The Priestly Ordination Class of 2015

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hwriggles4

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Fellow Catholics:

Did anyone attend an ordination this year? I did. On May 30, 2015, two men were ordained for my diocese. One is a “late vocation”. Last year, I attended the ordination for a neighboring diocese since an old friend of mine was ordained a Catholic priest.

One thing to watch for when attending an ordination is the laying of hands. That is the “apostolic succession”. I never understood this teaching until I the first ordination I attended (it was in 2004 when a college friend of mine was ordained for the Austin Diocese). The apostolic succession is a part of our faith, and traces the lineage up to St. Peter.

Bishop Farrell gave a good homily too - saying that being a priest is not a “9 to 5” job.

I was glad to hear that the Diocese of Austin ordained six priests 8 days ago (one new priest I was familiar with), and the Diocese of Fort Worth ordained three priests 22 days ago (two priests I was familiar with through seminary visits). I heard the Archdiocese of Chicago, one diocese in New Jersey, and a diocese in Florida had good numbers of priestly ordinations.

If you attended an ordination, what were a few things that you noticed, particularly if it was the first ordination you attended? I hope the church was full. Also, how large was the ordination class? What do you think was the “average age”?
 
I am singing at ordinations next Saturday. I have been doing so for maybe 20 years. My favorite part is then they prostrate themselves and we all sing Veni Sancte Spiritus. I also like when all the priest lay hand on them after the bishop does. It shows that they are now brothers and have a spiritual connection. This class there will be 5 ordained.
 
Well, I have never attended an ordination, but I just wanted to add to this thread that my diocese has about 25 seminarians, and I feel that that is a very nice number for men preparing for the priesthood! Thank you Jesus!

May God bless you all abundantly and forever! 🙂
 
In Los Angeles, 8 were ordained this year. Our last Cardinal had a new Cathedral built and the Sanctuary is so large some 300 priests, bishops and one cardinal were all seated there. It took quite a bit of time for all of them to lay on the hands.
I went to my first ordination in the 1970’s in Rockford, ILL. The sancuary was smaller, so priests seem to come from everywhere to lay on the hands.
I was surprised to see the bishops and the cardinal take their knees to get a first blessing from each the newly ordained after all of them had finished laying the hands on the new priests.
A deaconate ordination is quite different. Only the Bishop lays hands on the deacons. But, both ceremonies are beautiful.
 
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