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10 Saint Mary seminarians instituted in ministry of acolyte

News of the Diocese

February 10, 2021

10 Saint Mary seminarians instituted in ministry of acolyte
10 Saint Mary seminarians instituted in ministry of acolyte
10 Saint Mary seminarians instituted in ministry of acolyte
10 Saint Mary seminarians instituted in ministry of acolyte
10 Saint Mary seminarians instituted in ministry of acolyte
10 Saint Mary seminarians instituted in ministry of acolyte
10 Saint Mary seminarians instituted in ministry of acolyte
10 Saint Mary seminarians instituted in ministry of acolyte
10 Saint Mary seminarians instituted in ministry of acolyte
10 Saint Mary seminarians instituted in ministry of acolyte
10 Saint Mary seminarians instituted in ministry of acolyte
10 Saint Mary seminarians instituted in ministry of acolyte
10 Saint Mary seminarians instituted in ministry of acolyte
10 Saint Mary seminarians instituted in ministry of acolyte

In 1973, Pope St. Paul VI established the ministries of lector and acolyte saying, “Candidates for ordination as deacons and priests are to receive the ministries of reader and acolyte to exercise them for a suitable time, in order to be better disposed for future service of the word and the altar.”

Bishop Edward Malesic instituted 10 men from Saint Mary Seminary who are in their first year of study and discernment for the priesthood into the ministry of acolyte during a Mass on Feb. 5 at SS. Robert and William Church in Euclid. Attendance at the liturgy was limited because of pandemic guidelines, but it was livestreamed on the diocesan website.

The new acolytes from the Diocese of Cleveland and their parishes are Christopher Lawrence Cotone, St. John Bosco Parish, Parma Heights; Anthony Aaron Donatelli, St. Mary Parish, Hudson; James Jonathon Hawkins, Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Wadsworth; Jeffrey LeVance Lindholm, St. Raphael Parish, Bay Village; James William Livingston, St. Julie Billiart Parish, North Ridgeville; Joseph Francis McCarron, Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, South Euclid; James Alexander Parisi, St. Hilary Parish, Fairlawn; Luke Henry Rose, St. Basil the Great Parish, Brecksville; and Kyle Jacob Rosser, St. Peter Parish, Lorain.

The 10th seminarian, Travis David Seagraves, is from the Diocese of Youngstown.

The bishop told the new acolytes that even though some of them might have performed some of the functions previously, this is different. “This is a ministry that is more stably constituted – it is the entire Church who is commissioning you today, through me, for service in the name of the Church for the entire Church – not just a particular parish or school. Place this special ministry within the larger missionary task that we all have ‘to make Christ the heart of the world,’ as Pope Francis has urged us,” Bishop Malesic said.

“Every ministry – lay or ordained – is a gift that is meant to be used for mission. So use this gift of ministry well,” he said, telling the acolytes that they are “privileged to draw closer to the altar to assist the priest and deacon in their ordained ministry. When you exercise this ministry, let your heart grow fonder of the work that flows from the altar: the unbloody representation of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross for us.”

He warned them not to let the ministry go to their head, reminding them they are “first and foremost, a member of the Church. So is your bishop. Our greatest honor is not in the titles we receive, but in being a member of the one mystical body of Christ.”

In addition, Bishop Malesic told them when they distribute holy Communion at Mass or take it to the sick, they should remember they are giving Jesus himself, under the signs of bread and wine. He cautioned them to be reverent to both the Eucharist and the person who is receiving the sacrament from them.

“Love the people you have been called to serve,” he said.

The bishop had more advice for the acolytes, telling them to come before the Lord often. “Speak to him heart to heart. And listen to him more than you speak to him. In this way, strive to live more fully by the Lord’s sacrifice that you might be willing to give your life to him in return.”

Bishop Malesic told the acolytes they should use this time to “build your liturgical sensibility and Eucharistic awareness. Then, if the day comes when your vocation to God is recognized by the Church, you will be able to jump into the sometimes choppy waters of ministry a little more prepared and less frightened.”

He also told them to be obedient to the Lord’s commandment to the disciples at the Last Supper: “Love one another as I also have loved you.”

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