Fr. Robert reports in about his ordination

The days leading up to my ordination to the priesthood were what could be called interesting.  Both good and bad things happened during this time, although mainly good I suppose.  My sister Theresa arrived, as did my niece Heather and her two kids, Samantha and Sarah.  My aunt and uncle and cousin with her husband and little one arrived from Wyoming followed by my cousin from Michigan.  My mother came down from St. Cloud and spent time with my sister and niece in Inver Grove Heights, which is about 25 minutes away from St. Bridget�s.  The same motel chain was up in Brooklyn Park only 10 minutes away and I should have directed them there instead, but the deal there in Inver Grove Heights was supposedly �so good.�

Several friars also made the trip; as they see it to the hinterlands.  Let me tell you, I have subsequently found the hinterlands and they are in Pennsylvania.  It was good of them to come and it was good to have them participate in the ceremony.

The day of the ordination, 13 June 2005, was hectic at best. I won�t go all through it but we did a run through of the ordination beginning around 1000 and finishing about 1130.  I then had some time to put in a little prayer time before meeting my aunt and uncle and cousins for lunch around 1300 at Cracker Barrel after inviting the others to join us.  This was a relaxed lunch and it was good to sit and yak for a spell.  Around 1600 I rolled back to the friary and saw that all was still in order and began to prepare myself more for the ceremony.

I had sent out quite a number of invitations/announcements to the celebration.  I did this for a number of reasons.  One being that this was a once in a lifetime ceremony.  I would not be ordained to the priesthood but once.  This was also a great opportunity to remind and proclaim to others that people were still giving themselves to the church and following God�s call.  The province was also given an opportunity to come together and celebrate one of their own accepting God�s call to minister as a priest.

I was also looking at my ordination as a manner in which I could reconnect with some people that I had lost track of over the years.  I also wanted to give people an opportunity to further their relationship with God or to begin to have a relationship with God through what they saw, heard and felt during the celebration.  True, the night was about my ordination to the priesthood and Br. Patrick�s ordination to the deaconate but only through and because of God�s gift to us.

Around 1700 I traipsed across to the church from the friary.  Shortly after walking across to the church, I was approached by an elderly man that I had not seen in about 20 years.  One of the GYSGT's, Pops, from my Marine Corps Reserve unit.  He had first enlisted the year I was born!  He still looked good enough to be wearing the uniform.  He gave me another surprise with a few snap shots from Camp Ripley mobilizations, 29 Palms and one shot that reminded me of the Mountain Warfare Training Center in California.  Boy, I would love to be in that shape again.

I got to surprise Pops as well.  As one of our Captains was being ordained at the end of June for the Diocese of Superior.  And I saw later, that as luck would have it or more appropriately as the Holy Spirit arranged it, Captain Anderson sat just a couple of pews in front of Pops and they made contact and had a bit of a chat.

Anyways, I greeted people as I came across them, got the lectors in contact with the master of ceremonies and finally went to vest in the air conditioned rectory.  That is I went to put on my alb and stole not over but in place of my habit.  Finally a bit of quiet amidst much activity.

Bishop Pates was in the rectory already vesting, as was Br. Patrick.  We exchanged pleasantries, finished vesting and moved to the back of the church.  Leaving the air conditioning behind.

Bishop Pates and I talked a bit more while we were waiting.  We talked about my plans, where I was from, what the seminary was like, about the province and many other topics.  I was also speaking with other friars and guests as we prepared for the celebration to begin.

The celebration began with a processional song and I must admit that if I look at the worship aid I could then tell you what it was.  (I did and the hymn was:  The God of All Grace by Ricky Manalo, CSP)  Or for that matter any of the music.  My focus was elsewhere.  I know that once I was at my place I looked over at my sister's worship aid to sing but your guess is as good as mine what the hymn was.

The ordination began, really with the readings.  I was fortunate and was able to choose the readings for the celebration. Some contended I was looking just for the longest ones, but in reality I read the different readings and said:  Which readings speak to me about my life and about what I was entering into with God and the Church?  Then I asked which of those readings went well together?

The readings I chose were these:

Many things happened during the actual ceremony before the laying on of hands. Some of these in no particular order are the presentation of Br Patrick and myself to the bishop and having the congregation approve of our respective ordinations by clapping, our promise of obedience and an examination of us where we declared our willingness to undertake the office and minister worthily and wisely.  This was followed by a litany of saints which was representative of those who have gone before us and prepared our way and are still praying and interceding for us to God.  Contrary to popular belief, I did not snooze at any time during the litany of the saints as I lay prostrate on the sanctuary floor. 

Our promise of obedience was given to Fr. Anthony as our Minister provincial rather than to the ordaining bishop.  I was ordained to be a priest within the order and working for both my province and the bishop for the diocese in which I minister.  Anyway, I remember that as I gave my promise of obedience, Anthony grasped my hands more firmly and nodded in concert with my promise.

In his homily, Bishop Pates spoke to both Br. Patrick and myself as well as to the congregation as a whole.  I must admit I don�t remember all that much as to specifics of his homily but I do have the sense of feeling gratitude and being thankful.  He had spoken a bit to both Patrick and myself before we processed in and much of this was encompassed in his homily.

Brother Patrick was ordained to the Deaconate first. Kind of the preliminary event prior to the main event. (Well, not really but it makes for a good story and sounds good.)  The Bishop, with Br Patrick kneeling before him, laid his hands on his head and then after some time he extended his hands over him and prayed the prayer of consecration.

Patrick then received and was vested in the dalmatic and stole.  Then he returned to and knelt before the Bishop and received the Book of the Gospels.  A symbol of the deacons duty and privilege to preach the Gospel in the Eucharist.

I did not desire that this be sped up nor did I sense it was taking any time to speak of or anything like that.  This was important: to me, to the church, to Patrick and especially to God.  As  a transitional deacon Patrick was declaring that his ministry within the province, no matter what it will be, will be done as a priest but with and through the province.

Following this, I was called forth by an invitation to prayer.  I then knelt before the bishop where he laid his hands upon my head.  After he removed his hands I stood up and moved to a more central position in the sanctuary where I again knelt.  Then all the priests present came, one after the other and laid their hands on my head.  Thus signifying the oneness of the priesthood which we all share.  An interesting point is that one of the pictures a friend from Colorado took was during this time of the priests laying their hands on my head.  The priest she snapped was one of the newly ordained for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis who had been a big help to me during my time at St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity.

While the bishops hands were on me, I was very aware of his presence and his concentration.  It was not a feeling of great excitement or of let down but of peace, tranquility and being strengthened.  It was as if I were a Quaker in meeting waiting for God to speak to me and knowing that God is there, not speaking but wanting to be there with you.  This feeling continued through out the rest of the ordination and returns from time to time.

After this laying on of hands I remained kneeling in the sanctuary and Bishop Pates recalled the role of the priesthood in the history of salvation in the Prayer of Ordination which was prayed over me.

At the conclusion of this prayer I again stood up.  An aside:  I was asked during the morning practice if I would be able to kneel as long as this took.  My reply was:  I�ll have to.  There was no doubt in my mind that I would be able to even though the thought scared me.  God through my guardian angel was holding and comforting me.

Then I was presented and vested in a chasuble and stole with the help of Fr. Brad Baldwin, TOR.  The stole I had been wearing but cross body � left shoulder to right hip � up to this point and I removed it and then placed it around my neck so that it hung down the front of my body.  I then was assisted into the chasuble and then given a grand hug by Fr. Brad.  Remember that the stole is a symbol of the ministry of the deacon, priests and bishop; with the chasuble being the liturgical vestment of the priest.

I then returned to and knelt down before Bishop Pates and presented my hands, palms up to him.  Bishop Pates then lavishly anointed my hands with Sacred Chrism, moving the oil around and into the palms, thumbs and fingers.  He lovingly did this ensuring, I felt, that these hands and thus I were anointed by God for the service of God to God�s people.  Bishop Pates was quite deliberate and in strong concentration as he anointed my hands to bless, consecrate and sanctify.

This was quite an experience watching Bishop Pates� hands as they moved over mine in this fashion.  It was like doing and being a part of something you knew had to end but you did not want it to.

After washing my hands with lemon juice and water, I went to receive the gifts � the bread and wine � for the Eucharist which I as concelebrant with the bishop would offer to God from the people.  My hands were still so slippery from the oil, it felt like I would and was afraid I was going to drop something.

Then I returned to the center of the sanctuary where I received a sign of peace from Bishop Pates and the other priests present.  This included about half of the graduating class from St. Paul Seminary.  We had stressed to each together that just as we had studied and recreated together we strongly desired to be at each others ordination.

After the sign of peace, the Liturgy of the Eucharist began with Bishop Pates presiding, Deacon Br. Patrick as Deacon of the Mass and myself concelebrating alongside Bishop Pates to the right.  He did surprise me during the Eucharistic prayer when he directed me to read and proclaim a portion of the prayer for the first time ever.  One friar asked later if I knew he was going to do that and I responded: No. But I should have expected it.  He said I looked a little surprised.

During communion it was a real privilege to be able to distribute the Body of Christ for the first time as a priest.  Bishop Pates put me to his left so that I would be able to give communion to my family members.  What a great gift that was.

The mass concluded and I know that Fr. Anthony as provincial gave some closing comments of thanksgiving.  We then recessed and I remained in the gathering space of the church for a bit.  As I stood there and received congratulations from many people I was also asked to give my blessing to them.  This was a humbling experience.  My mother commented later that it was at this time that she saw and felt that I was a priest.

The reception was held in the school gym.  A good number of the people came across and joined in that celebration.  There was a meal there with the menu being some good Italian food catered by some restaurant that some of the friars like.  Frankly for me it really did not matter, as I didn�t get to eat more than a mouthful or two at the reception.  There were so many people to see, greet and talk to.  It sure looked and sounded like people were busy eating and talking.  I sure hope everyone had a good time.  I did get a sandwich later, once I got back to the friary.  Unfortunately, it was not a White Castle sandwich.

The next morning, I met with the Wyoming/Michigan contingents for breakfast at the Brookdale BK steakhouse.  The youngest member of the entourage got his wish for a play land.  I tried to give directions for my sister to come up and join us in a round about way to the airport but my directions were not very good and she ended up aborting and just going to the airport for her flight.

I kept rubbing my hands off and on while I was with them.  The hands felt oily and washing, even with Boraxo, my favorite hand soap after working on a nice oily engine, did nothing.  (Know something.  I just came back from presiding at mass and my hands feel the same. A strange, interesting but yet comforting feeling.) 

After breakfast, my aunt and uncle and cousins took off for Wyoming and the other cousin began the drive back to Michigan while I returned to the friary.  Too short of a stay but better this than not at all.

Many of the friars who had come for the celebration left as quickly as they came.  Parish duties wait for no friar!  While it was sad that they could not stay for a bit it was good that they had been there.  It added a great deal to see the church as full as it was with friars, priests and congregation.

Wednesday, two days after my ordination, I presided at the morning mass at St. Bridget�s. This was my very first mass as presider and I was nervous to say the least, but everything was accomplished according to hoyle or rubrics if you prefer.  Well, needless to say it was a valid Mass.    It was interesting to preside this day as the Visitation Sisters were in attendance as well as many parishioners that have been a part of my journey.  My feelings were ones of relief and of �wow.�  To be able to be at the altar for God and His people is hard to explain.  It is not a feeling of power, even though you are also the master of ceremonies for the mass but a feeling of privilege and duty.  Some may laugh but I realized as I typed this that this was how I felt when I graduated from boot camp and was entitled to and had the responsibility of being a Marine.  Perhaps not as high a calling but pretty darn close.

Saturday morning I also presided at St. Bridget�s.  This was more comfortable for me but still had some levity in it for me and a few parishioners.  The mass intention was for the soul of this parishioners relative and as I walked out he saw me and began to snicker, which I saw and also began to snicker.  We could not look at each other until after communion or we would both start to snicker.  His wife wasn�t much help either.  She guessed what was going on as did some of the others . They are good people and we have given each other good nature grief over the years and for some reason he just really thought it was funny for me to preside with him there.

Sunday the 19th of June 2005 was my official Mass of Thanksgiving at the Church of St. Gerard in Brooklyn Park.  I was the presider at the 1045 mass with Br. Patrick being my deacon.  I had originally wanted to have my Mass of Thanksgiving on Wednesday night but that was vetoed and I didn�t find out why until it was too late.  It was to allow the provincial curia, which had a meeting on Sunday afternoon, to be in attendance at the mass.  Not that bad of an idea but the Mass of Thanksgiving date was set after I had already made plans to preside at St. Bridget�s on the 25th and St. Austin�s on the 26th and before I found out I needed to be in Altoona 1 July.  It was a bit discouraging and I would have set things up differently if I had known this ahead of time.

The Mass of Thanksgiving went well.  It was Father�s Day and  families gathered to be together on a special day.  Many came just for the Mass of Thanksgiving including a Lutheran friend who drove 3 hours to get there. God bless him.  It was quite an experience and it was a privilege to have my Mass of Thanksgiving where there was such a feeling of support and love.  This was palpable.  As I looked out at the congregation it was obvious to me that people were there to be with Patrick and myself and were especially in God�s presence.

One of the best aspects of the Mass of Thanksgiving, was being able to sit down with some friends and having the worker bees close down the reception around us.  That felt good beyond belief.