was 9 years old and would serve Mass at my hometown parish of St. Joseph’s Church. However, I did not seriously consider a vocation to the priesthood until after college.
CNH: Who has helped you (mentored you) or given you a good example to follow during these years of discernment and seminary?
Carlson: The example of my family has helped to sustain me through their untiring support and zeal. In a particular way, the pastors who have mentored me during parish summer assignments. Their examples of holiness and daily priestly service are truly inspiring. Finally, the examples of so many religious and laity whom I have encountered during assignments or various diocesan events. Their prayers, encouragement and excitement for the faith has motivated me during these years of study, and has helped prepare me for priestly ministry.
CNH: Is there any comment you would like to share with our readers about serving as a priest for the Diocese of Charlotte?
Carlson: Through summer parish assignments as a seminarian, as well as through many diocesan events such as the Eucharistic Congress, I have had the privilege to meet many of the individuals who form our Catholic community in the Diocese of Charlotte. Offering Mass and the sacraments is the very best way I can think of to give thanks to and to serve all of these people who have been so instrumental in my vocation to the priesthood.
Father Alfonso Gamez Jr.
Home parish: Immaculate Conception Church, Hendersonville
Birthplace: Clyde, N.C.
Birthday: Sept. 16, 1990
Raised in: Hendersonville
Family: Parents Jose Alfonso and Ana Maria Gamez; sibling, Diana Castillo
College: University of North Carolina-Charlotte
Degree: Bachelor’s degree in political science
Pre-Theology/Theology: Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio
Summer assignments in the diocese: St. Francis of Assisi Church, Lenoir; St. Joseph Vietnamese Church, Charlotte; St. Elizabeth Church, Boone
CNH: What are some of your interests/hobbies?
Gamez: I enjoy watching documentaries and going to the movies with my brother seminarians. I also like studying languages and learning about different cultures.
CNH: When did you first realize you had a vocation to the priesthood?
Gamez: Throughout college, I had a deep desire to serve the Lord and the Church and to learn more about my faith. I simply cultivated this desire by becoming more involved in activities and theological study, and it led me to the realization that I wouldn’t want to spend my life any other way than to come to know Christ more deeply every day, and to share this knowledge and love of Him with others.
CNH: Who has helped you (mentored you) or given you a good example to follow during these years of discernment and seminary?
Gamez: Father Patrick Hoare was the first priest who invited me to consider a vocation to the priesthood and he was always very available to answer my questions. Father Patrick Winslow was also extremely instrumental in my discernment. He taught me how to serve Mass and eventually how serve as master of ceremonies. In my senior year of college, every day before going to class, I would go to Mass and serve with him and after Mass I would ask him random theological questions about priesthood and the faith. He was always very attentive to my questions and this has always left a great impression upon me.
CNH: What would you like to say to young men who may have a call to the priesthood?
Gamez: My advice to any man who is considering a vocation to the priesthood is to not be afraid and to courageously step forward and see through the experience if indeed God is calling you to live out a life as a priest.
CNH: Is there any comment you would like to share with our readers about serving as a priest for the Diocese of Charlotte?
Gamez: First, I would like to express my profound gratitude to our bishop, vocations board and the faithful of the diocese who have always supported and encouraged me on this journey. I am very excited to come back home after being in seminary for the past six years to serve the people in our diocese and to help them encounter Christ.
Father Britt Taylor
Home parish: St. Matthew Church, Charlotte
Birthplace: Atlanta, Ga.
Birthday: Sept. 5, 1990
Raised in: Charlotte
Family: Parents Rick and Terri Taylor; siblings Ashton and Mike Taylor
College: University of North Carolina-Charlotte
Degree: Bachelor’s degree in anthropology, N. C. State University
Pre-Theology/Theology: Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio
Summer assignments in the diocese: St. Eugene Church, Asheville; Sacred Heart Church, Salisbury; St. Elizabeth Church, Boone; St. Ann Church, Charlotte
CNH: What are some of your interests/hobbies?
Taylor: I enjoy watching and playing sports. The main sport that I play is golf, which I have played since middle school.
CNH: When did you first realize you had a vocation to the priesthood?
Taylor: I realized around the second grade when I first started altar serving. This does not mean I was ready to enter seminary, but the idea was in my mind. I found other distractions but ultimately towards the end of college I found myself drawn more than ever to the priesthood and so entered seminary.
CNH: Who has helped you (mentored you) or given you a good example to follow during these years of discernment and seminary?
Taylor: Father Pat Cahill was the first priest I really started to talk to about the process of becoming a priest and the idea of having a vocation while I was at Charlotte Catholic High School. After being in seminary, all of the priests at my various summer assignments have been tremendous mentors and I have learned so much from each of them. Within seminary, Father Brian Becker was a great mentor. He was always one who was willing to help not just me but all of the younger seminarians. All of this, of course, began with my parents, though. Looking at their pursuit of holiness started this desire within me to want to deepen my relationship with the Lord.
CNH: What would you like to say to young men who may have a call to the priesthood?
Taylor: Do not be afraid. I remember during my early years of discernment the prospect of becoming a priest was very daunting. The only way to overcome this fear is to stay close to our Lord in prayer. For me the easiest way to do this was to pray the rosary daily. Pray the rosary as often as you can and entrust your vocation to our Blessed Mother. Our Lady will not lead you in the wrong direction.
CNH: Is there any comment you would like to share with our readers about serving as a priest for the Diocese of Charlotte?
Taylor: I am most looking forward to officially getting my ministry started here in the diocese. Through my six years at seminary, I had to focus on the people of Charlotte that I would one day be serving to help me through tests and papers. Focusing on them, rather than the stress of schoolwork, helped remind me that ultimately I am not doing this for myself. I am doing this to serve God’s Church and, in particular, the people here in the diocese. After having the people be my motivating factor for so long, I am excited to get to work with the people and in service of the people in the diocese.
First Masses for the newly ordained to be held June 23
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First Masses for the newly ordained held June 23
CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte’s newest priests will celebrate their first Masses at their home parish:
- Father Michael Carlson celebrated his first Mass at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, June 23, at St. Ann Church in Charlotte.
- Father Alfonso Gamez Jr. celebrated his first Mass at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, June 23, at Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville.
- Father Britt Taylor celebrated his first Mass at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, June 23, at St. Matthew Church in Charlotte.
The men carefully selected their vestments and chalices for their first Masses. Bishop Peter Jugis blessed their vestments and chalices after Vespers June 20 at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte.
Hear why they selected the particular vestments and chalices and who vested them at their ordination on June 22:
Father Michael Carlson: My chasuble is a Gothic style. An important symbol on the chasuble will be the Auspice Maria symbol. It is formed by intertwining the letters A and M and means “under the protection of Mary.” Devotion to Our Lady helped me respond to this vocation. This symbol is my way to honor and thank her publicly. The symbol also is a way of including my home parish of St. Ann Church, which has helped to nourish my vocation to the priesthood.The chalice is a Baroque style and was recently re-discovered at the parish of St. Joseph Church. While respecting a historical restoration, a few small gems will be added to the chalice to commemorate my paternal grandmother, family members, as well as the parish of St. Joseph’s. My hope is that these gems will help me keep in mind St. Monica’s request of her son St. Augustine to “remember me at the altar of the Lord.”
Father Stephen Bulfer will vest me at the ordination. He was the pastor of St. Joseph’s in Mariposa, Calif., during most of my youth. He helped teach me to serve Mass and was an ever-present figure in our small town. His faithfulness in offering the sacraments and joyful witness to Christ undoubtedly had a profound impact upon me and helped lead me to the priesthood
Father Alfonso Gamez Jr.: What I like most about my chalice is that it dates from 1928. I wanted something that had a history behind it, to have a connection with the past. I think that’s meaningful and it communicates a sense of perseverance. The world events my chalice lived through is incredible to think about.Capuchin Franciscan Father Robert Pérez is vesting me at my ordination. He has served as parochial vicar at my home parish for the past four years, and while his time there has been brief, his impact has made an immense and lasting impression. He has shown us an example of selfless dedication in ministry that I hope to emulate.
Father Britt Taylor: My vestments are white and gold with red lining for the feast of Corpus Christi. The main feature on the chasuble is the emblem of the pelican on the back. This depiction of Christ is one of the most beautiful images and one that is not well known in my opinion. In the wild, when she cannot find food, a mother pelican will pluck her feathers and feed her chicks with her blood so that they might survive. This image is used by the Church because this is exactly what Christ does for us. He feeds us with His Body and Blood so that we might live. This emblem ties in with the red lining to remember the Blood that Christ gives us at each Mass.The chalice, given to me by my parents, has a number of images from Our Lord’s life etched into it. There are scenes from the Transfiguration and the Nativity, all the way to His death and Resurrection. The thing that stands out to me is the image of Mary at the foot of the cross. Having a tremendous devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows, this chalice spoke to me immediately. Surrounding this image, my mom has placed two diamonds from her engagement ring as well as the diamond from my grandmother’s engagement ring. Their stones, along with the image of the Blessed Mother, remind me of the women in my life who helped get me to the altar as a priest.
Father Jason Barone is going to vest me at my ordination. I had Father Brian Becker vest me for my diaconate ordination, and I picked him because he was my mentor throughout seminary. He was the big brother I looked up to and helped me through the seminary formation program. I chose Father Barone for similar reasons. Whereas Father Becker guided me through seminary, Father Barone has become one of my closest priest friends and mentors. Father Barone has helped with the transition from seminary into priestly ministry.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
An interview with Father Gamez
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An interview with Father Gamez
The Catholic News Herald recently spoke to Father Alfonso Gámez Jr., who was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Charlotte June 22 and has been assigned to St. Mark Parish in Huntersville.
CNH: Alfonso, tell us when and where you were born, the names of your parents and how many brothers you have.
Gámez: I was born in the city of Clyde, in Haywood County, in 1990. My parents are José Alfonso Gámez and Ana María Gámez. I have one older sister, who is married and has two children. In 1992, my family moved to Hendersonville and there I grew up. In 2010 I came to Charlotte to start my college years. My parents are from Indaparapeo, Michoacán, Mexico. My father, from a very young age, used to work for seasons in the United States and then return to Mexico. When my parents got married in 1988 they had the idea to come to the United States to work and raise some money. They always thought, like many people, to stay for about three years and go back and to live in their hometown. God had other plans!CNH: What beautiful memories do you have of your childhood?
Gámez: They have to be the times when we were traveling to Mexico. My family used to travel for the Christmas holidays to our town. I really liked listening my parents talk about their lives, traditions, customs. Those trips gave me a lot of perspective of the world on both sides of the border.CNH: When did you hear the call to the priesthood?
Gámez: When I realized that I had more desire to study religious and moral issues than my academic studies. When I started my studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC), I was studying civil engineering. But I spent more time in church and in catechetical groups than in the engineering lab. There I realized that my deepest longings were for an extraordinary life through this vocation, and not a professional life, even if it were to be a successful one.CNH: Were you involved in the Church earlier in your life?
Gámez: I was never an altar boy, nor was I involved in youth groups. But when I was in high school my interest in the Church was something intellectual. I wanted to know what my beliefs were and why I believed what I professed. Unconsciously, I was hungry for the truth. From there the desire was born in me to share the truth I had found, and then I started to teach catechism classes. I served as a catechist in the parishes of Immaculate Conception in Hendersonville and in St. John Neumann in Charlotte. When I was at UNCC, I was also very involved in the university’s Catholic Campus Ministry group. I served as president of the organization in 2011.CNH: Did you have girlfriends? What did they tell you when you told them that you were planning to become a priest? What did your parents say?
Gámez: I never had a girlfriend, but I had always planned to get married. In fact, when I joined the Catholic group at the university, I have to confess that this was one of my reasons for joining – to meet my future wife. And in a sense I did, because it was in those years that I found my vocation and my love for the Church.
My parents have always supported me. My mother, on her side, had considered a vocation to religious life, so for her those questions were not strange. At the beginning, my father did not understand the process or my situation with my career, but he always told me that he trusted my decisions.CNH: When did you enter the seminary? How were your studies?
Gámez: I was accepted as a seminarian of the diocese in May 2013. That same year, in August, Bishop (Peter) Jugis sent me to study at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio. There I completed six years of studies: two years of philosophy and four years of theology.
As I mentioned earlier, my vocation journey began with the intellectual hunger I had for the faith. Then, when I started my studies, I felt like a sponge – absorbing everything that was presented to me. I liked my studies very much and it will be a life that I will miss.CNH: Any doubts along the way? What strengthened your decision?
Gámez: Always. I had many doubts at several stages of my formation. But the Lord gave me two very great gifts: a good memory and incredible seminary friends. I had to make a habit of memory and remember the reasons why I had entered the seminary, my love and desire at the beginning and to think that if I left the seminary I would only live an incomplete life. The friends that the Lord gave me always reminded me of who I am and motivated me in difficult times. I am inspired by the families I have met here in the diocese. As a priest I will have the ability to bring them to God Himself. That motivates me.CNH: Do you think you will be a priest who is outgoing or rather a bit conservative?
Gámez: I really do not know, as I've never been a priest and I do not know how I'm going to be. Maybe you can compare it to when you ask a man before his first child is born if he is going to be a “strict” or “relaxed” father. It is hard to say. Either way, I intend to serve the needs of my parishioners, whether they are outside or inside the parish.CNH: Regarding your new life, what do you think will be the most beautiful aspect and what do you think could be difficult?
Gámez: I think the most beautiful thing will be to witness the wonders that the Lord is going to do in the lives of the people I serve. That moves me a lot, to see the transformations and conversions He makes happen. I think the most difficult thing is going to be when you do everything you can, but despite that some people decide to turn away from God and the Church.CNH: How do you see yourself in 30 years?
Gámez: In 30 years, I cannot imagine what the Lord has planned for me. Ten years ago I would never have imagined that these days I would be on the eve of my ordination. It was never part of my plans to take this path, but I could not be happier.— César Hurtado, Hispanic reporter
The ordination rite explained
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The ordination rite explained
Editor’s note: Never attended an ordination before? Here is a helpful guide to the ordination Mass, which was celebrated Saturday, June 22, at St. Mark Church in Huntersville:
Special prie-dieus, or kneelers, given to the three men being ordained priests for the Diocese of Charlotte this year have been on tour around the diocese, enabling the faithful to pray for the men and sign journals conveying their well-wishes. The kneelers are commissioned each year for the diocese's ordinands by the lay apostolate Mary’s Sons. (Photo provided)What is the sacrament of holy orders?Holy orders is the sacrament of “apostolic ministry” – that is, how “the mission entrusted by Christ to His Apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time. …” (CCC 1536)
The word “ordination” derives from the word “order,” which is the “appropriate disposition of things equal and unequal, by giving each its proper place” (St. Augustine, “City of God,” XIX.13). Order is used to signify not only the particular rank or general status of the clergy, but also the sacramental act by which they are raised to that status: ordination.
Ordination to the priesthood takes place within the context of the Mass. The rite, most of which dates back many centuries, has several distinct parts, but the essential element is the laying on of hands on the head of the ordinand and the bishop’s consecratory prayer
The rite of ordination
- Calling of the Candidates: In the ordination rite, after the opening prayers of the Mass and the scripture readings, the presentation of the candidate takes place. The candidate responds, “Present,” (in Latin, “Adsum”) steps forward and makes a sign of reverence.
- Presentation, Inquiry and Acceptance: Bishop Jugis then asks for testimony that the candidate has received proper training and is worthy of ordination. Father Christopher Gober, diocesan vocation director, attests that the candidate is prepared. The bishop then says: “Relying on the help of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, we choose this man, our brother, for the Order of the Priesthood.” The people respond “Thanks be to God,” and also give their approval by a hearty round of applause.
- Examination of the Candidate: After the homily, the candidate approaches Bishop Jugis, who asks him if he is willing to serve Christ and His Church as a faithful priest. The examination concludes with this exchange: Bishop Jugis, “Do you resolve to be united more closely every day to Christ the High Priest, who offered Himself for us to the Father as a perfect sacrifice, and with Him to consecrate yourself to God for the salvation of all?” Candidate, “I do, with the help of God.”
- Promise of Obedience: The candidate then promises obedience to the authority of the Church and to his own religious superiors, as he kneels before Bishop Jugis. Why? The bishop is the head of the local Church. St. Ignatius of Antioch said the bishop is “typos tou Patros” – he is like the living image of God the Father. (CCC 1549) “The promise of obedience they make to the bishop at the moment of ordination and the kiss of peace from him at the end of the ordination liturgy mean that the bishop considers them his co-workers, his sons, his brothers and his friends, and that they in return owe him love and obedience.” (CCC 1567)
- Prayer for the Candidates: Bishop Jugis kneels and invites all of those present to join in prayer for the candidate. This period of prayer includes the Litany of the Saints. The chanting of the Litany of the Saints is an especially moving and memorable moment in the ordination ritual. The candidate prostrates himself before the altar as the prayers of the Litany invoke God’s saving mercy and the intercession of all the saints to send down the Holy Spirit upon this man, soon to be a priest.
The Litany of the Saints is an ancient prayer. The Catholic Encyclopedia says, “It was used in the ‘Litania Septiformis’ of St. Gregory the Great, and in the procession of St. Mamertus. In the Eastern Church, litanies with the invocation of saints were employed in the days of St. Basil (d. 379) and of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus (d. about 270). It is not known when or by whom the litany was composed, but the order in which the Apostles are given, corresponding with that of the Canon of the Mass, proves its antiquity.”
- Imposition of hands: This is an outward sign of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus conferred His priesthood on His Apostles, so too does the bishop and other priests lay hands upon the ordinand. It is the most ancient and universal outward ritual of the Church. “The laying on of hands by the bishop, with the consecratory prayer, constitutes the visible sign” of ordination. (CCC 1538) In this moment, as Bishop Jugis lays his hands upon the head of the kneeling ordinand, he prays silently for the invocation of the Holy Spirit.
All the other priests who are present also join in the ordination ceremony. Each one in turn lays his hands silently upon the head of the candidate. This signifies that they all belong to, and participate in, the one priesthood of Jesus Christ. It is also a sign welcoming the newly ordained into the common brotherhood as priests.
- Prayer of Consecration: Bishop Jugis prays: “Grant, we pray, Almighty Father, to this, your servant, the dignity of the priesthood; renew deep within him the Spirit of holiness; may he henceforth possess this office which comes from You, O God, and is next in rank to the office of Bishop; and by the example of his manner of life, may he instill right conduct. May he be a worthy coworker with our Order, so that by his preaching and through the grace of the Holy Spirit the words of the Gospel may bear fruit in human hearts and reach even to the ends of the earth.”
- Vesting the New Priest: The newly-ordained priest now removes his deacon’s stole and is presented with the symbols of his new office in the Church: a priestly stole and chasuble. This is called the investiture.
- Anointing of the Hands: Bishop Jugis anoints the palms of the new priest with sacred chrism, praying, “The Lord Jesus Christ, whom the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit and power, guard and preserve you that you may sanctify the Christian people and offer sacrifice to God.” After the anointing with the oil, the priest’s hands are wrapped with a linen cloth. Anointing with sacred oil, or chrism, symbolizes the Holy Spirit. It is another ancient ritual that has Old Testament roots.
- Presentation of the Gifts: After the gifts of bread and wine are brought to the altar, Bishop Jugis gives to the new priest a chalice containing the wine, mixed with water, and the paten holding the bread. These are the sacred vessels used at each Mass to hold the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. As the priest receives the chalice and the paten, Bishop Jugis says: “Receive the oblation of the holy people, to be offered to God. Understand what you do, imitate what you celebrate, and conform your life to the mystery of the Lord’s cross.”
- Kiss of Peace: Lastly, Bishop Jugis gives the kiss of peace to the new priest, saying: “Peace be with you.”
The Mass continues as usual, with the new priests concelebrating fully in their first Eucharistic sacrifice, standing closest to Bishop Jugis in a place of honor before the altar. The new priests also help distribute Holy Communion.Why does the Church ordain priests?
The rite of ordination is more than an “election” or “delegation” of someone as a priest. The sacrament “confers a gift of the Holy Spirit that permits the exercise of a ‘sacred power’ which can come only from Christ Himself through His Church.” (CCC 1538) The divine grace received through this rite sets these men apart – consecrates them, invests them – within the Church and gives them a unique mission among the People of God.Why are only men ordained priests?
Jesus chose 12 men as His Apostles, conferring upon them the mission to serve in His place on earth, and the Apostles did the same when they chose others to join and to succeed them. The Church is bound by the choice that Jesus Himself made, so it’s not possible for women to be ordained. Though in earlier times there were several semi-clerical ranks of women in the Church (called deaconesses), they were not admitted to orders properly so called and had no spiritual authority. They served women in particular, in instances where customs called for men and women to remain separate.
An indelible mark
Holy orders is one of three sacraments that have an indelible spiritual character – that is, they cannot be repeated or rescinded. The others are baptism and confirmation. From the moment of his ordination, a priest’s vocation and mission mark him permanently. (CCC 1583)
Like the sacrament of marriage, in which men and women give themselves totally to each other and grow in holiness together, holy orders is directed toward the salvation of others through the gift of oneself. “They confer a particular mission in the Church and serve to build up the People of God. … Those who receive the sacrament of holy orders are consecrated in Christ’s name ‘to feed the Church by the word and grace of God.’” (CCC 1534-1535)
A priest acts “in persona Christi” – that is, he acts with the authority of Christ, representing the person of Christ in administering the sacraments and shepherding the faithful – and “in nomine ecclesiae,” in the name of the Church. That doesn’t mean a priest is perfect! That just means that in administering the sacraments, the power of the Holy Spirit is assured.
‘The voice and hands of Christ’
In his 1990 address “On the Nature of the Priesthood,” then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI) said: “Jesus gave His power to the Apostles in such a way that He made their ministry, as it were, a continuation of His own mission. ‘He who receives you receives me,’ He Himself says to the Twelve (Mt 10:40; cf. Lk 10:16; Jn 13:10).”
He added, “If Church usage calls ordination to the ministry of priesthood a ‘sacrament,’ the following is meant: This man is in no way performing functions for which he is highly qualified by his own natural ability nor is he doing the things that please him most and that are most profitable. On the contrary, the one who receives the sacrament is sent to give what he cannot give of his own strength; he is sent to act in the person of another, to be his living instrument. For this reason no human being can declare himself a priest; for this reason, too, no community can promote a person to this ministry by its own decree. Only from the sacrament, which belongs to God, can priesthood be received. Mission can only be received from the One who sends, from Christ in His sacrament, through which a person becomes the voice and the hands of Christ in the world.”
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor
Father Michael Carlson: My chasuble is a Gothic style. An important symbol on the chasuble will be the Auspice Maria symbol. It is formed by intertwining the letters A and M and means “under the protection of Mary.” Devotion to Our Lady helped me respond to this vocation. This symbol is my way to honor and thank her publicly. The symbol also is a way of including my home parish of St. Ann Church, which has helped to nourish my vocation to the priesthood.
Father Alfonso Gamez Jr.: What I like most about my chalice is that it dates from 1928. I wanted something that had a history behind it, to have a connection with the past. I think that’s meaningful and it communicates a sense of perseverance. The world events my chalice lived through is incredible to think about.
Father Britt Taylor: My vestments are white and gold with red lining for the feast of Corpus Christi. The main feature on the chasuble is the emblem of the pelican on the back. This depiction of Christ is one of the most beautiful images and one that is not well known in my opinion. In the wild, when she cannot find food, a mother pelican will pluck her feathers and feed her chicks with her blood so that they might survive. This image is used by the Church because this is exactly what Christ does for us. He feeds us with His Body and Blood so that we might live. This emblem ties in with the red lining to remember the Blood that Christ gives us at each Mass.