“God’s word is beginning to flower in you. We want you to give off the sweet fragrance of that word. Meditate on the word and let it become one with you,” Bishop Edward Malesic said to the eight seminarians from Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology who were instituted into the ministry of lector.
The liturgy took place Oct. 23 at SS. Robert and William Church in Euclid. Attendance was by invitation only because of limited capacity in the church due to the ongoing pandemic. Attendees included family and friends of the seminarians, their pastors and spiritual advisors, fellow seminarians and seminary faculty members.
Five of the candidates were instituted for service to the Diocese of Cleveland: Michael Garvin, St. Hilary Parish, Fairlawn; Maxwell Giorgi, Divine Word Parish, Kirtland; Bradley Jasko, St. Mary Parish, Hudson; Jeffrey Liptak, St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Parma; and Thuc Francis Tri Nguyen. Two seminarians: Kevin Bertleff and William Wainio, were instituted for the Diocese of Youngstown; and one seminarian, Duckhyun Han, was instituted for the Archdiocese of Daegu, South Korea.
Bishop Malesic told the congregation that part of his vocation journey involved receiving a free Gideon Bible during his college days. He took the opportunity to begin reading the Gospels.
“I still have it,” he said, as he held up a small pocket Bible. “Jesus came through the pages of that Bible and came alive for me. I keep it with me. And Father Don Oleksiak, the vicar general for the diocese, knows that when my time comes, the Bible comes with me. But he told me not to die for at least 15 more years,” the bishop quipped.
“The word of God comes alive through the pages of the Bible. It’s a powerful word and it must be made flesh to you. We’re entrusting this word to you in the ministry of lector,” he added.
The bishop said the new evangelism requires new words and some creativity, but he cautioned the seminarians not to change or water down its authenticity.
He recounted a story told by Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York. Archbishop Fulton Sheen and Shakespearean actor Richard Burton were at a dinner party. The host asked each of them to recite Psalm 23.
Richard Burton did so with the precision, the cadence, and drama one would expect from a Shakespearean actor, and the guests applauded vigorously; Fulton Sheen then read the psalm with obvious devotion, meaning and depth, and the guests remained in reverential silence. The host commented, ‘The actor knew the psalm, the preacher knew the Shepherd,’” the bishop said, quoting Cardinal Dolan from his book “Priests for the Third Millennium.”
“Be like the light shining through the entire house so we hear God’s word from your lips and see it in your eyes,” Bishop Malesic said.
He encouraged seminarians to “be persistent – whether convenient or inconvenient – as you fulfill your ministry.”
The ministry of lector institutes those who are properly prepared to proclaim the Scripture readings before the Gospel at liturgical celebrations, to offer the petitions of the general intercessions, to instruct other faithful who by a temporary appointment are asked to proclaim the Scripture readings in liturgical celebrations and to help the rest of the community grow in its knowledge and appreciation of the Scriptures.
For more information on Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology, click HERE.