'The Church accepts your resolve with joy'
CHARLOTTE — Fifteen men have been formally accepted into the Diocese of Charlotte's permanent diaconate formation program.
During a July 31 Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral celebrated by Bishop Peter Jugis, the men were received during the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders. Also during the Mass, more than 50 of the diocese's current permanent deacons professed their recommitment to their ministry. The deacons' wives were also present and also recommitted to assisting their husbands in the work of the Church.
Addressing the candidates during his homily, Bishop Jugis explained to them that the Rite of Candidacy is a rite which one formally becomes a candidate for the sacrament of holy orders.
"The one who aspires to the permanent diaconate first publicly manifests his will to offer himself to God and to the Church for sacred ministry," Bishop Jugis said. "This public declaration our brothers will do shortly when they respond to the two questions I ask them, 'Do you resolve to complete your preparation?' and 'Do you resolve to prepare yourselves in mind and spirit to give faithful service?'
"And then after formally, publicly manifesting their will to enter into this period of preparation, the Church formally accepts them into the ranks of candidates, choosing them and calling them to prepare themselves to receive the sacrament of holy orders."
The rite is actually brief but quite an important step for holy orders, he said.
"It is a passage to a new status in the Church as a candidate now for holy orders – not a status of prestige, but a status of a different designation of who you are in the Church: no longer an aspirant but now becoming a candidate.
"Before ever arriving at this day, my brothers, much discernment has already taken place on your part and on the part of those who know you. You have been learning to trust Jesus as He leads you. And now as formal candidates for holy orders, a more intense formation for the permanent diaconate is about to begin.
"The Lord gives you special graces now as a candidate pursuing your vocation to the diaconate."
He told the men that the Gospel passage chosen for the Mass of Admission to Candidacy (Mark 1:14-20) teaches an important lesson about giving themselves to Jesus, essential for them as they proceed with their formation.
"Your situation may be likened to that of the four disciples in today's Gospel passage: Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John. They are pursuing their work as fishermen and then Jesus issues a call to them: 'Come after Me.'" They respond by following Him, crossing the threshold into a period of more intense formation for being sent out one day as His apostles.
"And so with you, in being accepted today into the ranks of candidates, you are crossing a threshold into a period of more intense formation and preparation for the sacrament of holy orders and being sent out one day as deacons."
Bishop Jugis reminded the 15 candidates that "Jesus has brought you this far along your path already and He wants you to give yourselves to Him as He leads you through the coming years of formation. Spend time with the Lord in prayer during these years of more intense formation."
He noted that the men are blessed to have the support of their wives who were with them and their families, the support of their friends and the support of the Church to help them on the path towards the diaconate.
"If it is God's will, one day you will be at the priest's side assisting him as he offers the Sacrifice of the Mass," he promised.
Each of the candidates was then called forward by Deacon Scott Gilfillan, director of formation for the permanent diaconate, and stood at the base of the sanctuary steps in front of the bishop.
"Beloved sons, the pastors and teachers in charge of your formation and others who know you have given a favorable account of you and we have full confidence in their testimony," he told them. "In response to the Lord's call, do you resolve to complete your preparation so that in due time through holy orders you will be prepared to assume ministry within the Church?"
"I do," they responded.
"Do you resolve to prepare yourselves in mind and spirit to give faithful service to Christ the Lord and His Body the Church?"
"I do."
"The Church accepts your resolve with joy. May God who has begun the good work in you bring it to fulfillment."
After the Liturgy of the Eucharist, more than 50 permanent deacons from around the diocese stood in the pews to renew their commitment to their ministry.
"Your presence here, my dear brother deacons, this evening speaks of the vitality of the permanent diaconate in the Diocese of Charlotte," Bishop Jugis told them. "The fact that you are here to renew your own commitment of service to the Lord and to the Church, and also that you are here besides that to support your brothers who become candidates this evening, does speak of your love for the sacred order which you have received and of the vitality of the ministry which you exercise."
He also observed, "These candidates must have seen something in you over the years that inspired them to listen more closely to a call from God to the permanent diaconate. They must have seen in your devotion and your love for Jesus and your love of the Church something which triggered an inspiration in their own heart and the Lord speaking to them through your ministry to call them also to come and follow Him in the service in the Church.
"You are acting as instruments of the Lord many times in unknowing ways – inspiring future generations of deacons to follow you, and not only them but also all the members of the family of the Church. We are so grateful for your devoted, sincere, loving ministry to Christ, and to the poor, the needy, the homeless, the sick and all the people of the Church.
"Thank you so much."
All of the permanent deacons then recommitted themselves to their ministry by answering Bishop Jugis' questions with a resounding "I do."
Their wives then also stood to renew their support for their husbands' ministry.
And of their ministry he also said to them, "May God who has begun the good work in you bring it to fulfillment.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
Permanent deacon candidates:
Paul Bruck
St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte
Ralph D'Agostino Jr.
St. Leo the Great Church, Winston-Salem
David Faunce
Immaculate Conception Church, Forest City
Steffen Fohn
Holy Family Church, Clemmons
Frank Moyer
St. Barnabas Church, Arden
Timothy Mueller
St. Michael the Archangel Church, Gastonia
Matthew Newsome
St. Mary Mother of God Church, Sylva
Quang Nguyen
St. Joseph Vietnamese Church, Charlotte
David Ramsey III
St. Mary Mother of God Church, Sylva
Martin Sheehan Jr.
Our Lady of the Highways Church, Thomasville
Francis Skinner
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, High Point
Paul Sparrow
St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Charlotte
Peter Tonon
St. Ann Church, Charlotte
Donald Waugh Jr.
St. Bernadette Church, Linville
Jack Yarbrough
Our Lady of Grace Church, Greensboro
CHARLOTTE — During their ordination to the priesthood June 27, Casey Coleman and Santiago Mariani were encouraged to nourish the faithful through their ministry as teachers, sanctifiers and shepherds.
More than 450 people packed into St. Patrick Cathedral, with dozens more spilling out from all three entrances, to witness the ordination Mass celebrated by Bishop Peter J. Jugis. It was more than standing-room only inside and over 90 degrees outside, but everyone was cheerful as they welcomed the two newest priests for the Diocese of Charlotte.
"The faithful are hungering to know Jesus and know His truths. Nourish them on His teachings," Bishop Jugis urged the two men during his homily. "Nourish the faithful on Christ's Body and Blood and nourish yourself daily by meditating on the mystery of the Real Presence of Christ, which you are privileged to make physically present in the Eucharist."
"Imitate the sacrificial love of Jesus as you celebrate the Eucharist, and celebrate with love the other sacraments as well – baptizing new souls into Christ, absolving sins in the name of Christ and the Church in the sacrament of penance, comforting the sick with the sacrament of anointing of the sick, and offering prayers of praise and thanks to God during the hours of the day for the People of God and for the whole world."
He also told them to always seek to gather together the faithful, strengthening those who are weak, and fostering unity in the Church under Christ, who is the Head of the Church. Use Jesus the Good Shepherd as the model in their own priestly ministry, he said.
"The Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep, and so must you be willing to give of yourself for the salvation of Christ's faithful," he said.
During the ordination rite, the two men prostrated themselves at the base of the sanctuary as the hundreds of clergy, religious and faithful recited the ancient Litany of Saints. Then they rose, climbed the steps and each knelt to allow for Bishop Jugis to lay his hands on their heads, invoking the Holy Spirit to come upon them to confer the sacrament of holy orders. Dozens of priests then also ascended the sanctuary steps to lay hands on them, joining in this ancient biblical gesture as a sign of their union in the one priesthood of Jesus Christ.
Afterward, the two men put on the vestments of a priest – a stole and chasuble. Father Coleman was vested by Father Christopher Roux, rector and pastor of the cathedral, and Father Matthew Buettner, pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Church in Gastonia. Father Mariani was vested by Father Patrick Winslow, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte.
Then the two newly ordained priests knelt again before Bishop Jugis to have their hands anointed with sacred chrism and wrapped in a linen cloth, called a maniturgia.
The bishop then placed into the hands of each newly ordained priest a paten holding the bread and a chalice containing the wine mixed with water for the celebration of Mass.
In his homily, Bishop Jugis noted to the newly ordained: "You begin your priesthood at the celebration of this Mass. The Eucharist and the priesthood have always been joined together. Your priesthood is born in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. May the offering of the Holy Sacrifice always be your joy."
He concluded, "On this day, as the Church celebrates the memorial of St. Cyril of Alexandria, Doctor of the Church and champion of the Blessed Mother's privileges, especially the privilege of her title "Mother of God," may the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Mother of Christ the High Priest and Mother of all priests, may she help you with her powerful intercession."
Father Coleman is being assigned as parochial vicar at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte, and Father Mariani is being assigned as parochial vicar at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe, the bishop announced at the end of Mass.
"The parish of Our Lady of Lourdes rejoices!" said Father Benjamin Roberts, pastor of the Monroe church, when he heard the news. "We thank Father Mariani for the gift of his 'yes' to the priesthood of Jesus Christ and we thank Bishop Jugis for the wonderful gift of a new priest to our parish."
Added Father Lawlor, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Church, "It is with joy that we welcome Father Casey Coleman to our parish staff. We look forward to getting to know him and we are sure that he has many gifts to share with the Church."
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor
See more highlights from the Mass at Facebook.com/CatholicNewsHerald.
Prayers offered for two men on eve of their ordination
CHARLOTTE — Many faithful gathered at St. Patrick Cathedral Friday night to pray for the two men who will be ordained to the priesthood there on Saturday – Deacon Casey Coleman and Deacon Santiago Mariani.
The Holy Hour and vespers were led by Bishop Peter Jugis, with the two ordinands sitting in the front pew near so many people who have prayed and supported them throughout their seminary studies and preparation for holy orders.
They were commended by Bishop Jugis for saying “yes” when God called them to a religious vocation. That response to God’s Will is sorely lacking in today’s society, Bishop Jugis noted in his brief homily during the Holy Hour.
“The culture in which we live is not well,” he said. “It is not well because it has said no to God many times – no to God on His definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman, no to God on the absolute right to life of the innocent unborn child, no to God on the immorality of sexual relations outside of marriage. Too many no’s to God and His plan. As a result of all of those no’s, the culture is heavily burdened and weighted down.”
He continued, “But you, Deacon Casey and Deacon Santiago, are preparing to say your unconditional yes to God at your priestly ordination tomorrow.
“How refreshing it is in our times to hear that yes to God – without conditions, without reservations.”
“Because of your resounding yes to God, God will give us the grace of a joyful ordination Mass – life-giving to everybody in it, and indeed, life-giving to the entire diocese,” he said.
At their ordination Saturday, the two men will be saying yes to sanctifying the People of God through the sacraments and through the Word of God, yes to praying for God’s mercy upon His people, and “yes to (uniting) yourself closely every day to Christ the High Priest.”
“Because you know Jesus to be ‘the way and the truth and the life,’” he added, referencing the theme of this fall’s diocesan Eucharistic Congress.
“The culture around us says no, and as a result is heavily burdened and weighted down,” he said. “The Church says yes, and is joyful and is life-giving.
“Deacon Casey and Deacon Santiago, as you receive the Holy Spirit again tomorrow and He impresses on your souls the indelible character of the sacred priesthood of Jesus Christ, may your priestly ministry and the action of the Holy Spirit produce life, holiness and salvation in all those whom you serve.”
After the prayer service, Bishop Jugis blessed each ordinand’s vestment and chalices and patens. He also blessed two wooden kneelers that have been made especially for each of them.
Soon-to-be-ordained Father Coleman’s Mass vestments have been made by a vestment house in Mexico that works with a community of sisters who make them by hand, and the proceeds benefit their ministry to the poor and homeless in Mexico. The style is semi-Gothic, gold with red and gold orphreys in a traditional Y shape on the chasuble with a hand-embroidered IHS emblem on the back. The chasuble and dalmatics are trimmed with red and gold piping and thin red and gold galloons.
Soon-to-be-ordained Father Mariani’s first Mass vestment is a white and blue Neo-Gothic vestment, handmade by the mother of a priest friend. His chalice is an early 19th century, Neo-Romanesque chalice from France with depictions of the Annunciation, Nativity and Crucifixion of Our Lord at the base and of St. Augustine and St. Louis the King around the cup.
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor
First Masses of Thanksgiving
Father Casey Coleman
The newly ordained Father Casey Coleman offered his Mass June 28, at St. Matthew Church in south Charlotte. He offered Mass for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary time.
His Mass vestments have been made by a vestment house in Mexico that works with a community of sisters who make them by hand, and the proceeds benefit their ministry to the poor and homeless in Mexico. The style is semi-Gothic, gold with red and gold orphreys in a traditional Y shape on the chasuble with a hand-embroidered IHS emblem on the back. The chasuble and dalmatics are trimmed with red and gold piping and thin red and gold galloons.
"Because there is always the option to wear either white or gold even on Sundays in Ordinary time, I chose to have a gold set made for my first Mass," Coleman says. "It is a full set that I could offer either predominantly the Novus Ordo (Mass) with two deacons if needed, or eventually and on occasion offer a Tridentine Solemn High Mass."
Delivering the homily was Dominican Father W. Becket Soule, JCD, a professor of canon law and preaching practicum who holds the position as the Bishop James A. Griffith Chair of Canon Law at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio. "He is a close friend and my spiritual director for my four years at the Josephinum," Coleman explains.
— Photos by Chuck Eaton and SueAnn Howell, Catholic News Herald.
Father Santiago Mariani
The newly ordained Father Santiago Mariani offered his first Mass at 11 a.m. Sunday, June 28, at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Spartanburg, S.C.
His first Mass vestment is a blue and white Neo-Gothic vestment, handmade by the mother of a priest friend.
"My chalice is an early 19th century, Neo-Romanesque chalice from France. It has depictions of the Annunciation, Nativity and Crucifixion of Our Lord at the base and of St. Augustine and St. Louis the King around the cup."
Father Patrick Winslow, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte, was homilist.
— Photos by Michaeleen Davis.
About the new priests
Deacon Casey Coleman
Birthdate: Dec. 27, 1981
Parents: Keith and Caroline Coleman
Sibling: Jason Coleman
Hometown: Born in Dayton, Ohio, but raised in Englewood, Ohio, and in Weddington
Elementary and Middle School: Northwood Elementary in Englewood, Ohio, Northmont Junior High
High School: East Forsythe High School, Winston-Salem, 1996-1998; Sun Valley High School, Monroe, 1998-2000
College Degree: B.S. in mechanical engineering (2004) from North Carolina State University
Pre-Theology: St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia (2009-2011)
Theology: Pontifical College Josephinum, Columbus, Ohio (2011-2014)
Summer assignments in the diocese: St. Dorothy Church, Lincolnton; St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte; Spanish Immersion Program in Middlebury Language School in Middlebury, Vt., St. Mark Church, Huntersville
Deacon Santiago Mariani
Birthdate: June 7, 1985
Parents: Marcelo and Nancy Mariani
Sibling: Matias Mariani
Hometown: Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina; also raised in Spartanburg, S.C.
Elementary and Middle School: Fatima in Buenos Aires; Jesse Boyd Elementary School; McCracken Junior High School
High School: Spartanburg High School
College Degree: B.S. in finance from Wofford College
Pre-Theology: St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, Pa.
Theology: North American College (Rome)
Summer assignments in the diocese: St. Michael the Archangel Church, Gastonia, summer of 2013
Deacon Casey Coleman
CNH: When did you first realize you had a vocation to the priesthood?
Coleman: I first thought I might have had a vocation to the priesthood in 2006 after I was confirmed, but I did not fully realize I had a vocation until spring of 2008. Then by that summer, I was certain and began filling out an application to the diocese in October.
CNH: Who has helped you during these years of discernment and seminary?
Coleman: I have had many good examples. First was my pastor, Father Bob Ferris at St. Aloysius Church (Hickory), where I was confirmed and was a parishioner before seminary, and the parochial vicars who used to be there (Father Julio Dominguez and Father Jean Pierre Lhoposo, CICM). At St. Matthew Church, my current parish, there are Monsignor John McSweeney, Father Pat Cahill, Father Robert Conway and Father Ambrose Akinwande, MSP. And especially my pastors I have been assigned to work with during my summer assignments: Father Matthew Buettner, Father Christopher Roux (who was also my spiritual director as I was discerning entering seminary). Other priests I have grown close to are Father John Putnam, Father Christopher Gober, Father Matthew Kauth, Father Timothy Reid, Father Patrick Winslow, Father Felix Rossi, Father David Miller, Father John Eckert, Father Joshua Voitus – the list could really go on – not to mention the many priests at seminary.
CNH: What would you like to say to young men who may have a call to the priesthood?
Coleman: In the words of Pope St. John Paul II, "Be not afraid." Be not afraid to listen to the voice of Our Lord speaking to your heart. "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." (Lk 5:4) Often we are afraid to listen to the Lord because we are afraid of what He may be asking of us, of what we may have to give up or pressures from those around us, but what He has in store for us is greater than anything we could ever imagine. This is what Peter experienced once he listened to Jesus and put down his nets and pulled in a much bigger catch. The same is awaiting us, only it is a deep and abiding friendship with the Lord full of a love which will expand our hearts with love to the point of bursting. It is a friendship and life worth dying for, it is the "pearl of great price." If a young man thinks he may have a vocation and tests it by going to seminary, he has lost nothing if he finds that he does not, because he will leave a better and holier man for having given it a chance.
CNH: Are there any comments you would like to share with our readers about becoming a priest here in the Diocese of Charlotte?
Coleman: I am looking forward to truly serving the people of the Diocese of Charlotte as a priest and to share the priestly joy that is Jesus Christ with them, wherever I am assigned and in whatever capacity I am able. I look forward to bringing Christ to all people in a hope to evangelize both Catholics and non-Catholics, because Catholics need to be evangelized to a deeper conversion of heart and love of their faith, and all other people should want to become Catholic where we can fully encounter Christ especially in the Eucharist.
CNH: What are some of your interests/hobbies?
Coleman: Sports, especially MLB (Cincinnati Reds), the NFL (Carolina Panthers), and college football and basketball (N.C. State Wolfpack), I enjoy waterskiing and wakeboarding, biking, hiking, and camping. I enjoy reading and studying theology. I'm also a big fan of the new Avenger series of movies. I think they are a vehicle for promoting virtue. Plus, they are clean, fun movies.
Deacon Santiago Mariani
CNH: When did you first realize you had a vocation to the priesthood?
Mariani: I first realized I had a calling to the priesthood during my college years. By then my dream had become to open my own business and to have a large family. Yet when I began to bring these before the Lord in prayer in the Adoration Chapel, I began to feel a draw to the priesthood that I had never experienced before, and that both surprised me and rather terrified me! This pull remained with me and grew only stronger as I continued my studies, and so it was that I decided to give seminary a try, if only so that I would know in peace that it was not for me. And here I am today, about to be ordained! And this, of course, is a most tremendous gift.
CNH: Who has helped you during these years of discernment and seminary?
Mariani: Father Patrick Winslow was the first priest to encourage me to lay aside my vocational fears so as to follow the Lord wherever He may lead. The joy that I saw in his life as well as that of his brother priests captivated me, and I began to long for what they had in Christ. In seminary I have been edified continually by the example of other friend seminarians, some of whom have had to endure great hardships in their vocational path, yet who did so with heroic trust in the providence and goodness of Almighty God.
CNH: What would you like to say to young men who may have a call to the priesthood?
Mariani: Do not be afraid! If the Lord is calling you to be a priest, He will be with you to guide you with His strong, compassionate arm, and to give you the grace to find your true happiness in His Most Sacred Heart. Turn to His Mother with devotion and trust, and she, too, will be ever with you to lead you to an ever deeper and richer relationship with her beloved Son.
CNH: Are there any comments you would like to share with our readers about becoming a priest here in the Diocese of Charlotte?
Mariani: I look forward to being of service to you as one of Christ's priests! Please keep me in your prayers, that I may cling to Christ all the days of my life, and be a joyful minister of His truth and love.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
Online
Facebook messages of support for Deacon Casey Coleman and Deacon Santiago Mariani can be posted to the Catholic News Herald's Facebook page.
Check out coverage of the June 27 ordination Mass, including photos and video highlights, online at www.catholicnewsherald.com and in the July 3 issue of the Catholic News Herald.
Coleman and Mariani families reflect on upcoming ordination
CHARLOTTE — The fourth Saturday in June will be a joy-filled day for two families as they witness the ordinations of their sons, Deacons Casey Coleman and Santiago Mariani. Their parents, Keith and Caroline Coleman and Marcelo and Nancy Mariani, share their reflections:
Caroline Coleman
Casey came to us the spring before he entered the seminary stating he had been speaking to his spiritual advisor about the priesthood and had been accepted into the seminary.
I went with him the first day at the seminary of St. Charles Borromeo in Philadelphia and attended Mass with Casey, where I told God, "If you want my son, I give him to you," and asked Mother Mary to look after her new son.
I know Casey's grandmother who died four years ago was so excited when she heard he was going to be a priest. His grandfather would often call and speak to him about theology, as he was an ex-Marianist brother. I know that his grandmother, great-grandmother and grandfather will be watching from heaven with much joy.
Casey's dad and I are really proud of him and could only thank God that He has blessed us with two great sons: Casey, who He has called to serve Him and His people, and his brother, who has been serving his country as a U.S. Army captain.
I know that when we see the joy in his eyes and the smile on his face the moment he is ordained a priest, I know he will experience the joy of true love, the same joy his father and I felt when he was given to us by God the day he was born.
Marcelo Mariani
As parents we always told our sons that they need to look for their path in life, wherever they believe that will make them happy. One of the main reasons that brought us to the U.S. was to give them the chance to get a good education, which will help them for the rest of their life.
When Santiago decided to go to college to get a degree in business, we felt good about it. After all, he was following my own path and the path of my father before me, it is a topic that is useful for many aspects of our lives, and everywhere in the world people practice business on a daily basis, so it would prepare him to face whatever the world throws at him.
During his last year of college, he was planning with a friend to start his own business as soon as they graduated, and he was in a relationship with a very nice girl. Everything was so exciting, they were planning their business and their lives as well. Everything was looking like a puzzle, and every day he was adding a new piece to his master plan.
One day, to my surprise, Santiago came to me and said, "Dad, I need to talk with you." It seems I was the last one to find that his plans had changed to the point that everything what he was planning was not going to happened – no business and no longer starting his own family. He told me about the calling he felt from God, that he had been exploring his feelings about becoming a priest for a long time, and that he had now decided to follow his calling.
To be honest, I was shocked. All that puzzle that he was working on to build his path in life was changed in a few moments, in one decision – maybe the most important decision of his entire life.
It took me a while to understand his decision, and as he reminded me: "You always told us to follow our own path, the one that makes our souls happy, and that is what I am doing."
Time went on, and certainly he was right about his decision. We know as parents that he is happy, and for us, that is all that counts..
The ordination rite explained
Editor's note: Never attended an ordination before? Here is a helpful guide to the ordination Mass, which will be celebrated starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 27, at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte:
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 priest concelebrating fully in his first Eucharistic sacrifice, standing closest to Bishop Jugis in a place of honor before the altar. The new priest also helps 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 ministered to 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