Ordinations

Please pray for Neil Peoples and John Martin who will be ordained to the priesthood for our diocese next month, and continue to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

There is an interesting page on St Peter's, Leicester parish website which reflects on the meaning of Ordination to the priesthood:

The Ordination of a Priest

The Rite of Ordination, which takes place after the homily in the Ordination Mass, contains several elements.

The first of these is the examination of the candidate.  This examination involves promises which the priest is asked to renew each year at the Chrism Mass with the Bishop in Holy Week.

The Examination of the Candidate

Bishop: My son, before you proceed to the order of the presbyterate,
declare before the people your intention to undertake this priestly office.
Are you resolved, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to discharge without fail
the office of priesthood in the presbyteral order as a conscientious fellow
worker with the bishops in caring for the Lord’s flock?
Ordinand: I am.

Bishop: Are you resolved to celebrate the mysteries of Christ faithfully
and religiously as the Church has handed them down to us for the
glory of God and the sanctification of Christ’s people?
Ordinand:  I am.

Bishop: Are you resolved to exercise the ministry of the word worthily
and wisely, preaching the Gospel and explaining the Catholic faith?
Ordinand: I am.

Bishop: Are you resolved to consecrate your life to God for the
salvation of his people, and to unite yourself more closely every day
to Christ the High Priest, who offered himself for us to the Father
as a perfect sacrifice?
Ordinand: I am, with the help of God.

The Promise of Obedience

When Neil was ordained a deacon, he promised to remain celibate and to recite the Divine Office (The Official Daily Prayer of the Church). To this he now adds a promise of obedience. In the Ordination Rite, he will kneel before the Bishop, place his joined hands between those of the Bishop, and promise obedience to him and his successors. The congregation will invoke the Holy Spirit to impart the Grace to fulfil these promises.

Bishop: Do you promise respect and obedience to me and my successors?
Neil: I do.
Bishop: May God who has begun the good work in you bring it to fulfilment.

Celibacy

Much is said about celibacy and how out of step it seems with the modern world. In truth celibacy has always been a way of life that runs contrary to the norm. The sad truth is the whole Christian vision of sexuality has now become counter cultural. For the Christian, sexual intimacy only harmonises with the deep and authentic desire of the human heart when it is placed in the context of covenantal love in the service of life. In other words, sexual intimacy is only fully meaningful within marriage. The priest is one wedded to the Church. He is called to give his life in service of the Bride of Christ (the Church) following Christ’s own example. Celibacy is a powerful expression of this gift of himself. Together with his commitment to the Prayer of the Church, celibacy manifests the priest’s fidelity to the Bride of Christ.

Obedience

Surprisingly little is said about obedience. This promise is at least as counter-cultural as that of celibacy. In an age that exalts personal freedom and the right to self determination, the Church asks her priests to promise obedience to another man, the bishop. The priest’s obedience gives witness to the truth that the bishop exercises the authority given by Christ to His Apostles when he acts and teaches in harmony with the Catholic Faith and in communion with the Pope.