May 23, 2012

By Steve Trosley

“Go up the the altar of God, the God of our gladness and joy…”

With an honor guard of caped and plumed Knights of Columbus lining the center aisle of the Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains on May 19, four men, having completed their studies at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, were escorted to the sanctuary, where they would receive the sacrament that confirms their link to the first apostles.

“Raise up the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord…”

Organist Blake Callahan accompanied the Athenaeum Chorale under the direction of Anthony J. DiCello in the processional singing of Psalm 43.

Following thurifer Eric Wood, crucifer Brian Phelps and acolytes  James Riehle and Andrew Cordonnier, came the vested priests of the Athenaeum of Ohio/Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, including Father Benedict D. O’Cinnsealaigh, rector, and priests of the archdiocese.

The candidates included Jon-Paul Bevak of St. Joseph the Provider Parish in Campbell, Ohio, and Old Saint Mary’s Parish in Cincinnati; Daniel Parick Hunt, also of  Old St, Mary’s; Matthew Joseph John Robben of Saint Joseph Parish, North Bend; and Marc Dennis Soellner, Said Andrew Parish, Milford.

Immediately following the candidates, who were wearing the vestments of deacons,, were Auxiliary Bishop Joseph R. Binzer and the Ordaining Prelate, Archbishop of Cincinnati Dennis M. Schnurr.

In the Gospel reading from Matthew, the men to be ordained and the family, friends and others in the nearly full Cathedral were reminded of the essense of the role they would play in the years ahead:

“Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many’”

The four men were called, one by one, to declare their readiness to be ordained and then Father O’Cinnsealaigh presented the candidates to the archbishop and testified to their worthiness.

Archbishop Schnurr announced his consent to ordain the candidates and lead the congregation in a round of applause.

In his homily, the archbishop instructed the candidates to be servants of the people in the spirit of the Gospel of Matthew. He also told them of the joy of their vocation, encouraged them to sanctify the people and thanked the families of the four men “for sharing your sons and brothers” with the church.

“You still have much to discover and learn,” he told the candidates.

Following the homily, the candidates each prostrated themselves before the archbishop, renewing their promises of obedience and respect to “the archbishop and his successors.”

Following the chanting of a litany of supplication, the archbishop, in a tradition as old as the church itself, laid his hands on each of the candidates in silence, conferring a ministry that came to them from Jesus Christ through the archbishop in a direct line from the original apostles. The concelebrating priests then did the same.

After a prayer of praise and thanks for the gift of the ministry, then newly ordained priests were vested in the stole and chasuble, the garments of their eucharistic office. That was followed by the anointing of their heads and hands with holy chrism during which an antiphon and Psalm 110 was chanted:

“A prince from the day of your birth on the holy mountains;

“from the womb before the dawn I begot you.

“The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change.

“’You are a priest forever, a priest like Melchizedek of old.’”

The newly ordained priests were presented with the gifts of bread and wine. Bringing the gifts to the sanctuary were Mari Ellen Bevak, Margaret Hunt, Anthony Robben and Shirley Soellner.

Following the concelebrated offertory and eucharistic rites, the archbishop announced the new priests’ first assignments: Father Matthew J. Robben — faculty, Chaminade Julienne High School, Dayton while residing at St. Peter, Huber Heights.; Father Jon-Paul Bevak — faculty, LaSalle High School while residing at Old St. Mary’s; Father Marc D. Soellner — parochial vicar – Coldwater Cluster, which includes Saint Anthony, Saint Anthony; Holy Trinity, Coldwater; Saint Mary, Philothea; Father Daniel P. Hunt — parochial vicar — Petersburg Region, which includes Saint Joseph, Wapakoneta; Immaculate Conception, Botkins; St. Lawrence, Rhine.

Following the announcement, Archbishop Schnurr asked that each of the newly ordained priests grant him their first blessing. As he knelt in the sanctuary, each of the four men individually conferred a blessing.

The archbishop then conferred his solemn blessing and dismissed the assembly. The clergy and newly ordained priests, all beaming and smiles, processed out of the cathedral.

CT Photos by E.L. Hubbard