Father Hathaway’s Column — April 14, 2024
THE WAY TO KNOW HIM
During this Easter Season, we hear key passages from the Acts of the Apostles in the First Readings at Sunday Mass. The Second Readings for the season come from the First Epistle of John, which is a basic catechesis for converts, people who are new to the faith, aptly reflecting the fact that the Church has just welcomed new members at the Easter Vigil. That includes the 28 individuals we welcomed into full communion with the Catholic Church here at the Basilica during on March 30.
The words from John today, the Third Sunday in Easter, remind all of us, not just newcomers, of the importance of renewing and keeping our faith and baptismal commitment: “The way we may be sure that we know Him is to keep His commandments.” John also says that we lie if we say we know Him, but don’t follow His commandments. A “hard saying,” perhaps, but true. As John adds: “Whoever keeps His word, the love of God is perfected in him.”
Knowing Jesus is also a theme in today’s Gospel reading from Luke. Jesus appears to two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus, who are “startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost.” They finally come to know that it is, indeed, Jesus when he says, “Look at my hands and my feet…it is I, myself.” May we, too, come to more fully recognize the presence of Christ in our lives.
CONGRATULATIONS TO 12 NEW DEACONS!
On Saturday, April 6, Bishop Burbidge ordained 12 seminarians to the Transitional Diaconate for the Diocese of Arlington: Timothy Banach, Emmanuel Carreño-García, Joseph Connor, Jordan Evans, John Fimmuchime, Raymond Goins, Andrew Lewandowski, Richard Malebranche, John Meyerhofer, Christian Njodzela, Michael Sampson and Alfredo Tuesta. Joseph O’Connor attended our Basilica School of Saint Mary, and Jordan Evans and John Meyerhofer have served here as summer seminarians. God willing, they will be ordained to the Holy Priesthood of God next year. Twelve new priests – what a blessing! (You can learn more about them and watch their recorded Diaconate Ordination Mass at www.ArlingtonDiocese.org/Ordinations)
The role of the deacon is to assist priests in proclaiming the gospel, teaching, preaching, baptizing, witnessing marriages and assisting the priest at liturgies. There are two types of deacons: Transitional Deacons (like the 12 who were just ordained) are men preparing to be priests; Permanent Deacons can be married, although if their spouse dies, they may not remarry.
On Saturday, June 1, two men of our Arlington Diocese will be ordained as priests: James Joseph (Saint Agnes parish) and Sean Nypaver (Saint John the Baptist parish). More on the June ordinations later.
Ordinations are always celebrated with great joy and gratitude because new deacons and priests make Christ present and the sacraments more available. Ordinations also indicate that the people of our diocese are truly responding when the Holy Spirit prompts individuals to follow and imitate Christ. Please pray for our new deacons, our soon-to-be new priests, for all men discerning a vocation to the priesthood and for those discerning a call to the consecrated life as a religious sister or brother. May God bless and guide all of them.