Last Saturday we attended our diocesan priestly ordinations. Reed and I are fond of ordinations for a number of reasons, but we also become mushy about them since it was at the ordination of a friend of ours that Reed first saw me from afar. Romantic, I know. It wasn't until several years later that we finally met and figured out that I was in fact the woman he saw.
Any way, mostly due to distance we haven't been able to attend an ordination for quite some time. Well, also because there were a few years in there that we didn't have an one due to the fall in our seminarian population. Thankfully, we're getting a steady increase of dedicated, wonderful young (and older) men that are discerning God's call. So, with that, our children had not yet been to an ordination mass yet either. We finally figured that they could handle the length (a good two hours) and it would be the perfect way for them to see first-hand what a beautiful thing it is to see these men dedicate themselves to priestly ministry.
As timing would have it, we were running a bit later that morning and arrived at the Cathedral exactly 5 minutes before things began. We walked in and priests and seminarians were in formation standing their posts. And the church? Absolutely PACKED. No room in the inn for our little family. Until we discovered that there were still a few coveted pews way up in the balcony. You know what? That was even better because it allowed the kids to see fully every movement and beauty that I had explained would happen.
I think Divine Providence played a role in the actual scheduling of these ordinations since last Saturday just happened to be the final day of the Year For Priests that the Church celebrated. How's that for the pinnacle of this prayerful year?
Of course, I had to snap photos like crazy in hopes to capture whatever I could to share with you. And yes, I still did my best to remain prayerful and attentive the whole time.
Not all of our diocesan priests attended, but some of our favorites were in the crowd!
And of course some of our favorite seminarians were also assisting the Bishop. Standing at the steps are the three men to be ordained.
One of my favorite solemn moments in the ordination mass, when the other priests gather around and lay hands on each of the newly ordained.
Then all of them wait around the altar and then welcome the new priests as their brothers in Christ.
Fr. Michael, Fr. Scott & Fr. Matthew, our new priests processing out with their parents. I bet they were pretty darn proud of their sons!
