“Christ the Lord, a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek, offered bread and wine.” The prayer, adapted from a verse in Hebrews, is chanted in the ritual for priestly ordination during the investiture with a stole and chasuble.
It is a reminder of priests’ imaging of Christ, and visually appears in the Cathedral of St. Paul sacristy with an image of Christ the High Priest over the bishops’ vesting cabinet.
On May 30, seven men will vest in that sacristy as deacons of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, only to return as priests.
This section shares their paths to the priesthood, one family’s reflection on the vocation of its son and brother, and advice from Pope Francis to new priests, which includes no boring homilies! The men are to receive their pastoral assignments from Archbishop John Nienstedt May 26.
Above, the archdiocese’s soon-to-be newest priests are, from left, Deacon Peter Hughes, Deacon T.J. McKenzie, Deacon Bruno Nwachukwu, Deacon Jake Anderson, Deacon James Stiles, Deacon Byron Hagan and Deacon John Powers. Ordained with them will be Deacon Alvaro Perez Silva, a member of a religious order, Pro Ecclesia Sancta, that serves St. Mark in St. Paul.
Meet our soon-to-be new priests
Masses of Thanksgiving
Deacon Jake Anderson: St. Mary, River Falls, Wisconsin, 10:30 a.m. May 31.
Deacon Byron Hagan: St. Agnes, St. Paul, 10 a.m. May 31.
Deacon Peter Hughes: St. Paul, Ham Lake, 10:30 a.m. May 31.
Deacon T. J. McKenzie: Cathedral of St. Paul, St. Paul, 5 p.m. May 30.
Deacon Bruno Nwachukwu: St. Joseph, West St. Paul, 11 a.m. May 31.
Deacon John Powers: St. Hubert, Chanhassen, 10:30 a.m. May 31.
Deacon James Stiles: St. Charles Borromeo, St. Anthony, 10 a.m. May 31.
8 new priests ordained in St. Paul
Family and friends welcome 8 new priests
Ordination day homily of Archbishop Nienstedt
‘Hands for work, hearts for love’
– At the St. Paul Seminary, priest hopefuls learn what it means to be wedded to the Church and be experts in the spiritual life
Pope to new priests: No boring homilies, never tire of mercy
