For the next few weeks, I shall use my column to present some points for reflection by the Archdiocese on vocations to the diaconate, priesthood and the consecrated life.

The columns will offer information on the process of vocation recruitment in the Archdiocese and on the programme of the Regional Seminary. I shall begin with my homily for the diaconate ordination which identifies some of the values that the Church looks for in candidates for ordination.

See An ordination to remember - Front Page

“My Sisters and Brothers,
The Archdiocese has 24 married and single men who are presently in formation for the permanent diaconate. Their education/formation programme is a three-year programme with components for ongoing education/formation.

They are about to finish their first semester. When they complete the programme and are approved for ordination they will have reached their goal to serve the Church as permanent deacons.

What will happen in our Cathedral this morning is different. Robert will be ordained a deacon but that is not his ultimate goal. His ordination as a deacon is a step toward priesthood.

He will be ordained to what is called the transitional diaconate. He hopes eventually to be ordained a priest. Many of the seminarians from the Regional Seminary are present here in the Cathedral today. They share a similar dream.

The principle of gradualism

The Church uses the principle of gradualism to train clerics and religious. The process of gradualism means a candidate takes a formal step forward, exercises the ministry involved, slowly becomes comfortable with the step taken, then, after an appropriate period of time, the candidate takes another formal step forward. The process is repeated until the initial period of education/formation is completed.  

For example, in the programme of the Regional Seminary there is a component called Pastoral Field Education. It gives the seminarian the opportunity to apply to real life situations how he has shaped his life with the help of others in human and spiritual formation and what he has learned about the Catholic Tradition in his academic programme.

The purpose is to find out whether he likes people, whether he likes ministry, whether his motivation for ministry is proper, whether he has the skills to do ministry and whether he wants to do ministry for the rest of his life. When the answers to all those questions are clear and positive to the individual and to the Church - only then are people called to orders.

The fundamental criterion for approval for the call to orders is not the absence of negative signs but the presence of positive signs. In cases when this norm was not followed, the Church has experienced tensions and sometimes scandal in ministry. 

The readings from scripture

The readings chosen by Robert speak to the values and the gifts the Church looks for in a person to be ordained. Since they are also criteria for authentic ministry, they are also helpful for reflection for those who are already ordained.

The first reading is from Romans (12: 9-17). The key words in the reading are: love, work, hope, prayer, kindness, perseverance in stress in the sense of being able to cope with rejection and even persecution.

These words are values for anyone in the Christian community. They have special value for those who are clerics because clerics are public figures in the Church. Clerics represent the Church to the public in ways that those who are not in ministry do not.

Paul lived the values these words represent and he experienced rejection in his life and ministry. The point he is making is this: a cleric cannot share these values with others unless they live in his heart and are rooted in his relationship with God – a relationship which must be sustained by daily prayer and reflection.

For example, one of the new responsibilities for Robert, as a result of this ordination liturgy, is to pray the full Divine Office each day not just for himself but for the Church and for the world.

He must plan his day and ministerial duties so he has time to pray for the Church and the world every day until he returns to the Lord at the end of his life.

The second reading is also from Romans (12: 4-8). Ministry is basically about sharing self and God-given gifts with others with zealous perseverance. There are two foundational truths to ministry:
1) Selfishness is a human problem that is always a challenge to a quality life of faith and certainly a challenge to quality ministry that is provided in the name of the Church;
2) Everyone has gifts to share but no one has all the gifts. Similar to living life itself, those in ministry must be alert that the gift of self made to God in an ordination liturgy and the willingness to share gifts with others is given sufficient attention so it continues to deepen and it is not allowed to wither.

Those two important examples of surrender must be sustained in prayer, spiritual direction and careful listening to others especially those whom we serve.

If the call of Pope John Paul II to become involved in the new evangelisation has taught us anything, it has taught us that people change their minds – that includes people who are public figures in the Church.

In some cases, ordinary people who are much more perceptive than we clerics are sometimes willing to acknowledge, can see the signs and values we just reviewed slowly begin to disappear from those who care for them in ministry.

In a sense a public figure lives in a fishbowl – people watch them all the time.  It is important for clerics to listen to the wisdom of the people they serve.

The Gospel reading is from John (15: 9-17).  I want to stress just two points from the reading.
1) Joy. John reports this prayer of Jesus for his disciples: ‘May my joy be in you and may your joy be complete.’ Joy means a deep happiness that comes from either expecting something or possessing something. Joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

It is a sign that we have accepted and value as precious the gifts we have received from the Lord. The Lord’s joy was based on his union with the Father and the completion of his mission. Our joy is based on our acceptance of the Gospel, of our relationship with Jesus in the Spirit and of the offer of salvation.

2) Friendship. Jesus tells us he no longer considers us servants, but friends. He communicates with us as friends. He shares with us the authentic marks of friendship: he sacrifices for his friends; he loves them rather than insisting on being loved first; he opens his heart and mind to those he loves; he trusts those he loves. That type of friendship is what Jesus offers us. That type of friendship is precisely what all people search and thirst for during their entire lives.

The gift of friendship offered by Christ contains an important message. Authentic friendship opens people to relationship, communication and trust – each is a mark of ministry. Chosen isolation closes people to those same values. Frequently, isolation is a sign of personal and spiritual struggle.

My advice to you, Deacon Robert, is to be very watchful of isolation developing in your life and very open to the value of authentic friendship. I recommend in particular a deep appreciation for the absolutely necessary support that friendship with Jesus has for your life and for your ministry. 

Concluding prayer

On behalf of my brother priests, I congratulate you on your ordination as a deacon. We wish you well, assure you of our prayer and look forward to working with you in ministry.”