WATCH: Four Men to be Ordained Priests on May 9
- Denver Catholic Staff
- May 6
- 2 min read
The ordination, Archbishop James Golka's first as Archbishop of Denver, will take place at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver.
The Church of Denver rejoices as four men prepare for their ordination to the priesthood on Saturday, May 9, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver!
After several years of seminary formation at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary and Redemptoris Mater Archdiocesan Missionary Seminary in Denver, Deacon Manuel Alarcon, Deacon Jason DiRito, Deacon Jonathan Francois and Deacon Daniel Rivas will begin their priestly ministry across Northern Colorado.
During the ordination Mass, Denver Archbishop James Golka will lay hands on their heads, praying intentionally for the coming of the Holy Spirit, and will consecrate their hands with Sacred Chrism, a special oil blessed at the annual Chrism Mass during Holy Week. The newly ordained priests will be vested with stoles and chasubles, liturgical vestments, and welcomed by brother priests from around the archdiocese. They will then join the archbishop behind the altar to concelebrate the Liturgy of the Eucharist, their first as priests.
"To be the first priest in my family and to offer Christ to the Father on behalf of my family and the whole Church is extraordinary, especially when I consider how my family has prayed for a priest to receive a vocation from Christ for generations," Deacon Francois told the Denver Catholic. "These sacramental responsibilities are a source of excitement for me, especially the thought that Christ will operate through me in these liturgies as in persona Christi [in the person of Christ]. I am an unworthy minister, but given extraordinary grace to operate as Jesus on earth during our pilgrimage towards Heaven as we participate in the sacraments that he has given to the Church."
"In some of the most crucial moments of people's lives, God generously grants priests the honor of making his presence known, felt and appreciated, and we pray to do that faithfully and humbly," added Deacon Rivas.
For those near and far, the archdiocese's four newest priests will surely be a blessing. As they prepare for their ordination over the next few days, the faithful are invited to unite in prayer for their ministry to God's children across Northern Colorado. Those interested can also tune into the Priestly Ordination Mass on Saturday, May 9, at 10:00 a.m. via the archdiocesan livestream.
