St. Benedict, Oregon — On March 11, 16 seminarians representing seven (arch)dioceses and two religious communities were instituted as lectors and acolytes during the annual Ministries Mass at Mount Angel Seminary. Bishop Jaime Soto, bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento, was the principal celebrant and instituting prelate. Other concelebrants included Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, OSB, abbot and chancellor of Mount Angel Seminary, Fr. Jeff Eirvin, president-rector of Mount Angel Seminary, vocation directors and visiting priests, and priests from the monastery and the Seminary.
The readings for the Mass were the daily readings for Tuesday of the First Week of Lent, which providentially resonated with the ministries of lector and acolyte at the service of the word and the altar, respectively. The first reading from Isaiah described the power of God’s word that “shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). The Gospel from Matthew was Jesus’ teaching on the Lord’s Prayer, prayed at every Eucharistic liturgy which the acolyte serves. Reflecting on the Lord’s Prayer, Bishop Soto shared that “knowing what these words meant for Jesus and where they would lead Jesus, our hearts should tremble when we bring his words to our lips.” Addressing the seminarians receiving ministries, he expressed that the Lord’s Prayer is “how you conform your life to the priestly image of the Lord Jesus.”
Following the homily, those seminarians receiving the ministry of lector were called forward by name. Bishop Soto prayed that “as they meditate constantly on your Word, they may grow in its wisdom and faithfully proclaim it to your people.”
Those instituted into the ministry of lector were Tyler Matthew Alt, Diocese of Orange; Br. Thomas Buttrick, OSB, Mount Angel Abbey; Joseph Ryan Canepa, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon; Đavid Huy Đỗ, Archdiocese of Seattle; Br. Pachomius Hamor, OSB, Saint Martin’s Abbey; Edward Joseph Huber, Diocese of Orange; Robert Kelly, Archdiocese of Santa Fe; Seth Mitchell London, Diocese of Orange; Fernando Mendoza Lemus, Diocese of Fresno; John Thien Nguyen, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon; and Cody Wilson Schurter, Diocese of Orange.
After the seminarians receiving the ministry of acolyte were called forward, Bishop Soto prayed that “they may be faithful in the service of your altar, and in giving to others the Bread of Life, may they grow always in faith and love and so build up your Church.”
Those instituted into the ministry of acolyte were Victor Fernando Amador, Diocese of Sacramento; Marcos Ricardo Alvarado Trasmonte, Archdiocese of Portland in Orego; Kinnzy Dorcely, Diocese of Yakima; Alan Matthias Hoetker, Diocese of Orange; and Adalberto Montes Contreras, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon.
The Program of Priestly Formation, 6th edition, describes the conferral of lector and acolyte as “marking the progressive deepening of this self-configuration to Christ both liturgically and in catechesis, evangelization, and active service to the poor.” Please pray for these seminarians as they exercise these ministries in service to Christ and his Church.
Mount Angel Seminary, established in 1889 by the pioneer monks of Mount Angel Abbey, is the oldest seminary in the western United States. It is the only seminary in the West that offers a four-year college and graduate school of theology, and one of only a few in the nation that offer degrees at all levels, baccalaureate through doctorate. Since its foundation, Mount Angel Seminary has educated and formed thousands of priests and many religious and lay women and men for service to the people of God in nearly 100 dioceses and religious communities across the country and around the world.
Additional photos of the Mass of Institution can be found on the Mt. Angel Abbey & Seminary flick page.