Ordained to Holy Orders

By Bishop Paul S. Loverde
Herald Columnist
(From the issue of 6/9/05)

In these early weeks of Ordinary Time, we already find ourselves celebrating something extraordinary. Last weekend, our diocese rejoiced that six men were ordained to the diaconate; this coming Saturday, I will ordain four men to the priesthood. These ordinations are culminating moments not only for these 10 men, but also for our entire diocesan family of faith.

In answering the call to the priesthood, Ramon Baez, Daniel Hanley, Andrew Heintz and James Searby have put themselves selflessly at the service of all in our diocesan Church. This self-offering is made so visible during the Ordination Rite. The four candidates will prostrate themselves before the altar while the entire assembly will sing the Litany of the Saints. This action will indicate their total surrender to God in virtue of which they will die to their own wills and open themselves to His saving plan.

We cannot but be grateful when we witness this selfless response to God’s call to serve His people by acting in the Person of Christ as His ordained priests.

I echo Pope Benedict XVI’s recent words to newly ordained priests, "With priestly ordination you are inserted into the Apostolic mission … . Through this ministry, you are inserted in the multitude of those who, beginning with Pentecost, have received the apostolic mission. You are inserted into the communion of priests, into communion with the Bishop and with the Successor of St Peter, who here in Rome is also your Bishop. All of us are inserted in the network of obedience to the Word of Christ, to the word of the One who gives us true freedom because he leads us in the free spaces and open horizons of the truth" (Mass of Priestly Ordination, Pentecost Sunday).

With gratitude and joyous hearts we welcome these four priests to our growing diocese. May they be icons of Jesus Christ in our midst.

Let each of us, encouraged by their own witness, continue to nurture and support vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, beginning with parents who prepare, develop and protect the vocations that God stirs up in their home, or "little church."

I encourage you to become more involved in nurturing vocations in our diocese. More information is available at www.arlingtondiocese.org/vocations, or by calling the Office of Vocations at 703/841-2514.

Together, my brothers and sisters, let us continue to truly affirm, support and sustain our priests in their life-giving ministry and our religious in their witness to poverty, chastity and obedience, enabling them to feel and to reflect the wonder of God’s choice and the privilege of serving the people of God.

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