Diaconate Ordination

Now that the first semester exams are done, I can get caught up on some blogging!  On January 10, 2015, I was ordained a deacon along with three other Brothers: Javi (Spain), Daniel (Kenya) and Gautier (Burkina Faso).  The ordination mass took place in Our Lady of the Pillar Chapel here in our house (that made for an easy commute), and was celebrated by Bishop Luis Ladaria, SJ, a very kind Jesuit who works in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican and is a friend of our community.  I was joined by my mom, sister, an aunt and two cousins, along with many Marianist Brothers, Sisters and Laity, and even more friends.  Here are a bunch (I'm not lying, be prepared) of pictures chronicling the day.  Of course, we had a festa afterwards! Enjoy!

Ciao!

Let's start with a procession.

The future deacons are all set...

...so is the congregation that spilled into the hallway....

...and of course some concelebrants....

...and a Bishop.

There were Marianist Sisters....

...and Marianist Laity...

...and our friend Danilo the Deacon.

After the homily (in which he followed Pope Francis' advice to be relatively brief)...

...we made our promises....

...and everyone chanted the Litany of the Saints, asking for their help as we lay prostrate.

Then the Bishop laid his hands on us....

...in silent prayer,...

...and then the Prayer of Ordination.

Since we were now ordained, we were vested in the deacon's stole and dalmatic.

My Italian friends Fabrizio and Emanuela carried the vestments in, and surprised my mom (who knows them).

Fr. Cortes vested me,...

...and of course we were the last to finish.

Then we received the Book of the Gospels...

...and a sign of peace.

Then Mass continued as normal...

...and we distributed Communion.

At the final blessings, I was supposed to say "Inchinatevi per la benedizione" (Bow your heads for the blessing.)  In our practice, I was having trouble getting the words out with the right accent.  Well, the Bishop just skipped that part, so I didn't have to say it.  A friend later told me, that at that moment I let out a deep, visible sigh!

The new deacons with members of the Marianist administration.

My sister and mom.

Aunt Brenda.

Cousins Mike and Ronda.

"Oh No, I'm going to be kissed by a nun!"

Bro. Les

Danilo and Javi.

My Italian family with Fr. Loris and Bro. Joseph

I think we were shooing away the paparazzi.

Okay, much more serious now.  With Bro. Javi.

The family.  Everyone kept saying how much we all look alike.

My friend Marina.

Classmate Simon from Lebanon.

Friends from the Community of Sant'Egidio in Rome.

Martina, Bro. Javi's niece.

Fr. Peter Lobo, OP, one of the my favorite professors at the Angelicum.

Classmates Sean and Stephen from the USA.

Carmelite Sisters Innocenza and Rose from Indonesia. 

Friends Loridana and Marilena

The US contingent of the Marianist Seminary with Bro. Charles.