is a bad blogger

Well.

More has happened to me in the past few weeks than most of the rest of my life.

I don't think any one blog post could summarize my ordination/first Mass weekend. As I just heard Sufjan sing in my earbuds, "words are futile devices." It was overwhelming, powerful, emotional and about fifty other words.

Just to give a little rundown ... It was a crazy week. Besides being sick and preparing for ordination, we all found out that our bishop was being transferred to another diocese! It was quite a shock. He's only the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Steubenville and all the others have retired here. Exciting times!

On Friday we had a rehearsal for the servers and the two of us being ordained (Jonas was ordained a transitional deacon). Liturgical rehearsals are always kind of funny. You have a hard time taking it that seriously because you move quickly through some very serious things, but they are helpful. Afterwards, we all had pizza in the cathedral rectory.

Later on, my brother and I met up with a priest and deacon from Erie (St. Vincent alumnus and student) and got some late night food with other friends. Afterwards, I dropped everyone else off and headed to the adoration chapel at my home parish. It was some much needed quiet time with God. The preceding days had been so hectic that the reality of ordination had kind of hovered in the back of my mind and it was taking its toll. I was feeling a little nervous and, more than anything, nervously energetic. Spending time with Jesus was what I needed and I felt peaceful when I left for home and sleep.

The actual ordination day flew by quickly. I got to the cathedral early, prayed morning prayer and hung around for any last minute preparations. Before I knew it, I was vested and ready to process in.

Everything was beautiful. Like my diaconate ordination, there were tons of familiar faces, and, the church was pretty full. There are particular moments that stick out in my mind from the liturgy: kissing the altar for the last time as a deacon when I went into the sanctuary, Bishop Conlon's emotional homily (preached without a text), watching Jonas be ordained and vesting him as a deacon, having all the priests lay hands on me, receiving the sign of peace from the bishop and all the priests, taking my seat next to my vocation director and the other "main concelebrants," praying parts of the Eucharistic prayer and watching my friend, Fr. Mike, to make sure I was making the right liturgical gestures at the right moments, processing out with all of the priests, greeting people as I made my way back in for pictures, giving first blessings right outside the cathedral, being mobbed when I went down to the reception ...

Giving a blessing to my sister and cousins.

It goes on and on. The day was amazing for me. God was definitely present.

When I finally left the cathedral, I headed out to lunch with a big group of college friends and then finally crashed at home. I hung out there for a while before going over to a friends house with my brother and sister to play games and music.

On Sunday morning, I got up and went out to breakfast with my Erie friends and then came home, got ready and went to St. Peter's. My brother led the choir in practicing the music for Mass while I made sure things were ready in the sacristy.

My brother going over the Ave Maria with singers, Laura and Lenore.

I said hi to a few people and ran around arranging things, got vested ... and then Tom, one of our seminarians looked at me and said, "It's three o'clock." Then we processed into the church.

Tom, a seminarian, helps me vest while the new Deacon Jonas watches.

I honestly don't remember a lot of my first Mass. I don't think I made any serious mistakes but the whole thing went so quickly. There were a few moments when it seemed to pause and I was able to take things in and appreciate them. The Eucharistic prayer felt unreal. I was happy that my pastor, Msgr. Yontz was there next to me; it was reassuring.

Msgr. Yontz prays part of the Eucharistic prayer.

In the end, the Mass was beautiful. I loved what I heard of the music, it felt prayerful and I was able to communicate my thanks at the end without getting too emotional.

After Mass, the Catholic Women's Club of the parish had a dinner. I ate and then tried to get around to say "hi" to people. I'm sure I missed many, but I talked to a lot of the guests.

I love nuns.

That night, a big group of us went and saw a movie. It seemed strange, after so much solemnity, to do something so "normal" but it was relaxing for me to sit in the dark for a while. I was pretty drained.

In the morning on Monday I was able to celebrate Mass for a couple Franciscan sisters with my friends from Erie. We stayed for breakfast and visited their motherhouse in Toronto before my friends headed out.

That week I celebrated/concelebrated Mass at my home parish and Franciscan University. During the weekend, my family and I went down to St. Ambrose, my deacon assignment, so I could have Mass there. It was great to see all those people again and to share that experience with my family. It also gave us a chance for a little vacation at the retreat house.

Processing out with Fr. Bob, my deacon assignment pastor.

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These first couple weeks as a priest have been amazing. I've been able to hear a few confessions, celebrate Mass everyday (or concelebrate) and get slightly more used to being called "father." Since I don't start my assignment until the 25th of this month, I've been able to try to organize my life. The whole Thank You Card process is in the works - I have A LOT of people to thank. I bought a new car - that was quite an experience. I've been slowly moving my belongings into the new parish. I was able to be at the ordinations of two of my classmates.

It has been a whirlwind. I'm thankful that God has brought me to the completion of one stage of my life and the beginning of a new stage. I'm excited to actually work; to be in a parish and attempt to give myself to the Church there.

Thank you to everyone for your prayers and messages. I will be continuing to blog as much as I can.