Got back before midnight. Thought we got lost in the night on our way back; only to find out we unknowingly took the shortcut on a forked road. I feel blessed! A long day and a long trip home though. Fr. Popie got relieved, what with a scheduled mass at six o'clock in the morning the following day. I was feeling high for a week after witnessing the ordination of a deacon to the priesthood, to the presbyterate. Taking the photo of the family, expectant that in a few hours the gift of calling to their family with her son after 12 years will soon happen, is a priviledge to capture. After the Liturgy of the Word, the deacon candidate was called by the Major Superior, his credentials read, presented to the officiating Bishop and publicly scrutinized. Through the powers of the Bishop, God will make the candidate real sharer in the powers of the Priesthood of Jesus Christ. He will be known as Presbyter, member of the hierarchy of the Church and the closest collaborator of the Bishop in the pastoral care of the People of God. After examining the worthiness of the priest elect for the sacred office, the promise of obedience to his legitimate superior was elicited by the ordaining Bishop. Obedience, being the authenthic discipline of the Lord and the guarantee of unity in the Church. As the priest elect lay prostrate on the altar floor, the litany of saints was sung invoking the mercy of God and the help and the intercession of the whole heavenly court to support his weaknesses. The Bishop laid his hands on the priest elect followed by all the priests present to show the communion of the Presbyterate in the Priesthood of Jesus Christ - a solemn moment of the ordination. And together the solemn prayer of ordination, the very prayer that will make him God's own priest forever, was recited. The happiest moment followed when the priest elect was invested with the signs of his priestly office - the stole and the chusable. The Bishop annoints the hands of the newly ordained priest with oil - the sacred chrism - as a sign of a deep spiritual consecration to show that he is now God's unique possession and His holy channel of grace for the whole world. He is then presented the bread and wine for the Eucharistic celebration, a central act of the priest. The kiss of peace followed where the Bishop and all the priest present kissed the hands of the newly ordained priest signifying their entrance into the communion of God's ministers. The newly ordained priest then concelebrated the liturgy of the Eucharist and the communion and concluding rites.
As a vocation ministry coordinator, getting immersed in an ordination rite is a fulfilling experience! And that, I wish to share with you in this blog.