On June 20, Bishop J. Kevin Boland ordained four new priests for service in the Dio­cese of Savannah in the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist. By prayer and the imposition of hands, Deacons Matthew Ericksen, Luis Fonseca, Pablo Migone and Scott Winchel were raised to the priesthood.

Calling June 20 “a glorious day,” the bishop described the ministerial priesthood as a “pure gift” that “at all times must be lived out in service to God’s people.” Citing Pope Benedict XVI’s letter proclaiming June 19, 2009, to June 19, 2010 as the Year for Priests, which in turn quoted extensively from the writings of Saint John Vianney, patron of priests, the bishop told the candidates, “Our faith in the Divine Master gives us the strength to look to the future with confidence.” 

After prostrating themselves during the Litany of the Saints, the bishop and priests present laid their hands on the candidates’ heads, and the bishop said the prayer of consecration, by which the candidates became priests. After their vesting in stole and chasuble, the new priests’ hands were anointed with chrism and they received the chalice and paten. Then they concelebrated Mass for the first time.

Go to the audioslide show and view  images of the ordination, hear the Bishop's blessing of the priests and a few comments from people who attended the ordination.