Ordination Tomorrow

A Priesthood Ordination will take place tomorrow at St. Cecilia's Cathedral at 10 a.m. with a reception to follow. Rev. Mr. John Michael Voithofer, Intercessors of the Lamb, will be ordained a priest. Below is some information from the Vocations page where he talks about his call:

Praise be to Jesus and Mary! Hello, my name is John Michael Voithofer. I am a member of the Intercessors of the Lamb. Lift up your eyes to Heaven and see Abba smiling on you! We are all called to know and experience what it means to be a beloved child of Abba!

I was blessed to grow up in a wonderful Catholic family in the small, beautiful town of Carmichaels, Pennsylvania. It was there in my parish family that I began to experience the movement of the Holy Spirit. I went through my elementary and high school years of school as an altar server and I clearly recall the joy and peace that I received on those Sundays with my family. I remember the great peace that our Blessed Mother brought into my life through the family rosary. All of these moments of grace are important parts of my journey to the priesthood of Jesus Christ.

When did I know God was calling me to be a priest? Well, after high school I went off to study Architectural Engineering at Penn State University and it was during my time at college that I personally encountered Jesus Christ. This life changing encounter was brought about as I opened myself to the Lord through Eucharistic Adoration, devotion to our Lady, the sacrament of reconciliation and a charismatic prayer group that I attended. As I began to experience deeper outpouring of the Holy Spirit, I had a great desire to give my life in service to the Lord as a priest. This desire grew and after college I headed off to seminary for the diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I spent two years of pre-theology in Pittsburgh and two years of theology at the North American College in Rome. It was during my time in Rome that I discovered my call to be an Intercessor of the Lamb. In Rome, I found my home! Home is where the heart is. As I received God's love more and more I discovered my calling more and more!

I continued to explore the charism of the Intercessors of the Lamb and I found my heart more and more alive! As I received the call to be a member of the Intercessors of the Lamb, I became more and more free and my desire to be a priest was strengthened! Let Abba love you through the sacraments and His Word will rise up and lead you from deep within.

Feast of St. John Vianney

When Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed this the Year For Priests, he also proclaimed St. John Vianney as patron saint of all priests. Today all of the priests in our diocese are gatheirng with Archbishop Lucas today on the Feast of St. John Vianney.

St. John Vianney said he owed a debt of gratitude to his pious mother, who encouraged his vocation to the priesthood. A mother’s example is powerful, he said, “Virtues go easily from mothers into the hearts of their children, who willingly do what they see being done.” His heavenly mother Mary also could be given credit for the future French saint’s vocation. The saint developed a love for her during his earliest years.

Several priests gave him their heroic example by secretly administering his first sacraments during the French Revolution, when the government persecuted Catholics. One parish priest in particular encouraged St. John Vianney, who struggled with his seminary studies. The priest saw the young man’s holiness, tutored him and refused to give up on him. Is God reaching out to young people through you?

Year For Priests

During this Year For Priests, each week on our website we are adding a glimpse of how some priests were called.

http://www.saintcolumbkille.org/ministry/yfp/default.asp#lucas

This weekend we added a note on Archbishop Lucas' call.

Year for Priests

On the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Friday 19 June 2009 – a day traditionally devoted to prayer for the sanctification of the clergy –, I have decided to inaugurate a “Year for Priests” in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the “dies natalis” of John Mary Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests worldwide.

Pope Benedict XVI

This will be a year where we will celebrate the priesthood and pray for the growth of our priests.

For Pope Benedict's recent letter visit: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/letters/2009/documents/hf_ben-xvi_let_20090616_anno-sacerdotale_en.html