Priestly ordination

Below in italics is a paragraph from a sermon preached at an ordination ceremony in St Saviour's Church, Dominick Street on Saturday.

The church is situated in Dublin's north inner city where unemployment is high and church attendance low.

The ordaining bishop and preacher at the liturgy was Augustine Di Noia, an American Dominican, living in Rome.

In this way, the Son of God continues to be in our midst in a manner adapted to our human nature – by sending His only Son who in turn commissioned the Apostles and their successors – so that we might receive His word and His grace from other human beings.  The hand of another human being blesses us, pours the water of Baptism on our heads, offers the body and blood of Christ to us in the Eucharist, and is raised in absolution unto the forgiveness of sins.  Through these visible and tangible sacramental actions,  God bestows His invisible grace on us, drawing us into a participation in the communion of love of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  These are the fruits of the Paschal Mystery for whose service you have been chosen.  “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.”