STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE — It was during the chanting of the litany of saints — 23 minutes of kneeling on the marble floor of St. Patrick’s Cathedral — when the Rev. Brendan Gormley asked God to help him and his sore knees make it through.
"That’s when I realized that’s what the priesthood will be," the Grant City native and former marathon runner said afterward. "I’ll be relying on God’s grace."
Father Gormley, 43, and the Rev. Kevin Malick, 27, formerly of New Springville, were among 14 men ordained by Cardinal Edward Egan yesterday morning.
Seven priests were ordained for the Archdiocese of New York; the other seven were ordained for the Community of the Friars of the Renewal, a Franciscan order celebrating its 20th anniversary.
"Our young men are commissioned, mandated, assigned, appointed the way St. Peter was, as a witness to proclaim the Gospel," the cardinal said during the three-hour mass and ordination ceremony.
It is rather interesting that half of the priests ordained in the Diocese of New York were part of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. The only advertising they have is of course themselves. It seems doubtful that anybody entering this order is under the illusion that it is something other than a sacrificial life given for others. Though living of sacrificial life of holiness is of course a good reminder to all of us.
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“Though living of sacrificial life of holiness is of course a good reminder to all of us.”
AMEN! – Couldn’t agree with you more. No matter our vocation (and our willing response to it), be it the priesthood, religious life, single or married – all of them involves giving of oneself for others… As a husband and father, I am called to sacrificial giving of myself for the good of my family each and every day.
Yeah…The CFRs are on fire. It’s not surprising to me that they have so many vocations since they are “on-fire” and minister specifically to young adults at the perfect discernment age.
A good friend of ours is joining the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal. She invited us to the ordination, but we were unable to make it.
She’ll be taking up residence in the balmy vacationland known as The Bronx soon….
And she’s looking forward to it! This picture says it all:
http://www.franciscanfriars.com/vocations/index2.htm
This is great, but since when do priests kneel through the Litany? I always thought they were prostrate!
I find it interesting that the report is that they knelt during the Litany of the Saints, the traditional posture for those being ordained, (Sub-deacon) deacon, priest or bishop elect, is to lay prostrate on the sanctuary floor. Doing so is a symbol of our absolute submission to God and the authority of the Church.
I was at the Ordination Mass on Saturday and they were prostrate during the Litany of the Saints. The SI Advance got it wrong. The 23 minutes of kneeling was when all the priests present laid their hands on the ordinands (is that a word?).
It was a beautiful Mass. The newly ordainded priests got a standing ovation at the end. So did Fr. Groeschel and the CFR’s. (Cardinal Egan did his thank you’s at the end and mentioned that the CFR’s were celebrating their 20th anniversary.) The Mass itself was reverent and all the newly ordained were filled with joy – you could see it on their faces! I felt privileged to have been able to witness it.
Don’t worry, they were indeed prostrate during the Litany of the Saints at St Patrick’s this Saturday. Perhaps Fr Gormley was worried about his knees’ ability to get him back up again?
I ate supper with a group of Friars of the Renewal at one of those by the side of the highway places on I-95, after the Right to Life March year before last. What a joyful and exuberant group of young men! Yet clearly also much more at peace than any other group of young men I have ever encountered. No wonder they have vocations!
Susan Peterson
The Heralds of the Gospel ordained some in St.Maria Maggiore on April 28.
This coming Sunday they ordain more in their new Church at the hands of Cardinal Rode in Brazil.
I bet there was clapping…
I met some of the CFR postulants last October at Auriesville Shrine. What a great bunch of guys they were! It was wonderful to hear their stories! I have also seen Fr. Groschel three times, and Frs. Andrew Apostoli and Stan Fortuna once [two years ago this week at EWTN in Alabama].
Most (if not all) of the CFRs train at St. Joseph’s Seminary at Dunwoodie in Yonkers. I was there about two years ago doing research in the library when a number of them came in and sat down to study. They were incredibly hospitable and we talked theology for probably more than an hour. I felt such a sense of hope seeing them there and knowing they would have an influence on the secular priests who trained there as well. If you are ever in that area, stop at the seminary and ask to see the chapel. It’s magnificent.
while i admire greatly the CFRs and used to volunteer for them, i would not say the ‘only advertising they have is themselves’, sure they dont have a big vocatiosn job kit, that most Communities send out, it is more ‘Come and See’,BUT they do have a very extensive,in depth Website which is run for/with them(which i am all for), plus brochures, and books about them,and the wonderful Fr. Benedict among others are on TV, and various Media.
(some other new radical Franciscan Communities i know, have absolutely nothing re:websites,promo materials,Books or Priests on T.V, and stage and have just over half the same amount of vocations).
Just saying this, because i have read quite frequently, how “amazing move of the Holy Spirit it is that they get vocations, yet they dont advertise or have promotional material” etc….not exactly correct.
One of the new priest is from Jacksonville and will be coming home to celebrate mass at St. Ephrem’s Syriac Catholic Church on May 26th.
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