Ordination to Priesthood of Brother Patrick

On August 24, 2002, Brother Patrick was Ordained Priest in the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Whitefriar Street. Brother Patrick joined the Order of Carmelites in September 1996 with Brother Dermot (who made his Solemn Profession in November 2002) and, after a year of novitiate, made his Simple Profession as a Carmelite in September 1997. He then completed his theological studies at the Milltown Institute of Theology and Philosophy. In October 2001, he made his Solemn Profession in the Order.

While all members of the Order of Carmelites are, first and foremost, brothers and therefore are all equal, some also go forward for Ordination as Deacon and Priest. Over the last few years Brother Patrick gave careful consideration to this step and made his application for Holy Orders. In December 2001, he was Ordained to the Diaconate by Bishop Walsh, an Auxiliary to the Archbishop of Dublin. Since then, Brother Patrick has been assisting in the work of the parish through his preaching, through administering the Sacrament of Baptism, through presiding at Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and in many other ways which are not always seen by the public. During this time Brother Patrick made application for Ordination as Priest and he was Ordained by Bishop Field, an Auxiliary to the Archbishop of Dublin on August 24, 2002, the Feast of St Bartholomew the Apostle.

The Ordination Rite takes place during the celebration of the Mass which began with the procession to the sanctuary by the servers, the concelebrating priests, the ordinand and the ordaining prelate while the choir sang “All people that on earth do dwell.” Brother Patrick was joined by his family and friends and the local parish community and for the early part of the ceremony he sat with his family. By sitting with and then coming from his family the one to be ordained demonstrates that he is part of the people of God and that he comes from amongst them to lead them towards God.

For the Liturgy of the Word Brother Patrick choose Jeremiah 1:4-9 as the first reading in which the Lord tells the prophet that he will be with him to protect him and to guide his words. The Psalm was the Irish setting of Psalm 122 – The Lord is my Shepherd. The second reading was from St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (4:1-7, 11-13) in which the apostle calls on the Ephesians to live a life worthy of their vocation. For the Gospel, John 15:9-17 was read in which the Lord calls on us to love one another as he loved us.

Following the proclamation of the Gospel, Brother Patrick came and stood before the bishop and was presented to him by the Prior Provincial who testified that Brother Patrick had been found worthy for ordination. The bishop then gave his homily and spoke about the ministry of the priest being like that of a shepherd – a shepherd who cares for his flock, who loves his people and who is the visible sign that all life flows from Christ to his body, the Church. The priest, he said, shares in Christ’s mission and is also a sign of hope for the people. After the homily, Brother Patrick then stood before the bishop and affirmed that he was resolved, with the help of the Holy Spirit, “to discharge without fail the office of priesthood . . . as a conscientious fellow worker with the bishops in caring for the Lord’s flock,” that he was “resolved to celebrate the mysteries of Christ faithfully . . . for the glory of God and the sanctification of Christ’s people,” that he was resolved to preach the Gospel and explain the Catholic faith and to consecrate his “life to God for the salvation of his people.”

Brother Patrick then prostrated himself before the Lord in an act of complete submission to the will of God who had called him to this way of life. At the same time the bishop and all gathered knelt before the Lord while the cantor led the Litany of the Saints during which the saints were called on to pray for Brother Patrick and for all present.

At the end of the Litany the central act of the Rite of Ordination took place. The bishop, as ordaining prelate, came forward and, in silence, laid his hands upon Brother Patrick’s head to invoke upon him the Holy Spirit in an act which goes right back to the apostles. Then, still in silence, all the priests present came forward one by one and laid their hands upon Brother Patrick’s head as a symbol of the unity of the Church.

This was then followed by the Prayer of Consecration where the bishop, surrounded by his fellow priests, prayed the solemn prayer over the newly ordained. When this was completed, Brother Patrick, now Father Patrick, removed his deacon’s stole and vested in the stole and chasuble of the priest. He then knelt before the bishop who anointed his hands with the Oil of Chrism. The paten and chalice, containing the bread and wine for use in the Mass, were brought forward by Father Patrick’s family and presented to him by the bishop with the words – “Accept from the people of God the gifts to be offered to him. Know what you are doing, and imitate the mystery you celebrate: model your life on the mystery of the Lord’s cross.”

The bishop then gave Father Patrick the Sign of Peace. As a welcome to the presbyterate and a congratulations all the priests did likewise. While this was taking place the choir sang the ancient hymn “Veni Creator Spiritus” – come Holy Spirit.

The Mass then continued in the usual way but with Father Patrick taking his place alongside his fellow priests in offering up the Lord’s sacrifice. For the offertory, the choir sang Edward Elgar’s “Ecce Sacerdos Magnus” and for the distribution of Holy Communion a cantor sang Cesar Franck’s beautiful “Panis Angelicus.” The recessional hymn was the wonderful “God is love” by Percy Dearmer and was followed on the organ by J.M. Widor’s tremendous “Toccata in F.” After the Mass, Father Patrick gave his first blessing to those who had joined him on this special day.

Later, Father Patrick, his family, friends and fellow Carmelites enjoyed a meal to celebrate the occasion.

Father Patrick continues to work in the parish though in a different way as one who also celebrates the Eucharist and who brings healing to God’s people through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We wish him a long and fruitful ministry in the Lord’s vineyard. Ad multos annos.