Homily

by Most Rev. Philip Boyce, DD. Bishop of Raphoe

 Ordination to the Priesthood

of Eamonn McLaughlin; John Joe Duffy; Manus Ferry MSC

St Eunan’s Cathedral, 30th June, 2002

             The Lord bestows a precious gift on us today, namely, the ordination of three young men to the priesthood.  Two of them are for our Diocese: Eamonn McLaughlin from Downings, the parish of Meevagh, and John Joe Duffy from the parish of Burtonport.  The third, Manus Ferry, from the parish of Falcarragh, is a Missionary of the Sacred Heart.

             This grace is not a result of our own efforts, but comes as a gift of God’s pure love.  It all began with a call given by the Lord who looked at each one of them and said: “Come, follow me”.  Each of these calls was heard by a willing and generous heart.  The journey of formation and preparation has led them to this transforming moment.  With the laying on of hands and the prayer of consecration they will soon be changed into priests of the Lord, enabling them to act in the Person of Christ, the Head of the Church.  They will be given the spiritual power to teach, to rule and to sanctify the People of God.

             Dear Eamonn, John Joe and Manus:  You are about to be conformed very closely to Christ the Saviour.  This growing likeness to the Lord Jesus, our High Priest, will continue day by day.   I thank you for your generosity of heart, your youthful confidence in Him who calls you, your fidelity that will be tested every day.  You set out on a path that will have many challenges but also many rewards, and none greater than being with Christ and going out with Him to continue his work of salvation. 

            Well, I tell you, says the Master, “look around you, look at the fields; already they are white, ready for harvest” (Jn 4:35).  He is speaking of a harvest of souls. As the multitude waited at that time for the Apostles to bring them life and news of salvation, so too in our day countless souls are waiting for the word you will preach, the grace of the Sacraments you will administer, the guidance you will give to the community of faith.

             Yes, today as well as yesterday, a spiritual harvest is always ripe and waiting for apostolic and prayerful workers.  No matter what obstacles lie in the path of the Church, she never loses her zeal to go praying with Christ in solitude and then to go forth to make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that Jesus commanded” (cf. Mt 28: 19-10).

             Others will have laboured already in this same harvest.  You simply build on what they have done.  However, it is all the work of God and is made possible by the power of grace.  It will not be a feat of your own.  It is Christ continuing to save and sanctify through you.  Therefore, He told the disciples and He tells you:  “Behold, I am with you always; yes, to the end of time” (Mt 28:20).

             Remain in my love

             From the Readings you have chosen for your Ordination Mass, it is clear that you are aware of your dependence on Christ.  As the Lord said to Jeremiah in the first reading, so does He assure you:  “You must go to all to whom I send you and say whatever I command you.  Do not be afraid...I have put my words into your mouth” (Jer 1:7-9).  And in the Gospel passage, Christ asks you to make Him the living and life-giving centre of your life:  “Whoever remains in Me, with Me in him bears fruit in plenty;  for cut off from Me you can do nothing... Remain in my love” (Jn 15:5.9).

             Your identity as priests lies in your being closely and irreversibly united with Christ as Priest and Head of the Church.  This bond is indelibly imprinted on your souls.  We call it a ‘character’ or permanent seal, that makes you to be priests for all time and eternity.  Moreover,  you will be priests at every moment of the day.  Your priesthood comes from what you are, not simply from the work you do.  Always and everywhere you will be priests of Christ and disciples of the Master.  Your word and your presence will bring the sacred to the secular, and the light of truth to what lies in darkness and error. 

            “Remain in my love”, the Lord says to you.  The consecration you receive today certainly binds you to Christ, but that bond has to be assimilated and lived out in a personal, free and conscious way through a deepening communion of life and love, and an ever more radical sharing in the feelings and attitudes of Jesus Christ”  (PDV 72).

            In giving yourselves to others, do not forget to care for your own selves.  Do not let activities suffocate your spirit in a world of frantic and superficial action.  As St Charles Borromeo said to his priests:  “If you administer the sacraments, meditate upon what you are doing.  If you celebrate Mass, meditate on what you are offering.  If you recite the Psalms, meditate to whom and of what you are speaking” (cf. Ibid.).

             Christ is the best of friends. Have faith in Him.  Remain in his love.  With this faith and love in your hearts, give yourselves with confidence to your ministry of doing good and of saving souls.

             Some people may be suprised to see young men presenting themselves for priestly ordination precisely at this time.  The Church is suffering.  Religious practice is not as regular or fervent as it used to be.  And yet, for those who have the call, for those who have faith, the storms that lash against the barque of Peter do not signal shipwreck or destruction.  The Lord is still in the boat.  Above the noise of the hurricane and the anger of the waves, his voice is heard:  “Take heart! It is I!...Do not be afraid” (Mt 14:17).

             We do not know what tomorrow holds in store for us, but by faith we know who holds tomorrow in his guiding hand.  “Remain in me”, he says, “remain in my love”.  This is our strength; this is our confidence.

             The Missionary dimension

            One of the three young men being ordained to the priesthood here today is a Missionary of the Sacred Heart.  You remind us, Manus, that “the whole Church on earth is missionary by its very nature” (Ad Gentes, 2).  The Church has her origin in the mission of the Son of God, who was sent into this world to restore, to save and to lead sinners back to God.  The Holy Spirit was sent at Pentecost to continue Christ’s saving work in the hearts of the faithful, by promoting the spread of the Church.  Therefore, we cannot lower our eyes to see only our own little parish or congregation. We must lift our gaze to the horizon and remember that the Gospel is destined for all peoples.  As the present Holy Father wrote in his encyclical on the Missions:  “We cannot be content when we consider the millions of our brothers and sisters, who like us have been redeemed by the blood of Christ but who live in ignorance of the love of God. For each believer, as for the entire Church, the missionary task must remain foremost, for it concerns the eternal destiny of humanity, and corresponds to God’s mysterious and merciful plan”  (Redemptoris Missio, 86).  Every priest’s task, but yours, Manus, in a special way, is to bring people to know and accept the just and merciful love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

             Christ your life

             In a very short time now, all three of you will be ordained priests.  Your identity will then be Christ the Priest.  You will be united sacramentally to Him in the ministerial priesthood.  He will be your true dignity, the source of your joy and the very purpose of your life.  By the laying on of hands, you will be given power to carry on Christ’s own mission, which was a ministry of reconciliation, of shepherding the flock of God and of teaching.  In this way you will prolong his presence and make Him visible among the people whom you bless, reconcile and teach, and for whom you offer sacrifice.

             As we think on your priestly life and its dependence on Christ, a prayer by Cardinal Newman is appropriate:

 “My Lord Jesus,

let me not walk my own way without thinking of Thee.  Let me bring everything before Thee, asking Thy leave for everything I purpose, Thy blessing on everything I do.  I will not move without Thee.  I will ever lift up my heart to Thee. I will never forget that Thou art my advocate at the Throne of the Highest.  As the dial speaks of the sun, so will I be ruled by Thee above, if Thou wilt take me and rule me.  Be it so, my Lord Jesus,  I give myself wholly to Thee” (Meditations and Devotions, p.395).

 

 

In conclusion, I offer all three of you my heartfelt congratulations.  May your days and years as priests live up to and surpass all you hoped they would be.  As you leave the rank of students, remember those still preparing for the priesthood, and pray that other young hearts may answer the call and fill the three seminary places you now leave vacant.

 

   I congratulate the parishes you come from (Burtonport; Downings (Meevagh); and Falcarragh) as well as the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.

 

   I thank your parents and members of your families.  I thank you for your generosity in giving your son to the service of Christ and of the Church. May the Lord continue to bless you and to send more labourers into his harvest.