You report: FSSP seminarians to be ordained to the minor orders
We hear that on November 20th, the feast of St. Felix of Valois, at 10am in the Chapel of Saints Peter and Paul at Our Lady of Guadalupe FSSP Seminary in Denton, NE, His Excellency Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz will ordain 19 men to the minor orders.
On that day, 12 men will be ordained to orders of Porter and Lector, while seven other seminarians will be ordained to the orders of exorcist and acolyte.
The minor orders are of a very ancient origin in the Church. There are four minor orders and three major orders, the last of which is the priesthood. Thus, the minor orders mark important steps in one's formation and progress towards the sacred priesthood. Each minor order brings with it certain duties proper to it that enable the cleric to participate more closely in the sacred liturgy.
Porter: Porters receive custodial power over the church, which is entrusted to their care along with everything that lies within. They summon Christians to prayer and guard God’s temple against intruders. The porter is so to live that his conduct and behavior will be as so many little bells calling, inviting and impelling men to know God and serve Him with love.
Lector: Lectors are given the power to read the Lessons in the church, to catechize children and the uneducated, and to bless bread and new fruits. This act of blessing is prefigured in the ministry of lower-ranking Levites and gives the lector priestly dominion over the elements that will become the matter for the Eucharistic Sacrifice. The lector should possess all the virtues in an eminent degree so that he may indeed be a guide and a model of the spiritual life to those who see and hear him.
Exorcist: Exorcists receive the power to expel demons from the possessed in the name of the Church. This is referred to as a ‘bound power’ since Church law has for centuries reserved the solemn public exorcism of the possessed to the diocesan bishop or to a priest delegated by him. Exorcists are exhorted, however, to pray more fervently for the delivery of all souls who may find themselves oppressed by evil influences, and do so with priestly efficacy. In the ancient Church, exorcists purified the priests hands with water in preparation for the Sacrifice, and were responsible for making way among the faithful for the communicants to approach for Holy Communion.
Acolyte: Acolytes are given the power to carry the candles at Holy Mass and present the water and wine to the priest for offering at the Holy Sacrifice. They thereby gain a nearer proximity to the Blessed Sacrament, closely collaborating with the ministry of the subdeacon. Acolytes are to attain to holiness of life so as to imitate their divine Savior who is “the light of the world.”
Please remember these fine young men and all the holy priests of the FSSP in your prayers.
And, please, remember to follow @RorateCaeli on Twitter.
