VATICAN CITY — Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, ordained 18 men from the North American College in Rome as transitional deacons in St. Peter's Basilica on Thursday.
The Oct. 1 celebration came after approximately seven years of rigorous spiritual, academic, and pastoral formation, marking a pivotal step for the men in the journey toward becoming fully ordained Catholic priests.
Transitional deacons are in their final stage of ministry as seminarians before their priestly ordination. For each candidate, the milestone signifies a lifelong commitment to humble service, preaching the Gospel, and assisting at the altar as they step into their ultimate calling as shepherds of the faith.
Reflecting on the weight and grace of the moment, candidate Nicholas Vande Hey of Green Bay, Wisconsin, told EWTN News that he "feels humbled and I feel hungry at the same time ... for what [the Lord is] going to do in the future." Vande Hey is joined by peers representing dioceses across the United States, all of whom have spent years preparing in the heart of the Church.
In his homily, Barron, founder of the Catholic ministry Word on Fire, reminded the candidates of their fundamental and seminal role as preachers of the word.
Drawing on sacred tradition, he emphasized that the young deacons must bear Christ's mission in mind as they complete their studies in Rome and prepare to take what they learned back home to their local parishes.
Christ himself said, "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church," Barron said.
The bishop went on to say that "when Christ's words resonate through you to his people, things change. Hearts are set on fire."
Graham Fassero of the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia, on the eve of his ordination, said: "Rome has been able to give me this habit of thinking as a pilgrim, and I would love to bring some glimmer of that to the people back home too."
For new deacon Brendan Finnegan of the Archdiocese of Hartford, Connecticut, this ordination is "a fulfillment" as he continues to "learn to be a man in service," leaning on his experiences in Rome to effectively govern and sanctify the people of his parish.
As the 18 men complete their final year of preparation, they carry with them the unique grace of having been ordained in the spiritual center of the universal Church.
Barron closed his homily with this phrase: "Believe what you read. Teach what you believe. Practice what you preach."
