Homilies for the Ordination of Priests and Deacons

The following is the suggested homily given in the Rite of Ordination of Priests:

Beloved brothers and sisters: because these our sons, who are your relatives and friends, are now to be advanced to the Order of Priests, consider carefully the nature of the rank in the Church to which they are about to be raised.

It is true that God has made his entire holy people a royal priesthood in Christ. Nevertheless, our great Priest himself, Jesus Christ, chose certain disciples to carry our publicly in his name, and on behalf of mankind, a priestly office in the Church. For Christ was sent by the Father and he in turn sent the Apostles into the world, so that through them and their successors, the Bishops, he might continue to exercise his office of Teacher, Priest, and Shepherd. Indeed, Priests are established co-workers of the Order of Bishops, with whom they are joined in the priestly office and with whom they are called to the service of the People of God.

After mature deliberation, these, our brothers, are now to be ordained to the Priesthood in the Order of the presbyterate so as to serve Christ the Teacher, Priest, and Shepherd, by whose ministry his Body, that is, the Church, is built and grows into the People of God, a holy temple.

In being configured to Christ the eternal High Priest and joined to the Priesthood of the Bishops, they will be consecrated as true Priests of the New Testament, to preach the Gospel, to shepherd God’s people, and to celebrate the sacred Liturgy, especially the Lord’s Sacrifice.

Now, dear sons, you are to be raised to the Order of the Priesthood. For your part you will exercise the sacred duty of teaching in the name of Christ the Teacher. Impart to everyone the word of God which you have received with joy. Meditating on the law of the Lord, see that you believe what you read, that you teach what you believe, and that you practice what you teach.

In this way, let what you teach be nourishment for the People of God. Let the holiness of your lives be a delightful fragrance to Christ’s faithful, so that by word and example you may build up the house which is God’s Church.

Likewise you will exercise in Christ the office of sanctifying. For by your ministry the spiritual sacrifice of the faithful will be made perfect, being united to the Sacrifice of Christ, which will be offered through your hands in an unbloody way on the altar, in union with the faithful, in the celebration of the Sacraments. Understand, therefore, what you do and imitate what you celebrate. As celebrants of the mystery of the Lord’s Death and Resurrection, strive to put to death whatever in your members is sinful, and to walk in newness of life.

Remember, when you gather others into the People of God through Baptism, and when you forgive sins in the name of Christ and the Church in the Sacrament of Penance; when you comfort the sick with holy oil and celebrate the sacred rites, when you offer prayers of praise and thanks to God throughout the hours of the day, not only for the People of God, but for the whole world–remember then that you are taken from among men and appointed on their behalf for those things that pertain to God. Therefore, carry out the ministry of Christ the Priest

with constant joy and genuine love, attending not to your own concerns but to those of Jesus Christ.

Finally, dear sons, exercising for your part the office of Christ, Head and Shepherd, while united with the Bishop and subject to him, strive to bring the faithful together into one family, so that you may lead them to God the Father through Christ in the Holy Spirit. Keep always before your eyes the example of the Good Shepherd who came not to be served but to serve, and who came to seek out and save what was lost. 

The following is the suggested homily given in the Rite of Ordination of Deacons:

Beloved brothers and sisters: since these our sons, who are your relatives and friends, are now to be advanced to the Order of Deacons, consider carefully the nature of the rank in the Church to which they are about to be raised.

Strengthened by the gift of the Holy Spirit, they will help the Bishop and his Priests in the ministry of the word, of the altar, and of charity, showing themselves to be servants to all. As ministers of the altar, they will proclaim the Gospel, prepare the Sacrifice, and distribute the Lord’s Body and Blood to the faithful.

Furthermore, it will be their duty, at the Bishop’s direction, to exhort believers and unbelievers alike and to instruct them in holy doctrine. They will preside over public prayer, administer Baptism, assist at and bless Marriages, bring Viaticum to the dying, and conduct funeral rites.

Consecrated by the laying on of hands that comes down to us from the Apostles and bound more closely to the service of the altar, they will perform works of charity in the name of the Bishop or the pastor. With the help of God, they are to go about all these duties in such a way that you will recognize them as disciples of him who came not to be served, but to serve.

Now, dear sons, you are to be raised to the Order of the Diaconate. The Lord has set an example that just as he himself has done, you also should do.

As Deacons, that is, as ministers of Jesus Christ, who came among his disciples as one who served, do the will of God from the heart: serve the people in love and joy as you would the Lord. Since no one can serve two masters, look upon all defilement and avarice as serving false gods.

Since, by your own free choice, you present yourselves for the Order of the Diaconate, you should be men of good reputation, filled with wisdom and the Holy Spirit, as were those once chosen by the Apostles for the ministry of charity.

You will exercise your ministry committed to the celibate state: know that celibacy is both a sign of pastoral charity and an inspiration to it, as well as a source of spiritual fruitfulness in the world. Compelled by the sincere love of Christ the Lord and living this state with total dedication, you will cling to Christ more easily with an undivided heart. You will free yourselves more completely for the service of God and man, and minister more effectively in the work of spiritual rebirth.

Firmly rooted and grounded in faith, you are to show yourselves chaste and beyond reproach before God and man, as is proper for the ministers of Christ and of the stewards of God’s mysteries. Never allow yourselves to be turned away from the hope offered by the Gospel. Now you are not only hearers of this Gospel but also its ministers. Hold the mystery of faith with a clear conscience. Express by your actions the word of God which your lips proclaim, so that the Christian people, brought to life by the Spirit, may be a pure offering accepted by God. Then on the last day, when you go out to meet the Lord you will be able to hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.”

A Cause for Rejoicing (Part 3)

It's Ordination Weekend in Lincoln, Nebraska! Some of my best friends are being ordained to the Sacred Order of the Diaconate! "May the Lord, who has begun the good work in them, bring it to fulfillment." - From the Rite of Ordination to the Diaconate

Joy is overflowing because of another Sacrament, often celebrated during the Easter Season, which is of course the Sacrament of Holy Orders. The importance of this Sacrament goes without saying, since without it five of the seven sacraments would cease. Even historically, this has been shown to happen. When a church breaks away and breaks apostolic succession, often the only sacraments they are left with are Baptism and Marriage, if they even maintain the idea of sacraments.

Those in the Sacrament of Orders penetrate the most important moments of our lives. They are normally the ones who give us the Divine Life and bring us into the Church in Baptism. They are the ones who restore us to that state of sanctification when we lose it through sin. They make present to us the mysteries of our salvation through prayer and the Sacrifice of the Mass. They feed us on this life's journey through the Holy Eucharist. They bless us during the momentous occasions in our life. And when the time comes for us to return to our Maker, they strengthen us for the journey, and finally commend our soul back to God.

They are our teachers. We are guided in this life through their instruction. They alone are granted the promise by God of infallibility in interpreting the Gospel to us. They see us at our weakest. They are granted the privilege to know us in ways no other human can. They are tasked with giving an account for us, and thus they are our guardians.

However, we must remember that all in Holy Orders are human. They need encouragement and prayer like all. They suffer the same struggle as all humans. They are, in a most unique way, united to the suffering Christ. Theirs' is a life of joy, but theirs' is also a life of suffering.

 "Pray for your Priests, that The Lord may pour out his gifts abundantly upon them, and keep them faithful as ministers of Christ, the High Priest, so that they may lead you to him, who is the source of salvation. And pray also for your bishop, that he may be faithful to the apostolic office entrusted to him in his loveliness and that in your midst he may be made day by day a living and more perfect image of Christ, the Priest, the Good Shepherd, the Teacher and Servant of all. May The Lord keep us all in his charity and lead all of us, shepherds and flock, to eternal life" to sing Alleluia forever in Heaven. - From the Rite of the Renewal of Priestly Promises

Meditate upon this great mystery of Holy Orders. They are men who share our struggles and sorrows, but they are also Christ, Who gives us this Easter joy. Rejoice then in this great Sacrament, for it is the Sacrament which allows us to participate in the Paschal Mystery. Through it, we are able to encounter the Divine Humility of Christ, Who has deigned to conform these unworthy men into his image on earth.

A Cause for Rejoicing (Part 2)

By an ancient tradition, only two Sacraments may be celebrated on Good Friday and Holy Saturday (with the exception of Baptism and Confirmation for those in danger of death). These two are the Sacraments of Healing - Confession and the Anointing of the Sick.

I personally think it interesting to note that these are the two Sacraments which the Church never suspends Her public celebration of. While they are not integral for salvation in the manner in which Baptism is, those of us who have at some point fell into mortal sin after Baptism would certainly call it important. St. Augustine called it, "the last plank of salvation for us after the shipwreck of sin."

Now, we often think of these two as the Sacraments of the Lenten season. While it's true that they are certainly most commonly celebrated and emphasized during Lent and Advent, it would be a mistake to diminish them to those two seasons. I would hold that they bear a special importance as well during the Easter season. The very Sunday after Easter is Divine Mercy Sunday!

The Church wants us to recall the Sacrament of Confession during the Easter season. Those who had fallen away from it were called back during Lent, and we were called to renew our devotion to it, but Easter is the season in which we are able to perfect that renewal. Lent was a time of sorrow for our sin, but Easter is a time for celebration in our forgiveness. Christ has conquered death and sin!

Let us not fall away from the renewal we underwent in Lent. Let every Confession be a new experience of God's mercy, the Divine Mercy, the Blood and Water which flowed from Christ's sacred side.

But the Anointing of the Sick has a special place in this season as well. One might call this the forgotten Sacrament, as it is hardly ever considered until it is needed. It is rare that one ever attends a public celebration of it when it is not needed, but it is such a beautiful Sacrament and so intimately connected to Easter.

Christ has triumphed over sin and death! And is this not what the Anointing does for us? It helps us to triumph over our sins and prepares us for our eventual death. While the administration of the Sacrament does not mean that death is imminent, it always has death as its final end.

But this is not some morbid view. Rather this view of death contains within it the joy of the Easter season. It is through death that we are united to the Risen Christ. It is only through death that we may pass into new life. "It is appointed for men to die and after this comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27)."  Even Jesus did not hesitate to suffer death.

"Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, to have you follow in his footsteps (1 Peter 2:21)." Jesus died, so that He might rise from the dead. He gives meaning to our death. We must pay the penalty of our sins, but this is so that we may share in the reward, i.e. eternal life with Christ.

This, then, is the joy of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. It gives us not only strength for the battle, but imparts to us the joy of Easter. It helps us to triumph over our sins and reminds us of our final end. Death is not the end, rather our end is to sing the eternal Alleluia in Heaven. Through the Sacrament, if it be God's will, we may be healed physically, but we will always be healed spiritually if we are open to it. And this spiritual healing give us the ability to continue our song of Alleluia!

"Let us sing Alleluia here on earth, while we are still anxious and worrying, so that we may one day be able to sing it there in Heaven, without any worry or care." - St. Augustine

A Cause for Rejoicing (Part 1)

Two of my best friends, Christopher E. Stoley and Stephen L. Graeve, are getting ordained in five days! The Diocese of Lincoln is truly blessed this year, as on Friday evening, the Most Rev. James D. Conley will ordain eight men to the Diaconate, which means next year, eight will be ordained to the Holy Priesthood. Of course, the Church of Lincoln also rejoices in the ordination of the four deacons who will be ordained priests this Saturday by Bishop Conley. These are the men whose chief function will be to administer the Sacraments of Christ to the Church.

It is these Sacraments which make the Easter Season such a time of great rejoicing. Within this season of the Church year, it is a great action to meditate upon the Sacraments Christ has given to His Church.

From the first moments of the Easter Season we are presented with the first of the Sacraments, Baptism. Not only are the catechumens baptized at the Easter Vigil, but on Easter we also renew our Baptismal Promises with the Easter Water. The reminder of our dying and rising with Christ in Baptism is constantly brought before us through this season of the Resurrection.

In order to accomplish this, the Church recommends the use of the Sprinkling Rite in place of the Penitential Rite on Sundays through the season. Of course, anyone who pays attention at Mass will notice that even when the Sprinkling Rite is not used, the readings and prayers will constantly refer us back to Baptism. The Collect for today does this! "Almighty ever-living God, constantly accomplish the Paschal Mystery within us, that those you were pleased to make new in Holy Baptism may, under your protective care, bear much fruit and come to the joys of life eternal. Through our Lord..."

But Baptism is also a door to the other Sacraments. The Easter Season will conclude with the Solemnity of Pentecost, upon which we will commemorate the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, and Who sealed us in the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Of course, we saw most of the catechumens confirmed at the Easter Vigil, but it is also a common practice to administer this Sacrament during the Easter Season. I know this was the custom in the Diocese of Fargo, but due to the late date of Easter, they decided to do some in Lent this year. 

Our union with Christ is clearly a primary part of this season, and the Blessed Sacrament is the final Sacrament of Initiation, and possibly the best Sacrament to meditate upon for this. We all know the joy of attending a First Communion, commonly in the Easter Season. All the boys in their suits and the girls in their white dresses, made to resemble the wedding dress, because this is the day they will first be "wedded" to Christ in the Sacrament.

"The wedding feast of the Lamb has begun...(Rev. 19:7)" Why is it that the Church always reminds us that going to Mass is going to a wedding? Because it is so important to remember!

Within any good marriage, there must be a giving and a receiving. This is certainly no less true in our Marriage to Christ! The Eucharist has a sacrificial and sacramental aspect for this reason. St. Thomas Aquinas said, "The Holy Eucharist is a sacrifice in as much as it is offered up; it is a sacrament in as much as it is received." We give ourselves to Christ in the sacrifice. We receive His grace in through the Sacrament.

In the Easter season, let us not lose sight of the ultimate end of our life - eternal life with the Risen Christ. Let us remember, especially at Mass, that we must join ourselves to the Offering of Christ on the Cross, so that we may more receive His graces, and have perfected within us what we first received in Baptism and had sealed in Confirmation.

Christus resurrexit sicut dixit! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Ecclesia Omnium Urbis et Orbis Ecclesiarum Mater et Caput

Happy Orphans' Awareness Day!

As I was pondering on whether to honor Mary with a post on this Mother's Day, or to write on vocations on the World Day of Prayer for Vocations and Good Shepherd Sunday, I decided not to write on either. I hope Jesus and Mary will forgive me.

Instead I was inspired to write tangentially on the Mother and Head of all the churches of the City and of the World, St. John Lateran, and primarily on the church as our mother.

I've often said that my favorite church in the world is the Archbasilica of the Holy Savior and of Sts. John Baptist and John Evangelist in the Lateran, or St. John Lateran for short. The funny thing is that I've never been to the church (at least not yet), but I feel a sense of unity with it because it is the "mother church" of the Catholic faith. Being the oldest church of Rome and the Pope's Cathedral, it holds a special place in the Catholic world, for as the cathedral of any diocese is the head and mother church of that diocese, so St. John Lateran is the head and mother church of the Catholic Faith.

When I lived in Rockford, one of my favorite experiences was going to the Cathedral of St. Peter for Mass. This was for two reasons: first, because I loved the marble in it, secondly, because it always felt like going home to mom. There was always a unity which I felt when attending Mass in the cathedral with the bishop.

Now that I live in Lincoln and go to the Cathedral of the Risen Christ every Sunday and numerous times a week, I'll admit that feeling has lessened a little. But even now, the cathedral still holds a special place in my heart, because it never feels like Mass there is "complete," unless the bishop is celebrating.

The point I'm trying to emphasize is the impact the church building can have on our lives. One of my favorite Augustine quotes is the one from The Confessions where he, or one of his friends, asks the question, "Is it then the walls that make Christians?" Part of the answer is obvious; the walls do not make Christians. There are plenty of Christians in the church building outside of the Church. But there are not Christians outside the church building inside the Church.

Even those who are unable to physically come to the church are present when the Church prays for "our absent brethren."

The church building is where our Christian lives begin and end. It is where we are nourished. It is where we rejoice and mourn. It is where some of our most intimate moments take place. It is our mother.

As long as we have the church, then, we can never be orphans. The church is a building we should intimately know. Like our earthly mothers, it needs to be loved and cared for, for it is a physical representation of the Church, i.e. Christ and us, His Body.

Our Christian lives begin when we are given new birth at the baptismal font; we are brought into the sanctuary at every Mass on the altar. We are fed with the Holy Eucharist in the church. We should spend much of our time in conversation with our Lord within the church. We are forgiven and shown the mercy of God within the confessional. And at the very end of our earthly lives, we will be finally commended to God within the church.

Do we not experience every year within the church? Is it not where our songs of praise echo forth? Is it not where we mourn? And in turn, is it not where we rejoice at many of life's greatest moments?

The church building is truly a mother to us, for our mothers gave earthly birth to us; they nourish us. They at least desire to be there in our desolation and to give us consolation. Love not only the Church in the Mystical Body of Christ, but let your love for her flow into love for the very building of the church.

Our Lady, Mother of the Church, pray for us!