Dear Parishioners,

On Saturday, May 20, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., our local Church will gather at Holy Name Cathedral to ordain five candidates to the priesthood by the imposition of hands by Cardinal Blaśe Cupich. With the help of their families, the seminary, our priests, and parishioners in the Archdiocese, they have been prepared to assume the responsibilities of priestly ministry. Their day of ordination will especially be an opportunity for all of us, the good people of the Archdiocese of Chicago, along with their brother priests, to express our support and welcome them into the presbyterate of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Your prayers will encourage our newly-ordained priests as they undertake their life of service.

While the ordination is by invitation only, we are remembering Fathers Kevin Gregus, Daniel Korenchan, Michael Mehringer, Jesús Raya Custodio, and Francisco Pagán Portalatín in the general intercessions at Mass this weekend. Please continue to keep them in your prayers.  

This important day brings me back to the moment of my own ordination on May 14, 1980 by John Cardinal Cody. Along with my fellow priests and deacons, it is an opportunity to renew our vocation as we welcome our brothers into our presbyterate.

The Appearance to the Eleven comes to mind as we reflect on the Ordination to the Sacred Order of Priesthood. In John’s Gospel, we see that the disciples are afraid because they thought Jesus was back to seek vengeance for their lack of solidarity with him. This would be the normal response - an eye for and eye. Instead, Jesus proclaims peace and reconciliation. Before they huddled in fear, now they are brought together in love. A new order has been established. Violence is confronted with non-violence. 

 

Congratulations to those ordained and may their lives be grace-filled in order that they are able to bear hope and forgiveness by what they say and do in Jesus’ name. 

Congratulations,