Just in time for Gaudete Sunday, the day during Advent that reminds Christians to rejoice, Catholics in the Diocese of Richmond had a special reason to rejoice as more than 600 people, including 44 priests and 11 deacons, celebrated at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart as Bishop Barry C. Knestout ordained Father Armando Herrera-Dos Reis, 29, a priest for the diocese on Saturday, Dec. 10.
Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese of the Military Services, USA, also concelebrated the Mass. Father Herrera will serve the Diocese of Richmond for three years and then, having been co-sponsored as a seminarian by the Military Archdiocese, serve as a chaplain in the U.S. Army.
Bishop Knestout began his homily by reiterating the Church’s instruction regarding the ordination of priests and continued with reflections on the Scripture readings.
He noted that the opening three verses of Isaiah 61, e.g., “He has sent me to bring good news to the afflicted, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, release to the prisoners…,” were the work of all priests.
“[This] brings into reality, in the lives of an often broken hearted and suffering people, the joy of the Gospel and the salvation won for us in Christ’s paschal mystery,” Bishop Knestout said.
Referring to the teaching in Hebrews 5:1-10, the bishop said, “Each priest is called to bear his portion of the burden of the suffering of his people, to walk with — or accompany, as Pope Francis often says — God’s People in the daily struggle and joys of life so that we too become ‘a source of eternal salvation’ in obedience to Christ, in our priestly commitment and life.”
Regarding Luke 10:1-9, — the calling of the 72 — Bishop Knestout said, “What the Gospel makes clear is that this priestly mission of evangelization is meant to be a ministry of peace, not creating, or placing burdens on those we encounter, but lifting their burdens with the consolation of the Holy Spirit, the teaching, and sacraments of the Church.”
Following Mass, Father Herrera gave his first blessing as a priest to Bishop Knestout.
Photos courtesy of Michael Mickle.