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Three men ordained to the priesthood

Zoey Maraist | Catholic Herald Staff Writer

A baby plays with a hymnal during the Rite of Ordination. JOE CASHWELL | FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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The priests of the Diocese of Arlington applaud their newly ordained brother priests. JOE CASHWELL | FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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Michael Folmar promises respect and obedience to Bishop Burbidge and his successors. JOE CASHWELL | FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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Bishop Burbidge embraces Father Nicholas Schierer after receiving a blessing from the new priest. JOE CASHWELL | FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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Bishop Burbidge says the prayer of ordination. JOE CASHWELL | FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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The new priests meet with Bishop Burbidge after their ordination to the priesthood. MICHAEL FLACH | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Nicholas Schierer promises respect and obedience for Bishop Burbidge and his successors. ZOEY MARAIST | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Christopher Tipton promises respect and obedience for Bishop Burbidge and his successors. ZOEY MARAIST | CATHOLIC HERALD

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The candidates for ordination prostrate themselves before the altar as the Litany of Saints is sung by the choir. ZOEY MARAIST | CATHOLIC HERALD

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The communal laying on of hands is to ritualize the fact that the new priests are ordained into the presbyterial college of the local church. ZOEY MARAIST | CATHOLIC HERALD

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The congregation prays during the Rite of Ordination. ZOEY MARAIST | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Bishop Emeritus Paul Loverde (second from right) looks on as priests of the Diocese of Arlington process in line to bless the candidates for ordination. ZOEY MARAIST | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Bishop Burbidge prays the Prayer of Ordination, asking for the spirit of holiness for the new priests so that they may sanctify God’s people. ZOEY MARAIST | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Father Christopher Tipton embraces his grandmother after his ordination. MARY STACHYRA LOPEZ | CATHOLIC HERALD

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The gift of the Holy Spirit is conferred upon those to be ordained by the laying on of hands and the Prayer of Ordination. After the Bishop lays hands on each of those to be ordained, all the priests do the same. This ancient ritual demonstrates a common spirit. ZOEY MARAIST | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Children watch from the balcony of the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington during the Rite of Ordination June 9. ZOEY MARAIST | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Bishop Michael F. Burbidge ordained Nicholas J. Schierer,
Christopher F. Tipton and Michael J. Folmar to the priesthood at the Cathedral
of St. Thomas More in Arlington June 9. 

With their voices, the three deacons professed their love
for God and their commitment to worthily living out their priesthood. But their
assent was signified with more than words — it was physically embodied. 

The three men fell flat before the altar as the congregation
sang the litany of supplication. They bowed their heads as Bishop Burbidge laid
his hands upon them, followed by a host of priests who filled the sanctuary. Their
palms were anointed with sacred chrism, a mixture of olive oil and balsam. They
were clothed with priestly garments of royal blue and white.

Ann Schierer watched with pride as her son, Father William B. Schierer, helped his younger brother don the chasuble.

A moment of priestly fraternity was also a highlight for Nicole Tenegra, sister of Father Tipton. “A priest friend who’s known Chris for 20 years came here from Cleveland to be at the Mass, so he got to do the blessing and give (Father Tipton) the peace be with you. You could just see the joy in his face, the passing it on through generations.”

During his homily, Bishop Burbidge noted that each man was educated at a different seminary: Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pa., and the Pontifical North American College in Rome.

“I believe each seminary points us to someone who will assist our candidates as they will soon go forth as priests,” he said. “Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, of course, points us to the Blessed Virgin Mary and her example. St. Charles Borromeo was a holy and faithful priest and bishop who remains an inspiration. The Pontifical North American College reminds us of our relationship with the universal church and our solidarity with the successor of St. Peter, His Holiness Pope Francis.”

Bishop Burbidge encouraged the men to see Mary as the mother
of priests and as a holy example. “Like Mary, you may have felt a sense of
confusion and unworthiness upon hearing that call but, like her, you
surrendered to his holy will with profound trust that with God all things are
possible,” he said. 

St. Charles Borromeo advises priests to first preach by the
way they live, said Bishop Burbidge. Pope Francis reminds us that we must “reflect
holiness — which is the most attractive face of the church — by our
perseverance, meekness, patience, zeal and joy,” he said. 

After the final procession, the newly ordained priests gave
blessings, hugs and handshakes to their friends and family. Second-grader Michael
Johnson came all the way from All Saints Church in Manassas to see his friend Father
Folmar ordained. 

“(Michael) came home from school, and said “There’s a deacon
who’s going be a priest and he has my name, and I’m going to be a priest just
like him,’ ” said his mother, Rebecca. “So Michael spent the whole year talking
to him. Deacon Folmar told him, ‘You should come to my ordination and then my
second Mass of thanksgiving at All Saints and then when you’re old enough to be
a server, I’ll come do a Mass and you can serve with me.’ Talk about encouraging
vocations and making connections,” she said.

Father Folmar will celebrate his first Mass June 10 at noon
at Holy Spirit Church in Annandale. He will serve as parochial vicar at St.
Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church in Fredericksburg.

Father Schierer has been assigned as parochial vicar of Our
Lady of Hope Church in Potomac Falls. He will celebrate his first Mass June 10
at St. Veronica Church at 10:45 a.m.

Father Tipton will celebrate his first Mass as a priest June
10 at 9 a.m. Holy Spirit Church in Annandale. He has been assigned parochial
vicar at St. Leo the Great Church in Fairfax.

Buy photos from the priesthood ordination at catholicherald.smugmug.com.

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