In this Jubilee Year for the Diocese of Allentown, the faithful’s fervent prayer for vocations was answered by the Ordination of six men to the sacred Priesthood. The largest Ordination class in 40 years received the Sacrament of Holy Orders at a June 6 Ordination Mass at the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena, Allentown.
Before a standing-room-only congregation, Bishop Alfred Schlert conferred priestly ordination on Rev. Mr. Dominic Civitella, Rev. Mr. Tyler Davis, Rev. Mr. Tyler Loch, Rev. Mr. Anh Do Mai, Rev. Mr. Hy James Gia Ngô, and Rev. Mr. Jeffrey Tomczyk. Read their profiles here.
The Rite of Ordination began with the Election of the Candidate, in which the ordinandi were presented to the Bishop as worthy of elevation to the Priesthood.
Speaking on behalf of Holy Mother Church, Diocesan Director of Vocations Father John Maria testified to the suitability of the candidates. At the Bishop’s response – “We choose these, our brothers, for the Order of the Priesthood” – the people indicated their acceptance of the Bishop’s decision by saying “Thanks be to God,” before breaking out in enthusiastic applause.
Then the ordinandi, or “the elect,” each demonstrated his obedience to Bishop Schlert and his successors by kneeling and placing his joined hands inside the folded hands of the Bishop. This gesture, known as “immixtio manuum” (mixing of hands), signifies the submission of the elect to the guidance of the Church.
The subsequent chanting of the Litany of Supplication was accompanied by an even more striking representation of the elect’s total reliance on God: Each of the six men prostrated himself face-down before the altar as the people invoked the Saints on his behalf.
The Rite of Ordination continued with a conferral of the Holy Spirit, signified by the laying on of the Bishop’s hands and the hands of every priest who was present.
The solemn Prayer of Ordination followed, and each of the newly ordained priests was vested with a chasuble to be worn when offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and a stole to be worn when administering the Sacraments.
The palms of the new priests were anointed with sacred chrism, thus setting them apart for ministerial duties.
At the conclusion of the rite, the newly ordained priests stood before the altar and were embraced in turn by their brother priests.
Soon after, they had the privilege of speaking the words of consecration together with Bishop Schlert, Auxiliary Bishop Keith Chylinski of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and other concelebrants.
Bishop Schlert offered fraternal advice to the six new priests of the Diocese.
“I'd like to tell you today, and encourage and exhort you for the rest of your days, that your daily life consists of four pillars: the Holy Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours, a daily Holy Hour, and the recitation of the Rosary.
“Without these four daily pillars, your Priesthood would soon collapse,” he cautioned. “The weight of our call as priests cannot be supported without these four sturdy pillars. You have been formed and consecrated for apostolic hard work. Resolve today, before you leave this altar, to be hard workers in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Having noted that “today we gather on the sixth day of the sixth month of our 65th year to ordain six men,” the Bishop playfully added, “I feel like I should be giving out cigars!”
After the Mass, Bishop Schlert announced that each of the newly ordained priests will serve as a Parochial Vicar beginning June 16. Read their assignments here.
The Ordination Mass may be viewed on the Diocese of Allentown YouTube channel.
Photos by Vargas Photography and Norm Steinruck.
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