Congratulations to our newest priests!

This morning, on the feast of St. Philip Neri, and with the high feast of Pentecost nearly upon us, Archbishop Harry Flynn of the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis ordained eight men to the holy priesthood of Jesus Christ!

The Mass and Rite of Ordination were quite beautiful - "Ordination Saturday" is traditionally held on the last Saturday of May each year in our Archdiocese, and it is one of my favorite Masses of the year! To be able to witness the sacramental transformation of so many faithful men each year is quite a priviledge. I am even more blessed than usual this year, as two men whom I am proud to call friends were among those ordained - Fr. Nels Gjengdahl and Fr. Dennis Backer! These two men will be good and holy priests of God, by His grace, and I joyfully await their first Masses of Thanksgiving tomorrow (Pentecost Sunday)!

I did take photos, though I was not able to be in my usual front row spot (d'oh, waited too long to ask this year!) - even so, I think I got some wonderful shots, from a different angle than usual. If only I were, um, less vertically challanged :) so that I could have a higher angle over the congregation, we'd be all set. Anyway, click the link below to see the photos from the Mass - and remember to always pray for priests, both those who are ordained now and those men who are called to be our future priests!

Priesthood Ordination Mass

Ordained priests forever on this day, the 26th of May, 2007:
Fr. Gregory Edward Abbott
Fr. Dennis Joseph Backer
Fr. John Patrick Floeder
Fr. Nels Hendrick Gjengdahl
Fr. Mark Joseph Joppa
Fr. Michael Charles Kaluza
Fr. Paul Anthony Kammen
Fr. Joseph-Quoc Thien Vuong

St. Philip Neri, pray for them!
Pope John Paul II, pray for them!