Newly ordained Brisbane priests Fr Sang Duc Bui and Fr Sean Woods are sharing their love and gratitude to God. Source: The Catholic Leader.
Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge ordained the two men at St Stephen’s Cathedral on June 13.
Fr Bui said he “felt and received so much grace from God”.
“I shed tears many times because of the joy and happiness of the great grace God has given me and the presence of so many people I love and know,” he said.
Fr Woods said the ordination was a journey itself – “distinct and powerful”.
He said the Prayer of Ordination was the highlight for him, spanning “spiritual ground” from Moses and Aaron to the apostles with Christ at the centre.
“The prayer is followed by gestures of welcome into the presbyterate – which were very humbling,” he said.
“While not part of the ordination itself, another highlight was when Fr Sang and I gave our blessings to the archbishop. I was at a loss for words.”
Both men were supported by parents, family and friends as well as faithful from around the Brisbane Archdiocese, including their past parish placements.
Fr Bui said they had received so much “help and care in their prayers”.
In his homily, Archbishop Coleridge said when people “come looking for Jesus, may they find you and when they come looking for you, may they find Jesus”.
He said the Church spoke of a “sacramental priesthood”.
“This doesn’t mean simply that the priest celebrates the sacraments,” he said.
“It does mean that, but it means more. It means that the priest has to become the sacrament. He has to be the sacrament.”
He urged Fr Bui and Fr Woods to be the sacrament and the revelation for God’s people.
Fr Woods said he was looking forward to learning more about the sacraments through practice.
“I have been told that much about the priesthood can only be learned by experience, I believe it,” he said.
Fr Bui said all he wanted for his priesthood was “to have Christ present in me always”.
FULL STORY
Newly-ordained priests give thanks to God for outpouring of graces at ordination (By Joe Higgins, The Catholic Leader)
