The Catholic Church is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. These four marks of the Church are made visible in the ceremonies of the Liturgy, particularly in the Rite of Priestly Ordination.
Each prayer and gesture of the Mass of Ordination radiates the sacred nature of the priestly identity, because the Sacrifice of the Mass and the priesthood are inextricably connected. Christ the King is acknowledged in the Introit, the opening words of the Mass, and He, the Eternal Priest, remains at the center of the liturgy from the beginning to the end, in every movement and every prayer throughout. This atmosphere of the sacred impresses upon the newly ordained the call to imitate the sacrifice of Christ which is renewed at each Mass in their own personal lives as consecrated ministers of the altar. Thus deeply inspired to conform their lives henceforth to the holiness of the priestly institution founded by Christ, the newly ordained come to the profound realization that they are to live no longer for themselves, but rather as instruments in the hands of Christ for the sanctification of the faithful. As the faces and the attitudes of the faithful so movingly demonstrate, they were also drawn by the sacredness of the liturgy to the Eternal Priest, the beloved Savior and the King of their hearts.
The presence of the pontiff is the very essence of the apostolicity of the Church. As the faithful watched, the mitre, the ring, and the crosier were ceremoniously and solemnly applied to the pontiff, symbolizing the power and the duty passed onto him by Christ through the apostles and all their successors. Ecclesial unity is further and emphatically expressed in a visible way when all of the priests present impose hands on the ordinandi. Due to the number of priests present on August 5, the long and solemn procession of priests, each in turn imposing his hands on the heads of the ordinandi, was a memorable sight to witness. The ideas of lineage and solidarity made an indelible impression on all who were present.
The diversity of nationality and ethnicity of the people was another unmistakable sign of the Church during the Ordination liturgy. Represented in the throngs of clergy and faithful were people from many states across America, and indeed, from all corners of the world. The Church is universal, regardless of language or cultural background. Despite the human variances in the person of the individual priest, the sacramental character of holy Orders unites them all as one in the eternal priesthood of Christ the Sovereign Priest.
Most of all, it was unity, not uniformity, that stood out in the beautiful, ageless liturgy that took place on this day of Ordination of four new priests for Holy Mother Church. It was unity with the Blessed Mother, with all the saints and angels, symbolized by the images and statuaries in the beautiful church, with the centuries-old traditions of the Church, that captured the moment. Ordination is for the whole Church, for it benefits the whole body of the faithful, especially those present. When the First Blessings were given after the Mass, and the priestly hands presented for the kiss, the unity of hearts was an inexplicable and magnificent reality. For all the faithful who had been praying and sacrificing for years in preparation for the ordination of these new priests, the Church was no mere earthly institution, but was alive, organic, protective, and nurturing. Instituted by Christ, the Church was One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic, especially on this day.
Special thanks to Mr. Donald Lee of www.donaldleephotography.com for the fine photos of this event.