ROCKFORD—Bishop David J. Malloy used a story from the Gospels to instruct two men — Ryan Brent Browning and Manuel Gerardo Gomez-Reza — as they were about to be ordained to the priesthood during the ordination Mass on June 22 at the Cathedral of St. Peter.
The Apostles — “the first priests,” Bishop Malloy said, were invited to accompany Jesus in the boat after he had driven a legion of demons out of a man. The freed man asked to join them, but Jesus instead sent him home to his family.
“The point is, the presence of Ryan and Manny here before the bishop, waiting for their entrance into the priestly fraternity, is a moment of great joy …,” Bishop Malloy said. “But it is also a moment of mystery. Each of us as a priest must ask himself, ‘Why am I here? Why was I called?’
“The question is humbling. Ryan, Manny, be of strong hearts and good cheer. You are here because Jesus called you … The question today is how you will live your priesthood … And the answer seems to be this: Now that you are in the boat, grab an oar.”
The bishop reminded the men that “It’s not about you! It’s about him — Jesus. And it’s about his bride and great love, the Church … (be) strong and clear in your love for the Church and her sacraments and teaching, and strong and clear in your love for the faithful entrusted to your care.” He encouraged them to pray every day, to frequently make the sacrament of confession, to spend themselves for the faithful and be good shepherds that confront the “wolves” of the culture.
“The Apostles, when they got in the boat with Jesus, couldn’t then just randomly row according to their own whim or desire, or even their individual best judgment,” the bishop said. “They had to row together to get Christ where he had to go. You must row in unity with the Church, with the Holy Father, with the bishop and with your brother priests … let’s get you an oar.”
The men then moved through the Sacred Rite of Ordination of Priests. They promised their respect and obedience to the bishop and his successors, lay prostrate as all who filled the Cathedral sang to the saints for their prayers, and kneeled before Bishop Malloy as he laid hands upon their heads in silence and then prayed the prayer of ordination. The men were vested with stole and chasuble, and their hands were anointed with holy chrism. The bishop handed them bread and wine and encouraged them to “Receive the oblation of the holy people, to be offered to God. Understand what you do, imitate what you celebrate, and conform your life to the mystery of the Lord’s cross.”
First Bishop Malloy, then Bishop Emeritus Thomas G. Doran, then the other priests came forward to welcome the new priests with the fraternal kiss.
Father Gomez-Reza and Father Browning joined their bishop and priests at the altar as the Mass continued, and later distributed the holy Eucharist to the congregation, including their family members, friends, and supportive parishioners, including some busloads of people from the Elgin area.
At the reception that followed, both Father Browning and Father Gomez-Reza formally blessed those who came to them with that request. In the midst of the celebration Father Gomez-Reza called out to the men of Hispanic heritage who responded with a rousing song from a booklet, “Escuela de la Cruz Cantos” (School of the Cross Songs).
The spontaneous singing highlighted Bishop Malloy’s earlier remarks at the beginning of the Mass: “Is there any more joyful day for a diocese (than) the joy of the calling of Christ himself” and the ordination of new priests.