Diaconate Ordination!!!

I finally have some pics ready to post from my diaconate ordination. I'll include a brief description of each as I go along in this blog entry.

The Mass began at 10:30 am with the procession into the Church. The seminarians, priests and Archbishop Naumann all processed in. My mom, dad and I were in the procession just behind the deacon for the Mass.

After the homily, the deacon called me forward saying, "Let Christopher John Rossman, who is to be ordained to the diaconate come forward" I stood, announced "present" and walked up to the foot of the sanctuary. Archbishop Naumann then accepted my call to orders and then gave his homily.

After the conclusion of the homily, I stood again and the archbishop asked me each of the six promises (see archive tag to the left titled "rite of deacon" to better understand the promises). After each promise, I responded with "I do" except the last promise in which I added "with the help of God." I then approached the archbishop, knelt before him and placed my folded hands in his promising obedience to him and his successors.

After the promises and the oath of obedience, the Litany of Saints was sung. While everyone else stood to sing the litany, I prostrated myself near the altar. It is a very humbling experience to lay face-down and flat on the floor while the congregation invokes the intercession of the saints to strengthen me in my ministry.

Following the litany of saints and a prayer by Archbishop Naumann, the actual ordination takes place. The required elements of an ordination are the laying of hands by the bishop onto the crown of the head of the ordinand and the prayer of consecration that follows. Archbishop Naumann placed his outstretched hands on my head silently invoking the Holy Spirit. This powerful gesture conveys the grace of Orders on the ordinand.

After the laying of hands was the prayer of consecration, which is a very long prayer where I was on my knees for during the entire prayer! At the conclusion of this prayer by the archbishop, I was officially a deacon!!! I then returned to the front pew where Fr. Tom & Fr. Regie, the priests of Holy Trinity parish, vested me in the deacon stole and dalmatic. The deacon stole is a long strip of fabric worn from the left shoulder, across the chest and back to the right hip where the two ends are connected. The dalmatic is a garment similar to the priest chasable except that the dalmatic has arm sleeves whereas the chasable resembles a poncho.

That takes us through the ordination rite itself. I have a couple of pics of my assisting as deacon for the rest of the ordination Mass, but I will save them for another time. Feel free to copy and print out any of these pics for your private use. I would ask that if you want to use any of them for non-private use (ie. a vocation flyer, web site, etc.) that you contact me either through the comments section or via my email, which was posted in an earlier  blog entry. Thank you to all those who offered prayers and kept me in their thoughts during my ordination last week. Until next time...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 14:02 | link | comments (5) |
blog

Comments:

#1  03 June 2006 - 19:28

 

congratulations!
very nice place you got here.

i'm a former believer of the catholic faith and at times i wonder if i'll be able to believe in my old ways again.

i look forward to your future endevors and experiences.
just curious. :)

faaraa

#2  04 June 2006 - 06:07

 

Congratulations Deacon Chris!

I've been praying for you. I apologize for not being able to make it to your ordination. I hope you are doing great! God bless you!

Matt Cushing

Anonymous

#3  04 June 2006 - 08:40

 

Praise Jesus!

Wow, I can imagine the excitement you are feeling right now!!

Congratulations Rev. Christopher, I'll keep praying for you and your priestly ordination.

Anonymous

#4  05 June 2006 - 12:16

 

Congratulations on your ordination to the diaconate, will pray for you and your fellow classmates during this coming year

Eric Jarvis
From Queen of All Saints Parish in St. Louis, MO

Anonymous

#5  07 June 2006 - 16:51

 

Congratualtions again! I'll probably be sending you the pictures we managed to take.

Vicky Efram

Anonymous

Comments: