Wednesday of the Sixteenth Week of Ordinary Time

July 23, 2008 · Filed Under Diaconate Ordination, Homilies, Ordinary Time · Comments 

Today's readings

The job of a prophet is not an easy one.  And we should all know, because we are all in some ways the prophetic seeds the Lord is sowing in the world.  We might fall on good soil, or amongst rocks or thorns, but wherever we are, we are expected to bear fruit.  We are called upon to preach the Word in our actions and sometimes our words, no matter how difficult a job it can sometimes be.

The reading about the call of the prophet Jeremiah that we have in our first reading today was the first reading at my Deaconate ordination.  I picked it myself.  But like a lot of deacons at their ordinations, I cleverly didn’t pick the verses that follow in Jeremiah’s account, detailing all the bad news he would be called upon to preach to the people of Israel.  Sometimes what we prophets have to say is not politically correct, or suitable for polite company.  We might bear good news, but more than likely we’ll bear bad news, or at least warnings of bad news.  And sometimes that’s just hard for people to hear.

But whatever we have to say, and wherever our prophetic actions or words take us, the Lord makes it clear to Jeremiah – and us! – today that we will never be delivering that news alone:

To whomever I send you, you shall go;
whatever I command you, you shall speak.
Have no fear before them,
because I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.

So in our offering today, maybe we can renew our prophetic promise to God.  We can once again give him our lives and promise to follow where he takes us.  And whatever soil we land on, may we all bear “a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”

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Diakonia: An anniversary

November 4, 2006 · Filed Under Diaconate Ordination, Ordinations, Sacraments · Comments 

Before this day is over, I just wanted to reflect that today is the one-year anniversary of my ordination as a transitional deacon. I was ordained to that order on November 4, 2005, on the feast of St. Charles Borromeo at the St. Charles Borromeo Pastoral Center.

The call to diakonia is a serious one for me. I'm not always perfect at it, and this anniversary really calls me to renew myself in that charism. As the Rite of Ordination says, "May God, who has begun this good work in you, bring it to fulfillment."

Amen.

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Diaconate Ordination

November 11, 2005 · Filed Under Diaconate Ordination · Comments 

I know, it’s long past time that I spent some time reflecting on my diaconate ordination, which happened a week ago today. Final exams have kept me from doing so until now, so here goes.

The picture at left is after the ordination took place. The picture shows Bishop Roger Kaffer (who ordained me), me, Fr. John Regan (my vocation director), and Bishop Stanley Schlarman. This was clearly one of the happiest moments of my life so far. The ordination ceremony itself was really beautiful. The diocese did a great job planning the liturgy, with the music, decorating the pastoral center, and everything else. I was able to pray and enjoy the ceremony, and was so blessed to be able to do that. Bishop Kaffer did a great job, and his homily only had me turn red once or twice!

I was very blessed by so many family and friends who came to the ordination. In fact, one of the moments where I was choked up the most was processing in, seeing everyone gathered, and then watching the pretty long procession fill the sanctuary. Many priests, and brother deacons from my class at Mundelein, were there to support and welcome me to the diocesan clergy.

Fr. Regan, our vocation director, had a very nice dinner at the Fiat house for clergy and my classmates, as well as the seminarians from the diocese and their families. It was nice to be able to relax with everyone for a while before the ordination, although I will say I did not eat anything!

The Deacon of the Word was my good friend Greg Labus, a deacon from the Diocese of Brownsville, Texas, who has lived across the hall from me ever since pre-theology. Greg really helped me through those last few nerve-wracking hours before the ordination. When we got to the pastoral center, he spent time praying with me before we both got vested.

The reception was very nice, with lots of food provided by the diocese and my family. Again, I did not eat: this time not so much because I was nervous, but because there were so many people to talk to. My family and I finally got back around 10:30 or so and spent some time talking and I finally had a little snack!

The joy really continued throughout the weekend. On Saturday, I was the deacon for Mass at my parish, and was able to preach. It was an awesome time and I really felt like my call to be a deacon, at least for seven months or so, was really confirmed. There was a great reception after Mass, and I was very blessed by the support and encouragement of my parish, and especially my Pastor, Fr. Jim Dougherty.

On Sunday, I had the awesome privilege of baptizing my niece, Molly Elizabeth. She was a very good sport being her uncle’s first baptism! It was a great privilege to say to her: “Molly Elizabeth, the Church welcomes you with great joy. And in its name, I claim you for Christ.” Words cannot express how profound an experience that was for me. There was a great party after that great event, as well!

So basically, I had to go back to school on Sunday night to get some rest! And even then, it was out of the frying pan and into the fire of final exams. But that’s all behind me now too. Still and all, though, I’m still floating a bit above ground from all the grace that was poured out last weekend. I’ll never forget it, to say the least, and will always be grateful for the many gifts of God.

More pictures and stuff later (just starting to get all those collected now!).

Catholic Explorer Article about the ordination.

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