Four\nmen from the Archdiocese of San Antonio and two from the Capuchin Franciscan\nFriars were ordained to the diaconate to serve the people of God by Archbishop\nGustavo Garc\u00eda-Siller, MSpS, on November 16 at St. Anthony Mary Claret Church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The\nnewly ordained are Deacons Matthew De Leon, Ricardo Ramirez, Blayne Riley, and\nIan Robbins for the archdiocese, and Deacons Brandon Berg and Donald Rank for\nthe Capuchin Franciscans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe\npeople of God are out there, hungering for the word and for the sacraments, and\nthey have called out to be served. You, my brothers, are here because you have\nheard that calling and responded with joy and courage,\u201d the archbishop told the\nordinands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat\nkind of service will it be?\u201d he asked, answering, \u201cWe hear the answer clearly\nringing through the Scriptures.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In\nthe Book of Numbers, Moses tells God he cannot do all this work by himself. \u201cWe\nfeel that way in ministry sometimes. The weight of the needs of God\u2019s people\ncan be very heavy. You will experience this in your service as deacons,\u201d the\narchbishop acknowledged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo,\nwhat to do?\u201d he quizzed, responding, \u201cYou rely on what Moses did. He asked God\nto send fellow ministers. God sent him the 70. He gave them a share of the same\nSpirit that Moses had received from on high.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Archbishop\nGustavo gave thanks that the Church has called six more to serve, and they also\nwill receive a share of the living Lord, the Holy Spirit. \u201cNever forget that\nyou are not alone in service,\u201d the archbishop emphasized to the seminarians. \u201cLive\nas faithful sons of the Church, with<\/em> the faithful of the Church, and for<\/em>\nthe faithful of the Church. No burden is too heavy for the Body of Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nMissionary of the Holy Spirit told them that it is Christ\u2019s own mission they\nare participating in. \u201cHe is the one sending you, just as he sent the Apostles.\nHe breathed his Spirit into them and said, \u2018Peace be with you.\u2019 He sent them to\nbe missionaries of peace and reconciliation. He gave them a share of his\nmission — to reconcile all people to himself,\u201d he explained. \u201cWhen you receive\nthe Holy Spirit remember that there are no boundaries or borders on the\nmerciful love of God. Peace can always be found in a servant of the Lord, alive\nin the Spirit of God. Do not hold back the gift you are receiving. We are sent\nto everyone, without exception, to share peace and mercy in the love of Christ\nJesus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nSan Antonio prelate stressed to the six that they are called to do this through\ntrue accompaniment. \u201cWe do not just come in, teach, and leave. The people are\ncrying out to be instructed, to be served, to be loved,\u201d he said. \u201cBut we do\nthis as fellow children of God, giving of ourselves in order to walk with\nothers. We offer witness and draw people to the Gospel by the attraction of\nthat witness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Archbishop\nGustavo recounted the story of Philip and the eunuch from Ethiopia. Philip\nlistened to the Holy Spirit, who directed him to the man. He recognized the desire\nin his heart to love God. Philip did not talk down to the man or simply lecture\nhim. Philip first asked questions, listened to him, and got to know who the man\nwas. Then he invited him to go deeper. All the while, Philip showed he was\nthere to walk with him as a brother in service. The man responded with passion.\nHe recognized genuine care and love in the apostle, and he walked with Philip\nwith an open heart. So effective was Philip\u2019s service that the man demanded\nbaptism. He could not wait to receive the Holy Spirit, then go out and share\nhis own encounter with the Lord to anyone who would listen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis\nis the mission you are being given in a new way,\u201d the archbishop continued. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He\nquoted Pope Francis, who has said: \u201cWe need a church capable of walking at\npeople\u2019s sides … a church which accompanies them on their journey.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\nare not sending you to \u2018give\u2019 the faith to anyone,\u201d Archbishop Gustavo\nasserted. \u201cYou are being sent to share your witness, inviting others to walk\nwith you in the faith. You are being sent to bring others along in our journey\ntogether with God, who guides us and gives us life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\narchbishop pointed out to the transitional deacons that the Holy Spirit will\nfill them, and they will be consecrated to the service of God\u2019s Word and his sacraments.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\nwill go to share mercy and peace, through genuine care and love for God\u2019s\npeople. Remember to keep your eyes and hearts open to others,\u201d he concluded. \u201cYou\ndo not go alone. We are here to celebrate the beauty God has bestowed upon his\npeople.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just\nprior to the homily, Father Jonathan Felux, director of vocations and\nseminarians for the archdiocese, called the candidate forwarded by name, and\neach one responded and approached Archbishop Gustavo, making a sign of\nreverence to him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n During\nthe promise of the elect, the archbishop questioned them. Then, each of the\nelect knelt before him and placed their hands between him, to whom they\npromised obedience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Following\nthe litany of the saints, the elect rose and each one knelt before Archbishop\nGustavo. In silence, the archbishop placed his hands upon the head of each of\nthem. With the elect still kneeling before him, the San Antonio prelate, with arms\noutstretched, pronounced the prayer of ordination. The newly ordained then\nreceived their stole and dalmatic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vested\nas deacons, the newly ordained went to the archbishop and knelt before him. He\nplaced the Book of the Gospels in the hands of each one, before offering each\nthe sign of peace to conclude the rite of ordination.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Four men from the Archdiocese of San Antonio and two from the Capuchin Franciscan Friars were ordained to the diaconate to serve the people of God by Archbishop Gustavo Garc\u00eda-Siller, MSpS, on November 16 at St. Anthony Mary Claret Church. The newly ordained are Deacons Matthew De Leon, Ricardo Ramirez, Blayne Riley, and Ian Robbins […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":16015,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[153],"tags":[165,1001,1242],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n