My family and I standing outside the retreat center just prior to the 
Bishop Weigand with Priests and Deacons.
Liz and I presenting ourselves to the Bishop.
My hand on the cup / bread as the Bishop states:
"Take this vessel with the bread (wine) for the celebration of the Eucharist. Make your life worthy of your service at the table of the Lord and of his Church."
At this point I am formally installed into the ministry of Acolyte.
At the end of the ceremony, the Bishop presented us with a present and a Pyx, to enable us to take the Eucharist to the sick.
The Kids watching the ceremony. Yes, great Kids.....
So what is an Acolyte? Well first of all, it is a necessary step prior to ordination to the Diaconate. One is to be an Acolyte for at least 6 months prior to ordination to the Diaconate.
The Acolyte is instituted and appointed in order to aid the deacon and to minister to the priest. It is therefore his duty to attend to the service of the altar and to assist the deacon and the priest in liturgical celebrations, especially in the celebration of the Mass; he is also to distribute holy communion.
An Acolyte: "Destined as he is in a special way for the service of the altar, the acolyte should learn all matters concerning public divine worship and strive to grasp their inner spiritual meaning: in that way he will be able each day to offer himself to God, be an example to all by his seriousness and reverence in the sacred building, and have a sincere love for the Mystical Body of Christ, the People of God, especially to weak and sick."
So what does all of this mean in a nutshell. It means that now I wear an Alb when serving on the altar, knowing that I still have a lot to learn, and that I am getting close to ordination, less than 6 months.
2 comments:
Congratulations!
What a wonderful photos of an inspiring celebration.
CONGRATUATIONS MY DEAR HUSBAND! This was a major gift from God that was JUST FOR YOU!
I am so very proud of you for discerning the call & will of God in your/our lives.
As you knelt before Bishop Weigand, him holding the chalice & paten & you placing your hand on them, too, I stood beside you with my hand on your shoulder, and something truly amazing happened... As OUR BISHOP looked into my eyes, WOW...Somehow what I saw/felt was the gift of our Catholic faith and belief in Apostolic Succession. IT WAS A POWERFUL MOMENT!
I remembered praying in St. Peter's, in a room with the list of Popes carved in stone...and the power that came with that amazing line of succession.
Somehow when the bishop looked into my eyes, the apostolic succession hit me right between the eyes -- and the fact that you were kneeling before the bishop receiving the Rite of Acolyte, in preparation for Permananent Diaconate Ordination (God-willing), WOW...WOW...WOW!
My heart & mind cannot even begin to imagine what ordination would be like, as your wife witnessing it.
MAY WE CONTINUE TO PERSEVERE & PRAY & STUDY WHILE WE COMPLETE THIS JOURNEY YOU'VE BEEN CALLED TO.
I AM SO PROUD OF YOU & I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!
L
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