My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,
This year on the Feast of SS. Peter and Paul, June 29, in the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens, I will ordain eight men to the priesthood. The ordination of priests has been one of the great joys of my Episcopal ministry, and I have had the privilege of ordaining 45 men to the priesthood, including our eight newly ordained, since I came to the Diocese in 2003.
Three of this year’s ordinands hail from Haiti, two have Korean origins, one an African-American, one an Italian-American and one a Filipino-American – Dwayne Davis, Raymond Flores, Stephen Giulietti, Paul Young Kim, Killick Pierrilus, Lucon Riguad, Jun Hee Lee and Michel Pierre Louis. Their language abilities certainly cover the needs of our multi-ethnic Diocese. These eight men to be ordained have spent many years in preparation at various seminaries used by the Diocese of Brooklyn which have brought them to this joyful day.
Besides the normal process of seminary formation, I have made it my custom to personally interview each one of the seminarians once a year. This gives me a chance to know the men well, because it is my responsibility, upon the recommendation of those charged with their formation, to ordain them to the priesthood.
Also, every year on the eve of their ordination, I gather with them for a day of recollection. They are required to present to me a short paper on their concept of the priesthood from which I draw reflections of the day. During the day, I celebrate the Eucharist for those to be ordained, give them several talks and conclude with a Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration and Vespers.
Later that evening, following their practice at the Cathedral-Basilica of St. James, they return to my residence for a dinner, at which the Auxiliary Bishops of the Diocese are invited to join us, as well as others who are responsible for their formation. With the eight men to be ordained, this year seating space is limited at the Cathedral-Basilica of St. James. Thankfully, the ceremony will be televised live on NET-TV, so many throughout Brooklyn and Queens may witness this joyful day in the life of the Diocese of Brooklyn.
The eight ordinations for the Diocese of Brooklyn are truly are a blessing. Many priests and bishops ask me how we were able to recruit so many men in comparison to past years. I am certain that there is no magic to this number, and certainly it is not all to my own credit. However, having set up a system that encourages the discernment of vocations is truly important.
Several times a year, we conduct a Project Andrew in the Diocese, where priests and Parish Vocation Committees identify young men who may have a vocation and who come and meet with me, along with young priests and seminarians, to speak about the challenge of accepting a vocation. I might say, by the way, that we also host Project Myriam for young women interested in a religious vocation. These Project Andrews have produced keen interest on the part of some who have followed through in entering the seminary.
The John Paul II House of Discernment, under the direction of Father Kevin Abels, Vocation Director, is another source of vocations. Almost all who have entered the House of Discernment have gone on to the college-seminary or pre-theology program and have pursued a vocation.
I cannot neglect, however, the influence that priests have on vocations. Every priest should be a vocation director. All of the young men who come to the seminary can find in their background some priest who influenced them, or one whom they admired and wished to emulate by following their own priestly vocation.
The responsibility to find more laborers for the harvest is a heavy one. We take confidence, however, that the Lord told us that we should pray to the Lord of the Harvest for sufficient laborers. It is not our work, but the work of the Lord if only we ask Him.
This year’s ordination shows us the possibility that we can assign more young priests to our parishes. Those who are from our Diocese can understand our unique multi-cultural situation, with all of the new challenges that we face in regard to many ethnic groups in our midst; for example, the Chinese and Bangladeshi, as well as all newcomers to Brooklyn and Queens. We count on the zeal and enthusiasm of our newly- ordained to bring the spirit of the New Evangelization to our midst which, indeed, requires new zeal and new methods. All of these young men are competent with the new means of communion. Coupled with their zeal, they will make great priests for the future of our Diocese.
As these newly ordained priests put out into the deep, we accompany them with our prayers. The challenges of priestly ministry today are many. Some are certainly unknown to them. May the Lord accompany them on their journey as they have finished formation and now put out into the boats that, at times, tread rough waters.
